In the weeks leading up to the holiday break, students, schools and districts across Orange County proved that no kind act is too small when everyone works together to spread cheer for families in need.
From collecting presents to visiting older adults living in senior care centers, students in the county led initiatives to brighten the holidays for families facing hardships.
The Orange County Department of Education and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares created the One Billion Acts of Kindness campaign in 2016 to encourage educators, students and their families to document and submit their kind acts online. They did this with the hope of promoting a great sense of civility, character and positive school climates.
To date, more than 14.8 million acts have been logged with the #Kindness1Billion initiative.
Among the notable acts, students from Marina High School claimed their title as three-time champions in the Huntington Beach Union High School District’s canned food drive competition. The Vikings gathered more than 12,600 items, a substantial addition to the district-wide collection of 41,719 cans.
Their kind acts were matched by the district office’s staff, who collected close to 10,500 diapers in support of local families.
In the Garden Grove Unified School District, students from Sunnyside and Murdy elementary schools took initiative, organizing and delivering 331 bags brimming with essential items to help individuals suffering from homelessness.
These campuses and students were not alone in their mission. The OCDE Newsroom has compiled a collection of social media posts showing acts of kindness that schools and districts shared with their communities this month.