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Creating a kinder, increasingly inclusive, and more compassionate school environment is vital to help keep school-aged kids happy and safe. With the rise of social media, bullying has become easier than ever, and it can detrimentally affect students long after graduation. Society needs fewer schools that resemble the cutthroat halls in “Mean Girls” and more learning environments where students are kind and supportive of one another.
Jessica Hansen, founder of Kindest Kid in America, noticed this gap and designed the program to encourage kids to treat each other with respect and empathy. Sure, that sounds like an easy concept on paper, but kids can be cruel and often mirror what they know. When Queen B movie and TV characters are the main young role models kids have, it’s no wonder that bullying is such a prominent issue. That’s where Kindest Kid in America comes in.
The Kindest Kid in America mission
Kindest Kid in America centers on motivational speakers addressing schools as young as elementary-aged kids all the way through high school. These programs turn the tables on the mean girl coolness factor and switch that narrative to inclusivity and treating each other well. Through the program, kids are rewarded for their kindness.
While athletic and academically-minded students often receive recognition for their success, Kindest Kid in America aims to build a nationwide movement that institutionalizes kindness in schools and communities and rewards the students who most embody that mission.
What is the program doing to make that goal happen?
Encouraging kindness isn’t as simple as giving a lecture. Some tools to foster this thinking include Kindest Kid in America’s custom children’s books to spread the message, putting on assemblies, and arranging community-wide awards to encourage positive behavior.
The program also acknowledges the neurological component to accomplish this mission. To that end, Kindest Kid in America offers neuroscience-backed challenges that reinforce kindness as a habit. Of course, it’s vital to collaborate with educators, nonprofits, and corporate sponsors to make the program as strong as it can be to scale impact and effectiveness.
Who benefits from a program focused on kindness?
Well, the answer to that is essentially everyone. First and foremost, educators and frontline champions are given the tools to create an inclusive, supportive school environment despite the limited resources that exist for behavior-driven programs. Between professional development workshops and turnkey kindness initiatives, they get access to the tools needed to work toward the mission.
Of course, parents are also impacted by the Kindest Kid in America program—both in terms of reaping the rewards and reinforcing the behaviors being instilled at school. With programs that develop emotional intelligence, parents can engage in social media-driven storytelling and awards to do their best to establish positive behavior in and out of the home.
Naturally, kids benefit the most from these programs, which are amplified by sponsorships, local recognition events, and media coverage. These tangible perks are meaningful social impact initiatives that help produce measurable outcomes.
Kindest Kid in America does things differently
The best initiatives are helmed by someone who has experienced a problem and wants to be a part of the solution. That’s how Jessica Hanson’s authentic journey from adversity to advocacy began.
In short, Kindest Kid in America centers on recognition that lasts. Acts of kindness are permanently honored, while the program focuses on permanent behavioral shifts that last long after school. Every school and community has different concerns and needs, so the program is adaptable to meet those varying needs. Kindness can change lives, and every kid has the power to lead this change with the right tools.
A bright and kinder future
Kindest Kid in America has already inspired significant improvements in many schools. However, the program hopes to expand beyond schools and into corporate partnerships and national campaigns. After all, the impacts of kindness don’t end with a graduation cap and gown.
Social media and online platforms remain some of the most useful and accessible tools. Kindest Kid in America plans to bring kindness awards into online platforms to help establish a long-term cultural shift where kindness is as valued as academic success.
So, what can parents, leaders, educators, and concerned community members do to help? Get involved. By joining the movement and spreading the Kindest Kid in America message, everyone can make kindness the new standard, both in and out of school.
