There are two models to build students' characters, which are independence and collaboration. Independence is performed internally by the educational institution itself, while collaboration is done through "cooperating with" other institutions. MAN 2 Yogyakarta is an institution that has built the characters of its students in collaboration with Ainul Yakin Islamic boarding school Gunungkidul. The school applies independence model by creating "child-friendly" madrasa through habituation, and it runs without violence and punishment. Naughty students are considered the ones who have "more energy". If such students do not change better until grade XII, a "service" process is conducted. The collaboration model is conducted with the Ainul Yakin Islamic boarding school. This Islamic boarding school fosters students with special needs (disabilitied students) who have special potential for each individual student. This potential is the thing that puts the students at the level of 'ilmal yaqin, Ainul yaqin, or Haqqul yaqin, for Assisted Students, Assisted-Directed Students, and independent Students. The collaboration between the two institutions provides new hope for students who have "more energy" and disabled students to rise up and have independent characters.