For twenty-three years in Queen Anne’s County, the Character Counts! Initiative has worked to increase character education by offering resources, training, and information about the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. The initiative has consistently shown increases in student attendance, academic achievement, positive behavior choices, and a more positive sense of self and future. 

All school year, volunteer character coaches have been visiting local classrooms to share lessons on the Commissioner proclaimed, “Pillar of the Month”. This year, the program had 69 coaches that volunteered in 110 classrooms. In recent years the program focused on elementary students. However, this year a pilot program found great success at Stevensville Middle School.

Training to become a coach will happen this August and September. Volunteers only need to commit to less than an hour a month, which works out to two 15-minute lessons a month. If you would like to participate, visit https://www.growinguppositive.org/contact-us to learn more.

As the school year winds down, please join us in thanking our coaches for making a positive impact on the youth in Queen Anne’s County!

Kelsie Hart

Jarnell Foster

Kerry Harris  

Patti Ruocco  

Amanda Fasig

Terri Paddy    

Jennifer Vann

John Daniel    

Rick Caporin 

Jody Simmons

Carla Pullen   

Debra Hopkins           

Robyn Affron

Shawna Payne            

Christina Funk

Andrea Jarrard

Carrie Comegys         

Rhonda Knotts           

Lance Richardson      

Fred Sherriff  

Linda Culp     

Leigh Darrell (Dillon)

Erin Baker     

Melissa Rochester     

Erin Schweinsburg    

Kelly Huber   

Catherine Gustafson  

Chris Perkins 

Abbie Smith  

Patricia Kenneally     

Lyn Smith      

Marci Robertson        

Kristin Meise 

Emily Hubis               

April Marrazzo          

Anna Ratel     

Brittany Augustyniak

Courtney Mourlas     

Rebecca (Becca) Verbos

Jessica Alvarez          

Jena Anthony 

Susan Klepper

Lara Schroeder          

Rick Caporin 

Mike Clark     

Sam Stanton  

Fred McNeil  

Lona Sue Todd          

Hannah Parks 

Mollie Flounlacker    

Ashley Luecking       

Jay Kenty       

Chad Yancey 

Jodi Peria       

Arielle Huettner         

Amber Bowles           

Brett Wishart 

Jeannie Monroe         

Carolyn Walls

Martha Anthony        

Lisa Walls     

Lauren Ostrowski      

Amy Guercio 

Brianna (Bree) Lentell

Leslie O’Flahavan      

Sara Campbell

Jay Walls       

Denise Jones  

Courtney Sabol          

Connie Dean