Age
11
Country of Residence
United States
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
Our school district started the year with two student universal expectations; to be on task and to be kind. I thought of having a kindness club to help students practice kindness. I have been noticing that our school has been struggling to show kindness and this group would help bring our school community together and give students intentional practice in different ways to show kindness.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
So far I have engaged one adult advisor who can help me get my idea running. We will share our club vision statement as an elevator pitch, word-of-mouth outreach and create digital and posters in our school for outreach.
How many people are on your team?
2
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Ultimately, the biggest sign of success will be seeing kindness become part of our school's everyday culture—not just something students do for a club activity, but something they choose to do because it is who we are as a school. The goal is not just to have a successful kindness club, but to create a school where kindness becomes the norm for everyone, every day.
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
A school kindness club; a group of students who spread positivity, encourage inclusion, help others, and make their school a happier and more welcoming place.
Project title
Kindness Club
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Having a universal expectation of kindness is important because it creates a safe, welcoming, and positive environment where every student feels valued, respected, and included. When kindness is an expectation for everyone, it helps build a strong school community where students understand the importance of treating others with respect, using encouraging words, and looking out for one another. It also helps prevent bullying, reduce exclusion, and strengthen friendships. By making kindness a shared responsibility, we create a culture where students feel a sense of belonging and understand that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Kindness isn't just something we encourage; it's something we all expect, model, and practice every day.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Days 1-30: establish the vision with the help of my adult advisor, recruit the founding students, and create the club's structure. We do not want the club to feel like an adult -created program. Adults are facilitators, students own the club. Days 30-60: Hold student meetings, identify schools needs, and develop the first kindness project. Days 60-90: Introduce the club to the school, launch the first activities, welcome new participants, and establish an ongoing schedule.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
A student-created and student-run Kindness Club is more than another school kindness initiative. It is a student-led movement that empowers young people to take ownership of the culture of their school. Instead of simply being told to be kind or participating in occasional kindness activities, students identify opportunities to make a difference, develop their own ideas, organize meaningful actions, and inspire their peers. Through this process, kindness becomes more than a lesson or an event. It becomes a shared responsibility, a leadership opportunity, and an everyday part of the school community. The most important distinction: Other initiatives often teach students about kindness. A student-created and student-run Kindness Club gives students the opportunity to actually build a culture of kindness themselves.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Creating a School Kindness Club helps address unkind behavior by giving students an opportunity to take an active role in creating a more positive and welcoming school environment. The club empowers students to be leaders and role models by encouraging kindness, inclusion, and respect through positive actions and schoolwide activities. It helps bring awareness to how words and actions affect others while reminding students that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and included. By having students lead the way, the club helps make kindness more than just a school expectation—it helps turn kindness into a daily habit and an important part of our school culture.
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Right now I have myself and a teacher supporting my idea. I would hope to have 5-8 core student leadership team members who coordinate the club and provide continuity throughout the year, 8-10 rotating student members who participate for a semester or a specific project before taking on new members and an unlimited number of schoolwide kindness ambassadors who can participate in kindness activities or lead a kindness project without being an official club member.
