The JHSS Kindness Project began in September of 2013 and is a dedicated group of staff and students working towards making the school safer and more inclusive.

It is our goal to reduce prejudice and violence within the school, as well as the fear, harm and isolation that often is the result of bullying and other forms of discrimination. It is our belief that this can be accomplished through education, awareness, and authentic dialogue; and that these will lead to the creation of place and spaces where diversity is celebrated.

This semester, our project has led a number of campaigns, including a homeroom activity where classes were asked to discuss bullying and create a visual display of how they would make their class a more welcoming and inclusive space.

A second campaign has individuals being invited to “pay kindness forward” by doing a random act of kindness for someone, and then giving that person a signed card that invites them to do something kind for someone else.

Finally, the kindness project, in coalition with the school’s Gay/Straight Alliance has been a part of an initiative to create a permanent and publicly recognized gender-neutral washroom and changeroom in the school.

The Kindness Project also serves as our school’s Safe, Caring and Inclusive Schools committee. All students, staff and parents within the Jacob community are welcome to be a part of the Kindness Project.

We meet every second Tuesday during lunch in Rm 121.