We all have what we consider "minor" dips in life.
Using your lid to handle these dips in will help you make it through, keep your bucket filled and maintain an encouraging and positive attitude - even when times are difficult.
NY Times Article about Character
The NY Times featured an article on September 14th that discussed what character traits students need to achieve in school and life, among them were: zest, grit, and curiosity.
“I sat for a while with Mike Witter, a 31-year-old eighth-grade English teacher, as he talked through the character report card with Faith Flemister and her son Juaquin Bennett, a tall, hefty eighth grader in a gray hooded sweatshirt.
‘For the past few years we’ve been working on a project to create a clearer picture for parent about the character of your child,’ Witter explained to Flemister. ‘The categories that we ended up putting together represent qualities that have been studied and determined to be indicators of success. They mean you’re more likely to go to college. More likely to find a good job. Even surprising things, like they mean you’re more likely to get married, or more likely to have a family. So we think these are really important.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/what-if-the-secret-to-success-is-failure.html
Watch your thoughts, for they become your words.
Watch your words, for they become your actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
Character Worksheets
Good character trait worksheets and social skills worksheets. Our students require opportunities to role play and model good character. Some of the character attributes to work on include: responsibility, honesty, courage (courage to do the right thing), cooperation, patience, loyalty, etc.)
A special program will provide you with important information about LIVESTRONG Day—a global day of action where people around the world come together to demonstrate a unified front in the fight against cancer. 
As part of this important day, we are looking for students and teachers across the country to participate in events on October 2.
Along with ideas and instructions about how you can participate in LIVESTRONG Day, this program includes an informational classroom poster to remind students about the role that they can play on October 2.
Help share the news of LIVESTRONG Day with students and families in your school community. Visit http://www.livestrong.org/livestrongday to find out more.
GRANTS & Opportunities
Sodexo Youth Grants
Deadline: September 16
YSA will award 25 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger during National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 13-20, 2011). We're looking for projects that engage your peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoyouth
Make Your Mark Week Grants
Deadline: September 19
GenerationOn Make Your Mark Week (formerly Kids Care Week) is celebrated during the third week of October, this year October 16-22, 2011. Thanks to Hasbro, generationOn will award 200 mini-grants in the amount of $250 each to support service projects that enable youth to "make their mark" on one of the following issues: Animals, the Environment, Homelessness, Hunger and Literacy. We're looking for projects that engage youth (ages 5 - 18) to make a positive impact during the Make Your Mark Week. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/qY12bZ
UnitedHealth HEROES Grants
Deadline: October 17
The UnitedHealth HEROES program is a service-learning, health literacy initiative that awards grants to help youth, ages 5-25, create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity. The grants encourage semester-long projects that launch on MLK Day of Service and culminate on Global Youth Service Day. Schools, service-learning coordinators, non-profits, and students in the health professions located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply for the $500 - $1,000 grants. Learn more at www.YSA.org/HEROES
http://www.stopbullying.gov/references/online_resources/index.html
Icebreakers Printable Book (K–8)
