Justin Kruger, founder of Project Helping, spoke to our second graders about random acts of kindness and volunteering. Project Helping organizes volunteer events that are designed specifically to make an impact on us and our community. They host over 400 volunteer events a year in the Denver metro area! Mr. Kruger talked about acts of kindness at home, at school, and in the community. He stressed the importance of being thoughtful, giving back, and expressing gratitude. He mentioned how helping others can help strengthen your own well-being. Students designed lunch bags for Urban Peak. Urban Peak fills the decorated bags with lunch and gives them to homeless teenagers. When students gave Mr. Kruger their decorated bag, he gave each one of them a 'Be Kind' button. His hope is to start an act-of-kindness-movement - when the student does a random act of kindness he/she gives their button to that person. Then they can do a random act of kindness for someone else and pass on the button to another person, and so on and so forth....

 

In conjunction with National Kindness Week, Student Leadership created and implemented Lenski Kindness week January 22nd-26th. Each day students were encouraged to complete kindness activities including:  
  • Monday: Smile at 25 people
  • Tuesday: Invite a new friend to play
  • Wednesday: Say "Good Morning" to 15 people
  • Thursday: Hold the door for someone OR thank the door holder
  • Friday: Give someone a hand OR help someone with something
In addition, the Student Leadership has sponsored the implementation of a Buddy Bench program on both the primary and secondary playgrounds. The idea for these benches came from 3rd grade students who wanted to provide friendship opportunities on the playground. Students use these benches as a starting point to search for and find friends, include others and make new friends. In support of their efforts, Student Leadership purchased the benches and those third grade students assembled and painted them. They will be placed on the playgrounds in February.