PCES kicks off Kind Campaign

The teachers and staff at Phil Campbell Elementary School are making it their goal to not only instill knowledge in their students but to try to reinforce good character traits as well. Jan. 22, under the guidance of the school counselor Laura Voyles, PCES kicked off The Great Kindness Challenge, a worldwide movement.

Each day of the challenge the students have a different kindness goal, like talking to someone they don’t normally talk to and complimenting others.

“Kindness is something we teach all the time, but we’re trying to reinforce it. It’s about creating a culture of kindness within the school,” Voyles said.

In the classroom, teachers will talk about how kindness is teachable, how it is contagious and the science behind being kind.

“Research has shown that kindness makes you physically, mentally and emotionally better, and it’s contagious,” Voyles said.

Younger students will have learning aides, like “kindness critters,” while older students will learn more about topics like bullying and what happens when someone is not kind to others, Voyles explained.

Voyles set up a box in the school hallway by the office where students can put their “Caught Being Kind” cards that they fill out when they see or experience another student being kind and want to recognize them for it.

“At the end of the week, we’ll draw names and give out kindness critters and candy to those students. Anything we can do like that to make the lesson stick, we do,” Voyles said.

PCES is extending the kindness campaign into February during Random Acts of Kindness week, Feb. 11-16. Voyles said teachers will be on the lookout for students who exhibit kindness.

“We always want to finish it up by explaining to the students that it’s important to be kind whether you’re being noticed for it or not,” Voyles said.

She compared kindness to a muscle: “The more you use it, the stronger it gets and the better you feel.”