Building Character in Lehigh Valley Youth


Compassion • Courage • Courtesy • Fairness • Honesty Kindness • Loyalty • Perseverance • Respect • Responsibility

News

Communities Building Kids of Character Seminar -- October 21, 2012
On October 21, Kids of Character held their third Communities Building Kids of Character seminar at the KidsPeace Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield. The seminar spotlighted the issues facing today's youth and how the community may address them. Forty people came to hear how we can make a difference by promoting character education and development here in the valley. As a community, we CAN make a difference in the children's lives and help them grow into respectful, responsible citizens.

Featured speakers included:
  • Anne Baum, VP, Capital Blue Cross of Lehigh Valley
  • Will Iseman, CEO and President of KidsPeace
  • Jim Tice, consultant with US Attorney's Office Eastern PA District
  • Jane Wells Schooley, Olweus Bullying Prevention Consultant
  • Mike Brady and John Muraco, KidsPeace
  • Mark Enriquez, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  • Hector Sanchez, St. Luke's Neighborhood Center
Attendees learned about the importance of character education and that it is the responsibility of everyone to promote character education and development. Participants were encouraged to get involved with youth because "We Can Make a Difference."

Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- January 2012
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
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"Taking the Initiative" -- TV Show WBPH, December 13 & 16, 2011
Dr. Gregg Amore of DeSales University and Gwen Pongracz were interviewed by Rev. William Kuntze on WBPH TV60 show "Taking the Initiative." Dr. Amore coordinates the PA sponsorship of the Character Education Partnership State School of Character Award Program. The show is broadcast at 8:30 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays on RCN, channel 60; Service Electric, channel 51; Blue Ridge, channel 19; and on many Comcast areas, channel 17. Our segment aired on December 13 & 16, 2011.
View the video

Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- November 2011
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
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3rd Annual Communities Building Kids of Character Seminar -- October 21, 2011
Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- March 2011
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
Read newsletter

Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- February 2011
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
Read newsletter

Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- January 2011
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
Read newsletter

Character Chronicles: Kids of Character Newsletter -- November 2010
Recommended readings, character education resource updates, must-read promising practices, upcoming events and more!
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Strength of Character...The Foundation of True Success, published in Lehigh Valley Family Magazine -- November 2010
A quick search on Webster's defines character as "Moral or ethical quality; qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity; reputation; good repute." Digging a bit deeper, character can be defined as "the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual's life which determines his or her response, regardless of circumstances."

Consider how strong a person's character must be to "determine a person's response regardless of circumstances." Is your character that strong? What about the character of our children?
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Second Annual Communities Building Kids of Character seminar -- October 22, 2010
On October 22, Kids of Character held their second Communities Building Kids of Character seminar at the KidsPeace Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield. The seminar spotlighted the issues facing today's youth and how the community may address them. Fifty-four people came to hear how we can make a difference by promoting character education and development here in the valley. As a community, we CAN make a difference in the children's lives and help them grow into respectful, responsible citizens.

Featured speakers included:
  • Dr. Len Marella, Center for Leadership & Ethics
  • Lee Butz, Alvin H. Butz, Inc.
  • Alicia Ruiz Orbin, Allentown Youth Success Zone
  • Sam Martinez, Allentown Youth Coalition
  • Bill Royer, Bethlehem Community Collaborative
  • Jessica Parnell, Bridgeway Academy
  • Andrew DeAngelo, Community Justice Planner
  • Henry Moore, PA Regional Center for Public Safety Innovation
  • Karen McAndrew-Bush, PA Career Link
  • Maria Isidor & Mair Hokenson, Alliance for Building Communities
Attendees learned about the importance of character education and that it is the responsibility of everyone to promote character education and development. Participants were encouraged to get involved with youth because "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child."

Kids of Character's Gwen Pongracz speaks to The Morning Call during Character Counts Week -- October 20, 2010
This is Character Counts Week, a time to stress the benefits of character education. Character education can have different names — anti-bullying, social and emotional learning or social skills, positive youth development, etc. They are all about teaching our children how to become respectful, responsible citizens who will make good decisions in their personal lives, family lives and future work lives.
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KidsPeace President and CEO Promotes Kids of Character on WFMZ, Channel 69  -- November 2, 2009
KidsPeace President and CEO appeared on the morning news on WFMZ, Channel 69 today to help promote Kids of Character, a local nonprofit that is promoting instilling character in our children at a grass roots level. Isemann appeared with Gwen Pongracz, founder of the organization, to explain that parents, educators, business leaders, neighbors, community members and all responsible adults are all stakeholders in teaching our children the core values of character.
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"As Many as 300,000 education jobs could be cut from state budgets in the next year."
According to Beth Sullivan, President of Education Voters of America, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa introduced the Keep Our Education Working Act (S. 3206), which would create a $23 billion Education Jobs Fund to help keep teachers, principals, librarians and other school personnel on the job as states face crippling budget shortfalls.
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Donate Now!

It takes a community effort to instill the character qualities our children and students need to become citizens of integrity.  Please join us in our efforts to make character a focus in education.

Donate Today:
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Call 610-285-2613 or
Email gwen.pongracz@gmail.com

Volunteers

We are looking for volunteers! If you are interested in promoting character education in the Lehigh Valley, click here for details.


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