Saco students perform acts of kindness, good deeds for Raise Craze

Local students were rewarded by their very own squad of cheerleaders as they spread words and deeds of kindness during Saco Middle School’s “Raise Craze” event on Oct. 3.

A steady stream of motorists honked and waved in recognition of the brightly colored messages chalked in front of City Hall on Main Street, including “Spread Kindness”, “Love Yourself”, and “You’re beautiful the way you are.”

The kids working for Saco Main Street jumped up and down, yelled and waved in return.

This is the second year, sixth, seventh and eighth-graders are taking part in the endeavor, said PTO President Emma Dausses. Around 590 students are participating; more than 700 people, including staff, were involved.

“I think it’s a good thing,” said eighth-grade student Fae Letendre, who participated in the Saco Main Street event. “We get to go out of school, hang out with friends and do fun things.”

The kids who created sidewalk art were also given a tour of City Hall by Mayor Jodi MacPhail and City Administrator John Bohenko. Learning how local government works and things like interacting with seniors at the Saco Community Center are “opportunities kids normally wouldn’t have,” Principal Marie Soucy said.

The three-pronged program encourages acts of kindness, fundraising and community service. Among this year’s destinations, students visited veterans at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough and helped with gardening at the Ecology School. The middle-schoolers also stuffed goodie bags for fire prevention week at Saco elementary schools. Other choices included helping Saco Bay Trails, Bayview Beach, Saco Parks & Recreation, Seeds of Hope Community Center in Biddeford, and the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk.

At Dyer Library, students blew up balloons for story time and made STEM kits. Chalk in hand, the middle schoolers also decorated the walkway.

“A few kids dusted bookshelves,” said sixth-grade teacher Noelle Gallant. “For some reason, they love dusting.”

“They also loosely terrorized children coming to story time,” Gallant added wryly.

SMS student Ian Hersey said the library appealed to him because “I’ve been coming here since I was 3.”

“I just have a lot of special memories of the library,” said Ian. “I feel like I was 3 again … helping out at story time.”

 

Saco Middle School student Ian Hersey blew up balloons for story time at Dyer Library during Raise Craze on Oct. 3. PHOTO BY ANN FISHER

Anna “Annie” Gorman volunteered at the library because “I enjoy reading and helping with community stuff.”

The sixth-grader also packed STEM bags and created the message “Life is what you make it,” on the walkway.

Annie said her other choices included assembling warming kits for the unhoused. 

When asked Thursday morning how the initiative was going, Soucy said, “Really great,” partly because the PTO helped plan the event and asked organizations to participate.

“The upfront work was helpful; that piece went better this year,” Soucy said, adding, “It was great to see kids on Main Street.”

Students aim to raise $12,000 during Raise Craze for their school this month, receiving pledges for good deeds. Each child has an online dashboard to keep track of pledges, and they send out emails to solicit donations, which can be made through the school’s website. 

Students completed nearly 1,000 acts of kindness on Thursday alone, with a goal of logging 3,000 in October. Reaching out with kindness can range from something small, such as picking up trash or saying hello to someone at school they don’t normally talk to. Larger expressions could be actions that impact more people, such as a toy drive or raking leaves.

Raise Craze will be capped at an end-of-the-month assembly, where prizes will be awarded to students who attained certain achievements and those who raised the most money.

Perhaps most importantly, the most meaningful acts of kindness will be recognized at the celebration.

“The concept can be very, very small or very big,” said Dausses, “but it’s always meaningful.”

Ann Fisher is a freelance journalist based in Saco. She can be reached at 432-7483.