It may be summer vacation, but despite the bright, sunny days, 10-year-old Alex Del Valle is in school.
On this particular afternoon, he is participating in a hilarious skit with a professional actor, pretending to be a bull in front of about 55 children gathered in the gymnasium of Pioneer Middle School in West Chicago.
These children are part of a special program that works with West Chicago Elementary School District 33 to offer children wholesome, recreational and educational activities. The free program–called Stars–began last week and runs through the end of July.
It targets 4th, 5th and 6th graders, many of whom come from low-income families or have trouble learning English.
Many of the children are there because they need help with their studies or they have had behavioral problems in school. Others participate because their parents want educational activities for them. Many of the children just need help learning English.
Teachers recommend the children for the program, although parents can ask that their children be enrolled.
If there are a few things the program organizers would like to instill in their young charges this summer, it is how to stay away from drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and gangs.
That is why, in addition to getting a summertime dose of reading and writing (sans homework) as well as regular field trips to Chicago museums, the children are being exposed to a national ethics movement called Character Counts.
Character Counts strives to teach children how to make ethical choices. It is the brainchild of the Josephson Institute of Ethics in California, which created it in 1993 in an effort to help build character in middle and high school-age children.
West Chicago recently created a Character Counts coalition of government, businesses and schools in a communitywide effort to promote good values.
“The goal is for the entire community to embrace this philosophy,” said Marie Doll, a member of the West Chicago Youth Commission and organizer of the city’s Character Counts coalition, which had its first meeting last week.
“The beauty of this program is that it crosses all city lines, religious, socioeconomic and ethnic lines. Everyone can embrace these ideals,” said Doll, who also sits on the Chicago Youth Commission that sponsors the Stars program in District 33.
Supporters note that the earlier children can be taught values, the more successful they will be in making good choices as they get older.
“We’re hoping to give these kids basic life skills to help them make decisions and choose alternatives other than violence to solving problems,” said Amy Gugel, of Breaking Free, a Naperville-based social service agency that provides prevention and counseling services for youths in West Chicago and Aurora.
“We’re using a lot of imagining and role-playing that promotes chivalry, respect and teamwork,” said Gugel, the Stars coordinator.
The Stars program is being funded by a state grant that brings in $120,000 a year. The summer program is designed to augment a similar program during the school year.
Gugel and her colleagues have created an imaginary medieval “castle” based on six pillars of character–trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship–to get the children thinking.
Character Counts was created after a series of surveys showed huge lapses in teenage integrity. More than half of all teens said they steal, and seven in 10 admitted to cheating on a test, according to the surveys.
Supporters say school districts and communities that have adopted Character Counts initiatives have seen a dip in graffiti, vandalism and other youth-related crimes.
Because this is just the second year for District 33’s Stars program, organizers say it’s too soon to tell how much the kids are learning.
Parents Alejandro Del Valle and Martha Sanchez welcome the program because it keeps their children busy.
“I like it. It makes a lot of sense,” said Del Valle, who asked that his children be enrolled to keep them from getting into trouble over the summer.
“Kids have a lot of energy, and they can explode it in here,” he said.
After a round of games one recent afternoon, the kids were sorted into groups, where they talked about working together and showing respect. They bowed and curtsied and called each other “sir” and “lady.”
Later, during a skit performed by Chicago actor and pantomime artist Chris Fascione, the children were exposed to words such as “ergo,” “oxymoron” and “ambidextrous.”
“None of these kids has been in trouble,” said Josefina Chavez, parent coordinator for Breaking Free. “Our goal is to prevent that from happening.”
