Every week on Wednesdays during 2nd period each teacher works with their class on the assigned homeroom activity of the week. The regular daily schedule is adjusted so that there is extra time in the class period to complete the activity. Some of these lessons this year include goal-setting for students, a lesson on how to be a good citizen, and developing coping strategies under stress.
The week of Valentine’s the lesson focused on the upcoming Valentine’s Day celebration. Teachers gave out small cut-out paper hearts and each student wrote a message to a teacher, friend, or someone special to them.
“I made one for my best friend. I wrote a short sweet message on it to try to make her day,” said junior Alli Hopper.
The goal of this project was to help build a community around the school and spread some love around Valentine’s Day. Even teachers made hearts for their classes and students.
TWHS teachers Emma Ruiz and Kerry Hurd create the homeroom activities each week.
“I think Valentine’s Day is often considered to just be about romantic love, but it’s also a great opportunity to tell friends and special people in our lives how much we love them,” said Ruiz.
“Every moment we create with other people builds community.”
The day after the homeroom activity, Mrs. Ruiz and a few students took all of the paper hearts that were made and hung them on the windows over all 3 floors of the building that look over the main entrance. After they were all hung, students were encouraged to look at all of the windows and try to find a heart that was addressed to them. They were able to detach them and keep them to remind themselves of how special they are on Valentine’s Day.
It was nice to see the hearts around the building since we don’t have a lot of decorations up yet, it made it feel more bright and cheerful. There were also super funny ones, and I liked to see the students’ sense of humor,” said Hurd.
Love can extend beyond romantic relationships and generosity can easily brighten anyone’s day. Small acts of kindness, such as volunteering time or offering to help someone, easily creates a ripple effect. These simple actions not only benefit people but also inspire others to pay it forward.
