StudentsXpress Spring 2018 by Rachel Switall

AUTHORS IN THE SCHOOLS PRESENTS

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next issue: LOVE What is love? Why is love important? Who loves you? Why? Who/what do you love? Why?

Draw a picture of you with your loved ones Write about/draw a picture of you doing something you love to do Please turn in your submissions to your teacher or rachel@studentsxpress.com by March 23

Kindness Word Search C

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K M

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C W D M

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Can you find these words? BREATHE CARING COMFORTING FAMILY

FAVOR FRIENDS FUTURE GIFT

GOOD HAPPY HELPFUL IMPORTANT

INCLUDE INVITE KINDNESS PLAY

POLITE SELFLESS SHARE SMILE

www.studentsxpress.com Publisher Rachel Switall Magazine Group, NFP President Rachel Switall rachel@studentsxpress.com Rachel Switall Editor, Art Director, Advertising Director, Director of Marketing Bonita Sanchez-Carlson President & Executive Director Near South Planning Board 312-987-1980 Printer Topweb, LLC 5450 N. Northwest Hwy. Chicago, IL 60630 773.975.0400

Dear Readers, This issue of StudentsXpress addresses KINDNESS. The submissions the students turned in express how great it feels when someone is kind to you, but it feels just as good—if not better—to be the person being kind. We also partnered with TrueStar Jr. magazine for this important issue. You will find a couple submissions from TrueStar Jr. students (marked with their logo) on the following pages. As part of the exchange, a few StudentsXpress submissions will be featured in an upcoming issue of TrueStar Jr. magazine. How kind of them to partner with us! Our next issue will focus on LOVE. The world could use more kindness, and it could use more love too. I’m sure our students will have plenty to share about this topic, and I look forward to reading what they have to write and seeing their illustrations as well. You can find the prompts for the summer LOVE issue on the opposite page. In the meantime, enjoy the KINDNESS issue! —Rachel

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indness is important to the world because there are so many bad things that we see, and to see something nice is a good change. It is important to be kind so that others can be happy.

I remember the first time I saw people living on the street below the expressway when I went with my aunt to feed the homeless. I was about 5 years old and was very sad when I saw how they lived. They were sleeping on the concrete with dirt and rats and I came home telling my mom that I wanted to buy them all homes. Since we could not do that I decided to make bags of necessities to pass out to the homeless, I call them Blessing Bags. I began making more with my friends and passing out more. My family helped me start an organization to help others and I set goals. In 2016 I had a goal of giving out 1,000 Blessing Bags and I ended up giving out 1,627 Blessing Bags! In 2017, I set a goal of 5,000 bags distributed and thanks to donations from kids from across Chicago, I made it to 5,140 bags! Even President Obama heard about my work and acknowledged my good deeds in the community, congratulating me for reaching my goal. This was super exciting! My goal for 2018 is to make 6,000 Blessing Bags, to help bring Tiny Homes to Chicago for the homeless and to partner with kids across the country. It is important to encourage other kids that it is important to be helpful in their communities. It is important to give back in any way possible. It makes me feel great to help others. I enjoy doing this because I know that I am blessed and I want to be a blessing to others. I want to show people that homeless people are people too. Many times people act like they don’t exist and this is not kind. We have to all remember that we are all humans. In my future, I plan to continue to help others in some way. I don’t have a plan fully mapped out but I will always be a helping hand to those less fortunate. —Jahkil J. Check out Jahkil’s web site: iamnaeem.com It is important to be kind because it can make people happy. It also does a good deed. You can also make someone’s day better. And you can make some people be enlightened. I feel that everyone should be kind to one another. In the book “A Hat for Mrs. Goldman,” Sophia shows lots of kindness. She noticed Mrs. Goldman’s head was cold, so she decided to make Mrs. Goldman a hat. But when she did it looked like a monster. She knew it wouldn’t work because Mrs. Goldman’s dog would be scared. So she put Pom-Poms on it. So she gave Mrs. Goldman a Pom-Pom hat. —Alejandro R. It is important to be kind because the world would turn out to be a cruel place with bad people thinking from evil and not from their hearts. That would be horrible and make God sad and kind people sad. There is always more fun when you are kind. As the saying goes, “If you treat people kind, they will be kind back to you.” I use that saying a lot so the world won’t be as bad as I described. —Kailiya L.

One day my brother Tommy helped me clean the house. I love my brother Tommy. —Will M.

Kindness is about being nice to other people and helping people that need it. You should always want to be kind because when you put kindness out there you will get kindness back. And when you be kind it could make your life so much easier because when you are mean you are not going anywhere in life because nobody is going to want to accept how you are or act. So just be kind much more people would like you. And if more people see more kindness they would start to be kind so spread the kindness all over and you would have a good outcome. —Destiny W. Lavonti K.

When I am kind I pick flowers with my friend.

There are times when family sometimes is not kind to me or I am not kind to them. I would flip out so hard. There was a time when I was unkind to my sisters because they lost my things. I was so upset I wanted to punch a hole in the wall! I reminded myself to count, calm down, and breathe. It helps a little, but if I cannot find it in 5 or 10 minutes I’ll go crazy again. I would throw things everywhere. I would have a temper tantrum. I wish I could stop getting mad so fast. It is hard not to get mad when I am in the same room as my sisters. I need to work on that. —Cabri R. I plan to be kind to others in the future by being nice more, sharing, and paying more attention to others. —Jamaya O.

It’s important to be kind because it makes people happy and can be kind to you too! I do remember I was kind to someone that they didn’t have any friends to play with her so I did play with her tag. It made me feel proud. When someone is unkind to me I’ll tell them to please be kind to me and others. I’ll plan to be kind to others in the future by defending them. —Jasmine R.

I was kind to someone when I gave a homeless man some money. He was so so so thankful. I really love when he smiled. That meant a lot to me. —Romesha J.

One time I went to McDonald’s and it was a homeless person standing outside. His sign said “Help me I’m HUNGRY!” So I went in McDonald’s, bought my food and bought him a burger and gave him a couple of dollars. This made me feel good as a person. —Shane B. Charlottea S.

Kindness is not from the body, But from the heart Kindness is not to be friendly, But to be a friend Kindness is not a thought, Instead, an action Kindness is not something you can hold, Yet, it is something you can feel

Kindness is important because when you act out kindness you act out love the heart and most importantly you act out you.

Kindness is a standing ovation we all deserve, Kindness is being yourself, Kindness is standing up for what is right, Kindness is the strongest force on Earth, But most of all, kindness is like love, not perfect but somehow feels like it is what you were made to do —Dani F.

Runiyha G. My sister and I love to play. My favorite toy is my tablet. One day it would not charge. Everyone was playing but me. My sister took turns with her tablet. It made me feel great.

Once there was a little boy named Pablo. He went to a school and was very smart. Sometimes, Thomas and Teddy would bully him and make him cry. Pablo would be mean back. They got in a fight and all three got in trouble. When Pablo’s mom found out, she said that being mean did nothing. Pablo was kind to Thomas and Teddy and they were kind back. Pablo wasn’t in any trouble because he was kind. They were friends forever. —Andrew P.

It’s important to be kind because you can make someone feel good and make them feel happy. And you would want them to treat you the same way as you treated them. Kindness makes people smile and helps creating peace. If a person is suffering or feels badly, kindness makes them feel better and not sad anymore. Kindness helps everyone feel happy. Kindness always helps us feel better. —Nina R.

Make someone’s day and here’s the way: Spread kindness all around, find it in places it can’t be found! I promise it won’t take a while, light up someone’s day with a smile! Just lend someone a helping hand, and spread kindness throughout the land! —Ashley W.

Kindness is a good way to handle a situation. For example if someone is messing with you calm down, breathe, count and use positive self-talk. You need to be the bigger person and walk away and tell him or her about how you feel. Tell any grown up that’s around you. Calming down gives you lots of options. —Zalayah G.

If you are kind to someone they will return the favor with kindness. If you lend a helping hand to someone in need, they will return the favor with kindness with wisdom and indeed dedicated throughout hard times and good times. A friend who is always there whenever you need them, just like kindness in yourself. That is why kindness is important. —Leilani F.

Spring 2018

Think of kindness as a person Who people are afraid to talk to And if they do dare to say, “Hey,” They may be told not to. Because kindness is hard to understand sometimes And is not always appreciated You may run around and whine Until you look up one day and realize that it’s the end of time. But, if you see kindness walking around Alone in her compliment garden, Say, “Hey,” and give her a wave She might say, “I beg your pardon?” This is because kindness is lonely In our cruel world we don’t understand wholly But once in a while if you see her wandering about, maybe even on a weekend Don’t hesitate to give her a shout, “Hey Kindness! Do you want to be my friend?” —Alyssa P. In third grade I met a new student that joined my classroom from Mexico. She did not speak any English and she didn’t know anyone in the class. I helped her by translating words from English to Spanish, spending time with her reading, and showing her all around the school. These actions made her feel welcomed, and made me feel happy because I was able to help her. —Jaelyn V.

Alex B.

It is important to be kind so that others will be kind back and help make other people’s days a day full of kindness and even if someone is never kind you will find kindness deep down inside them. —Noah H.

