It’s the season for giving! Could a small act of kindness, really make a difference? I thought I would put the challenge out to my Year 10 students.
I asked them to look for short videos that show acts of kindness and the idea of paying it forward. I asked them who at our school needs help. They unanimously said Don, our hard working and dedicated care taker. Operation Don began. We talked about how he likes food so what about a cake; two students put their hands up I can do that!. Another said we could do some cards. What jobs can we do for Don another student said? I must be honest, I wasn’t really sure if the students would do this experiment, or even remember the next day. I was pleasantly surprised when in a nice cardboard box, a cake was made, and another Mum had made christmas fruit cakes and had donated one for Don - two cakes for Don! The Year 10’s were excited to pack down and help set up the hall, some fresh graffiti was on our school walls so students tried to clean it and eventually painted over it. Rubbish was picked up around the school willingly not just because they were on catch up but because they were showing their appreciation for all that Don does for our kura. Don is a humble man and is so busy, even when we were doing a presentation for him, he had trucks coming to drop off storage containers. We attempted to sing Waikato Te awa, the enthusiasm was there not quite in tune lol. But the aroha was felt, a dance was performed, gifts were given, hugs were shared. Does a small act of kindness make a difference? Yes it does - to see our students keen to serve and clean was priceless. Thank you for a great year and keep doing acts of kindness over the summer holidays.
Also, a big thank you to our Year 10 Mastery teachers for their help, Donna, Tarena, Rachel and Ryan.
-Whaea Eliza
