FOS 2010 WINNING PROJECTS

Award Category: Primary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Kindness in Our Second Home

School: Ai Tong School

Summary of Project:

For a successful campaign, the FOS ambassadors invested in preparation. They engaged Art and Craft teachers and members of the Art Club to produce posters to advocate kindness; created different sets of presentations; prepared quizzes; scripted and rehearsed for skits; and made a short video entitled “You Can’t Stop It” with assistance from the Broadcast Journalism Club – the video showed a battle between kindness and unkindness, with kindness triumphing unkindness (i.e. you cannot stop kindness).

The Kindness in Our Second Home project was launched at assemblies for students. During the assemblies, the FOS ambassadors delivered a presentation, screened the video “You Can’t Stop It”, acted out skits and conducted a quiz for the audience. The ambassadors then visited different classes to spread the message of kindness again for reinforcement, played simple games with the students and engaged them in discussions on the value of kindness.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Canberra Kindness Week

School: Canberra Primary School

Summary of Project:

Canberra Primary School aimed to encourage all pupils to be kind and considerate, to create awareness of acts of kindness as well as to influence and raise the standards of behaviour and responsibility.

The project consisted of various activities such as:

• an online page to gather feedback from pupils and staff
• video clips touching on different aspects of kindness
• bookmark design competition for fund raising
• ‘thank you’ messages to teaching and non-teaching staff
• photographs of pupils who demonstrated kindness
• Kindness corner whereby pupils from each class were to design an area with messages and pictures of Singa, the Singapore Kindness Movement mascot.

Teachers also played a part and were encouraged to incorporate the teaching of kindness during lessons. An example was mother tongue teachers conducting calligraphy lessons based on the Chinese character of kindness. All the mentioned activities culminated in the Kindness Assembly and Exhibition. In addition, pupils sang the SKM song, ‘Send Somebody A Smile’ in unity. The principal of Canberra Primary School also emphasized the importance of kindness during his address to the school.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Let’s Spread Kindness

School: MacPherson Primary School

Summary of Project:

MacPherson Primary School has developed six activities to promote kindness and graciousness. There was a Kindness Essay-Writing Competition, encouraging all upper primary pupils to pen their thoughts and feelings about kindness. There was also another competition called the Badge-Design Competition whereby winning designs were printed on the badges and awarded to pupils from the Catch Them Right! cum Flash and Pass initiative. The initiative was to encourage pupils to capture snapshots of pupils carrying out acts of kindness and to recognise the ‘deserving’ pupils with the badges.

The school had put up a Kindness Notice Board cum Kindness Banner featuring photographs from the mentioned snapshots as well as selected entries from the competitions. The banner’s objective was to remind all pupils to be gracious to one another. Another way of reminding pupils to be gracious was in the toilets. Happy Toilet was initiated in which two toilets were painted in a cheerful tone to remind users to be gracious when using the toilets. The final initiative was a Kindness Carnival which took place alongside Racial Harmony Day celebrations. This was where kindness-related quizzes and messages were incorporated into fun-filled activities and games.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Graciousness Starts With Me

School: Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School

Summary of Project:

The project rationale for Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School was that dirty toilets are the result of a lack of graciousness amongst the pupils. Relying solely on the school cleaners to help keep the toilets clean at all times was neither responsible nor realistic. Therefore, the FOS ambassadors felt that a more pervasive approach involving everyone in the school was required.

The school’s approach included several competitions with regards to colouring, slogan creation, poster designing and song writing.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Kindness at Bedok Green Primary School

School: Bedok Green Primary School

Summary of Project:

Bedok Green Primary School aimed to build a strong culture of care in the school, to cultivate the spirit of kindness among students and staff and to provide opportunities for developing social-emotional competencies.

Pupils and staff from the school participated in a series of activities. Two of the FOS ambassadors gave a presentation during the assembly sessions to launch the campaign. The school’s cafeteria, marked by a large kindness banner, was designated as ‘The Kindness Zone’. A hidden camera was set up to capture acts of kindness from the pupils and staff. Pupils and staff could pick up Kindness Ribbons and have their names signed on the kindness pledge book to pledge their commitments in doing kind acts. The school also distributed kindness newsletters.

