Watchung Students Spread Kindness

Watchung Students Spread Kindness
Posted on 10/01/2018

Sandy Hook Promise, the national non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, created Start with Hello Week, an event in which hundreds of schools and organizations across the United States – including Watchung Elementary School participate. Taking place from September 24 to 28, Start with Hello Week is designed to raise awareness about social isolation and educate students and the community on how to prevent it. The program enables students to make a difference with their peers in a simple, fun, and impactful way by encouraging them to take small but powerful actions to promote connectedness and inclusion, and to identify and help others who are showing signs of social isolation.

children drawing in chalk

Calling Watchung’s version of Start With Hello Week, “Watchung’s Week of Kindness,” activities were offered to engage students with one another. “Caught Being Kind” encouraged students to catch a classmate, teacher, staff member or any member of the Watchung community doing something nice for someone and sharing it. “Lunchtime Color Buddies,” gave students the opportunity to talk to some different classmates while the “Lunchtime Challenge” challenged students to sit next to one person they have never sat next to. “Find Your Match at Recess,” had students grabbing a card on the way to the playground, finding the one other student at recess with the exact same card, then saying hello and striking up a conversation. “Chalk it Up to Kindness,” was a way to have students think about all the different words/symbols for kindness and to cover the blacktop at recess with messages and artwork of friendship and kindness.

Watchung will continue activities for its October Month of Respect.

children drawing in chalk

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