But the thing about culture is that it’s at its best, its healthiest, when it develops organically, where the students drive the proverbial bus.

The Student Council at Eisenhower Middle High School is certainly playing their part.

Student council for the second year in a row organized a series of events for what they have called “Kindness Week.”

“My favorite part of Kindness Week is its ability to instantaneously brighten the moods of others and shine a light on the importance of recognizing kind behaviors,” Student Council President Callan Gigliotti said.

Photo provided to the Times Observer Student Council members drew messages of kindness on the sidewalk outside the school.

“They plan, advertise, implement and lead the daily activities, spirit week, and daily kindness challenges,” Reading Specialist Emma Lobdell said. ” I rely on them to exercise their leadership skills by stepping up and basically running the event.

“Different Student Council members had different roles that they were in charge of implementing throughout the week with the officers and my advisory having a heavy hand in implementing the activities.”

The week kicked off with a school spirit day on Feb. 12.

“A few Student Council students, Mrs. Richardson and I spent time the weekend preceding Kindness Week to put a compliment card on every single locker in the building,” Lobdell said. “This was a surprise for all the students to start their day on a positive note.”

Each day included a daily kindness challenge and Monday saw students challenged to give a compliment.

“Students had the opportunity to have their faces painted blue and gold by a few Student Council students and could fill out a compliment on a coffee cup to the person of their choice,” Lodbell explained.

“These cups were hung up on twine around the cafeteria for everyone to see throughout the week. Additionally, a cup was placed in each staff member’s mailbox to fill out and was also hung with the students’ cups of kindness.”

Student Council members spent their advisory period on Monday sidewalk-chalking outside the school with positive messages for students to see as they enter the building.

Tuesday’s theme was “Say Aloha to Kindness” which invited Hawaiian attire.

“Middle and High School Student Council students, decked out in their Hawaiian attire of course, greeted students in the lobby before school with neon signs with positive messages, hugs, high fives, music, and smiles,” Lobdell said. “This is always my favorite part of the week! Almost every single student smiled as they entered the building and walked through the “tunnel of kindness” created by the students.”

Part of the kindness effort is developing community.

Each student was given a lei when they entered the building and encouraged to play rock-paper-scissors with someone else. The winner got to take the loser’s lei. By the end of the day, Caleb Jakubczak had collected over 400.

Wednesday – Valentine’s Day – saw students work during advisory to send virtual Valentine’s messages to patients at St. Judge Children’s Research Hospital.

Thursday was a PJ Day.

“Four students from each grade level were nominated by their teachers for displaying kind behaviors in and out the classroom,” Lobdell said. “Each of the students got to bring a friend of their choice, allowing almost 60 kids to attend the event.

“We blacked out the cafeteria and hung black lights, covered games such as cornhole, spike ball, and life size jenga with glow tape for students to play. Students also had the opportunity to play on the Nintendo Switch with friends, eat snacks, enjoy music, and spend time with their peers in celebration of their kind behavior.”

The kindness week event certainly breaks up the monotony of school, especially in what we hope are the late stages of winter when the doldrums can really set in.

But there are broader lessons to be learned.

“Kindness Week was such a success last year that we knew we would definitely need to make it an annual event,” Lobdell said.

“It is imperative that as EMHS’s student leaders, we continue to foster an environment that celebrates kindness, inclusivity and love.”