Students at Hartselle Intermediate School worked to write more than 500 compliments on hearts for the students and teachers at the school. The students are part of the kindness agents group at Hartselle Intermediate and work on similar projects throughout the year.

Allyson Hamilton, counselor at the school, said she started the kindness agents last year to help spread kindness to the students and staff members. “They want to make a difference; there is more intent. I think they encourage a ripple effect,” Hamilton said.

The agents take part in student-led meetings and develop ideas for the students and teachers. In the past they have given teachers soap, shared special messages to those going through hard times, left bookmarks with kind words in library books and more.

The heart wall is the current project for the kindness agents. The students cut out each heart and wrote a person’s name and compliment on it.

Sixth-grader Ella Grace Putman said the wall is a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. “This week we are getting things ready for Valentine’s Day for teachers and students to show kindness,” Putman said.

Hamilton said the students began working on the heart wall in December.

Allison Dalrymple, another sixth-grade agent, said the impact it has on the students makes it worth the effort. “We are doing it so students can feel kindness and spread kindness to other people,” Dalrymple said.

In addition to the wall, the students came up with other activities to encourage their classmates. Anya Cleveland said this year they came up with a new activity for the students. “This year we started kindness confetti. They are little cards that we give out and they can pass on to other people,” Cleveland said.

Like the hearts, the cards have encouraging messages on them for the students or teachers who receive them. Fifth-grader Mya Winchester said the reactions are one of her favorite parts of being a kindness agent. “Their smile is just across their entire face; they just light up,” Winchester said.

Students also take part in “secret” missions to help those in need. When students are going through difficult times, such as a death in the family, kindness agents will sneak encouraging notes and goodies into their locker. Caitlyn Dolbeer is fifth grade agent, and she said those are some of the most important missions – and the most fun. “My favorite part is giving to people and having the secret groups. It is just really fun,” Dolbeer said.

Hamilton said the group was started last year as part of a character initiative project with Samford University. “It has just been a really positive group of young people. They just work together, and it has just been an amazing thing,” Hamilton said.