Students spread words of kindness in project
CRANBERRY TWP — Motorists who saw students walking Thursday down Rochester Road weren't witnessing a mass school skip day.
Instead, they saw students on their way to give back to their community, as 66 Haine Middle School sixth-graders, four parent volunteers and three teachers went to Graham Park for a day of spreading kindness.
Inspired by “Kindness Rocks,” a campaign in which decorative rocks represent positive messages in a community, sixth-grade teachers Danielle Fagan, science and social studies; Julie Fornadel, mathematics; and Julie Mann, English, chose to bring the words of affirmation to their school.
“We asked our kids to think of words that, if you're ever feeling bullied or down, that you would want to hear,” Fagan said.
Fagan said Fornadel spearheaded the campaign among the classrooms and was the main organizer for the day's activities after she found the campaign online. Fagan added that the school also worked in conjunction with Cranberry Township officials to integrate their work with projects the community is undertaking.
Students played basketball, dug up dirt and painted and placed a sign and rocks with messages of encouragement as part of a community service project.
[naviga:iframe width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lV9FtBplSl4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen][/naviga:iframe]
Sixth-grader Sonya Dietz said the idea of making a garden filled with inspirational phrases is a great way for students to “lift up spirits” for people who might be having a bad day.
“The messages are just inspiring,” Sonya said. “Some things, like to remember to be yourself and not to change for anyone.”
Students Anna Schmidt and Danielle Malberti agreed that it was a great day for spreading joy.
Anna said the project wasn't just fun because she got to do hands-on work, but it was also inspiring for those who see the painted rocks.
“We also left some rocks blank, so if (people) wanted to spread more kindness, they could take a rock home and paint it and add to the rock garden,” Anna said.
Danielle said she hopes their work on the garden could provide a spot of sunshine for the community.
“Someone can come and take one if they're feeling sad, or give to a friend, just to make them happier,” she said.
Mann said she hopes the project shows students how much their words matter. She said it was part of a larger, yearlong commitment the teachers at that grade level have to demonstrating appropriate behavior to students and teaching them how to be kinder to one another and when to intervene if they see behavior they “know is wrong.”
“We hope that ending with this rock garden is going to stay with the kids, and they're going to know to do the right thing,” she said.
