From creating kindness quilts to collecting trash on campus to help school custodians, campuses across Orange County recently took part in the Great Kindness Challenge.
The nationwide initiative, held Jan. 27 to Jan. 31, encouraged students to complete acts of generosity throughout the week. While some schools followed provided checklists of suggested activities, others created their own initiatives to promote a culture of compassion and community service.
At El Morro Elementary School in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, students wrote letters to firefighters battling the Palisades Fire, thanking them for their service. The letters were delivered to Los Angeles Fire Department Station 75. Terra Valadez, an instructional aide who helped lead the effort, said the project showed students how small acts of kindness can have a meaningful impact.
“We believe that small acts of kindness have the power to cultivate gratitude that stretches far beyond our immediate community,” said Valadez. “By acknowledging local heroes, our students gain a deeper appreciation of how interconnected we all are.”
Valadez also has a personal connection to the effort —her boyfriend is a firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department and was among those responding to the Palisades Fire.
A few miles away at Top of the World Elementary, students participated in the challenge through a variety of activities designed to foster kindness in their classrooms. They read books about kindness, took part in a spirit week and wrote kindness letters during lunch. The school also raised more than $400 for the Pasadena Humane Society and the California Fire Foundation, supporting animals and families affected by the Los Angeles fires.
Julia Monson, a kindergarten teacher at Top of the World, said the experience helped students see the impact of their actions.
“Even at just 5 years old, they are more intentional with their words, more patient with one another, and more willing to offer support without being prompted,” said Monson. “There is a noticeable shift in the classroom dynamic.”
The school plans to carry the message forward beyond the challenge week. With support from school counselor Bre Anaya and social-emotional learning lead Nadia Hart, teachers received resources to continue kindness-focused lessons throughout February.
To highlight how students demonstrated kindness, the OCDE Newsroom has compiled a collection of social media posts from local districts and school sites.