Vestavia Hills Elementary East is being recognized statewide for its emphasis on character education and development, according to a press release from Vestavia Hills City Schools.
Character.org, a national organization whose goal is to advocate for character education in schools, on Jan. 26 named Vestavia Hills Elementary East a 2022 Alabama State School of Character. VHEE was one of only five schools in Alabama chosen for the award this year.
Each of the State Schools of Character were selected based on demonstrated excellence in 11 key principles of character education and development.
For VHEE, those principles were found in programs such as the Friendship Initiative, which seeks to identify students in need of additional peer and adult connections and create opportunities for friendships to form. In 2021, the Friendship Initiative earned the school a Promising Practice award from Character.org.
“We’re honored to receive this recognition. We are able to achieve great results in our character education efforts because of our outstanding students, teachers, staff and families who do such a great job supporting our school,” VHEE Principal Mark Richardson said.
VHEE is the third Vestavia Hills school in as many years to receive the State School of Character Award, joining Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights and Vestavia Hills Elementary West. Both subsequently received National School of Character honors. VHEE previously earned State and National School of Character awards in 2013.
The 2022 National Schools of Character will be announced in May.
