Helen Keller, called by First Lady Eleanor
Roosevelt "America’s goodwill ambassador to the world", is Alabama’s
most famous citizen. In 2000, Time
magazine chose her as one of the 100 most important people of the Twentieth
century.
The world still admires Helen Keller's example of
character and values that reflect well on her home state. Her lifetime accomplishments, after
overcoming the "double dungeon" of darkness and silence, continues to
inspire both adults and children worldwide to overcome disabilities
(enclosure). Indeed, there is no more proven, time-tested story than that of
Helen Keller for teaching children the values that will help them succeed in
life.
As religious education has increasingly left many school systems, a movement towards (secular) character education has
developed in its place. In response to
this movement, the Alabama-based Helen Keller Foundation created a highly
successful character education program (the Helen Keller Program) for
elementary schools, intermediate schools, middle schools, high schools and
adult groups.
Led by Helen Keller's great-grandniece, Mrs.
Keller Johnson-Thompson, the Foundation's Vice President of Education, the Helen Keller Program uniquely influences the moral development of
students by focusing on the character and life achievements of Helen
Keller. The Program teaches children at
an early age to be accepting of people despite their differences or handicaps,
leading them towards a lifetime of tolerance that underpins any healthy
community. It teaches children the importance
of faith, hard work, respect, optimism, and accomplishment.
the Helen Keller Program has taught character education and
the science of sight and hearing to elementary school children since 1995,
supported by both private donations and Alabama state support (1995-2002). To date, Keller has presented to over 560,000 children in 3,500 schools, in all 67 Alabama
counties.
She has also represented Alabama and the Foundation in schools and adult
venues throughout the United States.