Photos by Edyta Blaszczyk, audio and video by Kerry Dougherty

Each morning at Murphysboro Middle School, instead of going directly to class, the students gather in the gymnasium for the lesson of the day from Assistant Principal David Brauer.

The sessions are intended to give the students a positive start to their day, while teaching them life lessons about character, respect and responsibility. Through this program Brauer said students have learned how to treat others and how to make positive choices in their life. Before sending them off to class, Brauer tells students to “Have a great day (or not) the choice is yours.”