SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2025 / Kindest Kid in America has officially launched to recognize, celebrate, and inspire kindness in U.S. schools. The program was created to motivate kids to want to make kindness a part of their deepest identity.
Long before Jessie Hansen was a motivational speaker and children's book author, she was bullied in junior high, and because there was a lack of mental health support, she also became a bully. Her life story was headed down a dark path, but due to the mentorship of her tough yet gracious principal, she discovered the healing power of kindness and instead decided to serve others - becoming a national school speaker, earning degrees in psychology and social work and now currently working toward a doctorate degree. Hansen founded The Kindest Kid in America award "to recognize ‘normal' yet truly exceptional children through storytelling and exciting public accolades." Her goal with this program is to not only celebrate kind kids but to inspire ALL students to learn the skill of kindness.
Kindness Instead of Bullying
The Kindest Kid in America award is a powerful and significant way to nurture healthy, happy development in elementary age children and build inclusive communities. Mrs. Hansen's childhood experience gives her an authentic, relatable voice in the movement against bullying and inspires a deeper understanding of the power of kindness. Part of the catalyst for the idea that became Kindest Kid in America was to do anything we can do that could possibly prevent school violence. Kindness is certainly one, proven way to shift a school culture to be more inclusive, more positive, and definitely, to be safer.
In 2024, there were 39 school shootings in the United States. This number is unacceptable. Kindest Kid in America was conceived to counter the rise of negativity and bullying in schools. It is often difficult for parents and educators to inspire children to be kind to one another when they're dealing with daily pressure from their peers. This program is designed to assist the adults in their efforts to cultivate kind cultures.
How the Award Works
The first step in selecting the winner is the nomination of kind kids nationwide on the Kindest Kid in America website. The Kindest Kid in America team will then choose the winner based on several factors, such as who put in the most effort, performs kindness most consistently, and did their act of kindness because they wanted to do it, not because they were told to.
Once the winner is selected, the child's school will be notified and the school will decide what type of assembly will work best for them - every award is given at a school-wide assembly. The winner will receive a gold medal with their name on it, a customized children's book about their act of kindness, local leaders and local news will be invited to attend, and the child will be featured on the Kindest Kid in America platform.
Through this engaging program that delivers a long-term cultural impact, Kindest Kid in America aims to cultivate environments in schools where there is mutual respect among students rooted in inclusivity. The goal is to give educators, parents, and students the tools they need to amplify and have fun with kindness. According to a study done by Harvard Medical School, kindness benefits the world in three different ways. The person giving the kindness feels amazing, the person receiving the kindness feels amazing, and the person watching the kindness feels amazing. We all know this to be true as humans but it is our job as adults to make sure our children learn the skills of kindness so they can benefit from it.
The Power of Storytelling
The influence of emotional storytelling is a vital part of Kindest Kid in America. Writing a real story about a real kid and having a darling cartoon image of themselves on the cover of a book, is a powerful way to inspire other kids as well. As human beings, we are wired to love stories. As a bonus, the program also includes evidence-based curriculum teachers can use in the classroom after the assembly to continue the conversation about how exciting and important kindness is. This is how we capitalize on the excitement of the assembly and help kids build the skill of kindness.
"By combining emotional storytelling, public recognition, and neuroscience-backed kindness challenges, we can create a ripple effect that transforms not only the lives of individual children but also entire school cultures and communities," Mrs. Hansen says. "Kindness can change lives-and every child has the power to lead this change."
About Kindest Kid in America
Kindest Kid in America was created by Jessie Hansen, a motivational speaker and author, to award elementary- age children's real acts of kindness. With 21 years of experience being a school assembly speaker, she has seen firsthand the power of kindness in schools throughout the United States. Through the Kindest Kid in America award program, she hopes to motivate kids to "make kindness a part of their identity because that's how we can help kind kids become kind adults."
Media Contact:
Company Name: Kindest Kid in America Award
Contact Name: Haley Clarke, Administrative Manager
Email: kindestkidinamerica@gmail.com
Website: kindestkidinamerica.com
Phone Number: 801-390-6109
SOURCE: Kindest Kid in America Award
View the original press release on accesswire.com