In the future, I’ll be kind by inviting someone to lunch with me or synergize or be proactive. And I will be kind to myself by taking care of my body and not get sick. —Jazarra C. I plan to be kind to others in the future by making an organization and in my organization I will buy and ask others to donate clothing such as hats, scarves, gloves and food and I will go out and give the clothing I have away to the homeless. —Tyreail S. I’m always kind to people. I always say please and thank you. I will be kind to everyone. If you are kind to me I’m kind to you. I’m always kind around the world. I look up to kindness and there is a lesson. What goes around comes around. Tony S. Tasiyah

I love you Mom.

At summer camp I saw somebody that did not have their lunch. I had two pieces of pizza so I gave one to the kid. It made me feel good because I gave them something to eat also because you would not get food for a long time and that 2 hours and your tummy might hurt a lot or just might be sad and that was a time I was nice to somebody.

Being kind can brighten someone’s day. An act of kindness can be shown in many ways whether it’s smiling at someone, saying thank you, or giving someone a compliment. Every single one of these small actions can make someone view themselves in a whole new way by seeing the good in them. Kindness is important because one small gesture can make a big change in someone’s life. If someone looks upset sometimes all they need to be cheered up is a compliment. Also it doesn’t take too much effort to be kind but the effect will be huge. This is because the effect kindness has is so beautiful. When people don’t show kindness to another person this can cause pain and sadness to the person that feels attacked. However showing a person kindness can cause love and happiness. If it doesn’t take that much effort to be kind then why don’t we do it more? Why don’t we show kindness when the effect is huge and can make a person feel loved? This is because not everyone sees the importance of kindness. If we as a society open up the minds and show what kindness can do to just one person then we can only imagine what it could do to a whole society. Kindness is not only important it’s also power. This is a power that can change a mind just by using our words. That’s why kindness is so important, we can change minds for the better. It’s a power that everyone should have because kindness can do great things to us if we just allow it. —Ahnika F. I will be kind in the future by Some nice things that you could do to be nice can be sharing my pencils and other inviting people to your table, inviting people to play with school supplies with my friends you, and inviting people to dance with you! —Talia H. that don’t have any. —Wyatt S.

Spring 2018

Treating someone kind probably makes their day. The time someone treated me kind is when we went on a field trip. I did not have a lunch and one of my friends gave me half of their sandwich and some of their chips, and let me have their juice. I said thank you. It made me feel very happy. —Mariah B.

What starts with a K and ends with a D? If you guessed the word ‘kind’ you are right. It is important to be kind because if the whole world was unkind the whole world would not only be unkind but also unhappy. So once I was in India at my cousin’s birthday party when she turned 10 and after the party we were going to have a sleepover. I was scared because I forgot my toothbrush, so she was kind enough to give me an extra one that no one ever used. I was happy. The next morning I drew her a picture! Soooooooo that was an example of kindness. She gave me a toothbrush and I made a thank you picture! Those 2 things are a word that starts with a K and ends with a D, if you guessed ‘kind’ you are right! —Dia G.

World kindness means stopping... pollution, violence, hunger, global warming, racism. Chase V.

Sometimes a friendly smile can save a life. Many people walk around as though they don’t have a care in the world, but on the inside they are crumbling. I see this quite often in middle school, students walk around with a fake smile while pretending that everything is ok, but really it isn’t. Students are being bullied, they often feel like they don’t “fit-in,” and sometimes there are problems at home that carry over into school. All of these experiences can lead to depression. Sometimes I see students veer off from the crowd and get real quiet. This behavior is a red flag to me that something might be wrong. I know this to be true because I’ve been through this before. And here are some things adults and students need to know about the secret and sometimes sad lives of middle-schoolers and why showing a little kindness just might save a life. More often than you might realize students are being bullied. It’s not only emotionally, but the shocking part is that it’s physically too. In middle school, I’ve seen kids push and even start a senseless fight with another person because they didn’t like them. Yes, it’s sad, but it happens every day. A friendly smile could help that student being bullied. Yes, other preventive measures need to be put in place to make school safe for everyone, but in a brief moment a smile could make a person feel less alone, less vulnerable like someone cares. A lot of times, one could fall into depression because they don’t feel like they “fit-in” with the crowd. They may be a little different and rather than diversity being celebrated it’s mocked! It’s not always the children either who participate in this kind of destructive behavior. I remember in 6th grade during recess the monitor would always point out how much bigger I was than the other children. She didn’t care about how her comments made me feel, or that it encouraged the kids to be mean too. When I transferred to another school, I wasn’t teased or made fun of because of my size. I made new friends and it all started with a smile from a sweet kid in my class named Deondre who remains on of my best buddies now in 8th grade. Once kids leave school people have no idea what they deal with; some students are homeless, some are being abused, some are eye-witnesses to violence in the homes and communities. All of this trauma can make a person feel stuck in a hole of negativity and loneliness. Loneliness can lead to depression and depression can lead to something even darker. That’s why it’s important for adults to model kindness in schools, so that kids can be kinder to each other. There are limitless opportunities to do so; for example adults can monitor their own behavior. If you are doing something you don’t want a child to do STOP! They can say a kind word in the morning, they can give compliments, they can check in with kids to see how they are doing, they can write positive notes and messages to students. There are so many things that can be done; we just need to do them to make our schools a place where compassion is the norm. In conclusion, kindness is probably the most important thing ever! Everyone needs it because everyone is going through something—adults and kids alike. No one wants to be bullied, left out, or have a chaotic home life. We may not be able to fix all those problems, but we can be kind to each other and sometimes that’s all anyone needs. —Jamari S.

How I Envision A Kind World

Autumn S.

Londen Z.B.

My cousins showed me kindness by helping me clean up my room. This act of kindness made me feel happy, excited and thankful. A time when someone was nice to me was when I didn’t have any bus fare and this man paid for me. I felt happy because I got home safe. —Tophary S. Being kind to yourself means not to talk about yourself or talk down yourself. Don’t think you can’t do things other people can do. You need to understand how to listen to yourself and you would need to tell yourself that you are a powerful person. And don’t let anybody get in your way. Work on yourself and think about yourself before anybody else because you should think about you first and put yourself first. —Gabrielle V.B. Kindness is important as if you are kind, you will be more happy yourself. This is because a study conducted by researchers in Great Britain took 86 participants and put them into one of three groups. One was told to do an act of kindness every day, one group was told to do something new every day, and one was told to do nothing. This lasted for 10 days. After the 10 days were up, it turns out, the group that practiced kindness every day were actually more happy. It just goes to show how important kindness is. —Marc M.

Kindness is about being nice and loving. Kindness is important because when somebody gets hurt, I can be right there to ask them if they are okay. If they say no, I’m going to tell the teacher on whoever did it. They will get in trouble because they are bullying a student. When someone was unkind to me, I would tell the teacher and I was sad. I felt better when I told. —Camelle S. One time someone was kind to me was when Saniyah had helped me out when I was in Mr. Barker’s classroom and he told me to throw something away and there was something on my behind. Everyone started laughing. I ran out of the classroom into the bathroom and cried. Saniyah was the only one that made me feel a little better. —Damaria J.

One time at my old school, people would make fun of my glasses and call me nerd. It really brought me down. So, I told my mom. It didn’t end the way I expected it to, and it turned out I had to move. —C.S.

Kindness is all around us, big and small. Kindness is all around us, in your room and down your hall. Kindness is a treasure, it’s always something great. Kindness is a treasure, never any hate. Treat other people with kindness, and kindness will come back to you. Kindness is a beautiful thing, and everyone knows that’s true. —Micah F.

Kamille

Kindness is sharing your toys with other friends.

Being kind to yourself means to be confident and tell yourself that you are not afraid. Just because someone calls you this or that doesn’t mean that they’re right. Don’t let others’ opinions change the way you think about yourself. It’s your body not anyone else’s! People can be real rude just because someone looks weird to them. Just because someone says something about how you look doesn’t mean you don’t deserve things. Everyone is different and that’s what makes us human. Everyone deserves love even if they might look weird to you! —Noah E. Kindness Kindness flows throughout your body in a shimmering form. Weaving and twisting inside your veins as it lights the path ahead. It pushes and struggles to get out. Sometimes it can’t and another force restrains it. But it will usually just squeak out in a tiny form. A smile. A handshake. Or a hug. Then there is a time when kindness takes over completely. It blasts out of you like millions of geysers. Still keeping its shiny, warm appearance as it spreads out into tiny little snowflakes. It washes over people and gives them that same tingling feeling that kindness gave you. —Clark T.

Kindness who even knows really what that is most people think it’s something that you do on command But really what do you do to be kind Share Be nice Not mean Were some answers I would come up with when I was little But now being a little older I know that you choose nice or mean, love or hate most people know what to choose but actually being kind is another story Just remember that you are whatever you make yourself —Karina P. F.

Just a little act of it, can spread warmth even if you don’t know it, just a little smile can count. a wave, a hello, or even a friendly glance be considered. It’s called kindness A sign of empathy or a compliment things you don’t consider important can go so far. all count as kindness so, if you have a moment, just a second really take that time to spread kindness and the world can be a place that is slightly happier than before. —Clara O. Spring 2018

My friend was sad when Santa didn’t bring her a hoverboard for Christmas so I shared mine with her and it made her so happy. —Te’Mariyana C. Together We can stand as one like a nation, but we need kindness and patience, the terror people are facing, cause other races are racist, Our holy walls are breaking, but maybe kindness can embrace it, I’m speaking for all the mothers, the fathers and brothers, instead of bleeding each other dry, we should bond and love one another, kindness should be key no matter the cloak of your skin, ”keep your enemies close” why not change em into your friend, I shall stop all my corruptness today this is the end, but Lord forgive me for I have sinned but please stop the terror so kindness and joy begin, for everyone to see kindness is in our blood and the air that we breathe. —Kanyeh M.

