Creating a Kindness Commercial

I just returned from a city elementary school, where the 5th grade girls in the group I work with each week are very excited about a project. I asked them, "What is one thing you wish kids in your school would do differently?" and "What is one thing you've learned in our group this year that you wish you could teach other kids?"

Their responses used different words but had the same message: They wish that kids would stop bullying, picking on, and spreading rumors about other kids, and instead start treating each other with respect and kindness like we do during group time.

The girls then started working on developing slogans to promote kindness and respect to their classmates, and developing a role-play "commercial" that they're going to present to other classes. As we left the group, girls were talking excitedly about plans to write a song or a rap over Spring Break to promote their message of respect.

As we brainstormed slogans, one girl looked at a slogan that read, "Fighting takes you down the wrong path," and said, "Yeah, that's right! I used to do that but I don't anymore." In these girls' world, where fighting is an acceptable solution to many problems, that is a major victory!

I'm excited that not only are these girls really getting and owning the message about kindness and respect, they're ready to spread the word. In "youth development speak," this project is helping the girls develop school bonding - a sense of belonging and empowerment in their school. School bonding may not be something we think of often, but researchers like the Search Institute have identified it as a powerful asset that helps kids succeed.

Thank you for helping SCYM be present in groups like this! There is more we would love to do, and so much opportunity. Pray that God would continue to open doors and provide resources to help even more kids "crush the odds" through these groups.

Faith Bosland
Executive Director