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https://www.bcoe.org/Services/Student-Services/Student-Events/Great-Kindness-Challenge/
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Butte County Office of Education

Where Students Come First

Great Kindness Challenge

Great Kindness Challenge Header
ABout great kindness challenge

ABout great kindness challenge

The Butte County Office of Education, in partnership with The Great Kindness Challenge® (GKC), encourages all teachers, staff, students, and families of local schools to participate in the GKC, January 26-30, 2026. The GKC is a global campaign that promotes kindness, social-emotional health, and bullying prevention in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. The GKC provides many free resources to support local students and educators.
During the official Great Kindness Challenge week students are challenged to complete 50 acts of kindness from this kindness checklist. 
 
The kind acts on the kindness checklist focus on key kindness concepts: 
  • caring (incl. self-care)
  • respect
  • gratitude
  • inclusiveness
 
The Great Kindness Challenge is an action-based program and the kindness concepts are internalized through the hands-on experiences.
How to Participate

How to Participate

Participating in the Great Kindness Challenge is easy for Butte County schools!  To sign up your school or classroom, contact Mary Ellen Garrahy for free promotional materials and checklists then encourage your students to begin checking off the checklist.  Our office can also help you to develop ways to plan a kindness school assembly or lunchtime event.  Schools can become “kindness certified” by visiting https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com
2025-2026 Event Details

2025-2026 Event Details

Contact

Contact

Contact Mary Ellen Garrahy for additional information about the Great Kindness Challenge
The Great Kindness Challenge Logo      
Previous Year's highlights

Previous Year's highlights

Ishi hills middle school poster board display of great kindness challenge
Two Students holding up "Great Kindness Challenge" paper smiling for picture.
Picture of four students grouped together smiling
Photo of group of students, smiling for camera
 
 
 
What was your favorite act of kindness you completed off the check-list? How did it make you feel?
 
"Cut out ten hearts and give them away. It made me feel good!"
 

-Evelyn, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

"My favorite was hug your friend, it made me feel happy."

 

-Honey, Ishi Hills Middle School 

 

 

"Entertaining my little brother, made me feel awesome."

 

-Ryen, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

Why do you think it's important to be kind towards others?

 

"Because if there isn't kindness there isn't fun and the world wouldn't be nice."

 

-Oliver, STREAM Charter School

 

 

"I think it's good to be kind to others because there may be that person you run into that is just not having a good day and there is an act of treating people how you would like to be treated."

 

-Anastasia, Ishi Hills Middle School 

 

 

"So bully's don't spread."

 

-Dmitrii, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

"Because you never know if they are having a bad day."

 

-Lyssa, Ishi Hills Middle School

 

 

"Because if no one is nice people will bully and you will have no friends."

 

-Ava, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

"Because you don't know what happens to them at home."

 

-Dallan, Ishi Hills Middle School

 

 

"Kindness is important so everyone is kind not evil."

 

-Airean, STREAM Charter School

 

 

"I think it's important because everyone should be happy."

 

-Ayla, Ishi Hills Middle School

 

 

Which act of kindness do you look forward to doing this week?

 

"Hold the door open for someone."

 

-Arean, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

"Helping people when they fall."

 

-Aurora, Ophir Elementary School

 

 

"I want to give my friend a hug."

 

-Lila, STREAM Charter School

 

 

"Helping my mom."

 

-Drew, Ishi Hills Middle School

 

 

"Smiling at twenty-five people."

 

-Emery, STREAM Charter School

 

 

Special Thank you to school staff! 

Special Thank you to school staff! 

The "Great Kindness Challenge" was a wonderful opportunity to promote kindness and positive interactions with individuals.  It provided students with a reason and goal to challenge themselves to do things beyond their 'normal' behaviors.  It was inspiring to see students brainstorming ways to help others, make our campus a more positive environment and to have fun with the themes for each day. 
 
-Shauna Butler, Ishi Hills Middle School
 
Seen students be a lot more kind, respect others boundaries, and listen to teachers more.
 
-Ophir Elementary School
 
I pledge to use my words to speak in a kind way.
 
  • Send Peaceful Pen Pal letters to other kids in the USA. Sign up here.
  • Create an entry for the "I am Powerful" Kids for Peace Book “Contest.” This will be our 5th book. Flier & Book Entry Form.
  • Write and mail a card to a senior citizen who can no longer receive visitors due to the COVID-19 situation. If you don’t know an elder to write to, you my send a generic card to a “Grandfriend” at your closest senior living facility.
  • Hold gratitude circles at dinnertime.
  • Call or FaceTime friends, Grandparents, or Grandfriends just to say hello.
  • Make up a poem with a positive message.
  • Write positive messages on Post-It Notes and place on mirrors in your house.
  • Make Peace Rocks. Paint rocks with kind words and place them around town to delight your neighbors.
 
I pledge to help others as I go throughout my day.
 
  • Do household chores without being asked - make your bed, pick up your toys, clean your room/bathroom.
  • Whenever possible, avoid time with people outside your family to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • Offer to pick up mail or run errands for elderly neighbors and leave shopping bags on their doorstep.
 
I pledge to care for our earth with my healing heart and hands.
 
  • Take a hike or visit the beach and pick up litter along the way.
  • Learn about recycling in your community and discover something new.
  • Water your plants, pick weeds.
  • Harvest seeds from fruits and replant them.
  • Learn about composting and practice in your own garden.
 
I pledge to respect people in each and every land.
 
  • Discover something new about a different culture or a different country.
  • Listen to music from different parts of the world.
  • Pick at least one country from each continent and discover their favorite food/dish.
 
I pledge to join together as we unite the big and small.
 
  • Send letters or cards to Senior Homes, Memory Care, Hospice facilities since they are not able to have visitors at this time.
  • Spend time taking care of your pet - feed them, brush them, walk them, clean up after them.
 
I pledge to do my part to create PEACE for one and all.
 
  • Design your own string of peace flags using old clothes, paint, or whatever materials you have available at home.
  • Create a kind rainbow.
The Great Kindness Challenge is one week dedicated to creating a culture of kindness on campuses nationwide. The Butte County Office of Education, along side our schools are proudly participating in this proactive, positive bullying prevention initiative. Students and adults will receive a GKC Checklist with 50 kind deeds. We are encouraging everyone to complete the checklist and show the world that kindness matters!