Kindness is important for many reasons. Kindness can simply change someone’s day or even save a life. Conducting random acts of kindness to others here at Solon High School (SHS) and in our community will make the world a better place.

Being a good person is important because it’s impossible to know what someone else is going through unless we are walking in their shoes. Someone could seem to have it all yet really be broken in the inside. Jennifer Buemi, SHS English teacher and Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Advisor, said we need to keep this in mind when talking with others.

“I feel that you don’t know what students are entering the building with,” Buemi said. “I have a lot of students that appear completely fine on the outside and then I talk to them one and one and find out a parent is ill or they lost a loved one.”

One glance at someone won’t tell all their feelings, but a lot of the bad things that happen in this world can be prevented through kindness. For example, anxiety and depression are huge problems in our world today where if we were kind that can boost up someone’s self-esteem which can drive someone away from being depressed. Maddie Weiss, an SHS junior, said that kindness can greatly influence a person in a bad situation.

“[Kindness is] one of the best qualities you can have as a person because there is so much going on in the world, and we can prevent it by being kind to others which will also make us feel better about ourselves,” Weiss said.

Additionally, it’s the little things that can make someone’s day. If you just try to give out compliments to others in the hall or smile at someone, it can make a huge difference. Dina Weber, Special Education teacher at SHS, said that using everyday manners is a great way to implement kindness in your everyday life.

“It’s simple things like smile, say hello, hold the door open, say please and thank you,” Weber said.

Nevertheless, at SHS, sometimes people don’t know where and when to use kindness. In the cafeteria, people tend to sit with their typical social groups, gossip and ignore others, not at their table. Buemi thinks that if the students and staff start sharing altruism in the cafeteria, it will branch out to other places in the school. This can be inviting someone over to sit by you, or say hi to others in the lunch line, or sitting with a new group.

“By spreading kindness starting at the cafeteria we can invite just one new person over to the lunch table then we can spread kindness,” Buemi said.

Inclusion is also super important. If every day you just include someone new, meet someone new or talk to someone new that can change a day.

“Promoting inclusion and having more school spirit can really help the people who maybe think they don’t fit in here at SHS or in the real world,” Weiss said.

Being kind and inclusive can really change how a person feels about themselves too. Being inclusive can simply be asking someone new to be your partner in class, or if someone if left out asking them to join your group. If you see someone walking alone in the hall, go say hi and walk with them. Buemi said it makes people feel like they are worth something when being included.

“I think it helps kids feel better about themselves,” Buemi said. “It helps their self-esteem and their confidence; kindness itself speaks volume.”

Weber added that taking the time to listen to someone when they are having a bad day is a great way you can be kind.

“Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone is just listen and nod when they are having a rough day,” Weber said. “this has happened to me many times and I am truly thankful for the amazing support and kindness that is shown to me every day in this building.”

The more kind we are the more kind others is going to be back in return. Kindness is the most important and the most effective quality a person can have. If everyone had a little more kindness, the world would be a better place Weber explains.

“Kindness is contagious in the best way possible,” Weber said. “The more kindness you spread, it carries to others.”