The Program
BNICE is a moral awareness program for elementary, middle, and high school students that focuses on helping students grow positive relationships with others by developing a stronger sense of empathy and improving their self-esteem. Through Experiential Education, BNICE integrates both of these results through a culturally sensitive, interactive, discussion-based program that teaches tolerance and diversity. Multiple presentations are offered: a K-3 grade program that incorporates real life examples of inclusion, acceptance and love through relatable examples and music & movement. The 4-8 grade program presents more interactive activities that inspire open-minded behavior and critical thinking relating to ones character in everyday life. The 9-12 grade program offers a variety of speaking presentations and workshop topics that center on the essential skills needed for high school students to become LIFE READY. All presentations are completely adaptable to continue your schools current specific character development efforts.
BNICE helps our students become even better human beings in proven and sustainable ways.
The Human
Chris French has been an advocate and presenter on character education for over two decades. Character development is his passion! All of his experience and training in teaching diversity, cultural sensitivity, tolerance, inclusion and love has led him to the creation of this program that he has been sharing with thousands of students across the nation. Over the years, he’s worked with many youth of all ages at leadership retreats, conferences, schools and summer camps.
BNICE School Presentations Are…
ADAPTABLE
Varied presentation settings, from individual classrooms to general assemblies.
Flexible presentations to address the specific moral needs of the students.
Versatile program that best fits the school’s daily schedule, which integrates into a dynamic education environment.
Equipped with age-appropriate program styles for primary, secondary and middle schools.
ENGAGING
BNICE helps kids feel confident by providing them with self-esteem building activities, impactful storytelling, and relatable examples.
The program enriches kid’s thinking by promoting empathy and embracing differences through discussion based activities.
BNICE is FUN! It includes interactive team building, group discussions, and character challenges.
Optional program amenities include live guitar playing and magic that incorporates the BNICE message.
SUSTAINABLE
BNICE will work with student leadership to develop a curriculum that inspires positive character throughout the year.
If student leadership is not already in place, BNICE can help create a Character Council that regularly champions moral awareness.
Kids will learn to apply simple, daily acts of kindness into their lives, which will help them to better identify differences between right and wrong.
From faculty presentations to working side-by-side with individual teachers, BNICE can help emphasize the development of the school’s current character education program.
Testimonials
From educators to students, see what people are saying about BNICE with Chris French.
I had an instructional leadership meeting this afternoon and requested feedback. They all loved the energy, movement, positive messaging. I also shared with them that the messages were tailored differently for each age group, which they didn’t know and really appreciated. Looking forward to more visits!
Dr. Heather Cash – Principal
Madison Elementary – Redondo Beach
Chris French and his program BNICE is an excellent support for your school site’s effort towards positive climate, culture and PBIS. The foundation of moral awareness and good character are presented in a way that students can understand and relate to in a meaningful way.
BNICE is easily integrated into daily curriculum through the lesson plans, daily calendar messages and coaching student leadership groups (PAL). BNICE is an excellent enhancement to your existing curriculum and the best way to make character lessons entertaining, meaningful and impactful.
We noticed an immediate decrease in behavior referrals after his presentations and more importantly, a sustained decrease in referrals after adding BNICE activities to the daily routine.
*** See REVIEWS page for full testimonial ***
Angela Terrones, Vice Principal – Olive Street School: Anaheim Elementary School District
“Chris French’s BNICE program serves as a great reinforcement to children the importance of simply being kind to one another. Our school invited Chris to share his message and we have since started up a Kindness Club, where students can explore and practice different ways to just be nice. Spreading positivity is key!”
Terri McAndrew, Assistant Principle – LME
“Wow! What an enjoyable and impactful assembly. The way that this assembly addressed empathy and inclusion, as opposed to exclusion, will continue to affect my mindset as well as our students. This message came at the most perfect time for our school. Since our assembly, we have seen a rise in acts of random kindness and a decrease in negative behavior. Can’t wait to have the BNICE assembly again next year!”
Aaron Haley, Vice Principal – Kings River-Hardwick School
Engaging music, interactive fun, riveting participation, and most importantly- students actually learning to BE NICE! Chris French will not just tell your students to be nice, but they will sing about it, act it out and really feel the inner joy of this virtue. He planned differentiated and motivational assemblies for all of our students, preschool through sixth grade.
– John McCombs – Principal, Riverside USD
I feel like a better person. I am way more aware of my decisions now.
– 6th Grade Student
Chris French was awesome! I liked that part where he told us that being nice to someone else might mean being nice to yourself, too! His words were influencing me to do so.
– 7th Grade Student
I really liked Frenchy’s humor, he made the whole class laugh while still staying on topic!
– 7th Grade Student
Our school had the opportunity to work with Chris French in October 2016. From the moment I met Chris last spring, I recognized his professionalism and his passion for character education and children. Chris was great to collaborate with, his flexibility yielded two days of presentations and interactions with students and teachers that directly connected to our ongoing school-wide character education monthly themes. Chris’s presentations and activities with the students focused on inclusion vs exclusion and how we tend to judge others without getting to know them first. Underlying all his presentations, was the theme of empathy that was taught through kid-friendly relatable examples, magic, illusions and music. Chris is a great communicator, friendly, fun, and reliable—I know your students will enjoy him as much as mine did!
– Peg LaRose, Ed.D. Principal – Sycamore Ridge School
We had the pleasure of hosting Chris French in Goshen County, Wyoming. Chris was so awesome to work with! He spent ½ day at each of our four elementary schools and customized his programs based on the age-level of the students and to the needs of each individual school. He is super-responsive to e-mails and questions and, basically, a nice guy. I watched three of his programs (all at one school) and it was fun to watch him shift from working with K-1 students to 2-3 students to 4-6 students. The message of each program was essentially the same (BNICE) but he reached out to each level in a unique way that was appropriate for that age. He understands how to reach kids, whether through music, games, or magic tricks.
-Catherine Deahl – School Counselor – Goshen County, Wyoming
I liked it when he had us do the opinions activity and we had to walk around the room, it was a super cool experience.
– 8th Grade Student
“Having Chris French present his BNICE program to my classes was very beneficial. I could hear the students reminding each other to BNICE to one another after he left. This program helped to support our school wide PBIS model and the classroom management strategies I used within my own classroom. After his visit my class embarked on a random acts of kindness challenge that each student worked on for 30 days to help continue the idea of being nice to those around you.”
– Karin Barone M.A. Ed; NBCT La Veta Elementary
“Chris French is a knowledgeable and organized presenter who delivers a strong message about character . He is able to easily connect with students and provides rich and engaging activities to get students talking and thinking about the importance of “being nice”. Chris truly cares about students and supporting their efforts in building positive relationships.”
– Renee Nollar: VP Arroyo Vista School K-8
PROVEN RESULTS
According to www.character.org surveys, schools who are committed to character education programs and curriculum have experienced positive and notable results.