An Analysis of the Effect of The Positivity Project at West Pine Middle

In today’s world, fostering positive character strengths in students is crucial to their personal and academic success. West Pine Middle is a community hub for learning where students develop their identities, grow in their knowledge, and set the foundation for the adults they will be. The Positivity Project’s focus on character strengths and building strong relationships among students and staff is critical at the middle school level. The Positivity Project promotes a school culture of kindness, empathy, and resilience, equipping students with the tools they need to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

The Positivity Project focuses on the 24 character strengths, which helps focus West Pine Middle School on a whole school approach towards character building. These strengths, which include kindness, perseverance, gratitude, leadership, and humility, are emphasized in the morning announcements, messages to families, and in classroom discussions.

In our first year of implementing The Positivity Project, West Pine Middle School has taken the initial and positive steps in implementing the program by focusing on the morning announcements, sending parent messages home, and giving teachers options for lessons around the Other People Mindset. One of the most significant benefits of The Positivity Project is the positive school culture it cultivates. 

When students actively engage with character education, they begin to see their classmates and teachers as part of a supportive and caring community. This environment reduces bullying and social exclusion, replacing those negative qualities with understanding and inclusivity. Because of this positive school culture at West Pine Middle School, we have seen almost a 10% drop in major office referrals from last year to this year.

Additionally, The Positivity Project encourages student collaboration, fosters teamwork, and highlights cooperation. The Positivity Project is an excellent addition to the programs we already have at West Pine Middle School. Not only do we have an extensive PBIS program, but we highlight the Students of the Month. Through the ideas fostered by The Positivity Project, we have also started recognizing the “Have a Good Day,” student who is invited to the front office with the encouragement to have a good day. This has helped create a positive environment where students know what the expectations are, and that we want to focus on the positives instead of the negatives in our school environment.

When students feel safe, respected, and encouraged, they are more likely to engage in learning. The Positivity Project helps students build self-confidence by recognizing and developing their character strengths. When students believe in their abilities, they are more willing to take on challenges and persist through difficulties, which ultimately leads to greater academic success. West Pine Middle School’s universal screener saw students grow in their academic learning by seven points in Math and three points in ELA, one of our highest growth scores in four years. This is attributed to the positive school environment fostered by the Positivity Project.

On an emotional level, the Positivity Project provides students with the language and understanding needed to express their feelings and support their peers. West Pine Middle has worked hard to develop systems that completely support students’ emotional well-being and academic success. The skills they develop—empathy, leadership, and perseverance—help them navigate the complexities of higher education, careers, and personal relationships.

One of the most critical components to the success of a school is the families and community stakeholders supporting it. With The Positivity Project, student success is enhanced when parents and the broader community are involved. Schools that actively engage families in character education create a more cohesive student support system. When parents reinforce these principles at home, children are more likely to embrace these values daily. West Pine Middle sends home weekly messages to families to encourage them to be actively involved in helping develop specific character strengths promoted by The Positivity Project. At West Pine Middle School, we engage weekly with Positivity Project messages and community events that allow families to ask questions about what students are engaging with in the classroom. As a first-year implementer of the Positivity Project, we always have more room to grow. We are always looking for ways to expand and enhance the Positivity Project within the classroom, and parent input is essential to this process.

The middle school years can be very challenging. West Pine Middle School has actively sought ways to help students navigate this difficult period of their lives. The Positivity Project has helped create a process where we can recognize the positivity in the school, name it, and honor it in our interactions with and among students. We are looking forward to continuing our journey with the Positivity Project. We want to fully embrace all aspects of the Positivity Project. We have seen results in our behavioral analyses and the academic success of our students. At West Pine Middle, we see the positive effects of the Positivity Project on our students.