WATERLOO - Character counts in the Cedar Valley.

That is a message promoters of character education want the community to hear this week. Sunday marked the start of Character Counts Week, a national celebration of the program that teaches students to uphold the "six pillars of character." The pillars include trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

In conjunction with the celebration, The Courier has produced the Character Counts Student Guide, a tabloid-size special section in today's edition.

Sarah Smith, a Courier circulation marketing manager who heads up the Newspaper in Education program, said the special section includes descriptions of the pillars, suggestions to help parents teach them and activities in which the whole family can participate.

In addition, in-depth teacher's guides are available to use with The Courier.

"Any teacher that has requested these guides and all our Newspaper in Education teachers are receiving those guides," said Smith. They are still available and free of charge.

"This is definitely a curriculum piece that teachers are looking for right now," she said. It was put together by the Institute for Character Development at Drake University in Des Moines.

Last year, the Newspaper in Education program provided classroom activities. This is the first year the special section has been produced.

Smith said the section is being included with all newspapers "to gain more awareness" for the Character Counts program.

Michelle Temeyer, the Waterloo School District's director of community education, said all district elementary and middle schools participate in Character Counts. The program was introduced into schools after the first group of teachers went through an in-service in the summer of 2003, paid for by the Waterloo Downtown Rotary Club.

"Certainly it gives all of us within our school community common language that is very understandable and teachable, and allows opportunities for parents to share in that," said Temeyer.

The Cedar Valley Character Counts Committee is making sure awareness of the program goes beyond the schoolhouse doors. Resolutions proclaiming Character Counts Week will be read at councils and boards throughout the Cedar Valley. In addition, Character Counts banners are being placed in downtown Waterloo and Cedar Falls and at Crossroads Center.

"Kids need to see it whenever they're out at the mall, where ever they are out in the community," said Temeyer.

"The repetitious nature of the message will have more impact than just some small programs in schools," said Bruce Clark, chairman of the committee and a vice president at Liberty Bank.

The committee is an outgrowth of the school district's community education advisory council and includes more than 30 members from school districts, businesses, churches and a variety of other organizations.

The committee asks community organizations and businesses to embrace Character Counts and the six pillars, as well. This week some businesses are signing their own proclamations concerning Character Counts. Throughout the year, they are asked to make the pillars a topic in newsletters or materials placed in the break room

Temeyer noted students are growing up with Character Counts in school, and promoters hope the program's ideals will soon be understood in all parts of the Cedar Valley.

"It becomes a part of what you do," she said. "That's what character is: What you do when no one's looking."

Contact Andrew Wind at (319) 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.