What are you grateful for in life? That’s a question that students are contemplating this week during a 12-day campaign at Essex Elementary School. The campaign kicked off with an energizing “Look for the Good” school-wide assembly on Sept. 26 that featured the program’s founder, Anne Kubitsky.

“We’re trying to get everybody during those 12 days to focus on what they’re grateful for,” said Marjorie Russell, school counselor and social development coordinator. “The whole Look for the Good Project looks on that core belief that gratitude changes people’s mindsets, it reduces negativity and bullying, and improves the school climate. We’re really excited about having it for our theme this year and being able to kick it off with such substance.”

It’s a first for the school, but a continuation of Essex Elementary School’s ongoing focus on social development. Last year, the school focused for one week each on “Go Big with Kindness,” a kindness campaign, and “Free to Be Me,” a program that raised awareness about differences. This year, the focus is on perspective and gratitude.

“We’re really excited about this campaign and the opportunity that Look for the Good brings to all of our students,” said Principal Jennifer Tousignant. “In the world today, so often we forget to look for all those things around us that are so magnificent and to truly appreciate all that we have.”

The Look for the Good Project Inc. was founded in Connecticut by Kubitsky, who started it as a public art project. Kubitsky collected messages of gratitude from people around the world. These messages were turned into art exhibits at various locations, including one currently installed at the boardwalk at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison. Look for the Good later became a program designed specifically for schools.

Although Kubitsky attended Sept. 26’s kick-off at Essex Elementary School, the program’s popularity is making it impossible for her to attend each program in person. Because of this, she’s creating an online platform for schools to participate in Look for the Good—and Essex Elementary will play a big role.

“When she started, she’d visit schools in person,” Russell said of Kubitsky. “We’re probably one of her last in-person assembly kick-off programs because they’ve gotten much larger. She’s hoping to use our school as a model in her online platform.”

Videos and highlights from the 12 days of activities at Essex Elementary School will serve as a model for future schools wishing to participate in Look for the Good. Russell’s student leaders are helping coordinate and run a wide variety of events that may be featured.

“They have big spots that get put on the hallway floors. When you step on one you’re on the spot and you have to say something you’re grateful for,” Russell said. “Kids across the whole school will be writing notes of gratitude and putting notes on the gratitude wall outside the cafeteria. They’ll be writing ‘you matter’ letters, thinking of somebody who’s made a difference in their life and writing a letter to them.”

Additionally, each morning during the campaign students are greeted by special public service announcements about the day’s focus. They’re keeping journals and completing activities centered around the books Good People Everywhere by Lynea Gillen and What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada (Hint: A problem might be an opportunity in disguise).

“Every teacher gets a copy of each of those books with a packet of different activities that draw out the meaning,” Russell said.

Finally, the kids will be rewarding each other’s acts of kindness with kindness cards.

“You don’t keep a kindness card that you get—you give a kindness card to someone else when you see them doing something kind,” said Russell. “It’s a way of integrating it across the school and across the school year.”

The goal extends beyond gratitude to its aftereffects on students and the school as a whole.

“There’s research showing kids are happier, it decreases negativity and bullying, grades go up,” Russell commented. “There are some very big pluses aside from creating a culture at our school that’s safe and kind and compassionate.”

As for Tousignant, she knew the campaign was a good fit for Essex Elementary School as soon as she heard about it. In fact, she contacted Kubitsky even before she was done pitching her program at a professional development event.

“I emailed her while I was sitting in the audience saying that I wanted our school to partner with her,” said Tousignant. “Giving students this opportunity to have gratitude journals, to get in the habit of being grateful for all that they have and for the people in their lives and a wonderful community that supports education is a valuable experience for the students for this school year.”

The school’s gratitude campaign ends next month—but if successful, its effects will last much longer.

Through the Look for the Good project, Essex Elementary School students will share:

6,000 messages of gratitude

400 letters of thanks

400 meaningful moments between students