Can You Stay?

With another Red Ribbon Week celebration in the books, 
I'm tucked in comfortably on my couch, reflecting.

One of my all-time favorite days of the school year is the day we set aside for our Hometown Heroes Pep Rally. This year marked our 15-year-anniversary of this celebration. We invited members of our High School football team to open up car doors and greet our students as they arrived for school. The smiles on our star-struck students said more than my words possibly could.

Inside the gym, our superhero role models signed autographs before school.

The gym was packed with FHS role models from the band, most sport teams, the color guard, the cheerleaders, the drill team, the student council, and the Peer Assistance and Leadership students, all there to remind their littlest fans about the importance of making healthy choices, not just this week, but for life.

I seriously did not think the week could get much better. 
Until this morning. 
I was invited to be a mystery reader in Jennifer Collins' first-grade class. I chose the book The Legend of Spookley, the Square Pumpkin. 

I took my ukulele so I could play and sing the last two pages. It was the cutest thing when they sang with me: Maybe one day we'll all discover, that you can't judge a book ~ or a pumpkin ~ by its cover.

Then a little girl whom I can't say I recognized raised her hand. I thought that she might have a connection. Or a story to tell. Instead, she had a question: 
Can you stay?

Well, dear reader, let me just say that words can't adequately describe how it felt, to hear those beautiful words of affirmation. And it got me to thinking about some other three-word phrases that people might need to hear more often. 

Three words that send a heart soaring. 

Three words that someone might be waiting for.

Three transformational words.

Here are a few of those phrases that I think could positively impact a moment, a day, a week, a month, a year, a decade, a lifetime.

*I see you. 

*Are you okay?

*Let me help.

*Come with me.

*I forgive you.

*I am sorry.

*Please forgive me.
*You're a light.

*I admire you.

*Let's be friends.
*Help me understand.
*Tell me more.

*You're so caring.

*I trust you.

*You inspire me.

*I miss you.

*Let's get together.

*Please be careful.

*I appreciate you.

*I am grateful.

*Thank you kindly.

*You come first.

*I love you.

*Please stay longer.
*Be the reason.

Don't those three little words feel AmAzInG?

What would you add to this list?

And who do you know that needs to hear these from you?

Before I sleep, a few resources to wrap up Red Ribbon Week, starting with this visual display that the first-grade team put up ...

and some energy-saving tips from our district Energy Guy.

Listen to an Edspiration podcast interview about empathy I gave {here}.

EnJOY a podcast about tackling bullying in the upper grades {here}.

Watch Fresno Unified District's Human Kind masterpiece {here}.

And check out the newbie bullying-prevention emoji.

What a week!

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Keep It Golden

Our favorite ventriloquist, Dennis Lee, traveled to Friendswood to help us kick off Red Ribbon Week, and look who he brought with him to remind us that as we travel through life and as we write and tell our story that we should always be mindful to keep it golden.

Wolf E. and Sweetie Pie

 and Nicholas, oh my!

They talked with us about moving from me to we ...

and reminded us that everybody has somebody who loves them.

We loved how he spelled the word LOVE out of his props so much that we drew it in our some of our reflections.

Spending the day with ventriloquist Dennis Lee is a special treat that we've looked forwarded to with delight and anticipation every year for the past fifteen. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and your camera and join us in Wolf E. Lodge, where you'll enjoy a few memories from this year's show.

Thank you, Dennis Lee, for the booster shot of laughter and love.

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What's Your Anti-Drug?

Today I'm excited because I've worked it out with my friend Shelley to give all of the readers who commented on Friday's post {10/23} a copy of her 

Mindful Bodies, Mindful Learning packet. 

If you left a comment on Friday or Saturday and would like a packet, please email me {bgruener5@gmail.com} and I'll send you the digital file. Thank you, Shelley, for your kindness!

Now, let's be Frank ... how cute is this visual display?

Isn't it cool how much "chains" and "change" sound alike?

My friend Terri Brady came to Bales last week to help us kick off Red Ribbon Week with this clever creation. Our plan is to send home red strips of paper so that students and their families can answer the question: 

What's Your Anti-Drug?

Then we'll link them together to make a red chain border. 

I can't wait to read what their anti-drugs are.

Visits from our PALs start Monday, so I know the halls will be abuzz as those teenage mentors fill our campus with friendship and love.

School family members will get a mustache and a pencil because 

We 'mustache' you to be drug-free. 

On Tuesday we'll wear our favorite jersey or team shirt to 

Team up against drugs.

On Wednesday, our role models from Friendswood High School will lead our Hometown Heroes Pep Rally before school. That's always a fan favorite that supercharges us and sends us soaring because 

We've got the power to be drug-free.

On Thursday we'll Give drugs the slip wearing slippers, of course.

And Friday will find us dressing up in 50s garb or our costumes, both of which will say Drug-free is a nifty way to be!

