Lakeview Elementary School participated in the annual Great Kindness Challenge from Jan. 26-30, joining schools around the world in a week focused on kindness, inclusion and empathy. The school has taken part in the initiative for the past eight years, and this year’s theme, “Show Us Your Kind,” encouraged students to recognize and celebrate kindness in meaningful, everyday ways.
Throughout the week, students participated in spirit days and optional activities that emphasized respect, compassion and community. Students shared kind messages with classmates, completed thoughtful acts for others and found ways to spread positivity both in and out of the classroom.
Each student received a Kindness Challenge checklist to track their acts of kindness, reinforcing the idea that kindness is not limited to a single day or event. Students also took part in a Kindness Pledge, adding their photo to a heart that was displayed in the school hallway. The growing display served as a visible reminder of the collective commitment to kindness across the school community.
Teachers and staff played an important role in supporting the week’s activities by encouraging participation and incorporating kindness-focused conversations into their classrooms. Resources such as activity guides and spirit day schedules helped ensure the week was engaging and accessible for all students.
Principal Elizabeth Blessing said the challenge continues to be a meaningful experience for students each year.
“The Great Kindness Challenge gives our students the opportunity to reflect on how their words and actions affect others,” Blessing said. “It’s wonderful to see our school community come together to celebrate kindness and reinforce the values of empathy, respect and inclusion that we strive to model every day at Lakeview.”
