8. NURTURING THE SEED OF GOOD CHARACTER
1. www.brainyquote.com/topics/character.
2. Richard M. Lerner, Liberty: Thriving and Civic Engagement Among America’s Youth (Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 2004).
3. Michael D. Matthews, Richard M. Lerner, and Hubert Annen, “Noncognitive Amplifiers of Human Performance: Unpacking the 25/75 Rule,” in Human Performance Optimization: The Science and Ethics of Enhancing Human Capabilities, ed. Michael D. Matthews and David M. Schnyer (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019), 356–82.
4. Angela Duckworth, “Growing Character” (Master Class presentation, Military Child Education Coalition 2019 National Training Seminar, Washington, D.C., July 2019), https://www.youtu.be/fcd4oZdQWxU.
5. Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (New York: Random House, 2006).
6. For example, General Caslen consults with both Higher Echelon and Academy Leadership, two companies that offer a wide array of leader-development training activities.
7. For a scientific description of these and other approaches, see Martin E. P. Seligman et al., “Positive Psychology Progress,” 410–21.
8. Ibid.
9. For a description of CSF, see Rhonda Cornum, Michael D. Matthews, and Martin E. P. Seligman, “Comprehensive Soldier Fitness: Building Resilience in a Challenging Institutional Context,” American Psychologist 66, no. 1 (2011), 4–9.
10. General Douglas MacArthur, Reminiscences (Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1964), 82.
11. Opportunities to lead represents one of three components of character development in youth. For further discussion see Michael D. Matthews, “On Teaching and Developing Character: A Systematic Approach to Cultivating Positive Traits,” Psychology Today, May 27, 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-strong/201805/teaching-and-developing-character.
12. For a more thorough description of Ettekal’s ideas on positive youth development in sports, see J. P. Agans et al., “Positive Youth Development Through Sport: A Relational Developmental Systems Approach,” in Positive Youth Development Through Sport, ed. N. L. Holt (Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2016), 34–44.
13. For a full list and a more scientific discussion of the findings, see A. J. Visek et al., “The Fun Integration Theory: Toward Sustaining Children and Adolescents Sport Participation,” Journal of Physical Activity and Health 12, no. 3 (2015), 424–33.
14. For youth development, the positive effects described here are found in a wide variety of organized activities that transcend traditional team sports such as soccer or baseball. Dance classes, for example, have the same beneficial effects.
15. For additional information on the changes in the College Board’s advanced-placement programs, see Thomas L. Friedman, “The Two Codes Your Kids Need to Know,” New York Times, February 12, 2019, nyti.ms/2UX1fkt.
16. “Developing Leaders of Character,” the West Point Leader Development System, 2018.
17. Ibid., 9.
18. The lyrics to the alma mater and other songs can be found at the Army West Point Athletics page, goarmywestpoint.com/sports/2015/3/6/GEN_2014010166.aspx; the words to “The Corps” can be found in the “Prayers and Songs” document on the West Point Association of Graduates website, www.westpointaog.org/file/PRAYERSANDSONGS.pdf.