Today is October 5, which is National Do Something Nice Day. Being kind is something that is so important, especially in this day and age with high rates of depression.
We often hear throughout our life many phrases that relate to showing kindness. Phrases such as: “It’s free to be kind” and “sprinkle kindness everywhere.”
We, here in Rathdrum and at Lakeland, are fortunate to be surrounded by many kind people. Such a large number of students, staff members, and community members are exceptionally kind and will go out of their way to do a good deed, and it’s important to show them appreciation, especially on a day like this.
“I try to make other people’s jobs easier,” said Allison Knoll, a teacher at Lakeland High School.
Knoll is always going out of her way to help out students and staff members with whatever they need. She will make adjustments in her day to talk with students or lend supplies to others in need when they are doing a project and will reach out to teachers to assist them in any way.
“Thinking of others before themselves is what makes somebody a nice person,” said Knoll, and by those standards, she is definitely a nice person, to say the least.
An amazing example of kindhearted people in our community is the Rathdrum Lions Club. “Collectively, the Rathdrum Lions Club is made up of many kind-hearted individuals who would like to make positive changes in our community,” said Sheena Straughen, a member of the Rathdrum Lions Club.
The Lions Club “help(s) and assist the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, (they) feed local children, (along with) assist(ing) the elderly, disabled, and veterans in our community in many different ways,” said Straughen.
The Lions Club is responsible for the Backpack Program, which helps feed many students in our district who may be going home to little or no food over the weekends. They are a group of people full of kindness, doing so much for others who have so little.
Someone else who is always willing to do a nice deed and help out is LHS junior Alexis Levesque.
“I try to be a nice person. I help people if they need help, and I just try to be nice,” said Levesque.
She is always willing to help her peers with anything. Levesque is never seen without a smile on her face or a willingness to help.
Another student who is always doing something nice is senior Riley Wirth. “I help people a lot and make sure everything is okay with people, especially if something is going on with them,” said Wirth.
Having nice people to look up to admire is what inspires Wirth to be such a kind person, and she herself is a great example of a kind person to look up to.
Brian Williams, a teacher and coach at Lakeland, is also a kindhearted staff member.
“I would hope that other people think I am a nice person. Technically, I believe I am a nice person, but I am also aware that I have room for improvement,” said Williams.
He is a teacher who is always there for his students and will drop everything to talk to them in a time of need.
“I believe that people should have good character, be trustworthy, and have empathy for others that may be dealing with difficulties,” said Williams. “I treat people with kindness, just like Harry Styles.”
It is important to remember that you never know what somebody else is going through, and it is always important to be kind to others. So please do something nice for someone else today and every day.
In the wise words of Knoll, “It takes nothing but time to be nice.”
