As the author of this curriculum and the textbook, I want to welcome you. There are over 100,000 students from 2,000 high schools and middle schools using this material this year. Some students are in a home-room, some are in an elective class and some are taking this to receive English credit. A few students are as young as 6th grade and some are seniors, but most are probably in their last two years of middle school or their first 2 years of high school. This course is used in all 50 states and another 8 countries. I want this course to be meaningful and even life-changing for you. This will require your energy, effort and input.

We just finished creating the online classroom so about 50 schools are accessing this content through our online site – http://classroom.characterandleadership.com. If so, have patience with us as we attempt to perfect this online classroom this semester.

For those of you who don’t know me, please watch the intro video under the leadership principles. Your teacher should have the password to gain access. I want you to get to know me and me to get to know you. Communication through this blog is the only way I know how to make that happen. I want us to create a national conversation from classroom to classroom, state to state. I want to hear what you have to say.

My responsibility is to provide at least one new blog post per week. Each post will be about a current event related to character and leadership. The story might be inspiring… it might be controversial… it might be instructive… it might be something you are already discussing with your friends… or it might be something completely new to you. I will mostly provide the facts of the story, a short video, my perspective and discussion questions for you to answer. I want you to 1) be aware of these events, 2) develop your own thoughts, opinions and viewpoints and 3) help create a national conversation.

• Create a class Twitter and/or Facebook Account to provide responses to my social media questions at the end of each blog post and leadership principle.  Your teacher might also allow you to use personal accounts to provide your feedback as well.
• To receive new blog posts, follow me on Twitter @CDandLeadership or like my Facebook page, Character Development and Leadership.
• Respond to the discussion questions at the end of each blog post and at the end of each leadership principle. Please use appropriate #’s when using Twitter.
• Monitor your accounts to read my responses to your responses and to see what other students from around the country/world have to say.
• Keep your comments respectful.  Don’t swear, attack/bully/put others down. This is healthy, positive debate. 

Your Turn (respond below and/or tweet responses to @CDandLeadership):
1) What school, city and state are you from? Grade level? Ethnic background?
2) What questions do you have for me (Joe Hoedel, author of the curriculum, text and blog)?