Two young girls from Blackfoot were recently named as the Kindest Kids in America. Fifth graders Harper Taylor and Brooklyn Stalder were recently recognized during an assembly at Wapello Elementary School.
Both the mayor of Blackfoot and the school principal were present to award Taylor and Stalder their awards.
Jessie Hansen is the founder of the Kindest Kid in America program. Hansen is currently doing her doctorate degree and wanted to start a program that will not only earn her a doctorate but also leave a legacy of kindness.
“And so, we were kind of brainstorming ways that we could just make kindness exciting, make it awesome, make it cool, make it fun,” Hansen said. “And we thought, what if we have an award for a kid that has done something awesome like a very simple act of kindness.”
Taylor and Stalder were nominated by their teacher for the Kindest Kid in America Award after starting a club back when they were in third grade. The aim of the Turtle Club is to protect endangered turtles.
Hansen said club members clean up trash during recess and have made shirts and educational flyers. To honor Harper and Brooklyn, Hansen presented them with a storybook capturing the formation of The Turtle Club and Harper and Brooklyn’s story of kindness.
Hansen said she was excited about the idea of a custom-made book.
“With that exact kid animated, and their very real act of kindness immortalized forever in a book,” she said.
Thanks to kind kids like Harper and Brooklyn the kindness ripple is already starting to spread. Hansen hopes to honor many more kids across America.
“Obviously, we want those girls to feel like rock stars for the rest of their lives,” she said. “We want all the other kids to see kindness being celebrated, to see kindness being extremely cool.”
To nominate a kid or to learn more visit the Kindest Kid in America website. Kindest Kid in America is a national program where, “anyone anywhere can nominate a kid that has done something kind,” Hansen explained. “So, we'd love them to go to our website, kindestkidinamerica.com to nominate an awesome kid.”