ABOUT CITRS
Building Character.
Strengthening Communities.
Creating a Brighter Future.
CITRS partners with schools, youth organizations and communities to build sustainable cultures of character, integrity and positive relationships.
“Character is power.”
— Booker T. Washington
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Our Mission
Empowering people to achieve success by building a strong foundation of character.
OUR VALUES
The Values That Guide Us
Relationships
Build meaningful connections.
Collaboration
Achieve more together.
Innovation
Find better ways forward.
Integrity
Do what's right, always.
Respect
Value every individual.
Excellence
Strive for lasting impact.
OUR HISTORY
A Legacy of Impact
In 2010, Clay Hamlin and Gene Miller founded CITRS with a simple but powerful belief: character is the foundation for success in life.
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They saw a need for effective character development in schools and began their work with a focus on young people.
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Over time, CITRS expanded its mission to also focus on adults who serve young people, providing consultation, support and guidance to help school and organization teams build stronger, more cohesive communities.
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Today, CITRS is a nonprofit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization and a 501(c)(3) public charity.
2010
Clay Hamlin and Gene Miller founded CITRS, with a focus on character development in schools and youth organizations.
Next
Expanded to include adults who serve young people.
Then
Provided consultation, support and guidance to school and organization teams.
Today
A nonprofit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization and a 501(c)(3) public charity.
Clay Hamlin and Gene Miller
A Deep Dive into the
Origins of CITRS
Learn how Clay Hamlin and Gene Miller founded and built CITRS to become a leader in the field of character development in this self-published book released in November 2020.
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“What I’ve learned is that to be successful, you can’t just follow the herd. Sometimes you need to be an outsider.”
—Clay Hamlin, CEO & Co-Founder, CITRS
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“We often chase money, status, and recognition in our careers. But we don’t see character as a worthy possession, as everything. The truth is, it’s the best thing anyone can have.”
—Gene Miller, President & Co-Founder, CITRS
Our Goal for True Success
The problem with "success" as we know it
There are many difficult challenges facing young people today. Compounding these challenges are the societal pressures to attain "me-centered" achievements, such as money, fame, and popularity. From a very young age, the expectation for "me-centered" achievement is also ingrained in our educational systems where grades and test scores dominate student assessments. When we prioritize these achievements at the expense of our character and "other-centered" achievements, our lives become unbalanced, and ultimately "true success" is often elusive.
"True success" is what we need
True success in life requires a balance between both "me-centered" and "other-centered" achievements. These "other-centered" achievements include our role as a parent, a friend, a colleague, or member of our local, state, and national communities. In recent years, ​educators, policymakers, scholars, scientists, and foundations are increasingly recommending "other-centered" programs for schools.
True Success is Achieved When There is a Balance Between
​"Me-Centered" and "Other-Centered" Achievements
