RAK: Random Acts of Kindness Week

An unknown author once said “ Kindness is a gift that every single person can afford to give”. Any random act of kindness no matter how big or small can turn someone’s day around. Here at Aurora High school our Guidance Office promotes Random Act of Kindness week.

Kindness works in a funny way. Kindness is based on an act by a single individual, yet it can have a rippling effect. Kindness is simple, you just simply do something nice for someone else.

Here at Aurora High School, random acts of kindness will be promoted more than normal during the week of February 19th. However, it does not only affect the students of the high school, it actually is going to be promoted K-12.

According to Counselor April Nenadal, “ The K-12 guidance team meets several times per year to create this one week of ideal focus. We decided upon Random Acts of Kindness week. In each building, the focus on kindness will look a bit different.”

Nenadal on behalf of the high school also explained, “ More specifically, at AHS, we plan to have students complete their own random acts of kindness and record such a kind act on a heart during homeroom. Hearts will be collected February 19-22nd to create a mural of kindness.”

According to Senior Julia Brezovec, “ I think ultimately allowing students to list their acts of kindness on a heart will make them more inclined to become involved. Plus it just makes the week more fun.”

So what is Random Acts of Kindness week more specifically?

According to Kalee Oberlin , guidance counselor at Aurora High School, “ It is exactly what it sounds like! This week just gives you an excuse to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to kindness. As your guidance counselors we just encourage you to perform more acts of kindness than you normally would.”

Some may be wondering how this event at Aurora got started. With the help of both Mrs. Oberlin and Mrs. Nenadal , I was able to find the origin of such a wonderful week.

Random Acts of Kindness is actually a well known foundation. Often times called RAK for short, the foundation focuses on bringing awareness to individuals over the United States on the simple act called kindness. The awareness began when the foundation decided to create a week designated to get many people to participate in random acts of kindness. After years and years of success the foundation is proud to not only designate a day to kindness but to actually designate February 17th as an official holiday for RAK.

With help of the guidance office I was able to get information pertaining the foundation, RAK states, “ Up until now, we’ve always celebrated Random Acts of Kindness week (RAK Week) in February. Then this other amazing thing happened. A new kindness holiday, Random Acts of Kindness DAY (RAK Day) started showing up on calendars on February 17 and there has been a TON of participation on that day. Needless to say, February is going to packed full of kindness.”

All in all, Random Act of Kindness week allows students of all ages in Aurora to get out of their comfort zone and perform acts of kindness. However, this week most importantly teaches the good habit of kindness, because it simply should be an act everyone performs on a daily basis.