The important lessons related to being kind to one another was the focus of projects carried out by a number of local elementary school students in May.
A program called "One of The Kind" is an idea thought up by Linda Morrow of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, and during the month of May 11 elementary schools engaged in 13 "random acts of kindness" projects.
Morrow has spearheaded the project since 2019, with a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where schools apply for a $75 grant that is used to do something kind for others.
Each school must complete the project with a report on how they spent the money and what the outcomes were.
Thirteen projects were approved in April, and all projects had to be completed by May 30.
Teachers were encouraged to help the students not only execute their project, but to follow up on it by asking students how they felt about their accomplishments and what it meant to be kind.
There were 11 participating schools:
Colchester North Elementary School
Dougall Elementary School (2 projects)
Forest Glade Elementary School (2 projects)
Gore Elementary School
Hope Academy Private Mission School (Peru)
John A. McWilliam Elementary School
Marlborough Elementary School
Prince Edward Elementary School
Queen Victoria Elementary School
St. Christopher Catholic Elementary School
St. John the Baptist Catholic Elementary School
Grade 4 and 5 students at Prince Edward Elementary School came up with the "Heart Squad's Positive Vibes Day" which was designed to combat negative interactions amongst their peers.
Students purchase items like mirrors, sunglasses, art supplies and held a day in the gym where other students could come and receive positive affirmation cards, look in the mirror and say positive things to themselves, and put on sunglasses and take selfies.
Junior and senior kindergarten students at Queen Victoria Elementary School used their funds to purchase flowerpots, soil and flowers. They decorated the pots, planted flowers, created cards with positive sayings on them and then delivered them to neighbours.
Other projects included thanking and celebrating school volunteers and crossing guards, donating handmade gifts and inspirational bracelets to patients in hospitals, among others.
Morrow says the program was started to help young people experience the benefits of kindness toward others.
"For young people to see that it doesn't take a lot to do an act of kindness. And we asked them about the impact it had on the particular person or the group or the community where they did this act of kindness. And then how they felt about it, because as the giver sometimes they feel just as good as the receiver," she said.
After projects are completed, the students will send either pictures, a video or a report outlining how happy doing an act of kindness made them feel.
Morrow says it's very important to teach kids about the importance of acts of kindness at a young age, especially in a world where it's tough for so many right now.
"They're able to really look at and think about what can I do that will make a difference? So it helps tip the scales a little bit I think, probably for everyone emotionally. And to realize that moving forward despite some of the things I see everyday or some of the challenges that we have, there are still things that we can do that are kind and positive."
She says the response this year was tremendous, with students being were very creative with their projects and learning valuable lessons about how good it feels when you're kind to others.
Rotary runs the program once a year, usually in April or May, partly because they're heading towards the end of the school year and it gives the staff and students a chance to have a positive experience to head into summer with.
"The time of year is nice with the weather and that, because we've got some groups that are planting flowers and gardens and doing things outside as well. So this allows them to do that when the weather is favourable, so right now, yeah we're doing it once a year in the spring," she said.
The Rotary Club visited each school after the project was completed and presented students with a certificate of participation at a school assembly.