A good way to handle a situation when someone is unkind to me or someone else is to tell the teacher or tell them you need to treat people how you want to be treated. But most people don’t listen when others tell them to be kind and if you don’t like that person if you’re not going to say anything nice don’t say it at all and stay away from them. —Dejanae B. When I was crying because I had a bad day Ivy offered a hug and gave me one after school. —Charlotte D.

Ahelishah

You can be kind and give a card to a person. I will be kind to others in the future by sharing with others and helping my friends read. —Destini M.

What is kindness? Is it a melody in tune with the beat? Is it the sun connected with the stars? Is it a huge storm? Is it a small speck? Does it matter how you display it? Does it matter if it’s a large way? Is it just a title? Kindness is more than deeds. It’s an attitude, an expression, a look. Anything that lifts the other person. It’s the highest form of wisdom there is. The main rule of life. And kindness is free, throw it everywhere. —Ellen A. How to Handle a Situation When someone is messing with you, you get mad. You should seek first to understand. First, ask if they did it on purpose. If they say yes then be proactive. When you are proactive you solve a lot of problems so you can just walk away. —Geanna A.

Spring 2018

Why is it important to be kind? So no one gets hurt and so you don’t hurt somebody’s feelings or make them cry. Kind is when you share, get along together, talk to each other and have fun!! You should feel good when you are nice because everyone loves to get treated kind. Treat people how you want to be treated. —Jasmine W.

I stood up for Lana last year from bullies and she stood behind me. —Iris G.

It is important to be KIND! It’s important because you will feel good after. Like if you help someone carry their groceries inside you are being kind. If you be kind to someone they will return the favor. If you be kind they will have a better day than what they are having. People need to be kind to each other! —Keira F.

I help my mom find groceries. Sincere G.

The thing I learn from kindness is that you should always be kind to people even if they are unkind to you. You should always be kind to people, if you want kindness back. —Demarcus T.

Jayden

It is good to be kind there are many ways to be kind. When you are kind it will make someone very happy. The ways I am kind are I will help people that are in need. When being kind people will repay you for doing a great thing. The great thing they will repay with is kindness. Kindness is the best thing to give to people. No matter who you know you still have to be kind to people and they will also repay with kindness too. —Charlie R.

I will hold the door for people. That’s a way that I can be kind. I can also do the thing in the smallest ways. Here are four ways you can be kind. Let’s get started. One way I can help people is by helping them if they don’t quite know what to do. The second way to help is asking them to sit with you during lunch if they’re lonely. The third way people can help people up when they fall. Fourth way to be nice is by helping people if they are going through a hard time. —Natalia G.

It is important to be kind because it makes you feel good about yourself as well as the others that you are treating. It can benefit you in the future because you will always have a positive attitude and will care about others. This will make you a better person over time and it will make you more concerned about others. Kindness will also help by giving people a hand if they are struggling at something. Another thing that is important to be kind is that you will have positive thoughts at all times and if you are kind to others, they will show kindness back to you. It is also to learn from each other to stop being mean to each other and could possibly prevent bullying. —Aldin P.

Helping with homework

Kindness is when my brother gave me a dollar. —Laticha

Being kind is a great thing to be. It makes others feel important and feel like they matter. Being kind also makes you feel good inside as well. If given the choice of being right or kind, choose kind. —Kristina M.

le, kind is helping peop The real reason to be s wa dy e. Somebo hardworking and nic s 6 then I said stop wa I en wh mean to me and d kin to my friends and they left. I am family. —Peter Y.

Kindness is about helping each other it’s also about caring and sharing and the most important way to share kindness is to be nice to everyone even if you’re not friends you should still be kind no matter what it is. You should make friends and share kindness with each other. —Ethan K.

It is good to be kind because then people are kind back. Then if you repeat that then everyone is nice to you. I was kind when I helped my sister when she was sick. Then once she felt better she was kind back. —Jack R.

Kindness, Spread It It is important to be kind because you never know what someone is going through. Being nice could make a person’s day and being mean can lead to drastic tragedies. Also, you want people to be kind to you, so you should also be kind to them as well. One time I was kind was on a cruise. I went to Camp Carnival and there was this girl just sitting by herself while everyone else was playing. So, I went up to her and talked to her. We became fast friends for the time being. This made me feel really good actually. I don’t like to see people sad so making them happy is something I love to do. Just recently, I dropped all my books. Like, everything went everywhere, and it was so embarrassing. Then, an 8th grader came up to me and helped pick up my books. I felt less embarrassed and was grateful for someone having the kindness in their heart to do such a thing because, these days, you won’t always get that. In fourth grade, this group of girls were unkind to me. We were outside on field day playing volleyball and they purposely tried to hit me twice. I know because the first time, they missed, and they were laughing behind me. But the second time, I got hit in the face. I didn’t act irrationally, I actually didn’t do anything. I just ignored them and shook it off, and I didn’t cry. A good way to handle this type of situation is to go to an adult. Though it is not exactly bullying, it is still a good idea to bring an adult into the situation to try and stop it. If you try to handle it yourself, the best way is to be calm and tell them to stop, not start a fight. In the future, I plan to get involved more. I have been a slight bystander so in the future, I’ll be the girl who helps pick up your books or helps you find the right classes. I overall plan to be a better person in general, including the use of kindness. To be kind to yourself consists of being confident and respectful. Respect your own property and don’t be negative. Being kind to yourself is loving yourself. Being respectful to yourself is also being kind to yourself. Reflect the kindness and respect you have for others onto to yourself. —Jaila M.

One day I was at my cousin Isaiah’s house. He has a video game system. I wanted to play it but I didn’t know how. By being kind he decided to show me how to play. I love my cousin and like when he’s kind to me! Thank you! —Artez O. To me kindness is like an energy, because if you use kindness you will feel good about yourself. It’s important to be kind to people because most likely you don’t know how their day has been going or their current situation. A simple “hi, how you doing,” or “how you been” can change someone’s life. This is why I think being kind is super important. —Tyson T.

This is what a kind world looks like.

Christopher E. I plan to help those who look like they need help and I will help them. I would also never put someone down if they look, act, speak, or are from another place than me because that is not the right thing to do. If there is a new kid or someone who is sitting alone I will offer or invite them to come and sit with me and my friends at lunch, recess, or in class. That is what I would do in the future to be kind to others. But the future holds a lot of unknown things so this might change. Hopefully in a positive way in the future this list will grow and I will think of other things. I know for sure that in the future I will perform these acts of kindness with others and by myself. —Monica W. Kindness is a very important thing. It has a variety of meanings, but all of them are similar. One way to look at kindness is to be nice, to be caring. There have been many times where people have been KIND to me or I have been KIND to them. One of those times was when I was getting off a ski lift with Liam (my friend) and I fell at the end. Liam did his best to help me out. He was a big help. There have also been times where I was unkind to others or others were unkind to me. I was hurt emotionally by friends one day because I lost my patience and they all decided to make fun of me. I plan to be kind to others in the future by helping them up when they fall. Getting them through tough times when they are having a bad day or time. Kindness is a multi-meaning word that all relate to being nice. —Milo S.

Kind is a good word cause when you call somebody kind when they are mad they might be happy for the rest of the day. If you are not kind to others they might think you are bullying them, so be kind to one another because kind is important to God it should be important to us. —Miracle S. Dream. Be kind so others treat you like you want to be treated. Peace is right to choose so you will have friends and so you won’t be lonely. —Preston D. On the walk to school my mom Robin carries my backpack cause it is so heavy. —Leah B. It’s important to be kind because you want people to be kind to you. It’s the Golden Rule! It’s also important to be kind because people don’t have things at all so we give them things. It’s good to help people. —Bernardo J. Being kind can get you so far in life and you can get lots of friends and you can have a successful life. — James G.

I remember when I was kind to my friend. I bought my friend something from the store. My friend didn’t have any money, so I decided to buy her something. It made me feel good because I bought her something when she didn’t have money. Also she was happy and she said thank you. —Jacquyra V. When I dropped my lunch all my food splattered everywhere. Nobody helped me. It was like I was not there then my friend she came up and helped. She said when we get done we can get another lunch. —Sophia L. Kind is about being nice and good. I was kind when I gave my friend a pencil. That made me feel happy because she said thank you. And when I was at home I let my sister borrow my dolls. That made me feel good. —Jakiyah H. Jamarion H.

Kindness costs nothing

I feel like our society as a whole is not very kind at this day and age. The influence and wave of new technology has had a generally negative impact on our well being and health which in turn, has influenced the behaviors of many people. This influence is not a positive one but a very negative one. Our world is only going to continue growing and advance but I as a person refuse to stoop to the lows of those who are unkind. People who have a lack of kindness are not going to advance with the rest of the world. Instead, they will be left fighting this eternal battle with themselves because there is a sort of emptiness. I aspire to grow as a person and to be able to look back at the actions I made in the past and not be ashamed of them but be proud and satisfied to be able to say that I am a kinder and stronger person. Even if the world is at an all time low, I will be soaring above the clouds. There is only one life to live so why waste it being negative and down? What goes around comes around, so let’s let that be kindness. —Dzana V. I was kind to this girl at my old school, and it made me feel good because being kind is something nice, and being mean is nothing. —Stanley B.

ah mi

e Jer

The earth needs kindness too.

