Students from grades 4 to 6 at Gerald Cash Primary eagerly participated in Super Me! activities (Photo by Aletha Cooper).

Students at Gerald Cash Primary School from grades 4 to 6 participated in Super Me! activities Friday January 16th 2015. Dr. Willard Barr, Chairman of Character Education and Director of Planning at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Zoe Powell, Chief Officer of Guidance Counselors, Nikki Bethell, Chief Media Specialist, and Paola Crespo, Communications Intern, were in attendance.

Although initially quiet and timid, the students soon opened up as Ms. Cori Ashley, co-founder of Super Me!, engaged them in talks about the Super Me! program’s core teachings: love, joy, humor, gratitude, integrity, courage, and kindness. These, the children declared, are their “super powers.”

Ashley was energetic and made real connections with the children. They talked of difficult situations the students go through, such as dealing with bullies, and the best ways to overcome them: with kindness, patience and love. The “compliment-giving” activity, where the students told each other compliments and positive things about themselves, soon revealed the results of the “ripple effect”: the more love you send out, the more love you create.

Co-Founder of Super Me!, Cori Ashley, engaged the students in talks of Super Me!’s values (Photo by Aletha Cooper).

Dr. Barr reminded the students that character is “who we are when no one is watching.” He encouraged them to be their best selves and put forth their super characters to help make The Bahamas a safe, happy and prosperous country.

At the end of the session, the students exuberantly performed the official Super Me! dance. Each child left with a toy gem in their hand representing their super selves, and a smile on their face as they pledged to follow the Super Me! teachings and encourage others to do the same.