Students, faculty pledge values
PLAINFIELD -- Nearly 1,000 Timber Ridge students, administrators and staff members pledged to commit to the five core values.
What started off as a small idea from one team of eighth-grade teachers at the school quickly escalated to a schoolwide initiative.
"The first day we launched the idea, we had 112 students who had signed pledge cards," said Matt Haubert, a Timber Ridge eighth-grade teacher. "It started in the morning and within a half hour it had spread like wildfire."
The pledge sheets challenged the staff and students to show Timber Ridge pride by honoring the five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, teamwork and excellence.
For each signed pledge sheet, the students and staff members received a ribbon in their team color of green, orange or white. They also signed a huge signature mural that was placed in the cafeteria for all to see.
Those who pledged then acted as ambassadors of the program, encouraging others to also make the pledge.
After five days, nearly 1,000 people had made the commitment, and all were proudly wearing ribbons to show their support.
The activity coincided with the school's homecoming spirit week, but the pledge is a commitment the students and staff made for the entire year -- to show pride for their school and community by promoting how they would like to act.
"The pledge is in the interest of everyone's success," Haubert said. "And it doesn't discriminate based on gender, race or age."
