Each year, Character.org sponsors an annual program showcasing innovative best practices that are having an impact nationally and abroad. Character.org is a well-known organization devoted to strengthening character education amongst schools, in part by encouraging schools and educators to learn from these successful initiatives. Recipients of the “Promising Practices Award” are selected based on their successful planning and implementing of unique initiatives that foster collaboration and good character building.

This year, Yeshivat He’Atid proudly accepted this award for their school-wide kindness initiative, the Etz Chaim—Kindness Tree. At the start of the year, the Etz Chaim stood empty with a sign saying “Middot tovot (good deeds) make me blossom.” Students were told that they had the power to enable the tree to blossom through their intentional and proactive acts of kindness at school, home or in the community.

Students quickly embraced the idea of kindness, showing that kindness has the strongest impact when participants are proactive and intentional. Immediately, the tree began to bloom and continues to blossom. Teachers, parents and fellow students alike were charged to “catch students being kind.” Students who were seen engaging in acts of kindness received Kindness Tree leaves. As students were called upon to add their leaf to the tree, or acknowledged in front of their class, they not only showed the pride of the accomplishment of being kind, they embody the theme. Students have learned that kindness is a combination of thinking, feeling and doing. What started as an idea for student character development, however, grew to a lively program of students, families and staff far greater than adding leaves to a tree.