Presents survey results of a study to determine if valedictorians differ from other superior students regarding background, homelife, hobbies, and future aspirations. Valedictorians surveyed were highly competitive and self-disciplined, driven by inner goals, participated in numerous hobbies and extracurricular activites, and had well-educated…

Personalization is achieved when teachers and students have the time and the desire to develop a relationship. One Georgia high school lends itself to personalization by encouraging a mentoring relationship between teachers and students. Developing academic teaching teams and block schedules for all grades was the key to reducing teacher isolation…

As a partner in the Alliance Project with NASSP, Florida State University sought to provide models of administrative excellence by choosing outstanding school leaders to participate in a series of campus seminars and workshops. The program was conceived when financial constraints prohibited adding another full-time professor. The statewide…

At a Utah middle school with low reading achievement, a service-learning program was introduced to put reading into action. Children read to elderly shut-ins, quilted for homeless persons, and wrote about these experiences. Staff adopted the Community of Caring's core values: caring, respect, responsibility, trust, and family. (MLH)