Student Programs

Consulting Topics | Professional Development Workshops | Student Programs

Youth: Ethics in Service (YES)

Eli-Whitney students working on Care Blankets for New Haven Children’s Hospital project (2006).

The School for Ethical Education administers Youth: Ethics in Service (YES) as a service-learning project to promote positive character development and excellent academic instruction. YES is funded by a Connecticut Department of Education Learn and Serve grant, local foundations and private donations.

Service-learning is a research-based strategy to teach and is defined by (1) linking service to clear learning objectives, (2) engaging students in service-project research, planning and implementation, (3) completing meaningful service work, and (4) integrating reflection and evaluation into the project.

More than 4,000 students and teachers have participated in over 100,000 hours of service-learning projects through YES. School teams/classes that enroll in YES are provided a training workshop for teachers and students that supports the implementation of service-learning, a written guide to help in planning and reflection, mini-grants to support project work and evaluation procedures at the conclusion of the project.

Service-learning projects can be implemented to reinforce learning in almost any subject area such as peer tutoring to strengthen subject skill set in tutors, outreach to seniors to deepen knowledge of history and culture, recycling or other environmental projects to provide hands-on science and math experiences, school to career students creating an on-line yellow pages of intern opportunities and service to the needy to expand on civics lessons. The variety of links between service and learning are only limited by the teachers and students imaginations. » Learn more about YES!

Laws of Life

Connecticut students have participated in The Laws of Life Essay Writing Program had since 2000. Over the past six years, more than 21,000 students have taken the challenge to reflect and write about the values that will help them live successful lives. Laws of Life provides students with an opportunity to discuss important personals values and publish those personal beliefs within their community of family, peers and their school. Evaluators of the contest have noted that Laws of Life students gain an appreciation of their own personal values and how those values can provide strength, especially when life becomes challenging. Teachers have noted that the program often engages students in the writing process with the hook to reflect on their core values. » Learn more about Laws of Life.

Golden Compass: Character-Based Decision-Making

Students learn and practice a character-based decision-making process that supports conflict resolution, anti-bullying and alcohol and drug resistance programs. The Golden Compass provides students in grades 4 to 12 a four-step model to use character goals as a strategy to make positive choices. A student workbook is available to practice solving dilemmas relevant to middle school and high school students. Assembly programs are available to introduce the skill to students and professional development workshops support training of teachers. » Learn more about character-based decision making.