The world can use some extra kindness right now and Miami Trace Elementary is planning to deliver.

The 10th-annual Great Kindness Challenge started the week of Jan. 25, Miami Trace Elementary will continue the challenge Feb. 1-5 and the school enthusiastically invites the entire community to join in and cheer them on.

The Great Kindness Challenge, presented by the global nonprofit “Kids for Peace,” was launched with three Carlsbad, California schools in 2012 to address bullying and to foster connection, inclusion and compassion. The annual program has multiplied in enrollment each year, having grown to over 15 million students in 30,000 schools, reaching across all 50 states and 115 countries.

Jill McManigal, co-founder and executive director of Kids for Peace, explained, “With many people feeling that our country is more divided than ever, there is a great need for unity, compassion, love and respect in our schools, communities, country and world. The Great Kindness Challenge provides students the tools, opportunity and encouragement to actively create a positive, happy and inclusive culture for all.”

Schools and students are drawn to the program for its positive and proactive approach to creating kinder school climates through a simple checklist of intentional acts of kindness. The checklist, updated with safety and social distancing in mind, will be distributed to students at the beginning of The Great Kindness Challenge week.

Students will be encouraged to complete each kind act over the course of the week, as well as take part in additional building events and global service projects.

While the excitement of The Great Kindness Challenge is enormous, it is the simple acts of kindness that prove to be the biggest hit. Some of the items on the checklist are: wave at 25 people, help your teacher with a needed task, say good morning to 15 people, and tell someone you appreciate them.

A statement from Miami Trace Elementary reads: “Big or small, every act of kindness makes a difference. Let’s all help make a positive difference. Let’s join together, lift each other up, cheer each other on and do our part to create a kinder Washington Court House and a more compassionate world.”