Alyssa's Act of Kindness

Alyssa's class did a project this week called, "Act of Kindness," where they each had to do an act of kindness for someone outside their family, and make a poster with a three paragraph essay about it.  Then, all of their families were invited to a social at the school library, where each of the students were able to present their project.  They did it "museum" style, where they each stood by their poster in shifts, and the parents walked around, hearing each presentation.

Alyssa's act of kindness was doing service for our neighbors, the Salisbury's.  Her original idea was to open doors and hang up coats for people at our ward Christmas party, but the car accident messed that up a little.  Then, she said, "I hold Rebecca all the time for you.  I can do 'taking care of Rebecca' as my project."  I said okay, and the first time we had a moment to make the poster was the afternoon before it was due.  Right when Alyssa came home from school we got out our supplies, then I read the assignment paper again and was reminded of the "outside the family" rule.  That's when we started scrambling to do some service.

Alyssa wanted to help the Salisbury's, so she called them up to ask what she could do, and she and Ethan rode their scooters over to clean their toy room.  I sent the camera with them so Shaylene could take some pictures, then Alyssa came home and got to work on her poster.

Everything in Alyssa's poster is her idea.  She wrote and typed the essay by herself, cut out and framed the pictures, and put captions on the pictures by herself.  She was the one who wanted to paint it, and she spent all evening adding stars and flowers.  See the orange sun up in the corner?  Nope - flower.  She told me it's a "sunset flower."

I am so proud of Alyssa for doing this project.  She was so cute when she was presenting it.  All the kids were very professional and grown up during the social.  They all did a great job!

It's teachers like the one Alyssa has now that makes me want to keep her in public school.  If we were lucky enough to have teachers like Mrs. Halverson all through her school career, I'd keep her in without a second thought.  I loved this project.  It not only teaches our kids how to write, make a poster, and present their ideas, but it teaches our kids to think of others and be good, caring citizens.