Champions For Character

Cardinals Care, in cooperation with CHARACTERplus, sponsors
Champions for Character.

The award program honors three schools (K-12) in the metro-wide area that have a school-wide ethos of service learning.

The school’s service learning must be infused in the curriculum and school life.

Apply to become a 2010 Champion for Character School, download the application here. The deadline is February 5, 2010.

Print out the Champion for Character project description flyer here.

Three local schools are the recipients of the 2009 Champions for Character: Celebrating Service-Learning award, sponsored by Cardinals Care, the community foundation of the St. Louis Cardinals, in cooperation with CHARACTERplus, a project of the Cooperation School Districts. This recognition program is in its sixth year.

Read about each school's service learning by clicking on the names of each winning school below.

Seckman High School (Fox C-6), Ridgewood Middle School (Fox), and Truman Elementary, (Lindbergh) were each honored with this award for integrating service-learning into the school curriculum and school culture. A panel of community judges reviewed applications that described student-led service projects with curriculum-based learning. Judges visited the top schools to interview students and staff on service-learning, see youth in leadership roles, and hear reflections on the impact these programs have on the community and the participants.

Click here to see a gallery of pictures of service learning & the pre-game recognition ceremony of the 2009 winning schools

The three schools were be recognized during a special pre-game on-field ceremony before the May 6, 2009 Cardinals game. The St. Louis Cardinals donated tickets for students and staff members from each of the three schools to attend the game. Each school’s name was also featured on the big screen at Busch Stadium on May 6, 2009. In addition to the winning schools, the following received honorable mention:

• Valley Park Middle School (Valley Park),

• Fox Middle School (Fox C-6),

• North Jefferson Intermediate (Northwest R-1)

• Bowles Elementary (Rockwood)

Post the Champions for Character flyer.

Please review our tips/guidlines for applying

The three winning schools receive:

• Tickets to a selected spring game for a group of students and staff
• Banner
• Pre-game awards ceremony involving six student representatives
• Schools are featured on the diamond vision big screen during the game

Champions for Character: celebrating service-learning

Click here to see a gallery of pictures of service learning in the 2008 winning schools

The Champions for Character recognition program was supported by a grant from Cardinals Care, the community foundation of the St. Louis Cardinals, which was established in 1997 to care for kids.

For more information, please contact Karen Dapron, Champions for Character Coordinator, at dapronk@mindspring.com.