Middle school initiates kindness challenge

Morton Middle School students display their “Dude. Be Kind.” shirts in hopes to promote kindness in school and daily lives. CONTRIBUTED

Morton Middle School students display their “Dude. Be Kind.” shirts in hopes to promote kindness in school and daily lives. CONTRIBUTED

VANDALIA — Kindness is sweeping Morton Middle School and organizers are hoping it becomes a way of life for the students

Teacher Amy Stein developed the idea for the school-wide campaign when brainstorming with a friend who is an activities director in California. The two educators compared notes regarding character education and some of the missing elements in schools today. After researching, Stein and fellow teacher Lisa Erdahl rolled out the plan to staff Oct. 10. The staff presented the challenge to students Oct. 14. Within the first week, nearly 600 students have pledged to be a part of the Kindness Challenge.

“Kindness is a choice not an item on a checklist to mark off each day. We want to encourage students to make that choice every single day with their words and their actions,” Stein said.

As part of the Kindness Challenge, students are given ideas of how they can display daily kindness to their fellow students and beyond the school yard.

“We want students to understand kindness does not have to be grand gestures. Sometimes kindness is just a smile, opening the door, saying please and thank you, inviting someone new to sit with you at lunch or sending a thank you note. Kindness is one of the greatest gifts we can give and it does not cost us anything,” Stein said.

There is an opportunity to support this challenge by signing a banner at the school. Once the banner is signed, students receive a wristband with the challenge slogan, “Dude. Be Kind.” inscribed. Pink T-shirts with the slogan are also available for purchase to join the students and staff in their venture.

“Teachers will be checking in weekly with their advisory students and discussing ways they are being kind and ways they can show kindness daily. Additionally, we want students to utilize our social media accounts with the #dudebekindmms to showcase their kindness at school, at home and in their community,” Stein said.

Facebook and Instagram accounts have been set up to promote the activities and recognize the work going on at Morton.

For more information, contact Morton Middle School 937-415-6600.

CASEY LAUGHTER

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