So we've got a busy week ahead as we celebrate Red Ribbon Week 

 and say yes to healthy choices. Click {here} to download the mini-poster freebies that we'll be putting around campus, like this one from the creative 

Shelly Rees at Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Click graphic for source and freebie download at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Her creations are adorable, so please take a look at her store and support this seller next time you need something. Thank you, Shelly, for generously sharing your time and talent with us!

How will you and your school family celebrate this week?

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Heartwarming Happiness

Today I'm excited because I'm on my way to Washington D.C. 

for the 21st annual Forum on Character Education. Yay!

Many of you know that I've been working on my 

Kindness Keynote to kick off the event. I am honored and humbled.

My Godparents and my sister will be meeting me there,

as will a few cyberspace counselors and some friends from Forums passed,
so I do believe I am in for a treat this Halloween!

 A few things to share before I unplug.

First, a student-created poster that caught my eye:

MARVEL-us. Don't you love that?

I think the idea of using character as a shield has a lot of discussion potential. What character trait offers you the most protection?

It is the perfect poster to set us up for our superhero-themed Wednesday. 

Here now, collage from that Hometown Heroes pep rally:

Hometown Heroes WOWed Westwood-Bales!

They signed autographs.

They played instruments.

They cheered and danced.

They gave hugs and high fives.

They launched us into greatness with spirit bridges.

Such a beautiful way to start the day.

The leaders who took the mic talked with us about good choices because what you put in your head and heart will come out. Wisdom laced with 

heartwarming happiness.

In Mrs. Huckabee's class, the character cam caught

our little superheroes and sidekicks writing Red Ribbon messages

 in their daily journals.

More happiness!

Then still more happiness because over at The Middle School Counselor blog, Carol has posted a super review (thank you, Carol) and is offering a chance to win a signed copy of my book, so go there next to sign up.

And then at some point today, parenting expert Annie Fox is going to post a Family Confidential podcast that I think might interest you {here}.

So I'm leaving on a jet plane for a few days; 

I'll be back in November with a focus on gratitude and grace.

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Hometown Hero Love

Tuesday found us kicking up our heels and stomping out drugs,

in boots, cowboy gear, and adorable apparel, like this:

It also found me counseling with a young perfectionist,

who hates to lose more than anything. So we played a game with our spring-loaded party poppers, a must-have for every counseling office.

After I missed a couple of time, I started negative self-talk:

I can't do this. I'm no good at this. I quit.

And roles switched. This little learner found himself in a situation

where he could encourage and uplift, 'cause it was I who was missing and not him. He told me not to give up, to just keep trying. He told me, "it's just a game." And he told me I could do it. So I said, "Wait a minute. You mean it doesn't matter if I win? I need to just keep trying?" and I asked him if he could show me how that looks using his hands. {We do a lot of hand signs!}

He said getting mad and frustrated looked like a fist, and when you keep on trying it looks like your hand opening up. Mindset? Yep!

Turns out once your hand goes closed, you've substantially given yourself a handicap. You can't grip the basket, you can't clap for successes, and you can't high five. This little superhero told me in no uncertain terms that all of that equals: 

No fun! 

But when you keep your hand mind opened, your chances of success {and fun!} are so much greater. Then he suggested an alternate way that I could win (turn the basket upside down and trap it) until I mastered the real way to win the game. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job?

And speaking of love, today we're hosting our FHS Hometown Heroes, who'll be leading our character pep rally. We'll be dressed in superhero Ts and capes, and the character cam is sure to be busily capturing it all. It truly is one of our favorite mornings of the school year because our role models visit and launch us into greatness by sharing their thoughts and their talents with us. We expect a full house with members of the Band, the Cheerleaders, the Wranglerette Dance Team, the PALs, StuCo, The Academic Decathlon Team, and athletes representing the various sports. I can't wait!

Yesterday we heard from Sarah Crist, a counseling colleague in North Carolina, about their school-wide superheroes theme using What's Under Your Cape?.

Doesn't her signature smile just warm your heart?

 Click {here} to learn more about their crusade and see what they're up to at Olde Providence Elementary.

To continue our Red Ribbon Extravaganza, 

tomorrow we'll be hard to find in our camo . . .

and I'll really be hard to find here, 

because I'll be on my way to DC for the National Forum.

Such a fun week of happiness and healthy choices.

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Happy Red Ribbon Week

October is coming to a close, but our month of celebrations 
is still going strong as we focus on healthy choices.

Today we said LEI Off Drugs and wore Hawaiian shirts and leis. 

Student Council leaders made these visual reminders for us.

Tomorrow we're Givin' Drugs the Boot in our cowboy gear
and on Wednesday, we'll welcome our FHS role models to our mid-week community gathering to spearhead this year's character crusade. Our theme that day is Be A Superhero; Have the POWER to Say NO!

