When Andy Milson and Marvin W. Berkowitz founded the Journal of Character Education 15 years ago (originally the Journal of Research in Character Education), it was a clear intention to be associated with the leading character education organization in the world, then known as The Character Education Partnership and now as Character.org. That relation has been enriching and has grown and transformed over the ensuing decade and a half. And it has taken many forms. Two of the most prominent have been the JCE’s publication of Character.org white papers and periodically case studies of National Schools of Character.
This relationship is expanding into two new forms. First, the prior issue of the JCE (Volume 12, Number 1) was a themed issue proposed by current JCE coeditor, Jack Benninga. The focus was character education and Common Core Standards, but more importantly here, it was the first issue that was a full collaboration between Character.org and the JCE. It included a Character.org white paper and a set of case studies from National Schools of Character, and the entire issue was compiled in collaboration with Character.org.
The current issue represents another new form of collaboration. At the 2016 National Forum on Character Education, Character.org conferred the “Sandy Award” on Joseph Gauld, founder of the Hyde School. The Sandy, more formally the Sanford N. McDonnell Lifetime Achievement Award, is given annually by Character.org to honor “one individual for his or her long and steadfast commitment to the field of character education. This award is named in honor of Sandy McDonnell who was the driving force being the resurgent character education movement in America.” The “Sandy Award” has long been sponsored by Learning for Life.
Joe’s acceptance speech was so heartfelt and moving (tears were plentiful both at the podium and in the audience) that we felt it would be important to share his comments and a bit of his journey with the readers of the Journal of Character Education. The Voices section represents Joe Gauld’s remarkable story, in three parts.
First, to put it in context, we have included a short piece explaining the nature and history of Joe’s brain child and lifelong project, the Hyde School. For those readers who are not yet familiar with it, the Hyde School has an innovative approach to education in general and to character education in particular.
This story is followed by the actual text of the remarks that were delivered by then Character.org President Becky Sipos at the 2016 Character.org Forum award presentation ceremony.
Finally, we include the text of Joe Gauld’s moving acceptance speech.
As the coeditors of the JCE, Jack and I both hope that you find this set of papers interesting and inspiring. We certainly did.
