There are literally hundreds of good habits that can be formed.
Since good habits are interrelated (for example, a person who is patient tends to be kind as well), Northfield believes that four virtues can effectively form the students’ character as a whole.
The virtues of H.O.P.E. are transmitted and integrated with the other Character Formation Programs of the school.
Humility.
A person who has the virtue of humility has a good knowledge of himself. He knows his strengths and is not ashamed of them, but neither does he boast or brag about them. He also knows his weaknesses and shortcomings, but he does not make excuses for them. Instead, he strives to overcome and correct these things. A consequence of having the virtue of humility is being respectful and polite to other people, whether to parents, persons in authority or peers. He avoids mistreating people and thinking he is above them. He is also open to suggestions and obedient towards superiors.
Order.
A person who has the virtue of order manifests this characteristic in two areas: his priorities and his things. He knows that not all things are equal, hence, the need to prioritize or put more weight on more important things. As such, he devotes the appropriate amount of time to God, family, others and himself and strives to be punctual in his appointments. Having the virtue of order also entails being neat and tidy with his things, including his grooming and uniform.
Piety.
A person who has the virtue of piety has a strong sense of awareness that he is a child of God. Being a son of God, he always wants to please his Father God. As such, he devotes enough time to acts of piety, such as doing mental prayer where he finds quiet time to talk and listen to God, going to the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, going to the Sacrament of Confession and praying the rosary. To make God happy, he also offers his work and studies to God and strives to treat other people kindly, especially since they are also children of God.
Excellence.
A person who has the virtue of excellence has the habit of doing things well. He puts his heart and effort into whatever task he needs to do, is concerned even with small details, and he constantly strives to further improve on doing them. Since he has the habit of doing things well even when things are difficult, he is considered to be responsible and reliable. He strives for excellence not for excellence’s sake, but to be able to love and serve others better.
