This article was written by Terry Keller, special education teacher and Positivity Project coordinator at Lynnwood Elementary in the Guilderland Central School District in New York. As P2 coordinator, Terry leads character strength programming for both students and staff. Lynnwood serves roughly 415 students in grades K–5 and is one of five elementary schools in a district of about 4,800 students.
At Lynnwood Elementary in Guilderland, New York, Spirit Week focused on the understanding of character strengths and how they relate to strong character and a common goal.
Community Helpers
Miss Ander’s first grade students at Lynnwood took the time to explore and review many of the character strengths during Spirit Week. The students shared their thoughts on how the staff members at Lynnwood collaborate to create a safe and nurturing environment where everyone can learn and grow together.
As part of this activity, the first graders took on an artistic challenge by drawing portraits of the various Community Helpers and wrote about why each person plays a vital role in the school community.
This allowed students to express their creativity but also taught them an essential lesson: it takes strong character to foster trusting and meaningful relationships.
Through these reflections and activities, the first graders are developing a deeper understanding of the values that support a respectful and supportive community.
Marty the Robot
Miss Cioffi’s 4th-grade students discussed the character strengths it takes to be a part of a successful team. The P2 strengths of leadership, creativity, fairness, purpose, perseverance, self-control, open-mindedness, curiosity, humor, and social intelligence were key.
Students came to the conclusion that not all team members need to have the same strengths, but when combined, these qualities ensure that every aspect of teamwork is addressed.
As part of this learning, students were introduced to Marty the Robot, who was loaned from the New York Model Schools Lending Library. Marty became the star of the lesson as each group of four students was assigned the challenge of coding Marty to perform for one full minute. The teams had 20 minutes to discuss their ideas, come to a consensus, and execute their plan—all while ensuring that every team member contributed. As you can imagine, this required a lot of self-control, creativity, open-mindedness, and problem-solving!
The results were impressive: five unique one-minute performances where Marty danced, walked, bent, whistled, and even changed eye color! The students genuinely cheered for each other’s successes. Spirit Week was the perfect time to put the life long skill of teamwork to the test.
Recognizing Strengths in Others
The Positivity Project has provided students at Lynnwood Elementary with valuable insights into fostering positive relationships. They have learned to recognize the character strengths in those around them and embraced the importance of being active members of a caring community. This initiative has enriched their social interactions and nurtured a supportive environment, further enhancing their educational experience.
Terry Keller
Terry Keller is a dedicated special education teacher at Lynnwood Elementary in Guilderland, New York. In addition to her teaching role, she serves as the Positivity Project coordinator, where she promotes positive character development among students and staff.