Kindness is crucial. You can be kind in more than one way. For instance you could be kind to humans like by donating food or providing clean water and money for shelters/homes. Another way of being kind is being kind to nature. You could be kind to nature by keeping the planet healthy so plants and animals can thrive. You could be kind to the planet by not burning fossil fuels and transitioning to solar power. You can be kind to your friends by giving compliments daily. There are many way to be kind and you should do a least one of them a day. —Jack B.

Olivia and Meline always be nice to me and that makes me happy. Chanelle

I always like to push in Meline’s chair. And what a kind world. I like this school it is full of friendship and love. It is important to be kind because if you want people to be kind to you, you have to be kind to them. If you are kind it makes you feel good. If you are nice they will do something nice back. It also makes them feel good. For example holding the door for someone is being kind. If you are not being kind you might end up in some trouble. If you don’t forgive people it might leave you worried. It feels good to do something nice. If you’re not being kind you might end up with no friends. If you forgive it makes you feel better. —Fatima C. One time when someone was kind to me it made me smile. It made me feel special and happy. I love when I see people being kind to others because it just shows that there are some positive people in this cruel world. Being kind makes me feel like everything is ok and nothing bad is going to happen. When someone sees that somebody is upset or sad, just go up to them and be kind and talk. Kindness is always the answer. One time there was this girl in school that was sad and crying in the hallway and everyone was staring at her. This one girl started walking towards her and kneeled down to talk to her and she was very kind. It was just kind of her to stand up and be a good person to help someone out. It made the girl that was crying feel better and during the rest of the school year, they became good friends. All I’m saying is that people should always be kind and help out others cause it will have a good effect on them and you. —Taina G. In third grade me and my friends were playing soccer at recess when we saw a boy was lonely. We decided to ask him if he wanted to play soccer with us. He said “yes!” So then we played soccer. Then some boys from our classroom joined in. After that we made teams and played until it was the end of recess. We were all tired but then we said to each other that we would keep playing every day. It made me feel good about myself because he was happy and also after that he would play soccer with us. I think it made him feel happy because after he would always play soccer with us. We could also see him smiling a lot. After that we became very good friends. —Erika F.

Spring 2018

One day I was sick and didn’t feel well. I was very down and sad. My brother came and asked me what’s wrong. I told him I was sick and didn’t feel well. He told me Kyah it’s OK you feel better and went and got some toys. He said let’s play Kyah so you can feel better. It made me smile and feel happy. He even went to get me a juice. After we played and I drank my juice I was happy and felt better. I love my brother and he made sure I was OK. —Zakyah S.

Kindness is great. kindness is crucial and beautiful. kind has an awesome feeling when you’re kind all the time. Always choose kindness. Why be mean if you can be nice always. it doesn’t matter what kind of person you are but be kind no exceptions. —Carter S.

The time I was nice to someone I helped them with math. It made me feel good because I helped someone. They needed help and I felt bad so I helped him to know how to do it. There was another time when I helped someone with reading. —Aston O.

One time my best friend was hurt. She was hurt because she fell off the slide. She was crying, she had three bruises and was bleeding. I felt so bad so I carried her to my house. I washed up the blood and put bandages on her leg and gave her an ice pack for her bruises and she felt better. When I gave my best friend Sahara bandages, she said thank you I feel better. She made me feel so happy. She made me feel better because I never knew I could help someone. Now that I know I could help someone if they are hurt I will help them. I like to help people cause it makes me happy. —Jade H. I think that kindness is everywhere. It does not have to be a huge deed. It just has to make someone feel good. If you give kindness, you shall receive kindness. Kindness does not matter what skin you have, nor what religion you believe in. Kindness is everywhere. —Colin K.

On the first day of school a boy laughed at me. It made me feel sad but I was OK. It is important to be kind because that’s how you make friends. —Ashleigh O. A time when someone was unkind to me was when I was at school and I was too small and they would bully me. I had told the teacher and then they stopped. Another time was when I was at home and I fell. Everyone laughed. I went in my room and counted to ten. Another time was when I was reading at school. They made fun of me. I had ignored them. Another time was when I was at the park with my brother and he pushed me off the swing. I had told my mom. —Kaitlyn P. Alice P.

If you want to be kind you could make a craft or if they are hurt you could tell a grown up. Kindness is a gift a privilege a knowledge. If someone is not being noticeable notice them in the best way possible. Be their friend even if others don’t. You can be nice to someone no matter what. To some you may be unwanted but there’s always someone who wants you. That person may not find you now but when you’re looking down they save the day. —Maisy P.

Spring 2018

I try to be kind all the time, and say thank you. One time I was in the grocery store and someone dropped their big box of cereal. I picked it up for them. Also, at the clothing store, when my mom dropped her jewelry I picked it up for her. Those are some of the ways I have been kind. —Jeremiah B. When I was about 7 years old, I was learning how to ride my 2-wheel only bike. I was doing fine until I crashed into a metal fence. I fell to the ground and I scraped my knee and elbow. My mom helped me up and called my dad and my dad carried me inside my house and they let me watch TV for the rest of the day. Another story of kindness I have yet to tell is when I was at a party with all of my relatives. I was playing with my BCF (best cousin forever) when I accidentally tripped on a piece of metal and my hand was bleeding. My best cousin forever took me to the bathroom and helped me clean my bleeding hand. —Samantha C. school people Once when I was starting a new n a guy the but me to ind unk were being they did. and named Dylan told them to stop —Desmond O.

What does it mean to be kind to yourself? Being kind to yourself is self-esteem It is not selfishness It is not thinking of yourself over others What is self-esteem? luck It is being proud of yourself Which means not thinking of yourself as trash Be proud of yourself and your own achievements with confidence Trash to the garbage can —Sammy S. Being nice and being kind are two different things. If you are being nice you are being friendly with someone or a group of people. If you are being kind you are going out of your way to make someone’s day. Being kind is better than just being nice because it is right from your own heart. People that are being kind are choosing to go out of their way to be extra nice to people. They are the ones that really want to be your friend. So choose kind! —Gabi W.

Kindness is simple. It is elementary to make a smile, Yet it still has such an impact on people around you. Kindness is intricate. Kindness means more than you think. More than you think a joke or a smile would be worth. It is easy and hard to grasp, Enough that it can be summarized in one word, Or explained in an entire poem. —Eleanor R.

I was trying to be kind by sharing with my friends if they need it. Ariyonna F.

A time I was kind to someone was when I gave a homeless man 5 dollars. I gave the homeless man 5 dollars because it was cold outside and the man looked like he needed help. So out of the kindness of my heart I tried to help the man and gave him 5 dollars. —Taliyah P. Marquise L.

Steven was nice to me when he shared his crayons with me. It made me happy. Being kind is the best thing you can do to other people. If you are kind to other people, they will be kind to you and they would know you as a nice person. Kindness is what makes people respect you. If you are kind they would think another of your family members is also very nice like you. Being kind is very great for other people and yourself. After someone does something kind they would get a good feeling. So be kind to each other. —Devin S. Choose kind Choose kind because if you don’t no one will like you and you will be lonely. If you choose kind everyone will like you and you will be happy. Choosing kind will make you stand out for the good if you bully you will stand out for being bad and selfish. Being kind makes everyone know you are friendly and not harmful like people who bully. —Aayan M.

Have you ever been bullied? This is my story of bullying. I once had a grandma her name was Stacy. She was my teacher pretty much everybody did not like her, because she was strict as a line. She had some health problems with her heart. One day I came to her house to see her. She was sleeping there. She was not actually sleeping she was dead. I called the ambulance they said it was a heart attack. When I went to school the next day everybody was happy. “She should have died earlier” they said. It made me so sad. Somebody died and they did not care. I wanted to run away. Later I told my parents they said that was horrible. We decided to tell the principal these kids were expelled. This is why we need kindness not bullying. —Paul M., Pryor K.

Sometimes all it takes is a smile to bring joy to people. It will make them feel good inside. A lot of people don’t show kindness because they’ve gone through a lot of bad stuff. So they might be mad all the time. I showed kindness because I like to see people smile. If someone makes me mad I still show kindness because I never can stay upset. Being kind will guide people on the right path. Too many people want to see others fail, not me. I like to see people strive to be better and do better. I like to see people do great things for themselves and in the community. I think some people might even want to see me fail, but I have great confidence in myself and I try to encourage my friends as well. I do this by being nice to them. I tell them, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” If a person says you can’t do it, still try! You are the only person who can decide if you succeed or fail. Showing kindness can heal people’s sorrow. I don’t want people to feel sad and wounded around me. Lord knows there are plenty of reasons in the world to feel bad. I want people to strive for greatness and show the “haters” what they are made of. I reject evilness. I hate to see people get hurt. I stand by people who show kindness and that are helpful. —Ja’sean A. Aarion C.

I plan to be kind in the future by donating things. The second thing I will do to be kind is help people. Another thing I will do is make people feel good and not bad. Third, I will take care of my family. The fourth thing is I will be responsible. Last, I will help the homeless get some money. —Jonathan C. It is very important to be kind because if you are unkind, then you hurt the other person’s feelings. They feel bad. Does that make you feel good? Do you accomplish anything? The only thing you do is ruin the other person’s day. Also, the person may not like you and may not want to talk to you. It is also important to be kind because when you’re kind you will be treated with kindness, and also all people are human so they deserve a second chance. — Etta D.

