Students Find Over 5,100 Notes Taped to Lockers at School
Amid all the negative stories that filter through news stations and social media, there are also an abundance of positive ones to hold on to.
Stories highlighting heroism and kindness are even more important in light of tragedies such as the recent Parkland, Florida, shooting, which claimed the lives of 17 people.
Sometimes, in the aftermath of such chaos, acts of kindness can be overwhelming and life-changing, as one Indiana high school has shown.
On Feb. 21, Carmel High School students took kindness into their own hands when they posted a series of positive notes throughout the school.
The small sheets of paper, which included sayings such as “you are loved” and “be the type of person you want to meet” were found on every single locker in the high school, totaling more than 5,100 altogether.
The gesture came days after the harrowing deaths of multiple students and teachers after gunman Nickolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. And many are agreeing with the sentiment spread by the givers, who had their own explanation as to why such an act was needed.
“Some lockers have all these different locker signs because they are really involved [in extracurricular activities],” said senior Andrew Morozov, one of the organizers. “It just felt kind of nice to have something for them to say, ‘You are loved, you are part of this great school, great community.'”
“With the rough past couple weeks I feel like Carmel really needed this,” Morozov added. “The posters really showed that everyone has a purpose everyone is loved. I just think it was a great way for Carmel to rally together.”
Organizers of the charitable act — which included students and teachers — gathered rolls of painter’s tape, posters, and other supplies before finally speeding through the school’s 90-minute class schedule to hang all of them up.
“I definitely got a lot of steps in yesterday,” said art teacher Sarah Wolff, who has a class of nearly 30 students in grades 9-12. She claims the counseling office challenged her class to come up with a random act of kindness earlier in the year, but it had to be limited to a mere $20.
And though the students came up with the idea two weeks ago, the tragic Flordia event that has sparked outrage and grief throughout the nation seemed to make it have even more of an impact.
Wolff herself was even expecting the hallways to be lined with the discarded papers by the end of the day but was pleasantly surprised when they were still hanging on the majority of the lockers the next morning.
The participating students were empowered by their peers’ positive response to the flyers, and even more so after it went viral on social media as many praised the random act.
“It couldn’t have been a more perfect time,” said district spokesperson Courtney Taylor. “That’s what makes Carmel Clay Schools so great, in my opinion. We have students who are looking out for each other.”
The kindness, many say, is desperately needed after Carmel high school faced its own threat recently.
Students in Mrs. Malloy’s class making personal notes for students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. ❤ pic.twitter.com/ggZenJRQD7
— Carmel High School (@chsinfo) February 22, 2018
Local police arrested two male teens on Monday in connection with the gun violence threats — charging them with felony intimidation. And though officials at the school admitted that it will be taking further security precautions around the school, it couldn’t help but thank the generous and supportive community in a letter sent to parents.
“We thank the Carmel Police Department and our Carmel school resource officers for their tireless effort and swift action,” the memo stated. “We greatly appreciate the Carmel community for their outpouring of support, cooperation, and assistance in bringing closure to these events.”
“We remain committed to providing a safe learning environment for our children,” they wrote. “The safety and security of our students at all of our schools continues to be our top priority.”
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