Terrific Kids

Considering a Terrific Kids Program at Your School? Here’s what you need to know…

Terrific Kids is a character-building program that recognizes Elementary School students to promote character development, self-esteem and perseverance. Students work with their classroom teacher to determine what being terrific means to them, then develop their own goals and use peer mentoring to hold themselves accountable for the actions they take each week. When a participant achieves their goal, her or she is recognized for being a Terrific Kid.

What School Does:

• Introduces the program to students and parents
• Decides how to publicize and encourage each trait (one per month), how to choose students for recognition, and how to recognize these students
• Plans a recognition ceremony to present awards certificates and ribbons
• Records activities through photos, videos etc. and shares with school at end of each month
• Invites parents of recipients to observe the ceremony
• Can be one or two classrooms or preferably the entire school which focuses on one trait per month
• Maintains Kiwanis branding of the Terrific Kids program by using approved logos and design (we can help with this)

What Kiwanis Does:

• Provides starter kit
• Works with staff to determine form of recognition like certificates and ribbons personalized to specific school and required financial support (e.g. purchasing ribbons for school)
• Celebrates at month-end assembly with short talk from or about Kiwanis and assists with handing out certificates and ribbons to individuals

What it Means for Students:

The program works because kids:

• Concentrate on themselves rather than competing with other students.
• Decide what behavior they want to change.
• Learn how to set and achieve goals.
• Gain confidence from peer mentoring.
• Become accountable and learn to problem-solve.

Suggestions:

• Take photos of activities throughout the month; students in media club or senior classes have responsibility for creating a video to show all students each month
• Gather all award winners at back of gym and clap them in as group; they can sit with class and then get called up individually with great fanfare and fun

For more information: https://www.kiwaniskids.org/terrific-kids/

KCCK currently sponsors a program at A. A. Wright PS in Wallaceburg and once a month we are invited to participate in the awards assembly to show support and assist with handing out certificates and ribbons to students.

For samples and examples, contact: Cathy Telfer, 519-359-1665 or ctelfer@sympatico.ca