Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights
Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights fifth graders spend time learning from senior adults at the New Merkel House in Cahaba Heights.
Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights is being recognized nationally for its character education efforts.
Character.org, a national organization advocating for character education in schools, bestowed its “Promising Practice” certification earlier this month on the school’s “Grandpals Service Partnership” program.
As part of that program, fifth grade students from Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights visit the neighboring New Merkel House each Wednesday during the school year to engage with senior adults over lunch. This initiative provides a unique opportunity for students to develop communication skills, learn about history from veterans and gain valuable life lessons from the seniors’ experiences, Principal Kim Polson said in a press release.
“It’s really as simple as our students engaging with others and learning how to communicate about the important things in life, all while bringing joy to our community’s senior adults,” Polson said.
Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights was one of nine schools in Alabama to be recognized as having a “promising practice.”
Students and teachers at the school are exploring ways to grow the school’s partnership with New Merkel House and broaden opportunities for service in the coming years, Polson said.
Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights has been recognized by Character.org several times in recent years for its work in character education. The school previously received a Promising Practices award in 2019 for its “Safe and Happy Heights” character touchstone. The school was subsequently named a State and National School of Character in 2020.
