February 13, 2019

By: Kelli Gile, WVUSD Office of Community Resources

 

WALNUT, CA--Kindness is contagious. It can begin as a warm smile or simple “thank you” and grow to include good deeds that create a culture of kindness.

 

For the second consecutive year, all 15 Walnut Valley USD schools joined the Great Kindness Challenge, earning the official Kindness Certified School District badge.

 

Over 24,000 schools across the nation participated in the event, held January 28-February 1, to promote kindness by encouraging students to brighten the days of classmates, family, and community.

 

Many schools distributed a checklist of 50 challenges that students could complete during the kindness revolution.

 

Chaparral Middle School seventh grader Troy Pisigan fulfilled over 30 tasks including his favorite, saying “thank you” to the school’s noon aides.

 

“I could tell by their reaction that the words meant a lot!” he said.

 

Pisigan said he hoped his actions would motivate others to show kindness too.

“And maybe, it will carry on and they will do something nice for someone else!”

 

“Troy is a genuinely kind young man and shows kindness every day,” praised teacher Sherry Robertson.

 

“We should all strive to be more like Troy!”

 

Walnut Elementary students joined a Mix-It-Up at Lunch to have a chance to demonstrate kindness to someone new and sold friendship grams with proceeds benefitting the Los Angeles Mission.

 

Diamond Bar High’s Wellness Team presented three days of Where’s Kindness? lunchtime activities.

 

Be Kind to Yourself day, held January 29, focused on self-care and self-compassion, E-cigarette education, stress management, dance clinic, and bungee run.

 

Wellness consultants staged activities wearing “Where’s Waldo?” inspired striped hats, t-shirts, and round glasses.

 

When students roll a three on the giant inflatable self-love dice, they complete the sentence, “Three kind words to best describe me,” explained senior Janice Kwon.

 

Ron Hockwalt Academiesstudents inspired smiles while delivering bountiful bouquets of pink roses and fresh greenery of kale, fennel, and celery produced in the school’s HOPE garden.

 

Castle Rock Elementary set out friendship chairs were students could relax, mingle, and complete a variety of kindness activities.

 

C.J. Morris Elementary students designed and decorated cheer-up messages on index cards to brighten up a schoolmate’s day.

 

Collegewood Elementary hosted We Life Each Other “Up” week (from the animated Pixar movie) with acts of kindness and compliments of gratitude, including writing messages to students at neighboring Westhoff Elementary.

 

Maple Hill and Vejar Elementary students cheered up schoolmates with chalked playground messages including “It’s going to be a great day” and “Take deep breaths – it’s going to be OK.”

 

Westhoff Elementary students completed their first kind acts in unison by smiling and offering compliments to each other during a kick-off rally.

 

“On the count of three, let’s all say, ‘You are smart and you are kind!’” said counselor Ericka Robledo.

 

Quail Summit Elementary students crafted Valentines cards for local senior citizens and dressed up as hippies during Peace, Love, and Kindness day.

 

South Pointe Middle School leadership students greeted families during the morning drop-off with “Have a Great Day” signs and collected gently used shoes for area needy.

 

Shown:

Bringing Smiles!  Walnut Valley schools host Great Kindness Week activities during the nationwide challenge held January 28-February 1. 

 

Diamond Bar High’s Wellness Team revved up the smiles on campus during “Where’s Kindness?” activities while celebrating the Great Kindness Challenge.