November 09

Osceola Sun / ‘Kindness rocks!’

OES students paint special rocks for community businesses

Osceola Elementary students took a literal spin on their theme of “Kindness Rocks” by painting special rocks and giving them to local Osceola businesses in October.

“We do monthly celebrations for good behavior and we were brainstorming ideas to tie into our theme,” says Osceola Elementary School principal Lindsay Thomas. “So we came up with our kindness rocks as part of the celebration. In September we painted small rocks for a rock garden in our school. Each student brought in a rock from home, decorated it and then we made a rock garden out front.”

The next project were class rocks donated by J & S General Contracting where each class worked with their teachers to design a special rock to keep in class. “With these projects, we talked about what it means to be kind and what it means to show kindness,” says Thomas.

Their most recent celebration had the students painting and distributing rocks to the local Osceola businesses. “We selected businesses that showed interest in the idea and helped the students deliver their rocks to those businesses,” says Thomas. “The intention behind this project was to deliver the rocks, and if anyone asks the business about the rock, they would help spread our message of kindness throughout the community. So, we were looking for that community connection and encouraging other people to be kind as well.”

A rock was painted for each of the 22 classrooms at Osceola Elementary providing 22 Osceola businesses with a message of kindness with this special project.

“The community businesses were so amazing and supportive,” says Thomas. “Everybody was happy to receive a rock from the students and the students were so excited to do this project.”

In a strange turn of events, several of the rocks given to local businesses were taken and have yet to be returned. Video surveillance from neighboring businesses caught an individual on camera taking two of the rocks in the middle of the day after the rocks were delivered.

“We’re actually not sure if we even have a crime,” says Osceola Police Chief Ron Pedrys. “We were told to take down our post on Facebook by the business that informed us because of the things that were being said. We were also told that it might be part of the project to move the rocks to different areas, so we’re really not sure at this time.”

The missing rocks certainly didn’t ruin the message of kindness at Osceola Elementary School who have already thought up ways to make up for the lost rocks. “We’re considering possibly painting some new ones for the businesses where they were taken,” said Thomas who is taking the positive outlook to this event.

“We’re giving that person the benefit of the doubt,” she continued. “Hopefully that kindness makes its way to another community and that we’ve spread it further than Osceola. We hope those rocks will make others happy wherever they are.”

Original post found here.

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