Creating Character

A National School of Character

Merritt Academy is proud to be recognized as a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership, a national non-profit coalition based in Washington, D.C. This prestigious honor is awarded to a handful of public and private schools across the country in recognition of outstanding programs that focus on creating character and encourage the social, ethical and academic development of students through character education.

The Merritt Advantage

Character education is most effective when it is spread throughout regular school courses.  At Merritt Academy students are engaged in hands-on activities where good character is emphasized throughout the school day as well as through our creating character education curriculum.

Our extensive creating character education program covers many subject areas related to character. Children in each age level study developmentally appropriate and challenging topics in the subject areas below.

• Servant Leadership
• Ethics
• Decision Making
• Stewardship
• Determination
• Teamwork
• Service

Merritt Academy focuses on two values each month. Students participate in projects, group discussions, story times & dramatic plays to help reinforce these values

Intergenerational

Merritt Academy’s Seniors and Students Together Intergenerational Program was established in fall of 1991 with the purpose of bringing together students and seniors to form an integrated group promoting the mutual sharing of skills and experiences.

The goal of the intergenerational program was to foster interaction and socialization between the generations, thus improving the quality of life for both groups.

All  Merritt  Academy students, infants – 8th  graders, participate in the Intergenerational Program visiting six different assisted living communities throughout the Northern Virginia area.

During their visits, students and seniors participate in a wide variety of activities, including:

• Storytelling
• Sing-a-longs
• Arts and crafts
• Literary activities
• Community service projects

Our students enjoy spending time with their grandfriends, particularly learning about their past personal experiences.  The children are often fascinated as they learn about how the world was different, and what it was like to be a child in an earlier time.
The children breathe happiness and life into the senior communities, sharing their lives and experiences with their special friends.  It is a mutually beneficial relationship, as the seniors are reinvigorated by the innocence and joy of the visiting children, while the children learn respect, patience and helpfulness.

“I like going to The Jefferson (Assisted Living Community) because it brings a lot of joy and happiness.  My grandfriend really likes my visits and when I go and visit him I feel like I am bringing joy and happiness to him.  Whenever I go to The Jefferson all I can do is smile and laugh because it brings me joy.  If I could visit The Jefferson every day I would!”  – Clarissa, a 4^th grader 

The intergenerational program can also be educational for the children, as they learn historical lessons through the first-hand, personal experiences of their grandfriends, like memories of war from decorated veterans.  After a visit on Veteran’s Day, several 6th grade students remarked that,

“It was so much more interesting to talk about Veteran’s Day with people who had actually fought in wars.” 

To learn more about how Seniors and Students Together benefits students and seniors, read about it in Northern Virginia Magazine.