Have you ever wondered why Alamo Heights Junior School has been so great? This is because of our school’s character wall. “The character wall is just a place at our school where we can highlight and emphasize some of the character habits and qualities that we want for our students,” Dr. Guthrie passionately says. The character wall is a great display of character and compassion that keeps the students motivated.

The character wall is located at the front of the school near the office, so when you walk in, it showcases the great work from our students. Dr. Guthrie explains, “The wall used to be just a big map of the world, and it was not something that was very eye-catching. So, with the help of our facilities team, they came and took the map down. They painted it a really nice dark blue, and with help from our PTO, we put up a nice TV and a big banner. We are slowly just adding things to it as we find kids doing great things.”

This amazing idea of the character wall has impacted many schools around the country by motivating kids to display character and compassion. “I was at a conference in Washington, DC, which focused on character. Different schools were there, and many presented various ways they display their students’ character,” Dr. Guthrie says. The display of students’ character has really helped increase positive actions in the school. “It was just something we thought would be a good way to share the message of what our kids are doing and demonstrating good character,” Dr. Guthrie adds. The character wall has been a great improvement for the school and serves as a reminder for students to show good character at all times.

Here is what Aaron Myers has to say about his proud accomplishment of being on the character wall: “I did it because one of the students looked like he needed help. He just didn’t understand the language yet, but he understands it now and is getting more used to it,” Aaron explains. He helped a student in his class who did not understand English. Aaron made a great decision to assist this student in comprehending what the teacher was saying and teaching.

This great idea of having a character wall at our school has shown all the students and staff the wonderful acts of character our students have performed. There has been a significant improvement in the students’ character, which has truly impacted their behavior at Alamo Heights Junior School.