By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Glacier Hills second-grader Conor Courage was writing a note to his best friend, Max, and to his mother.

“You are the most wonderous good person I’ve ever met. I love you more than anything, even Santa,” he told her.

Conor was sitting outside of his school that evening, taking part in the school’s kindness week’s activity of writing appreciation notes. He also signed thank-you notes to the school staff as well as the construction crew, who were putting finishing touches on the new school.

There also were fun activities like posing in a photo booth, chalking the playground or checking out the firetruck as it was a celebration of a successful week, said Stephanie Robbins, school PTA fundraising vice president.

“We picked kindness as our theme because we wanted to build community since we’re coming together this year as one school,” said Robbins, referring to the new Glacier Hills Elementary incorporating both defunct Edgemont and Bell View elementaries. “We wanted the students to work together, and they had surprises for secret classes. One class gave another class toy maracas, some drew pictures for their secret class, one made pet clouds by putting eyes on cotton balls; there were some fun and cute ideas.”

Third-grader Lily Robbins liked the week.

“I made new friends who went to Bell View,” she said. “I also had fun reading to my younger siblings.”

She was able to add a dot for performing an act of kindness in the school’s “avalanche hall” as other kids did when they did something kind that week. Many students completed a bingo sheet of acts of kindness during the campaign.

Conor not only helped do chores at home, he helped clean up the preschool room at school.

Third-grader Lillian Larking asked friends to play with her.

“I didn’t want them to be lonely on the playground, so we went on the seesaw together,” she said. “We even did it double-decker.”

Lillian also put coins into the coin jar that night.

“The money goes to the school, to our class parties and our field trips,” she said.

PTA membership vice president Emily Courage said that in addition to those, funds raised support PTA events like ribbon weeks, Reflections, teacher appreciation, beach day, school play, turkey trot, reading month and other activities.

It was a no-fuss fundraiser, meaning students asked friends and family for donations and didn’t sell anything, Robbins said.

“We want to try to fill up our coin jar as much as we can, doing it together; we’ve welcomed donations, whether it was a few coins or several dollars,” she said, adding that they gave friendship bracelets in return for contributions.

Donations totaled $13,589.03, said Principal Julie Winfree, who after overseeing construction of the new school, was recently honored as one of this year’s Canyons School District’s school administrators of the year.

“We counted those three pennies,” Winfree said. “The kids are so adorable and the challenge of bringing everyone together, trying to build community, has been fun. This week was designed to unite this community—the kids, the staff, the families—and kindness is a great skill to unite people. The PTA had a great week launching spreading kindness and building community, including a night of fun and celebration.”