This booklet describes the characteristics of 19 Chicago area schools designated as winners in a 1984-85 recognition program entitled "For Character" sponsored by the University of Illinois at Chicago. These public and private elementary and secondary schools were outstanding in developing student character and academic learning. Characteristics of winners include the following: (1) they stressed planning and foresight; (2) they stressed the importance of constructive symbolic and emotional appeals; (3) they used a variety of means to stress academic learning; (4) they stressed maintaining supportive relationships; and (5) they reached out to involve outsiders. Evaluation and identification of excellent schools is a complex task; while extraordinary staff do make a school better, they must follow certain specific patterns if they want to run good schools. This program articulated objective criteria associated with well-run schools and then found schools to meet the criteria. Good schools can be identified without entering the questionable process of personality assessment. A sample self-assessment form used by the program is provided. (LHW)