Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
South Sound High School teacher Annette Wells organized a schoolwide effort to encourage kids to change their lives for the better. As part of their dedication, students planted 911 daffodil bulbs on school grounds.

Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
South Sound High School freshman Kristin Nichols says she is more aware of other people and their needs.

Students learn value of community

South Sound High teaches power of human relations

ALMA D. SHARPE THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Monday, March 11, 2002

LACEY -- Immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, South Sound High School students pledged to make small changes: to give regularly to charity, to not judge fellow students based on appearances and to be kind to others.

They planted flower bulbs hoping for a new beginning -- at both the national and personal levels.

Now, some of those students say they have remained loyal to their promises, though it hasn't been easy. What they have found, though, is when they did act on their promises, the rewards came flowing.

Freshman Ezra Smith pledged to be kind to everyone he met.

At the start of the winter quarter, he noticed some new students at school. Thinking of his promise, he approached them and introduced himself.

"It's something I wouldn't have done before," he said. "Now we say hi or talk during breaks."

Creating change

Such small changes lead to a better understanding of the power of human relations, said teacher Annette Wells, who organized the pledge drive in December.

The event was a result of a vow she made to herself to do something to help South Sound students cope with their emotions following the attacks.

"I really wanted to focus on how to create change in my community," she said.

But Wells was far from the only educator to use Sept. 11 as inspiration to change what they do. Hundreds of South Sound teachers used the attacks as a jumping-off point for school activities.

Elementary schools organized penny drives for the Red Cross, while others mailed teddy bears to New York City firefighters. Many painted American flags and wrote essays about patriotism and heroism.

In some high schools, students began to ask questions about religion and history of the Middle East, prompting teachers to direct group discussions and bring in local speakers to offer insight into some of the topics. Some schools integrated units on Afghanistan into their curriculums.

The 911 bulbs that South Sound High School students planted have sprouted, stretching a few inches off the ground.

Wells hopes they become reminders to the students of the vows they took to become better people. But she said students have told her that the process of planting flowers and making promises has brought them together and reminded them that they had each other.

"Students said it was the coolest thing they had done in their high school careers," she said. "Not everyone did what they said they were going to do, but there was something powerful in committing to it."

Small contributions

Freshman Kristin Nichols said her commitment to do nice things for other people when they don't expect her to made her feel that she could contribute in a small way to the improvement of her community.

"It was something that I could do, since I couldn't go to New York and help there," she said. She said she's been more conscious of people around her and their needs since she made the promise.

"It's hard to always remember to do something nice for people just because," she said. "It's a change for me. But it makes me feel good."

Alma D. Sharpe covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 754-4226 or asharpe@olympia.gannett.com.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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