Henry Council for Quality Growth and HCS Join to Help Kids
Submission Date: April 20, 2015
Release
Date: For Immediate Release
Contact: J.D. Hardin, 770-957-6601 ext. 161, john.hardin@henry.k12.ga.us
(Release
# 0051-04-15)
Henry Council for Quality Growth and HCS Partner on Youth Program
“The Leader in Me” to be introduced at
Cotton Indian Elementary School
HENRY COUNTY,
GA – Henry County Schools and the Henry Council for Quality Growth (HCFQG) have
joined together to introduce a program aimed at increasing self-confidence and
developing vital 21st century skills for several elementary students
in the county.
In
particular, Cotton Indian Elementary will take on the initiative, and according
to HCFQG Chair Jack Bowdoin, the efforts are to incorporate “a whole-school
transformation model that improves performance of all programs” within the
school.
“The Leader
in Me” program is based on the bestselling personal development book by Dr. Stephen
Covey entitled 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People. The program produces transformational results such as
higher academic achievement, reduced behavioral issues, and increased
engagement among teachers and parents.
Understanding that
education is the key to a bright future for the county, the HCFQG Education and Quality
of Life Committees worked with “The Leader in Me” representatives, school board
members, and school administrative staff to introduce this new strategy as a
pilot program in a Henry County elementary school. Through these meetings,
school representatives expressed excitement and anticipation that such a
process could result in incredible benefits and outcomes in Henry County
elementary schools and the district as a whole.
Cotton Indian
Elementary Principal Lisa Travis was excited for the opportunity to bring such
a dynamic program to her students and community and expressed her appreciation
for being the first school in the county to incorporate it next year.
“It is an
honor and privilege to begin this journey of becoming a Leader In Me school,”
said Travis. “I believe that as a
community, we all share the same belief; the educational system is about
developing each child’s individual abilities and building their capacity to
shape the future. As the leader of the Cotton
Indian Elementary community, our motto and my top priority is Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time.”
Steve Cash,
Executive Director of the Henry Council for Quality Growth, shared that this
program is specifically geared for elementary-aged children in its teaching of
Dr. Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People and is presented in a format that appeals to younger children.
“This
strategy is embedded into the very fiber of the school,” said Cash. “This is not another layer of programs added
to an already overburdened school day. This process is integrated into the core
values of young elementary school students.”
Cotton Indian
Elementary will incorporate the program for its 700+ students beginning January
2016. It has been selected by the school
system to be the first school to participate.
The cost to fund each student’s track is $55. The Council, through
community and corporate donors, has committed to fulfilling all financial
obligations to support the program.
“The Leader
in Me” is in line with the Henry Council for Quality Growth’s mission and
pillar approach to enhance education, quality of life, and economic growth in
Henry County. The group’s belief is that
this program will grow the community’s future leaders.
Founded in
2001, the Henry Council for Quality Growth is a broad-based membership
organization committed to helping Henry County become a better place to live,
work, play and do business – both now and for years to come. The Council
benefits members and the community by providing an open forum for dialog between
all interested parties with the goal of achieving quality, sustainable growth
for Henry County.
For more
information about “The Leader in Me” process and implementation, visit www.theleaderinme.com. To learn how you or your organization can
financially support the program, email info@hcfqg.com
for more details.
For more
information on Henry County Schools, visit www.henry.k12.ga.us. For more information on the Henry Council for
Quality Growth, visit www.hcfqg.com.
###