This article was written by Ed Waskiewicz, Principal and Dignity Act Coordinator at Clinton High School in the Clinton Central School District, located in New York. Ed has also served the district as Principal of Clinton Elementary School and as Athletic Director, which gives him a view of student life that spans elementary through high school.
Clinton High School has participated in The Positivity Project (P2) since 2018. For us, it is a framework that shapes how students, faculty, and staff operate daily. What started as implementation has become our school culture. It has shifted our school dynamic from delivering instruction toward building character, connection, and shared responsibility.
Every year, we follow the P2 calendar and tie in activities and events across the building. Everything we do is meant to give students real experiences through P2.
We have a student-run morning news broadcast, C-Town Live, and we reinforce P2 through it daily. Our student news anchors highlight the weekly character strength or Other People Mindset (OPM) element in the script, which helps normalize conversations among peers about integrity, perseverance, gratitude, and leadership. They make sure the character strengths are visible and discussed with sincerity.
We also present the daily announcements on a large screen TV in the hallway, which features the character strengths as well. P2 language is built into the monthly student newsletters sent out by our principal and into the yearbook, so that character strengths are documented and celebrated in lasting ways. When students see these themes reflected in these publications, they understand that character is part of our identity rather than a temporary program.
Much of our school culture is shaped by our celebrations. We have tried to build a system that recognizes students for academic and athletic achievements and also for exemplifying the character strengths and OPM elements.
Through our high school P2 club, we offer the Santoli Award, one of our most meaningful traditions. Each year, one student from each building is selected based on teacher surveys identifying strong character. The award was established in honor of former teacher Mr. Santoli, whose life reflected the strengths that P2 promotes.
Students who win are given money to pay it forward. Winners have embodied the character strengths of gratitude, kindness, and purpose. They have done everything from purchasing items for our Kindness Closet to raising money for animal shelters. This recognition connects our present work to our history and reinforces that character defines our community.
Our P2 club meets every Monday to plan service projects and events and to propose ideas for schoolwide growth.
The club holds an annual talent show featuring all three schools, where we highlight P2 and the character strengths alongside the performances. Our P2 ambassadors speak about bravery, creativity, teamwork, and appreciation of beauty and excellence. The event is an opportunity for entertainment and for students to support one another and cheer on their successes.
We participate in pep rallies throughout the year to highlight character strengths, service-based projects, and fundraising events. We organize basket fundraisers throughout the year, host a Thanksgiving Lunch Dinner, candy-cane the cars at Christmastime, and volunteer at the Hope House, a center for individuals who are food-insecure and unhoused. The ambassadors prep, cook, and serve food at the center.
P2 is also part of Student Council conversations and other leadership efforts, including our Elevating Student Voices program. That program trains students to facilitate and offer programs that embrace differences and create a sense of belonging for all. Students who participate are taught to be leaders and to facilitate circles they lead themselves. This program ties in closely with P2.
The P2 club and Student Council also took the lead on a new program this year, CHS Comets Recognition. Students, teachers, and staff can nominate one another to be recognized monthly for strongly exhibiting a P2 character strength.
Our school is committed to P2 and intends to continue deepening the implementation. Soon, faculty will retake the VIA Character Strengths survey and post their top three strengths outside their classrooms. That will help students recognize the strengths of the adults who guide them daily.
Students will also complete the VIA survey before our spring pep rally, with the results incorporated into the event. We are picturing a celebration of our school athletics alongside the collective strengths that define Clinton High School. We also plan to install a permanent P2 mural or vinyl display and expand hallway bulletin boards to increase visibility and reinforce daily engagement.
P2 has helped Clinton High School align around a common belief: that strong character builds strong community. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to building a school where every individual is seen, valued, and encouraged to contribute positively to others.