This fall, a dozen Salisbury Middle School students were busy coloring special festive stockings in their classroom. Their drawings will be sent to U.S. troops stationed overseas for the holidays, as a thank you and show of appreciation for their sacrifices to uphold our freedoms.

These students are part of Kindness Club, led by English teacher Beth Prokesch. She started this group over 10 years ago.

Why was this important to her?

“Everyone needs some kindness in the world,” Prokesch reflected. “At the time, my kids enjoyed giving gifts as much as receiving them during the holidays so I thought these students would enjoy giving kindness as much as receiving it, so that’s why I did it.”

Prokesch continued, “Empathy. We can all use empathy and I thought this was an easy way to teach it.”

As an English teacher, there’s the bonus of seeing her students write. Birthday cards, get well cards, thinking of you cards for children’s hospitals are among the different projects they take on.

For SMS student Kairi Herscap, “Kindness is something I like doing. I like to spread kindness, so I wanted to join Kindness Club.”

The stocking project is important to her, as she told The Press, “The soldiers have worked really hard and now they are going to work harder more.”

Kylee Mertz added, “It’s important to be a kind and loving person because it’s not fair to hurt people. It’s good to be a kind and loving person, and I want to spread kindness around the world.”

Mertz joined the club last year after hearing from friends how fun it was. She enjoyed it so much that she signed up to be a member again this year.”

Another student, Mackeeyah Conteh, pointed out, “Being kind is important.”

She feels the club “is unique. I like making cards for teachers and decorating. If you are a person who likes to make letters for teachers, I think it would be good for you.”

As for the holiday stocking project, Conteh believes, “This is a way to appreciate the soldiers who have to miss the holidays for our safety.”

For Gabriella Fernandez, becoming a member of the Kindness Club was simple. “I joined because I wanted to be in a club with all my friends. I also thought it would be fun because I really enjoy being kind to people, and it’s fun to be in a specific club, which honestly, everybody should be part of at some point. People are always mean to each other and they should join the club once in a while.”

What’s Fernandez’s advice to her fellow middle schoolers?

“I would tell them to try something new. That they should try this club because it literally makes changes. You make cards for the teachers, birthday cards, it makes changes. And for the kids that are known for bullying, it would change their acts, hopefully.”