CHARACTER EDUCATION
Appreciation Award

Submitted by: Michelle Hasselbach
From: Key Largo, FL
Date Submitted: March 1, 2003

Many times middle school students do not realize how great efforts from their parents, teachers, friends and family have affected them. As an activity, students needed to first decide on one person who they see as a positive role model. Students wrote a Thank you speech to recite to this person and created an award that was suitable to thank the person with. Some of the awards were quite creative and made from a variety of materials from cake mixes to a wooden fish. As an extra bonus I offered extra credit points if the student could prove that they actually shared their speech and award. I had emails, phone calls, brief notes, etc. from different people in their lives who received the award and speech from the student. I really think this was one of my more valuable lessons.