Respect your body! Believe in yourself! Respect yourself no matter what! Do what makes you happy! Be kind to yourself! Be yourself! Respect yourself! Love yourself! —Jamara C. I think being kind is important because I will want to be treated kind, so I will treat others the same way you want to be treated as a human. —Ramon L. When I needed help with my homework and no one was around to help me, my auntie came to the rescue. She helped me with all my work and I was so happy. I love my auntie and she loves me. —Melanie P. Kindness is something that you show to people for a reason. It’s rude not to be nice, so I think that you should be nice to everybody. You can be nice by picking up other people’s mail, giving homeless money, giving homeless food, helping friends out, being respectful, picking people’s things up off the floor, and buying someone some shoes. —Cassidy B.

A few weeks ago during recess my friend was hidden in a corner. She had started crying because something had happened to her. When I saw her, I hugged her and asked her what was wrong. I made sure to listen to her and tried to calm her down. She stopped crying and we walked to class together. It made me feel good inside because my friend was happy. —Rubi G. Darby S.

One time Holden gave the last block to me.

It is important to be kind because being kind makes other people happy and makes them feel better. A time was when I helped someone and it made me feel really happy. You can help someone get up. When I see someone I help them. It means to be proud of yourself. —Reyhan N.

Kindness is the feeling of being cared for or caring for someone When kindness comes your star shines bright. You need kindness when unkindness comes which is usually when you’re bullied, or sitting alone. When unkindness hits someone they’re usually making themselves small, frowning, or crying. Your job is to be kind, stand up to bullies, help mistreated people, and stand up for yourself. —Karoline T.

When someone was unkind to me I was in 3rd grade. A person had put their hands on my neck and choked me. When I got home from school I told my mom. She called the school and told them. They made him say sorry. And put him in a new class. —Katelyn W.

A good way to handle a situation when Have you ever felt the warmth of a morning sun someone is unkind to you or someone else is: The calm feel of water Kindness • Ignore The smell of a frosted bun Incredible • Talk to an adult The smile of a cheer Never ending • Discuss with the bully how you feel Doesn’t take much effort • Talk to the person who got bullied Imagine all that is possible Nice • Ask the bully how would they feel if it was With a smile and a helping hand Everything positive them getting bullied The feeling of nothing is impossible Smiles These are some ways to handle and unkind When life can scatter like sand So amazing! situation. Can you believe the thing kindness does —Lilly P. —Ivonne M. —Lamia A-A “Kindness does not cost much, yet it accomplishes much.” I have heard this quote kindness is a comforting smile a lot. This one quote really speaks to me. You can be short or tall, young kindness is a celebratory hug from a teammate or old, or different colors to be kind. Kindness takes a few seconds of your day kindness is helping a friend in need and impacts a few hours of a different person’s day. Kindness is one thing kindness is doing things for others not yourself. anyone can do, anywhere, at any time. You might not realize it at the time, but kindness is selflessness kindness is a life cycle. You’re kind. Someone else is kind to you. It just keeps kindness is caring for others going. Everything revolves around kindness. Your job, your reputation, your kindness is trying your best friends and family. So, be kind and the world will be kind to you. —Samantha D. kindness is what you make it —Grayson F.

Being kind to yourself means when you do not succeed you do not let what happened get in your way in life. There is no end until the end of your life. Always stay positive and work hard. Take care of yourself. That does not mean be selfish. You have to take good care of yourself so you can help other people. —Will L.

It’s important to be kind because you never know what’s going on in their household and you just disrespecting them for the way they look or dress. And one day that could be you in their place so be kind or say nothing and if somebody else disrespect don’t do it. —Jamaiya H.

A good way to handle a situation when someone is unkind to you is to not say anything at all. I think eventually they will realize you don’t care about what they have to say. This is sometimes very hard to do but it’s the best way I know to avoid something. I tried this action before and it works from time to time. If someone is unkind to your friend you can tell that person to stop, or you can tell your friend to be quiet or tell an adult. These are the best ways I know to avoid these problems. —Kelsey S.

Somebody talked about me and called me a name. But you know what? I didn’t get mad. I just did Calm Classroom. —Samiyah M.

I recall a time when I was kind to someone. I did the dishes for my mom. I did my dad’s laundry. I helped my grandma clean after the party. I cleaned the pool for my cousin. I tutored my mom in English. I felt amazed by what I can do! I feel like I can make the world a better place. I feel like I can help my neighbor. I feel like I can help my cousins to learn English. I feel like I can do more. I feel like I should help more. —Lance B.

Hey you, you’re beautiful I just had to let you know You’re very smart A very kind soul and heart Umm I just wanted to say When you smile you make my day When you laugh I’m proud I love when you come around I’m addicted to your kindness You make me kind —Raquel R.

Spring 2018

Truvaun

My sister is kind when she reads with me. It makes me happy when we read together. My brother is kind when he helps me with my homework.

To be kind to others is as easy as a reassuring smile or holding open a door. But to be kind to yourself, is a difficult feat. You must notice and accept your flaws. For some it could be easy, and come naturally. Others don’t understand how to care for the worst parts of their core. Still, being kind to yourself is a virtue we should see more. —Lillian W. . When my friends helped me up When I tripped and fell, livia H. —O . you ut abo e car y the people are kind, it shows

To be kind to yourself means don’t hurt yourself don’t eat bad food eat good food don’t say negative things about yourself say positive and be positive be healthy work hard don’t say I’m never going to be able to do this never give up and don’t say I’m horrible and if you’re going to say something bad about yourself don’t say it and don’t think it because you are an awesome person! —George B. I was bullied in 2nd grade and I stood up for myself. I was sad because when she first came I was really kind and welcomed her when others didn’t really want to be her friend. This is why I and others should remember you’re beautiful the way you are. —Diontanae C. It is important to be kind because when you grow up and you are mean to someone they will probably be a millionaire. You might need help with something. They will say no. So that is why you treat someone the way you want to be treated. —Ryann S. Kindness is like a tree, Kindness is the key. You should be kind to It eventually sprouts people. You wouldn’t want them to be mean new to you. It’s important to be kind to others. They and makes something ut abo all it’s at that’s wh might be in a bad mood and might need a hug or someone to comfort them. —Tamia R. —Desmond L.K. You should always be kind to others if you want to be treated kind, too. —David T.

Act of Kindness It is important to be kind because we need those random acts of kindness to start people’s day. You never know what someone is going through and that one act of kindness could save somebody’s life. A time when someone was kind to me was when I was struggling with my math homework and a friend helped me understand. It made me feel special because someone took the time to help me instead of laughing at me. A time when someone was unkind to me was when people were talking about me behind my back and saying hurtful things to bring me down. I tried to ignore it to handle the situation because you can’t fix a negative, you need a positive (or this case kindness) to fix the problem. A good way to handle the situation when someone is being unkind to you is to kill them with kindness as cliché as it sounds. It’s always good to ignore negative things people throw at you because if they see a reaction out of you they’ll do it more. I plan to be kind in the future by looking on the bright side of things and not caring what unkind people have to say about me. Being kind to yourself means that you’re your own cheerleader, and you don’t put yourself down after every mistake or imperfection you have or made. Instead lift yourself up. Also it means to stop comparing yourself to people because you’re your own person, you can’t compare yourself to someone you’re not. —Alisha B.

Spring 2018

Kind is important because if you want to get someone something and they don’t even know that you’re getting something for them, that’s kind. Kind is like the same thing as being friendly. Everyone likes that you are kind to them. Here is an example. If it is the first day of school and you want to make a friend all you have to do is be friendly and kind. If you see a new student sitting alone you should ask them to sit with you. An easy way to be kind is tell someone ‘you look nice today.’ That’s why kind is important. —Marisa S. When I was in kindergarten someone was kind to me. It all started when I was in afterschool in the gym. I was crying because my best friend had already left. Then this girl that’s older than me asked me “What’s wrong?” I replied saying “ I don’t have anyone to play with.” She said “ You can play with me,” and we played Hide and Seek. Then an older boy scared me, but my new friend said “It’s ok.” Me and my friend are still friends to this day. That’s my story about when someone was kind to me. —Anastasia P. The way I plan to be kind in the future is when people say irrelevant things I will ignore them and say what you are saying isn’t important and isn’t trying to motivate me to complete my goals to succeed. —C. Thompson

If you are kind to people they will be kind back you should be kind because if you do something good to people then they will help you out when you’re in danger like the mouse and lion the lion did something for the mouse so the mouse did something to help him just like he did to help him out if you help then you have a good heart. —Wayne P.

Arriana

Once my sister was on her iPad and I asked her if I could play with her and she said yes. Then we played together.

Roses are red violets are blue I can show kindness how abo ut you! —Navarra T.

Kindness. It’s a simple thing to do. One act of kindness can make one’s day. Some people choose not to have kindness. That makes the world have hatred and evilness. Kindness is our world and we all have the capability to use it. Think. Think about a time someone was nice to you. It made you feel good, right? Imagine the world without any kindness. People would be all sad, angry, and depressed...., don’t be that person bullying people. Let people live their lives in happiness. And live in your own happiness too. —Isabel S. It is important to be kind because if you are not kind no one will want to play with you. If you are not kind you will be mean to everyone you see and for doing it you will not be able to do fun things with friends. It’s also important because people will not want to talk to you. If you ask to play with someone and you weren’t kind they’ll say no you’re mean. If you are not kind you will have to sit by yourself in school. No one will play with you at recess. You will have to play by yourself. That’s why you should be kind. It’s also important to be kind because you will have fun with everyone. —Carlos C.

