Two Days of Character Education Activities for Fresno State Education Students
Dr. Thomas Lickona, one of the country’s best-known experts on character education, will deliver the keynote address for California State University, Fresno’s 20th Annual Conference on Character and Civic Education on Wednesday, April 21 at the Fresno Convention Center.
The conference will be in the Exhibit Hall from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Lickona speaking at 8 a.m.
Lickona is professor of Education at SUNY Cortland and director of the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (Respect and Responsibility). He is the author of the best known and most used books in the field.
The conference is sponsored by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development primarily for about 750 Fresno State education students who are preparing to become the future teachers of the Central Valley.
Kremen Education is also presenting two other events Wednesday night and all day Thursday as well as the presentation of 14 exemplary Elementary Schools of Character award during the first general session of the April 21 conference.
The other activities are:
• A panel discussion on Character Education for Fresno State graduate students Kremen Education Building, Room 140 on Wednesday, April 21 at 7p.m.
• A Civic Education Forum for local teachers and school administrators will in the Satellite Student Union at Fresno State on Thursday, April 22 from 8:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
• The 17th Annual Virtues and Character Education Awards to local elementary schools April 21.
Co-sponsors are the City of Fresno, the Fresno County Office of Education, the Fresno State Bonner Center for Character and Civic Education, the Fresno Bee, the Educational
Employees Credit Union, the Law offices of McCormick, Barstow, Wayte, Sheppard and Carruth, the California Geographic Alliance, the Civic Education Network for Region 7 and the Service-Learning Collaborative for Region 7.
Dr, Jacques Benninga. Fresno State character education professor said the purpose of the conference is two-fold:
• to provide preservice teacher education students with information on a number of local civic agencies devoted to assisting children and families with life’s issues, and
• to provide them with a number of important concepts and considerations related to the ethical implications of what we do as professional educators in a service community.
He said local agencies will provide information about the nature of their programs, how their work affects K-12 populations and how teachers can access and utilize the services described.
More than 20 of Kremen Education faculty will present workshops regarding professional ethics from the vantage of their sub-specialties.
The afternoon keynote talk will be delivered by Jeff Eben, principal of Clovis East High School in the Clovis Unified School District.
Benninga said a significant event at the conference will be the awarding of the 17th Annual Virtues and Character Education Awards to local elementary schools.
All elementary schools in the Central Valley were eligible to apply for the 2004 award by submitting an extensive application. Final selections and site visitations were coordinated by the university’s Bonner Center for Character Education and Citizenship.
The awards ceremony is sponsored by the University’s Bonner Center for Character Education, the Fresno Bee and the Geographic Alliance. Winning schools will be announced at the conference.
A discussion of the issues related to implementing quality character education programs in Valley schools will be the subject of the Character Education Panel Discussion, Benninga said.
The panel discussion will be held at 7 p.m. in Kremen Bldg., Room 140 and will be hosted by Dr. Don Wise, Associate Professor of Education.
Members of the panel will include Lickona, one of the country’s best-known experts on character education; Stacy Dunnicliff, principal of Reyburn Intermediate School; Dr. John Cruz, superintendent of Fowler Unified School District; and John Forenti, Character Counts! Coordinator with the Tulare County Office of Education.
Seating is limited.
Benninga said the purpose of The Civic Education Forum is to promote character and civic education and service-learning in Central Valley K-12 schools.
Lickona will be the keynote speaker for the Forum.
“A highlight of the forum will be distribution of the new Education for Democracy guide in social studies and language arts,” Benninga said. “Sessions at the Forum will focus on a demonstration of exemplary strategies and resources for effective civic/character education, service-learning and civic engagement activities for youth.”
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ms. Katie Zenovich, Director of Development, KSOEHD, 278-0373
Dr. Jacques Benninga, Bonner Center for Character Education, 278-0253 Ms Kim Cole (for Forum info), 278-0474
Dr. Don Wise, for panel discussion information
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