CHARACTER COUNTS
The CHARACTER COUNTS! approach to character education doesn't exclude anyone. That's why we base our programs and materials on six ethical values that everyone can agree on — values that are not political, religious, or culturally biased. Use the points below to help young people understand the Six Pillars, and use the mnemonic devices at right to help them remember.
Character Counts Pledge
I pledge to be a person of CHARACTER.
I will be WORTHY OF TRUST.
I will be RESPECTFUL and RESPONSIBLE
Doing what I must.
I will always act with FAIRNESS.
I will always show I CARE.
I will be a GOOD CITIZEN
And always do my share.
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THE SIX PILLARS:
Trustworthiness
Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country
Respect
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements
Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices
Fairness
Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly
Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Citizenship
Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment
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Josephson Institute
http://josephsoninstitute.org/about.htmlMission: To improve the ethical quality of society by changing personal and organizational decision making and behavior.
Josephson Institute develops and delivers services and materials to increase ethical commitment, competence, and practice in all segments of society. A nonpartisan and nonsectarian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Institute is funded by individual donations, foundation and corporate grants, fees and contributions for services, and sales of publications, curricular materials, and other products. The Institute also works collaboratively with influential organizations and individuals in a variety of fields.
Since 1987, when Michael Josephson founded it in honor of his parents, Josephson Institute has conducted programs for over 100,000 influential leaders including public officials, school administrators, military and police officers, journalists, senior corporate and nonprofit executives, and judges and lawyers. It continues to offer a variety of consulting services and training courses in business ethics, public administration, policing, character education and sportsmanship.
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Primary Focus
PRIMARY FOCUS, a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization, is comprised of 5 Teams of 8 college-aged young people who volunteer their services for one year to reach out and positively impact over 1,250,000 children annually. Their mission is to teach and reinforce character based principles that children will practice for life. The Teams are also available to appear at conventions, theme parks, churches, synagogues, and community events. Combined, the PRIMARY FOCUS Teams will present their highly motivating musical assembly programs for more than 1,750 schools throughout the United States! PRIMARY FOCUS assembly programs are seen by more students and more schools than any other program in America! They are the foremost leader in character education assemblies today!
The nonsectarian and nonpartisan assembly programs entitled “CHOICES COUNT!”, “IT’S YOUR CHOICE!” and "START DREAMIN'!" feature an interactive educational format focusing on the nationally recognized Six Pillars Of Character. These six pillars are: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship and are presented as a counterbalance to the negative influences bombarding our children everyday such as bullying, conflict resolution, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gang violence, and dropping out of school.
If there are concerns with this site, please email Mr. Santor at dsantor@jocombs.k12.az.us
Thank you!