The 15^th annual Character Education Conference will take place at Alverno College on June 20. The theme is Celebrating Character, and the focus will be on positivity, happiness, kindness and leadership.

The opening keynote will be given by Joe Beckman, whose mission is to reclaim human connection. Through leadership workshops, staff trainings, keynote addresses and video-based advisory curriculum, he has shared his message in over 1,000 schools. Beckman believes that happiness and positivity is a practice, and everyone can take part. Participants will be equipped with ideas and tools that will increase their energy, happiness and ultimately their impact.

Esteban Gast, a former teacher turned comedian, will give the luncheon keynote. A first-generation American, Gast uses his personal story to ask, “What stops us from being kind?” His talk dives into fear, and how the journey to being the best versions of ourselves is filled with fear. But even if we are uncomfortable, terrified or hurt, we can still make the choice to be kind, and sometimes it’s that choice that can change an entire community.

The Character Education Conference will include breakout sessions led by national and local experts in the field. Topics will include student leadership; trauma-sensitive classrooms; diversity, equity and inclusion; and the power of positivity. School administrators, counselors, K-12 teachers, pupil services professionals, coaches, school board members, parents and community leaders are encouraged to register. The conference is sponsored by the School District of South Milwaukee in partnership with Alverno College and the Wisconsin Character Education Partnership (WCEP). The School District of South Milwaukee has been recognized as a National School District of Character by Charcter.org. For more information or to register, please visit alverno.edu/characterconference.

In addition to the conference, Alverno will offer pre-conference workshops on June 19. The workshops will focus on the tools, strategies, and activities that build more empathy, engagement, and compassion. There will also be a session on Character Education training customized to help school teams learn how to move the initiative forward in their schools and identify major areas for planning. For more information on the pre-conference workshops or to register, please visit alverno.edu/character_conference

About Alverno College

Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.