By Haley Mitchell Godwin

Morgan Freeman once said, “How do we change the world? With one random act of kindness at a time”.

Students across Crenshaw County celebrated National Random Acts of Kindness Week, which took place Feb. 12-17. The week-long celebration aimed to promote kindness and positivity, fostering a sense of community and making the world a better place, one small act at a time.

National Random Acts of Kindness Week encourages individuals worldwide to embrace kindness in their daily lives, promoting a culture of empathy and goodwill. The unofficial holiday urges people to recognize the transformative power of small acts of kindness in building a better society.

At Highland Home School, students participated in themed dress-up days, such as “Peace, Love and Kindness/Tie-Dye Day” and “Crazy for Kindness/Crazy Hair Day.” A coloring contest awarded winners with colored cups bearing uplifting phrases like “Be the change you wish to see in the world!” and “Stand up and speak out for what’s right!”

According to Cody Walters, High School Counselor at Highland Home School, students eagerly tuned in every morning for the Kindness announcements, where they learned about different ways to be kind, including ways to be kind to oneself.

“Showing kindness to the world starts with ourselves,” Walters said. “The first step is to begin engaging in acts of kindness on a daily basis while also practicing self-compassion. It can be something as small as holding the door open for someone or simply saying “thank you”. Kindness begins with each and every one of us and building a more positive self-image greatly improves our overall well being and ability to spread kindness.”

At Career Academy, students kicked off their Random Acts of Kindness Week by creating heartfelt cards for residents at the local nursing, health, and rehabilitation center. Sweatshirts and t-shirts were sold by Career Academy students to help spread the message of kindness and over fifty Crenshaw County students and faculty wore them proudly last week.

Heather Sanders, Special Education teacher at Luverne School, and her students took a creative approach to kindness by engaging in rock painting. Each rock bore messages of positivity, and the students strategically placed them around the campus, hoping to inspire those who come across them. Sanders encouraged the community to share their discoveries by taking pictures of the rocks and posting to Facebook.

Also in on the action was the Luverne Elementary Club who delivered handmade cards to teachers that expressed appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the school’s educators.

The initiatives, undertaken by students across Crenshaw County during National Random Acts of Kindness Week, highlight the enduring power of compassion and positivity, and as Morgan Freeman wisely noted, changing the world begins with the simple yet profound act of kindness, a sentiment embraced wholeheartedly by these students.