Students spread kindness at Dartmouth High School
Student Keercheena Pamphile promotes self-compassion and love. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Staff member Marcia Viera paints a rock of kindness that will be left in the community. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Students Fayth Dean and Kiara Lee De Jesus teach their peers phrases in American Sign Language. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Isaiah Cortes and Logan Costa use the interactive game Duck Pond to help teach their peers the importance of fostering a welcome environment.
Members of the Fishing Club participate in the Day of Kindness.
Student Keercheena Pamphile promotes self-compassion and love. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Staff member Marcia Viera paints a rock of kindness that will be left in the community. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Students Fayth Dean and Kiara Lee De Jesus teach their peers phrases in American Sign Language. Photo by Tassiana DaSilva
Isaiah Cortes and Logan Costa use the interactive game Duck Pond to help teach their peers the importance of fostering a welcome environment.
Members of the Fishing Club participate in the Day of Kindness.
Kindness was on full display at Dartmouth High School on Thursday, April 16, as students in the Black Student Union and Allyship Club hosted the third annual Day of Kindness.
Dartmouth High School held its first Day of Kindness four years ago after the Burgo Basketball Association was vandalized with a racist term in 2023 and someone used a slur toward a student.
"My club decided to respond in a way that was promoting kindness," said BSU Advisor Kristianna Callahan.
The event, which was originally called Day of No Hate, was created as a way to promote equality, kindnes and understanding, Callahan said.
In the morning, students entered the carnival through a tunnel of students who cheered and danced and gave out green beaded necklaces.
"I think the excitement starts building as we come toward lunch, because now kids are starting to know that this is an event that we do," Callahan said.
She said one student came up to her and said the Day of Kindness is her favorite day of the year and something she had been looking forward to.
"It's cool now that it's starting to become something that the kids know," Callahan said.
The BSU started planning for the event in late winter, preparing a kindness table, a Jeopardy table, a duck pond table and table where people could create friendship bracelets.
This year, other clubs reached out to participate, like the fishing club, the Christian fellowship club and the multicultural club.
"This year is really cool because it organically came together with so many other clubs participating," Callahan said.
The BSU received around $1,000 from the district attorney's office to help fund the event, giving students the opportunity to make what they wanted for their tables.
"It's really cool to see that the students are taking ownership of it and making it this event that they can look forward to," Callahan said.
She said that her hope is that students learn things that extend past the Day of Kindness and that they learn something to carry with them.
"Maybe in the future they're going to remember that they did this event ... or they'll maybe be able to ask a question to someone who's different than them, just to promote understanding and acceptance," Callahan said.
