Eagle Creek Elementary’s Great Kindness Challenge (GKC) took place Feb. 5-9. The Great Kindness Challenge is a national movement where students create a culture of kindness in their schools. Eagle Creek has been involved with the Great Kindness Challenge for seven years.
Activities to spread kindness included students setting goals to spread kindness, taking a “no place for hate” schoolwide pledge, creating paper flower bouquets, and gathering food for a food drive competition among the various grades.
Fifth grader Keira Cales enjoyed participating in the food drive.
“I love that it’s going to the Arlington Community Food Bank to help families in need.”
“This food we’re gathering really helps families who may not be able to afford food,” said fifth grader Parker Varner. “It also helps kids that are hungry!”
Fourth grader William George liked the message of being kind to one another.
“It’s important to help kids who are bullied, and tell bullies what they’re doing is wrong,” said George.
Fourth grader Emmitt Pettibone liked the idea of giving back to the community.
“We created paper flower bouquets to present to first responders and other community agencies for all they do for our community and Eagle Creek.”
"Each classroom is participating in the Great Kindness Challenge Classroom Checklist,” said Colene Jablonski, Eagle Creek counselor and event organizer. “There are 50 different kind acts that students can complete in the month of February. We participate in the GKC year after year to help students see that kindness matters to the individual or communities receiving the kindness. Students' actions do matter. And we all need to practice kindness to make it a habit.”