In October 2022, Tzu Chi Elementary School, Walnut, California, and Tzu Chi Life Science Farm collaborated to teach students the Tzu Chi philosophy of “Knowing, Cherishing, and then Creating Blessings” by combining character education and organic farming.

Ten years after the start of the Syrian Civil War, the Tzu Chi Character Education team, in conjunction with El Menahil School teachers, introduced a character education program in hopes of helping children refugees overcome the psychological burdens of war.

One of Tzu Chi’s greatest joys is seeing the ways in which its mission is mirrored in other important endeavors everywhere. Volunteers saw this very connection when they visited Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy on August 11, 2022. Staff learned about Tzu Chi’s character education programming and accepted a proposal for Meatless Monday at the school.

Teachers from around the world come online to learn how to conduct character education courses. Photo/Courtesy of Tzu Chi Education Foundation Written by Wendy WangTranslated

Two Tzu Chi Great Love Preschools in Southern California organized a gratitude and blessing graduation ceremony for their graduating students. Teachers presented each student with a tassel and handed them their first graduation certificate and graduation gift, marking an important milestone in their lives.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award Ceremony was held on December 3rd at the Tzu Chi Walnut Campus-Life Science Garden in Los Angeles. The awards were presented to volunteers who are dedicated to serving the community and the environment.

In March of 2020, when multiple states established shelter-in-place procedures to safeguard communities during the spread of COVID-19, many presumed the pandemic would only last a few months at most. Yet, more than a year has passed, and the pandemic is still ongoing. During this time of great uncertainty, people’s lives and routines have faced myriad transformations. This also included the youngest members of the community, as schools closed and quickly shifted to facilitate remote learning. In February, however, the CDC announced that students from pre-K to K-12 would be allowed to return to school for in-person learning, provided careful guidelines could be upheld.

As the COVID-19 vaccination rate increased in the United States, many states began to ease restrictions affecting schools. In response, Tzu Chi Education Foundation’s character education team contacted Juanita Blakely Jones Elementary School in San Bernardino, California, about coming back to the school to provide in-person character education.

Founded by the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation in 2015, El Menahil International School serves Syrian families displaced by violence and conflict by providing education and support for children, adults, and their families. Designed to boost awareness and build upon the concepts of great love without limits, the Tzu Chi Character Education team established an “Anti-bullying in Schools” program to help students and teachers spot the signs of bullying. Also taught in the U.S., this program was carried out via a 30-minute group class. The one-week course took place from February 28 to March 4, 2022.