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Troy students send random act of kindness cards for Valentines Day

TROY — 6th graders at Van Cleve in Troy are working together to try and spread a little happiness ahead of Valentine’s Day.

The advisors for student council noticed a program called “Spreading Cheer” at the Troy Miami County Public Library. The staff members pitched the idea to the kids on student council and they quickly ran with it spreading it throughout the program rather than just the council.

The students at Van Cleve are making cards to be given to senior citizens, most of whom are in nursing homes, for Valentine’s Day.

Many of the students know what it’s like for loved ones that are or have been in nursing homes.

“I thought it was a fun idea because my uncle use to be in a nursing home and I would make a bunch of cards for Valentine’s for them,” 6th grader Camryn Turk, a member of student council, said. “I thought that was a really fun idea just to share with my classmates and to spread kindness.”

There were hundreds of cards that were taken to the library that will then deliver the cards for Valentine’s Day.

Abela Morris is another member of student council that talked about challenges some family members face removed from so many of their loved ones.

“Definitely makes me feel like I’m doing something good,” Morris said. “I think I put a lot of thought in the card that I made because whoever gets it I feel like it will make them feel a little bit more better or try to remember that there’s other people caring for them.”

“I think it’s really important because the world really needs a little more kindness and little more happiness because it’s all kind of down,” Clara Wenning, another student council member, said. “It’s just nice to do something nice for somebody every once in a while not that you know who you’re doing it for, you’re just doing something nice.”

JoLynn Scalice and Katie Rindler are co-student council advisors and they swelled with pride seeing this small idea grow into something much larger. They credit the kids for wanting to take it to each of their classes and friends which sparked more interest and helped the program grow.

Seeing the kids work on the cards and see the finished product is also impactful for the two Van Cleve staff members.

“Students are really owning their impact and influence on the community that even though they are 11 and 12 years old they’re able to find something they have control over in a time when you don’t have control over much,” Scalice said.

“You can see their individuality,” Rindler said. “Some of them put a lot of artistic [work in the cards], some of them put poems in there. Just the different forms of expression that they’re using is really neat to see.”

The library collected all the cards by 8pm Wednesday and then will distribute them for Valentine’s Day.

James Rider

James Rider

I was born in Virginia and have moved several times in my life as a member of an Air Force family. I've lived in Virginia, California, Germany, England, and Ohio. I graduated from Centerville High School and then went on to attend Ball State University where I graduated with a bachelor's degree.

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