The last week of April was a busy time–juniors took the ACT, sophomores and freshmen took the ACT Aspire tests. This week also was Happy’s annual Kindness Week.

HAPPY is a club at the high school that promotes anti-bullying, good relationships, suicide and other topics. They bring in the guest speaker at the beginning of the year. The big activity they plan every year is Kindness Week. This year’s Kindness Week took place Monday April, 27 through Friday May 1. HAPPY has been planning this event since February.

Wednesday was “Chain Reaction Day” and RESPECT training. The chain reaction involved necklaces that encouraged the students to do or say something kind. Students then passed the beads to someone else throughout the day. The club also had Missy McClain, who is the RESPECT Coordinator from Akron Children’s Hospital, speak during the lunch periods. Her topic for the day was “Happily Ever After…5 Keys to a Healthy Relationships.” Teachers could bring their classes or send study hall students during the periods to the library and hear the presentation.

April 27 through May 1 is Kindness Week sponsored by HAPPY at the high school this year. The students and staff are celebrating in many different ways, including yoga and therapy dogs.

On Mon., April 27, there was yoga in the library during periods one through four. Mrs. Macali, a retired teacher from the high school, came and showed students the basics of yoga. Macali went through many different poses and exercises commonly performed in yoga, including the warrior pose and downward dog.

Overall, the morning yoga went well. This was the first year of yoga during Kindness Week, and the high school will now have yoga available every Kindness Week from here-on out. Next year, there is even the chance of the yoga going on all day instead of just in the morning because of the positive feedback.

“Mrs. Macali is awesome,” Sally Dean, the staff member in charge of Kindness Week this year, said.

Also on Monday, the high school hosted therapy dogs in the morning during periods five through nine. All the dogs are certified through a group called Therapy Dog International, and all the handlers who brought them in are volunteers. The woman who brought the dogs in, Ruth Drew, is a retired Stow teacher.

This is the second year in a row where the therapy dogs have graced the high school with their presence, and it was a hit yet again. Students have responded well to the therapy dogs and there was an overwhelming amount of happiness in the library that day.

“Later in the day [after the therapy dogs left], the kids were still smiling and happy,” Dean said.

On Tuesday, April 28, students of the high school wore blue. Blue is the color that symbolizes anti-bullying, and the students wanted to show their support. There was not a big activity scheduled for Tuesday because of the ACT tests and practice tests students were required to take this day.

Numerous students wore blue on Tuesday to show they care about bullying, and they know it is wrong. Bullying is a huge problem that students should not have to worry about. Wearing blue signified that bullying should be stopped, and kindness should be shown.

Many students participated in the multitude of activities available to them and kindness was spread throughout the halls of the high school.