Character in Action Wautoma Area School District

WASD Character in Education: Empathy

For the month of May, the Parkside Middle School Student Council put on a fundraiser to raise money for the Caps for Cure Foundation.

Ella Woyak, who is an 8th-grade student council member, shares her thoughts about empathy.

Empathy is having feelings for someone else, Woyak said. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, knowing how they feel, and relating to them is empathy. Caps for a Cure is a fundraiser to help cancer research so people don’t have to go through cancer. We chose this fundraiser because we wanted to help cancer patients to help find a cure for their cancer because no one deserves to go through cancer, Woyak shares. Caps for a Cure shows empathy because people get the choice to donate to the organization, and when they choose to it shows empathy because they care for someone else’s feelings.

We usually do this fundraiser with the whole district, but because of our Shara Olympics event and our May dress-up days, we decided to do just Parkside. As a school, we raised $65 dollars with an additional donation from the Student Council. We were able to donate $100 to the Caps for the Cure Foundation.

Over the past several years, Wautoma Area School District staff members have collaborated with the guidance counselors to promote character education throughout all four schools. The WASD Character Education Committee believes it is important and necessary for staff, students, parents, and community members to help instill these values in the next generation.

Planning is currently underway for the second district-wide Character Day on Wednesday, October 12, and the committee is looking to get the community involved. Any volunteers or community organizations interested in working with the WASD Character Day Committee should contact Julie Petersen (petersenj@wautoma.k12.wi.us) or Courtney Vaughan (vaughanc@wautoma.k12.wi.us) for more information.