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"Everyday we are given opportunities to begin again. Character building begins in infancy and continue until death." - Eleanor Roosevelt Partnering for Character Conference Promoting Character and Ethics at Work and In School Thursday, October 9, 2003 at McCamly Plaza Hotel, Battle Creek MI Partnering for Character is a one-day conference October 9, from 8:00a.m. to 4:45p.m. at McCamly Place Hotel, Located in Battle Creek, Michigan. Our goal is to provide valuable and relevant strategies to incorporate character and ethics training in the business workplace, educational institutions, and not-for-profit and youth-serving organizations. Approved for Credit PHR●SPHR●HRCT & SB-CEUs Conference Overview October 9, 2003 - Save this date! What: A one-day conference to promote character and ethics at work and in school. Register fee: $95.00 by September 24 Where: McCamly Plaza Hotel, Battle Creek, MI Who: Anyone from business or not-for-profit, schools, or youth serving organizations. Why: To learn..........tips, tools and strategies to incorporate character and ethics into your organization. Keynote: Dr. B. David Brooks, lecturer, character educator, consultant to the FBI Academy Quantico, National PTA, Character Education Partnership and CEO of Implementing Character Education, is the luncheon keynote speaker. By: Character Unlimited, a program of Summit Pointe, is the conference host and sponsor. Additional sponsors include the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, The Michigan Department of Education, and Comerica. How: You should receive a brochure with all the details in mid-late August. If you have not received a brochure by August 25, contact Character Unlimited at 877.968.4380, attn: Veronica, or email info@characterunlimited.com. There will be four tracks: Business, Education, Youth Serving and General with National Leaders and Leaders from around the State of Michigan in character and ethics programs sharing what works and how you can make it work for you!
This conference will host simultaneous tracks for business and non-profits, educators, and youth-serving organizations, and a general (or cross-disciplinary) track. Participants are free to attend sessions from any of the breakout sessions.
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 Welcome and opening remarks: A Commitment to Character Presenter: Erv Brinker Title/Job: CEO, Summit Pointe Morning Keynote Address: “Character: A Simple Approach” by Joe Davio, President, Grand Rapids Region, Comerica Bank has promoted, advocated and supported character education throughout his organization, into the community and in support of schools. Learn why he believes trust and integrity are important for everyone! Afternoon Keynote Address: “Character Education: An Opportunity and a Responsibility for Everyone,” by B. David Brooks, Ph.D., President and Chairman of the Board, Center for Implementing Character Education; Consultant to FBI Academy, National PTA and Juvenile Delinquent Institute, author of several books on character and ethics. Session A: 9:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. 1) Character and Ethics in Business from a Legal Perspective. Kevin McCarthy, Principal, McCarthy Law Group. Organizations that behave ethically not only tend to be organizations with positive working environments, they also tend to be organizations that avoid needless legal entanglements, both civil and criminal. This program will explore some of the ways in which less than ethical business conduct can result in legal liability and ways in which businesses and their managers can avoid legal liabilities by acting in an ethical manner. 2) Youth Speaking Out: What Works? What Doesn’t? B. David Brooks, Ph.D., President and Chairman of the Board, Center for Implementing Character Education. Participants will learn what issues youth are facing and what they propose as possible solutions from a youth perspective. Dr. Brooks will facilitate this youth panel as they field questions from participants and learn of Dr. Brooks’ perspective on best next steps to take to address the issues and implement the solutions. 3) The Spirit Whisperer. Chick Moorman, Director, Institute for Personal Power, nationally known presenter and author of Teacher Talk, Spirit Whisperers and Parent Talk, and former high school educator. A spirit whisperer is someone who cares deeply about developing positive attitudes, self-responsible and respectful behaviors, and an “I Can” stance toward life in students. Using light humor, thought-provoking questions and vignettes of successful Spirit Whisperers, Chick Moorman will leave teachers feeling good about their profession and give them practical tools and ideas to put to use immediately in their classroom. 4) Character: What Is It? Pat Maliszewski, Program Director, Character Unlimited, a program of Summit Pointe. With character to the forefront of many organizations, in the news and the lack of it resulting in so many legal issues from school to business to communities, you will want to be sure you understand exactly what it is and what it is not. Learn the difference between ethics, values, morals and character and what it means to you and your organization. Session B: 10:25 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. 5) How to Gain the Ethical Edge – The Power of Character in the Workplace Panel Discussion Facilitator: Mary Jo Case, SHPR, HR Consultant and entrepreneur; Owner, Alliance Resources Panel members: Ken Tsuchiyama, Director of Public Works, City of Battle Creek; Joe Davio, President, Grand Rapids Region, Comerica Bank; Sandi Jasper, Administrative Assistant to Commander, Dole-Hart-Inouye Federal Center; Ron Slagell, Chief Operating Officer, Lifecare Ambulance; Erv Brinker, CEO, Summit Pointe. Descriptor: Learn from and have an opportunity to question these leaders about the importance of ethical principles, how they advocate them throughout their areas of influence and the results produced. 6) Sports and Character: Jody Brylinsky is a Professor of Sport Studies in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Western Michigan University. Playing a sport provides young people countless opportunities to make choices based on character. This session will explore the role that sports can play in helping young people develop positive character traits, whether at school or in the community. 7) Successful Students and Caring Schools through Character Education. Nina Reznich, Principal, Riverview East Alternative High School, East China School District and Merry Stanford, Project Director, Michigan Model Partnership for Character Education. Students who feel connected to their schools do better academically. Learn how the 2003 Michigan Alternative High School of the Year used character education and school climate initiatives to develop a caring school community and improve reading skills. 