Spreading kindness around the community for Kindness Week

During the week of October 18 - 22, Richmond Senior High School, Richmond County Ninth Grade Academy, Ellerbe Middle School, Cordova Middle School and Rockingham Middle School participated in Kindness Week - a week created by students in Senate at Richmond Senior High School last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This was a way to bring the school together after a rough start and remind students that this is a place to grow,” said Senior Anna Blair.

"The week was a light in a dark hour," said senior Jude Howard.

For this year’s Kindness Week, the Senate wanted to incorporate more writing and create something more personal. And with this being Richmond Senior's 50th year, students wanted to go bigger. For each day during the week, students were challenged to write letters to military, school staff, healthcare workers and “get well” cards to someone with COVID-19.

And the amount of letters they received each day was more than what they imagined.

"We didn't expect the response to be as great as it was and we didn't want it to feel forced," said Senate Advisor Arthur Gilliam. "We received about 300 letters a day, every day!"

Over the course of a week, senate students delivered their cards to the various groups.

“The staff was very touched by the letters,” said John Jackson, president of the Southern Region and administrator of Moore Regional Hospital-Richmond. “It made their day.”

Senior Anna Blair made the suggestion that they should write letters to healthcare workers and said it felt good to hear how well the letters were received.

On the last day Kindness Week, students wore their Kindness shirts. The money raised from the shirts went to Krystal Dawn Retreat. Students also completed bingo cards and received "Be Kind" buttons upon completion.

Overall, Gilliam found the week to be super successful and was glad that the Ninth Grade Academy and middle schools participated. Next year, he'd also like to incorporate the elementary schools, continue to do something for teachers and staff, and continue to give back to the community.

“Our school nurses were bombarded with letters, even our SROs,” exclaimed Gilliam. “I loved it, it was super positive!”