To kick-off Education Week Yorkton Regional High School launched a 'Pay it Forward Campaign'.
"We're basically saying it's OK to be kind to each other," Johnna McBride, vice principal at the school told an assembly to launch the program Friday, adding the school is now part of the 'Cool to be Kind' initiative which dovetails with the Education Week endeavour.
The program is one which simply asks students to extend random acts of kindness to fellow students, family and the community during Education Week, and to hope those touched by a helping hand in turn do something nice for others.
"Go out and be kind to each other," said McBride.
As an example of going out and being kind to others Rachel Kraynick from Canora spoke to the assembly. She is the mother of Chase Kraynick who died in a farm accident.
Kraynick told the gathered students that when alive Chase, only six, loved the Pay it Forward card he had gotten through school.
He was always helping do dishes, or wanting to help clear a neighbour's driveway of snow.
"His heart was full of goodness and kindness," she said.
Kraynick went on to explain that she and her two sons had grown pumpkins for years.
"It was always fun to plant pumpkins together with my boys," she said, adding once they grew one which weighed in at 165-pounds.
When Chase died in May 2011, the family had not seeded the pumpkin patch yet, but Kraynick said she did it because "it brought back so many good memories of being with Chase."
In earlier years the family had sold the pumpkins, with the money to the two boys' college funds.
But Kraynick said last year they "decided to give away every single pumpkin." The family would give more than 1000 pumpkins to students, teachers, daycare children and seniors in Canora.
This year the pumpkins are back on sale, with money earmarked for a much larger act of doing something for the community. The Kraynick family is spearheading the building of the Chase Kraynick Spray Park for Canora, a facility with 18 different spray features, and a price tag of $350,000.
"I'm going to do it because I want to do it for the community," she said, adding it will be both a reminder of her son Chase, and of what can be achieved by doing something for others.
"Make a difference in somebody's life who may need it," said Kraynick, adding many people can use an extra helping hand.
McBride said there are many ways high school students can make a difference, as examples pointing to volunteering at the local SPCA animal shelters, or the Big Brothers and Big Sisters group.
Over the course of the week students will meet in small groups each morning to discuss their efforts, and share stories about what they have done 'To Pay it Forward'.
