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September 2025

Character Education

Sign up for the Character Education Updates to stay informed, and visit our Character Education Website for information on legislation, resources, and State Schools of Character.

UPDATE INCLUDES: 

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTER 

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

OPPORTUNITIES & AWARDS 

• Apply to be a State and National School of Character 
• Leading With Character Summit: November 3, 2025 
• Character Strong Professional Learning Opportunity: October 14, 2025
• Bill of Rights Institute Workshop: September 29, 2025 
• Webinars
• Grants 
• Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive
• Health Education Regional Trainings 
• Implementing Standards-Based Instruction 

INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS & RESOURCES  

• Professional Learning Opportunity: How to Integrate Character Education in ELA & Social Studies by Learning About the Holocaust
• On-Demand Professional Learning 

Follow Us On Facebook and Instagram We’re excited to announce that Character Education in North Carolina now has official Facebook and Instagram pages! Follow us for the latest updates on Character Development, Service Learning, Student Leadership, and more: Help us show that Character Matters in NC! If your school or district is doing something impactful in the areas of character, leadership, or service, we want to hear about it. Send your stories so we can help spotlight the great work happening across the state.

 BECOME A SCHOOL OF CHARACTER

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

The 2026 Schools of Character application is now available! If your school is ready to grow its character education journey—or if you're just starting to explore the process—now is the perfect time to begin.

Visit the Schools of Character page to:

• Determine your school’s readiness

• Explore new and updated resources

• Begin your application with confidence

Don’t miss the newly updated Guide to Apply, which walks you through the redesigned evaluation cycle and offers step-by-step support for a successful application.

If you need help with your application, contact Justyn Burgess

November 3, 2025  |  9 am - 4 pm

Character Strong Professional Learning

Moving the Student Success Needle Through Adult Behaviors

October 14, 2025 | 8:00 am - 3:00 pm 

Sampson Community College

Join Character Strong for a powerful 1-day training designed to transform school culture and student success. Discover a research-backed instructional framework and walk away with practical, easy-to-use tools that positively impact both student behavior and the overall learning environment.

Bill of Rights Institute Workshop: Civics for the American Experiment September 29, 2025 | 8 am - 3 pm The Government & Politics: Civics for the American Experiment workshop by the Bill of Rights Institute is designed to inspire teachers to cultivate informed citizens. This dynamic workshop dives into the foundational principles of American democracy, explores contemporary political issues, and introduces innovative teaching strategies to make civics education relevant and exciting. Participants will gain a deep understanding of constitutional principles that underpin the American system of self-governance and learn how these principles support and promote American ideals. The workshop includes ready-made lesson plans, scholar-written essays, videos, and game-based learning activities that actively engage students and develop critical thinking skills. Teachers will also have the opportunity to implement simulation games that enhance students' understanding of the U.S. government. Registration for this event is free of charge. This program is done in partnership with the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies and hosted by Vance County Schools. Questions? Contact Dr. Tim Hall, past-president of NCCSS at thall.nccss@gmail.com

Your School's Character Journey: A Guide to Becoming a State & National School of Character

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT

Join the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) for an informative webinar on how to apply for recognition as a State or National School of Character, a prestigious distinction awarded to schools that exemplify excellence in character education.

During this session, you will learn how to:

📝 Navigate the application process and craft compelling narratives
Gain practical tips for writing powerful, authentic narratives that reflect your school’s unique character journey.

📁 Select meaningful evidence aligned to the 11 Principles Framework
Learn how to identify and organize artifacts that best illustrate your school’s commitment to character development and whole-child success.

Inclusive Family Engagement for Every Language, Culture, and Tech Level

Engaging all families isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. In this edWebinar, educators will learn practical strategies to connect with families across language, cultural, and technology. Discover how to create a truly inclusive communication experience that supports multilingual households, builds trust, and ensures no family is left behind—no matter what language they speak or device they use.

Through valuable strategies and real-world solutions, the session will build awareness, showcase the critical nature of inclusive communication, and help educators and school leaders who are seeking better ways to connect with their communities. 

GRANTS 

Karma for Cara Microgrants:  Deadline: October 1

The K4C Microgrant Program is the bridge between ideas and action, helping young citizen leaders execute and magnify their initiatives to help repair our world. Students 18 years of age and under may apply for funds between $250 and $1,000 to complete service projects in their communities throughout the United States. 

Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive North Carolina students are invited to showcase their creativity and financial smarts in the statewide “Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive!” contest. Open to grades K–12 across all public, private, charter, and home schools, this competition encourages students to explore what budgeting means today through essays, visual art, videos, posters, or creative writing. Regional winners will advance to a statewide showcase, with top entries honored at a celebration event in early 2026. Prizes include scholarships and recognition on the NC Department of Public Instruction website and social media. Submissions are due by December 15, 2025—don’t miss this chance to inspire the future of financial literacy!

HEALTH EDUCATION REGIONAL TRAININGS FALL 2025

September 17, 2025, 9 am-4 pm, Hickory

SAFE Talk Suicide Alertness For Everyone is designed to equip individuals with the skills to recognize when someone might be having thoughts of suicide and connect them with appropriate resources.

HOPE Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experience focuses on shifting the conversation from the negative impacts of ACEs to the power of PCEs in building resilience and well-being.

November 17, 2025, 9 am-4 pm, Southern Pines

Substance Use Prevention  - This session will provide an interactive approach to addressing substance use prevention in your school community. Participants will gain practical tools and strategies to implement in their district/school to effectively curtail substance use.

Social & Emotional Learning Interactive session designed to explore high-quality SEL practices, connect to local priorities, and leave with actionable tools to align SEL with existing systems and support sustainable student wellbeing. 

December 9, 2025, 9am-4pm, Greenville

Mental Health for Students & Staff - Take a deep dive into practical strategies that go beyond trauma-informed care toward healing-centered engagement. Interactive activities will help participants foster connection, belonging, and resilience, not just in classrooms, but across schools and districts.

**Trainings are open to current teachers and school staff. Stipends will be provided to cover time away from the classroom. Substitute pay is available.**

This professional development offering is grounded in the implementation of standards-based instruction, focusing on equipping educators with strategies, tools, and foundational knowledge for designing and delivering learning experiences that align with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. This approach develops teacher expertise in the following key areas: foundations of standards-based instruction, differentiation within a standards-based framework, and alignment and consistency.

Mental Health Awareness Toolkit September is National Suicide Prevention Month. EVERFI's Understanding Mental Wellness digital course introduces students to the topic of mental health and strategies to manage their own challenging thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.  Through interactive real-world scenarios, students learn how to support friends and family who may be struggling, how to recognize when to seek help, and how to access appropriate resources to do so. Additional classroom resources can be found in EVERFI’s Mental Health Awareness Toolkit for educators.

Professional Learning Opportunity: How to Integrate Character Education in English Language Arts & Social Studies through Holocaust Education

Are you looking for ways to implement both Character Education and the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act in ELA and Social Studies classrooms?

Learning about Character Education through the lens of the Holocaust allows students to build their character and develop skills like empathy and social awareness. In an effort to foster these skills, NCDPI partnered with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to create standards-based resources for implementation in secondary grades. These resources are based on using the texts Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Night by Elie Wiesel. The goal of the resources is for teachers to be able to embed both character education and Holocaust education seamlessly into the core curriculum. 

Contact Thomas.Daugherty@dpi.nc.gov and Kelly.Schultz@dpi.nc.gov to set up a professional learning experience or to learn more about these resources and how they can be used in your classrooms.

On-Demand Professional Learning 

Take advantage of recordings of NCDPI Character Education & Social-Emotional Learning on-demand webinars.  Watch these recorded presentations to help you enhance your classroom experience and empower your students to become more empathetic, responsible, and caring citizens. These webinars will help you discover practical strategies to help your students regulate emotions, set goals, and demonstrate self-discipline.  Character1 is the password for each On-Demand session. 

Character Education 

Integrate Social-Emotional Learning in Your Classroom

Self Management: Discover practical strategies to help your students regulate emotions, set goals, and demonstrate self-discipline. 

Responsible Decision-Making:  Discover strategies to empower your students to think critically, make ethical choices, and contribute positively to society.

Self and Social Awareness:  Discover strategies to help your students develop a deep understanding of themselves and others, fostering empathy, emotional intelligence, and positive social interactions 

Relationship Skills: Discover strategies to help your students cultivate strong interpersonal connections, communication skills, and conflict resolution

Would You Like To Learn More About Character Education?    Are you eager to create a culture of character in your classroom, school, and district using the 11 Principles of Character Education? NCDPI has professional learning opportunities to assist your school or district with your character education journey. If your school or district is interested in hosting a Character Education Professional Learning Opportunity, please take a moment to complete this survey to help our NCDPI team understand your needs. Contact Justyn Burgess, State Coordinator for Character Education, if you have questions.