IT has been said that our greatness is measured by our kindness.
At Delta Community College this spring, they have been learning about the power of kindness. This began with a campaign inside the school that involved students distributing kindness cards to peers and staff who had performed an act of kindness. Julie Kelly, an English teacher at DCC explains, “Teachers talked about kindness in the classroom and lesson plans were developed along this theme. We discussed the concept of empathy and the need for an empathetic revolution in today’s world – ideally one that can even transcend both time and space.”
“During their exploration of kindness and empathy,” says Alyson Caouette, the administrator at Delta Community College. “Students and staff found that kind acts lead to more kind acts. When everyone verbalized their appreciation for each other, everyone felt uplifted – both the person performing the act of kindness as well as the recipient.”
The kindness campaign at Delta Community College was such a success, they decided to extend it to the community and students were encouraged to distribute kindness cards, as they lived and worked in Delta, to anyone who they appreciated for their kindness.
“A little kindness can really transform any space, big or small”, adds Olga Semevolos, a veteran teacher at the college. “While we always try to be kind, our kindness campaign was a reminder about how important it is to follow through with our intentions. It was a reminder about how kindness is contagious. It was a reminder about how, when we all support one another, we all win.”
Kelly emphasizes the significance of the underlying sentiments of the Kindness Campaign with a quote from Zero Dean; writer and humorist. “Never underestimate the power of a single act of kindness to make a significant difference in someone’s life. Your act may just be the added lift that someone needs to go from falling to flying.”
Delta Community College has been open at its new site for only a year. To find out more about the college and the adult programs they offer, go to www.deltasd.bc.ca/content/programs/dcc or call 604-594-6100.
