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How We Select our People of Character |
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A great deal of care has gone into the selection of the people of character featured in our agendas. The 48 individuals found in our 2013-’14 edition were chosen upon recommendations from educators and parents and through our firm’s selection process. Many hours of discussion and research are required before our list is finalized. The individuals profiled in the agendas have been chosen solely based upon how well their lives or their individual actions represent one of the Six Pillars of Character® and a corresponding character trait. No one is ever perfect, but we are presenting those men, women, and children whose personal strengths or particular acts of character are well documented. |
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People of Character to be Featured in the 2013-2014 School Agendas |
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(Listed in order of appearance with their respective pillars & character traits) |
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Doris “Granny D” Haddock“… we would never seek to abolish our dear United States. But alter it? Yes. It is our constant intention that it should be a government of, by, and for the people, not the special interests …” |
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August - (Responsibility):
Maria Montoya Martinez
Pueblo pottery maker who became one of the 20th century’s most famous American Indian artists – Duty
Michael S. Hart
Eagle Scout and Army veteran who invented electronic books in 1971 and created Project Gutenberg, a free online library recognized as one of the world’s earliest and most enduring online literary projects – Think Long-Term
Doris “Granny D” Haddock
Political activist who between ages 88 and 90 walked over 3,200 miles across the U.S. to push for campaign finance reform – Be Diligent
William Shakespeare
English poet and playwright widely regarded as the most prolific writer in the English language – Pursue Excellence
Rosalyn Yalow
Physicist whose achievements led her to become the second woman to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1977 – Set a Good Example
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William Shakespeare“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – Shakespeare from Twelfth Night
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Neil Armstrong“The single thing which makes any man happiest is the realization that he has worked up to the limits of his ability … It’s all the better … if this work has contributed to knowledge or toward moving the human race a little further forward.”
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September - (Responsibility):
Justin Hines
Canadian singer with a rare joint dislocation condition who delivers uplifting messages of hope worldwide through his music – Self-Control
Marian Anderson
Famous singer who overcame racial discrimination to earn a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement and serve the U.S. as a United Nations goodwill ambassador – Keep a Positive Outlook
Neil Armstrong
Astronaut who was the first person to set foot on the moon – Be Self-Disciplined
Gloria Estefan
Grammy Award-winning singer who has served as a role model for young Latin musicians – Take Charge of Your Own Life
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Marian Anderson “The knowledge of the feelings other people have expended on me has kept me going when times were hard. That knowledge has been … an inspiration … The faith and confidence of others in me have been like shining, guiding stars.” |
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Juliette Gordon Low“Put forth your best in every path of life.” |
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October - (Trustworthiness):
A.C. Green
Retired professional basketball player who works with youth to build their character and self-esteem and aid them in making responsible decisions – Honor Your Commitments
Sandra Sunrising Osawa
Award-winning documentary filmmaker who has strived to accurately portray contemporary American Indians’ lives and culture – Tell the Truth
Takeshi Kanno
Japanese doctor who refused to leave his patients before each one was rescued during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck his country – Have Courage to Do What is Right
Juliette Gordon Low
Founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA, which has influenced more than 50 million girls and women over the past century – Be Dependable
Irving Berlin
Much-loved songwriter who penned “White Christmas” and “God Bless America,” the royalties from which he directed into a fund that still benefits U.S. youth – Be Upright
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A.C. Green“You can provide inspiration anywhere in any environment.”
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Wes Studi“Open your mind and engage.”
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November - (Citizenship):
Lady Bird Johnson
Former U.S. first lady best known for her efforts to conserve natural resources and beautify the nation – Help Your Community Be Cleaner
Wes Studi
American Indian actor who supports Indian youth, works to preserve native languages, and has starred in such films as Dances With Wolves and Avatar – Do Your Share
Maria Bashir
Afghanistan’s first and only female chief prosecutor, she has risked her life to overhaul the nation’s legal system to ensure fair laws are established and enforced – Observe Just Laws
Chico Mendes
Brazilian rubber tapper and environmental activist who lost his life in working to prevent the logging of the Amazon rainforest – Protect the Environment
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Maria Bashir“… from early on, I had a strong sense of fairness and justice, and I believed that everybody should be given their fair due.”
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Andrea Jaeger“I can look back on my life and know that I won a few tennis matches, but the pats on the back and the awards for humanitarian efforts mean a lot more, because it means I’m reaching others.”
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December - (Caring):
Ethan Zohn
Former pro soccer player and cancer survivor who used his winnings from the 2002 season of Survivor to cofound Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit aimed at stopping the spread of HIV in Africa – Concern for Others
Rachel Beckwith
Young girl who asked people not buy gifts for her ninth birthday but instead give money to a nonprofit providing safe water to families in developing nations – Be Altruistic
Luis Soriano
Colombian grade-school teacher who created the one-man mobile library known as Biblioburro to provide children in rural villages with the books they need – Give Time to Make Someone Else’s Life Better
Andrea Jaeger
Former tennis star who established the Little Star Foundation to help sick, abused, or
at-risk children – Be Compassionate |
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Luis Soriano "For us teachers, it's an educational triumph … when a child learns how to read. That's how … the child becomes a good citizen and a useful person."
