OH! News - Keeping Your Mind Over Your Matters

November 2003

“Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it.” – Mary Lou Retton

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THIS MONTH'S FEATURES

• MindOH! Enters the 2004 Fast 50 Competition – Vote Now!
• November 18^th is Mix It Up At Lunch Day
• Students Respond Positively to the MindOH! Discipline and Life Skills Series
• Funding Corner: National Schools of Character Awards Program
• Teacher’s Publishing Opportunity: Teaching Tolerance Magazine
• Recommended Reading From the Los Angeles Times: “Character Education Classes Aim to Instill Mutual Respect”

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MINDOH! ENTERS THE 2004 FAST 50 COMPETITION – VOTE NOW!

MindOH! has entered the 2004 Fast 50 competition sponsored by Fast Company magazine. We need your support to go vote for our entry, “We Fight The Dropout Epidemic by Seeing Students as Customers” at http://www.fastcompany.com/fast50_04/profile/?looper1082. Companies are picked based on both the value of their entry and the comments made by others. So, please vote now! One extra note is to include your title in addition to your name and location – we want the judges to know what a diverse network of supporters we have!

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NOVEMBER 18TH IS MIX IT UP AT LUNCH DAY

Mix It Up supports the efforts of student activists who are willing to take on the challenge of identifying, questioning and crossing social boundaries. For many students, these barriers are a taxing, daily constant. In a 2002 Mix It Up survey:

• A majority of students said that schools were "quick to put people into categories."
• 40% admitted that they had rejected someone from another group.
• 1/3 said it's hard to become friends with people in different groups.

Social boundaries like these can create divisions and misunderstandings in our schools and communities. By working to cross these barriers, students can help create environments with less conflict and fewer instances of bullying, harassment and violence. In 2002, more than 200,000 students across the country took a step toward breaking down the boundaries, when they participated in the first Mix It Up at Lunch Day. They sat somewhere new, with someone new in their school cafeterias. Visit http://www.tolerance.org/teens/index.jsp to learn how your school can participate. Or, email mixitup@tolerance.org.

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STUDENTS RESPOND POSITIVELY TO MINDOH! DISCIPLINE AND LIFE SKILLS SERIES

The MindOH! Discipline and Life Skills Series (DLSS) is implemented in schools in Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and Louisiana. The statistics below provide an excerpt of actual results based on all active clients from August to October of this year:

• Rule 1: Respect - 89% of students report that they either did or might have learned more about how to make better choices. 
• Taking Charge: Responsibility - 100% of students indicated that this program was helpful to some degree.
• It's Up To You: The Power of Choice - 95% of students either did or might have learned more about how their thinking affects what they feel and do.
• Aspire To Achieve: Making Goals Happen - 97% of students agreed they did or may have learned to create a positive habit to help them reach their goals.
• Defusing Disagreements: Listen to Understand - 96% of students indicated they did or might have learned how to change a disagreement to an understanding.

For questions about MindOH! DLSS data, email customerservice@mindoh.com.

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FUNDING CORNER: NATIONAL SCHOOLS OF CHARACTER AWARDS PROGRAM

The seventh annual National Schools of Character awards program recognizes K-12 schools and districts that demonstrate outstanding character education initiatives that yield positive results in student behavior, school climate, and academic performance. Although winners may differ in method, content, and scope, all emphasize core ethical values such as honesty, respect, responsibility, and caring. Applicants are encouraged to look at the criteria "Character Education Quality Standards" to determine whether they might qualify. Selected schools and districts receive a cash award of $2,000, national recognition, and a featured position in the Character Education Partnership's National Schools of Character publication. For more information, visit http://character.org/eventsawards/nsoc.

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TEACHER’S PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITY: TEACHING TOLERANCE MAGAZINE

Interested in sharing best practices with colleagues throughout the United States? Have you implemented a program or process that helps kids to make smarter, wiser choices? The award winning magazine Teaching Tolerance is devoted to anti-bias programs and activities and "supports the efforts of K-12 teachers and other educators to promote respect for differences and appreciation of diversity." They publish teacher created magazine articles, lesson plans and news stories. Make a difference, and share the activities and ideas that have made a difference in your classroom. For more information visit: http://www.tolerance.org/teach/share/getpublished.jsp.

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RECOMMENDED READING FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES: “CHARACTER EDUCATION CLASSES AIM TO INSTILL MUTUAL RESPECT”

Schools across the nation are adapting their curricula to teach students such values as patriotism, tolerance and honesty. Educators hope classroom discussions about ethical behavior and responsibilities discourage students from destructive behavior.  Visit the Los Angeles Times at http://www.latimes.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept (free registration).

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ABOUT OH! NEWS

OH! News is a free monthly email newsletter distributed by MindOH!, an e-learning company created to develop innovative, measurable character education software systems that effectively increase high school graduation rates and decrease suspensions, alternative school transfers and dropout rates. MindOH!'s Discipline and Life Skill Series™ and Education Relationship Management System™ incorporate scientifically based research and flexible operating environments that quantify performance. The Web-based systems are designed to be self-sustaining, allowing administrators to run the programs, identify cost-saving components and generate streams that yield a return on investment. www.mindoh.com
 
Please pass this email along to anyone interested in character education and empowering our nation's youth to practice ethical behavior. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or for additional information, send email to news@mindoh.com.