Beyond academics, a mission of kindness

If you’re familiar with Ellen Degeneres’ TV talk show, then you know how she ends it: “Be kind to one another.”

However, it doesn’t take a Hollywood celebrity to make a difference. Several schools in Cherokee County have adopted the #BeKind movement.

Whitney Nolan, principal at Hickory Flat Elementary, and former PTA co-presidents Shannon Coughanour and Abby Mack decided to switch the lens through which bullying and thoughtless behavior were seen and addressed.

R.J. Palacio’s book Wonder “was a springboard for the kindness movement,” said Nolan.

Shifting the focus from the negative and advocating for positive change, Cougha- nour and Mack founded #BeKind. The three women brainstormed and created a video inviting the county to join them in the initiative.

“They wanted it to spread, as kindness should,” said Liberty Elementary Principal Doug Knott.

The schools participating include: Hickory Flat, Liberty, Sixes, Knox and E.T. Booth.

“When someone is behaving in an unkind manner, there’s something wrong and we need to try to seek help for that person,” said Nolan in the school’s #BeKind video. “If everyone’s focused on being kind, sharing kindness and drawing the kindness out of others, then when we see situations like that maybe we won’t take it so personally.”

The #BeKind movement is built on four characters: Trust, empathy, honesty and courage, according to the group’s site.

Embraced by the entire staff and serving as positive role models for their students, the work of building on the pillars takes time and consistency, and has a lot of moving parts and different starting points.

“As parents, we want our kids to go there and impress us in so many ways. Obviously when we send them to school we’re hoping and praying that they come home with those good grades,” Knott said. “To me, as a parent, it’s such a proud moment when your child is actually making a child or another person’s day brighter.”

For more information, visit https://2bekind.com.YouTube #BeKind by HFESPTA.

CONTRIBUTED Liberty Elementary’s students and staffers in Cherokee County go all out to show support for #BeKind.