LINDEN — In honor of International Kindness Week, Jan. 27-31, school administrators created a slew of kindness activities to remind students of an age-old rule of thumb: Be nice, for goodness’ sake.
Making the most of the week were the teachers and students at Pleasant Hill Elementary. Using the upcoming Super Bowl as a theme, each day was given a title, such as “Kick Off” Kindness Week for Monday, “Blitz” Kindness Everyday for Wednesday and “Tackling” Kind Acts is No Sweat for Friday.
Adding generosity to the list, students were encouraged to bring in donations for the Animal Welfare League. Items like pet food, cat litter and cleaning supplies lined the hall near the entrance to the gymnasium by Wednesday.
“When the kids drop off a donation, the student-leadership kids give them a paper football to put their name on, and then they vote for who they think is going to win the Super Bowl — the Chiefs or the 49ers — by putting it on the board,” Counselor Eileen Bormann said. “They call them ‘dognations’ instead of donations, and they divide them up. They’re so stinking cute.”
The week-long event was created by Kids for Peace, a global nonprofit organization which sponsors The Great Kindness Challenge, also utilized by staff at Pleasant Hill.
“Every (grade) is kind of in charge of a different project,” Counselor Eileen Bormann said. “There are community acts of kindness that everyone can participate in, and each of the classes got a kindness poster that they work on together.”
Posters depicting The Great Kindness Challenge could be found in the hallways and classrooms at Pleasant Hill. Two versions of the posters, commonly found side by side, depicted the challenge in a Student Edition and a Junior Edition.
The School Edition displayed a list of 50 ways to be kind to others. Examples challenges ranged from practical to silly, including drawing a picture for a friend, complimenting five people and entertaining someone with a happy dance.
Students were allowed to create their own kindness posters, as well.
“They’re working on them together,” Bormann said. “When they finish we frame it and put it on the wall. Every class has a kindness poster.”
The Junior Edition comprised a list with fewer kindness examples, but used the extra space to illustrate how to play with a new friend, make a wish for a child in another country or give a friend a high-five.
Kids for Peace sponsors fundraising programs around the calendar. To learn more, visit kidsforpeaceglobal.org.
