True Beauty

A few seasons ago, there was a television reality show called True Beauty. Contestants were invited to audition for the show under the premise that the winner would get a modeling contract. Outward beauty. But the candid camera piece that they didn't know about was that they were actually being judged on how they treated the people with whom they were competing and how they acted in situations where someone needed assistance or help. Inner beauty. That show fascinated me. A lot!  It was unbelievable how they behaved when they didn't know that the cameras were on and they were being filmed. When our students talk about character, they know it's:  Everywhere. All the time. Even when nobody's looking. That's all there is to it.
     The Character Educator ran a story mid-August about Jennifer McKendrick, a photographer in PA, who actually cancelled a few girls' senior-portrait photo shoots because of comments she saw on those prospective clients' Facebook pages.  Her reason was posted on her blog:  I won't photograph ugly people. This beautiful artist obviously knows true beauty when she sees it and she clearly doesn't mind forfeiting business for refusing to let her camera capture anything else. You go, girl!
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NOTE:  Just found this Random Act of Kindness post on Jen's website - she got a FUN surprise from Milwaukee, WI in the mail yesterday - click here to read all about it.