Our Mission & Vision Investing in our communities' youth through character education programming in order to brighten student futures, engage citizens of all ages, and sustain desirable communities.
WHO WE SERVE Investing in Brighter Futures & Thriving Communities
13,500 100%
163
approximately
STUDENTS
TITLE I
COACHES
representing PreK through Grade 12 students in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot County Public Schools
Character Counts Mid Shore serves 100% of Title I (High Poverty) Public Schools in the Tri-County Mid Shore Area
Uncompensated volunteer Character Coaches deliver CCMS programming on a weekly or monthly basis
10%
34%
Students Served Receive SNAP Benefits (Food Stamps)
90%
26%
10.6%
Tri-County Public Schools Served by Character Counts Mid Shore
23.8%
1/3
Students Served That Identify as Ethnic Minorities
66%
76.2%
20
90%
over
YEARS serving Mid Shore youth
tens of thousands OF STUDENTS served over the years
RICHARDÂ M. POTTER, JR. President, Board of Directors Character Counts Mid Shore Program Coordinator of Multicultural Student Services Salisbury University
Good character is a necessity and the great equalizer that produces individuals who become successful and productive in our vast and diverse society. Character Counts Mid Shore is an organization that is vital to the communities and students it serves.
WHY WE SERVE: Impact & Outcomes A number of years ago, Character Counts Mid Shore, Inc. collaborated with the Maryland State Department of Education to assess programmatic outcomes of CCMS' character education programs. The data that immediately follows is excerpted from "Growing Character, Cultivating Achievement," a publication of the Maryland State Department of Education:
IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND BEHAVIOR Schools evidenced an increase in student participation, prosocial behaviors, and academic success as measured by data on attendance, office referrals, and honor roll achievement.
Performance Measure
Actual Measure
Percentage of Schools Demonstrating an Increase in Attendance Rates Percentage of Schools Demonstrating a Decrease in Office Referral Rates Percentage of Schools Demonstrating a Decrease in Suspension Rates Percentage of Schools Demonstrating an Increase in Honor Roll Rates
62.5% 59.0% 47.9% 61.5%
INCREASING PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Parents and other community members became more active participants, as evidenced through increased rates of occurrence of volunteer activity and mentoring roles.
Performance Measure
Actual Measure
Percentage of Schools Demonstrating an Increase in the Number of Visits by Parents and Other Adults Volunteering at School 76.0% Percentage of Schools Demonstrating an Increase in the Number of Visits by Parents and Other Adults Mentoring at School 26.7%
PERFORMANCE BY LEVEL OF IMPLEMENTATION Schools with high levels of CCMS character education programming had lower suspension and offender rates, higher attendance and promotion rates, lower dropout rates, and higher math and reading proficiency rates. Values shown at right are year one results. Performance outcomes continued to improve in year two of the study, with the exception of promotion rates.
Level of Implementation
Suspension Rate
Offender Rate
Attendance Rate
Promotion Rate
36.1% 10.2% 4.2%
17.2% 5.8% 3.0%
93.1% 94.1% 94.8%
95.6% 96.5% 96.7%
Low Medium High Level of Implementation
Low Medium High
Math Proficiency Rate
51.0% 70.9% 70.9%
Drop-Out Rate
4.17% 70.9% 0.93%
Reading Proficiency Rate
61.3% 75.3% 78.3%
—
Trustworthiness,
Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. Everyone can agree upon these values, as they are not political, religious, or culturally
biased.
We
believe
these pillars are not only critical in forming
the
foundation
for
excellence in academics, but also for instilling values that benefit students throughout their lives, and thereby foster communities where honesty, mutual respect, and good citizenship are matters of daily practice.
LAWS OF LIFE ESSAY CONTEST As the regional sponsor of Sir John Templeton's worldwide contest format, Character Counts Mid Shore receives more than 1,000 essays annually from our middle and high school students that discuss the central principles that shape their lives. Volunteer judges select winners and cash prizes are awarded from community sponsors. The overall winner receives the Albert Kennerly Character Counts Scholarship Award in the amount of $2,500.
YTILIBISNOPSER
Character
TCEPSER
We espouse the Six Pillars of
SSENIHTROWTSURT
s r a l l i P x i The S r e t c a r a h C f o
WINNERS WALK TALL
PIHSNEZTIC
GNIRAC
SSENRIAF
The Winners Walk Tall Program is the core service program at Character Counts Mid Shore. Centered on the Six Pillars of Character, hundreds of uncompensated adult volunteers commit to going into classrooms on a daily or weekly basis. These highly trained and motivated volunteers are called "Character Coaches" and are empowered to discuss, and model, ethical issues through relevant and age-appropriate lessons that teach and reinforce the importance of character in everyday life. Character Counts Mid Shore fosters relationships between businesses and schools, as well as service and youth organizations. Businesses have formed the backbone of our Winners Walk Tall program by providing many of our volunteer Character Coaches. Businesses and foundations have also supported Character Counts by purchasing resources for students, sponsoring activities, and providing other services at no cost.
Character Counts Mid Shore is totally supported by philanthropic donations from individuals in the community as well as from local corporations and foundations. Character Counts Mid Shore receives no funding from the school systems it serves.
WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON AT CCMS This is a pivotal moment in the life of Character Counts Mid Shore. It will take all of us, united by the promise of the Six Pillars, to ensure the continued success of Character Counts Mid Shore. In the coming year, our staff and Board of Directors will engage in an extensive strategic planning process that will culminate in a comprehensive 5-year plan charting the course for CCMS’ future. Undoubtedly, a key outcome of this process will be a visionary plan for expanding the programmatic portfolio of offerings of Character Counts Mid Shore. Stay tuned!
lauren@charactercountsmidshore.com (410) 819-0386 fb.me/charactercountsmidshore www.charactercountsmidshore.com 108 Maryland Avenue, Suite 103 Easton, MD 21601
Character Counts Mid Shore, Inc. is a federally-rcognized 501(c)3 charitable organization.