MOFFAT — “As April quickly approaches, I could not be more proud of students and staff at the Moffat School,” said Principal Jillian Sciacca M. Ed.

“On March 14th, a national walkout was planned by students throughout our nation. The walk-out was an opportunity for students to voice their concerns about school safety. Moffat administrators, teachers, and students worked together to plan an event that turned the focus to kindness.”

To kick off the assembly, students were reminded that they have the power to make their school a safer place by treating each other with kindness and having some empathy for others. Rather than walking out on school violence, students were encouraged to walk-up to someone sitting alone and ask them to join their group, or to walk-up to a teacher and say thank-you. 

Additionally, students were provided with a summary of the book, “Have you Filled a Bucket Today,” by Carol McCloud and encouraged to be a bucket filler by using kind words and performing acts of kindness on a daily basis. After a moment of silence to honor victims of school violence in recent months, the stage was given to student representatives to share their voices on the importance of kindness. 

Here are the things Moffat students shared on this topic:

“Grade doesn’t matter, height doesn’t matter, neither does age or your personality. You should just be YOU,” –5th Grader 

“We’re here most of the day. This is our home. We’re supposed to feel safe, and come here and feel like we belong... with bullying that makes this impossible. We all have bad days, but it’s not hard to look at somebody and smile and tell them they are beautiful or smart or have potential. It’s easy for you to be nice!” –10th Grader

Kindness is not just a trait but an attitude... we all have the power to be kind. –9th Grader

One way of being kind is to help people. –Kindergartener

Say please. –Preschooler

Everyone has a kindness bucket. All day long, we are either filling up or dipping into each other’s buckets by what we say and what we do! - 4th Grader

By filling someone else’s bucket, you fill yours in return! - 3rd Grader

At the conclusion of the assembly, older students paired up with younger students to write an act of kindness on a chain link. Every student in the building shared one idea, and the links were connected to form a chain that is hanging across the railing upstairs for all to see as a reminder of the role kindness plays in creating a positive school environment. 

“This was an amazing event for students and staff alike and certainly made all of us, proud to be Cowboys,” Sciacca said.

In the words of Jeremiah Jenkins, a Moffat senior, “Kindness is one of the few things that is free in life! Imagine what an amazing school this could be if we all could just practice one or two acts of kindness a day? This is my challenge to you!”

Captions: Senior Ryker Poor helps preschool students write down their ideas to practice kindness./Courtesy photos

Alexandria Harrison and Jodi Campbell share their thoughts on the importance making the Moffat School a better place by telling others they are smart or have potential. 

Senior Jeremiah Jenkins shares his thoughts on the importance of kindness and challenges his classmates to practice one or two acts of kindness on a daily basis. 

Tanner Shellabarger shares his thoughts on how helping others is way to practice kindness.