ALEXANDRIA — Voyager Elementary was one of 10 honorees celebrated for excellence by Synergy & Leadership Exchange at the Character Recognition Awards on May 6 at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The event brought together educators and leaders to recognize the exemplary achievements of the honorees.
Voyager Elementary received a Minnesota Promising Practice Award for its “Monthly Celebrated Students.” Each month two students are selected to attend a monthly faculty meeting with their families for recognition in one of the following areas:
- Overcoming adversity or a significant challenge,
- Displaying extraordinary effort, or
- Making significant progress in a challenging area.
Selection input comes from faculty teams that have been tracking student progress over several years. This practice has provided affirmation and recognition for students who have historically struggled but have persevered in some way. Everyone who participates in this celebration — the student, the family, and the staff — walks away with a greater feeling of teamwork and belonging.
Promising Practices are unique and successful practices created and implemented by schools, districts and youth-serving organizations that promote character development in Pre-K–grade 12 students. Applications are evaluated by a blue-ribbon panel of education professionals. Selected practices are shared on the Synergy website to inspire and support other educators.
Synergy & Leadership Exchange has presented 119 Minnesota Promising Practices since the program began in 2008.
Key highlights of the event included a message from Minnesota Education Commissioner Willie Jett along with a presentation of Gov. Walz’s “Character Recognition Day” proclamation, an inspiring keynote from Suwana Kirkland, Dakota County Community Corrections Director, and an awards presentation highlighting innovative and successful practices, programs, and outcomes in character and ethical leadership development.
“I believe character demonstrates a higher power and calling that skills and competency does not produce, reveal or measure,” Kirkland said in a press release. “Having good character is fundamentally critical in every position of public service.”
"The Character Recognition Awards is a great event to spotlight character as a measure of success and to celebrate the remarkable work being done by schools, community programs and individual leaders," Wanda Sommers Wall, executive director of Synergy & Leadership Exchange, said in a press release. “A sincere thank you to our 2025 Respect Sponsor, Blaze Credit Union.”
Through events like the Character Recognition Awards, Synergy & Leadership Exchange aims to motivate honorees for continued success, inspire others with outstanding examples, and celebrate the transformative impact of character formation in schools and community programs.