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District Observes Great Kindness Challenge January 26-30

Posted January 26, 2015

2How many times have you heard someone say ‘Just imagine if the world were a kinder place?’ Schools in the ISD are doing more than just saying that- they are turning those words into actions! Students, faculty and staff in schools across the district are participating in the Great Kindness Challenge January 26-30.

“We are working together, as a district, to create a culture of kindness in our buildings and beyond,” said Nancy Lewis, ISD director of public relations and communications and director of character education. Lewis said she is charging building leaders to do three things during the Great Kindness Challenge- include every student and staff member, involve parents and community partners and create opportunities for real and meaningful change- and building leaders throughout the district are responding.

Bridger Middle School staff plans to write kindness quotes and messages on the sidewalk where buses drop off students and Principal Janet Richards is calling all Bridger families and encouraging them to practice kindness at home. Little Blue Elementary students are creating a kindness chain- each link in the chain created each time a student does something kind for someone else- and making cards for nursing home residents, hospitalized children and Independence police officers and firefighters. “We are going to display kindness messages on our marquee and read a kindness quote during the announcements every day,” said Chrissy Taylor, Little Blue counselor.

Mill Creek Elementary is encouraging students who walk to school to make cookies for the crossing guards. Bryant and Procter Elementary is creating a daily act of kindness list, encouraging students to say ‘hi’ and ‘thank you.’ “I have talked to students about what kindness looks like, feels like and sounds like,” said Alesia Robinson, school counselor. “I told them each act of kindness makes the whole world a little bit better.”

It is not just the district’s younger students getting involved, random acts of kindness are sweeping through the ISD’s three high schools too. William Chrisman students set a goal of 10,000 acts of kindness for the week and are going to display a ‘Kindness Matters’ sign along U.S. 24 Hwy. for everyone to see. Van Horn is creating a kindness wall in their cafeteria. Spring Branch Elementary students are focusing on kindness to animals by donating pet toys to an animal shelter and are also trying to set a Guinness World Record for most kind-hearted handprints in an artwork. World record-setting or not, the real message is simple- everyone can make a difference, one random act of kindness at a time.

“Sometimes, one random act of kindness can completely change someone’s day,” Lewis said, “and sometimes, we forget that. This week, we want to remember that.”