Sagamore Middle School students in ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ are starting the school year with a lesson on kindness. During grade-level assemblies, students watched a video about the butterfly effect, or the idea that a single butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the world can create a hurricane on the other side. In the video, the theory was applied to acts of kindness. Students witnessed how a small act in North Carolina led to two young girls passing on kindness to a village in Sierra Leone, West Africa.
After watching the video, students were encouraged to write down the ways they would spread kindness and create a kindness “hurricane” at Sagamore. Students wrote their ideas on butterfly-shaped Post-it notes, which were then put on display in the hallway to remind students to keep kindness at the forefront throughout the school year.
Here are some of the ideas shared by eighth grade students:
Charlotte F. – “I’m going to spread a hurricane by making sure everyone is feeling equal because no matter how someone learns or dresses, everyone should be treated equally.”
Avery T. – “I’m going to make a hurricane at Sagamore by being kind to everyone and waving at someone in the hallway, or even just saying hi to them, because that may seem little, but it could make someone’s day.”
Kendall B. – “I’ll start my hurricane at Sagamore by if someone is sitting by themselves or if they have no one to sit with, you can ask them to sit with and your friends so that they can become friends with you guys.”
Aaliyah H. – “I’m going to spread my hurricane by holding the door open for people and making people feel good because even if they’re different, we’re all the same in the end.”
Ben D. – “I’m going to spread my hurricane by helping people in the halls with their lockers and helping them find their classes.”
John B. – “I’m going to start a hurricane at Sagamore by helping people out with their homework and classwork.”
Maliha A. – “I’m going to start a hurricane at Sagamore by making sure others feel comfortable with the way you treat them. If you talk to someone with excitement and they’re not used to it, it could make them feel uncomfortable, so just making sure they’re okay with how you talk to them.”