Small Acts of Kindness Day

Wednesday, October 12, was declared “Small Acts of Kindness Day” at WSD. Conceived and organized by the Middle School Hope Squad, it was the first of many–we hope–similar events to come. Students in all grades accepted the invitation to “complete a small act of kindness to make someone’s day better.” Here’s how it worked:

1. Members of the Hope Squad placed bags outside each pod. Bags contained small slips of paper, each one containing a small act of kindness.
2. Each student reached into the bag and chose an act of kindness to perform that day, and wrote their name on the back of their slip.
3. When the small act of kindness was completed, the student turned in their slip of paper to the classroom teacher.
4. At the end of the day, Hope Squad members collected the slips of paper from each teacher and passed out a small prize for each student–the Hope Squad’s small act of kindness to Lower School.

Examples of small acts of kindness included “eat lunch with someone you don’t know,” “give a hug to Mrs. Shunn-Mitchell,” and “smile and say hi to 10 people.” Hope Squad members Jenevieve Witham and Brody Dicks visited each Lower School classroom to talk about “Small Acts of Kindness Day” and the goals they were hoping to achieve — namely, that all WSD students would “feel a lift” from being both the giver and receiver of small acts of kindness.

According to teacher observations, it worked!

My students (and many students I passed in the halls) were especially kind today. I overheard a number of students express how it made them feel better.

My kids were so excited to do these little acts and it set a nice atmosphere for our room. Plus, the little slips of paper were as exciting as fortune cookies!

The HOPE squad kids who came in our room were like heroes to our kids.

Your activity made for a fun, positive atmosphere that morning and throughout the day.

Can we make this type of thing a regularly scheduled program? I really enjoyed it.

My students would like to keep doing it all year!

My class loved this activity. They want to create their own Hope Squad within our classroom! We are excited to participate in more activities to come!

And from Lower School Director, Melissa Shunn-Mitchell, “Thank you, Hope Squad, for helping to build a school culture that celebrates acts of kindness and thinking of others. This has been a wonderful experience for our entire WSD community.”

For more information on the Middle School Hope Squad, contact Megan Hurster, Hope Squad Advisor.