Grades 6-8    Character Development

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In today’s fast-paced, highly technological society, something more is necessary to help develop tomorrow’s leaders. While still in his youth, Abraham Lincoln once said, “I will spend my time in getting prepared, for someday, my time will come,” and it did. At a most crucial time in our history, this great leader played the key role in mending together a broken nation. However, it was more than mere facts of reading, writing, and arithmetic that made Abraham Lincoln a success. It was the education of the heart. Abraham Lincoln had gained the type of character to make a great leader, through experiences under the proper kind of guidance.

The Foundations for Success program is a team-building program that focuses on this education of the heart, trying to instill these character qualities or “life skills” that will not only help us at school, but life in general. Each activity focuses on multiple foundations that if students can really grasp and apply these foundations, then success for them is very achievable, otherwise can be very hard to attain.

This experiential learning occurs with their class mates in numerous areas of Tecumseh’s outdoor classroom. Each student will participate in activities such as:

Communication Station – Interactive group activities that can only be completed by displaying different forms of effective communication.

Optimist Challenge - a uniquely designed obstacle course focusing on self-confidence that can only be completed by trusting others.

Survival Simulation – Learning and displaying crucial outdoor skills, coupled with sound problem-solving and leadership skills will help survival in this wilderness simulation.

Team's Course/Group Initiatives – Presented with a number of mind boggling scenarios, students must use problem solving skills to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.

Mission Possible – Locating check points in the forest and disarming a potentially hazardous warhead need to be accomplished in a timely manner. Displaying leadership and effective communication will be crucial to success.

Climbing Tower – Can you climb? We strive to help each student reach their goal on this climb through instilling self-confidence, trust and communicating encouragement.

Click to see a two day or a three day sample schedule for Foundations For Success (in PDF format).

See the Indiana State Curriculum Standards Met in the Foundations for Success Program (in PDF format).