From March 3-5, education professionals and researchers convened at the Peabody Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, for the 2025 KPCEL Annual Conference.

This year’s theme, Character and Equity for Flourishing Communities, underscored the role of character education in shaping the future of schools.

Among the featured speakers was Tonya Starks, Principal of George P. Austin Junior High School in Linden, who shared her expertise on fostering equity, character development and student success through school leadership.

The Kern Partners for Character and Educational Leadership (KPCEL) is a national network of institutions dedicated to advancing character education initiatives. The annual conference serves as a platform for education leaders, researchers, and practitioners to exchange ideas and explore strategies for embedding character education into leadership and instructional practices.

Starks was part of a distinguished panel that included Dr. Karen Bohlin, Research Affiliate at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University; Dr. Andrea Mayfield, Director of Project Grow at the University of West Alabama; and Dr. Luther Riley, Principal of Greensboro High School. Their session, Practical Wisdom from a Research-Practice Partnership: Promoting Equity, Character & Flourishing through School Leadership Education, focused on integrating character-driven leadership strategies to enhance student development and educational outcomes.

Recognized for her dedication to character education, Starks was selected in November 2023 to participate in the 2023-2024 cohort of the Practical Wisdom for Agile Leadership (PWAL) online Executive Education Program. This intensive six-month course provided her with a deeper understanding of practical wisdom, its role in education, and strategies for applying it in real-time using the Practical Wisdom Framework™ (PWF). Through this experience, she has been able to model, coach, and implement research-based practices that cultivate character, strengthen school communities, and promote student well-being.

Starks has been instrumental in fostering a strong school culture at George P. Austin Junior High School through initiatives such as the Pride in Patriots House System, character education programs, and student goal-setting. Her presentation at the conference emphasized how intentional leadership can create learning environments where students thrive academically and develop the moral character necessary for lifelong success.

Attendees lauded the session for its combination of scholarly insights and practical applications. The discussion reinforced the growing emphasis on character education as a foundational component of student achievement, equipping learners with essential skills and values that extend beyond the classroom.

As the 2025 KPCEL Conference concluded, participants left motivated to implement character-focused leadership approaches within their own schools, contributing to the broader mission of creating equitable, thriving learning environments for all students.