West Seneca East students wanted to let their peers know they were cared about, so they placed encouraging Post-it notes on students’ lockers this week to brighten their day. The notes said things like “high school isn’t scary” and “don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.” The effort was part of leadership day to encourage the students to do great things.
“What we wanted to show kids is how being a leader can make others happy in the community,” shared Nadine Ocasio, a teacher at the school. “It gives them the opportunity to pause their school day and do something for others. It’s a very soothing activity for them to do and to know they are going to give happiness to someone is a good thing.”
Students completed projects such as making cards for sick children in the hospital and the elderly at retirement homes, raising money for people in need, collecting money and items for local food banks and animal shelters, placing kindness notes on lockers throughout the school, making blankets for veterans, and writing thank you cards and giving small gifts of gratitude to teachers, janitors and lunchroom employees.
“I thought there were a lot of very unique projects,” Ocasio continued. “I like to see they are identifying people who don’t usually get thanked and are thanking them.”
Great job, everyone!
