St. Joseph Kindness Crew gives back to lunchroom staff
ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) — Students at St. Joseph Grade School are on a mission to spread kindness. On Wednesday, they decided to show their appreciation to the people who put food on their lunch trays.
The Kindness Crew is a group of 10 fourth graders who do good deeds all year-round.
“We just wanted to come up with a day because we didn’t think the lunch workers were getting recognized enough,” said fourth-grader Will Gallo.
That’s why they deemed April 10th as “Lunch Worker Appreciation Day” from here on out. They took the initiative to the principal so she could sign an official proclamation.
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“We sometimes don’t give kids enough credit. They are creative, they are thoughtful, and they are caring,” Principal Michelle Wagner said. “And I love that Mrs. James and the Kindness Crew is really showing that to to everyone in our community.”
Cafeteria Manager Sheryl Beesley said she couldn’t believe the kids came up with the idea.
“Very honored,” Beesley said. “It is a very nice gesture that we don’t get often.”
From pictures hung up to lunches being served, this was the first year the Kindness Crew took care of the lunch staff. The roles were reversed as the kids treated the lunchroom staff to a catered meal of their own.
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“The lunch ladies, or crew, are not necessarily the ones that are [recognized] — it’s teachers that are appreciated,” Beesley said.
Fourth-grader Maddox May said the goal is simple: extend that gratitude to everyone.
“We want people to be more appreciated in our district. Not just our district, like our community,” May added.
The Kindness Crew was created by former teacher Kristen Kirk several years ago, and it’s still going strong. They said their next mission will focus on giving thanks to teachers.
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