Chain of kindness follows Rachel’s Challenge in Sultan

Remarkable things have been happening at Sultan Elementary School since the school participated in “Rachel’s Challenge,” an anti-bullying program that spreads kindness and compassion among students, teachers say.

Many instances of “random acts of kindness” have started a chain reaction at the school. Two Sultan students decided to give back to the school’s popular Unicycle Club by saving Christmas money, and instead of receiving presents, gave the club a new “Corker Cycle.”

Grant and Ginger VanValkenburg rode the large cycle into the November assembly to present the Corker to coaches Dee Clarke and Bob Crichton as a surprise during the monthly Cougar Pride assembly. Clarke had tears in her eyes as Ginger read her letter of gifting to the club, stating how much riding cycles after school during their entire elementary experience helped them through school and helped the family in countless ways.

Other students displayed a chain of kindness that was more than a football field long to the assembly audience. Each link of the chain had a good or kind deed including the student’s name written on it.

“As the holiday season of giving, family, and friendship envelopes the Sky Valley, we appreciate these every day experiences that shape our children and our future,” said Laurel Anderson, principal of Sultan Elementary.