One of my favorite assignments of this course was a proposal for a special interest group for middle school adolescents. As part of the assignment, I wrote a proposal for my club 'Students of Character' (S.O.C.). As a teacher in the junior high setting, I would submit the proposal to the principal for approval. In addition to the proposal, I also planned my club's first twelve meetings and created a recruitment flyer.

At the beginning of adolescence, kids view themselves in conflicting ways. The awareness of this oppositeness can often cause distress and confusion. During this time adolescents are often vulnerable to a bad self-image or low self-esteem problems. A positive self-esteem is crucial to an individual’s growth and development. In most cases, a good self esteem can shelter adolescents from delinquency, academic failure, early sexual involvement, alcohol use, and depression. I plan to start (with your permission) a school organization called 'Students of Character' (S.O.C.). This club would give students an opportunity to build a strong self-image and self-appreciation through respect, good deeds, and socialization with peers they usually would not associate with. The club's focus will be community service, self-discovery, and acceptance. Through this organization I hope to build community in our school and shape our students into strong individuals.

Our meetings will be held once a week for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 1/2 after school. Some meetings may take longer due to local field trips. The following link will take you to the tentative schedule of activities for our first 12 meetings.