PRIDE

Pediatricians Recognizing Individuals
Demonstrating Excellence.

Dear Principal Smith:

The pediatrics department at the University of Kansas Medical Center, known as the KU Pediatrics Department, has instituted a new program that may interest you and your students. The PRIDE program (Pediatricians Recognizing Individuals Demonstrating Excellence) is a volunteer group of pediatric residents searching out youth at your school who have participated in community service. To encourage further growth and continuation of these children's positive efforts, we have started PRIDE. With the assistance of you and your teachers, a student from Wyandotte, Johnson, or Leavenworth County will be nominated each month to receive a congratulatory letter recognizing the importance of their achievement, along with a small gift as a token of our congratulations. Students chosen should have recently excelled at a goal that took time and energy and is unique among their peers. This may be a classroom activity, an after school activity, or an exceptional act of kindness for that child. They may be children that have consistently deserved an award of recognition, have shown great improvement, or are for the first time on the "right track". PRIDE exists to encourage the continuation of positive actions.

As you know, to be recognized for doing something good can motivate you to continue on that path. The KU Pediatrics Department would like to cultivate a sense of worth in children who are already doing the right things. We will continue striving to convince those who have strayed that doing good is something that gives a person PRIDE! Unfortunately, people have been concentrating on the bad going on in America's schools. Help us to recognize the quality children at your school and teach the feeling of complementing the good in our community.

Kids are doing great things all over Kansas City. We wish to give them the attention they deserve. The KU Pediatrics Department hopes that you will become as excited about this program as we are. It is up to you to generate a list of nominees. The principals and teachers motivated to this positive program will see the benefits -- their students will be among the winners. Others around them will want the recognition also, and PRIDE will surely become contagious! Please make copies of the attached sheet and nominate students you feel deserve the award. If one of your students is selected, a letter of recognition as well as a certificate will be sent to your office. With your permission, the award will be presented to the student during class. Thank you for your participation. We hope PRIDE catches on in your school too!

PRIDE is sponsored by the KU Children’s Center Foundation – a non-profit organization – at the University of Kansas Medical Center.