Personal Development

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Social-emotional learning (SEL) standards often encompass a range of competencies, including personal development. Personal development within SEL typically involves helping scholars develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and a positive self-concept. Here is how it aligns with all five competencies. 

1. Self-Awareness:

scholar are able to recognize and accurately label their emotions, they can understand their own strengths and weaknesses, they are able to identify and describe their own values, beliefs, and interests, as well as demonstrate self-confidence and a positive self-image.

2. Self-Management:

A scholar can develop strategies to regulate and manage their emotions effectively, they can set and work toward personal goals, they can also demonstrate self-discipline and impulse control, as well as exhibit stress management skills and coping strategies.

3. Social Awareness:

Scholars demonstrate empathy and understanding of others’ emotions and perspectives. They also recognize and appreciate diversity in cultures and backgrounds. Personal development also shows scholars how to be respectful to others’ feelings, opinions, and boundaries, while exhibiting a sense of social responsibility and community awareness.

4. Relationship Skills:

  Scholars communicate effectively with peers, teachers, and other individuals. They also build and maintain positive relationships. They focus on resolving conflicts peacefully and constructively while demonstrating teamwork and cooperation in group settings.

5. Responsible Decision-Making:

 scholar identify and analyze potential consequences of their actions while considering ethical and moral principles when making decisions. Scholars will also learn how to evaluate and choose appropriate solutions to problems while making responsible choices that align with personal values and societal norms.

For CYSP, personal development is a crucial component of social-emotional learning, as it focuses on helping scholars develop a strong sense of self, emotional intelligence, and the ability to make responsible choices. These skills are not only important for their personal well-being but also for their success in academic, professional, and social contexts. 

Progress Reflection   

The progress reflection meeting is used to assess students’ performance, check students’ prior tasks, provide meaningful feedback, and assign new weekly tasks/goals. Research has shown that when teachers utilize this tool effectively, students benefit more, their decision-making improves, and students become well aware of their own performance.

Progress reflection is one of the essential requirements of the CYSP program. We, as advisors, must follow our scholars’ progress and academic performance and guide them to plan all activities throughout the year.   Additionally, advisors should have a good rapport with their students and parents. 

Advisors must meet CYSP scholars on a regular basis (strongly recommended weekly or biweekly) to review past progress and give scholars new goals for future activities. 

There should be at least one week between two progress reflection meetings; this can happen individually or in a group. Scholars cannot have progress meetings with other advisors.  

Recommended minimum meeting time is 10 minutes for individual meetings and 30 minutes for group meetings. 

This category is mandatory for all students. The point value allocated to this category is 8 points. The maximum Progress reflection Meeting entries allowed for each student is up to 20 times throughout the school year.  

Examples: 

• A group meeting at school. 
• A group meeting out of school, such as at a public library, McDonald’s, Starbucks, etc.
• An individual or group meeting in school, during lunch, after school, or on weekends.
• An individual or group meeting during a scholar’s home visit with his/her parent(s).

SEL Competencies:

Self Awareness: CYSP Goal-setting process.

Self-Management: CYSP Goal Setting Process.

Relationship Skills: Meeting with advisors.

The entry to the Log: 

Only advisors may enter their scholars’  progress reflection meetings and log in to their PowerSchool under “Progress reflection”.

Participating In Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities help challenge and give students the opportunity to develop new skills outside of class. Specifically for High school students, extracurricular activities can help during their college application process. Activities include arts, athletics, clubs, employment, personal commitments, and other pursuits.

Extra-curricular activities are a variety of after-school programs. We accept out-of-school programs as well. 3 major categories are clubs, advanced study teams, and sports teams.

These activities can be school-related and should be led by a coach or teacher. If activities are performed out of school, proof of completion is necessary. 

This category is mandatory for most students and optional for seniors. The point value allocated to this category is 5 points. The maximum Extra-curricular activity entries allowed for each student is up to 60 sessions throughout the school year.  This applies to all who participate in this activity.

Examples: 

• Language Club, Dance Club, MathCON Club (https://www.mathcon.org/apps/pages/MathCONClub)
• STEM Team, Robotics Team, Soccer Team
• Book discussions club with advisors (Does not count as Book Completion)

SEL Competencies:

Self Awareness: Making a decision to attend a club, 

Self-Management: Making progress on club activity.

Relationship Skills: Team activities. 

