A week-long celebration of kindness
Students across the Junior School wrote messages to friends and family, painted kindness rocks, and shared videos of acts of kindness in a week-long celebration that marked the end of Term 2.
Children around the world celebrate B Kinder Day on 22 June – a day dedicated to encouraging everyone to spread kindness, empathy and compassion. After the tragic death of Billie Kinder in 2016, her family established the charity Fly High Billie, to help inspire others that our actions matter and that we have the power to make a positive impact on young people’s lives.
School values highlighted
ÁñÁ«ÉçÇø students went on step further with a whole week focused on the ÁñÁ«ÉçÇø school values of love, care of others, compassion and friendship.
Mrs Natalie Kell, Junior School teacher organised the activities. “Our students have really embraced the true meaning of kindness. We’ve seen kindness circles, caring messages drawn in chalk across our school paths and wonderful tributes to friends and families. The week has reminded us all that kindness doesn’t cost anything, but it can give us so much," said Mrs Kell.
The week ended in the ultimate kindness act – a whole school fundraiser to support the Melanoma Institute of Australia. After the passing of Head of Junior School, Mrs Linda Webb’s husband due to skin cancer, Tereza Karam and Zoe Faletas in Year 6 wanted to do something to help families who are going through a similar tough time.
Crazy Hat Day
Together with their peers and teachers they created Crazy Hat Day – a day where students across the whole school would wear their craziest, large, wide-brimmed hats and donate a gold coin to help support a cure for melanoma.
Tereza said, “We organised a walk and talked to the students about why organisations like the Melanoma Institute are important. Skin cancer affects one in three Australians and we know that Mrs Webb and other families in our community have been affected by melanoma.â€
A walk across the school grounds gave students a chance to run, jog and skip with friends. This proved so worthwhile for everyone’s wellbeing and mental health particularly after the months of coronavirus lockdown and isolation.
Added Zoe, “It was great to see the school come alive with all sorts of colourful hats and styles. This was just one way we could all come together on the last day of term to be kind, have fun and make a positive difference.â€
Together the ÁñÁ«ÉçÇø school community raised $3466 for Melanoma Institute of Australia.
Mrs Linda Webb, Head of Junior School expressed her gratitude and thanks to everyone involved. "I was very touched by the kindness shown by the whole school community. A special thank you to Zoe and Tereza who initiated the idea. The money raised will support critical and ongoing research into eradicating this terrible disease that impacts many Australians like my husband. Thank you very much to everyone."