FROM STAFF REPORTS

HELENA–Students at Helena Intermediate School are participating in the Great Kindness Challenge Jan. 26-30 where each student has set a goal of completing 50 acts of kindness by the end of the week.

HIS holds more than 900 students and if each student reaches their goal it will amount to more than 45,000 acts of kindness for the week.

The Great Kindness Challenge is a week-long event sponsored by Kids for Peace Global, which encourages students to perform as many acts of kindness as possible, choosing from a checklist of 50 suggestions.

HIS Principal Kathy Paiml and Assistant Principal Genet Holcomb first learned about the Great Kindness Challenge while attending the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ conference last summer.

“We thought it would be a great way to focus on positive character traits, which goes along with our anti-bullying campaign,” said Paiml. “Today, everyone is receiving a lot of nice notes from one another. It just puts a big smile on everyone’s face.  I have seen some really sweet things, like notes in student’s backpacks and in their friend’s desk.  I am have been getting a lot of hugs today.”

Students were already starting to check acts of kindness off their list on Monday, Jan. 26, including one class who made a poster to show their appreciation to the cafeteria staff. Students also wrote thank-you notes on Band-Aides and gave them to school nurse Christy Moore.

Macy Flynn wrote a thank-you note to Shelby County Schools Superintendent Randy Fuller and presented it to him as he visited the school.

“Thank you so much, Macy,” Fuller told her. “That means so much to me.”

To kickoff the week, the teachers were all wearing Great Kindness Challenge t-shirts.  The t-shirts were designed and donated by HIS parent Britten Blackburn with the Alabama Cheerleading Center.

For more information on the Great Kindness Challenge you can visit their website at Greatkindnesschallenge.org/School/event.html.