Tools
Fifth grade boys at McDermott Elementary in Little Rock are being trained as leaders in a new school program that centers on five tenants: Character, Action, Unity, Service and Excellence (C.A.U.S.E.). Andre Jones, a school-based therapist and coordinator of the program, said it began last year because many of the fourth and fifth grade boys were being disruptive. 
Initially, the principal attempted to gather all the boys together to discuss their behavior, but the staff soon realized it would be much more successful to take out only a small number of the boys at a time. Thus, the program this year started with a select group of boys, five from each fifth grade classroom, who were selected by their teachers for demonstrating leadership qualities. 
The boys meet twice a month to discuss one of the tenets of the program and do service projects. Jones said they also encourage parents to come speak at the group’s meetings, especially those 
who have careers involving one of the C.A.U.S.E. tenants. 
The group’s first project was to write letters of thanks to local police officers and fire fighters. Next, Jones said the boys will be going into classrooms to discuss military service and encouraging their classmates to write letters to servicemen as well. Each member of the group is also charged with the task of finding two classmates to mentor and recruit into the club. He said they hope to eventually have all fourth and fifth grade boys involved. 
“They would meet every week if time would allow it,” Jones said about the boys. “They are very excited.”