Serendipity Art School in Flushing Integrates the Kindness Project into Curriculum

Last school year, Serendipity Art School in Flushing began experimenting with its own version of the Kindness Project, an internationally known initiative started by a Massachusetts woman who found a positively decorated walk on a beach right after she experienced loss. Finding the rock inspired the woman do decorate her own rocks with positive, encouraging messages and either give them to loved ones or place them in parks or beaches, hoping someone who needed them would find them. At Serendipity, the project will become fully integrated into the students’ curriculum in January of 2020.

Joanne Fennell, the schools’ owner and director, says the both the kids and adults she teaches responded positively to the project when they tried it last year.

“I know some of [the kids] have gone through divorce, and they encourage one of the parents by giving them the rock,” Fennell says. “I know people who have lost grandparents and set something up in their house.” She also says that neighborhoods are filled with kindness rocks throughout the area, especially close to schools.