Helen B. Duffield has recently expanded its curriculum to include an exciting character education initiatives as part of each school day with the implementation of a program called Project Wisdom. In a world where many students routinely face challenging situations that require practical social skills and strength of character, trends in education are supporting programs like Project Wisdom that teach concepts such as integrity, respect, confidence, courage, honesty and diligence. In fact, schools across the country are now routinely covering these topics along with the traditional cornerstones of education: reading, writing and arithmetic. Some efforts have even earned the support of The Department of Education, which awarded $16.7 million in character education grants in 2002. Emerging research supports the notion that investing in character education and social-emotional learning can improve behavior as well as academic performance. Duffield is proud to be one of over 11,000 schools nationwide utilizing this collection of daily words of wisdom which set a positive tone each day for everyone on campus. Project Wisdom’s messages not only impact new knowledge to the students, but also work to develop responsible and caring individuals. The verses are rich in history, culture and literature. They inspire, teach and encourage students to reflect upon the larger issues of life On Mondays, Duffield students will hear a short message containing a quotation from a historic figure, celebrity, modern hero or other notable voice that reinforces the theme of the month. The 60-second announcement will be narrated by a student. Educations from California to New York have recorded marked differences in their school’s environment and attribute the positive change, at least in part, to the lessons delivered by Project Wisdom. Project Wisdom’s research shows that the program reduces incidents of disruptive behavior such as bullying and teasing, helps develop a more positive school climate and creates benefits that are perceived to be immediate and don’t dissipate with time. Project Wisdom was founded in 1992 by Leslie Matula of Houston, Texas. Leslie developed the program as part of a volunteer effort to bring character education to her son’s middle school. The pilot program gained the attention of other area schools interested in the concept. A few months later, a small business was organized to offer the program to those schools. Today, Project Wisdom, Inc. is an independent, nonpolitical organization that reaches more than four million students each school day in all 50 states. For more information on Project Wisdom visit www.projectwisdom.com