The Rotary Club of Greenville Evening instituted the first EarlyAct FirstKnight (EAFK) program on the East Coast at Powdersville Middle School in January, 2010. Daily award-winning academic character instruction is taught by educators in their classrooms, starting each day with a recitation of the Rotary Four-Way Test, while integrating Rotary history and ideals into each character virtue.

The EAFK campus service club will meet the first Tuesday of each month throughout the remainder of the school year. Student members will perform specific tasks during the meeting and report back to their classes. The EAFK service club component is a school-wide opportunity for all students to apply the ethical principles being taught through The Code curriculum in the classroom. Student service club officers will attend the May evening meeting of the Greenville Evening Rotary Club to present the program’s progress to the club members.

The Powdersville Early Act Service Club was chartered on January 29, 2010, and the first Assembly of Champions Knighting Ceremony was held on February 22, 2010 for students who best exemplify the character trait of Prowess. Deserving 8th graders became honorary knights; 7th graders became honorary squires; and, 6th graders became honorary pages. The second Assembly of Champions Knighting Ceremony and the first Tournament of Champions, a live jousting match between knights in armor on warhorses, is scheduled for March 26, 2010. Knighting ceremonies will take place at regular intervals throughout the remainder of the school year with approximately 30 per cent of the student body receiving medals.

EarlyAct FirstKnight is a revolutionary character and ethics education program for children in grades K-8 that puts Rotary influence into daily mainstream public education for the first time ever. EAFK is a program of The Knights of the Guild, a non-profit education services organization, led locally by Jefferson Pike. Developed by Dr. Randall Parr of San Antonio, TX, the EAFK program teaches business ethics based upon the historic theme of noble knights and the Rotary Motto of “service above self.”

Through EarlyAct FirstKnight, children are motivated to learn the value of high ethical standards and service above self in class during their most formative years. Unprecedented in the field of character education, EAFK combines daily ethics curriculum with Rotarian-led campus service clubs and live-action elements from Knights of the Guild to create a highly effective, integrated, age-appropriate teaching strategy. EAFK uniquely integrates the instruction of noble character and service with the timeless theme of gallant knights and chivalry.

EarlyAct FirstKnight is available to all Rotary Clubs for the benefit of their community schools, children’s homes, scouts, camps, detention centers and any avenue seeking the ethical development of young people. The purpose is to develop young people into ethical, morally sound, community oriented, self-disciplined adults who will become responsible members of society.