Kindness Week is a week dedicated to showing kindness to those we love as well as others we hardly know. It begins February 14th, and at Apple Hill Academy we are going to celebrate with color reminders and expressions of kindness in all that we do and say. On various days, the children will color a red “Kindness Matters” sign; make orange colored “Thank You” notes to give to someone special;  wear yellow to show their bright side while complimenting someone; and on another day, they will wear green while smiling at everyone they see (because smiles are contageous and they will learn that a smile given gets a smile back!) Apple Hill Academy is upholding this annual kindness tradition because we know that everyone can use more kindness in their lives! In fact, scientific evidence shows there is actually a positive physiological effect of doing kind acts for others.  According to Dr. David R. Hamilton, acts of kindness create emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels and makes one feel more energized! Regardless of the scientific effects, we know that even the smallest acts of kindness can change a life by bringing a smile on a rainy day. Whether you plan on doing good deeds the whole week or on the final day, being kind matters, and at Apple Hill Academy, our children matter most!