As 185 contestants are narrowed down to a final 10 winners, Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy is still in the hunt. Last week, the Alexandria elementary school was named one of the 27 national finalists in the National Schools of Character award competition.

The award program, run by the Character Education Partnership (CEP), could give as much as $10,000 to each of the finalists. CEP will be visit each of the finalists through the end of April, according to a press release. The winners will be announced in May.

The 10 National Schools of Character will receive their awards and financial grants during CEPs National Forum on Character Education, which will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, according to CEP.

Previously, Lyles-Crouch had advanced to the national level after winning first place in Virginia from a list of schools that were both public and private elementary and secondary schools.
Winning the award would further support [the schools] mission to educate the whole child, Lyles-Crouch Principal Patricia Zissios said. Character Education is not just an add on to the curriculum, but a way of living and learning.

We are a true community school and it took the whole community to achieve this recognition.
Up to this point, Lyles-Crouchs success has been based on its application, which helped to showcase their outstanding work in encouraging the ethical, social, and academic growth of their students through effective character education, according to CEP.