KENTWOOD, Mich. -- Challenger and Endeavor Elementary Schools in the Kentwood Public Schools district are being honored for their Capturing Kids' Hearts program that was implemented in the district over 10 years ago.
The schools won the award for building positive relationships between students and teachers, for promoting the mindset of the "Kentwood grit," and for creating a good atmosphere for students to grow in.
"It has been something that has been in and around the schools for a long time, and it takes a long time to really develop the procedures and to develop the program in the way that we want," said Endeavor Elementary Principal Mark Bea.
The Flippen Group brought the program from Texas to Michigan, and now thousands of schools nationwide are participating in the program.
"We are one of 123 schools -- out of 14,000 nationwide -- that got this award, and the coolest thing about this is Capturing Kids' Hearts is alive at this building and at Challenger Elementary, is also alive in all of the others schools in Kentwood," Bea said.
