Education in Action: Burlington Fish on KMOT-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Education in Action: Burlington Fish | Video

11/19/2009

Burlington-Des Lacs is becoming a school of fish.

You can find finned friends everywhere, reminding students to follow a new philosophy fittingly called fish.

"It`s all about little things in the classroom," school counselor Diane Wagner said. "We`re seeing communication be better. We`re seeing more trust being built."

The school began implementing the new system earlier this year.

It`s based on being there for others, making someone`s day, and choosing your attitude.

"We tried really hard not to have this be another class for teachers to teach but to bring it as a philosophy," Wagner said.

And now students are buying into fish as a way to make their school a better place.

"Sometimes I play with them if they don`t have someone to play with," second-grader Coy Peterson said.

"You just make them feel good about themselves," eight-grader Cole Peterson said. "Say hi when you`re walking down the hall. Help them with some problem that they`re having."

As an incentive, school officials developed the Megafish.

Students and classes who display fish principles to the max get the gilled guppy for the day.

"They take it to lunch," Wagner said. "They take it to milk break. They take pictures of themselves with it. It just seems to be a fun motivational thing."

The friendlier environment is supposed to produce better results in the classroom.

Students say fish definitely helps.

"If someone makes your day you want to come to school more often. And it`s fun everyday," eight-grader Kristy Langsath said.

"It just let`s me focus on what I have to do," Cole Paterson.

And treating people well will go beyond the classroom.

This is something these students will probably use for the rest of their lives.

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