WHAT IS IT?

The CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition is the nation's most widely used character development framework, adopted by communities and schools as well as youth, sports and civic organizations.

It is based on shared beliefs and consensus values (the "Six Pillars of Character") concerning qualities and traits associated with good character.

CHARACTER COUNTS! is a national partnership of over 300 national, regional and local organizations committed to the strategies and joined together in a collaborative effort to improve the character of young people.

The CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition was founded and is administered by the Board of Governors of the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics.

WHAT CHARACTER COUNTS! IS NOT -

• A means to introduce religion into public education, though it is consistent with and in no way hostile to religious and spiritually based beliefs about ethics.
• It is not an "add-on" program for schools that will divert attention from basic academic goals.
• It is not a "silver-bullet" solution to the issue de jour.
• It is not just a "feel good" or "do well" program stressing personal happiness and success.

CHARACTER COUNTS! is a carefully designed, long-term, community-based strategy to permanently embed character development goals within all aspects of your community.

CHARACTER COUNTS! is based on a commitment to specific consensus ethical values - the "Six Pillars of Character" - and the use of a common language describing these values.

THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER ARE:

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship

Click here if you want to learn more about the national CHARACTER COUNTS! organization: http://www.charactercounts.org