Williams Lake elementary school spreads positivity one note at a time

Emilio Torres-Hilbert, Andrea Ibarra, Gemma Blackall and Samual Garland (L to R), were some of the students at Sacred Heart Catholic School, who decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. The students were also dressed up for “Fancy Friday” dress-up day. (Feb. 23). (Kim Kimberlin photos)Emilio Torres-Hilbert, Andrea Ibarra, Gemma Blackall and Samual Garland (L to R), were some of the students at Sacred Heart Catholic School, who decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. The students were also dressed up for “Fancy Friday” dress-up day. (Feb. 23). (Kim Kimberlin photos)
Samantha Smith, the Grade 4/5 teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School, with her class, who wrote and placed notes of encouragement throughout their school during Catholic Schools Week. The students were also dressed up for “Fancy Friday” dress-up day. (Feb. 23).Samantha Smith, the Grade 4/5 teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School, with her class, who wrote and placed notes of encouragement throughout their school during Catholic Schools Week. The students were also dressed up for “Fancy Friday” dress-up day. (Feb. 23).
Sacred Heart Catholic School students decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. (Feb. 2023)Sacred Heart Catholic School students decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. (Feb. 2023)
The theme of Catholic Schools Week at Sacred Heart Catholic School was “Seeking Truth, Healing and Reconciliation.” (Feb. 2023)The theme of Catholic Schools Week at Sacred Heart Catholic School was “Seeking Truth, Healing and Reconciliation.” (Feb. 2023)
Sacred Heart Catholic School students decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. Pictured is a note in the girl’s bathroom that says, “you matter.” (Feb. 2023)Sacred Heart Catholic School students decked their school out with notes of encouragement for Catholic Schools Week. Pictured is a note in the girl’s bathroom that says, “you matter.” (Feb. 2023)
Pink post-it notes with words of encouragement were placed around Sacred Heart Catholic School by the Grade 4/5 students. (Feb 2023)Pink post-it notes with words of encouragement were placed around Sacred Heart Catholic School by the Grade 4/5 students. (Feb 2023)

Sacred Heart Catholic School’s Grade 4 and 5 students decked their school out with notes of encouragement recently. Written on pink post-it notes, each student was responsible for writing 20 notes that spread positivity.

Their teacher, Samanda Smith, said students wrote the notes on a Tuesday (Feb. 7) and then on Wednesday (which coincided with superhero day), the students secretly went out and posted the notes all over the school. “Spreading joy is our super power!” was their message, and they did just that.

The idea to decorate their school was during Catholic Schools Week, with the focus being “corporal acts of mercy.” Each class participated in different service projects, asking the question of how they are living out their faith in practical ways. For example, the Grade 6 and 7 students went out and picked up garbage around the community, the Grade 2 and 3 class collected food for the food bank and the Grade 4 and 5 class made Valentine’s Day cards and cookies to give out to the those in need.

Smith’s class wanted to go the extra mile by serving their own school and uplifting their fellow students with notes to brighten their day. The class workshopped a few of the notes, and the rest were left up to the students. Some of the sayings were, “I’m glad you’re here,” “don’t let the world change you, you change the world,” and “you shine like a star.”

Catholic Schools Week takes place every February, and this year’s theme was “Seeking Truth, Healing and Reconciliation.”


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