Kindness Club

Evangeline came off the bus at my school one day all excited because she had the idea to start a kindness club with her two friends, Hannah and Alex.  The girls were all into it and they were busy "collecting smiles" and coming up with all kinds of things they could do to spread kindness.  They even got more kids involved.  That night Evangeline came home determined to do all kinds of kind things for me around the house.  She insisted on helping me wash the dishes among other things and later that night wrote all kinds of notes in her journal for plans for the kindness club. 

When she returned from school the next day she was totally deflated because her friends were no longer interested in the kindness club and wanted to do other things.  She was crushed for the whole night and the rest of the week.  I told her not to give up on the Kindness Club and maybe ask some of the South School teacher kids if they would be interested in joining.  It took her a long time to get the courage up to approach them about it.  Before she said anything to them she spent a few afternoons in my classroom creating a flyer while I was in meetings.  She passed them out and all of the kids were super excited about it.  She was beside herself and almost didn't know where to begin.  She kept running back to me saying, "Mom!  I have a group of kids, now what do I do?" For the next few weeks before summer break the kids met every day after school at the picnic table at South making cards, signs and all kinds of plans. 

 

This text came to me from my principal after she happened to walk by and ask the kids what they were doing.  She was touched.  

 

Evangeline made cookies one night after school to pass out to the teachers the next day.  She had it all planned out with her friends.  They all met the following day to package and deliver the cookies for Teacher Appreciation Week.  It was such a success.  I had so many people send me emails about how these kids touch their hearts. They even received a card to be read at their meeting. 

Another huge surprise came when Joyce Lewis, a teacher at South School, posted something on Facebook about how touched she was by the Kindness Club....someone read her post and wanted to have shirts made for all the kids in the club.  I can't even express how amazed I am by Evangeline.  Not only did she start something kind beyond words, but she felt called to make this club happen and she persevered.  I admire her so much.  She is already a world changer at 9 years old.  This group is totally student lead, which is amazing and just speaks volumes for all the good in these kids.