Meaningful discussions about good character took place throughout the day on March 25 at Berner Middle School in the Massapequa School District. The annual Chiefs Challenge Character Education Day featured activities each period that fostered communication, teamwork and friendship.
The program was coordinated by the Chiefs Challenge Club under the direction of advisers Caroline Glynn and Juliette Happe. Signs with quotes and inspirational messages were hung throughout the building.
Seventh and eighth graders attended the “Bullying 101: Triggered” presentation with guest speaker Alisty Keneth. The goal of the program was to empower students to become upstanders and create a school culture where bullying is never acceptable. “Box Out Bullying” was an interactive presentation for sixth graders which included the definitions and consequences of cyberbullying. Follow-up discussions took place in classrooms after each assembly.
The index card challenge was a teamwork lesson during which students were split into small groups and had to work together to build the tallest, free-standing structure with 20 index cards. During the famous failures escape room, students decoded clues as they learned how highly successful people, including Elizabeth Blackwell, Thomas Edison, Michael Jordan and the Wright Brothers, persevered to overcome failures in their lives.
In the friendship lesson, students answered questions about the traits of a good friend and the qualities they look for in a friend. They also analyzed a William Shakespeare quote about friendship. The upstander vs. bystander lesson defined types of bullying behavior and the harm it causes to people. Students learned the differences between bystanders and upstanders, and left with tips on how to stand up and intervene if someone is being bullied. Character Education Day ended with a period of reflection.
Chiefs Challenge Club members say they hope the day had an impact on their classmates and makes a positive difference in their school.
“I feel that people should be able to express how they’re feeling without being judged by others,” Chiefs Challenge President Eric S. said, “and that’s the message that’s happening today.”
“I hope it makes people feel seen and be more comfortable in school,” eighth grader Arya A. added. She also noted that Character Education Day reminded students that they are plenty of people in school they can turn to for support.