21 Day Kindness Challenge, Inc.
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A Message of Kindness: A Kindness Project About Empathy

10/18/2019

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Can empathy be taught or is it genetically hard-wired? You may have heard people say; “You either have empathy, or you don’t," “Everyone is born with a certain amount of empathy,” “Girls have more empathy than boys.”

In Dr. Riess’ TEDx talk, she reveals her scientific findings that humans CAN develop greater empathy skills. As an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Riess has administered numerous studies using her E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. formula. Her formula has proven to increase empathy skills among those who use it.  

Additionally, Daniel Coyle the author of “The Talent Code" states, a person can change his or her behavior and habits by growing myelin. You "grow" myelin by doing deep practice of a particular skill. Furthermore, in the book “Mindset,” Carol Dweck points out that if we develop a growth mindset, we can change the way we view and do things. In other words, you can teach an old dog new tricks if they have an open mindset.

It is important to continue to practice empathy skills with students of all ages, from pre-school to high school. We’ve put together a fun kindness activity to help you and your students improve your empathy skills.
Step 1: Open with a video 
Show your students the age-appropriate video about empathy. We suggest you show the elementary video link to ALL grades K-12 before showing the age-appropriate video. Why? The elementary video is easy to understand.  
  • Elementary School Video 
  • Middle School Video 
  • High School Video 

Step 2: Read stories 
Print off all three stories that we adapted from Character Education:​ ​
Someone Who Understands.pdf
File Size: 1720 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

The Art of Sharing.pdf
File Size: 45 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

What's Prettier Than Freckles.pdf
File Size: 205 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

For younger grades, have a parent volunteer or teacher read the stories to the class. For older grades, ask for three student volunteers to read each story to the class. If your classroom has the capability, you could project the stories.

Step 3: Discuss the empathy formula 
Write  Dr. Riess' empathy formula on the board.  
E = eye contact 
M = movement 
P = posture 
A = affect or expressed emotions 
T = tone of voice 
H = hearing the whole person without judgment 
Y = your response 

You can do this discussion as a whole group or pair students into smaller groups. Discuss how the empathy formula is unfolding in each of the stories. Ask the students to come up with specific examples from each story. For instance, in the story "Puppies For Sale," the last line - “With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.”

Step 4: Brainstorm real issues 
As a class brainstorm and write out a list of struggles that people might be going through; this can be a family pet that has just passed, a grandparent who is sick, a bad grade in class, someone who is struggling with a particular friendship, being stressed out about an exam, etc.

Step 5: Give a message of kindness 
Ask your students (and yourself) to get out a piece of paper. Have them to write down a name of someone they know who has been struggling or maybe just needs a little kindness done for them. Invite your students to write a note or draw a picture for the person they wrote down. Then ask your students to give his or her message of kindness to that person as soon as it is possible.

Share your stories, pictures, and thoughts with us! #ichoose2bekind 
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4 Activities to Help Keep Your Students Safe During the National School Walkout Protest

3/12/2018

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Create a safe place for your students to express their thoughts and feelings about  gun violence and school shootings.

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Since the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, students all over the nation have been seeking answers from lawmakers, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Middle school and high school students plan to take action in a nation-wide walkout protest against gun policies on March 14. This planned walkout is causing educators to consider ways to respond to their student's needs.

How can educators show that they respect and value their students’ freedom of thought and speech all the while ensure their student's safety and well-being?

Creating a safe place on campus for students to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas is one way to tackle the issue. Here are four activities you can set up on your school campus:


1. Host of Moment of Silence “Walkout.”
The Women’s March Youth Empower is asking high school students to “host a walkout." The organization is asking students to sign up on its website. The plan is to walkout of class for 17 minutes (a minute for each life lost) starting at 10:00 AM on March 14, 2018.

Keeping the safety and well-being of your students in mind while still allowing them an opportunity to participate in the walkout, you can ask your schools’ leadership group(s) to help you organize a “Moment of Silence” during the walkout. Gathering your entire school community in a centrally located place that students, teachers, and staff can get to quickly.

Then, at 10:00 AM have your student leaders lead their classmates in a moment of silence for 17 minutes. After the 17 minutes are over your school community can continue with the other activities below in their individual classrooms or as an entire school community.

2. Create a Discussion Wall.
Using large sheets of paper, wrap a centrally located wall with the paper. Write down three to five questions (suggestions below). Ask students to write down their responses to the questions. Allow students access to this Discussion Wall all day. Suggestion - have a couple of school councilors present in case students need to talk about their thoughts or feelings.

Questions:
  • The mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School makes me feel…
  • I joined this movement because…
  • The impact I am hoping to have by participating in the walkout is…
  • Besides the walkout, what are other ways you can stay engaged to push for the change you seek?
  • We are listening, what do you want to tell us?