Torrence F.

I am drawing a picture which represents less guns = less funerals and less jail time.

What does it mean to be kind to yourself? I think it means that you have to find time for yourself. When you are mostly at school or at work you can’t find time for yourself because you have other stuff to do. Like over the weekend you can find time to do what you have been wanting to do. Also you might not have time because you might have plans to do. Or on a Friday you can read, paint your nails or anything you can relax over the weekend and get good sleep. So always find time for yourself. Or you can ask for a vacation if you work. —Alexia R. A time when I was kind to my little brother was when I bought him a video game. When I gave it to him he was very happy. When I did this I felt like an older brother. I felt like I changed something inside of my brother’s head. And later on that day my father took us out to eat. I asked him “What is the special occasion?” He said “None. I was just being nice.” Being kind made me feel joyful and like the person I always wanted to be. And that is how it felt to be kind. —Darion H.J. It is important to be kind because the way you treat others is the way they’re going to treat you. One time I was kind to someone is when I was at my old school and someone was crying because they had no one to play with so I went to them and I said “Do you want to play with me.” They were happy when I asked them if they want to play. They said “sure.” On a day to a new school I was nervous someone said to me “do you want to play with me” I said “yes” we were best friends since. One day I was playing with my friend and someone ran up to us and called us names saying that we were dumb and we were not smart enough for this school but I said “ Well if we were and you are (we were in kindergarten) then what is 11 x 2” they stood in silence and walked away angry. A good way to deal with someone that is bullying you is to tell the teacher you should not be yelling at them or about to start a fight with them. A way I plan to be kind to others in the future is to give them a smile do not push them down pull them up. What it means to be kind to yourself is that you eat fruit and vegetables you clean your teeth twice a day. That is how kindness is to me. —Contreras C. My aunt had knee surgery. She needed help to get around, so I helped her by helping her keep her balance so she would not fall while walking. I assisted her by putting on her shoes and clothing. That was difficul t for her to do. When she was feeling better I wo uld stretch her knee. The knee stretching made her walk even better. I felt great! —Makhiya

Being kind has many benefits. No, you won’t get a million dollars, and you won’t get to be on TV, but you’ll find that it pays in a different way. A good example of showing kindness is when I was kind to someone. When I used to live in Brussels, I met a new girl in my 3rd year there. She hadn’t spoken to anyone, and people were whispering behind her back about her being a loser. One day, I saw a group of 8th graders taunting her, and I decided to stand up for her, and ran to her aid. I told the kids to leave her alone, and I asked how they would feel if they were her right now. To my surprise, they left. To this day, she and I are best friends. That small act left me feeling warm and proud of myself. I knew how my action had benefited her, and how her life had changed because of that small decision that I had decided to make. It gave me a sense of accomplishment, I left that day with a small glow in my heart and a desire to do more. When I moved to Chicago two years later, it was my turn to be the new kid (again). This time, I felt the flip side of that action. I hadn’t been bullied, or whatnot, but I had been feeling pretty alone and isolated. Then, some girls, my present friends welcomed me in, and they made me feel included. I felt like there was someone there to look out for me, a sense of protection. So no, you won’t get famous. But it’ll help you and the person both, no matter how small the act. It’ll benefit you in a different kind of way. —Noor A. Being kind is many things Like if you help someone in class, Or if you give someone a simple gift, Even if you just give someone a smile, That’s still being kind, Because even if you just give someone a helping hand, You will always be paid back, Not with money or other pitiful things, But with a thankful smile or grin. —Emily G.

Da’Najia W.

Working together is everything you could think of!

What it means to be kind to yourself is if you’re always treating someone and never treat yourself. And it means you need to take care of yourself. Like in the story “A Hat for Mrs. Goldman.” She kept making hats and gloves for everyone but not for herself. And if you don’t take care of yourself you might get sick, or hurt yourself. Like Mrs. Goldman in the story cause she could have got sick or hurt. And Sophie was warm and safe. While Mrs. Goldman was freezing. —Ava H. Kindness is a little ball of caring and happiness that anyone can give. It can continuously be passed around to everyone and cheer them up. Kindness comforts hurt friends, sad family members, and even yourself! Although sometimes this little gift can be ruined. It can be hurtful and sad and not be kind anymore. But someone can come along and pass on the kindness again! Kindness is shared every day everywhere, so pass it on! —Julia K. It is important to be kind because then we will set good examples to others then our world will start to become a better place. Kindness is great but if we don’t keep doing it, it will deflate. Kindness shall never stop or else the kindness meter will drop. —Oliver C. All we have to do is treat people how you want to be treated and maybe everyone can stay together and stand by each other and help each other it will show that the world could be a better place for everyone and everyone could have kindness and greet others with the kindness that they have. —TyJuan M-F It is important to be kind because if you are being the opposite people will return the favor. On the other hand, if you are kind to somebody you will brighten their day and it may brighten yours too! Just think about it, you could do simple things like helping people with their luggage at the airport, or inviting a lonely friend over. You could even do small things like giving a homeless person food, or even giving somebody a compliment. Overall, it’s very important to be kind. —Julia F.

It is very very important to be kind. One reason to be kind is that being kind will help you make new friends. Another reason to be kind is so you can feel great inside. —Jamarius J. Kindness is everything, it might just look like a word but it is what we feel. A smile or a thank you is kindness. The small nice things we say is kindness. So be KIND NOT rude. —Kiedon M.

There are so many ways to be kind like to share. If someone got bullied be kind. Kind is another way to be nice. Kind is a way to be a role model. Kind is a way to be nice to another person. When someone is struggling help them. Be nice to another person that is kindness. Kindness is a way to be nice. —Mireya G.

The little bird never bothered anyone. She mainly kept to herself. One day, she was hanging out with her friend, the Falcon. Out of nowhere, the Falcon started to attack and taunt her. The little bird didn’t know what to do, so she panicked. She froze while the Falcon did those nasty things to her. The small black bear rushed from the bushes in which he was hiding in to save the little bird. He pushed the Falcon against the wall and made sure that she never did it to the little bird ever again. The Falcon stepped back, she was stunned. The little bird unfroze, unsure of what to do next. She walked with the small black bear and he acted like nothing happened. The little bird wondered to herself, “Is this a dream?”Finally she got to her home, still very confused and pondered on what to do next. She didn’t know when or how to say thank you. —Mara M. There was a time in my life where I was bullied by someone I considered a friend. At first, I didn’t know what to do or how to feel. I didn’t understand the reasons for her unkindness and I couldn’t even ask her why. In time, I overcame my fear and anger regarding the situation, and I moved on. My music and songwriting actually helped me cope with the situation a lot. There was one night where I was sitting on my porch crying, when something clicked inside of me: it’s going to be okay and this problem won’t last forever. That night, the lyrics to an entire song started flowing out of me, and as I wrote them down I let myself move on. I learned a lot from this situation of unkindness, but most of all I learned that life will keep moving no matter what happens, only you get to decide how you react to it. —Guin M.

Shamaya O.

Ms. Haddie gave me a present because I had good grades. I will be kind in the future by helping my friends with their work and play with them. When my friends fall, I will help them up. When my friends don’t know how to spell, I will help them. —Kimora L. It is important to be kind because if you are unkind to someone, they will be mad at you and they will most likely tell another person and that person will be mad at you too. You don’t want people to be mad at you, do you? Besides when you are kind, you are spreading love and happiness. —Eva S. What is kindness? Kindness is when you are kind or nice. When you are a friend. When you let someone sit with you at lunch, or when you help someone clean up. You can also just say something spectacular like I love your shoes today. Cheer someone up who feels sad. The best way is just to help them when they need someone. You could just be there for them. You could write them a song. Tell them how you are feeling. The best way will always be smiling. This is kindness, so be kind for the rest of your life. —David B.

A time when someone was kind to me would be when I was in Kindergarten. It may have been a few years ago but I still remember it to this day. I probably still remember it because the act of kindness in this situation really impacted me. I was eating lunch during lunchtime and it was my second week of being in school. I didn’t really know anyone due to the fact that I didn’t attend Nettelhorst for preschool. For the first week, I sat alone for each day. After all, I knew nobody and no one really wanted to know me. But that all changed when I was eating lunch on the second week of Kindergarten. This small girl came up to me and asked if I wanted to sit with her. I said yes because I guess I was tired of eating alone. I knew the girl because she was in my class and we played with each other every once in a while but I didn’t really consider us friends. Anyway, I went with her from my lonely table and we sat at another table that had some other kids on it. We didn’t talk to them, though, because they were talking to each other and we didn’t really want to bother them. So, instead, we started talking to each other and instantly became really close friends. I’m pretty sure she was my first school friend. I’m not 100% sure as to how I felt on that day at that time but I think it is safe to say that I was relieved, as well as happy and excited. Thinking about it today, I can still feel a smile form on my face because since that day, Ilana, the girl, and I became really close. I feel happy because that little girl who came up to little me resulted in a long friendship because she was kind enough to walk up to someone who was in need of someone. She was nice and generous enough to offer me friendship and that’s really the kind of thing that kindness is. It is always important to be kind to someone because it could really help them in the long run. It could brighten up their day and bring a smile on their face. Kindness is making someone happy and that is always important because they might really need it. Kindness is also important because it’s created by the people who do things for others in order to make things in this world better. Even a small thing like giving change to a homeless man could make a difference. These small acts of kindness could go a long way and will make people feel better about themselves and view the world in a different way because someone was brave enough to help them. —Stephanie J. Spring 2018

Kadence P.

