Wooster City Schools celebrates 1 million acts of kindness

At the start of the 2025-26 school year, Wooster City School District set a goal of completing one million acts of kindness. Through acts of compassion, service and community involvement, students, staff and families surpassed that milestone.

The initiative started as an idea from kindergarten teacher Derek Ickes. After watching a video about a district in Colorado that achieved 1 million acts of kindness, he and his students discussed how a single act of kindness can create a ripple effect and positively impact others. The idea quickly became a classroom theme and grew from there.

“Our students have embraced the mantra that every act of kindness matters, and hearing them talk about it each day while watching the goal of 1 million acts become a reality has been pretty special,” Ickes said. “Our community is a special place, and raising a family in Wooster is something that my family takes so much pride in. To see the entire community jump on board from the elementary schools all the way to the high school and even the college just shows how special a place Wooster is and is the heart of what 1 Million Acts of Kindness can be.”

What began in one classroom soon spread throughout the district. School counselor Kaley Egli helped expand the initiative by developing creative ways to encourage and celebrate kindness throughout the district.

“What stood out to me most was the individual and small group conversations with students about how even the smallest acts of kindness leave a lasting impact on others,” she said. “Helping students recognize that their everyday actions matter and truly make a difference was incredibly meaningful. Students began to see how our schoolwide service-learning projects such as the food drive, Giving Tree and pop tab collection were all meaningful acts of kindness that positively impacted others.”

While reaching 1 million acts of kindness is an achievement, district leaders say the lasting impact is the culture of kindness it helped strengthen throughout the schools.

“This initiative has helped create a culture where kindness is not just encouraged; it is practiced daily," said Molly Richard, director of curriculum and instruction. "Over the past year, we have seen students and staff intentionally support one another, build stronger relationships and create classrooms where empathy, inclusion and compassion are part of everyday learning.”

Teachers, families and community members were encouraged to submit acts of kindness they witnessed throughout the year, highlighting the many ways students made a difference both inside and outside the classroom. Families shared stories of children helping siblings and setting the table while students supported one another through simple acts of encouragement and compassion. The district also promoted kindness through morning announcement quotes, “Drop Everything and Say Something Kind” moments and a districtwide Kindness Spirit Week in February.

“One Million Acts of Kindness is an extraordinary accomplishment, but what matters most is the culture it strengthened,” Superintendent Gabe Tudor said. “Our students showed that kindness, empathy and service can create lasting impact, and I am proud of the example our Generals have set for one another and our community.”

The district plans to continue promoting kindness and service throughout its schools, building on the momentum created by the 1 Million Acts of Kindness initiative.