There is a quote, that hangs in my classroom, by Mother Teresa, “Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
We’ve started a new initiative at my school this year. The program is called, Champions for Kids.” In a nutshell, it’s a program that pairs a mentoring adult, who works at our school, with each student. The “Champions” are responsible for being the cheerleader for the students they are assigned. Not only did we include the adults at our school to be champions, but we also recruited some of the fifth graders (the oldest students in our building) to be champions for students in younger grades.
It’s been encouraging to see the fifth-grade students excited about giving notes of encouragement to the younger students. I’ll admit, they are often more enthusiastic and timely with their missives than I am! We are working together to build a positive environment where students feel uplifted and supported.
I often write the students on my champion list a quick message on a Post-It-Note and stick it on their locker for them to find the next morning. Usually, my messages say something like, “I hope you are having a great week! I am so proud of you. Keep working hard to be the best you can be. Your Champion, Mrs. King.” Some days I include a bendy pencil- which they love, and sometimes it’s just the words.
From start to finish, the entire process of writing and delivering the message takes five minutes. It’s truly a small gesture, that is making a big difference- not only in the lives of those students who receive the notes, but also in my own life. I know it’s been said a million times before, but, truly it is better to give than receive! It puts a smile on my face to think about them finding the note, and knowing someone cares about them, and is hoping for them to have a good day.
The unexpected outcome of the program has been the relationships that have been built between the fifth-grade students and the younger students. Quite often, there will be a knock at the door of the classroom and it’s one of the younger students who have written a note of encouragement to their champion, in an effort to reciprocate the encouragement they’ve been receiving.
I believe we can apply this practice to our lives, everyday. I’d like to encourage you to grab some Post-It-Notes and be a “Champion” for someone. Writing a few kind words won’t take much time, but you will be creating echoes of encouragement that will be endless.
Aimee King
