“We have a big U.S. map in the room and we color in the states we’ve gotten mail from,” Hathaway said. “It’s filling up pretty fast.”
The project teaches the young students many lessons above and beyond how to address an envelope.
“We talk about neat handwriting, pride, respect and a lot of other positive things,” Hathaway said. “They absolutely love doing this. They ask when we’ll be doing walks, about the men and ladies in the community, and it seems to help discipline in the room. We talk about how kindness starts right here and we go from there.”
Word about the Kindness Konnection has spread through all parts of the Plato community, and the result is a reciprocation of gratitude and goodness.
“You get lots of ‘thank-you’s’ wherever you go,” Hathaway said. “And people have started doing things for us, which we never expected. We can’t out-kind the kind community we live in.”
Hathaway said her class next year will likely continue what has quickly become a fixture (and even tradition) in Plato.
“I don’t know how not to any more,” she said. “It’s one of the most fantastic things I’ve ever done in my life. Instead of just teaching the kids to be nice, we’ve learned what friendship really is.
“We can all make a difference in this world; even a small child has the power to influence others. Kids are the greatest thing in the world, and I love sharing them with people.”