On Friday, February 18, Byron-Bergen Elementary School students wrapped up the Kindness Month Challenge. Building on the National Kindness Week Challenge organized by Kids for Peace, the Byron-Bergen Elementary School Student Council decided to extend the challenge to a full month.
“We wanted to spread kindness throughout the whole school and make sure everybody is included,” said Student Council President June Dorman.
To encourage kindness around school, student council members designed posters, bulletin boards, and interactive displays for their classmates. They also created word gifts which are envelopes full of inspirational notes in the hallways for anyone who may need a lift. On Valentine’s Day, student council members placed red hearts on all the cars in the faculty parking lots.
“I’m most excited about surprising the teachers with little cards,” said Student Council Member Lydia Maye. “I’m excited about putting cards on the cars, too,” said Student Council Member Anthony Chapman. “It (the project) is important because we’re trying to get kids to treat people the way they want to be treated.”
When asked if they thought it was working, Maye and Chapman replied with an enthusiastic, “Yes!”
The fifth-grade students also took the Kindness Challenge to heart by partnering with St. Anne’s Community Home in Rochester for Valentine’s Day. All the fifth-grade students created Valentine’s cards for the residents.
“I’m proud of how seriously all of the students have taken the kindness challenge,” said Byron-Bergen Elementary School Principal Brian Meister. “They have worked hard to take it beyond celebrating Valentine’s Day to a place of empathy and thinking about how their actions affect others. They’re amazing.”
Provided information and photos