Primary one to three pupils were encouraged to carry out kind acts listed in a special kindness rainbow. Primary five to six pupils were given paper apples or leaves with a simple kindness action. When the pupil performed the kind act, he/she may stick the paper apple or leaf on the classroom door to form the kindness tree. Every student was also given a template to pen their gratitude to the canteen staff who had been kind to them. This caused excitement in the pupils and brought wide smiles to many of the non-teaching staff in Bedok Green Primary School.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Graciousness Buzz...

School: Casuarina Primary School

Summary of Project:

Casuarina Primary School carried out three main activities:

‘Interchange of Kindness’
Every class planned a surprise gracious deed for a ‘target group’. The target group could be another class, office staff, teachers, canteen vendors, cleaners or even the parent volunteer group.
A collage of the photos on the activities was displayed in the school’s foyer to show pupils how much joy and cheer they brought to others when kind gestures were carried out.
‘Wheels of Kindness’ (conducted during the Form Teachers Guidance period (FTGP)
Every pupil decorated a wheel cut-out and had their names written on the wheels. Primary One and Two pupils were to write kind words about their friends on the wheels which were on each class’ bulletin board while Primary Three and Four pupils were to pass their wheels to other pupils and each recipient was to write a kind or positive note about the giver. Primary Five and Six pupils wrote a kind word beginning with any alphabet from their friends’ names. The Form teachers would then collect all the wheels and display them creatively on the classes’ bulletin boards.
‘Kindnezz... Link’
This activity involved both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Staffs were given heart-shape cut outs to decorate and pen their compliments for one another.
These Hearts were displayed in the Staff and Office rooms and were eventually returned to the staff to be displayed on their own cubicles to remind them of their strengths and would serve as an inspiration.
This activity brought about a bond among the staff of Casuarina Primary School in which they knew that everyone cared for one another and that they were a team.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Kindness@GDPS – Everyone Plays a Part

School: Greendale Primary School

Summary of Project:

Greendale Primary School aimed to raise awareness of kindness and graciousness and to involve all students, teachers and staff. They wanted to highlight to all in the school community that everyone can play their part and contribute to spreading kindness.

Five key activities were organised.

‘Kindness on Air’ was initiated in which video clips on kindness were screened during the pre-assembly time, highlighting social graces that were found lacking in the school. This was targeted to Primary One to Primary Five pupils.
The school also worked with the Parents Support Group whereby the team put up a kindness-related games carnival called ‘Kindness-A-Fair’, lasting a week long, during the recess times. Pupils got to learn the benefits of having a gracious school through the fun and games.
“Pegged with Love” (for Primary One)
All Primary One pupils wrote notes of appreciation on Kindness Postcards in the shapes of different clothing items. The postcards were then displayed on a clothesline with pegs.
We’re a Kind School’ (for Primary Two)
All Primary Two pupils wrote notes of thanks on fish-shaped Kindness Postcards in the shapes of different clothing items. The completed postcards were displayed in a mural as a school of fish.
Kindness mailbox (for Primary Three to Five)
All Primary Three to Five pupils were given Kindness Letters to write letters of appreciation. These letters were ‘posted’ in special mailboxes created by the team and were personally delivered to the addresses. The mailboxes are now placed in each classroom, staffroom and the general office to encourage everyone to continue the practice of thanking someone.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Kindness in Action Week

School: Kheng Cheng School

Summary of Project:

Kheng Cheng School made every weekday a special day of kindness. Monday was Kindness to Myself Day, Tuesday was Kindness to My Friends’ Day, Wednesday was School Staff Day, Thursday was Kindness to Parents Day and Friday was Kindness is Catching on Day.

There was also a Jumble sale held in May 2010 whereby the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) team took the lead in advertising for and mending the jumble sale stalls. The Primary Six pupils showed their appreciation to the non-teaching staff by taking part in the jumble sale. The money raised was used to purchase NTUC gift vouchers for all the non-teaching staff.

The RAK team also presented a skit to promote to students on how they can earn the RAK buttons. The RAK team would ‘catch’ pupils who were doing kind acts and thus be presented with a RAK button.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Fabric of Kindness

School: CHIJ – Our Lady of Good Counsel

Summary of Project:

CHIJ-OLGC carried out various activities to promote kindness in the school. A kindness skit and presentation on anti-littering was presented during assembly to raise awareness. During the assembly period, the FOS ambassadors spoke passionately about kindness and educated their school mates about the consequences of littering.

The second activity was doing up a kindness collage. The objective was to raise awareness about everyone having a part to play in promoting kindness. Every pupil was given a piece of construction paper to express how one would show kindness to himself, others or the environment. An interclass competition was held and all entries were eventually displayed at the school foyer.

