While most of the schools in the Midwest and Northeast parts of our country don’t start until after Labor Day (3 weeks from today), I know many of you are already back in the class room (hurts, doesn’t it). Some schools in Arizona and California have already been in for a week.  My sympathies to those students and teachers who had their August stolen from them.

As the author of this class and the textbook, I want to welcome you. There are over 20,000 students from 1,600 high schools and middle schools using this material this year. Some students are in a home-room, some are in an elective class and some are taking this to receive English credit. A few students are as young as 6th grade and some are seniors, but most are probably in 9th grade. This course is used in all 50 states and another 8 countries. This includes students from every ethnic background that I can name.

For those of you who don’t know me, please watch the intro video under the leadership principles. Your teacher should have the password to gain access. I want you to get to know me and me to get to know you. Communication through this blog using Twitter and Facebook is the only way I know how to make that happen. I want us to create a national conversation from classroom to classroom, state to state. I want to hear what you have to say.

My responsibility is to provide at least one new blog post per week. I will mostly provide my viewpoints on current events related to character and leadership. I want you to 1) be aware of these events and to 2) develop your own thoughts, opinions and viewpoints and to 3) help create a national conversation via Twitter and Facebook.

• Create a class Twitter and/or Facebook Account to provide responses to my social media questions at the end of each blog post and leadership principle.  Your teacher might also allow you to create/use personal accounts to provide your feedback as well.
• To receive new blog posts, follow me on Twitter @CDandLeadership or like my Facebook page, Character Development and Leadership.
• Respond to the social media questions at the end of each blog post and at the end of each leadership principle. Please use appropriate #’s when using Twitter.
• Monitor your accounts to read my responses to your responses and to see what other students from around the country/world have to say.
• Keep your comments respectful.  Don’t swear, attack/bully/put others down. This is healthy debate. Be respectful at all times.

Your Turn (follow us & tweet responses to @CDandLeadership using #CDandL):
1) What school, city and state are you from? Grade level? Ethnic background?
2) What questions do you have for me (Joe Hoedel, author of this class)?