100 acts of kindness celebrate integration
Lisa Andrukonis Staff Writer
Monique Paylor a third-grader at Rashkis Elementary School wrote on paper hands about making her grandfather breakfast" helping her sister pick up toys and her classmate baking cookies.
She's one of Claire Nelson's third-grade students who wrote 100 acts of kindness on paper hands to celebrate a milestone in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.
The district is celebrating the 100th day of its 100th year today with projects based on the number 100.
""We're encouraging folks of all grade levels to take part and … asking folks to put a service aspect on it"" said Stephanie Knott, assistant to the superintendent for community relations.
Nelson's class decided to write their acts on multiculturally colored hands after learning of segregation in Chapel Hill. The schools integrated in the early 1960s.
Harper Lewis, one of Nelson's students, said doing kind acts encouraged others to be kind.
It's like the line leaders who set a good example" Lewis said.
Meg Johnson's second-grade class is also marking acts of kindness at Rashkis.
We go to a teacher and tell them and they write it down" said Isabel Hudson, a second-grader in Johnson's class.
Johnson's class watched for acts of kindness and recorded them on a multi-colored poster in the classroom.
The whole atmosphere got even more caring"" Johnson said. We really hope it will even continue after the 100th day.""
Students send ‘thank you' notes to soldiers
Steven Norton" Staff Writer
On a busy Tuesday afternoon Glenwood Elementary School students put the finishing touches on letters that will soon travel halfway around the world.
In celebration of the 100th day of the school district's 100th year Linda Sheer's second- and third-graders wrote 100 letters to troops in Iraq.
Smiles traveled through the room as students finished.
Each letter includes a special thank you for the troops a note about the school's 100th day" a class picture and a Valentine's Day sticker wishing a happy holiday.
""We say thank you for serving our country and tell them to keep safe"" third-grader KaHeathsha Brittian said. They'll like that we thanked them for fighting for our freedom.""
For third-grader Bora Imirgi and his classmates" writing 100 letters seemed daunting but during the two weeks of work" they were up to the challenge.
""It was hard" but it went fast" he said.
The finished letters will be sent to Letters To Soldiers, a Utah-based organization that will distribute them to Army Post Offices in Iraq.
Aside from celebrating the school's 100th day, Sheer said she believes that the project will not only improve students' writing skills but teach them a little bit about public service.
It gives them an appreciation of others and lets them know that it's good to do things for other people"" she said. It's not all about them.""
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
