Character Education is a vital component in each of the Mehlville School District’s schools, and its presence helps students to develop the characteristics needed to become successful adults, according to a district news release.

For their efforts in character education, 14 Mehlville schools, along with the school district for its Project ENGAGE community service program, have been honored by the Character Education Partnership, or CEP, with 2011 Promising Practices Awards in Character Education.

All 10 of the district’s elementary schools received national recognition this year, along with Bernard Middle, Margaret Buerkle Middle, Oakville Middle and Mehlville Senior High schools, for implementing effective programs that encourage the ethical, social and academic growth of students through character education, according to a district news release.

“Character education is embedded in what we do throughout the Mehlville School District as we guide our students towards becoming ethical, compassionate, service-minded adults,” incoming district Superintendent Eric Knost stated in the release. “To have 14 of our schools receive this national recognition is indicative of the solid character traits possessed by our students, staff and community. It also speaks to the caliber of our current character education program, and we look forward to advancing our efforts further throughout the district.”

As part of its National Schools of Character awards program, the CEP distributes annual Promising Practices Awards to schools and districts in the U.S. and around the world for implementing unique and specific strategies in character education.

The following programs in the Mehlville School District have been honored this year:

• Beasley Elementary School, Shoes Supply Safe Water

• Bierbaum Elementary School, Healthy Recipes for Local Food Pantry

• Blades Elementary School, 100% Giving Day of Character

• Forder Elementary School, A Day in the Life at Forder Elementary; The Head, the Heart, and the Hand

• Hagemann Elementary School, Second Grade Business; Breakfast for Angels Arms

• Oakville Elementary School, Open Hearts, Open Doors; Volunteering at Nazareth Living Center

• Point Elementary School, Kids Helping Kids Project

• Rogers Elementary School, Heart to Heart Project

• Trautwein Elementary School, Manners Mentors Program

• Wohlwend Elementary School, Wohlwend Project ENGAGE

• Bernard Middle School, Salute to Veterans

• Margaret Buerkle Middle School, Multi-Tiered Advisory Program; Sixth Grade Leadership Camp

• Oakville Middle School, Cooperative Learning: Increasing Student Engagement in the Foreign Language Classroom

• Mehlville High School, Sewing for Santa; Sewing for Soldiers

• Mehlville School District, Project ENGAGE

The CEP is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping schools develop people of good character for a just and compassionate society, the release stated. The organization recognizes State and National Schools of Character, in addition to honoring individual districts and schools for their Promising Practices in Character Education.