It is proven that smiles are contagious and that performing random acts of kindness increase the happiness of all involved.  At OHS, “Pass on the Kindness” cards were created in hopes of spreading little acts of kindness around the school. A total of eight different note cards were created, each inscribed with a different inspirational phrase.  

The idea behind the “Pass on the Kindness” cards was that the sayings would circulate throughout OHS. As the card was hand delivered to a certain individual, they would read the phrase and then pass on the kindness to a friend or a student they did not know. It was not specified on the card who was to obtain the card next; the decision was up to the holder of the card.  

On the morning of Nov.14, the eight cards were sent out throughout the entire school.  A few of the cards entailed sayings that read “You are beautiful, smart & amazing”, “Stay humble, work hard, be kind”, and “One KIND work can change someone’s entire day”. The handwritten notes incorporated a personal element to the notecards created in Mrs. Herring’s Journalism II class.

“It’s pretty amazing to think that we have the power to make people smile,” senior Frankie Vochko said.

As the “Pass on the Kindness” messages were spread, a wide variety of reactions were created among the students. Looks of confusion, initially spread across teen’s faces, pondering what had been dispatched into their possession. Yet once realizing what the notecard said, most appeared pleasantly surprised.

Junior Anna Hughes said, “It was good to see a buddy of mine in the hallway…when she reached out and gave me a positive card it made it the best day all week, or at least that was apart of it.” Hughes also remarked that she passed on the card to her friend Lauren Hansen and this was the first time that she had been given an inspiring note card.

Similarly senior Connor Hasselman received a “Pass on the Kindness” card. Hasselman held onto the card for a while, unsure of what to do with it, but did hand the card to someone he did not know.  Most people followed suit, unsure of how to react to the gesture, not wanting to pass it one to someone else. Yet, this defeats the purpose.  

Hasselmann said, “The notecard kind of stopped me in my place and I redirected my focus not on me, but on others.”

By the end of the day, the eight “Pass on the Kindness” cards, no longer were in the creator’s hands. It was ensured that the cards had been dispatched to a minimum of eight or more students at OHS.  Although it is unclear whether the inspirational sayings continued to circulate throughout the student body, the cards at least impacted eights students lives in a positive manner, achieving the goal of spreading kindness through a simplistic act.