The entry to the Log:

Scholars enter their extra-curricular activities information in their PowerSchool student account under “Participating Extra-Curricular Activities”.

Character Education

Character education and social-emotional learning (SEL) are integral components of our scholars’ development, aimed at nurturing their moral, civic, well-mannered, respectful, non-bullying, healthy, critical, successful, traditional, compliant, and socially responsible traits. These initiatives serve as teaching methods that instill ethical values, responsibility, and emotional intelligence in our scholars, emphasizing the importance of qualities like caring for others, honesty, accountability, empathy, and self-awareness, which are essential for them to grow into upright young adults.

We believe that by actively participating in Character Education and SEL, our scholars will not only enhance their academic achievements but also develop into responsible, ethical, emotionally intelligent, and compassionate individuals, contributing positively to our school community and society at large.

Character education lessons are sessions that are designed and delivered in a manner that will help students develop various qualities as moral, civic, well-mannered, behaved, non-bullying, healthy, critical, successful, traditional, compliant, and socially acceptable beings.

Basic character education lessons for advisors are available on the CYSP website (http://cysp.us/character-education/). Advisors provide character education lessons with their scholars. 

This category is mandatory for all students. The point value allocated to this category is 10 points. The maximum Character education entries allowed for each student is up to 15 times throughout the school year.  

Suggested Character Education Lessons should be at least 20-30 minutes:

10-15 minutes: Advisor will go over the PPT presentation or video 

10-15 minutes: Discussion about topics (students will share their opinions/thoughts about the topics.

***Each character education lesson, topic, and task should be different***

Examples:

• A group lesson with a teacher or instructor about a character lesson.

SEL Competencies:

Self Awareness: Learning Character Traits,  

Responsible Decision Making: Applying learned Character traits to life.

Relationship Skills: Role Play activities. 

The entry to the Log:

Only advisors enter their character education information in their PowerSchool account under  “Character Education”.

Book Completion

Reading helps develop a student’s cognition, through thinking, processing, comprehension and writing ability. As Reading is a thinking process, we want to continue to challenge and engage our students, ensuring that they become strong individual readers.

Reading develops the mind and is fundamental to functioning in today’s society. Reading is important because words – spoken and written – are the building blocks of life.

Students select and read books appropriate to their reading levels, and complete a book report or provide Accelerated Reader (AR) test scores as proof if available.

This category is mandatory for all students. The point value allocated to this category is 10 points. The maximum Reading entries allowed for each student is up to 20 books throughout the school year.  

Examples:

• Completed book from the provided CYSP book list with AR test score (min. 80%).

SEL Competencies:

Self Awareness: Reflective Writing

Self-Management: Getting the habit of reading by yourself

The entry to the Log:

Scholars enter their book reading the information in their PowerSchool student account under  “Book Completion”.

The CYSP Website provides a list of grades or AR levels here. 

Great Free Reading Platform for K-12 Students

• NEWSELA
• EPIC
• WHOISREADING
• Actively Learn

Other great free resources for reading activity

• TeachingExpertise
• Earth Day Reading Passages
• EducatorsTechnology
• WeareTeachers

Weekend Enrichment Program

Weekend enrichment programs’ main aim is to transform potential into excellence. This is achieved through the various activities and services planned for students.

Extending the school day beyond the traditional academic day into weekends enriches our scholars’ overall academic and personal development.  Planning programs that engage them with exciting subjects in a relaxed setting.

The Weekend Enrichment Program should be a school-planned program. Weekend Enrichment Program must be at least 2 sessions for 5th through  8th grades and 3 sessions for high schools.  If this is not scheduled or less than the minimum required hours, then we consider activities as extra-curricular. 

This category is optional for all levels; however, these activities are very important in terms of their point value, and this will help gold and silver students reach their goal at the end of the year. The point value allocated to this category is 30 points. The maximum Weekend  Enrichment program entries allowed for each student are up to 20 times throughout the school year.  

Examples:

• Saturday school is organized by the school administration or the school coordinator.
• An advanced study course provided by individual advisors during weekends.  
• Weekend Robotics, Science Fair, or Language Contest prep in a group with a teacher.
• Any sport club activities that are led by a designated coach or advisor during the weekend.
• Educational camps, leadership camps, academic camps, and club-related camps are considered weekend enrichment programs

SEL Competencies:

Relationship Skills: Participating in Weekend Enrichment activities.

