In an effort to promote good character development, the Poinciana Elementary School Parent Teacher Association has developed a program that members hope will help teachers promote positive character awareness among their students.

Personal Responsibility in Daily Excellence, or "P.R.I.D.E." is a character development and improvement program that has been created to lend support to Poinciana's Positive Behavior Support program.

PRIDE is a hybrid of many programs already in place across the country and is a work in progress. Organizers plan to promote and reward positive character expression at Poinciana Elementary, inspiring students to focus on and strengthen positive character traits that will lead them to responsible citizenship and a successful life. The "Laws of Life" is a program of principles focusing on moral value systems that was very influential in the development of this program. The values being promoted are the personal inventory of what organizers consider most important in life, and determine character. Promoters hope to reinforce the idea that character is determined by what people do, how they act and treat themselves and others. It is hoped that students will understand the importance of developing good character in becoming productive members of the community.

Through this program, PTA members hope to reinforce the idea that good character remains with people through their lives, helping them to make good decisions to do what is right on a daily basis.

Each month, the program will have a different focus.

Teachers will need to email Heidi Davila the names of students whom they have determined to be acting in accordance with that month's focus. Teachers may send in nominations any day of the month. All of the nominated students will have their names added to the P.R.I.D.E bulletin board. At the end of the month organizers will award a student from each grade level with recognition certificates, and to sweeten the deal for the kids, a Dairy Queen gift card. P.R.I.D.E. members hope to focus on those students who are not always recognized, those that follow the rules and behave properly but may not have been recognized before.

Interested teachers should contact Davila at 305-587-9250, or by email at heidi@gregorydavilalaw.com.