Jefferson Elementary Students Proving Kindness Matters

Hundreds of schools, and approximately 85,000 students are committed this week to performing as many kind deeds as possible. Kids for Peace founder Jill McManigal created the challenge last year and anticipates more than four million kind acts will result from it in this week alone.

The nonprofit Kids for Peace was started in Carlsbad and continues to have a large presence at Jefferson Elementary.

Principal Chad Lund said the program is very well embraced and he's noticed Jefferson students tend to be polite, well-rounded kids that, "are more assertive with looking you in the eyes, shaking hands and opening doors." 

The school kicked off the Great Kindness Challenge week Monday morning with an assembly led by fifth graders who encouraged their classmates to remember that "kindness matters."

Each student is encouraged to do acts of kindness such as:

• hug your friend
• sit with a new group of kids at lunch
• draw a picture and give it to someone
• compliment 5 people

Giving back and helping others is nothing new for Jefferson Elementary students. The school is an International Baccalaureate or "IB" school which aims to "develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect," according to the school's website. 

Students Travel to Mexico to Volunteer

Most recently a group of fifth graders and their parents took a trip to an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico with Kids for Peace to play with the kids and give deliver gifts called "peace packs."

Sarah and Justin Freeman took their twins on the field trip and said the experience was "very eye opening" and meaningful.  Photos from the trip are above and can be found Facebook.