Whether it is from cheating on tests or vandalizing school property, Coppell High School has had its fair share of incidents dealing with students making the right decision.

To curb the amount of dishonesty and to change the thinking of some students, CHS administration and staff redefined its purpose statement and presented integrity lessons (called the Cowboy Camp) on the first two days of the 2018-2019 school year.

The lessons consisted of teachers explaining one of the most significant aspects of the new purpose statement, which emphasizes what it means to have integrity, its characteristics and how students can apply that to their everyday life. The lessons were molded into their corresponding subjects, such as math or English so students could see how the lesson aligns with concepts taught in their class.

The presentations also covered the changes to the purpose statement which encourages, “a supportive, diverse, and dynamic learning community that celebrates success and is committed to a culture of integrity”.

Adjustments to the purpose statement and the concept of the integrity lessons started during the summer when CHS Principal Dr. Nicole Jund and the Coppell ISD Board of Trustees sat down to envision what Coppell High School’s culture would be five years down the road.

“We got a bunch of stakeholders to write and design our purpose statement, surveyed students and educators and looked at where we were as a campus and where we wanted to be in the future,” Jund said.

The basis for the integrity lessons is to expose students to the new purpose statement and encourage students to do the right thing, regardless of the environment they are in.

“It is more than just cheating on a test, it is a bigger concept. We want everybody to be on the same page when we talk about integrity,” Jund said. “Academic integrity is a part of that, but it is also about being honest and forthright.”

Many educators, such as AP Statistics teacher and cross country coach Don Kemp, thinks this is a good way to educate kids about being honest.

“I thought [the integrity lessons] were good to reiterate the purpose of the school this year, and to decrease the amount of cheating that happens,” Kemp said. “Obviously it might not help 100 percent but I hope kids will think about it.”

Some students agree the lessons are a good way to educate students, including sophomore Rahul Rajamani.

“The school really emphasized on integrity and it was a major eye-opener,” Rajamani said. “I think this year they are really trying to make better changes to the whole atmosphere of CHS.”

Other students are skeptical that their peers will change their dishonest ways.

“A lot of people at CHS have been dishonest for so long now, I really do not think that these lessons will change what a student does and does not do,” senior Makayla Burney said. “Being at CHS for so long, I think it will just make [students] more prone to hiding [dishonesty] better.”

But instead of trying to impose harsh consequences to decrease the amount of cheating observed in previous years, Jund hopes to commit to a culture where everybody can grow and learn.

“We are not all about creating a punitive environment,” Jund said. “At some point, if we shift the focus away from things that are negative, and understand that we are here together, anybody can travel down the avenue which they can learn and grow in, whether it is AP, IB, fine arts or STEM courses.”

To transform the attitudes and mentalities seen from students, campus administration plans to implement the purpose statement, and reinforce it every six weeks, with more presentations focusing on integrity and other aspects the school hope to emphasize, such as diversity.

“We wanted to reinfuse the conversation periodically throughout the year so that the students do not forget what we want to be all about as a school,” Jund said.

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