SIERRA VISTA — No one is ever too young to learn about paying it forward.
Or being empowered by the spirit of philanthropy through acts of random kindness that can often make a difference in the world.
That’s why Rabbi Benzion Shemtov of Chabad of Sierra Vista — a Jewish community center that hosts educational programs and outreach activities — collaborated with the Cochise County’s School Superintendent Office to show SKILLS Private Academy students the act of giving to charity on a daily basis.
Thanks to the Be Kind Initiative, an advocacy campaign focused on educating and encouraging youth to initiate acts of random kindness — or ARK — in their communities, Shemtov has been partnering with schools to introduce the idea of philanthropy to students at an early age.
Through a dedicated charity box at a school where money can be donated on a daily basis, the dropbox provides a visual reminder of the importance of giving, which the organization claims has been proven to generate a greater sense of compassion. The ARK Project says its mission is to turn those acts of random kindness into acts of routine kindness.
“The idea is to do this every single day so giving becomes a part of daily life,” said outreach coordinator Cynthia Myers from the county superintendent’s office, who watched as Shemtov provided elementary students in Rachel Bowen’s class with rolls of pennies to donate. “The schools will decide what charity it wants to donate the money to.”
Shemtov has also taken the ARK Project to Pearce Elementary and the home school community where students reflect on kindness as they donate money, said Cochise County School Superintendent Jacqui Clay.
ARK Project representatives maintain that the program motivates classroom discussion and projects about kindness.
That concept is also backed by the Be Kind People Project, a nonprofit that initiates a positive change in the overall learning environment by striving to provide relevant learning and youth development opportunities that inspire humanity and academic achievement.
Part of its mission is to help students understand and apply academic, civic, wellness leadership and character education to daily life.
Through its programs, it says that 92% of schools surveyed reported improved behavior while 88% of schools surveyed reported improved learning environment. Additionally, it claims that 95% of students surveyed who were introduced to the Be Kind Initiative reported commitment to utilizing principles of kindness on a daily basis.