5th graders at Union City Middle School complete random acts of kindness

UNION CITY, Tenn. (KBSI) – More than a dozen fifth graders at Union City Middle School in Union City, Tennessee are making a point to do acts of kindness for people.

Several are part of Kelsey Arnold’s Advanced Reading classes at Union City Middle School.

As part of a project after reading the book ‘Wonder’ by R.J. Palacio, 26 fifth graders were tasked by their teacher Kelsey Arnold in her Advanced Reading class to perform random acts of kindness for those outside of their inner circle in the community.

‘Wonder’ is a story about a boy with a facial deformity who looks very different from the “normal” fifth-grade student. The story was made into a movie a few years ago. It details how the boy was treated by other students when school began.

UCMS students learned lessons about bullying and kindness.

Students’ efforts of kindness ranged from simple to ones of great effort. They included giving donuts to janitors at UC Elementary School, lots of cookie-baking for neighbors and nurses, food delivered to the local fire department, and light yard work for people in their communities.

Coffee shop gift cards were given to school secretaries and one crossing guard. Students wrote numerous notes of encouragement and secretly left them for professionals. Books were also donated to a local ‘library box’.

“They were allowed to pick their own kindness acts, and we discussed what an act of kindness exactly was and how it doesn’t have to cost any money,” Arnold said. “You truly can’t put a price on doing something nice for somebody.”

Students were also required to write about their actions, detailing how those efforts related to the book’s theme. Some also took photos of their work.

They shared details of their actions and had a book discussion during which they shared their ideas and interpretations.