When the Character Development Program was first established, Chapin had already integrated a great deal of activities that fell under Character Development, such as Community Service Projects, Buddy Activities and a Leadership Class.

In order to make the program more inclusive and purposeful, the school created both a faculty and a student committee.  The Faculty Character Development Committee develops an overarching theme for the year with ideas of ways to infuse that theme into the life of the school.

The Student Character Committee is involved with more of the hands-on activities that take place, such as making banners for each of the virtues, hanging quotes related to the virtues throughout the school and visiting Lower School classrooms.  The SCC’s involvement with Lower School classes is probably the most popular and rewarding aspect of its work.  During their visits to classrooms, SCC members read to students, conduct discussions about relevant topics, put on theme based puppet shows or might engage younger students in an activity aimed at teaching them about friendship, sharing or problem solving.  It is through these activities that our older students become role models for our younger students and begin reinforcing what it means to be a good person, a person of character.

Students interested in being a member of the SCC fill out an application that is reviewed by members of the Faculty Character Development Committee.  Students are chosen based on their application and on how they behave and function in school.