HOISINGTON — In 2012, Hoisington High School received both the state and national Promising Practices Awards for creating the Cardinal Core character education through student driven leadership. HHS students chose the following values: responsibility, honesty, positive attitudes, grit and respect as the values they wanted to emphasize.
Hoisington High School encourages an entrepreneurial attitude and empowers student leadership which has led to projects to improve school climate.   
In addition, as a part of the cross-curricular activities, teachers have been working on different projects with students. Two teachers, London Reif and Christina Lamoureaux, recently displayed their work at a Kansas State Department of Education Conference as one of six booths for the 1200 attendees.
“Mrs. Lamoureaux has engaged our student body in creating a foundation through identifying their core values as well as fostering students’ self-motivation and fostering shared leadership,” said HHS Principal Meg Wilson. “Our art students continue to create ideas and develop  projects to paint and display in our hallways to illustrate our core values.  In 2013, Hoisington High School was again awarded both State and National Promising Practices Awards as HHS art students developed, designed, organized, and presented the “Caring Hands in Clay: Empathy Project” to 6th graders.
“Mrs. Lamoureaux, and science instructor, Mrs. Reif, have collaborated with staff members to embed Science Technology Engineering and Math within their classes,” she continued. “Through their guidance, HHS students continue to be inspired to develop their vision for embedding character education across the curriculum.  The students have been diligent, patient, and have taken great pride in what they have designed to leave as their legacy to the Hoisington High School hallways.”
Lamoureaux was nominated for Kansas Teacher of the Year by the district as well. Wilson said that it is not common for art teachers to be nominated for that award.
Science, technology, engineering and math are considered 21st century skills of importance for high-tech jobs, according to Wilson.
Wilson is co-chair for the Kansas Department of Education board that developed the Social Emotional and Character Development standards for the state of Kansas.
This year, Lamoureaux has worked with third graders and HHS students also on a “Caring” project where the high school students led the younger ones on making clay birds in a nest and a blanket. Also, the high school students prepared a Powerpoint presentation. Caring for others was discussed prior to the students beginning clay work in the high school art room.