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Walnut Middle School
Grand Island, Nebraska
Vikki Deuel, Principal - Mary Ann Richards, Counselor
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2005 Operation Respect & the Don’t Laugh At Me Program
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photo from The Independent/Scott Kingsley
June 2005, Operation Respect & the Don’t Laugh At Me Program selected Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, Nebraska as one of five schools in the United States and Canada to receive recognition as a model for positive change in schools. On June 30-July 1, 2005 at Operation Respect’s national symposium in Washington, D.C. representatives from Walnut Middle School presented their results which highlighted the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project. Participants included national and state education organizations, leading government officials, educators, and researchers. The goal of the symposium was to demonstrate conclusively that schools can transform their environment.
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2003 NATIONAL SCHOOLS OF
CHARACTER AWARD WINNER
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The 2003 National Schools of Character Award was presented to Walnut Middle School in Washington, D.C. in October, 2003. Ten schools (K-12) in the nation were honored with this award. Walnut Middle School is the only middle school to be selected. CONGRATULATIONS!
Each year, Character Education Partnership (CEP) selects schools and districts from across the country that demonstrate outstanding and successful character education initiatives. The CEP is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to developing moral character and civic virtue in our nation's youth as one means of creating a more compassionate and responsible society.
Other Walnut School links:
Walnut Middle School's Website: 
Walnut's Purple Hands Photo Gallery:
to see more documented data showing the positive changes as a result of the Hands Project in Grand Island.
| State Sen. Ray Aguilar (left) and Grand Island Police Capt. Pete Kortum sign pledges that say, "I will not use my hands or my words for hurting myself or others," at Walnut Middle School. |
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Grand Island school a bully-free zone: Purple hands on the office window are one component of the successful anti-violence program at Walnut Middle School in Grand Island. |
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Featured Community Partnership
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Glendale, CA
Commission on the Status of Women
Los Angeles County
October 2005
Commission on the Status of Women is an advisory commission to the City Council comprised of 7 Council-appointed commissioners who are members of the community.
The Commission has adopted the Hands and Words are Not for Hurting Project as their signature city-wide anti-violence campaign in conjunction with the Glendale Unified School District. Over 22,000 students participated in the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Pledge this school year.
More news about the Glendale Community coming soon!
The Gathering of Sisters: A Women's Fair, which brought together over 65 community service and support organizations and city departments as well as five local artists in a terrific educational event and art exhibit for the public!
From left to right,
Student Commissioner Jennifer Westhoff, Vice Chair Lena Bozoyan, Administrative Analyst Lana Haddad Lott, Ann Kelly, Chair Karla Kerlines
Mark Kelly, Karla Kerlines, and Ann Kelly |
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NEW Russian Hands Project Website (coming soon!)
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Polytechnic Lyceum, Khabarovsk Russia
First school in Russia to implement the Hands Project!
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Students at Polytechnic take The Pledge every day!
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Russian students, Hands Project founder Ann Kelly, teacher Olga Volnycheva with Oregon Senator Kate Brown during their recent visit to the US!
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Photos from Russia and the US visit: |
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The Power of One 10 minute film - ( VHS or DVD)
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Intended for middle and high school students and adult audiences, The Power of One is being used by schools and professional groups across the nation. |
It was produced to inspire people of all ages to take the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Pledge to heart and apply it in their daily lives. Special recognition was given to the students who participated in the film by Harvard University School of Public Health.
Purchase The Power of One:
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NEW!! Purple Pledge Bears
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Our Purple Pledge Bears feature the Hands Project logo on the front and The Pledge on the back. You can order your very own Pledge Bear online right now!
Our goal is for every hospital & birthing center to include the Bear in the "goodie bags" sent home with newborns.
