Character Counts! is where Scouting values meet the classroom. Designed for early learners, this program equips students with foundational social and emotional skills through engaging lessons rooted in kindness, respect, and teamwork. It’s an early investment in lifelong character development—delivered where it matters most.
Helping Youth Build a Moral Compass That Lasts a Lifetime
Character is the foundation of leadership—and it starts young. The Character Counts! Fund supports a values-based educational initiative developed by Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, focused on early elementary students (grades 1–5). Built on Scouting principles and inspired by the Cub Scout program, this classroom curriculum gives kids real tools for building empathy, courage, kindness, and teamwork in their daily lives.
In a world where children face constant pressure—from digital distractions to social discord—Character Counts! offers something grounding: a consistent message of integrity and responsibility. It brings the timeless lessons of Scouting into public schools and after-school programs, helping students navigate peer relationships, conflict, and ethical decision-making. These lessons go far beyond the classroom—they ripple outward into families, neighborhoods, and communities.
Your support helps us expand the reach of this vital program by providing curriculum kits, activity supplies, and instructor training to schools that request it. Every dollar helps a young person learn what it means to be trustworthy, helpful, and kind—values that shape stronger citizens and brighter futures. Character Counts! isn’t just teaching values—it’s living them.
“I’ve seen students take the lessons from Character Counts! and apply them on the playground, at home, and in how they treat others. It’s Scouting at its best—beyond the uniform.”
—Cubmaster & Elementary School Educator
“Do Your Best—that’s not just a motto, it’s how we build strong character one choice at a time.”
—Cub Scout Motto, interpreted from Cub Scout Leader Book
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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