Kindness is important because if you get hurt and can’t get up someone is going to help you and that’s a kind thing to do. The person who is helping you is going to be your friend. Always be nice to people and if someone is unkind show that person how to be kind. —Tyanna D. It is important to be kind because you don’t know what’s going on with people’s lives and you could be giving them a hard time. It’s important because people will kill you over some words. People are going through stuff and you won’t even know. —Joshua D.

One day I drank some chocolate milk. After that my stomach was hurting so my mom and dad helped me and that made me feel happy. Someone kept on making fun of my friend Aaron. Everyone was just standing around watching him get bullied. I stepped in to help him. I said “Back off! Why are you being so mean to him?!” After that, me and Aaron had each other’s backs. —Holt P. I was kind when I got my sister this amazing gift for her birthday, and if you are being kind you get kindness back because on my birthday she got me a present that I love and I still use it. So being kind is the best thing ever. —Harrison R.

I plan to be kind to others in the future by giving back to my community and help some people in need. I will give back to the community by helping improve their homes. —Deneka B.

When I went to the store with my mom I picked out me a baby doll. When me and my mom got in line this nice lady offered to buy my baby doll and it made me feel good. —Keaira G. Lamart P.

Kindness is important because it’s what we need to live well. If people can’t be nice, then they’ll hurt each other. People will break, steal, and take without asking if they aren’t nice. People who are nice will borrow, or take with asking. They’ll care for each other. People would much rather live with kindness than hurtfulness. —Ariya C.

I will tell you about what happened when someone was not kind. When I was in second grade two people were really unkind to me. They would laugh and make fun of me. They wouldn’t stop and pretended I was the air. I finally told the teacher but they did the same thing. They wouldn’t stop and then they started getting aggressive and they would hurt me and then I got a good idea. I just ignored them and then they never bothered me so, if you have people being not kind just ignore them and they will stop. —Allison L. It is worth nothing to the common fellow But can be worth millions to someone who receives it from you It can be the light in the dark Or the turning of a person from the dark It can be the guide in your path On your journey of life It can make friendships Likely or not All it takes is one word Kindness —Landen Y.

Kindness is a gift that gives joy and when you give kindness then you will get kindness back. Sometimes kindness goes in a circle. Even though there are good things about kindness the best thing it can do is help the broken piece themselves back together. It can also turn a thunder storm into the sunniest day of the year. The thing is you can’t describe kindness it’s just too good to know what it is. —Izzy G.

When my class was coming up from somewhere, someone asked me if I could hold her coat for her so she could fix her hair. When I gave her coat back to her, she gave me a hug from out of nowhere. That day I was really happy. After that day I kept thinking about it. You should be kind every day to someone and something amazing might happen. —Angel W. The world deserves to be kind to one another. Don’t be racist or mean. Love each other no matter the skin color or if they are fat, small or short. They might be going through something that you don’t know about. Peace and love to everyone. —Davida B.

Being kind is magical. If you are kind toward someone, they will Kindness is something earned kindness most likely be kind to someone else later. If someone is being is something you get by treating one Kindness is a wish. Everybody wants this trait, it is amazing. When people use kind toward you, you will feel cared about. You will also feel and the other the same way with kindness it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Kindness is a power, you can use that you matter. Kindness is a wonderful and magical thing. kindness. Kindness is something you it but you have to use it wisely. Kindness is everything! —Riley H. That’s how I feel about it. —Kyra D. like not to be treated like trash you want have not s doe e to be treated with kind choose kind. —Diego M. At lunch if someon Kindness is a bond you choose to make with people, kindness leads to friendship which leads a seat let them sit next to you. to ties on an emotional level. Emotions can bring love, but when a man learns to love he must Kindness —Oliver H. bear the risk of hatred. Kindness is often viewed in a positive manner but most people seem That word doesn’t mean anything to the human race to forget and ignore that everything has a downside. For example, bonds sometimes have If kindness means poverty and bullying, It is important to be kind because to be cut for personal reasons and goals, but when you have a bond it is very hard to cut. In then we got kindness all around the world if everyone was a brute you would some instances, this can lead to revenge and vengeance which brings a never-ending cycle I’m kidding, but it’s kind of true probably cry yourself to sleep and of hatred that brings war and disrupts the peace that many people worked so hard to get. But Kindness spreads joy to people have zero self confidence. I helped now everyone knows and feels pain, and it is said that those who do not understand true pain all around the world very slowly a kid fix his Legos after he dropped cannot understand true peace. When you think about that it starts to make sense. Sometimes But....... and broke them and I felt proud we must hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, and lose in order to gain because life’s Hatred spreads even faster that I did a good deed. One time at greatest lessons are learned through pain. And if you do not know the same pain you can But if we work hard to make people have recess I was just sitting by myself never truly understand another person. That doesn’t mean you have to be alone though a smile on their face and a kid said “Hey wanna join us?” because if there was no kindness and everyone was worried about themselves, you could Even just for a second Every day at my old school I was a state that the world would have fewer problems, and that might be true. But without That smile can brighten up the whole world major target from grades 1 to 4, one kindness, there would be no emotions. We would be emotionless so in a way, we would be If that happens, and we make one mistake time a kid gave me a purple eye just inhuman, but that is exactly why knowing what it feels to be in pain is exactly why we try to Our world with crumble like sand for walking past him. I will always be kind to others. Because in the end, we are just ordinary people driven to revenge in the So just remember be kind in the future. I am always name of justice. But if revenge is called justice, then that justice breeds yet more revenge and If you get into a fight with someone kind to myself like getting somebecomes a chain of hatred. Just by living we hurt others without even realizing it. So as long Or thing for yourself. A good world is as humanity exists hate will exist, but war is just a crime paid for by the pain of the defeated. You are bullying someone one without homicides But as humans, we still have the will to keep going and I believe eventually we all as humans Kindness Is Important and robberies. —Nicolas P. will find true peace. —Milosz B. — Briana M. Spring 2018

One day I was at the store buying some junk food (cookies, chips, juice, etc.) and I didn’t have enough money to buy everything I wanted. While waiting at the store I decided to call my cousin to see if she had any extra money and she told me that she didn’t have anything until she got paid next week. I was upset because all of my cousins had snacks, but not me. After the phone call with my cousin I decided to put all of the stuff back and maybe come back a little later. So I got in the house and my mom and my cousin asked me where was the stuff I went to buy from the store. I told her that I didn’t have enough to get what I wanted. They all explained to me that I have to learn to use my money wisely because people will try to cheat me out of it. So, I went back to the store and grabbed everything I had before and brought it to the register and gave the cashier my money, but it still wasn’t enough. So this woman in the store saw that I didn’t have enough money and was generous enough to give me the extra $2.00 I needed. That was a random act of kindness! She didn’t have to help me, but she did. After all I was buying snacks not medicine! She didn’t preach to me or tell me to put something back, she simply handed me the cash with a smile on her face and said, “Have a good day.” I was very grateful that she decided to help me. —Dayonna D. Saffron C-H

Love and kindness go hand and hand.

It is important to be kind because then people will like you. I know how it feels to have no friends, but I don’t bully. Every day I feel sad because no one is my friend. By writing this paper I hope to stop bullies all around the world. It is not easy to make friends when you are a bully. We need to be kind. We need to stop wars. We need peace. —Billy M.

It is important to be kind because it makes people feel good when you are nice. It is also important to be kind because kindness helps other people be better people and it makes the world a better place. —Malcolm S. My plan is to be kind in the future and not to be mean. I can share with my family. Another thing I can do is I can help the homeless people if they need something. Also, I can help people if they need help. One more thing I can do is be nice to people. The best way to be kind is not to fight. —Phillip M.

When I was kind to someone I was playing baseball. A 10 year old walked up to me and asked me if I could teach him to play. I said ya I could teach you how to play. After teaching for 24 min. he was good. After I taught him to play baseball me and my friends came to the baseball field there were 10 of us and after 30 minutes or an hour of playing baseball the kid said that was very kind of you to teach me to play baseball. It made me feel good to teach him how to play baseball. —Nolan B. Cherish Kindness is something that’s given and received

Kindness can be a compliment Kindness can be a tip in the jar Forms of Kindness vary One day my brother Grayson Though Kindness can be overused hugged me 15 times. Be careful It is important to be kind because if To have Kindness continue in the world you must spread it you are kind to someone, they will Be a leader with Kindness be kind to you. —Brandon T. —Mali S.

