Arrowhead Middle School Students Create a Jar Full of Change

At Arrowhead Middle School, a group of students set out to make a simple difference.

As part of the Enough is Enough Student Advisory Committee, they met each week with one goal in mind, and that was to bring more kindness into their school.

What they created was small, but meaningful; Kindness Jars.

They spent days decorating each one, turning plain, clear glass into something warm and inviting. Students added bright colors, thoughtful words, and careful designs that reflected who they were.

Strip by strip, they filled the jars with handwritten notes, which served as quiet reminders, small challenges, and simple truths about kindness.

“It has been shown in studies that shifting the focus to the promotion of kindness in schools, rather than emphasizing acts of bullying can change the trajectory of an entire building,” said Arrowhead Middle School principal Lawrence Smith.

When the jars were finally placed into the hands of teachers, they became more than a project, they became a ritual.

Once a week, sometimes more, a teacher would reach in, unfold a slip, and read it aloud to their  class with the hopes that it would either inspire a student to perform a small act of kindness or be impacted by the quote.

The committee may never see every moment their jars inspired, but they’ll know their hard work had the potential to make a difference.

The Enough is Enough Student Advisory Committee at each middle and high school in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools exists to empower students to help co-create safer, more resilient school communities by turning their voices into meaningful action and impact.

A big thank you to Arrowhead Middle School social worker Jamie James and counselor Tamara Scrivo, who led the group.