Nicole Proffitt

Age: School: Coral Cove Elementary in Miramar Grade: First Hometown: broke Pines

Trait: Kindness

Pem-

Compliments and crayons are some of the ways Nicole motivates her classmates. She often motivates her peers to do tasks by using a combination of praise and patience, with a special assist from some colorful drawing sticks.

“It makes my heart feel great and makes it pump really fast because I am so happy for making the right choices,” she says.

Jill Baysinger, first-grade teacher: Nicole motivates a student who does not want to complete his assignments. She motivates him by continuously giving him verbal praise.

Nicole also tells the student that if he completes the work, he can use her special twist crayons. This has worked better than any incentive the teacher has tried. I have also seen Nicole give this student a hug when he is having a difficult day.

Nicole does this of her own accord and out of the kindness of her heart. She doesn’t draw attention to herself or to the student in need. Nicole does report to the teacher about the student’s success, which makes the student even happier.

Nicole also has a unique way of assisting a student who suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and who suffers from emotional issues. Nicole can always sense when this student is getting upset and seems to always calm him down. On one particular day, this student was about to get upset because he was unable to finish an assignment. Nicole stopped what she was doing and said, “Wow, I love your new haircut!” The student immediately stopped, smiled and got back to getting his work done.

Nicole helps this student with organization, too. His desk is messy, and he has difficulty finding supplies for assignments. Nicole is always there to lend a hand and help him find what he needs.

Nicole impacts the students in my class in a positive way. They admire her generosity, her willingness to stop whatever she is doing to help and, most of all, her selflessness.

I have seen a transformation in the students she assists. They want to strive to do their best and pay it forward by being helpful to others. It is so refreshing to see a student like Nicole.

Antoinette and Anthony Proffitt, parents: As a toddler, Nicole demonstrated such a compassion and empathy toward animals, other small children and adults that was extraordinary. She seems to just have it in her, as part of her nature and personality.

As her family, we fostered and encouraged this kind of behavior. Now that she is 7 and in the first grade, we see it more and more. She is very sensitive and nurturing toward her classmates and even other children she may not know. She is especially sweet and understanding to children with disabilities and has a genuine concern and compassion toward the elderly.

We are not surprised that she is this way because, as her parents, we know her heart. We see on a daily basis what she does and how she treats others. We see on a daily basis that she behaves so nicely in school by following the rules, respecting her teachers and being a good friend to others.

We see how she acts in the community by being patient with others, having good manners and being courteous. At home with her family, she is a great big sister, as well as a sweet and loving little sister. She is her grandmother’s special companion and helped a lot with her grandfather when he was ill.

Nicole Proffitt: I do the things I am recognized for because I want to be a good kid. I do it also because I want to become a good adult. I feel that if I am a good kid and do the right things, I will grow up and be a good adult, and my life will run smoothly and everyone around me will be happy.

I also feel that everyone should feel good about themselves, and if I can do something kind or say something nice to someone else, then that is the right thing and way to act. I think that teachers are shocked when I act the way I do. They do not expect a little girl like me to say or act the way I do with them or other kids.

I will never stop acting this way because I want to show everyone in this world that I care about them.

— Beth Feinstein-Bartl