Leading with kindness at Te Hapara School

Te Hapara School Leaders group with thank you cards they wrote for World Kindness Day. Back, from left, Ngalu Swann-Koloi, Lepoli Talakai, Fia Roberts-Kingi, Natayah Renata, Alex Ryan, and Austin Griffiths. Front, from left, Jah Tawera, Angel Anderson, Kierra Ihimaera-Rangirangi and Robert Tauta. Picture by Liam Clayton

Students at Te Hapara School were paying it forward on World Kindness Day yesterday.

Principal Linda Savage said they marked the day by sending cards to retirement village residents and writing “thank you” letters to SPCA and Te Puku Ora. However, the day also marked the end of a 21-day kindness project.

“Earlier this year, the Year 6 Te Ata Hapara Leaders attended National Young Leaders Day in Hamilton and were inspired to bring their best version of themselves back to our kura and lead others to do the same,” Mrs Savage said.

“They discovered that kindness was the key and through their research, they found physical benefits for both the giver and receiver of kindness. They found out that kindness doubles and that it takes 21 days to make a habit.

“The leaders decided this would be a great habit to grow at Te Ata Hapara. They created a 21-school-day Kindness Calendar and rolled it out across the school.

“Each day they led some information sharing and taught a class various acts of kindness to complete.

“As luck would have it, the 21st day was World Kindness Day, November 13, where we celebrated as a school with whanau. To celebrate this day each class carried out acts of kindness and community projects and then celebrated with whanau through games and food.

“They have spread the word and grown a strong habit in our kura.”