GOOD SCHOOL CITIZENSHIP AWARD PROJECT
Purpose and Goal: To recognize and reward students who display exceptional leadership, kind and/or compassionate behavior within their school community. In the process of awarding book prizes, we encourage students to read more and enhance their literacy skills.
Background: ECLC started this project over 40 years ago in the early 1980’s. Lion Dan Chow’s idea was to have schools recognize “good students” doing “good things”. He believed that there were already awards in place for academic, arts and athletic achievements, and saw a need for recognition and rewarding “Good School Citizenship” from kindergarten to grade 9 — thus encouraging more “good school citizens”. The project started with 3 schools in the Edmonton inner city (Alex Taylor School, McCauley School and Sacred Heart School) and has grown to serve 9 schools in Edmonton at the present time.
Method: Each homeroom teacher is tasked at the start of each school year to announce this award and its objective. It is open to all K- grade 9 students and the teacher will select one student from his or her homeroom to be recognized at the year end school celebration. Some schools have added one “over-all” winner for the year. Our members are often invited to attend and present the book prizes to the award recipients. ECLC partners with Audreys Books and with our volume purchase, Audreys offers a discount on the books purchased.
2026 Project Statistics: 9 schools, serving 4,203 students in 180 classrooms;
Books purchased for award presentation: 361 books, cost $5,300. Supplemental books purchased for donation to each school library so other students may have access to additional reading material, cost $500.
Sample comments from teachers on their choice of a “good school citizen”:
– You are a positive ray of sunshine in our classroom and bring positivity into every situation.
– You don’t stop at doing your best, you also help others do their best too!
– I am so proud of you conquering your challenges and becoming the lady I know today.
– You always lead by example and make thoughtful choices. Your creative mind and unique way of thinking bring something special to our class and helps create a safe space where others feel comfortable standing out and being themselves.
– You are consistently engaged in class, helpful to teachers and students, and prove you have a love of learning.