3. Give Students an Opportunity to Talk it Out.
Have a classroom discussion or have students draft a letter to lawmakers on where they stand, why they feel strongly about participating in the protest, and their solution to resolving school violence.

4. Focus on Kindness.
Give your school community an opportunity to work together to create a more inclusive environment; by encouraging kindness on campus, you can help students find positive solutions.  We have created several blog posts to help you promote kindness - check them out below.


Random Acts of Kindness Generator

Get to Know Your Classmates 

Take a Seat & Make a Friend Ball Pit

Conversation Topics 

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Helping You Bring the 21 Day Kindness Challenge to Your School with our Kickstarter Campaign!

4/25/2017

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You can bring the 21 Day Kindness Challenge to your school site next year! Simply share the 21 Day Kindness Kickstarter link (http://kck.st/2osw2tw) with your community members and ask them to dedicate the program to your school! Suggestions of people you can send the link to are, a group of local businesses in your area, parents, grandparents, caring community members, sports teams, chamber of commerce, 4-H Chapters, etc. 

We want to help schools develop a safe school environment for today's youth. An environment that emphasizes respect for others, promotes responsible decisions, creates a positive atmosphere, develops empathy, strengthens the school community and increases positive behaviors. 

​
The mission of the 21 Day Kindness Challenge is to empower youth to change their world with kindness. The 21 Day Kindness Challenge teaches today’s youth to be effective, caring and proactive leaders. Our vision is to bring the 21 Day Kindness Challenge program to 250 schools during the 2017-18 school year – reaching more than 175,000 students and inspiring more than 2.5 million Acts of Kindness! 


Check it out & share our Kickstarter Campaign! 
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Tools to Help Students Find Friends

10/25/2016

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Do you see students at your school sitting alone or having a hard time making friends?  For many students, navigating the schoolyard at break or finding a lunch buddy can be challenging and overwhelming.  Sitting by oneself is a lonely experience.  In some cases, students who are by themselves become targets for bullying. Feeling socially isolated can also cause poor academic performance.  What does your school do to encourage students to engage with others outside their groups or who may be feeling alone and ostracized?  We have a few ideas below to help your students find a welcoming place at school.

For older students, a new app called Sit With Us helps students who have difficulty finding a place to sit for lunch or hang out find a welcoming group.   The app allows students to designate themselves as “ambassadors,” thereby inviting others to join them. Ambassadors can then post “open lunch” events, which signal to anyone seeking company that they’re invited to join the ambassadors’ table.   Sit with Us is a mobile app that is designed to create a kinder more inclusive school community.  It was designed by 16-year Natalie Hampton after she experienced bullying and loneliness during her seventh-grade year.  Hampton told Audie Cornish on NPR’s “All Things Considered” that the reason why she felt an app like this was necessary is because it prevents kids from being publicly rejected and being considered social outcasts by their peers. She is definitely on to something - recent studies conducted by Princeton, Rutgers and Yale University show  that when students, especially the “cool kids,” stand up to bullying it has a significant impact. During a 2012-2013 school year, over 50 New Jersey middle schools provided their most socially competent students with social media tools and encouragement to combat bullying, and saw a reduction in student conflict reports by 30 percent.

We think Natalie's app is a great idea, especially for middle and high school students.  For those schools where phones aren't allowed or whose students are too young to bring them to school, here are a few other ideas to give kids a chance to feel included:

  • A Buddy Bench.  Designate a special bench on the playground where students can go if they are feeling lonely or need a friend. 
  • Schedule group activities during recess.  Rotate through with different games, dance parties, art projects. These low-key, fun, play times during school can help students gain important social skills and interact with kids they may not know well.
  • Ask teachers to celebrate their students unique talents and interests in class one day.  Our post last week had some great ideas on how teachers can run this project in class.
  • Middle and high schools can create an advisory group or peer mediation group, with a teacher to help facilitate, where students can come up with their own ideas on including others and solving problems. This group could also be a great student leadership team to run the 21 Day Kindness Challenge at your school!
  • Create a school garden (or planter beds) and invite everyone to get involved.  Watch your students grow and thrive alongside the plants!
  • Provide guidance and training for your yard duties to help them spot and support students who may be feeling lonely.
Share with us what your school is doing to help students develop friendships by sending us an email or posting a reply here!

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How Can My School Pay for the 21 Day Kindness Challenge?

10/13/2016

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​We've designed our program to be extremely cost effective and budget friendly! The 21 Day Kindness Challenge School Program costs just about $1/student.  Our goal is to bring the 21 Day Kindness Challenge to as many schools that want it. Here are some different ways schools have paid for the program:

Student Involvement!
We believe that giving students the opportunity to raise money for the program provides them with invaluable leadership and career skills.  It can also be a bonding experience for students who may be having trouble fitting in or finding friends.  Some student leadership groups have raised money by hosting bake sales, rummage sales, runs/walks and other small fundraising activities.

