Random Acts of Kindness by our Fourth Graders

From the beginning of the school year in August, the entire fourth grade has focused on what it means to be kind citizens of our community and world. Each week, students' homework assignment has been to perform a Random Act of Kindness, and what wonderful and amazing deeds they have done!  Students have baked cookies for their neighbors, taken gifts to ill friends, picked up neighbors' trash cans that blew over, comforted friends in times of need, helped parents and siblings with tasks, and so many more!  In addition, as a grade level, we have performed several Random Acts of Kindness this school year (with more to come!) and they include:  creating beautiful flower bouquets* and delivering them to residents at Quaker Heights, constructing bird feeders of Cheerios for our feathered friends this winter, making bookmarks and handing them out to elementary students throughout the building, and writing letters of support to students at Northridge Elementary as they went back to school after the Dayton tornadoes.  They also wrote letters to my dad ("a teacher's father") who went on the Veteran's Honor Flight.  Our "Kindness Kids" will be carrying out a few more special deeds before the end of the school year, so watch for them! 

*Extra special “thank you” to Hartsock Village Florist for donating all the flowers to us for our Quaker Heights Project. 

Here are just a few examples of recent Random Act of Kindness homework submitted by fourth graders:

• "I helped a friend going through a hard time in their life...."-  by BellaDonna L.
• "I brought my mom 7-Up when her stomach felt bad..."- by Vince P.
• "In my basketball game I helped a girl (on the other team) up every time she fell..."- Neva V.
• "I helped my mom be happy when one of our chickens died..."- Braydon B.
• "I gave all my teachers bookmarks to make them feel happy!"- Xavier M.
• "I helped my mom put towels away because she just had surgery...." - by Abi P.
• "The new student dropped her glue stick so I picked it up for her..."- by Norah S.
• "I cleaned up all the dead plants and leaves from around my Mimi's fish pond..."- by Lyla S.
• "I made brownies for my mom's group and it made them happy..."- by Abigail M.
• "I made a blanket at my church for the homeless..."- by Ali L.
• "I wrote Mrs. T a letter to feel better because her best friend passed away and she was very sad the past few days..."- Maggie M.
• "I opened the garage door so my mom could drive her car into the garage..."- by Ethan G.
• "I helped pull in my grandma's trash cans..."- by Colton D.
•   "I held up a little flower that said Waynesville Way for the principal..."- Colin S.
• "I held the door open for a lady at the eye doctor's...."- Brooke R. 

It is my sincere wish that the community realizes what amazing, kind, caring children we have here in Waynesville! I am extremely proud and honored to be their teacher.   I hope you will join us in spreading kindness.

Melissa Ferguson

4th grade Teacher