Walk into nearly all MCS classrooms first thing in the morning, and you will hear students exploring the concepts of Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion in Action.

These four qualities are the core of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Enrichment Program, which was created in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in 2012. The program focuses on four important character values – Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion in Action – which cultivates optimism, resilience and personal responsibility. These attributes align with the attributes in our district's and community's charter: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Compassion, and Moral Courage.

The lessons included elements are positive psychology, mindfulness, neuroscience, character values and more.

Children learn that Choosing Love means choosing to live a life with Courage and Gratitude, practicing Forgiveness, and being Compassionate individuals. Being able to Choose Love promotes their resilience in challenging times. As a result, children learn personal responsibility and the understanding that they always have a choice in how they respond. They realize they can choose to love themselves, and others, and the program teaches them how to do this

“Although we can’t always choose what happens to us, we can always choose how to respond. Children can learn to choose a loving thought over an angry one. When a child realizes that they have the power to positively impact themselves as well as those around them, it is empowering and perpetuates their positive actions and interactions.”

– Scarlett Lewis, Founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement™ and Jesse’s mother

In 2019, a group of MSD educators learned about the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Program and worked to bring information about the program to the district. Shannon Decilets, of the NH Governor’s Office, presented an overview of the program and its impact during a workshop at the district summer curriculum institute in August 2019. From there, MCS opted to pilot the program across all classrooms K-6, with all teachers and staff participating with students. It is exciting to hear the many connections students are making and all the ways they are showing Courage in their lives!