The third activity was sewing a kindness quilt. The objective was to synergise creativity through designs depicting kindness and inspire pupils to act graciously. All staff and selected parent support group members were given a rectangular piece of felt cloth to express how he/she would show kindness. The top ten designs were then sewn together to form a quilt to be put on display.

The fourth activity was an interclass kindness ‘advertisement’ competition for Primary 4 and 5 pupils. The objective was to inspire schoolmates to practise kindness and graciousness in school. Every class sent a team to ‘advertise’ kindness through role-play, jingles or rap and had to be based on a school setting.

The final activity was students’ reflections whereby all pupils reflected on kindness and graciousness. The objective was to appreciate acts of kindness and graciousness. They were encouraged to express their thoughts in various forms during the Civics and Moral Education lessons.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Dazhong Kindness Badge

School: Dazhong Primary School

Summary of Project:

Dazhong Primary School’s project items consisted of Dazhong kindness badge making competition, a pamphlet entitled ‘Being kind to your friends’ and Dazhong kindness pledge.

The badge making competition was held school-wide and nine designs were shortlisted for production. The pupils also learned about kindness during their life skill lessons. The ‘Being kind to your friends’ pamphlet, designed by a student, was also distributed to everyone in the school.

The school also launched the Dazhong Kindness Badge during one of the assembly periods. It was when the FOS ambassadors presented simple ways of showing kindness. In addition, all pupils recited the Dazhong Kindness Pledge which was written by the FOS ambassadors. After taking the pledge, everyone proudly pinned the Dazhong Kindness Badge which served as a reminder to being kind.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Jiemin Primary School Kindness Program

School: Jiemin Primary School

Summary of Project:

Jiemin Primary School carried out various activities to promote kindness. Interviews with students and teachers were conducted by the FOS ambassadors to get their views on kindness, with the question ‘What does kindness mean to you?’ Besides showing the interviews during the assembly talk, the FOS ambassadors explained what kindness means. A video of short skits was then shown to help their fellow school mates better understand what kindness is and what is not. The pupils participated actively in the question and answer session too.

There was a Kindness Scrapbook competition for the Primary One to Three pupils. During Art lessons, every pupil was to draw a scene of a kind act. The works were then combined as a class to form the Kindness Scrapbook. Through this activity, the pupils learnt that anyone, regardless of age, is capable of performing kind acts as they are easy to do and a willing heart is all it takes. Meanwhile, the Primary Four and Six pupils were involved in a Kindness Chart making activity. During contact time, the pupils listed down and shared with one another kind acts that they could do on the ‘KIND’ template. This activity helped the pupils to think about kindness and share new ideas of kind acts.

# # #

Award Category: Primary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Keep the Canteen Clean Campaign

School: Tao Nan School

Summary of Project:

Tao Nan School aimed to raise pupils’ awareness on canteen cleanliness and to get pupils involved in keeping the canteen clean. The FOS ambassadors hoped that pupils would be more responsible during recess times and do their parts in keeping the canteen clean.

The FOS ambassadors explained the importance of keeping the canteen clean as well as launched the campaign during the assembly talks. The PowerPoint presentation which was used during the talk was also shown on plasma televisions around the school to reiterate the importance of canteen cleanliness and to remind all pupils to be more mindful of their food and eating behaviour. Reminder cards with interesting graphics were also put on the canteen tables. Photos of the dirty canteen and correct eating behaviour were displayed on the Civics and Moral Education notice board.

An activity called the ‘Spot the Clean Canteen Ambassador’ was one of the methods used to get pupils to be actively involved in the campaign. The FOS ambassadors took photos of approximately ten pupils who exhibited correct behaviour in the canteen during the four recess slots. The photos were then uploaded to the plasma TVs, and pupils whose photos were on plasma received small tokens of appreciation.

Another activity was a poster design competition which was open to all levels. The theme for the competition was ‘Towards a Cleaner Canteen’. The six winning posters were laminated and displaced on the Civics and Moral Education notice board. In addition to the activities held during ‘Keep the Canteen Clean’ week, the school would continue to show the PowerPoint slides on the plasma TVs for the month of July. Information on canteen cleanliness would also be displayed on the Civics and Moral Education notice board.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: A small Kind of BIG

School: Raffles Girls' School (Secondary)

Summary of Project:

Raffles Girls’ School aimed to spread kindness amongst the school population and to create a large and lasting impact on the whole population. The school had used a series of activities to achieve their objectives. One of the activities was the use of morning announcements whereby it served as a platform of communication between the FOS ambassadors and the school. This was where inspiring stories of kindness were narrated. Another activity was a ‘Spark of Kindness Board’. This board aimed to be an introductory platform for information that ‘sparked’ of kindness to be spread.

