Kindness in Action at Beechwood Elementary
by Patricia Aldred, Community and Personal Development Animator
Every Friday, a special group of students gathers at Beechwood Elementary to spread kindness in meaningful and creative ways. The Kindness Club, made up of Grade 2 and Grade 5 students, meets weekly under the guidance of Special Education Technician Ms. Maria Giannoumis.
Through a unique mentoring model, the Grade 5 students guide the Grade 2 students as they work together to build a Culture of Kindness throughout the school, with Ms. Maria providing support and encouragement every step of the way.
The Beechwood Kindness Club – Taking Action!
The Kindness Club organizes initiatives that touch every corner of school life. They decorate the main entrance bulletin board with rotating kindness messages, create and distribute birthday cards for staff, and post surprise messages on lockers.
On Fridays, they relieve the Peer Mediators and provide outdoor support for kindergarten students, modelling empathy and leadership. They have also organized special initiatives for staff, including a coffee cart and “Merry Kissmas,” where everyone received a Hershey’s Kiss accompanied by a kind message.
One of the highlights of the week is the “Monday Morning Kindness Kick Off.” Each Monday, four students—two from Grade 2 and two from Grade 5—make a kindness-themed announcement over the intercom. Ms. Maria sends the script home in advance so families can practise together, and many parents enjoy listening in or even recording their child’s announcement. This weekly ritual has become a meaningful way to start the week positively.
In December, members of the Kindness Club prepared a slideshow and visited classrooms to promote Beechwood’s Giving Campaign. They reminded students and staff of the campaign dates and types of donations being collected, such as non-perishable food and toys. The Kindness Club also collected the donated items from classrooms and organized them in the library before delivery to community organizations at the end of the campaign.
Grade 6 students work together and form an assembly line to load donations for Elves Filling Shelves.
The students in the Kindness Club are engaged, motivated, and proud of the difference they make each week. Through their actions, they show that kindness at Beechwood is not just something we talk about—it’s something we do.