Community Support!
Many school districts have special funds set aside for anti-bullying or wellness campaigns.  Check with your district office to see if this is an option for your school.

The 21 Day Kindness Challenge is also a great opportunity to reach out to local community organizations like your rotary club, 4-H, chamber of commerce, Lions Club, etc. for support.  Many groups are looking for ways to make an impact for their local students and will provide small grants to your school.

Parent Engagement!
Parent groups are also an excellent resource. You may want to reach out to your parent group (PTA, Home & School Club, Parent Alliance) to see if they will fund the 21 Day Kindness Challenge.  We have found that parents are very supportive of programs that will have a significant impact and that directly engage their children.

We are happy to help you!  Please contact us, and we would be delighted to provide you with specific funding ideas to meet your school's needs.  We have videos, flyers, email, and snail-mail templates, etc. that you can use for community groups and parents. 
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Bringing Kindness to Your Campus is as Easy as 1, 2,3...

9/8/2016

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Do you...
  •  have a passion to create a kinder culture for your school campus
  •  want to empower your children to make a difference in their world
  •  believe every act of kindness has the power to make a change

Rewards for your campus...
  • happier, more intentional and caring students
  • effective, caring, and proactive leaders for our future
  • a school culture that is respectful, purposeful, accepting
  • students who celebrate their unique talents, personalities, and encourage individuality

Participating in the 21 Day Kindness Challenge, your school...
  •  gets all the resources and support you need to run a successful 21 Day Kindness Challenge
  •  receives all the materials, training and curriculum for a seamless integration
  •  promises to do 5 acts of kindness every day for 21 school days
  •  creates lasting change

Bringing Kindness to Your Campus is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
  1. Print the attached flyer
  2. Share the flyer with your school's principal, PTA President or members, or other awesome decision makers
  3. Order your school's 21 Day Kindness Challenge supplies
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It's Easy to Be Kind

8/25/2016

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Are you thinking about bringing the 21 Day Kindness Challenge to your school, but concerned that it might take too much time or effort? The 21 Day Kindness Challenge is easy to run and effective.

Easy Implementation & Continuous Support
  • 1-2 hours per week to plan and implement
  • Step by step weekly email reminders with checklists - you won't miss a beat!
  • All the curriculum and program materials you need to run a successful Kindness Challenge
  • Access to exclusive website with fun ideas, videos, online training, and cool materials
School-wide Enthusiasm
  • Your students will inspire and support you!
  • Fun & engaging activities for everyone
  • School-wide culture change

The Kindness Challenge is simple to plan, easy to run, and makes a huge impact! We have kindness programs for all school levels!  We offer age appropriate programs for every educational level: elementary, middle, and high school programs, as well as our cost-effective classroom program.

Be the Change: Bring Kindness to Your Campus! 

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Five Recommended Books to Help You Start the Year Off Right - It’s About Kindness! 

8/18/2016

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​We have five book picks for the month of August!! We know school is about to get real for you all and so we wanted to equip you with some books that will surely aid you with your goals of creating a kinder, more inclusive campus.

We’ve chosen books for all grade levels from pre-k to high school. These books will allow you to open the dialogue about kindness. Please let us know what your students thought of these books. Happy Reading! 
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Title: I See Kindness Everywhere by Shelley Frost 
Recommended Grade Level: PreK - 1 
Number of Pages: 28
Book Type: Picture Book 

Description: 
Bright, colorful and fun. I See Kindness Everywhere is an adorable book about seeing kindness and expressing gratitude for all the precious gifts around us. This book will help you and your students change the way you see things. 

Title: Non-Random Acts of Kindness by Lauren Myracle 
Recommended Grade Level: 1- 3
Number of Pages: 128
Book Type: Early Chapter Book 

Description: 
Adorable, funny and lighthearted. Non-Random Acts of Kindness is book 2 in the book series of The Life of Ty. Ty is a curious young boy who realizes that practicing acts of kindness, random or not, is easier than a person might think. This book will surely open the hearts and minds of your students about being kind. 
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Title: The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Recommended Grade Level: Grades 2 - 5
Number of Pages: 96 
Book Type: Easy Chapter Book 

Description: 
Peer Pressure, Regret, and Forgiveness. The Hundred Dresses is a Newbery Honor book that illustrates how peer pressure can cause a good person to participate in something they know they shouldn’t. The lessons taught in this book are invaluable. There are lessons about awareness, compassion, and honesty. A must have for any classroom library.

