Pittsburgh-area high school students bring smiles on World Kindness Day
SWISSVALE, Pa. (KDKA) — Fred Rogers once said, "Try your best to make goodness attractive."
He said that would be one of the toughest assignments you'll ever be given. Well, in the Woodland Hills District on Monday, that assignment was seemingly made easy. Students from Woodland Hills High School spread kindness by writing words of encouragement on the sidewalks around the district's schools.
Doreen Tabb, a teacher and student advisor at Woodland Hills High, says this project started a few years ago in memory of one of the district's beloved students who died unexpectedly.
"Caileigh McDowell was one of our students and back in 2016, Caileigh McDowell passed away," said Tabb. "But she was just one of the most kind people you ever would have met. So, World Kindness Day is Nov. 13 every year, so we do this in her honor."
Research has shown that engaging in acts of kindness not only leads to increased happiness and well-being but also triggers a positive feedback loop of kindness, where the recipients of kindness are more likely to pay it forward.
In the past, student "kindness ambassadors" like these have done everything on this day from participating in kindness rallies to passing out kindness cards to people in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Student council president Aidan Potter says that these little messages go a long way with folks. And he says that he hopes people make every day a day to be kind.
"Always be kind, no matter what," he said. "Not just because we are doing this, but always. Every day is kindness day."
If you'd like more information on Kindness Day and the kindness movement overall, click here.