In order to remind students to perform acts of kindness, Kindness Post-Its were placed around Raffles Girls’ School at common and accessible areas. There was also a focal activity called the ‘Kindness Buddies and Kindness Chain’ which involved the passing of stress balls, as a representation of kindness, among students. This is then linked to the next activity known as ‘Take a SHOT at KINDNESS’ where students get to throw their stress balls through a hoop. It was a scoreboard which served as a visual reminder for students to track the number of balls collected and the number of kind acts that have been performed and passed on.

In addition, there was a Kindness Board which served as an avenue for students to affirm others for their kind acts. It also doubles up as a recognition board for displaying true stories of students who have shown acts of kindness for others in Raffles Girls’ School.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Gracious Community in Beatty Sec

School: Beatty Secondary School

Summary of Project:

Beatty Secondary School aimed for staff and students to recognise the need to take time to be gracious towards one another as well as provides a platform for students to champion school causes. There were several activities that were used to achieve their objectives. During the Gracious Week Launch, the student committee launched the campaign and rallied the entire school together with a video presentation on the views of greetings from teachers and students. The video was played to remind everyone about the importance of greeting, which is not only a basic form of courtesy but a way to achieve a better school environment.

There was a three-day Beatty Radio Programme which included interviews with teachers and students regarding their stories on graciousness. For class-based activities, the student committee worked with student volunteers and teachers to organise a discussion on ‘What Graciousness is about?’ It also included a slogan competition as well as writing of appreciation cards, known as STAR cards, to be given to gracious people.

Furthermore, an inter-class Canteen Competition was organised to determine the class that was able to keep their assigned part of the canteen the cleanest. The committee aimed to help Beattyians make keeping their compound clean as a daily responsibility.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Kindness@Canberra Always

School: Canberra Secondary School

Summary of Project:

Canberra Secondary School’s objectives were to celebrate and recognise the kindness acts of students and staff and to inspire school mates and staff to practise kindness and graciousness in school. The school also hoped to bring kindness into the classroom and to spread the message of being kind to everyone in class. Canberra Secondary School also wanted to inspire school mates and staff to promote kindness and graciousness in the school via multimedia means.

The activities to achieve its objectives included well-being lessons and the Kindness@Canberra Always (KCA) Pledge Cards. The lessons had a word of the day activity, such as ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’, student activity sheets and a video. Teachers were empowered to share his or her experiences in relation to the word of the day and connect with the pupils to spread kindness in a meaningful way. Students were also offered pledge cards in the shape of Singa, the Singapore Kindness Movement mascot, as a platform to express their gratitude and the efforts of someone in the school. The Pledge cards were then displayed at the Kindness Corner of each class.

With the ‘Most Conducive Classroom’ Competition in place, the FOS ambassadors collaborated with the Healthy Lifestyle Committee to permanently include a Kindness Corner as part of their competition’s requirements. There was also an activity called the KCA Online where kindness can be spread online too. A blog was set up with entries relating to kindness and the latest updates on the events held during Canberra Secondary School’s KCA Week.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Inclusive or Exclusive

School: St. Margaret’s Secondary School

Summary of Project:

St. Margaret’s Secondary School aimed to understand how actions and words that seem insignificant can actually hurt others. The school also wanted to encourage students to be more inclusive and work towards abolishing exclusiveness in school.

There were several activities organised to achieve the objectives. An activity was holding a Care Chat cum Forum Theatre during the morning assemblies to illustrate how exclusive students’ attitudes were everyday and how they could change it to being more inclusive as an individual and as a school. Another activity called ‘Thumb In’ was initiated to get students to show their commitment to make classrooms inclusive by using their thumb prints. Posters were also placed around the school to act as reminders for students.

