Best Practice Name: Potholders R Us
Category: Citizenship / Character Education
Population Served: Grades 2
Year Awarded: 2003-04
District: Keyport
School: Keyport Central School
City: Keyport

Abstract
Potholders-R-Us is a program developed by a teacher for second grade students. This program involves setting up a "model corporation" for the production and marketing of potholders made by the students. Through this project, students develop socially and academically. The proceeds of student labor benefits "Sunshine House" a vacation home for children stricken with cancer.

Program Description
Potholders R Us is an ongoing second grade character education class project. It involves setting up a "model corporation" for the production and marketing of potholders made by the students. The proceeds from the project are donated to "Sunshine House" a vacation home for children stricken with cancer.

The model corporation includes a Board of Directors consisting of a president, treasurer, secretary and vic-president in charge of advertising, packaging, inventory, sales, production, ordering the product, keeping track of supplies and gift wrapping. Third grade students who had previously served on the Board of Directors for "Potholders-R-Us," meet with the class to explain the responsibility of being a member. After the meeting, each child decides what office they want to hold in the corporation and campaign for the position. The candidates campaign by creating and displaying posters and distributing flyers and preparing and presenting their speeches. An election is held, and the Board of Directors is formed.

The first task is for the newly elected corporation secretary to write to the principal, who is the CEO, to request a meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to ask permission to open the corporation, to advertise in the building by means of public morning announcements and the display of athe student created posters.

The founder of "Sunshine House" meets with the students to explain its purpose. He explains to the students the effects of cancer and how the children and their families vacationing at "Sunshine House" need a retreat from the effects of chemotherapy or radiation. He speaks to the children about the rarity of children's cancer and how, through proper nutrition and exercise, they will stay healthy. After this meeting, the Board of Directors votes and pledges a $1,000.00 donation to Sunshine House from the Potholders R Us Corporation.

The next activity includes four members of the Potholder R Us Board of Directors attending the local Kiwanis Board of Directors' meeting. The children are the guest speakers to discuss their corporation, purpose and request to participate in the Kiwanis Annual Chicken Dinner to sell their potholders. After a question and answer session, a vote is taken and Potholders R Us is welcomed to participate in this community dinner.

The objectives are:
. Students will become caring and involved members of the community.
. Students will learn rudimentary extrepreneurial skills.
. Students will learn the electoral process.
. Students will learn the responsibility of holding an elected office.
. Students will learn the benefits of hard and dedicated work.
. Students will learn that an atmosphere of cooperation results in a successful outcome for the whole.

This exemplary and innovative practice is instrumental in allowing second graders to build on their academic and social skills. Potholders R Us provides the students with a positive learning experience by allowing them to exhibit new learning and apply it successfully. Students from this learning experience have also gained the personal satisfaction in assisting sick children and their families to a vacation at Sunshine House.

Alignment With Core Standards
The six pillars of character education are addressed through Potholders R Us project: Students learn how to be trustworthy. They are given potholders to sell and are responsible for returning the potholders not sold and the money collected for selling the product. Examples being when students are going into the community to sell the potholders and participating in the Kiwanis Chicken Fry, they are required to interact with the consumer to sell their product, collect the money and make change. Keep total of expenses and profits made. (Math Standards: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5, Social Studies: Standards 6.6 and Career Education and Consumer Family Life Skills (CECFLS): 9.1)

The project expands the opportunity for the students to learn the meaning of citizenship. Students work with senior citizens in putting together the special order hot plates. Children, also, attend a Board of Directors meeting of the local Kiwanis. Students are made aware that the purpose of local organizations is to provide help and services to the community. (CECFLS: 9.2, Social Studies Standards: 6.4)

The result of Potholders R Us is that students learn to care about the plight of others. Students give up their time to attend the local community meetings to give their Potholders R Us presentations. They arrive early to school; give up their recess and stay after the school day to produce their product. (Language Arts Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, Social Studies Standards: 6.2 and CECFLS: 9.1 and 9.2)

Responsibility is developed by the function of each member of the Board. Students are responsible for their weekly stockholder meeting report. Their performance of the designated elected position has a direct effect on the success of the corporation. (CECFLS: 9.1, Social Studies Standards: 6.2, 6.4 and 6.5)

The students' respect for each other is developed as the corporation progresses. The children are respectful of each other's jobs, views, ideas and importance. They learn that everyone's input is important and must be heard. The importance of being a productive member of a team is stressed. (CECFLS: 9.1, Language Arts: Standard 3.4)

Every child has the opportunity to run for an office in the corporation. They must be fair in voting for the various positions on the Board. They must consider candidate speeches and presentations when making their decisions on who can provide the best leadership for the corporation. (Language Arts: Standards 3.4, Social Studies: Standard 6.2 and 6.4, CECFLS: 9.1 and 9.2)

Program Assessment
In meeting the developmental and educational needs of students, Potholders R Us addresses the 2nd grade CCC Standards in Language Arts, Mathematics, Workplace Readiness, Social Studies and Visual Arts as well as develops the six pillars of character education. This cross the curriculum-based project requires that students actively participate. Students are encouraged to build on their individual strengths in the development, and successful implementation of the project through the promotion of positive social student behaviors in a caring, disciplined school climate conducive to learning.

The project was successfully completed. The students raised through the sale of the potholders $5,000. All of which were donated to Sunshine House.

The second grade students whom participated in the Potholder R Us project included both ESL and special education students. The overall results for the students on their grade level Spring TerraNova are a follows: 90.9% passed Reading, 100% the Language Arts section, 100% the Mathematics section. All of the ESL children exited from the ESL program with a passing score on the Language Assessment Test.

Inclusion of Special Needs Students
There was no need to modify this project for the inclusion of students with disabilities. This was a team effort for the entire class. Students worked together in cooperative learning groups to complete the various tasks to implement the project. All of the students were successful in the jobs that they chose to complete. It is the district's philosophy that all children can learn and succeed, if they are motivated to actively participate.

Replication
A pet project that would appreciate student support should be introduced to the students as a first step for implementation. The next step, the class would decide a product that their corporation would make and sell. The product should be based on demand or need. The cost for purchasing materials must be considered as well as how much profit the students would like to make. Students should be introduced to the formation of a corporation. The duties for each position, on the Board of Directors, must be described to the class. The children, after this instruction, should decide what position they would like to hold in the corporation. Some could be encouraged to apply for a position based on their talents and abilities. The students wanting to hold positions as officers on the Board of Directors should be required to make campaign signs, and/or posters. They also must write and present their speeches to the class. After the elections are held, the corporation is formed. Community groups should be contacted so that the children would be able to speak to the groups about the goal of their corporation and to sell their products.

After the corporation goal has been achieved, an evening meeting should be scheduled with invited guests that include: school administrators, parents/guardians, and community leaders. Students should conduct and explain the purpose of their corporation and whether they had been successful in meeting their goal. At this meeting, the children would make a presentation of the check to the organization that they sponsored.

The program can be easily adapted at any grade level. Any product for manufacturing can be produced by the children and any cause would be appreciative of monetary assistance.