Ellis Middle School received a Promising Practices Award for the “Backpack Program” at the Character Recognition Awards Ceremony at the Minnesota State Capitol on May 8 in celebration of Character Recognition Day.

The Ellis program is a practice where students serve their community and develop leadership skills by collaborating weekly to pack and distribute backpacks filled with supplemental nourishment for students whose families have applied to take part in the program.

In all, the Synergy & Leadership Exchange presented awards to 17 schools and four community programs at the ceremony.

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie was emcee for the event and Dr. Kent Pekel, president and CEO of the Search Institute, delivered the keynote address.

The Minnesota Promising Practices awards recognize schools that have developed and implemented a specific practice promoting character development in their schools. For more information, visit synergyexchange.org.