KMS keeps kindness at the forefront
Courtesy photo Members of the Fun Lunch Bunch were last year’s winners of the KMS Kindness Project. This year, the event is in full swing and the school is looking for people who want to be judges at the Kindness Fair.
KELLOGG — The Kellogg School District is in the business of keeping their schools kind, Kellogg Middle School in particular has taken this to another level and is expanding that to the community.
Last year, KSD Superintendent Dr. Nancy Larsen began the KMS Kindness Project as a way for students to look past themselves, as well as understand the personal satisfaction that comes from doing something for someone else.
“When you have middle school-aged kids, you can’t get more narcissistic than you really are when you’re in middle school,” Larsen said. “So I encouraged them to go beyond themselves and do something that is both encouraging and for their benefit. They really feel satisfied afterwards.”
Initially the idea was part of a writing assignment, but now the KMS Kindness Project has evolved into a science fair-like format.
Students can work in teams of two to six members, they then form an action plan complete with what their project is and how they are going to accomplish, then they are tasked with completing their project, preparing a visual display and verbal presentation.
Those displays and presentations are then presented to a panel of judges at the (now) annual Kindness Fair.
Last year’s winners, the Fun Lunch Bunch, wanted to create a place to sit at lunchtime for kids who didn’t normally have someone to sit with.
This year, there are seven teams working on various projects and the school is looking for judges for the Feb. 10 Kindness Fair.
“We have a really simple, but detailed rubric that tells the kiddos what they’ll be looking for and how each section can be scored,” Larsen said. “Everyone who presents will receive a certificate, similar to a music competition, they will get superior, excellent, those types of ratings. The kids are also invited to the Feb. 12, school board meeting where they will be recognized by the board.”
The project has been rewarding for everyone involved, but Dr. Larsen really enjoys watching the kids come to a very specific realization at its conclusion.
“The students always come to the conclusion that they get more out of it than the people that they help,” Larsen said. “Hearing from the kids, how excited they were to come up with and then complete their project is enough to bring you to tears.”
If you would like to be involved with the KMS Kindness Fair, call the Kellogg School District office at 208-784-1348.