Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Three area schools have been selected to participate in an expansion of a character-education program that teaches core democratic values in an attempt to boost academic achievement.

The Chatfield School, a charter school in Lapeer, and Randels Elementary School in the Carman-Ainsworth School District, are two of four schools participating in Smart Character Choices, funded through a four-year, $1.8-million federal grant, said Diane Vance, director of Smart Character Choices.

Atlantis Alternative High School, a program in the Bendle and Carman-Ainsworth districts, also is participating in the character-education program, funded through a two-year state grant of about $175,000, Vance said.

The program, which began in 1998 at Charyl Stockwell Academy in Howell and later grew to an additional charter school, weaves character education into lessons such as teaching character traits of leaders in American history, Vance said.