“One thing people today overlook is kindness.” In this generation a lot of people don’t know if someone is truly kind or they’re trying to get something out of it. Now most of us don’t focus on kindness, half of us are trying to fight to stay alive, there are people who still think of the word kindness from time to time and that’s not bad. It’s a nice feeling when someone is nice to you or when you’re nice to someone else, but too many people take advantage of it and after that it’s hard to keep on being kind. I believe that kindness could maybe improve our world, our neighborhood, even the homes we live in. The single word kindness can do a lot for us. If you’re confused then let me explain, we as a community can really use the word kindness because it can bring us together. We all secretly love the word kindness because it makes a lot of us happy. I wonder what kindness means to other people, but for me kindness means hope and happiness because it helps me feel like I have a purpose. People like to choose when they want to be kind but I learned from someone very important that you should still be kind to someone even if they aren’t kind to you. A lot of people take advantage of me because they think right away she is nice and small she won’t do anything if I mess with her so at times I can’t be kind even though I love to be kind. My life isn’t as easy as everyone else thinks it is so at times I’m not happy, but when someone is kind to me for once it is an amazing feeling that’s why I love the word kindness so much. I respect the word kindness with all my heart. Sometimes you can only use kindness at a certain time because people react to it in a certain way. I wish I could say more about kindness but I said everything I had to say. People do need to know that kindness is still an everyday thing you need to use no matter what. Kindness is a key ingredient in the stew we call our world and if we don’t use it our world will not change for the better. Kindness could hopefully change the point of views of plenty of people for the greater good. If I enjoy kindness I believe other people do too. Long story short kindness is a good thing. I am glad that I gotta write this essay so I could express what I think and feel. —Ayumi J.

Kids begin to show kindness as they grow up. I had a fun time at the Inside of people’s heart they have kindness. my hair cut. barbershop getting Nobody enjoys a life without kindness. taking for d kin My mom was Days with kindness are the best days. S. n mo me. —Ke —Gianlucca E.

Marian K.

I think being kind to yourself means not harming your body with drugs or self-harming yourself. Hygiene can be another part of being kind to yourself, because your body should be clean. —Pilar J. Being kind, It’s amazing, You feel, Joyous, Benevolent, And you give to people that are not as fortunate, It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3, Donate money, Share a book, Help with homework, These are all acts of kindness you can do to help our community, Be kind and change a mind. —Quinn S. Kindness is sweet, intelligent fun because when you are kind good things come back around. —Kaniya H.

It is important to be kind because some people might be having a bad day or going through something tough, and an act of kindness could really help them. Also inside you will feel good about what you have done. —Betiel O. Kindness, something that everyone should consider to spread around our world. For we can have a better and more positive place to live. It may definitely be hard for many of us to achieve and do, but we could change that! Now, by being more mindful of our surroundings, that could possibly turn kindness into an easier task than you and/or we may believe. Don’t worry, kindness is a trait that will always stay, in our beloved planet. Now keep in mind, that could only be if we continue to have a positive mindset and/or attitude with the people around us. Even if we think it’s hard, by at least trying to be kind, could possibly take you a step forward, into the beauty of kindness. So, let us try to come together and share the goodness and beauty of kindness. So, choose to spread KINDNESS. —Therese M. I think kindness should be learned about in school. If nobody was kind to one another, everything would be messed up. The world would be chaos. Everybody would be yelling at each other, and all you would hear is yelling, yelling, and more yelling. What would change it would be one person. They would be kind, whoever they were kind to would think that they like it and continue to be kind. No more yelling. No more fights. That is it. One person is all you need. —Abigail B.

Kindness is something that the world can not live without. If nobody were kind to each other everyone would be sad and nobody would be happy. Sometimes when you’re right the best thing to do is to be kind and don’t hurt their feelings. Whether it’s the way they look the way they dress or if they don’t have the most money don’t be mean. If you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. Kindness shapes our world and we wouldn’t be able to live without it. —Brayden R.

Once at recess a kid didn’t let me play tag with him and I was super sad. Then I asked another kid if I could play tag with him and he said yes which made me happy. —Eddie N.

Spring 2018

In a kind world everyone would be nice to each other and no one would be mean. In competitions the loser would win the same prize as the winner. —Tyrell G. In the future I plan to be kind and this is how I might do it. I will share toys and tips on how to do things if they need help. I will also be by their side. They can find me in the space between. Also, I will stick up for them. I will do what’s right and tell them the truth. I will never betray them. This will also show that I appreciate them. We will be friends forever. —Mia P.

Kindness is a beautiful thing. Everybody should have it in them Even when others are not One act of kindness Can change the world If you are not kind Aspire to be Kindness is a beautiful thing —Amelia M.

Robert S.

I am being kind by helping my sister take out the boxes. e when he A man was being nic mmy gave his seat to my mo T. ah No (on the bus). —

Usually it is normal for us to be kind to others. To look at the best in them and NEVER bring them down. But when it comes to ourselves it can be very difficult. It’s nearly hard for us to hold ourselves up for our successes. We just look at all the negative and bad things. We always tend to compare ourselves to others we view are “better than us” or beat ourselves up for what we haven’t done. How can we change that though? In order for us to be kind to ourselves is to “be our own cheerleader.” Always acknowledge the good as well, not just the bad. To be kind to yourself means to be confident in who we are and never give up on yourself. Now we shouldn’t get carried away, being full of ourselves and thinking we the best or perfect. But we should have a healthy view of ourselves. —Nyah S. Someone pushed me off the slide when I was sliding down. So I told her not to push people when someone is sliding. —Marlena T.

Helping someone with homework Being nice Sharing Kewon P.

Martin L. King

It’s my birthday today. Thank you Mom. Spring 2018

It’s all about kind

I like to be kind to people and want all people to get along and have peace and fun. —William G. Kindness. Kindness can be many things. It could be helping your friend with homework, or donating to charity. Kindness can be buying your friend lunch, or returning a pen your classmate dropped. We practice kindness every day. Sometimes without even knowing. —Niklas S. I vision a world without violence, just peace. Nobody could fight, shove, yell or say mean things. #Nonviolence. —Anthony D.

Declan H. One time I saw a student fall down on the stairs. So, I went to the student and helped them up. And I felt great.

kindness is like a flower delicate and sweet fine as can be supporting and free comforting as a person that’s there ... for you and me . —Giulia F. Jamerion C.

If someone was to mess with me, I will take a deep breath and count to five. Then, if they are still messing with me, I would ignore. Next, instead of taking it upon myself I would get up and tell the teacher. —Jaziah F.

Kindness is when someone does something to help you. They are nice. One time someone did something kind to me and his name was Chase. Chase is my friend in the classroom. He drew me superheroes. Everyone who knows me knows I like superheroes. He drew me Deadpool. When he gave them to me I was happy. I thought that was nice of him. So, let’s everybody be kind to someone every day. —Amari J.

Kindness is a character trait, it is not a feeling. If you have to choose between cool friends or kindness CHOOSE KIND! If you want to be successful in life be kind to others. And do not forget be kind to others at least say hi. —Klementina K. Kindness is a very important thing to people. Nobody likes it when they get treated differently in a bad way. —Tariah H.

Kingston F.

A good way to handle a situation when someone is unkind to me is not listening to what others are saying and staying away from them. It makes me feel happy when I’m staying away from them because it could make me a mean person when I am saying rude things to other people. This is my reason why I don’t like to listen to others about rude things and being with them inappropriately. —Michael S.

A KIND WORLD Pray together Play together Work together Live together as one Walk together in unity

It is important to be kind because you could make friends and the people will be nice to you. When people know that you are being nice to them they will be nice back to you. — Martin Z. The way I envision a kind world is everyone saying kind words and not heart-breaking words. —Raheem K. My kind world would have... Fun and learning time Fun exercise and healthy eating Clean air and recycle trash —Kaiden G.

—Jeremiah B.

One day there was a girl named Destiny getting ready for school. Destiny, a 15-year-old freshman at Lincoln Park High School. Destiny slipped on her pink gym shoes, her matching socks and her brand new coat with the fur collar. Destiny’s focus was broken when she heard her name ring out from downstairs. “Destiny, it’s time to go,” shrieked her mom. “Ok mom” says Destiny. Once at school Destiny ran to her crowd of friends waiting anxiously for her to arrive. ”What are you doing after school” asked her friend, Donna. ”Nothing just going to chill.” “Well cool then we can hang, call us after you’re done with the store.” “Ok cool,” says Destiny. Destiny finished all her classes and then headed to the store to pick up some snacks. “Bye Des we will see you after you come from the store.” “You guys can just come to the store with me,” Destiny says. “No, I have to go home and get my pajamas anyways I want to spend the night if that’s ok.” “Yeah that’s ok you’re my best friend.” “Thanks see you later bye.” While at the store Destiny bumps into a little old lady. “Oh my gosh I am so sorry” says Destiny. “It’s ok,” says the little old lady. “My name is Ms. Holeman,” says the little old lady. “My name is Destiny nice to meet you. Let me help you with that,” says Destiny. “No it’s okay,” says Ms. Holeman. “No I insist I don’t want you bending over and end up breaking your back or something.” So, Destiny knelt down and picked up the old lady’s grocery bags. “Thank you, you are a good kid.” “You’re welcome. Goodbye and I hope to see you again someday.” “Bye.” Destiny went home and called her friends to come over. Her friends came over to her house and they did manicures and pedicures. “So girls what did you do today?” “I helped an old lady across the street” says Symphonic. “I helped an old lady to her home today,” says Rashana. “Well, that’s good because it is always good to help somebody,” says Destiny. “What was the old lady’s name Rashana?” “Her name was Ms. Holeman.” “Wait that’s my old lady’s name,” says Destiny. “Mine too,” says Symphonic. “Well we all helped the same old lady today. Well at least we helped someone at all.” —Destiny H. It is important to be kind because they will most likely be nice back and will make you feel happy when you make someone’s day. It is harder to be kind but, it’s better than being a jerk. —James K.

It is important to be kind whenever possible because if you are kind to someone, they might pass it on and do the same thing. Also it is important to be kind because if you are kind you might get good luck and if you’re kind, you won’t be like a bully. Being kind is a great thing, and it allows you to be the best person you can be. —Keonta R.