Random acts of kindness pay off at Chamberlain School

From left, Addison Web, Gracie Marak, Jacob Wheeler, and Mia Belanger earned UNH Junior Cats shirts. (Courtesy photo/Chamberlain Street School)

ROCHESTER - The Chamberlain Street Elementary School has placed a strong emphasis on kindness lately, and students have been kind of liking the initiative a whole lot.
The school's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team has organized multiple activities and events to promote kindness among students so far this year. Most recently, the school welcomed Gnarlz, the University of New Hampshire's mascot, to participate in its school-wide meeting, which it conducts regularly to recognize the students of the month.

Gnarlz brought a big card with a message about the importance of kindness, which was shared with the students.

Chamberlain Street School student Jamison Smith with Gnarlz. (Courtesy Photo)

More regularly, teachers in each classroom have a laminated Kindness Card that they give to students who they observe being kind. Those students are then responsible for presenting the card to a classmate who they notice performing an act of kindness.
Then, at the end of each day those students who were caught being kind are entered into a drawing to win a UNH Junior Cats T-shirt, which were donated to the school during Gnarlz's visit.
"This program has really taken off, and we're practically overwhelmed by the number of students who have been recognized for being kind," Principal Mark Campbell said. "The students are reacting in such a positive way and I want to thank UNH and Gnarlz for their support of this great initiative."