Mr. Long’s first and second period beginners art classes found cheap and easy-to-find canvases…rocks. Called the Kindness Rocks project, students “got a rock the size of a softball and created something and make someone smile,” said Kylie Pendleton, a freshman, in beginner art.

The purpose of this assignment was to spread a positive message and have a good vibe entering the school. A freshman, Zoe Gyuro’s personal purpose was “to bring joy to anyone who might need it! School is stressful, so we want to provide wholesome images or messages to bring a smile to the faces of teachers or students.” Another student, a junior, Emily Bosley said it was “to make a positive piece that can give someone a reason to smile.”

Where they got their inspiration is from the internet or what people hear on a daily basis. “I wrote ‘you matter’ and it’s something my mom has always told me,” explained Tyler Martin, a junior. Lizbeth Urling, a freshman said, “When I see rainbows after rain, it makes me happy so I painted a rainbow.”

The students’ experience painting rocks was pretty calming. For some, it was a bit stressful since they wanted to make it look perfect because if the person messes up, it’s hard to fix the painting. The process took about a week for most students, depending on how detailed they wanted to make it. The students really liked this assignment because they were painting on a rock and not on a paper canvas.

They were really creative while painting the rocks, painted whatever made them happy which made the experience really fun. It for sure brings a positive vibe to the school and brings a smile on someone face.