Character Solutions International

Character Solutions International (CSI) is an organization dedicated to strengthening personal responsibility and interpersonal respect among children and the adults who influence them. According to its official website, CSI "exists to strengthen personal responsibility and interpersonal respect among children and the adults who influence them." Its vision is to build "communities of people distinguished by their commitment to personal responsibility and interpersonal respect." The organization pursues this mission by promoting and providing character development for educators and other community leaders worldwide, focusing on enabling them to integrate character growth into each child's development of skills and knowledge. CSI was founded in 2003 by Dr. John and Janice Garmo, both credentialed educators. They were invited to help educators in post-communist countries encourage character formation within their next generation of leaders. Their first training seminar took place in October 2003 in Romania, serving a select group of 27 elementary teachers. Over the following 18 months, they met with this group several times to introduce new character education materials, evaluate program progress, and exchange ideas. Since that first seminar, demand increased and hundreds of CSI presenters have been trained. Teams continue to respond to requests for Character Solutions around the world. CSI has presented seminars in many countries, including Bolivia, Canada, Grenada, Egypt, India, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Romania, South Africa, and the United States. The organization's logo features a compass and a tree: the compass represents the need to choose the right direction and symbolizes an internal moral values compass, while the needle pointing to true north is a giant redwood tree representing character. The redwood is noted for being the tallest and widest tree, unusually resistant to insects and fire; as its rings strengthen its trunk, "rings of character" strengthen the person who diligently develops them. CSI operates as a mission-driven educational brand rather than a conventional commercial product company. Its offerings center on seminars, training programs, and character education materials for educators and community leaders. The organization's work is rooted in the belief, quoted on its website from Martin Luther King Jr., that "Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education."

Character Solutions International was founded in 2003 by Dr. John and Janice Garmo, both credentialed educators. The organization began when the Garmos were invited to help educators in post-communist countries encourage character formation within their next generation of leaders. Their first training seminar took place in October 2003 in Romania, where they served a select group of 27 elementary teachers. Over the next 18 months, they met with this group several times to introduce new character education materials, evaluate program progress, and exchange new ideas. Since that initial seminar, word spread and demand increased. Hundreds of CSI presenters have been trained, and teams continue to respond to requests for Character Solutions around the world. The organization has presented seminars in numerous countries, including Bolivia, Canada, Grenada, Egypt, India, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Romania, South Africa, and the United States. The CSI logo, featuring a compass and a redwood tree, reflects the organization's focus on moral direction and enduring character.

• 2003

  Founded by Dr. John and Janice Garmo; first training seminar held in October in Romania with 27 elementary teachers.

• 2003

  Over the next 18 months, multiple follow-up meetings with the Romanian teacher group to introduce materials and evaluate progress.

• Hundreds of CSI presenters trained; seminars presented in Bolivia, Canada, Grenada, Egypt, India, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Romania, South Africa, and the United States.

Mission-driven educational organization providing character development training and resources for educators and community leaders worldwide.

• Character education seminars

  Training seminars for educators and community leaders on integrating character development into children's education.

• Character development materials

  Materials introduced to educators to support character formation in children.

• Train-the-trainer programs

  Programs that train presenters to deliver Character Solutions seminars worldwide.

1. 1Character Solutions Internationalcharactersolutions.org
2. 2WHO WE ARE — Character Solutions Internationalcharactersolutions.org
3. 3Character Solutions International - Wikidatawikidata.org