10,000 acts of kindness

Adrian Thomas washed three cars for free last week. Stacy Taylor helped someone with a dead battery jump-start a car. Dr. Mary Dillivan watched a class for a teacher dealing with a temporary emergency.

Together, 24 students and four adult sponsors have agreed to complete three random acts of kindness each school day. By the end of the school year, they figure, they will have carried out more than 10,000 acts.

"It's putting someone else's needs ahead of yours. Every day you can find ways," said Dillivan, a counselor at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High and a sponsor of Thrive.

The acts aren't always huge -- some are as simple as holding the door for someone -- but they have the potential to change the culture of the school.

"For the students involved in the group, we want them to feel like even though they are young, they can make a difference," said Taylor, an asset coordinator for the Community Caring Council.

Thrive -- which stands for Teach, Hope, Reach, Involve, Value, Encourage -- is an initiative run by the Community Caring Council. Teachers nominated 12 students at Central Junior High and 12 at Jackson Junior High to form student advisory committees. The students meet at least once a month during lunch to discuss how to improve their school climate.

The group focuses on developing 40 assets, such as service to others, responsibility and positive peer influences.

"The assets focus on building relationships with people. We want our students to really get to know each other instead of just coexisting at school," Taylor said.

After learning about random acts of kindness at a New York conference, Taylor shared the idea with students and bought each one a wristband that says, "No act of kindness is ever wasted."

"At first I thought it was a waste of time because I didn't think it would help anybody," said Thomas, an eighth-grader at Central Junior High. "When I started to do it, I saw it did help. People will say 'Thank you, you really helped my day.'"

Occasionally Thomas has trouble finding ways to help. On those days he approaches people to see if they need anything.

Taylor is also active in seeking experiences. "On days when I haven't met my acts of kindness quota, I'll sit down and write a note to a teacher to let them know the things my kids like about that teacher's class," she said.

Nick Barna, a 14-year-old at Jackson Junior High, said he didn't realize how simply waving to passing cars while waiting for the bus could cheer up a person. He often will realize retrospectively that he completed an act of kindness.

Students hope others will be touched by their acts and decide to return the favor to others. Several said the idea has changed the way they look at school, their classmates and themselves.

"I can be part of the school. I can have a say. I can help other people out by this program," said Central Junior High student Libby Hulcy.

Dillivan has added an extra component to her journaling of kindness acts: Each night, she does a "gratitude check," where she lists two things she is thankful for that day.

"Sometimes it's humbling to see how many times you had to stop yourself from doing something automated in your day and pausing and letting someone else in," she said. "You have to stop and center yourself and say 'How can I be a better person to those around me?'"

While Thrive is new in Jackson this year, this is its second year in Cape Girardeau. Both groups were awarded $2,000 from Youth United Way to help with programming. While students at Central haven't decided how to spend the money, Jackson students have tentatively planned to organize a cultural fair.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123