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#GreaterMontrealDay: Students inspire random acts of kindness around the world

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#GreaterMontrealDay: Students inspire random acts of kindness around the world
WATCH ABOVE: At the beginning of the year, a behavioural specialist at John Adam Memorial School challenged students to do one act of kindness, to see how far it could influence other acts of kindness. As Global’s Phil Carpenter reports, the initiative sparked acts of kindness around the world – May 11, 2017

Setting a good example is one of the most important parts of Kim Jarvo’s job.

She’s a behavioural specialist at John Adam Memorial School, in Delson in Montreal’s south shore.

“Giving the students things they don’t have, giving the students lunch if they don’t have it,” she said.

At the start of the school year, she came up with an idea: challenging students to do one act of kindness, either for a family member or friend, to see how far it could influence other acts of kindness.

READ MORE: GreaterMontrealDay, JournéeMTLensemble: How you can join

About 300 students documented their acts in a little book, called a passport, and then handed it off to someone else to do the same.

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“I also participated, as well as the other staff members,” Jarvo told Global News.

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“I think it’s really important to teach kindness in kids. Its a core value. If you’re kind to people, even it’s just a smile, it can make someone’s day.”

There’s just one catch – the students have to send their book to someone in another city or country.

READ MORE: #GreaterMontrealDay, #JournéeMTLensemble: Live blog of your good deeds

“What’s really exciting is when the books come back to the school,” she said, adding that they had seven months to complete the challenge.

“Two-hundred-and-ten acts of kindness have happened all across Canada, Europe, all around the world, thanks to you.”

The students’ random acts of kindness have travelled all over the world. Phil Carpenter/Global News

Reading the stories back, says Jarvo, helps the children understand the value of kindness.

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“Let’s say I did something for you, you’d be super happy and you’d do something else for someone else,” said Gwendoline Jordan, a student.

“Just because I did something for you doesn’t mean you have to give me something in return.”

 

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