Camden County Tech School Designated National School Of Character

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Both Camden County Technical School campuses have been named 2020 National Districts of Character, Camden County officials announced. They received the designation from Character.org, a national advocate and leader in character development in schools and communities.

The designation means the Gloucester Township and Pennsauken campuses have been recognized as a district that has demonstrated its use of character development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior, and climate throughout the district.

"We are pleased to announce and celebrate the schools and school districts who have earned this national recognition," Character.org President Dr. Arthur Schwartz said. "Each of these schools and school districts has put in place a comprehensive approach to help their students understand, care about, and consistently practice the core values that will enable them to flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens."

Character.org for national consideration.

“It is a great honor for both of our schools to be named 2020 National Schools of Character,” Camden County Technical Schools Superintendent Pat Fitzgerald said. “Employers who hire our career-trained students consistently comment that they are very pleased with their positive attitudes and their strong work ethic. Thanks to the daily implementation of character education and reinforcement of core values by the staff, our students learn that good character is an important part of being successful in school, work, college, and life. I was proud when both schools were designated as New Jersey Schools of Character, and it is very exciting that they are also receiving national recognition for what they are doing.”

They are among seven districts from 15 different states to receive this prestigious distinction, and earn the right to use the National School of Character name and logo for 5 years, 2020–2025.

“We are very proud of the dedicated employees and outstanding students of the Camden County Technical Schools,” Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to Camden County Technical Schools, said. “They continually demonstrate their use of character development to improve academics, positively impact student behavior and enhance the overall climate.”

They qualified for consideration as a National School of Character after they were first recognized as a State Schools of Character in February. Subsequently, their application automatically was forwarded to Character.org for national consideration.

“Focusing on the Warrior Way, a set of core values established by the School of Character Committee has continued to transform the daily interactions of our staff and students,” Gloucester Township Technical School Campus Principal Wanda Pichardo said. “They see the Warrior Way values posted on the walls of the hallways, classrooms, cafeterias, and other common areas, and it is included on every school meeting agenda, the student handbook, and student identification cards. Students can easily recite: Respect, Perseverance, Citizenship, Integrity, and Innovation as the Warrior Way because of the effort of the School of Character Committee to ingrain it into their daily lives and school culture.”

“The students and staff at the Pennsauken Campus of CCTS embody our core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Service Learning,” said John Hourani, Ed.D., Interim Principal of the Pennsauken Campus. “One example is in the way our students and staff find fulfillment in serving community members who are in need by volunteering at a local soup kitchen. This school is truly deserving of this award.”

Since its inception, the National Schools of Character program has impacted nearly 3 million students, staff, parents, and community members. The schools and school districts who apply must meet the rigorous standards articulated in Character.org's 11 Principles Framework for Schools. Each school/district is evaluated by a team of trained educators and includes a site visit to assess how a school's "shared values" are motivating students to do the right thing.

Character.org will honor the schools at its next National Forum. Dates for the forum will be forthcoming. They are not set yet due to the coronavirus pandemic.