At the end of every January, the counselors promoted kindness in students by participating in The Great Kindness Challenge.  The campaign was held in the quad and in the corridor next to the library.  Throughout the week, Counselors Mrs. Laurie Tristan and Ms. Christine Silva posted kindness signs all over campus with inspirational quotes and messages.  They also set up games and followed The Kindness Challenge to give students inspiration for being kind.

“It puts a smile on my face when I see it happening, kids being nice to each other,” said Tristan.

The activities were being held in the quad and along the wall adjacent to the library.  On Monday, the students were introduced to The Great Kindness Challenge.  Handouts had students choose from 30 kindness ideas to practice all week.  On Tuesday, students made a kindness chain that had nice kindness quotes on them. They could choose from many different options and put the quote they liked best on the links in the chain.

“The Games were really fun especially when they let us chose the games we wanted to play,” said sixth-grader David Barrios.

According to Tristan, The Great Kindness Challenge is a free, powerful week-long program.  It was made so kids would spread kindness and be nicer to each other. The counselors are trying to positively affect the culture of the school.  

One goal that the counselors were trying to achieve is to have students feel safer at school and stop bullying.  The Great Kindness Challenge has students play games together, laugh, and feel more connected.  Through this connection, students will be less likely to bully or be rude to their peers on campus.  One way students were encouraged to be kind was to write kindness notes to their friends, parents, or staff members.  

“I met so many new people, I enjoyed it very much.  I hope that they keep doing it,” said sixth-grader Pablo Sosa.

According to Tristan, kindness is very important because it helps everyone feel comfortable.  In order to feel safe at school, students need a level of comfort, and kindness helps achieve a more welcoming environment.  

One ongoing concern on any school campus is bullying.  Bullying causes students to be scared and in the worst cases can even turn into violence.  According to the counselors, to curb the opportunity for bullying, students were encouraged to make new friends and not allow anyone to eat alone at lunch.  After The Great Kindness Challenge, the counselors hoped all MacArthur students have friends to rely on each day on campus.