Mehlville School District and five of its schools recently were among 170 schools and districts from across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Brazil to receive awards from the Character Education Partnership for their Promising Practices in character education, according to a district news release.

Blades, Forder, Trautwein, Wohlwend and Oakville Elementary schools received awards for implementing effective programs that encourage ethical, social and academic growth of students through character education. The district was honored with a Promising Practices Award for its annual Community Kindness Essay Contest and Banquet.

“Character education is embedded in what we do throughout the Mehlville School District,” Deputy Superintendent Eric Knost stated in the news release. “In the past, we have not done enough to promote the efforts of our teachers, students and principals. Many of our schools are moving in the direction of becoming Schools of Character.”