It pays to learn good traits

By Denise Dick

Dobbins was one of 10 schools across the United States to receive the award.

POLAND — Fourth-grader Reid Gould, 10, set aside $100 from several weeks of his allowance to donate to the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley.

Paige Shoemaker, 10, also a fourth-grader, sold her bicycle and donated the money to the same organization.

They both demonstrated generosity.

Fourth-grader Nick Petrolla, 10, helped a choking classmate dislodge a piece of food by performing the Heimlich maneuver. That showed courage.

They and the rest of the students, teachers, staff and administrators at Dobbins Elementary School received a Core Essentials Award from Chick-Fil-A for the school’s character essentials program.

Gail McCullough, owner/operator of the Boardman Chick-Fil-A franchise, and Shelly LaBerto, its unit marketing director, presented a plaque and a $500 check Monday to Principal Cheryl Borovitcky.

Borovitcky said the money will be used to continue the Core Essentials program and to help with renovation of the school’s library.

This marks the school’s sixth year of participating in the program that focuses on a different character trait each month.

Fourth-graders Seth Hammond, 10, and Mary VanSuch, 9, marked their fifth year with the program.

“We’ve been in the program for five years, and it’s helped us to be role models for the younger kids in kindergarten,” Mary said. “That’s important so that when they get to be in fourth grade, they can be role models for the kids who are in kindergarten.”

Seth agreed.

“We’ve been in the program since kindergarten,” he said. “When we were in kindergarten, we didn’t really know how to act the right way.”

The lessons of Core Essentials helped them learn.

“Building good character is an important focus at Dobbins Elementary,” Borovitcky said. “Our staff and students work together to make a difference for our school and community through lessons, activities and special projects that provide opportunities to demonstrate positive character traits.”

Teresa Dalesandro, a guidance counselor, said students get information to take home and study with their families regarding the respective character traits. She created large posters for each month’s trait, delivered announcements about each and gave classroom lessons. Teachers continued the instructions in their classes.

LaBerto said Dobbins was one of only 10 schools across the country to receive the award.

North Elementary received one in 2007 and Union Elementary in 2008.

“I think that says a lot for Poland — the principals, the teachers, the students and the guidance counselors — that a Poland school has received the award three years in a row,” LaBerto said.