School program teaches valuable lessons in kindness

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Kids at Roland Park Elementary in Tampa are getting a lesson in kindness as part of the after-school Host program.

"A message to help others not just at school but to spread out through the community to do good deeds for one another help out where they can," said Teralyn Fleming with the Host program.

Hillsborough County schools are partnering with the non-profit For The Family on a campaign called Kindness of the Heart.

"Having the partnership with Hillsborough County Schools is so valuable because it gives us a tangible way to not only have people demonstrate their own but kindness but to influence the kindness of children attending schools in the Host program," said Ward Cox, an administrator with For The Family.

Kids are encouraged to share their daily acts of kindness.

"They help out each other with homework, a student had an example where they were in music class and the musical instrument that they wanted was already assigned to someone else," said Fleming.

"But once I saw her upset I decided to switch instruments with her because I knew that it would make her happy," said 11-year-old student, McKenzie Williams.

They are making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time.

"You never know what kind of day a person's been through so you being kind can make and change their whole day," said 13-year-old student Eryn Scruggs.

For The Family is encouraging everyone to be kind in whatever way they choose, and send a one-minute smartphone video of their actions to ForTheFamilyTampa@gmail.com.