BOX ELDER COUNTY – By Cari Doutre, Headliner Publisher, February 25, 2022
Local elementary schools in northern Box Elder County continued their annual Kindness Week traditions that promote the importance of kindness not only in their schools, but in the community as well. Each school picked a week during the month of February to celebrate Kindness Week with activities, dress-up days along with thousands of acts of kindness.
NORTH PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
For the week of January 31 to February 4, North Park Elementary School kicked off Kindness Month with different activities, themes and dress-up days during kick-off week. The school is focusing on the importance of kindness throughout the month of February.
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MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
This year McKinley Elementary School focused on being kind in their school and having that kindness spread to the community. The biggest activity was our kindness checklist. As a school they completed 8,280 acts of kindness. They also pledged to be kind with a thumb print (pictured below).
Every day during Kindness Week was a different theme, activity and corresponding with their main goal to promote kindness at the school and in the community.
DRESS UP DAYS
MON: Promote Kindness – “Wear a shirt with a positive message”
TUE: Think and Speak Kind Words – “Hat Day”
WED: Shine Bright with Kindness – “Wear neon or sparkles”
THU: Powered by Kindness – “Wear a superhero shirt”
FRI: Cougars are Kind – “Wear your McKinley gear”
DAILY ACTIVITIES
MON: Start kindness checklist.
TUE: Coloring in the cafeteria at lunch and decorating the school with kindness posters.
WED: Neon friendship bracelets were given to students, and they were encouraged to play with new friends that day.
THU: Secret acts of kindness such as writing a thank you note to someone (at home or school) and deliver it.
FRI: Pledge to choose kindness - “Every act of kindness spreads peace to the world. I pledge to be kind.”
GARLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
This year for the Great Kindness Challenge, Garland Elementary School had an art contest. Each student was to draw/illustrate/paint/etc., what kindness meant or looked like to them. They were judged on the theme of kindness and creativity. One winner from each grade was chosen and included:
Kindergarten: Camden Tesch
1st grade: Bryce Wynn
2nd grade: Ethan Jeffery
3rd grade: Kimberly Hunter
4th grade: Chloe Richardson
5th grade: Brinley Deschamps
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“This is our 4th year participating in the Great Kindness Challenge (it's my favorite week) and so my focus was all about the students actively participating in what kindness is. Monday was the art contest which was a reflection of the student and their thoughts on kindness,” said Marcia Wilson, school counselor at Garland Elementary.
“I asked them four questions when introducing the contest. What is kindness? What does it mean to you? What does kindness look like? What can kindness do? Tuesday was a Wall of Wishes where they wrote a wish for their peers. Wednesday was coloring day and we colored kindness posters to hang around the school. Thursday was our pledge where students made a promise to bring more kindness into their character and Friday was a reflection on how their week went. How did they feel as they participated? How did our school look different because of all they did?” Wilson said.
“It was a really great week. We have talked about his character trait for four years now and it's been so amazing to see these kids put all we've learned about into action. I had entire classes completing challenges together (Mrs. Chadaz's 5th grade class read to students in kindergarten) and our school is covered in posters students made, flowers given to our front office and notes/pictures passed out to staff,” she said.
“These kiddos truly moved the adults at our school with all their kind acts. It warmed my heart. These kids are amazing examples to the adults at Garland. I am lucky to be able to witness all the love they spread in our community,” Wilson added.
FIELDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindness Week started on Valentine’s Day (February 14-18) with themed lessons around the book Horton Hears a Who. Lessons included topics such as Differences, Acceptance, Inclusion and Peace.
Students were given the challenge to see if they could witness 8,000 (yes 8,000!) acts of kindness. Every day during Kindness Week, students were given three clover puffs (pom-poms) to give to someone they see or hear doing something kind.
“The goal is to LOOK FOR THE GOOD in their classmates, family members, community helpers, teachers and even strangers. We hope we can train our brains to see the good for after all, ‘A person's a person no matter how small,’” said Tori Birkinshaw, counselor at Fielding Elementary.