Program Empowers Students to 'Look for the Good'

Building a virtual gratitude wall and creating thankful jars are just two of the initiatives that have our Lower School students thinking and talking about appreciation and positivity.

The Lower School is engaged in a new program, Look for the Good, which encourages thoughtful expression and mindful messaging. The two-week program promotes conversations and activities that seek to find the good in each day. 

“The power of gratitude cannot be overstated as it is such a healing quality for all of us. It is important to bring awareness to our students about the positive outcomes that come from expressing and feeling appreciation and thankfulness,” said Lower School Director Lorri Carroll. 

During the Morning Meeting, students will view an inspirational video created by their peers – our own sixth-graders! 

“Each day there’s a message and focus for the day featured in a video,” said Lower School teacher Alexis Harris 2001, who is coordinating the program. “The video messages help with examples of people, places, things, and experiences for students to consider when they write about what they are thankful for and participate in other activities.”

Students will post their messages of appreciation and thankfulness on a virtual gratitude wall that can be viewed by the Lower School community. 

“The virtual wall will explode with gratitude over the next two weeks,” said Mrs. Carroll. “Students will be able to see each other’s messages.”

Younger students will have the opportunity to draw a picture of what they’re thankful for or videotape themselves relaying their message of positivity.

“When you practice gratitude, your mood improves, and it’s easier to deal with problems. It also energizes you, inspires you, and helps you become kind,” according to Look for the Good Project.

Daily journaling and reading books on topic are also part of the program.

And, as is Hamden Hall’s way, the program will cross the curriculum and find its way into art classes and MakerSpace programming. Lower School art teacher Sue Bennett 1973 recently worked with our Kindergartners to create gratitude/kindness jars. Once created, students colored and wrote thank you notes for non-material things that they stuffed into their jars, according to Mrs. Bennett. 

Sixth-graders will also make thankful jars in the coming days while other grades will make mobiles that focus on the theme of gratitude. Under the guidance of Lower School educator Ann Kohler, fifth-graders are building popsicle-stick boxes that will house students’ recharging strategies.

Mrs. Carroll noted that while the Lower School already has a “Gratitude Tree,” the Look for the Good program enhances the overall social-emotional learning that is inherent in a Hamden Hall education.