By Austin Topp

An Interpersonal Communications group at Plainwell High School recently hosted a week of random acts of kindness starting Monday,  Nov. 11.

Interpersonal Communications is a class taught by teacher Chase Mielke in which students enhance their social abilities among groups of people.

“The purpose of the groups is two-fold: one purpose is to introduce real world problems to the groups in order to improve communication strategies, and another purpose is to teach students the four C’s: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity,” said Mielke.

Students were given the chance to establish a positive influence throughout the school as “checklists” of random acts of kindness were sold for $1.50 at the T and at both lunches.

Wristbands conveying “Be Random, Be Kind” were sold along with the checklists.

Brownies, cupcakes, and hot chocolate were all elements of gaining incentive.

“We wanted to spread positivity by randomly giving treats to students with the purchase of their random acts of kindness list,” said Abby Deal ‘17

The group of students also reached out to McDonald’s for funding, and received coupons for free parfaits as rewards for participants.

By Friday, Nov. 20, if students completed fifteen out of the twenty tasks, they turned in their checklists to the group at both lunches.

In return, students’ names will be entered into a raffle. Three names from each grade level will be selected. These names will be randomly delivered their favorite donut during first hour as a reward for helping to spread positivity.

“Randomly giving back to people who put in effort to improve the atmosphere at PHS is something that is necessary,” said Deal.

“I think that random acts of kindness are different, but in a good way. They can bring unfamiliar people together as well as make the atmosphere at school more positive,” said Heather Pond ‘16.

“The idea is to counteract the negative things that go on within the school by giving students specific tasks,” said Mielke.

With the primary goal of evoking a positive influence, the group projects also taught students how to interact to accomplish tasks as teams.

“A group project can raise zero dollars; they may not be even selling anything, just solving a problem… it’s mostly how they work together as a group,” said Mielke.