Kindness Club at Dixon Middle School: Fostering Gratitude

“Anytime I can find gratitude towards someone, it changes my perspective,” shared Coco, a Dixon Middle School student and Kindness Club member. “I can see them as a whole different person.”

As part of our month’s theme of gratitude, we visited Dixon Middle School to see how our students celebrate and share gratitude– not only throughout November but every day.

Dixon Middle School’s Social Worker and Kindness Club Advisor, Chante’ Harrell, started their meeting by asking students about their thoughts on gratitude.

“I feel good inside when I share gratitude like I could change someone’s world,” said another student.

“Absolutely. A good act of kindness can inspire another act of kindness, right?”

Passing forward charitable goodwill inspired their meeting’s activity, as students took to paper to write messages about the people they are grateful for. Students mentioned gratitude towards parents, siblings, friends, educators, and others who have worked in those students’ lives for good.

After writing their letters, they plan to take photos of each student and their message of gratitude to share the video across the school with friends and family (which we’ll share soon).

We’ve said it before, and it bears repeating: Kindness Clubs are culture-makers. They teach students to carve out spaces for their peers and build up those around them by celebrating their differences. It’s a dedicated hour of mindfulness in which students meditate on how to change themselves and the world around them.

They remind us all that gratitude is an active process of charity that can take root anywhere: in clubs, classrooms, and at home. Their example shows us that gratitude is as important for others as it is for our own development.

When the cultural zeitgeist holds empathy as outdated or naive, it’s nice to know that students are dedicated to spreading kindness.

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