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Acts of
Kindness “pays it forward”
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – “Courage for Corynna… Pay it Forward.” Greenville High
School senior, Jennifer Murray, lost a friend in December, but
continues Corynna’s message with a club they started: Acts of Kindness.
“Her facebook, with 7,400 likes, inspired my mom and me,” Jennifer
said. “We realized if each of them (the ‘likes’) did one act of
kindness, the difference it could make in the community and the world.”
Jennifer said she and Corynna were friends as were their moms. Jen and
her mom brought the idea to Corynna and her mom; they started the club
together. It was granted club status by the Board of Education, so they
started advertising and promoting it. “It was tough because of the
weather,” she added, but it has gained traction in the high school.
“We have about 30 kids we text for an event or idea, some have never
been to a meeting but they have texted ideas of their own and receive
our texts.” The group meets every other Tuesday after school; number of
students attending varies due to the myriad of activities in which
they’re involved. Jennifer herself is in choir, art, Spanish Club,
orchestra, NHS, SADD and golf.
Acts of Kindness, as with other groups, did a fundraiser for Corynna.
It was a cookie walk. “We sold different sizes of boxes; when they
bought one they filled it with donated cookies.”
The big event, however, was the club’s participation in National Acts
of Kindness Week. Some of the activities the students did during the
week included dressing up in neon colors (to brighten someone’s day)
and decorating hallways with streamers and signs.
“We wrote notes to different individuals… one act of kindness can
change the world! Pay it forward!”
On Thursday of that week staff and club members handed out “Caught you
being good” tickets. “If they saw someone doing an act of kindness
toward someone they got a coupon for a prize (candy).”
Jennifer said on Friday they all wore their Corynna shirts and showed
part of her “life review” Hospice made… the part about paying it
forward and the school’s support in the fight. “We ended the week
showing this is what can happen when you ‘pay it forward’…
“Not everyone thinks they can go out and do this, but all they need to
do is just one small act for someone, and that person can do the same
for someone else. Jennifer said the club is more than just a way to
promote kindness. “It helps bring closure to Corynna’s friends, offers
new students a way to make friends and texting makes it easy for those
who want to join and have ideas.”
GHS Principal Ken Neff, noting Jennifer is a senior and would be
leaving for college next year, said the concept was too important to
keep at club status. “I wanted to keep it going,” he said. “It is no
longer just a club, it’s now part of the PTSA (Parent Teacher Student
Organization).” Jennifer hopes to be able to do something similar to
Acts of Kindness in college.
In addition to her school activities, Jennifer is an intern for Amber
Garrett, director of Mainstreet Greenville. She plans to attend the
University of Cincinnati in graphic design. She also performs locally,
singing and playing the guitar. She’ll be performing at the Coffee Pot
on March 14.
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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