LOWER SACKVILLE: The kindness bug has hit one Lower Sackville Grade 5 class—and it spread throughout their school.
Without a Christmas concert to bring the school community together, and classes at Smokey Drive Elementary School operating independently, it felt like the usual school culture was lacking as a cohesive functioning unit this year due to strict, but necessary, COVID19 protocols.
So, staff at the school thought what better way to teach the students that giving and kindness to others is great form of self care and promotes well-being, than to incite a leadership project for the oldest class in the school (the Grade 5’s).
The Grade 5’s, with teacher Stephanie Bellefontaine are known this year as “The Bellievers”, a name the students coined themselves in September, which has proven to be powerful.
And that is how “The Kindness Project” began.
In a little over a week, the students saw a bug of a different kind spread throughout them all–the contagious ‘Kindness Bug’.
After being introduced to various new technology this year from their teacher, the “Bellievers” created their own video independently with music and special effects to spread the bug beyond their classroom.
According to Jenn Robar, a staff member at the school, the students project aim was to raise money to support seniors in need who are in the QEII hospital over the holidays, and who receive assistance through the Freedom Kitchen in Sackville.
Freedom Kitchen is run by volunteers and serves hot; home made meals every Monday night in the Sackville area community as well as basic self-care items.
The students wanted to support the vulnerable populations. Supporting seniors and The Freedom Kitchen seemed like a great place to start.
Robar said that some students emptied their piggy banks and one of the first donations from the class to kick off the campaign came from two girls who donated $300—all the money they had made from selling home made jewelry. This gesture of kindness was just the tip of the iceberg of kindness to come.
Caitlyn Bennett and Hayley McNeil are the two Grade 5 students who donated all the money they had made from creating jewelry. The type of jewelry the two 10-year-olds created and sold included: Rainbow loom bracelets; lava bead bracelets; Charm bracelets and charm necklaces; Beaded bracelets and beaded necklaces; Rainbow loom chokers; and gold, silver, and bronze-colored chains.
Bennett said the two had the supplies so away they went to making the bracelets and necklaces.
“Hayley and I were going to sell jewelry,” said Bennett. “When the Kindness Project popped up, we had $173 saved. Hayley and I decided that we wanted to donate it all to the Kindness Project.
“Our moms posted what we were doing on Facebook. Before the next day, our relatives had donated, and we had $300 dollars to put it toward the project.
“This was more important than buying things for ourselves.”
Bennett said she has a full heart seeing what her school is doing for others less fortunate.
“I keep thinking about all those people who don’t have people to celebrate with or are out in the cold,” she said. “I think this will make their year brighter with all that’s going on with COVID19. I could not imagine what it would be like to not have anyone or not have a home and be out in the winter. That is why it means so much.”
In just over a week, the school had raised $2,020, but a Grade 5 student found four quarters to make the final amount $2,021, in hopes of a brighter new year ahead for the communities’ well-being.
Lilah Robar said she’s thrilled the students could all come together and raise the money they did.
“I think this community is nothing like any other,” said Robar. “At first, I thought we might make like $200 or $300, but $2,021. Wow.
“I still can’t believe that we raised that much money.”
Robar said the students felt the seniors just needed some extra joy this Christmas, especially since they were all alone in hospitals.
She said it has left her with an exhilarating feeling from helping, one that she doesn’t think anyone in her class has ever felt before.
“It’s almost like we’ve changed the world, or something,” said Robar. “I’m so proud that the community heard about this, and they chipped in and helped raise money, even people we didn’t really know, sent in some money just because they heard about the Kindness Project.
“I feel we’ve done something that we will never forget.”
Robar hopes those on the receiving end feel warmth and that there’s others thinking about them as they spend Christmas alone.
“We want them to know that were wishing everyone a warm Christmas and a year full of joy,” she said.
What has Robar and her fellow students learned from the experience through the “Kindness Project.”
“I have learned that it doesn’t take much effort at all to brighten someone’s day,” said Robar. “And that, everyone deserves to have someone that cares about them. I know for certain, that I will never forget this Kindness Project.
“The money that a community can raise for people that just need someone to make their day is something I never thought was possible. I’m so happy that we decided to do this, and make sure that everyone has a great Christmas.”
