Williamsburg student wins national essay contest

Fifth grader wrote about importance of kindness

May 5, 2014 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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A Williamsburg fifth grader has won a national contest by using his writing skills to highlight the importance of kindness.

Noah Fequiere, a student at PS 196, was the first place winner in a nation-wide essay contest sponsored by The Be Kind People Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the nation’s educational environment.

Thousands of students across the country entered the contest and wrote essays with the theme “Kindness is the Key to Unlocking Good Character.”

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that kindness becomes a vital and ongoing part of students’ lives. The national writing contest provides a unique opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in language arts while demonstrating their commitment to kindness. Students from Sacramento to Delaware participated in this year’s contest, which is part of a comprehensive program to help young people acquire the character skills they need to be respectful, positive and encouraging to others,” said Lisa Hartsock, CEO of The Be Kind People Project.

The contest was open to public, private and home-schooled students across the U.S. Students were challenged to write an essay on how choosing to be kind can help them develop good character and make a positive impact on their classmates, family, friends, and the community.

Noah and his teacher, Smith Boos, received Amazon gift cards and other prizes.

Noah’s essay, titled “Kindness,” was a winning entry in the fifth grade category.

Here is his prizewinning essay:

“Sometimes kids are not kind to each other at school. How we can show kindness to each other at school is by helping the teachers hand out papers, help other students with work, or help clean up after an activity. You can be a monitor and help around the school or help kids who have been bullied by not only being their friend but help others understand bulling is wrong.

“You must be kind to others, so they will be kind to you…There are many ways you can show kindness that will help you have and build good character. When you show kindness and respect at home, school, church or around your community, people will respect you and show kindness to you as well…by being respectful and kind, you will build good character as a child and carry it on into adulthood. This is how kindness is the key to unlocking good character in life. Unlock your good character today!”

The Be Kind People Project is a Phoenix-based organization which works to equip students with character-building tools to build healthy and positive interpersonal relationships. The organization also works to recognize America’s teachers for their contributions to society.

The Be Kind People Project has developed school events, community contests, Classroom Kindness Kits, character-building activities and classroom resources that teach kids it really is cool to be kind. At the core of the program is the Be Kind Pledge, where students commit to be encouraging, supportive, positive, helpful, honest, considerate, thankful, responsible, respectful and a friend.