Supplied by the Huron Superior Catholic District School Board…
Sault Ste. Marie: A random act of kindness has resulted in a viral response of good deeds at St. Mary’s
College. Thanks to the actions of one student on a stormy day, students in Mrs. Sandra Rollin’s Grade 10
Religion class formed a Random Acts of Kindness Team that has rewarded spontaneous good behaviour.
“The idea first started after one of my grade 10 religion students, Forrest Berry, was caught in action. On
one of our bus cancellation days, with a weather combination of blowing snow and ice accumulation, this
student, without being asked, went out of his way to help a staff member remove a very thick layer of snow
and ice from their vehicle,” said Rollin.
Prompted by hearing the story of Berry’s action, his classmates worked together to create the Random
Acts of Kindness (RAK) Campaign. It provides students and staff with a daily act of kindness challenge
and encourages them along the way by sharing a variety of kindness quotes. A favoured challenge
encourages students and staff to take a technology time-out and to use that precious time to spend some
quality time with a family member or friend.
“I did it automatically. I knew it was the right thing to do. It’s nice to know that it made a difference,” said
Berry.
“It’s about reminding people to be aware, look around, don’t miss opportunities to reach out to others, be
helpful,” said Michael Martin.
“It’s so easy to get caught up in all the negative things going on in our world, especially if we listen to the
news. It was really nice to focus on something positive and really think about the power of kind words and
actions,” said Emma Vallecorsa.
Students set up a Random Acts of Kindness tree in the school’s front lobby and visited classrooms to give
both students and staff an opportunity to fill in heart shaped ornaments, with acts of kindness they had
witnessed, done themselves or received. The initiative quickly gained momentum, not only in the class but
through the school community.
“It was truly an amazing experience to see students coming together with a common goal of spreading
kindness, creating a positive environment, and inspiring and motivating others to do the same,” said Rollin.
The campaign also allowed some of the students to showcase their talents and find new ones.
“It gave me an opportunity to use my artistic talents to create a poster for our campaign. It was a lot of
fun,” said Emma Black.
“I helped out with the daily announcements. On the first day I was literally so nervous, I was shaking. But
honestly, by day three I was ready for it. Being part of the Random Acts of Kindness Team really helped
me build up my confidence,” said Caeleigh DiLuzio.
The RAK Campaign quickly had a domino effect within the school and it has spread beyond St. Mary’s
College. It is a gentle reminder, that every act of kindness, no matter how small, can truly make a
difference. We really do have the power to change the world, one random act of kindness at a time.