Lessons about Love
At its heart, Valentine's Day is a time for several types of love, including philia: the love of friends.
As Valentine's Day approaches, local students are looking for ways to express their love through acts of kindness, and encouraging others to do the same.
“(Make) someone's day better by saying something nice or doing something nice,” said Mateo Saspe, a sixth grader at Butler Catholic School.
School districts have been participating in a number of kindness activities this year.
In December, third graders at Butler Catholic School joined together for Advent Random Acts of Kindness.
The project challenged kids to perform 24 acts of kindness, one for each day leading up to Christmas.
In a social environment that's often volatile, these projects remind students respect and goodwill are important year-round.
They seem to be working.
“Kindness is pervasive in the hallways and classrooms of our school,” said Dawnielle Minch, an English teacher at Butler Area Intermediate High School.
From offering directions to classes to pitching in with projects, Minch said it's not unusual to see students being kind to make others feel welcome.“The students truly care about each other,” said Jeanie Cornell, a third-grade teacher at Connoquenessing Elementary School.It's also not unusual for students to help others of their own volition.“Acts of kindness include projecting positivity in negative times and taking the extra steps to ensure others' well-being,” said Sarah Fiorina, a senior at Butler Senior High School.One example of ensuring someone's well being, according to Northwest Elementary School kindergartner Lily Sovek, is being there when someone needs you.“(Like) my sister coming to the doctor with me, so I will not be scared,” Lily said.“One of the best things you can do is to just be there,” said Charlotte Kingston, a sixth grader at Slippery Rock Area Middle School.Katie Frye, an art teacher at Mars Area Primary Center and Centennial School, said seeing students work together is a big part of teaching.
“Student's will bounce ideas off one another,” Frye said. “I love hearing students complement one another and the artwork they are making.”Maura Penrod, an eighth grader at Butler Intermediate High School, said gestures don't need to be grand or showy.Sometimes the smallest offerings can have the greatest impacts.“(It) can be as simple as opening a door for someone,” Maura said.Mars Area sixth graders Owen Gerlach and Hunter Edwards believe being helpful and following the Golden Rule are important for building a kinder world.Wearing a mask, giving compliments, writing notes, doing chores: these are some examples of good deeds submitted by county students.“It's the little things that can make a person's day better,” Maura said.
That doesn't mean people shouldn't do big things, like visit the elderly, volunteer and stand up to bullies.Kindness comes in many forms.“Includ(ing) forgiving someone, even if they did you wrong,” said Addison Eicher, a Butler Catholic School sixth grader.For Isabella Lippke, a Mars Area sixth grader, one of the biggest ways students can be kind is to show respect.“(Like) not treating people differently because of what they look like,” Isabella said.The best part about being kind? It doesn't require a special occasion. It's something anyone can do anytime during the year.“Kindness is very important, and happiness is, too,” said Teagan Steyer, a Northwest Elementary School third grader. “So if you see someone sad, go cheer them up!”
