Throw kindness around like confetti

Doug Revis with Random Act of Kindness members

This February, the theme at the North Star Middle School was kindness. The school focused on encouraging positive student interaction, community service, and how sharing a little kindness can change a life.

The newly formed Random Act of Kindness Club sponsored several families and organizations. The group collected new and gently used shoes for Soles 4 Souls, made gratitude bags for local fire departments, and designed a Kindness Tree for their office lobby. Amongst other activities, the club delivered shoeboxes for Operation Child to the New Beginnings Outreach Center, and collected items for the local food pantry and humane society.

A plethora of random acts of kindness were seen throughout the entire school. These included kindness posters, a cornhole tournament with all funds going to a local family, a keychain fundraiser to assist with a family’s medical expenses, students volunteering at non-profit organizations, and a “Be the “I” in Kind” bulletin board to recognize students who acted with kindness and generosity.

Two guest speakers continued the kindness theme by sharing their personal stories. Kathleen Shaffer, a former middle school teacher and current school board member, encouraged students to become involved in community service. Mrs. Shaffer shared the story of how KIND bars originated, and through her generosity presented each student with a KIND bar. The culminating activity was an assembly delivered by motivational speaker Doug Reavis. Reavis shared his brother’s life story with emphasis on how a little kindness can go a long way. Students had the opportunity to take the “Silent-Strength Pledge” and learn that they have the potential to impact another person’s life. The pledge states, “Today, my positive actions will speak louder than all my words.”