The Harlingen CISD athletics program this week launched a new character development to be infused into all athletics classes from grades 6 through 12.
The character development program, 2Words, aims to enhance HCISD’s ongoing Character Strong program utilized in middle and high schools.
“Our children are the future of our country, and the more we can saturate them with good, the better our outlook is entirely,” said Harlingen CISD’s Aquatics Coordinator Sandra Flinn, noting the first year of the 2Words program will be paid for entirely by community partners. “We are thankful to those who donated and made this possible for our children.”
CEO Stephen Mackey began the 2Words Character Development program about 10 years ago aimed at “helping athletes and coaches connect the dots between sports and the game of life,” according to information provided on the program’s website.
The program utilizes short videos, driving home the message with just two words.
This week’s “2Words” were “higher standards,” which emphasized to students that they set high standards for themselves not only during practice and games but also at home and in their communities.
“People with good intentions make promises, people with good character keep them,” Mackey said in a video showcasing the 2Words program.
Attributes of good character include mutual respect, honesty, and responsibility – all of which are intertwined in the videos and messages shown by HCISD coaches to their students during athletics classes.
“To be an athlete at all, it’s very challenging. Practicing through summer and working with their coaches to improve in preparation for the season is a big commitment,” said HCISD Athletic Director Rob Davies. “Our student athletes could have been doing a lot of other things with their time, but they made a wise choice to invest in themselves.”
Davies has utilized 2Words in the past and has seen it’s success first-hand, he said.
“We’re not just interested in our students passing their classes; we want them to compete to make sure they’re doing well in the classroom and doing the very best they possibly can overall,” Davies said.
The program will continue through the school year, emphasizing two words each week.
Although this week’s words were higher standards, “that doesn’t mean we forget higher standards. We continue driving the message,” Davies said.
The videos are specifically designed to capture the attention of middle and high school students and are about five minutes each. HCISD coaches will provide the students with the content to be utilized both inside and outside the classroom.
Watch what 2Words is about below: