“In a world where we see and hear so many acts of cruelty, we believe kindness should be our default for every interaction. When we practice kindness, we make a positive impact and live our call to show love, concern, and mutual respect,” states Mrs. Cindy Wray, Library Department Coordinator. Kindness is a core Fruit of the Spirit celebrated at Lake Highland. Students and faculty exude acts of kindness every day on campus in many different ways, and part of that is taking time out of our busy schedules to be kind to ourselves. Most notably, the Upper School’s Kind Family Library has become a crafty corner on the first floor of the Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics for Highlanders to come together and step away from schoolwork to relax and have fun.
From day one, the Kind Family Library has always been the place on campus where all students feel welcome, not just for studying, but also as a fun and safe environment to engage with friends and meet new people. Decked out for each holiday and special occasion, the Kind Family Library is an inviting and collectively popular spot. Mrs. Wray explains, “We are always looking for ways to engage students in community and student life. This school year, I came up with the idea of having a ‘Kind Kraft’ each month where students, faculty, and staff could gather to do something creative. I teamed up with Ms. Amanda Flader, the ‘Creativity Queen,’ to offer crafts related to themes.” Kind Krafts is open to everyone, with all supplies included in each event. Although many students may feel concerned that they are not artistic or creative enough, Kind Krafts provides the opportunity to create crafts that are suitable for both the most artistic and least artistic people.
This new addition to Lake Highland this school year has resulted in many benefits for both students and faculty. Arts and crafts are clinically proven to be therapeutic and stress relieving for most people, even if they aren’t creative. Ms. Amanda Flader, Upper School Counselor, says, “Mrs. Wray and I know how busy and hardworking all of the Lake Highland students are, and Kind Krafts is our way of encouraging students to stop for a moment, take a breather, and enjoy life a little, even if it is only for a lunch period.” Taking a break from a hectic school day is healthy for everyone, and a worthwhile practice. Kind Krafts allow Highlanders to effectively handle their workload and balance school life with social and personal time. Additionally, Kind Krafts has proven to be an activity that is void of any judgement or labels. Ms. Flader explains, “We have had the athletes, artists, ‘techy’ people, and students with all different interests participate in Kind Krafts. We have had students who claim, ‘I am not artistic at all,’ walk away feeling proud of what they just made. Who wouldn’t want that?”
With Kind Krafts occurring every month, Mrs. Wray and Ms. Flader like to add something new to the table in each activity. Every craft has a purpose and a theme, making each event unique and memorable in its own way. Mrs. Wray explains, “We like to think about how a craft could connect to a season, holiday, or nationally recognized month like Women’s History Month.” They also like to incorporate the Fruits of the Spirit into each event, whether that be through the craft-making itself or the environment of Highlanders coming together.
Kind Krafts has had many memorable moments in its first year at Lake Highland. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month in October, students and faculty created “Worry Dolls,” which are small dolls that originated from Guatemala designed for children to tell them their worries so that they can worry for them, according to an ancient legend. In November, Highlanders created fall mosaics and painted pumpkins with the help of Mrs. Allie Dunaway in correlation with the autumn season. Before Christmas Break in December, Kind Krafts hosted a beaded ornament-making event for students and faculty to put on their Christmas trees. After New Year’s Day in January, Highlanders created mini calming jars to start the year off right by focusing on mental health. February’s craft correlated with Book Week. In honor of the book Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester, Kind Krafts offered a seascape “Paint along with Mrs. Dunaway.” With the planning of March’s event still in the works, Mrs. Wray estimates that it will tie into Women’s History Month, which will no doubt be a fun time for all Highlanders.
Although Lake Highland’s Upper School includes over 90 student clubs, Kind Krafts has not yet collaborated with any of them because Kind Krafts is sponsored by the Kind Family Library. However, Mrs. Wray and Ms. Flader are willing to do so in the future. If any students have any ideas or requests for future projects, they are welcome to email Mrs. Wray or Ms. Flader to share those ideas.
Kindness is one of the most lifelong qualities a person can have. It’s important to remember to show kindness not only to others, but also to ourselves. Kind Krafts has made Lake Highland a happier and healthier community, and will certainly be around for years to come. Participating in Kind Krafts is one of the most effective ways to practice kindness, so be on the lookout for more upcoming craft events!
