Grades PreK-8  •  Jersey City, New Jersey

"Aim not for what you are, but for what you could be," was the motto of Lucas Hellmer. This vision inspires the staff members at Ollie E. Culbreth, Jr. School, who hope their students will aim as high as possible. Selected graduating high school seniors, all of whom are graduates of Culbreth, are invited to share their hopes and dreams with the student body. As high school is just a stepping stone to a life's work, the personal stories are provided as models for Culbreth students who are about to take that next step themselves. Called Hall of Fame- Builders, the program is part of the annual Character Education Celebration Day the school holds in May. Those chosen for the program are youths who have made a notable difference in their community in just the four years since their own eighth-grade graduation, and thus have embodied the character education program upheld at Culbreth. They are young motivators: their words are powerful, their youthful exuberance is contagious, and their sincerity is moving. Students take part in discussions with the honorees to reflect on the importance of character in one's life. They are thereby inspired to become involved in the community themselves. As a result, more and more Culbreth graduates come back to Culbreth as mentors.