The Great Kindness Challenge:
The Carlsbad Community Comes Together for Kindness
Fire trucks, police cars, and even Republic Services sanitation trucks were festooned with uplifting posters, brilliant colors, and messages of kindness and joy. “Smile.” “Thank you, firefighters.” “Peace.” “You rock, girly.” “Have a joyful day.” “Carlsbad Cheers Police.” “You are amazing.”
Hundreds of students and their families came to Carlsbad High School last Saturday for the colorful kick-off of The Great Kindness Challenge.
Sage Creek High School's 3D Design teacher Cathryn Burroughs and her students covered a sanitation truck with messages of kindness and joy displayed in (washable!) paints, yarn, and posters. Carlsbad HS art teacher Kelly Foulk and a crowd of helpers gathered around to put the finishing touches on another trash truck, showing off their artwork to visitors. Representatives from Carlsbad’s Police Department and Fire Department chatted with community members and shared a laugh when a student covered his ears as he rang the bell on a bedazzled fire truck. Students from other Carlsbad Unified schools adorned the fire truck and a squad of police cars with joyful messages. All had gathered from across the city to celebrate this year’s theme, Kindness Moves, by sharing words of encouragement and acts of thoughtfulness.
In the gym, kind people from toddlers to grandmas were strutting, jumping, and lunging to the boisterous and dynamic energy of Jazzercise routines. A team of cuddly therapy dogs brought smiles and joy to those needing a furry hug. And an uplifting program of musical performances entertained the crowd. Guitar players from Magnolia Elementary organized a sing-along of “Lean on Me.” Cheerleaders from Sage Creek and Carlsbad High Schools shouted out cheers to inspire an enthusiastic crowd.
Elsewhere kids of all ages gathered around craft booths where they unleashed their inner artistic talents. They decorated placemats for the Senior Center with joyful messages, made Friendship Bracelets to send to fellow students in Kenya, and received Happy Tattoos. (A youngster getting a rainbow on her forearm exclaimed, “I never got a tattoo before!”). They painted Kindness Rocks, designed their own Kindness posters, colored bookmarks for the library, and decorated a Kindness Matters banner for City Hall. They wrote thank-you notes to firefighters, police, and service members, and decorated reusable water bottles with encouraging messages. They wrote heartfelt “Love for LA” messages to send with socks to lift the spirits and warm the feet of students who had suffered losses in the recent fires.
This week each CUSD school continued celebrating Kindness Moves with its own fun and crazy activities– Dress Like Your Teacher Day, Thank Your Custodian Day, Make a New Friend– to demonstrate gratitude and compassion. Carlsbad Unified was the founding district of The Great Kindness Challenge movement. And this year over 21 million students worldwide will be joining in the fun, practicing kindness and spreading joy across the world.
“I love seeing this inspiring community come together in such a special way,” said The Great Kindness Challenge’s Jill McManigal. “I can feel the spirit of generosity, the abundance of joy, and the gratitude that lifts up our spirits.”
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Carlsbad Unified School District
Email: cusd@carlsbadusd.net
Website: https://www.carlsbadusd.net
Location: 6225 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA, USA
Phone: 760-331-5000