PEABODY — As part of ongoing efforts to provide resources to the city’s schools through its Mental Wellness Initiative, the Peabody Education Foundation is bringing the Kids Kindness Club to elementary schools this fall.
The program is part of Connor’s Kindness Project, a nonprofit based in Lynnfield that was started by student Connor Wright during the pandemic to support children facing challenging situations including medical conditions, mental health crises, and poverty. The ongoing goal of the nonprofit is to help others while also spreading positivity, one act of kindness at a time.
The Kids Kindness Club is a way to bring kindness to elementary-aged school children, lead students on their way to helping others with small acts of kindness, and familiarize them with community service. The program is designed to bring comfort, support, and kindness to children in various challenging situations. By providing them with educational resources and opportunities to engage in acts of kindness, the program aims to make a positive impact in their lives.
School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne said she was looking forward to seeing the impact the program would have on the city’s schools.
”It’s a great philosophy — simple kindness can be such a positive force in the world, especially now,” she said. “I think we will ALL benefit from this program.”
Following an introductory assembly at each Peabody elementary school led by a Team CKP Kindness Teacher, members of the Kindness Club will receive a list of challenges provided by Connor’s Kindness Project that include tasks such as writing a thank you note or completing an act of service without being asked.
These challenges are designed to be fun and easy to complete, while also promoting empathy, kindness, and social awareness in children.
Every student will take a pledge of kindness and receive a membership certificate and a “Kindness is My Superpower” sticker once they complete 20 acts of kindness from the list.
Introductory assemblies have already taken place at the South, Welch, Carroll, and Center schools. Assemblies will be held at the Burke and West schools on Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., respectively, and at the Brown and McCarthy schools on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., respectively.
The Mental Wellness Initiative is sponsored by the Peabody Education Foundation, Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, North Shore Bank, the JB Thomas-Lahey Foundation, and the GraVoc Charitable Foundation. The PEF launched the initiative several years ago to benefit students, teachers, and parents, providing reading materials, motivational speakers, and other resources to help the Peabody schools deal with the mental health issues that have escalated during the past few years due to COVID, as well as those issues that continue to challenge our schools every day.
Charlie McKenna of the Item staff contributed reporting to this story.
