Stories Teach Real-Life Lessons At Gubser

Statesman Journal (Salem, OR): "What do you think it means to be a good sport or a bad sport?" Gubser Elementary School counselor Michelle Mills looked around the classroom as second-graders' hands shot up. "Being a good sport is about taking turns," Cookie Boyd said. "A poor sport is if you start playing soccer, and you don't ever really finish a game," Andru Flores said. "A bad sport is if you're playing a game, and you say, 'You're breaking the rules,' when you're the one who's actually not following the rules," Hope Ferns said. Mills read the book "The Real Winner," by Charise Neugebauer. The book is one of about 40 that Mills purchased this school year after receiving a Salem-Keizer Education Foundation grant. Mills wanted a way, beyond giving lectures, to teach Gubser students about good character traits. "It's easier for them to talk sometimes about how they feel by projecting it through a character. They feel safer talking about things," Mills said. "It helps them open up, and gives them ideas about how to solve problems." She has books about bullying, anger, teasing, lying, dealing with divorce and a wide array of other issues.