Newborn Proposal:
Buy a Pledge Bear: |
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February 2006, Distinguished Service Award 2005 was presented to Ann S. Kelly, Founder/Executive Director, Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project® Martial Artist/Self Defense Specialist by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. One of three citizens recognized for outstanding service to the community. The Hands Project began in Oregon’s capital city in 1997. This grass roots movement has spread to all 50 states and 9 foreign countries and is making a positive difference in countless number of lives.
June 2005, Operation Respect & the Don’t Laugh At Me Program selected Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, Nebraska as one of five schools in the United States and Canada to receive recognition as a model for positive change in schools. On June 30-July 1, 2005 at Operation Respect’s national symposium in Washington, D.C. representatives from Walnut Middle School presented their results which highlighted the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project. Participants included national and state education organizations, leading government officials, educators, and researchers. The goal of the symposium was to demonstrate conclusively that schools can transform their environment.
The University of Oregon College of Education Alumni Association awarded The Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project its annual Community Award for the Santiam Region. This award recognizes individuals and organizations making significant contributions to education in their communities. April, 2005,
15th Annual Salem Peace Lecture Award
presented to the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon on October 20, 2004. Members sponsoring the event and the community award include: The Salem Chapter of the United Nations, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Willamette University Educational Programs Committee, the Willamette University Office of the Chaplain and Salem Peace Plaza, Inc.
October 2003, National School of Character Award was presented to Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, Nebraska, the only middle school in the nation to receive this prestigious award. Each year, Character Education Partnership (CEP) selects schools and districts from across the country that demonstrates outstanding and successful character education initiatives. The CEP is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to developing moral character and civic virtue in our nation's youth as one means of creating a more compassionate and responsible society. The 2003 National Schools of Character Award was presented to Walnut Middle School in Washington, D.C. in October, 2003. Ten schools (K-12) in the nation were honored with this award. Walnut Middle School was the only middle school to be selected.
The Hands Project is a positive, effective abuse and violence prevention education program for all ages...emphasizing respect and equality in all relationships!
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News from Venezuela:
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for larger photos |
| Ana Tettner features the Hands Project in her book as an effective tool in abuse/violence prevention education. She worked with the city of Chacao to open its doors to prevent abuse/violence and to implement the Hands Project. Ana went to all the schools and teachers, psychologists, speech therapists, police officers, district attorney and members of the unit who respond to victims of domestic violence. She presented at workshops that were designed for a whole day in each school. Participants decided on which program they felt was better for their own class or school. The majority choose the Hands Project because it is easy, not expensive, and does not require a lot of work to implement. As of October 1, 2006 students (elementary through high school) and staff take the Pledge daily as a way of “vaccinating” their students against violence. Abuse/violence prevention education for the country of Venezuela is a pioneering effort that the Hands Project is very proud to be involved in. |
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News from Wisconsin:
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"This is our third year doing the Hands Pledge and I must tell you, it is such a wonderful program for our students, their families and our community!
I start the year off by doing guidance lessons for all students, talking about violence--the various forms of violence that we experience, observe, or participate in. We discuss and write about how the Pledge can change our school, home life, neighborhood (community) and even the world, for the better. We trace and cut out our hands, have family and community members do that as well, and we display them in the hallway and in classrooms. Our Pledge Assembly kicks off our efforts. We also say the Pledge every morning after the Pledge of Allegiance. This year we had our assembly on October 23, as a kick off activity for Healthy Choices week. Making the Pledge to end violence is a healthy choice for all of us! Bucky Badger, our University of Wisconsin mascot, beloved to everyone in the state, came to our assembly and took the Pledge with us.
Having this common framework to talk with our students about their behavior has been very effective in correcting and reducing hurtful behavior in school."
-- Linda Bergh
Linda Bergh MS.Ed., NCSC
School Counselor
Eagle Point Elementary School
201 N. Cleveland Ave.
DeForest, WI 53532
(608)842-6225 |
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NEW!! Preschool Curriculum
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Teachers and Parents alike are delighted with the program!
READ MORE!
Available Now!
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