character education

This week one of the most exciting events at Ashton School takes place, the Respect Campaign. It’s not only a fun event but one that teaches us values and life lessons.

After an interview to Ms. Rodriguez about the campaign and some juicy information, read to find some students’ perspectives about, what respect means to them?

I invite all readers after taking a look at this piece of work, to think and try to find a personal definition of this powerful and meaningful word.

A chat with Ms. Rodriguez:

As one of the school counselors, what do you think is the importance of the Respect Campaign.

Ms. Rodriguez: The Respect Campaign is a special time where every year our school embraces its mission and vision. We take this opportunity to reflect and reinforce the importance of values and virtues in our daily lives. At Ashton we strive to develop all areas. It is a blessing to support families in the wonderful journey of shaping their children’s minds and hearts. 

What motivated the Ashton School to start hosting this activity?

Ms. Rodriguez: Values are one of the many beautiful things I love about our school. The Respect Campaign has been an essential part of every school year plan for many years. This is my 9nth year at Ashton and since my first day this Campaign has aimed to teach students to be ¨respectful and loving to one another¨. To me it is like dedicating a special time to experience our virtue of the year. October is known  as the Anti Bullying awareness month and Ashton joins the cause and brings content related to the community. 

What is the exact message the school wants to convey?

Ms. Rodriguez: We continue to strengthen its purpose by bringing new activities and ideas to develop skills students need to deal with everyday challenges in their social emotional interactions. We gather feedback from community members and plan accordingly to really impact students with valuable knowledge based on true and meaningful experiences. Counselors and character education teachers  press to leave an everlasting impact, teach students to build strong relationships and develop a sense of responsibility for their actions. We want our students to experience the beauty of being kind to one another and perceive themselves as caring, compassionate and truthful. 

Why did the school choose Respect for the Campaign? Is there any particular  reason. What stands out from this virtue compared to others.

Ms. Rodriguez: In the United States October is National Bullying Prevention Month. The Campaigns purpose is to raise awareness of bullying prevention. At Ashton we strongly believe that values are the best way to raise awareness and prevent bullying. So each year we eagerly get prepared to join the cause and promote what we would like our students to become. Just a few years ago the school chose ¨Respect¨ as the Virtue for that school year and while we were planning for that year’s campaign we decided to call it ¨Respect Campaign¨.We wanted to try a positive title and promote what we want to see in our school. Since then we decided to keep ¨Respect¨ and as soon as the students learn more about respect and understand its true meaning, the other values come as an addition to it.  

What is the main difference between last year’s campaign and this upcoming one? Are there any juicy details you may share? Maybe some fun details, to get the community even more excited. 

Ms. Rodriguez: What an opportunity to learn and experience what resilience means. Your counselors have been working hard along with the character education teachers and art teachers as special collaborators for this year. There is a ¨Drive in¨ on Friday October 16th where students will have the opportunity to see face to face all staff members. Many surprises are waiting for all of you. What is most important is how we will all remember this day as unique and special by leaving your handprints on a frame to keep in our school as a way to remember these times and how we all together were able to go through it. Seniors have a special message on that day. Lets also make this day memorable for their last year by supporting what they have for us. You will also be able to bring home a kit to work on a bracelet with an important message too. 

This day will be part of the Ashton history and memories forever!

Making it personal…

What does Respect mean to you?

The word respect means so many things to me. It is that feeling of morality, politeness, consideration and love towards someone or something. How you treat others and yourself. Respect is who you are, what you say, how you love, act and decide to do. Is what you show and how you relate to others. 

– Ms. Rodriguez Elementary Counselor

To me respect is when another person values my individual opinion on a matter and does not discard it for no valid reason just because they have a different opinion or because they are older and “wiser than me”. Unless that opinion is harming you in any way I say that you have to respect what the other is saying and then even though you don’t agree you still accept it.

-Eduardo Sanz 11th grade student

For me respect means to care about others and feel what others feel.This means to be in others shoes,for example you see someone bullying doesn’t matter how,you need to tell them to stop if you see them bullying again tell a teacher or a grown up. But let’s say you are the one getting bullying and you say stop and they continue ,you need to tell your parents or your teacher. In conclusion something I always tell myself is to always treat others the way you want to be treated. 

-Reynaldo Caminero 6th grade student

For me respect means that you accept somebody for who they are, even when they’re different from you or you don’t agree with them. It is a concept that refers to the ability to value and honor another person, both his or her words and actions, even if we do not approve or share everything he or she does. It is accepting the other person and not trying to change them. Respecting another person is not judging them by their attitudes, behaviors or thoughts. 

        -Alexia Pimentel 10th grade student

While writing this article I had many thoughts through my mind. But, the one that stood out the most was, what does respect really mean for me? I agree that everyone might have a different definition or idea of what the word really means but at the end they all come together. Respect for me comes along with listening to others opinions, helping others, being kind towards others, being polite, and showing that you are a caring person. As well as treating everyone the same no matter their skin tone, their nationality, any cultures or traditions they might celebrate, their age, the way they physically look, gender, at the end we are equal. It comes with the ideal of treating everyone the same. Be kind, patient, loving, all those words for me sums up what RESPECT represents. Something I think everyone should understand and carry with them along their lives is that respecting something doesn’t mean you support that idea or agree with it. You just respect their opinion and different point of view. Once again I will like to thank Ms. Rodriguez for her time and those wonderful words she told us. I will love to see my whole school on Friday on the Respect Campaign, first supporting one another, and of course the seniors. This event looks really fun, magical, I’m really excited to see what other things from that day experience I can add to my definition of what respect means to me. On the other hand, I will also like to thank those students who shared with me what respect means to them. Stay safe, always remember how powerful the word respect is!!!

 

Maria Jose Caminero

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