September 14, 2017
On September 13, a rainbow of MPA Lower School students excitedly awaited a big announcement at their first CHAMP assembly of the year. Everyone was dressed in red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple to represent their grade levels, but all sat together to form a colorful audience for the reveal of a new CHAMP trait. The students cheered as one special word rang out in the cafeteria: courage.
CHAMP, MPA’s Lower School character education program, was originally designed by MPA teachers and founded upon the character traits of friendship, compassion, respect, self-control, responsibility, cooperation, integrity, and inclusiveness. These characteristics are what students at MPA are inspired to demonstrate on a daily basis.
Courage was introduced as the newest CHAMP trait with a read-along of The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger and the unveiling of new encouraging posters for every classroom to serve as reminders. The Little Yellow Leaf was one of the inspirations behind adding courage to the CHAMP program. It’s a story of friendship and encouragement that leads a small voice to a big, bold decision.
During the assembly, every student was given their own little leaf to write down a challenge they want to conquer this year as a way to exhibit courage. In the winter and spring, they will get a chance to revisit these goals in order to stay committed to them. Their leaves will be hung on display on the “courage tree” in the atrium.
Continuing the peer education model, at each monthly assembly a different grade level will be responsible for creating and leading the rest of the Lower School through the agenda and activities, integrating grade levels and strengthening the bond as a division and school. The teams also adopt service elements later in the year, incorporating lessons of historical people that exhibit CHAMP traits. Figures this year will include Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Susan B. Anthony.
This is just one small way that MPA students are encouraged to dream big and do right.