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Abraham Lincoln“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
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January - (Fairness):
Christopher Yao
Teenage founder and executive director of Kids Change the World who seeks to open the minds of children worldwide to the potential they have to enact change for a more united and peaceful future generation – Be Open-Minded
Dr. Amy Bower
Legally blind oceanographer who reaches out to visually impaired students interested in the sciences – Make Decisions Without Prejudice
Ann Curry
World-renowned, respected broadcast journalist awarded for her humanitarian reporting – Get the Facts
Aretha Franklin
Famous singer who earned the title “Queen of Soul” and made history in 1987 as the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Listen to People
Abraham Lincoln
Sixteenth president of the United States who was hailed as the “Great Emancipator” for his work to end slavery – Be Just |
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Ann Curry “ … realize your power to be a force for good. I have learned that doing good for others is actually the most selfish thing you could possibly do, because I promise you, it will make
you happy.”
– Curry in a 2010 Commencement address
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Dr. Maya Angelou“… all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die … if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
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February - (Respect):
Ada Deer
Community organizer, activist, and political leader who works to preserve the dignity of indigenous peoples everywhere – Respect the Dignity of All Individuals
Dr. Maya Angelou
Best-selling author, poet, and lecturer who rose above a troubled childhood to pave the way for black women in theater, film, and television – Tolerance
Cody McCasland
Child who excels athletically in spite of having a rare spinal condition that required both of his legs be amputated at the knees – Judge Others on Their Character
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
One of history’s most influential civil rights leaders – Value All People
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
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The Dalai Lama“Because we all share this small planet Earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature.”
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March - (Respect):
Hazel Ying Lee
World War II fighter plane pilot who broke ground for female aviators in China and the U.S. in the 1930s and ‘40s – Judge Others on Their Abilities, Not Their Gender
Anne Frank
Young girl who lost her life in a Nazi concentration camp but later gained fame for the diary she kept while in hiding with her family during the Holocaust – Accept Those Who Are Different From You
Tenzin Gyatso (The Dalai Lama)
Buddhist spiritual leader of Tibet who has devoted his life to improving conditions in and bringing peace to his own nation and the entire world – Nonviolence
John C. Mohawk
Distinguished Seneca Indian author, editor, lecturer, conflict negotiator, and scholar – Be Courteous and Polite to Everyone |
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Anne Frank“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
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August Wilson “Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone’s disbelief.”
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April - (Trustworthiness):
August Wilson
Prolific, award-winning U.S. playwright who depicted the 20th century African American experience through his work – Be Forthright and Candid
Joan of Arc
French peasant girl turned military heroine respected for her kindness, generosity, and courage – Loyalty
Harmon Killebrew
Beloved Major League Baseball player known for his humble personality and the foundation he created to share the joys of baseball with children – Be Sincere
Olivia Bouler
Young girl who raised over $200,000 for recovery efforts following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill by creating and donating her bird drawings and limited edition prints – Be a Good Friend
Chita Rivera
Hispanic entertainer regarded as an “American national treasure” and Broadway’s most accomplished dancer, actress, and singer – Try New Things Even if You Might Fail |
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Joan of Arc“One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it.”
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Clara Brown“[Aunt Clara was] the kind old friend whose heart always responded to the cry of distress and who … won our sympathy and commanded
our respect.”
– Society of
Colorado Pioneers
in eulogizing Brown
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May - (Caring):
Will Lourcey
Young boy who created FROGS, Friends Reaching Our Goals, to raise awareness and money for the hungry in his Texas community – Be Considerate
Clara Brown
Entrepreneur who, after being freed from slavery in her fifties, used the profits from her laundry business to help newly freed slaves rebuild their lives – Help People in Need
Arn Chorn-Pond
Cambodian genocide survivor who aids children suffering from war and violence and spreads a message of peace and love to all young people – Be Loving
Joe Bodanza
Founder of Child Medical Connection, Inc., a nonprofit that aids sick Vietnamese children – Be Empathetic
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Arn Chorn-Pond“Children are simple. You teach them love, they grow up with love. If you teach them war, they only grow up making war … I know both sides. War is only lose-lose. Peace, compassion, love – I think it’s
win-win.”
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Gabriela Mistral“Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are formed, his mind developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow; his name is today.”
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June - (Fairness) - (Citizenship):
Rujul Zaparde
Cofounder of Drinking Water for India, which has provided some 55,000 Indian villagers with safe, clean water – Be Fair
Gabriela Mistral
Chilean teacher and poet who stands out in history as the first Latin American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature – Voice Your Opinion
Gertrude Elion
Scientist who overcame the prejudices of her time to earn the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her discoveries in drug treatment – Be Careful
Charles Orgbon III
Teenage CEO of his own nonprofit, Greening Forward, and active environmentalist – Reduce Pollution |
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Charles Orgbon III“If we can instill values of community, harmony, peace, moderation, and stewardship into our youth, the rewards to society are limitless, and everything else will come easy.”
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Nominate someone for inclusion in a future edition of the CHARACTER COUNTS! School Agendas.
Click Here to nominate a person of character.
All illustrations provided by KASO COMICS, INC. Artwork by Ken Landgraf, Anthony Cacioppo, Gary Scott Beatty, and Ed Coutts.
“CHARACTER COUNTS!” and “The Six Pillars of Character” are registered trademarks of Josephson Institute.
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