Each year, the Random Act of Kindness Foundation challenges everyone to make the world a better place through its largest initiative, World Kindness Day! This year's theme "Make Kindness the Norm" gave us a great opportunity to show how, at Multiplying Good, we know service equals kindness. This is our norm!
To celebrate, we partnered with our friends at the lifestyle brand Aerie to power youth service in Pittsburgh, PA. In the spirit of kindness, Aerie awarded $500 mini-grants to three Students In Action (SIA) teams to help them inspire and empower youth to be inclusive, love themselves, and do good!
Brownsville Area High School's Student In Action team used its $500 to create an arts and education service project impacting body positivity in their high school. The team felt that by painting positive and uplifting messages on the bathroom stalls, they could boost personal esteem and give a positive reminder for their classmates. The messages give an insight into the personal mindsets of some students and illustrate how body and mind positivity is crucial to daily human stability. Aerie chose Brownsville's service project as the highlight of its World Kindness Day feature story. The team was highlighted on social media and featured in the #AerieReal Better World blog!
Pine-Richland High School's Students In Action team used their grant to launch a mentorship program that matches all middle schoolers with a high-school buddy to support the transition from middle to high school. Together, the "bigs" and "mids" participated in the I SOAP You Stay Warm this Winter initiative by creating care kits for the residents of the Light of Life Rescue Mission.
The West Allegheny Senior High School Students In Action team focused their project on reducing stigma and supporting youth in learning about and using inclusive or 'people-first' language, with a particular focus on shifting youth away from using the 'r' word to describe others with intellectual disabilities.
Our Students In Action members are evidence of what is possible when youth develop confidence in their ability to make a difference and are given the skills to do it well.
