Congressional Medal of Honor Society
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Medal of Honor Moments: Inspiring Students Through the Character Development Program
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Character Development Program has successfully trained over 17,500 educators across the country to inspire students through the six core values of courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship, and patriotism embodied in the Medal of Honor. Here are the stories of two women who work year-round to ensure their students live these core values every day.
Meet Kelly Ann Shipe
Kelly is a trained educator for the Medal of Honor Character Development Program. She has had the honor of meeting several Medal of Honor Recipients and sharing the impact of their legacies with the youth. Here’s how the CDP has influenced her students.
“This program is a life-changer. I had students going home and asking family members about their experiences. I stressed the importance of starting a conversation without any pressure for stories. This program brought kids closer to grandparents by sharing stories and moments of history. The Character Development Program makes me even more glad to be an American. Everyone should experience CDP. “
Meet Allison Decker
Allison is a 4th-grade social studies and reading teacher in Harrison, Ohio. She brought the CDP into her classroom nearly two years ago and has seen the direct impact it had on her students.
“It’s amazing how one day can completely change the way you teach. That’s how it was for me when I attended the MOH character development training. I heard from three MOH recipients and the entire time they spoke, they focused on other people…never themselves. Talk about the most humble people I’ve ever met. After my first training, I knew I wanted to use this program in my classroom. I have been using the character development program every Monday for almost two years now and the excitement I see in my students when they know it’s MOH Monday is wonderful. I love that the Society and Foundation has made it possible for me to teach my students what it takes to be a good citizen as well as opening their eyes to some true American heroes. I love hearing them use Recipients’ names when talking about things that aren’t even related to the Medal of Honor. Words can’t describe how much this program means to me and my students.”
If you’d like to become a trained of the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, you can request a kit here.
Join us in perpetuating the legacy of the Medal of Honor and honoring our nation’s heroes by making a direct impact to the work of the Society. The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the sole mission to support the work of the Society. You can also keep up with our upcoming events, special announcements, and partner/Recipient highlights by joining our monthly newsletter.