The Random Acts of Kindness Club at the Estevan Comprehensive School has been doing their part to spread cheers and smiles at the school, often with simple acts to show other students that they care.
The club promotes caring, respect and kindness in the school and the community to its fellow students on a regular basis. It started when ECS teachers Kerri-Ann Lawson and Stacy Dutka were inspired by a social media kindness initiative that they saw.
“We thought that our school needed to be more of a caring and welcoming place for all students, but in particular Grade 9 students coming into our building and anyone new coming into our community,” Lawson told the Mercury.
Two students were part of that first club in 2016, and it has since grown to 11 youths who are in Grades 9 to 12.
The club has a “Take what you need board,” where club members post inspirational messages that their peers can take any particular day. And they have a kindness bulletin board with positive messages that they change regularly.
Club members have supported such causes as the Breakfast Club at Hillcrest School, the Estevan Humane Society’s animal shelter, the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy fund and the Warm Welcome Kitchen, and they have volunteered ringing bells for the Estevan Salvation Army’s kettle campaign.
An Instagram account documents their efforts.
“We could always use more students and new students,” said Lawson.
The club isn’t a large time commitment, either. Lawson said it won’t take away from time with the Student Representative Council, athletics, music or other extracurricular activities.
Meetings aren’t at a set time, but they will get together when necessary. Typically they meet on a monthly basis to create new activities.
If they have more members, they would be able to do more in the school and in the community.
Gemma Bittman, a Grade 12 student at ECS, joined the club in Grade 10 because she wanted to be more involved in the school. One of the main teachers in the group was Bittman’s French teacher, and she urged Bittman to join the Random Acts of Kindness Club.
“I like helping people and doing things for the school. If we’re doing an event where we just hand out suckers, I like the smiles we get from people when we give them little treats before school or at the end of the day,” said Bittman.
Sometimes they have placed treats on random students’ desks at the start of the day, or they have written a nice note on the board to encourage their peers.
It’s been a great club to be a part of, and Bittman would recommend it to other students.
Brooklynn Brandow is a Grade 11 student who is in her second year with the club. She joined after moving to Estevan from Regina last February, as she wanted to take an active role in the school.
The Random Acts of Kindness Club allowed her to meet new people.
“I think the club is a small way to make a difference in our school and our community,” said Brandow. “I think it’s really encouraging for me and really motivating for me and other students to do kind things for others so they can pay it forward.”
She loves to see the smiles on people’s faces, regardless of what they receive .
Rachelle Stephany is also in Grade 11. She joined the club when she came to ECS in Grade 9. The club has given her a chance to be a bigger part of the school.
“It’s a very positive environment, with a lot of people who are just very excited and happy to help make others feel good,” she said.
Joining the club was a great decision, because she has made many new friends and it has helped spread positivity in the community.
“I’ve got to learn a lot more about my community,” said Stephany. “I’ve learned that we have different programs in the community to help spread kindness.”
Among her favourite initiatives is a kindness Advent calendar that lists acts people can do each day.
Lawson said the club helps students understand that there are people who might be in need and don’t have the same opportunities as others, so it’s always nice to lend somebody a helping hand.
“It helps grow their caring and compassionate nature, and these students are very caring and compassionate people by nature,” said Lawson.
