Garrison Keillor once wrote, "nothing you do for children is ever wasted," and Heather Yates wants community businesses to know the truth of these words.
Yates is the coordinator of the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) program at Fulton Middle School, which allows students to earn Hornet Bucks that can in turn be used to buy special rewards at the PBIS "store" set up in the school or used in a drawing to earn further rewards from community businesses.
"What we have are PBIS Lessons," said Yates. "For example, we have a hallway lesson that re-teaches students how to walk in the hallway and speak in the hallway. They learn how to keep their hands to themselves."
Yates went on to say that the student who thinks about running down the hall, might see teachers handing out Hornet Bucks to students being especially mannerly. That student might then make a different decision. They have similar lessons for the classroom, assemblies and the cafeteria.
"PBIS is about kindness and treating other people well," said Yates.
If a student goes out of his or her way to do something for someone else - as in the student who stepped up to hold open a door for a visitor who had her arms full - that student can get a positive referral that earns the student $5 worth of Hornet Bucks. Other positive referrals can come if a student chooses to stay after school for additional help or acts as a student role model for one of their peers.
Items in the PBIS store are things dreamed up by Yates and her regular student helpers, Summer Hood and Josie Brennan, such as getting to play a computer game with one of their teachers or having a basketball shootout with Assistant Principal Steven Kerr. Students might also be able to purchase the opportunity to leave class two minutes early or get a free second helping in the cafeteria.
But Yates is most especially appreciative of the local businesses who have donated to the program.
"We've got to support the schools," said Shawn Edgar, owner of Dairy Queen, who donates mini-blizzards to the program. "That's our future. Anything we can do to put a positive spin on some aspects of the lives of these kids, becomes a win-win for everyone."
Darrin Schwartze, owner of Sonic, spoke to the importance of teaching students appropriate behaviors that they will utilize as responsible adults. He also talked about how excited the kids are when they come in to "buy" their rewards.
"They come in with their parents, and they're like, "I get a slush! or I get an ice cream cone!,'" he said.
Dairy Queen and Sonic are joined by Taco Bell, Fastlane, Lulu's and Brooklyn Pizza in contributing to the program. Other businesses have donated such items for the store as t-shirts, toy footballs and lanyards.
"I couldn't do this without them," Yates said.
When asked how she would respond to those saying that these positive behaviors are behaviors that should be expected from students and not actions that should be rewarded, Yates doesn't hesitate in her enthusiasm.
"Yes, these are expected behaviors," she said. "But it's still a positive program that helps deter negative behavior, which improves classroom environment, and that makes our school better."
The PBIS initiative is utilized districtwide in Fulton.