Year 7 Kindness Project

Our Year 7 students are currently undertaking acts of kindness in the school and local community as part of their Kindness Project. We have students undertaking a range of activities, such as collecting donations of goods for charities, spending time with the elderly at aged care facilities, mowing lawns for neighbours and cleaning up parks, ovals and the school grounds.

Stefan Barsby and Tom Nicoll, recently spent time at the Salvation Army store at Wantirna.

“We decided to help the Salvation Army because they help a lot of people in need. Our day at the Salvation Army store in Wantirna was great. We spent two hours at the store on Saturday, and learnt how the store worked and what it meant to volunteer. Tim (one of the volunteers) helped us tidy up the clothes and hang them up, sort through some donations and clean shelves. We have a lot of respect for the people that volunteer at the Salvation Army store, as they give up so much of their time to help other people. If you want to volunteer at a Salvation Army store, you can apply online or call 9800 5327.”

Madison Veness, Minique Shakleton and Becky Liu handmade a quilt that they donated to Salford Park.

“We walked from Wantirna College to Salford Park on Wednesday the 25th of October after we arrived from our kayaking and canoeing and gave the residents a handmade quilt that we did by tying it up without sewing or stitching. The Salford Park residents really enjoyed our quilt and said that they really liked the colors because it stood out. They also said it was special to them because it reminds them that we dedicated our time and effort to make something for them. It was also very soft and perfect for winter.”

Charlotte D’Arrigo and her friends offered a dog walking service for their neighbours.

“For our Kindness Project my three friends and I chose to do dog care for our neighbours. We designed and handed out flyers to our neighbours who owned dogs, telling them about our service of walking and caring for dogs, and asking for donations of blankets and towels for the lost dogs home. We had one person ask us to walk their dog, Maddie, who was eleven years old. At first because of her age she was quite slow and not used to being walked, however after more and more walks, she started to get friendlier with us and we got more comfortable walking her. We could all see after walking Maddie a lot that she was getting fitter and faster, which we knew was good for her. I loved walking Maddie because it was a good way to exercise and get to know people in my neighbourhood, instead of just sitting around using technology. If you ever feel like helping somebody out for no reason, do not hesitate. Always remember to be kind to others, and they will be kind in return.”

Michael Aulsebrook, Liam Chown, Cheyton Perez and Jaycob Quinn are running a food collection drive.

“We are organising a food collection for a local community hub called C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N. They help people within the local community that are experiencing difficult times. We have chosen to support this organisation as we all know people that have previously or are till going through tough times. The aim of our Kindness project is to collect a range of non-perishable foods and personal hygiene products. We hope to collect enough items to spell out the word ‘champion’ on the floor. The project has provided us with the opportunity to think about how we can support the community that has provided so much to us. Every donation will go a long way, so even just a few cans of beans or a bar of soap, everything will help us reach our goal. Please bring all donations to the Middle Years Office and a teacher will direct you to our collection box.”

Darcy Durrant has decided to give back to the local community by doing a clean-up project in Ferntree Gully.

“The goal of my Kindness Project is to clean up the local community and the reserves in Ferntree Gully. I plan to clean up a range of spaces, but will focus my efforts on a small reserve off the side of St Joseph’s College. There is a small creek within the reserve, which is no blocked off due to the amount of rubbish that has built up over time. By cleaning this space, I will be able to assist the local residents and the environment. If you are interested in helping me with my project, please speak to a teacher at the Middle Years Office and you will be directed where you can sign up. Your help will be greatly appreciated.”