Vernon students spread message of kindness with hundreds of #positivepostnotes

VERNON – The notes are small, but the impact is big.

Students at Vernon Secondary School wrote out more than 1,000 personalized post-it notes, one for every student, to spread kindness and positivity on Pink Shirt Day.

Student Shaughnessy Barker says it took a good month to come up with unique compliments for each student and transcribe them onto the pink post-it notes.

“For some, if I knew they were a dancer, I would say, ‘you are an amazing dancer,’” Barker says.

Last year, Barker and other students posted the notes on school lockers. This year, the notes were posted in one place, and students had to look through to find their names.

“I think as teenagers we get caught up,” Barker says. “I don’t think kids practice positivity and kindness every day, it gets lost in drama and high school stuff.”

The hope is that the #positivepostnotes will promote equality, inclusion and kindness, Barker says.

“From what I see, a lot of kids are happy and smiling today,” she says. “I hope it’s a bit of a chain reaction.”

Barker is graduating this year, but says a couple of students are interested in carrying on the tradition in years ahead.

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