Falcon Way Coloring Books: Teaching Core Values from the Start

Florence City Schools uses a district-wide motto of “The Falcon Way” that includes the following core values: Family, Achievers, Loyal, Collaborative, One Florence, Never Give Up and Serve Others. These values connect schools in the district from preschool to high school, creating a shared vocabulary and focus on character development for students, faculty, staff and parents.

At a recent Florence City School’s Principal Panel meeting, the concept for a Falcon Way Coloring Books initiative emerged. The coloring books were envisioned as a way to for older students to create something fun that helps even the system’s youngest students learn about shared values. The books themselves were designed and illustrated by talented Florence Middle School art students, who brought each Falcon Way value to life through kid-friendly characters and creative scenes. Their work showcases artistic skill as well as a deep understanding of what it means to model the Falcon Way.

Eighth grade student, PK Spry explained that “the Falcon Way is for all Falcons,” reinforcing the belief that these core values should be understood and experienced by students at every age and stage.

Dr. Ashley Bowling, Principal of Florence Middle School, emphasized the importance of living the values daily, beyond simply displaying them, sharing, “If your core values are simply fancy posters on the walls and not the way your students and adults act, then you don’t have core values.”

This initiative came to life in a powerful way during a recent visit to W.C. Handy Early Childhood Development Center when the middle school students delivered the first Falcon Way Coloring Books along with crayons generously supported by their school PTO to preschoolers. Principal Donna Khan reflected on the moment:

“We were honored to welcome Dr. Bowling and her outstanding students from Florence Middle School to W.C. Handy for a special visit on Friday. They created beautiful character-focused coloring books that align perfectly with our We Are Falcons motto. Watching our preschoolers engage with something made for them by older Falcons was a powerful example of what it means to live our values across campuses. This partnership strengthens our culture, builds belonging, and shows our littlest learners what it truly means to be part of One Florence.”

The Falcon Way Coloring Books are a creative initiative used to bring the district values to life. They’ve turned words into actions and posters into practice and saw “The Falcon Way” take flight at every grade level. This work aims to shape a generation of students who not only know how to name the school values, but feel intrinsically motivated to live them.

Florence City Schools has participated in Hope Leadership Academy since 2018. Their talented educators and administrators are dedicated to cultivating character in students from the time they are in preschool to their final year as a high school senior. The Hope Institute is proud to be a partner of this effort in Florence City Schools as they intentionally nurture a culture of character.