In addition, photographs and names of the school cleaners were introduced to the school during the assemblies. This was so that students were able to greet them, bringing the school closer together. To ensure the growth of the school and awareness of the issues faced by students, 2010 Care Leaders were nominated by the teachers and awarded with the ‘Dare To Care’ badge. This initiative also acknowledged St, Margaret’s Secondary School students who have demonstrated exemplary behaviour.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Kindness @ Si Ling

School: Si Ling Secondary School

Summary of Project:

Si Ling Secondary School made use of several activities to promote kindness in the school. An activity called ‘Pat on the Back’ was initiated in which Form teachers were given forms to nominate students for the ‘Kindest Student Award’. Students were also able to nominate two teachers for the ‘Kindest Teacher Award’. The awardees were recognised during an assembly programme during which certificates and tokens of appreciation were awarded. This activity was to celebrate kindness of any Silian and to recognise kind acts of students and teachers. A skit was also being watched during the assembly session. The school hoped to raise awareness of the benefits of being kind and gracious.

There was also another activity whereby a group of students baked cookies and muffins for a fund-raiser initiative which was set up during the Parent-Teacher Meeting Day. With every purchase, a Pass It Forward card was handed to the buyer to reiterate the message of spreading kindness. The raised funds contributed to Si Ling Secondary School’s Pupil Welfare Fund.

# # #

Award Category: Secondary Level (BRONZE)

Project Title: Honouring Our School Environment

School: Ping Yi Secondary School

Summary of Project:

Ping Yi Secondary School initiated five activities to promote kindness to the enviroment in the school.

‘Care for Your Homeroom’ Skit and Campaign
After watching a skit on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of classroom behaviour, Secondary One students brainstormed on ways to keep their classrooms clean. The ideas were transferred to attractive and informative posters hung in their class.
Happy Canteen & Happy Toilet Campaign’
Secondary Two students decorated the canteen and toilets to beautify the school. They also helped to maintain the cleanliness of these areas. Through this experience, they learnt that the school cleaners have a tough job and they should exercise good canteen behaviour.
Decorative Bins Competition
Secondary Three students enjoyed spending their time painting and designing the bins with their classmates. The simple act of throwing a piece of litter is an entirely different experience in Ping Yi after the project. With the attractive designs, these bins can be spotted from a distance and students cannot ignore the bins anymore!
Homeroom Cleaning & Decoration
The motto for this campaign is “to enter a clean classroom is as delightful to leave one clean”. All classes took part actively and ‘Class Challenge Trophy’ points were given to the top three classes.
Photo Montage / Polaroid Challenge
A booth was set up and students from all levels were invited to take a Polaroid of themselves and make a simple pledge to contribute towards the school environment. The students were very willing to carry out their pledges without much need for reminders. This also serves as a thinking point for students that it does not take much to contribute to the school environment.

# # #

Award Category: Tertiary Level (GOLD)

Project Title: Expressing Kindness to one and all!

School: St. Andrew’s Junior College

Summary of Project:

St. Andrew’s Junior College felt that they were often lost in their daily routines that they ignored the significance of small acts of kindness. The project was thus initiated to improve this problem.

Kindness boards were set up around the school to encourage students and staff to appreciate others. Staff and students penned down their appreciation and gratitude for the persons who were kind to them. Kindness Posters with quotations were also placed around the school to inspire students to be kind to each other.

In addition, the college set up a Kindness Booth to provide an avenue to interact with the student body. Kindness badges were sold at the booth to promote the spirit of kindness and to encourage students to express gratitude to those whom they received kindness from. With every purchase made, a ‘Thank You’ card was included to be passed on by the students and teachers of St. Andrew’s Junior College. The team also used new media platform to reach out to more people during the period of the campaign by setting up a facebook page.

# # #

Award Category: Tertiary Level (SILVER)

Project Title: Kindness Week begins with You

School: Anderson Junior College

Summary of Project:

Anderson Junior College initiated several activities to promote kindness in the school. The Kindness Board aimed to promote kindness through simple acts. The team hoped that the misconception of requiring large amounts of time and effort to show kindness would be removed. Therefore, short stories of small acts of kindness, along with tips on ways to be kind, were featured to inspire students to perform on their own.

In addition, there was a Kindness Badge Design Competition where students created designs based on their own interpretation of kindness. The four winning designs were manufactured and sold in the school. The badges served as tangible reminders for students and teachers that kindness can also come in small packages. The team also wrote and recorded a song titled ‘Lend a helping hand’ which was played on television sets in the college’s canteen and foyer. The song and video were to provide a different form of delivery of the kindness message, with the hope that it would be more engaging and interesting to the students of Anderson Junior College.

# # #