With a mission to infuse character education into everyday learning, St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, has expanded two key initiatives: “Girls in the Lead” and “Character Stars.”

Character Stars is a school-wide program designed to acknowledge the pillars of character being exemplified by the students on a daily basis. Students are recognized for their character and citizenship and for going above and beyond to help those around them.

In addition, St. Ann School integrates a Day of Character into the curriculum each month. On that day, the entire school focuses on one specific character trait through lessons and hands-on activities.

A unique feature of the Day of Character program is the middle-school advisory group. Small groups of middle school students work directly with a teacher on setting goals, promoting respect and trust and addressing the unique challenges of being an adolescent. Through participation, students are able to hone skills in areas like public speaking and group interaction as well as develop the social abilities needed to navigate adolescence.

The October Character Stars program featured respect as the highlighted trait, with activities that included a poster contest. For November, which focused on kindness, students created cards for veterans and worked on special efforts for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The other important initiative, Girls in the Lead, is a program that takes aim at significant issues for girls in the sixth grade. It includes monthly meetings and discussions centered on friendship, self-image and relational aggression.

According to Shannon Rodas, St. Ann School guidance counselor, both of these programs “focus on the value of character and being the best person one can be.”