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| Colin Bundy, left, and Dominic Brown “lean on” each other during a Kindness Revolution pep rally at St. John the Baptist School in Waunakee on September 6. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
WAUNAKEE — “We are starting a Kindness Revolution, today,” Principal Liz Goldman told the students of St. John the Baptist School in Waunakee.
The school held a Kindness Revolution pep rally on September 6 as part of the start to its school year.
The pep rally was attended by St. John students, along with some of their parents and other family members.
With a spiritual theme of “We Are On A Mission Of Love,” the school is joining the revolution, which is a national initiative with the mission to raise the awareness of kindness in communities and schools.
When Goldman asked the students what they thought kindness meant, they answered to be kind, make good choices, and other examples.
Examples of kindness
Concerning kindness, Goldman told her students, “You need to give it away . . . you can never run out of it.”
To get the students thinking about kindness and how to share that with others, guest speakers presented what examples of kindness are to them.
St. John the Baptist Pastor Msgr. James Gunn told the students that the Bible mentions “kind” and “kindness” a lot, and he used the example of St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians that “You are the people of God. He loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
He asked the students to come up with examples of people who have been kind to them, such as their parents, teachers, and friends.
“[Kindness] comes from Jesus. It comes from God the Father, who is kind to us, and loves us very much,” Monsignor Gunn said.
Another speaker was a parent, St. John the Baptist alum, and EMS worker Carrie Meier.
She talked about her experience in helping others as an EMT.
“The biggest thing that they do is show kindness to a community and compassion to people that are in difficult situations,” said Meier.
“Sometimes holding their hand is the best medicine I can give them, because they are scared and kindness goes a long way.”
Going out and being kind
To get the students moving and active on being kind, to the tune of “Lean on Me,” they performed empowering and kind gestures, such as showing strength, and literally leaning on each other.
The moves were taught by the seventh and eighth grade students, and family guests in attendance participated as well.
Before the students were dismissed, area Kindness Revolution “Champion” and supporter Mike Adler spoke some words of encouragement.
“This school is going to be the epicenter of the kindness revolution for Waunakee, Wisconsin,” he said.
He also encouraged the students that if someone is being unkind to them, to “be kind back” and set an example.
Every student was given a couple of wrist bands with positive messages on them, both to wear and give to others who are being kind.
The school is also planning on rewarding students who are “caught being kind” during the school year.