Title: Auggie & Me by R.J. Palacio 
Recommended Grade Level: Grades 5 - 8
Number of Pages: 320
Book Type: Young Readers Chapter Book 

Description: 
Thought provoking, surprising and heartwarming. If you love WONDER, you will love this book. Auggie & Me tells the “other side” of the story. Julian, the bully, tells his story as does Christopher, a friend of Auggie, and classmate Charlotte. They all talk about how Auggie has touched their lives.This book will allow you and your students to discuss the importance of knowing all sides of a situation.
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Title: the power of kindness by Piero Ferrucci 
Recommended Grade Level: Grades 8-12 (Adults too!)
Number of Pages: 304
Book Type: Higher Learning 

Description: 
Simple, profound and inspiring. The power of kindness has the potential to change a person’s life. Piero Ferrucci, a world famous transpersonal psychologist, discusses the surprising facets of kindness and how practicing it can bring happiness. Piero Ferrucci also argues that now, in today’s society we need to focus on kindness more than ever. Exploring the concepts in this book with your students may have a major impact on our future world. 

​Share your thoughts with us.
We’d love for you to share your thoughts on this month’s books - comment follow on this blog post or on our social media channels Facebook and Twitter. 
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Welcome your students back to school in a fun and unique way!

8/2/2016

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​Whether a student is coming to your school for the first time or they are advancing to a new grade, it is important to help everyone start off on the right foot. The beginning of a new school year is a great time to start something new by encouraging community and create a culture of kindness by getting everyone involved.

Two fun DIY kindness projects that will surely engage your students, teachers and staff in creating a culture of friendship, kindness, and excitement.

The Buddy Bench
You may have heard about the buddy bench movement; Christian Buck is one of the pioneers for the buddy bench moment in the U.S. Bucks presented a TedTalk back in 2014 about being a new student and how it was hard for him to make friends. He was feeling lonely, and so Bucks found a solution. Thus, the Buddy Bench was created. You can read more about Bucks in this Washington Post article: Kids don’t have to be lonely at recess anymore thanks to this little boy and his ‘buddy bench’

Build it, Buy it or Deem it.
There are several ways to create a buddy bench on your campus. You can build one from the ground up, buy one or deem a current bench a buddy bench. Get creative and make it inviting for all!
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​Create a list of questions.
Wherever you decide to put your buddy bench, we suggest you offer tools to help students engage in conversation by creating a list of questions they can ask one another. You can laminate the questions and attach them to the buddy bench.
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​Here is a list of questions you can use:

- Who is your teacher?
- What are some of your favorite foods?
- What kinds of games or sports do you like to play?
- What is your favorite book?
- What book would you like to read?
- What is your favorite movie?
- Do you have a brother or sister?
- How many people are in your family?
- Do you have any animals at home?
- If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
- What do you like doing when you are not at school?
- If you are new our school, tell me about your other school.
- What is your favorite TV shows?
- What is your favorite video game or App?

Take a Seat & Make a Friend Ball Pit.
This kindness project would be perfect for middle school and high school campus’. Take a seat & make a friend ball pit is a fun way to get students talking to one another. SoulPancake Street Team mission was to encourage people of New York to make friends with a total stranger. Check out their YouTube video: Take a Seat, Make a Friend. 

Build it, Buy it & Place it.
If you are (or know) a carpenter then you can build your Make a Friend ball pit. Otherwise, you can simply create the same effect by using a kiddie pool. We suggest you place your ‘make a friend ball pit’ in the quad or other prominent location that students, teachers, and staff walk through.
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​Create a few questions.
Write a few conversation starter questions on balloons or bigger bouncing balls to help break the ice. Encourage students, staff and teachers to join in the fun! Empower your student leadership group or student club members by asking them to be the first to start participating.

Here is a list of questions you can use:

- Find something you have in common.
- What teachers do you have this year?
- What freaks you out more heights or spiders?
- What are two things on your bucket list?
- If you could visit any country, which one would you visit?
- If you had a million dollars to give to any charity, which one would you give it to and why?
- What is your passion?
- Would you rather play a sport or create art?
- What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
- Who do you get along with more… your mom or dad?
- What would you say your best quality is?

Lay the foundation.
Create an environment of togetherness from day one. Breakdown the social cliques and encourage students to get to know others on campus. The more experiences people can create with others the stronger the connection.
 
Let us know. 
Share with us which project you are going to do on your campus by commenting on this blog post or by sharing on our social media channels Facebook and Twitter. 
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21 Day Kindness Challenge 2015-16 Results

7/28/2016

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    Note From the Founder

    Hello. I am the founder of the 21 Day Kindness Challenge Program.
    I believe if we focus our efforts on helping our young people develop good character values and teach them how to listen with their hearts their world will be a kinder place to live. It is my hope that my story inspires others to “be the change they want to see in the world.” 
            ~ Justina Bryant 

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