Kindergartners learn meaning of success

COSTA MESA ? Skill. Poise. Team spirit. Friendship. Fitness. Confidence. Self-control. Cooperation. Hard work. Loyalty. Alertness. Action. Determination. Enthusiasm.

These are the 14 qualities on John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, one of the most famous inspirational models in the world. And this spring, they were the steps that Kristin Fredriksson’s students took to getting a letter from the legendary UCLA coach and bestselling author.

This year, Woodland Elementary School ? a small Costa Mesa campus that services kindergarten through second grade ? began teaching Wooden’s children’s book “Inch and Miles” to students as a way of encouraging better behavior on campus. Fredriksson, who teaches kindergarten, led her students in assembling a book in which they described how Wooden’s steps related to their own lives.

Once finished, Fredriksson sent the book to Wooden himself. A few days ago, the class got a thumbs-up from the ultimate pyramid authority.

“I wasn’t surprised, because that’s the way he is,” said Principal Lauren Medve. “This is important to him ? character education in the classroom.”

In Fredriksson’s cluttered, colorful room, posted on the wall next to a diagram of the Pyramid of Success, are Wooden’s handwritten words to the students. The former coach, now 95, praised the students for “the beautiful book, your comments and drawings” and capped the letter with the words “Love one another.”

For their project, the students each selected one quality on the pyramid that they felt best represented them and wrote a paragraph on it accompanied by a drawing of Wooden. Bradley Siegel wrote that he honored team spirit by rooting for the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Kyle Jarvis-Buenrostro said he used poise in cooperating with others.

Of course, the 14 steps on the pyramid often flow together. When asked how she exhibited team spirit, Rachel Dangl, 6, replied, “By doing hard work.”

And Joe Loubet, 6, on the definition of hard work: “I take action.”

Fredriksson said she was initially wary of teaching “Inch and Miles” in her class because the book was so wordy, but she found that students cottoned to it quickly. The book tells the story of a rat and a worm ? the title characters ? whose teacher sends them on a journey to figure out the meaning of success.

Although Fredriksson’s class was the first to contact the coach himself, others at Woodland have done their own projects this year. Carol Gaylord’s class sent a letter to Wooden on Monday, while Susan Shaw had students and parents keep journals together in which they wrote about the 14 steps on the pyramid.

Once Fredriksson’s students got hooked on the Pyramid of Success, the teacher often used it as a motivational tool.

“We keep bringing it up,” she said. “We say, ‘Oh, wouldn’t John Wooden be proud of you?’”dpt.20-wooden-dl-CPhotoInfo2P1S4UG620060620j14oyfncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)The hand-signed letter from former UCLA coach John Wooden is posted in the kindergarten classroom of Kristin Fredriksson at Woodland Elementary.