For as long as most of us can remember, those have been the three fundamental skills that we have expected our children to learn in school.
Character makes a difference.
That is why I sincerely believe that character education and character development for the young people in our state are critical, if we are truly going to successfully educate our young people and help them enter the world of work. As we address issues on poverty, health education, workforce development and crime, it is important that we understand that our kids are our future, and their preparation for life is important not only to their parents, but to all of us who serve as leaders, teachers and mentors. To me, character education is about teaching our children right from wrong. It's about teaching our children respect for themselves and others. It's about teaching our children honesty, integrity, caring, fairness, citizenship, cleanliness and responsibility.