Students at Irvington High School are sending powerful messages to their peers thanks to more than 600 Post-It notes they left on school lockers throughout the building.
“They were designed to remind students that there is hope, that they can do more than they realize, and that people in their school and community care about them,” said Jennifer Nunziato (Traditi), student assistance counselor and advisor of the Positive Impact Club. “The goal was to promote positivity and instill hope in students as they began the school year.”
Members of the Positive Impact Club and Nunziato wrote encouraging messages, such as “you are important,” “you can make a difference in the world,” “you are beautiful inside and out,” “love yourself, you’re worth it” and “never, ever give up” on the Post-It notes. With assistance from the school’s Peer Leaders, they placed them on the lockers a week before school started, and the notes have continued to resonate with the community.
“The feedback has been outstanding,” Nunziato said. “The Post-Its are still hanging up. Students have already asked for this project to take place again later in the year. Teachers and staff have also asked to be included next time by having Post-Its placed on their mailboxes or classrooms doors. This little idea has left a big impact on the Irvington High School community.”
As the student assistance counselor, Nunziato works to enhance positive and healthy decision-making, as well as reduce the factors that put students at risk for alcohol and other drug use.
Irvington Police Detective and Youth Officer Michael Toolan suggested the idea for the Post-Its during an Irvington About Safe Kids meeting last spring. IASK is a coalition that represents all sectors of the community – parents, students, educators, law enforcement officials, medical professionals, businesspeople and more – and works to motivate youth to make healthy, happy and responsible decisions.
Source: http://www.irvingtonschools.org/pages/Irvington_UFSD/News/Post-It_Notes_Send_Positive_Me
