FEB 10–The atmosphere was cheerful and light as students and staff gathered in the STC patio. In the center was the Kindness is Free truck, where student volunteers in bright blue shirts handed out cookies and t-shirts.
To get a cookie, students had to fill out the Kindness Pledge, which was made up of simple promises to do acts of kindness in their daily lives. Over 250,000 students across the nation have taken this pledge.
Kindness is Free’s mission is simple but powerful: inspire the next generation to grow up practicing kindness.
“It’s a shift over many years, a kind of behavior shift, and when you have kindness in your heart, you live a kind lifestyle,” said Co-Founder JR Dzubak.
Beverly’s participation in the state competition of the Academic Decathlon led to Kindness is Free sponsoring the school. As an official sponsor of the California Academic Decathlon, Kindness is Free has sponsored many schools and hosted events like the one they did at Beverly.
“We’re here to hopefully inspire your student body to be more kind, not only to themselves, but to others, by showing them what the power of kindness can be through an act of kindness,” said Chief of Kindness Strategist Scott Ehlers.
That message rang true for both students and staff alike. “I would love the students to know that kindness takes strength and choosing kindness and good is not always the easiest choice, but it’s always the right choice,” Principal Loan Sriruksa said.
Sophomore volunteer Federick Ramirez said, “I thought this event was a thoughtful way to give back to the students in this high school, to do something kind. To me, kindness could be anything, from something simple to something really thoughtful like this event.”
In a sense, kindness is a small action, but a meaningful one where its effects ripple and multiply. It could be as simple as a “hello” or a smile at another person. It could be as big as fostering positive behavior in the next generation of leaders and creators. But regardless, kindness is important, and especially crucial at times when a simple dose of kindness could make someone’s day.
“It’s kindness week in the city of Beverly Hills, and we are a part of making history. That’s why we’re here,” Duzbak sums it up.
Just like what Kindness is Free is doing, try to perform acts of kindness in your daily lives, at school, at home, and in your community. After all, kindness is free!
