Bates Elementary receives Lighthouse Award

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - There was a reason to celebrate at Bates Elementary School in Louisville on Friday.

Bates has received a Lighthouse Award to recognize the school’s certification from the Franklin-Covey “Leader in Me” program.

The school adopted the program several years ago. The program is designed to empower students with the leadership and life skills they will need to be successful later in life.

At Bates, students did this by practicing eight habits.

“It’s building that moral compass within them and how they navigate that using the 8 habits: be proactive, seek first to understand before being understood,” Bates Elementary Principal Alecia Dunn said. “All of those habits that we use to be successful as adults, they start as five-year-olds here at Bates Elementary.”

Schools have to implement the “Leader in Me” program for at least four years before they can apply for Lighthouse Certification.

“It makes me feel happy because, like, everybody shows kindness and respect, they’re always using habit one, be proactive, worrying about themselves instead of worrying about other people,” Fifth grader Laela Williams said.

Bates Elementary will keep the Lighthouse status for at least two years.