The Six Pillars of Character

These six core ethical values form the foundation of the CHARACTER COUNTS! youth-ethics initiative. More detailed discussion of the Six Pillars is included in Making Ethical Decisions, a Josephson Institute booklet available online here.

TRUSTWORTHINESS

Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country

RESPECT

Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements

RESPONSIBILITY

Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices

FAIRNESS

Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly

CARING

Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need

CITIZENSHIP

Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment

Six Pillar Mnemonics
To help young people remember the Pillars, some educators employ these creative devices.

Color Scheme

Each of the Six Pillars is associated with a certain color.
· Trustworthiness: Blue — like "True Blue"
· Respect: Yellow or Gold — like the Golden Rule
· Responsibility: Green — as in being responsible for a garden or finances; or as in being solid and reliable like an oak
· Fairness: Orange — like dividing an orange into equal sections to share fairly with friends
· Caring: Red — like a heart
· Citizenship: Purple — as in the regal purple representing the state

TRRFCC

Use this acronym to help you remember that people with good character are terrific:

Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
CaringCitizenship