Lenox High School Students Launch ‘Kindness Crew’ Initiative to Foster a More Supportive School Culture

Lenox Memorial High School students hand out kindness bracelets on the first day of school on Aug. 28. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)

LENOX — A group of Lenox Memorial Middle High School seniors, working alongside school counselors, has launched a new student-led initiative aimed at shifting school culture by promoting empathy, compassion, and everyday kindness.

The group, known as the Kindness Crew, originated from conversations last year between students and counselors about how unkind behavior — often dismissed as “just joking” — was affecting their peers.

School Counselors Tara Romeo and Pam Murray, along with Adjustment Counselor Amy Higgins, collaborated with students to design an initiative rooted in student leadership and culture change, rather than a traditional club structure. The initiative for this school year is called Kindness Makes a Comeback at LMMHS.

“This began with students sharing what they were seeing and experiencing,” Romeo said. “They wanted to take the lead in creating a culture where kindness is the norm, not the exception. We’re here to support them, but this is their initiative.”

Founding seniors Claire O’Brien and Owen Ames helped shape the vision, and more than 20 members of the Class of 2026 have already joined. That represents about one-third of the senior class, with organizers hopeful that even more students will step forward as the school year begins. Teachers are also coming forward to join the initiative, with already a dozen volunteers.

The initiative began with 21 Days of Kindness on the first day of school, Aug. 28. Students will participate in daily acts of kindness, ranging from small gestures, such as holding the door, to more meaningful actions, like sitting with someone new at lunch.

There are other initiatives already planned as well, including a student retreat on Sept. 23 for members to receive training and develop plans for the year; a student-led activity group spearheaded by senior Owen Kamienski, who will invite any interested classmates to join him at school events to ensure no one feels left out; and peer-to-peer mentoring and training led by high school students for middle schoolers, focusing on empathy, respect, and positive social interactions.

Students have also taken charge of spreading the word, launching social media accounts, and creating posters, videos, and schoolwide marketing materials. Members of the Kindness Crew will wear matching blue sweatshirts and distribute wristbands and bookmarks as visual reminders of the project’s message.

“Even the smallest action can make a difference in someone’s day,” O’Brien said. “We want to create a space where people feel supported and included.”

The Kindness Crew plans to carry the initiative throughout the school year with monthly activities, including a “Pay It Forward” challenge and programs that encourage students to support peers struggling with stress or mental health challenges.

“This is about building a culture that lasts beyond this year,” said Ames. “If we can change the way we treat each other now, it can carry into the middle school and into the years ahead.”

A grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education helped the school purchase T-shirts for the Kindness Crew, and the school has received additional support from community partners, Doctor Sax House and Pizzeria Boema.

“What stands out about this initiative is that it was driven by students who recognized a need and took action,” said Superintendent Dr. William Collins. “The Kindness Crew shows how young people can lead meaningful change, and we are proud to support them.”

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A group of Lenox Memorial High School students who are part of the Kindness Crew. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)

Students in the Kindness Crew handed out flowers to staff as they exited the buses for the District’s Convocation. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)

Students in the Kindness Crew wore T-shirts and sweatshirts on the first day of school to launch the initiative. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)

As part of the 21 Days of Kindness initiative, which launched on the first day of school, Aug. 28, students will participate in daily acts of kindness, ranging from small gestures, such as holding the door, to more meaningful actions, like sitting with someone new at lunch. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)

The kindness bracelets that were handed out on the first day of school at Lenox Memorial Middle & High School. (Photo Courtesy Lenox Public Schools)