“We decided that we would go ahead and get started,” Walker said.

Twelve classrooms decided to participate. Beginning on Martin Luther King’s birthday, children in began to spend time each day discussing what it means to promote kindness and justice.

Last Friday, students in Mrs. Powell’s class added their own comments to her observation that it’s good to be kind to others.

Megan Pratt said being kind means, “If someone gets hurt, you can pick them up and they’ll be happy and then they’ll help someone else.”

Lindsey Gonser said she had learned, “It’s nice to help people who are in need and help someone who asks.”

As participants in the national program, Tonganoxie teachers have been handing certificates to students when they observe them going out of their way to be kind to others.

Through the two-week period, Walker kept track of how many certificates were handed out and these are recorded on the Website, dosomething.com.

In Sara Saunders’ third-grade class Friday afternoon, students wrapped up the session by telling their good deeds and receiving certificates.

Shaun Roberts said, “It’s good to be kind to other people. It helps you make some friends and it feels good to do things for other people.”

But Roberts said the important thing isn’t just in the telling of good deeds it’s in the doing.

“You can do as many good things as you want to,” he said. “But it’s not fun to brag.”

His teacher, Miss Saunders, said her students have enjoyed the program.

“It’s been fun,” she said. “They’ve been trying very hard.”