The entry to the Log:

Advisors enter their Weekend Enrichment Program information in their PowerSchool student account under  “Weekend  Enrichment Program”. 

Standardized  Test Preparation

Students are given an opportunity to take/plan Standardized test practice sessions. These sessions serve as a mock test in which students can take a test before their real test. More importantly, the outcomes of the session allow students to reflect on their scores and see where their strengths lie or indeed areas that still need improvement. This allows them to then focus on those areas that still need mastering.

Studying is important because it is essential for a person to develop a complete education and provides students with the opportunity to develop study habits, time management skills, and self-discipline. 

This category is mandatory for most students and optional for seniors. The point value allocated to this category is 5 points. The maximum Standardized Test Preparation entries allowed for each student are up to 80 sessions throughout the school year.  This applies to all who participate in this activity.

Examples:

CYSP Website provides a list of Test Preparation software here. 

• All Standardized  Test Preparation should be out of class time !!! (after school, before school, during lunch break, weekend)
• Individual test prep from an outside organization.
• Complete standardized test prep at home.
• MathCON, Concept Math Olympics
• ACT, SAT, EOC, AP Exam Prep tests
• Online test practice during overnight and camp activities.
• Test prep websites such as Khan Academy, Measuring Up, Study Island, IXL, Aleks, Edulastic, etc.  Please check the student’s study time frames and duration.

Test prep, which continues after the compulsory Weekend Enrichment Program hours, may also be counted (Middle School: 2 hours minimum, High School: 3 hours minimum).

Tutoring is not considered Standardized Test Preparation

The activities below cannot count as a standardized  test prep

-Homework

-Any kind of test, test practice, tutoring, work, etc., during class time

-Any kind of subject-related test prep during the computer class, etc..

-Schoolwide (all students are working on test prep, which is organized by the school). Test prep cannot be counted if it is during school hours. 

– Edgenuity (as an online course) 

– Tutoring

SEL Competencies:

Self-Management: Improving test skills.

The entry to Log:

Scholars enter their individual test prep information in their PowerSchool student account under  “Standardized  Test Preparation”. 

College / Scholarship Applications

In the climate of competitive admission, students need college guidance counselors’ help finalizing their lists of colleges they plan to apply to. Five to eight applications are usually recommended to ensure that a student is accepted into a suitable institution.

This category is mandatory for senior students and optional for all other high school grades. The point value allocated to this category is 5 points. The maximum College/Scholarship Application entries allowed for each student are up to 6 times throughout the school year.  This applies to high school students who participate in this activity.

The entry to the Log: 

Scholars enter their College/Scholarship Applications information as 1 entry for 1 complete application in their PowerSchool student account under  “College/Scholarship Applications”. 

Leadership Role (NEW)

Leadership is a vital component of the personal and academic growth of CYSP scholars, fostering confidence, responsibility, and the ability to guide and inspire others. Taking on leadership roles helps students develop essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and decision-making. Scholars who actively engage in leadership opportunities build a strong sense of accountability and serve as role models within their schools and communities.

CYSP offers various leadership opportunities where students can take initiative, organize activities, and support their peers. Leadership roles involve taking charge, guiding others, and assuming key responsibilities.

Leadership Role must be organized in the school. It is not a mandatory activity. 

Leadership Categories & Points

Students can earn a maximum of 50 points per category, with a total possible score of 200 points.

• Athletic Team Leader (e.g., captain of a school sports team) – Max 50 points
• School Club Leader (e.g., school club president, school ambassador) – Max 50 points
• Community Service Leader (e.g., organizing a blood drive, food drive, and fundraising event) – Max 50 points
• Academic Competition Leader (e.g., leading a robotics team, Consef, Spoken Word, Math competitions, non-athletic competitions) – Max 50 points

This category is optional for all students.

Examples of Leadership Roles

• Organizing a fundraiser as a Community Service Leader
• Serving as a School Club Leader in clubs such as Math Club, Cooking Club, NHSA, or Student Government
• Leading a Competition Team in Robotics, MathCon, or other academic competitions
• Acting as a Team Captain for a school sports team

SEL Competencies:

Responsible Decision-Making: Decision-making is important for the Leadership Role.

Relationship Skills: Being a Team Leader

The entry to the Log:

Advisors enter their scholars’  Leadership Role information in their PowerSchool CYSP account under  “Leadership Role”.