During the recent Think Kindness assembly at Penn’s Grove Middle School, several students were nominated by faculty and staff members as the school’s first “Kindness Ninjas” for displaying random acts of kindness in their classes, the hallways and cafeteria. The students are pictured with, second row from left, Think Kindness president and founder Brian Williams and guidance counselor Marisa Mahon and, front left, Principal Lisa Stenz.
OXFORD — Penn’s Grove Middle School recently held a “Think Kindness” assembly designed to inspire the seventh and eighth grade students to make a difference in their homes, school and community through simple, random acts of kindness.
Think Kindness is a non-profit organization that works with schools and communities around the world. Each year, president and founder Brian Williams, who lives in Reno, Nevada, visits over 50,000 students across the United States to challenge them to participate in “15 Days of Kindness.”
At the February 19 assembly, which was made possible through support from the Oxford Parent Teacher Organization, the students and staff at Penn’s Grove accepted the “15 Days of Kindness” challenge to make an impact both locally and globally over a two-week period. During this time the students and staff will help make someone’s day a little brighter through acts of kindness including giving compliments, high-fives, posting inspirational notes on a locker or classroom door and offering help wherever needed.
During the “15 Days of Kindness,” Penn’s Grove, along with the students and staff at Hopewell Elementary School, will participate in the Think Kindness “ShoeGive” campaign by holding a drive to collect a minimum of 1,000 pairs of gently-used shoes that will be sent to children and families around the world. As part of the assembly, Williams told the students about the first Think Kindness project, where shoes were delivered to children at an orphanage in Nyeri, Kenya.
Williams explained that the children had never worn shoes before, and that many would now be able attend the local school where footwear is mandatory. Through ShoeGive, over 250,000 shoes have been delivered to children living in poverty, and Mr. Williams has made several additional trips to deliver shoes to the Kenyan orphans.
Penn’s Grove and Hopewell schools will accept shoe donations through Monday, March 9. Any gently used shoe, including flip-flops, work boots, and running shoes, can be dropped off in the main office of either school.
Think kindness was the best assembly I have ever been to!!! 🙂