Girl: How do you say “Welcome” in Spanish?

Penny: Bienvenidos.

Irina: In the seven years that we’ve done the Day of Caring, I’ve seen a huge growth in terms of students thinking outside of themselves.

Girl: You get to experience happiness for helping someone else.

Irina: At this stage of development, sixth, seventh and eighth grade, putting yourself in the place of someone else, that’s not easy to do all the time.

Boy: Pay it forward!

Kids: Yeah! That’s right.

Irina: Here at Tilden, we’re really mindful of developing the whole child. Tilden’s Day of Caring creates a perfect opportunity for students to show kindness and empathy while they engage in community service projects. We wanted to show them that within our community, there was so many organizations who could benefit from our help and our support.

Jane: We perform Student Service Learning activities the entire day, helping 20 different non-profit organizations.

Teacher: Today, as you guys know, we’re going to be celebrating the Tilden Day of Caring.

Eliana: I like the Day of Caring, I think it’s a good time to appreciate what you have and help out other people who are less fortunate.

Girl: A lot of times we can feel insignificant, and being able to give back to other people can help us a lot in our own ways.

Marynell: Today, we’re going to be creating cards for people who are new to Montgomery County from all around the world just coming here for the first time.

Marynell: Today’s project when we were creating cards, empathy was a huge focus. How would you feel coming into a new community? What would you like to know if you put yourself in their place.

Mane: It shows them that people are putting effort to include them in the community. I’m going to make a 3D heart and make the Maryland flag inside it.

Mariamawit: I’m thinking about like how to connect myself to the person. When you come to a new place, you get all nervous and shy. Someone’s greeting you makes you feel great, like someone cares about you.

Sofiya: When I came here when I was five, I was the only kid who spoke Bulgarian, and I felt kind of lonely.

Irina: Students are very aware of immigration and embrace where everybody’s from and what they bring to the table.

Eliana: With today’s politics, I think coming here is extremely stressful, there’s so many things you have to worry about. So hopefully, when a kid opens my card, they will feel a sense of community, and they are loved.

Susan: We talked a little bit about the organizations that we are going to support today.

Susan: The Children’s Inn at NIH, that’s where children are receiving treatment for certain illnesses.

Susan: And kids come from all over the country to be treated. They’re not with their friends, right? So they’re kind of lonely. So we’re going to make these little robot snack kits and to know that kids made this for them is going to really be special for them!

Jane: Tilden Middle School is a school of inclusiveness, so kids with disabilities, or kids without disabilities we all participate in every activity.

Susan: There were no differences today. Everyone was helping someone.

Child: Miss Hansen, I did it!

Susan: Awesome! They look fabulous!

Child: Yep.

Susan: I think at first, they were thinking it was just fun and games, but then they actually thought this was going to make a difference in that child’s life for the day.

Girl: I think that they’ll be so happy when they receive a fun surprise like this!

Boy: Yeah, that little thing will be passed on to another act of kindness. Then that continues on and continues on, and then eventually the whole world could be like heaven. I mean–

Teacher: You guys make me so proud to be your teacher! I love the attitude!

Irina: The students love this day, and there’s a great sense of pride. Every single child understands how easy it is to provide those services to a multitude of organizations within this area. We owe our students that commitment to help them realize what they can do to be well-rounded citizens.

Maddy: Being able to help my community like that, it makes me happy that I changed something, I did something.

Coach: Are you ready? Go!

Jane: The kids understand that even though you’re young they can make a difference in people’s lives and that everyone has something to give.
[children’s excited voices]

Girl: How many more can we get?