A Personal Development Program for Students in Romania's Schools
Lessons about values, character, and good choices, free for schools: an optional course approved by the Ministry of Education for grades 5-7, guides for middle school and high school, and lessons taught by teachers in the classroom.
Asociația Maxwell România, a nonprofit organization, brings personal development programs for students into schools: the “Education for Life” optional course for grades 5-7, approved by the Ministry of Education and Research through OMEC (order of the Romanian Minister of Education and Research) no. 6.982/2025, the “iChoose” guide for middle school, the “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” guide for high school, and the MaxLeaders lessons, taught by teachers in the classroom. The programs are free for schools, and the results of “iChoose” are evaluated every year by the Hunedoara CJRAE (County Center for Educational Resources and Assistance).
The Programs at a Glance
These are four different things, each with its own purpose. A school can choose one or more.
| Program | Who it's for | How it works | Cost for the school |
|---|---|---|---|
| The “Education for Life” optional course | Grades 5-7 | Three-year optional course using the “iChoose,” “iDo,” and “iLead” textbooks, taught by the school's own teacher | free |
| The “iChoose” Guide | Middle school | 16 lessons about values, based on the Maxwell Leadership Foundation program, adapted for Romania | free |
| The “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” guide | High school | 17 lessons on personal development and career guidance, written by Maxwell Leadership Certified Team graduates | free |
| MaxLeaders lessons | Middle and high school students | Lessons taught by teachers in the classroom, on topics such as bullying prevention, self-esteem, and healthy choices | through teachers enrolled in the program |
The “Education for Life: choose! act! inspire!” Optional Course
Children learn to make good choices when life doesn't give them multiple-choice answers. The curriculum is approved through OMEC no. 6.982/2025, and teachers receive the materials, the methodology, and access to webinars on the program's platform.
Everything about the optional courseThe “iChoose” and “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” Guides
Launched in the fall of 2023, together with the school inspectorates. In the first year, 780 teachers taught them to about 24,000 students, and in 2025-2026 “iChoose” reached 22 counties and Bucharest.
The Story of the Guides
What the Results Show
CJRAE (County Center for Educational Resources and Assistance) Hunedoara evaluates the “iChoose” program every school year: students fill out a questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the year, and the results are compared with those of a control group.
The 2025-2026 School Year at a Glance
4,470 responses to the final evaluation. The most consistent results: self-esteem, resilience, responsibility, and dedication. The study also has limitations: the difference between the beginning and the end of the year is small, and the control group, drawn from a single school, had lower scores from the start. The full studies
How to Bring the Program to Your School
- Talk to your principaland your colleagues about the program and which classes are a good fit.
- Fill out the formfor schools on the contact page.
- We'll contact youwith the curriculum, the materials, and the next steps.
- Start in the classroomwith the materials you receive and with support from the team in your county.
Who This Page Is For
Frequently Asked Questions
What personal development program for students is available in Romanian schools?
Asociația Maxwell România, a nonprofit organization, brings to schools the optional course “Education for Life” (grades 5-7), the guides “iChoose” (middle school) and “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” (high school), and the MaxLeaders lessons, taught by teachers in the classroom. It has partnerships with 26 County School Inspectorates and with the Bucharest Municipal School Inspectorate.
Is the optional course “Education for Life” approved by the Ministry of Education?
Yes. The curriculum for the optional course “Education for Life: choose! act! inspire!” was approved by the Ministry of Education and Research through OMEC (order of the Romanian Minister of Education and Research) No. 6.982/2025, for grades 5-7. Any school in Romania can choose it.
How much does the program cost the school?
The optional course and the “iChoose” and “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” guides are free for schools. The association funds its programs through donations, sponsorships, and taxpayers who redirect 3.5% of their income tax.
Which grades are the programs for?
The optional course is for grades 5-7, with one year for each textbook: “iChoose,” “iDo,” and “iLead.” The “iChoose” guide is for middle school, and “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” is for high school.
Who teaches the lessons?
The school's own teachers, after they receive the materials and the methodology, and facilitators trained through the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. A lesson lasts no more than 50 minutes.
How are the results measured?
The “iChoose” program is evaluated every year by CJRAE Hunedoara, with questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of the year and with a control group. In 2025-2026, all 16 topics had higher scores at the end, and the differences compared to the control group were statistically significant in 14 of them.
How do I bring the program to my school?
Talk to your principal, fill out the form for schools, and we'll contact you with the curriculum and the steps. For the optional course, the school adds it to the list of optional courses that students and parents choose from.
Bring the program to your school
Fill out the form for schools. The Association's team will contact you with the curriculum and the steps, at no cost to the school.
Sources
- Curriculum for the optional course “Education for Life,” approved through OMEC No. 6.982/2025: the optional course page.
- CJRAE Hunedoara, study on the results and impact of the “iChoose” program, 2025-2026 school year, July 2026: the impact studies.
- Launch of the “iChoose” and “Construiește-ți Viitorul!” guides, 2023-2024, with the press coverage: the story of the guides.
- MaxLeaders lessons: lesson reports submitted by teachers on the program platform, from September 2021 through November 2026.
- Partnerships with school inspectorates: What we do.