Young students promote kindness on campus

Students are up bright and early Monday morning ready to practice math in Ms. Kennedy’s second-grade class.

At Hardy Oak Elementary, teaching students letters and numbers is not where education simply ends.

Shari Kennedy has been teaching at the school for twenty years.

“Teaching manners and giving and thinking beyond yourself really carries out to any job or future grades they are going to be in,” she said.

Every single student at Hardy Oak is involved in at least one school club, with teachers required to sponsor one.

Students like Alyssa, Chelsea, and Emma are in the ‘Kind Kids’ club.

They love reading through a window of papers that read ‘I caught you being kind.’

“Kind Kids are basically leaders and role models and they have a heart for kindness. I tell them that they are they are the role models and they help their peers by doing simple acts of kindness,” Ms. Kennedy said.

Creating a welcoming and safe environment for every student is important at NEISD.

The club’s sponsor, Ms. Kennedy, said even the smallest acts of kindness or gestures can have big benefits.

“They are the first ones to go help someone when someone drops something or someone doesn’t feel their best. They notice those things and think ‘how can I be kind today; how can I bring a smile to somebody; how can I make someone feel loved and valued,’” she added.

Second-graders Emma Navarrete and her twin sister Alyssa are in the ‘Kind Kids’ club.

“I think little people can help big people if a big person has to reach down and grab something, a little person can pick it up for them,” Emma said.

Students in the club meet several times a year to brainstorm different ways to spread positivity throughout their community.

“When you just give the opportunity for children to be kind, they step up and they love it. We just donated over 600 pounds of candy to troops who are deployed through the program Soldier’s Angels,” Ms. Kennedy said.

The kids encourage everyone to be kind to someone today.

Seven-year-old Chelsea Piper is also in the club.

“It’s really easy to be kind because if you see somebody and they just need a hug or need you to help them solve a problem you can just do that and then you are being kind,” Chelsea said.

Second-grader Alyssa Navarrete said she appreciates all Ms. Kennedy does for the group.

“She teaches us really nice and if somebody’s is hurt, she gives them a Band-Aid. She’s super nice and if somebody needs a ruler then Ms. Kennedy gives them a ruler, then they give it back to her,” Alyssa said.

“Just knowing how to be a great community. Great people and leaders in the community; just to really gather together and help each other. In this time in the world, when there are not always great things happening, you know that you can come to Hardy Oak and you are going to be valued and you are going to be loved and you are going to have an opportunity to give to others in addition to academics in schools,” Ms. Kennedy said.

Discover the NEISD way, where our educators help build compassionate students in each and every classroom.