For Immediate Release:   June 11, 2008

 

Endeavour Elementary Recognized Nationally for ‘Promising Practices’ in Character Education

 

VIERA—Endeavour Elementary Magnet School of Technology has won two national “Promising Practices” awards from the Character Education Partnership (CEP). Endeavour won for its Reading Intervention Program and its World Community Project. Endeavour was one of only 11 schools recognized in Florida.

CEP gives the annual awards for unique and specific exemplary practices that encourage the ethical, social, and academic growth of K-12 students through character education. By publicizing these awards, CEP hopes to recognize educators for their efforts and to encourage others to learn from and even replicate these successful initiatives.

“I congratulate the entire Endeavour community on this wonderful recognition,” said Superintendent Dr. Richard A. DiPatri. “These unique projects for which they are being honored are indicative of the innovative educational efforts seen every day at Endeavour.”

Endeavour’s Reading Intervention Program is a cooperative initiative where Brevard Community College and Rockledge High School Future Educators volunteer to mentor five classes of kindergarteners. Meanwhile, the World Community Project engages students, teachers, and community members writing letters to friends, relatives, dignitaries and well-known people of positive influence and requesting them to write their favorite positive quote on paper Endeavour shuttles. These shuttles, when returned to the school, are discussed and documented on a World Community Map located in Endeavour’s primary hallway.

This year, CEP received a record 279 applications from 217 public and private schools and districts. More than 130 schools and districts from around the United States as well as from Canada and Mexico will receive 153 awards for “Promising Practices.” Winning practices included creative ways to engage parents and community members, encourage student voice and leadership, and offer students opportunities to serve others.

CEP will give the awards at the 15th Annual National Forum on Character Education to be held Oct. 17-19 in Arlington, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. In addition, winning practices will be featured in CEP’s annual National Schools of Character publication and on the CEP Web site.

The Promising Practices awards program is administered by CEP and made possible by generous support from the John Templeton Foundation, the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, and Lockheed Martin. Based in Washington, D.C., CEP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to helping schools develop people of good character for a just and compassionate society. To learn more about CEP and its national awards programs, visit www.character.org.

 

                            

-BPS-