KPDSB encourages schools, communities to participate in Random Acts of Kindness Challenge 

Tim Brody - Editor

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board (KPDSB) has issued a Random Acts of Kindness Challenge to its schools and communities in honour of Pink Shirt Day (Feb. 23).

Taking part in the challenge, running from Feb. 21 – 25, is as easy as doing something nice for someone and feeling great about it. 

The school board shared on social media, “Let’s fill our schools, communities and social media with random acts of kindness the week of February 21. Use the hashtag #KindnessatKP to share your act of kindness and inspire others!”

The school board explained, “KPDSB schools always recognize Pink Shirt Day and have done so in a variety of ways over the years.  Last year, a dedicated team in the Red Lake area issued a similar acts of kindness challenge and the concept was so well received that we rolled it out to all schools and all communities this year.  

“As a Board, we recently established a Wellness Committee, and this was the first initiative for that group.  KPDSB staff volunteered for the committee from all areas of the Board and all employee groups.  We look forward to their continued work to support wellness of staff and students.”

Asked about the Random Acts of Kindness Challenge’s connection with Pink Shirt Day, the school board shared, “Kindness and practicing gratitude are important to talk about when we talk about bullying.  Acts of kindness help students engage in more compassionate ways with each other and appreciate the value of helping others. Through acts of kindness, students can build more positive relationships with their classmates. Viewing the world and relationships through a lens of gratitude can help students to notice and appreciate the positives in life, even when facing a challenge. Noticing and sharing gratitude can support healthy relationships and the development of resilience.”

The school board clarified, “The challenge is open to everyone across northwestern Ontario and beyond.  The more joining in, the more kindness that will be spread in our communities.”

The school board concluded, “The goal is simply to encourage as many people as possible to do something nice for someone else and to highlight the importance of events like Pink Shirt Day.  Acts of Kindness don’t need to be anything big, from creating handmade notes with kind thoughts and wishes, to shoveling a neighbor’s driveway, to telling someone how much you appreciate them, every action is meaningful and has the potential to create a chain reaction.  

“Anyone participating is encouraged to use the hashtag #KindnessatKP so we can share their posts on our social media next week and hopefully inspire others to participate.”