Lincoln Elementary School students recently handed out care packages to the Jamestown Fire Department including treats such as mints and gum with notes saying “Thanks for sticking to your job to help us.” The students choose this project over regular “prize” rewards for the school’s PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) program where students receive tickets for good behavior. The school’s PBIS Team came up with the idea to offer students an opportunity to give back calling it “Caring Kids in the Community.”

So far, students have given to the JFD and created placemats for Meals on Wheels to use while serving holiday meal to their clients.

“I chose Meals on Wheels because I wanted to help people,” said Lincoln first-grader Kendall Kennedy. “I think doing something like this is good because it teaches kids to be kind and respectful to others. It made me feel really good to do it and I think I’m always going to chose this as my reward.”

The PBIS Committee thought of the idea while putting together their Professional Learning Plan over the summer.

“We thought it was important to teach the kids to give back to our community that gives so much to us but also, to instill in our kids that rewards in life don’t always come to us, sometimes you have to give and that feeling of giving is a reward in itself,” said Lincoln kindergarten teacher Molly Anderson.

The kids agree.

“I thought is would be nice to help others and create a placemat,” said Lincoln fourth grader Audri Berquist. “My teacher heard about the fire department and I really wanted to do it. I think it’s better to give something to someone than getting it yourself.”

The school is planning to do more projects including painting kindness rocks to spread around their neighborhood.

“It sounded like a fun and nice thing to do,” said Lincoln third grader Tristen Brandow. “I like doing nice things for people. “I think if kids do this now, when they grow up they might keep doing it and keep helping others.”