It's one of my favorite annual events when our Hometown Heroes come to lead our pep rally. Each of our superheroes will get one of these cool pencils to put the power in their hands!

Speaking of superheroes, my friend Vivian Kirkfield posted a heartfelt review of my book on her blog {here}. Thank you, Vivian, for your kind reflections.

How will you celebrate Red Ribbon Week 2014?

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Character Week Resource Round-Up

Day 2 of Character Counts! Week 2014 and the Kindle Edition of my book is now available free for one more day today to celebrate! 

Today we got our Buddy Benches off of the stage ...

and on to the playground!

Our superheroes came in this morning so excited about it!

A few character-development resources for you:
Click {here} for a Harry Smith clip on acceptance and respect.
Read an amazing Trudy Ludwig interview {here}.
Watch an empathy PSA {here}.
Check out this Katie Hurley piece on raising kind girls.

Need t-shirt ideas? Look at what came in today's mail ...

from my generous friends at North Pointe Elementary.

Simply powerful. You can bet I'll be wearing these this week!

We also did a Fashion Show Public Service Announcement
so that our families can preview our dress-up days!

How will you and your school family celebrate

character as your anti-drug?

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Fall Into Fun

Ready or not, it's time to Fall into October.
That means jacket weather for some of us.
One of my young friends stopped by yesterday afternoon 
bearing this little treasure:

He told me that he needed help finding the person who lost this.
So I suggest that he look for someone whose pink jacket isn't zippered shut because that could be his person of interest. That's when he told me in no uncertain terms that it obviously wasn't for a jacket, that it was missing from a backpack. That made me wonder: How was I going to locate its owner when I didn't even know what it was missing from? I had every intention of empowering him and sending him off with tab in hand, but, alas, here it sits on my table, waiting for me to find its owner.
My job is all about connections after all, right?

Then another friend popped in to talk and he pulled some Fun Dip our of his backpack for me. I told him I didn't have anything to trade, so he suggested I make a trip to the Dollar Store. When I finished chuckling, I remembered my treasure box and he picked out a popper. Do I have a fun job or what?

Speaking of fun, we've got so much to celebrate this month:

Breast Cancer Awareness

Fire Prevention

Bullying Prevention 

Character Counts! Week 

and Red Ribbon Week.

So many fun opportunities. On Monday, we'll kick off Bullying Prevention Month with a Blue Out. What a unifying experience it'll be to see everyone wearing blue to tell the world that there's not place for bullying behaviors in our school. Click {here} for an incredibly comprehensive list of anti-bullying resources.

Next Friday, we welcome our favorite ventriloquist, Dennis Lee, to the stage for his Buried Treasures show. His heartfelt message always resonates so powerfully in our character building and with our students and teachers alike.

That Saturday the 11th, I'll be signing books at our local Barnes & Noble from 10 am until 1 pm, so if you're nearby, please stop by.

During Character Counts! week on the 23rd, school staff will be partnering with Papa John's to FUNdraise by delivering pizzas. We'll be attaching our students' character messages onto the boxes to let our stakeholders know how our virtues and values come alive in the heads, hearts, and hands of our superheroes.

The final week of October will find PALs making their first visits to mentor our students as well as Hometown Heroes leading our Red Ribbon Week pep rally and helping us celebrate character.

On the last day of this month, I'll be helping to launch the 21st annual Forum on Character Education in Washington, D.C., with my kindness keynote. My (n)ice queen gown is pressed and ready to go! What fun it'll be to reunite with character educators nationwide and celebrate our 2014 National Schools of Character, including a school that we had the privilege of mentoring along the way, Southside Elementary just down the road in Angleton, TX.

What do you have planned as we Fall Into Fun this month?

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Hometown Heroes Have Our Hearts

This is better than Christmas!

That's what I heard as our students came through the 

Hometown Heroes' Victory Tunnel this morning.

And while it's really hard to beat Christmas in my world, I would have to agree that our annual Red Ribbon Character Pep Rally is, indeed, a special event.

They took our Character Pledge.

Friendswood High School teens woke up extra early to get to our gym; some of the basketball players were there when our doors opened. These role models signed autographs, posed for pictures, and gave out hugs, high fives, and red drug-free wristbands while we were waiting for school to start. 

Then the band started to play and the cheerleaders cheered, the Wranglerettes danced, and leaders shared their words of wisdom with us. Jordan, a football player who recently also played the Tin Man in the fall production of The Wizard of Oz, told the students that it was cool to be kind and then asked them why? He handed to mic over to his adoring fans - brilliant! - and got answers like, "Because it feels good inside!" and "Because it fills buckets."  Two additional students told him that "We should treat others the way we want to be treated." and "Because you don't want to be in trouble."  Yep, choices have consequences.

Click {here} for more pictures of the 13th annual Hometown Heroes event and you'll see why ...

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