Colchester Youth Complete 216 Acts of Kindness Over Summer Break

The local volunteer community group Colchester is Kind announced its inaugural Summer Kindness Challenge in May of 2024. The challenge was open to all Colchester residents in grades Pre-K through 12th. The purpose of the challenge was to encourage youth to think about others over summer break. Youth were incentivized to complete as many acts of kindness as possible because for each act of kindness they did, they received an entry into a raffle for one of five prizes. Prizes included a $150 Amazon gift card sponsored by S&S Worldwide, a $100 Amazon gift card sponsored by Fresca Tequila Bar and Grille, a $50 Amazon gift card sponsored by the Colchester Lions Club, and two $25 gift cards to Mel’s Downtown Creamery.

A total of 18 youth participated and completed a whopping 216 acts of kindness between June 18^th and August 16^th. Each parent tracked their child’s acts of kindness using a log. Some examples of completed acts of kindness include:

• Eleanor (Pre-K) – Gave a little boy a toy duck when he was sad. {Winner of the $100 gift card)
• Orion (3^rd grade) – Picked flowers for mom. {Winner of the $50 gift card}
• Sam (4^th grade) – Gave a gift to his piano teacher. {Winner of the $25 gift card}
• Bentley (7^th grade) – Returned shopping carts.
• Atticus (3^rd grade) – Made cards.
• Emalyn (2^nd grade) – Picked and donated flowers.
• Chase (1^st grade) – Told a man he really liked his Iron Man socks.
• Anthony (Pre-K) – Brought iced tea to the person doing his mom’s emissions test.
• Carter (2^nd grade) – Made dad a special snack while he was on call.
• AJ (5^th grade) – Helped siblings get breakfast in the morning.
• Grant (2^nd grade) – Helped a friend who was having a bad day.
• Ellie (Pre-K) – Shared toys with a stranger in the library.
• Jenna (7^th grade) – Made two campers that didn’t have any friends at camp her bunk buddies/friends.
• Kinsley (K) – Returned a name badge to Stop and Shop after finding it in the parking lot. {Winner of the $150 gift card}
• TJ (10^th grade) – Volunteered to be at four days of rec soccer camp to work with younger kids and teach them soccer.
• Harper (5^th grade) & Landon (3^rd grade) – Made 50 sandwiches and donated them to St. Vincent De Paul for those without meals.
• Lilly (8^th grade) – Baked banana bread for firefighters and dropped it off at the firehouse. {Winner of the $25 gift card}

The feedback from the children’s parents was resoundingly positive. “Thank you so much for doing this, it was a great reminder to take extra steps to do some kind things,” said one parent.

Another parent stated, “I LOVE this challenge because there can never be enough kindness in our world. I think this challenge is a great reminder, not only for the kids of Colchester but for the parents as well. As parents we have to take on the responsibility of teaching our children what kind acts are. They don’t always have to be big or extravagant acts of kindness but sometimes the smallest acts of kindness are just as appreciated. Practicing kindness should be a part of our everyday lives and I believe that starts with the parents. Kindness is a learned behavior. So, thank YOU for making acts of kindness cool for our children! I have found with my boys and the acts they have done; it brings them more joy and excitement to see how what they did positively affects someone else. That is more rewarding than anything! Kindness is contagious! So again, thank you, thank you, thank you for a summer full of kindness.”

Colchester is Kind looks forward to hosting this kindness challenge again for summer of 2025!