Once again, the employees, students and teachers from Manatee County schools accepted the Great Kindness Challenge.
The national initiative, held January 22-26, 2024, encourages adults and youth to spread kindness with help from a checklist of fun activities.
Sea Breeze Elementary School celebrated by making a human chain and passing along a hula-hoop while students were connected by holding hands.
They also made a paper chain with kind quotes for the entire school to read.
Several students at Gene Witt Elementary School received a certificate for their extra acts of kindness.
Meanwhile, Lakewood Ranch High School students welcomed their peers to school by holding posters with positive messages.
The teens also committed to being the “I” in KIND by signing a sign in the lunchroom.
With beautiful blue skies as a backdrop, Bayshore Elementary students used the school's fence as their canvas to create messages of kindness.
Young writers at Sugg Middle School wrote suggestions about how to spread kindness, such as "Give someone a compliment" and "Always be positive".
All School District of Manatee County worksites and schools received a "kindness coin". The coins are intended to be given to students or staff for their kind acts. Each coin has a unique four-digit number and allows Dr. Skip Wilhoit and team to track the amazing stories of kindness.
The coin, which is now in the hands of a Southeast High School student, will be released into the world at the end of the school year to create a ripple effect of kindness.
Finally, members of Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary's SAVE Promise Club made friendship bracelets to show each other they are never alone.
Mrs. Tretolo's fifth grade class from McNeal Elementary School organized a project called "McNeal Choose Kindness Quilt". Every class created a quilt piece to design and color. Students and staff synergized to create a beautiful work of art in order to celebrate kindness.