The Middle School years are exciting because of all the developmental changes (physical, intellectual, emotional and social) that occur across the course of three short years. While the changes are exciting, sometimes, the social aspects can be rocky. This is particularly true of how students choose to communicate about themselves, about others, and to others. While our students are committed to the CA tenets of “acting with integrity, respect, and compassion,” their actions, at times, can be at odds with these values. Peer groups, social media, advertising, and the latest TV programs and movies are huge influencers and, at many times, promote the opposite messaging.
Three years ago, via our Charger Trails focus on Digital Citizenship, Kim Karr, co-founder of the iCanHelp organization, spoke to our students about negative and positive messaging in social media. This national group is dedicated to educating students about social media and empowering students to be change agents in addressing negative messaging. Following the presentation, several students, inspired by the stories they had heard about how young people could make a positive difference through a small act, approached our counselor, Kelly Wiebe, about starting a Middle School iCanHelp club. While the national organization’s focus is primarily on social media, our students wanted to create opportunities to promote and sustain – in simple small ways – a positive climate within the halls of the Middle School.
Over the past three years, iCanHelp members have written grade-level specific newsletters with tips on how to be a positive community member. A ‘Take One, Give One Board’ was created on the first floor as a place where all students could contribute encouraging messages. Students are leaving sticky notes with upbeat comments that are available for other students to take for themselves or to share with a friend. There are also ‘Compliment Jars’ where individual students can be recognized by classmates for a kind act. For example: a note to the student who stopped to help another student pick up dirty plates that had tumbled off the cart during lunch. Students also created paper snowflakes following an advisory discussion about how each member of our community is unique and adds to the school’s fiber, emphasizing the message that everyone is beautiful, yet different, like a snowflake.
Right now, the Middle School is in the first week of a three-week positivity challenge. The 8th grade iCanHelp group has challenged students to write an email or a note to teachers or other students thanking them for helping in some way. Teachers are also participating in this challenge by thanking students and/or, colleagues for providing inspiration. Next week, the seventh grade iCanHelp members will challenge students to share messages they have received in the past that helped brighten their day. The illuminating thoughts will be posted on star-shaped notes in every grade level hall. The sixth-grade group will bring the trimester to a close with another positivity challenge.
The actions of the iCanHelp group are subtle, yet powerful. The more we see and hear positive messaging and recognition of small deeds and actions, the more we shape and foster a culture of support and caring. I recently sat down with members of the club to learn about their experiences and observations of the impact of the iCanHelp initiatives. The students felt good that they personally were helping to “spread positivity” and that the club “encourages others to act kindly”. They noted that their classmates had shared the experience of feeling good when doing something positive for another – the sense that the giver as well as the receiver benefits from an act of kindness. While recognizing that getting everyone on-board will take time and that persistence is important, the iCanHelp members feel that they are making a difference and are seeing peers being thoughtful and positive in their communications. This motivated club is modeling and encouraging the principles of its motto: i Can Help, i Will Help, i Did Help.