(May 2, 2007)

LAKE CORPUS CHRISTI--The folks who run the Boy Scout program here in the Coastal Bend have developed a new curriculum, aimed at developing character among young students in our schools.

The idea is to teach the kinds of things that help young people develop character, like honor, respect and commitment. It's taught in a year-long class at several districts around South Texas.

Some students from Sarita Elementary School took this class. As part of a reward for passing the class, about 70 students enjoyed themselves on a field trip at the Boy Scout Camp at Lake Corpus Christi.

"We want them to have a great time out here,but at the same time, remember how important good character is going to be for them now while they're in school and as they grow up to be adults," said Debbie Flores-Dunn, who is the Learning for Life Director at the Boy Scouts of America South Texas Council,  

The students clearly understand the importance of this class and how to treat others in their school.

"Yes, it means a lot because kids won't be bullying each other and they know they're the same person," Itzel Ramirez, a student at Sarita Elementary School, said. "They're all treated the same"

Administrators said teaching character isn't easy, but this Boy Scout curriculum makes their job easier.

"Character building, like I said, (is the) responsibility of learning to respect others being aware of other people's feelings and not being selfish, but being able to work together," Renee Garcia, the principal at Sarita Elementary School, said. "It's very very wonderful."

We're told the students who attend the classes with the Boy Scouts curriculum tend to act better in the classroom and cause less problems.

"They see a difference in the in-school suspensions,"said Flores-Dunn. "Those are going down and the referrals in the school system."

Once the students build respect and character, educators said it allows them more time to focus on educating these young children into leaders of tomorrow.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News