Kassondra Ottens
Goodrich Middle School
Lincoln, Nebraska

Kassondra Ottens is a 14-year-old student at Goodrich Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska. She participated in the MindOH! Foundation's 2002 Character's Cool Contest, and won a Pacific-10 Conference Hat.

The Character's Cool Contest was a national contest for middle school students to help stop school violence and to encourage the practice of ethical behavior. Participants completed an online survey about their experiences in the aftermath of Sept 11th, bullying and school violence, and the ethical behavior and character qualities needed to reduce school violence.

When asked about the first emotion she felt upon learning about the September 11th attacks, Kassondra felt stunned. Kassondra's school talked to her about the events of September 11th. She wrote that certain students at her school are being treated differently because of the attacks.

"If they are from Afghanistan some people call them traitors," Kassondra wrote.

Kassondra thinks it's possible for one country to bully another country, and she's seen someone being bullied in her school. According to Kassondra, Goodrich Middle School takes measures to prevent bullying and violence - they suspend people.

Kassondra thinks it's important for young people to learn how to manage their anger and resolve conflicts peacefully, and she thinks that it's important to be respectful of others, even when you disagree. She thinks that there are certain character qualities people need to have to reduce violence: Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation, Tolerance, Love, Patience, and Self Control.

Goodrich Middle School teaches Kassondra about these character qualities through Character Counts lessons. She also tries to think about and practice these character qualities. "Sometimes I try to be respectful and walk away from a conflict."

Kassondra's hobbies include braiding hair, baby-sitting, and playing clarinet. She looks up to her friend Flandria. "She's a good person and understands me. I feel like I can always talk to her.

If Kassondra could travel anywhere in the world, she would go to Mexico because her cousin lives there. She hasn't decided yet what she wants to be when she grows up, but she wants to go to college and get a good job. Kassondra is kind, funny, brassy, bright, and responsible, and her piece of advice to other U.S. students is: "Don't let people work you up because then you are just stooping to the level that they want you at."