Hundreds of colorful balloons floated above the grade school students dressed in the same colors as they marched from the Alexander Henderson Elementary School in Frederiksted on Friday to celebrate the annual Character Counts week.
Before the march, each grade gave a presentation in the auditorium about a positive character trait. Most classes sang and performed accompanied by lively music that motivated the audience to sing and cheer along with them. In between performances, the student body of more than 400 chanted, “I say character, you say counts.”
Guidance counselor Ilma Rodgers said the school has observed the national Character Counts week in October since the 1990s. The teachers and students practice their performances for up to two weeks before the rally, she said.
“We’re living in a society where we’re not showing positive social skills,” Rodgers said, adding that respect, good citizenship, fairness and love are some of the character traits the school emphasizes.
“Especially love, if you love your brother you won’t kill your brother,” she added.
There were about 420 students who participated in the rally, Rodgers said. Each was given a balloon to match their school T-shirt in colors of white, red, purple, blue, yellow and orange before the march from the school to the Do-Re-Me preschool where they gave balloon bouquets to the toddlers. 
Character traits that were celebrated included “fairness” by the kindergarten class and “citizenship” sung to the tune of “Roll It” by the first grade. Second-graders celebrated “personality,” followed by classes presenting “trustworthiness,” “caring,” “respect” and “responsibility.”
Paraprofessional Radiance Morris and teacher, Laurise Oliver, organized the event. Rodgers said the musical theme was soca this year and none of the classes used the exact same music.