8) Emotional Intelligence: A Critical Factor in Successful Relationships. Chuck Fridsma, Sr. Vice-President of Right Management. The rules for success are changing. We are now being judged by a new yardstick: Not just by how smart we are, or by training or expertise, but by how well we handle ourselves and each other. These rules have little to do with what we’ve been traditionally told was important. Academic smartness is largely irrelevant to this standard. The new measure focuses on “heart smartness” and assumes individuals have enough intellectual ability and technical know-how to operate effectively. Learn how research, with unprecedented precision, distills those qualities that mark life’s star performers. Luncheon and keynote address: “Character Education – An Opportunity and a Responsibility for Everyone,” by B. David Brooks, Ph.D., President and Chairman, Center for Implementing Character Education; Consultant to FBI Academy, National PTA and Juvenile Delinquent Institute. Session C: 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. 9) Ethical Dilemmas at Work. Facilitator: Dan Dunn, Vice President of Human Resources; Comerica Bank. Mr. Dunn will lead an interactive session which will present a model for ethical decision-making, provide attendees with a number of ethical dilemmas which face today’s workforce and ask audience participants to discuss options and decisions. 10) Ethical Dilemmas in Youth Serving Programs. Facilitator: Patricia Bruinsma, Training Director, Character Unlimited, Summit Pointe. In this session participants will participate in decision-making scenarios that represent the ethical dilemmas facing youth-serving organizations. Participants will leave with decision-making models for both youth and adults and will have open discussion on the options, consequences and ripple effect of decisions. 11) Ethical Dilemmas facing Educators. Facilitator: Donna Shiley, SPHR, Assistant Vice-President of Human Resources, Comerica Bank and former educator. Ms. Shiley will lead an interactive session which will present a model for ethical decision-making, provide attendees with a number of ethical dilemmas which face today’s educators and ask audience participants to discuss options and decisions. Session D: 2:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. 12) Ethics in Municipalities. B. David Brooks, Ph.D., President and Chairman, Center for Implementing Character Education. This session will focus on two aspects of ethics in municipalities. The first will be the role of ethics in community organizations, businesses and government. The second will emphasize the manner in which children, the next generation, acquire the habits of ethical behavior and the role of the community in fostering the development of these habits, behaviors and skills. The acquisition and practice of habits of good character (ethical behavior) has a direct relationship to the workplace, productivity and interpersonal relationships. 13) Under the Influence: The Role of Business Leaders in Character Development. Mark Peters, CEO, Butterball Farms, Grand Rapids, MI. Business leaders can make a difference in our education system. Examples will be drawn from everyday business life and applied to our current condition. Suggestions such as the integration of human resource departments with schools, communication between businesses and local schools, and the centrality of the employee with the children in the local schools will be discussed. This practical, hands-on presentation will be informational as well as inspirational to educators, youth serving organizations and business leaders alike. 14) Connecting Character to Home - Pat Maliszewski, Program Director; Character Unlimited, a program of Summit Pointe and Karen Evans, a Level Park School parent. Learn what it takes to get parents involved in the schools. Find out what works and what doesn’t. Pat will share tips, tools and strategies to increase parent involvement based on a pilot program in Battle Creek. Participants will leave with tips, tools and strategies to be able to begin getting more parents on board in their child’s education and at school. 15) Bridging the Gap: People with Disabilities, High-risk Youth and Business. Gary Randall, Program Director and Training Consultant; Michigan Retail Association, Navik Solutions. Wise employers and educators looking at future workforce trends are rapidly realizing the need to tap into non-traditional employee prospects. Learn how the Southwest Michigan Retail Association has trained people with physical, emotional and learning disabilities to be dependable and workforce-ready, with a strong work ethic. Session E: 3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. 16) Union and Management: Working Together to Promote Character. Eddie Trent is the UAW Administrator of the School-To-Work activity at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources in Detroit, Michigan and Connie Thompson is the General Motors Administrator of the School-To-Work activity at the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources in Detroit, Michigan. Hear how a collaborative partnership between union and management is helping to promote character in schools and at work. 17) Character-Based Volunteer Recruitment, Screening and Training. Pete Tripp, National Education Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters, A Community of Caring. Loyalty, honesty, dependability, compassion, and respect: These qualities are the mainstay and foundation of the volunteers for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Recruiting, screening and training must be focused on these qualities to increase the likelihood of success for the Littles. Learn tools to use to assist your organization in the selection, retention and training process of volunteers from National education director for the Bigs and Littles! 18) Test Scores and Character Education: The Natural Connection. B. David Brooks, Ph.D., President and Chairman, Center for Implementing Character Education. “The TEST” has educators across the country in various states of anxiety. As a result many school districts are so focused on teaching the skills necessary to raise test scores that other important areas of education are being ignored. Often, character education is seen as an “add-on” that will take away from preparing students for “The TEST.” In actuality, the infusion of character centered education in the classroom and culture of the school enhances the probability that students will be more responsible, punctual and focused. Students who practice the skills of good character have been shown to be better learners. 19) Measuring Up: Tips and Techniques for Evaluating Your Program. Melissa Quon-Huber, Evaluator; Michigan Model Partnership for Character Education, Michigan State University. In order to justify funding, programs need to demonstrate that they are effective. Learn about existing tools that can help you measure your program’s effectiveness, and how you can make these tools work for your school or organization. Conference Sponsors: Character Unlimited, a program of Summit Pointe, is the conference host and sponsor. Other sponsors include the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Michigan Department of Education and Comerica Bank.
Make your accommodation reservation at McCamly Plaza Hotel in Battle Creek, MI at http://www.mccamlyplazahotel.com/ or call (616) 963-7050, a block of rooms have been reserved under the name Character Conference, cost per room is $89.
Map & Directions To McCamly Plaza Hotel
Directions
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