HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) — A growing group of students at Berry Middle School is spreading happiness in the hallways.
The group is a student-initiated group of boys and girls who come to school early twice a week to anonymously write notes of encouragement and stick them to every locker.
It started with Maddi Silva.
“I leave notes for my grandparents when I miss them so they can find them and that’s always just stuck with me,” Silva said. “Ms. Besch always tells us to spread kindness and I thought that was a good way to do it.”
Rebecca Besch is the 7th-grade language arts teacher and offered her classroom as a meeting place for the students to write the notes.
“It spreads the message to the teachers and the community that we’re doing good things here,” Besch said. “You know, we are making a difference in the lives of our kids and we’re seeing it.”
More than a dozen students have joined the group and estimate they have written more than 700 notes. They don’t get school credit or a grade for their work, but their reward is something that just cannot be put on paper.
“It surprises us that one small act of kindness can have a ripple effect and make so many more,” Silva said.
Lilliana Miranda is also a member of the group.
“People will leave the notes on their lockers for a couple of days until they fall off because they like seeing it,” Miranda said.
The students are also working on a similar program to make their teachers’ days a little brighter too.
