Values-based Character Education
Character Education at Newman is our greatest distinctive…it’s what many of our parents love most about our schools. Families want their children to be taught manners and learn how to treat others with kindness and respect. Parents want their children to tell the truth and be honorable. We want that for our students, as well. We understand that learning and imbibing these values promotes success.
While excellent academics helps students get into good colleges, having excellent character will help keep them there. They may land good jobs right out of high school, but great character is necessary for promotions. Many of our former students have returned to share with us how learning these traits has enabled them to do well, both in their higher studies, as well as in their chosen fields of employment.
We are often asked how we are able to implement this kind of education in our schools. The answer is…
POWWOW!
POWWOW is the name of our weekly assembly of all our students on each campus. We asked ourselves, “Where do Warriors gather?” The answer is POWWOW! It’s also an acronym which stands for Preparing Outstanding Warriors with Wisdom to Overcome and Win, which is exactly what these weekly assemblies strive to accomplish. We even wear our dress uniforms for these occasions!
POWWOW is a joyful time, designed to celebrate our students for their academic achievements, as well as for their outstanding character attributes. Student of the Week certificates and small prizes for Warrior Pride are awarded, followed by a celebration of birthdays each week. POWWOW is FUN!
The best part of POWWOW is our weekly lesson centered on a value-based character trait designed for their growth in wisdom, stature, and favor. Various school leaders present the pre-determined topics, complete with Power Point presentations and visuals to hold the students’ attention at various grade levels. Categories of topics included in our Character Curriculum are Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Caring, and Citizenship. Each category includes numerous character traits, providing a full year’s worth of excellent material for our students’ healthy character development.
At the end of each POWWOW, our students stand to sing our School Song. This is a meaningful way of imbibing our school’s culture and creating unity among all our campuses.
Weekly POWWOWs are Newman’s greatest distinctive in training Warriors of Wisdom, Stature, and Favor. We welcome you to join us each week as we Prepare our Outstanding Warriors with Wisdom to Overcome and Win!