Kindness Room Testimonials
The Impact That Kindness Rooms Have On Students Across Northwest Ohio.
Shelly Juhasz – School Counselor
Chase STEMM Academy
Toledo Public Schools
Is there a successful idea/project you would like to share with other schools?
Our Kindness Room at Chase STEMM Academy (Toledo Public Schools) has been a tremendous success an asset to our building. As a STEMM school, our students learn through project based learning activities. We began our Kindness Campaign in November, to align with World Kindness Day.
Using our Engineer and Design Process, our 6th grade class posed a problem they felt they could solve. Their driving question was, “How can we promote more kindness throughout our school and Chase Community.” We invited Sam to speak to our 6th grade class about Luken, and from there, a beautiful friendship was born. Our 6th grade class worked collaboratively to host a Valentine Day card sale, they used the proceeds to purchase and make “Kindness Crew” t-shirts.
They spoke to every class in the building about kindness, explaining what kindness looked like and how it made others feel. The invited the entire student body to take part in making posters that would line the hallways of our building. Through our partnership with the Luken T. Boyle Campaign for Kindness, the 6th grade class worked to clean, decorate, and intentionally design a space that fostered kindness and community.
The Kindness Campaign generously filled in all the missing gaps with furniture, craft supplies, flexible seating, books, bracelets, and a Cricut. Our Kindness Room was born! The students then invited each classroom into our new space and led a kindness activity. Sam and Teresa were both present for the unveiling of our Kindness Room, and the news even came. The amount of love and kindness that was exhibited and felt on this very special day was magical.
It is a day that I will never forget. Watching our 6th graders be leaders in our school and embrace and engage our entire student body was nothing short of incredible. This project has, and will continue to, foster a kinder community within our building.
Have you noticed positive changes in students’ behavior and interactions with one another?
Yes! From the moment Sam walked into our building to share Luken’s story, our students have been actively working on being kinder individuals. They have whole-heartedly taken the lead on this endeavor and have worked tirelessly to make sure their actions are matching their kindness message.
Our students have begun to listen to one another with understanding and empathy, they have cheered on the “underdog” purposefully and intentionally, and they have reminded one another of our commitment and pledge that we took with the Luken T. Boyle Campaign for Kindness.
Our 6th grade students have so much respect for Sam and her family, and they truly want to make her proud. We have had many discussions about being kind to others makes us feel. The overall consensus of our students is that it feels “amazing” to be kind. Our students are growing and learning and have been so invested in this project. They have been vulnerable with their feelings, and have been intentional about listening to others and addressing issues that may arise. They are truly proud of themselves, and as their school counselor, my heart just explodes with joy and gratitude when I observe all that they are doing.
Every student in our building is excited to play an important role in our kindness mission. Our students have grown so much in one short year and this growth would not have been possible without the help of Sam Boyle. I will be forever grateful for everything that the Boyle family has done for and with our Chase students and community.
What are some examples of these positive changes?
There are so many positive changes that have come from our partnership with the Luken T. Boyle Campaign for Kindness.
Our students have become intentional with their language and their actions. They have been a friend to others, even when it wasn’t easy. They hold true to their pledge to treat everyone with kindness, and because of this, they have grown in so many ways.
They are excited to lead, some who were the shyest students in the class have volunteered to take on leadership roles. Others carry around a look of self-confidence that they didn’t have before.
They are believing in themselves and continue to work on a project that is bigger than them. They have become problem solvers, leaders, and true friends to one another.
They look to Sam as a role model and a mentor, and they are always so excited to spend time with her. I know that this is just the beginning of an incredible journey for our Chase students.
I am so proud and humbled by everything that our students have accomplished, because of our partnership with Sam, Teresa, and the Luken t. Boyle Campaign for Kindness. I will never be able to express in words how truly grateful I am for the opportunities that Chase STEMM Academy has been given.
We look forward to a very long partnership with the Luken T. Boyle Campaign for Kindness.
