Character.org, a leading advocate for cultivating the importance of character throughout American society and worldwide,  certified 199 Promising Practices in schools and organizations. Among the international recipients of this prestigious recognition are Southville International School and Colleges, South Mansfield College, and Stonyhurst Southville International School – Malarayat Campus, all part of the Southville Global Education Network (SGEN) in the Philippines. This year, Character.org has recognized schools and organizations from various countries around the world. These include the United States, Australia, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Romania. This global recognition underscores the universal importance of character development in education.

Southville Principal, Dr. Avic Suarez, expressed her gratitude for the recognition. “We are honored to be recognized by Character.org. This certification is a validation of our commitment to nurturing the character of our students, which is as important as academic excellence in our educational philosophy. We will continue to strive for the holistic development of our students, preparing them to be global citizens who can make a positive impact on society.”

Character.org recognized  Southville’s unique initiatives – Southville Idol, Good Citizen of the Campus, Can_IB, and our POUCh (Prosperity Outreach for Underprivileged Children) Program as 2024 Promising Practices by Character.org. 

Character.org is extremely proud to recognize the schools and organizations that have developed and implemented a Promising Practice. Each of these programs and initiatives have demonstrated significant impact and strongly align with the principles that help schools and organizations cultivate a culture of character.

The recognition of these SGEN schools is a testament to their commitment to character development, one of the 5Cs (Character, Competence, Collaboration, Creativity, and Commitment to Achieve) that form the core of their educational philosophy. This year’s character development practices included peer mentoring, service-learning, student voice and leadership, intrinsic motivation, and student behavior and academic growth. Many of the Promising Practices also involve parents and the local community.

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About Character.org: Founded in 1993, Character.org empowers people of all ages to practice and model the core values that shape our hearts, minds, and choices. We strive to inspire and recognize thousands of people in schools, organizations, workplaces, communities, and families across the world who are “champions for character.” Character.org is widely known for our 11 Principles Framework for Schools: A Guide to Cultivating a Culture of Character, a comprehensive framework developed by school leaders and character education researchers. During the past 20 years, more than 1,000 schools have been recognized by Character.org as a National School of Character.