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RAYMORE, Mo. — With the hustle and bustle of every day life, it’s easy to think of ourselves and forget basic acts of kindness.

Bridle Ridge Intermediate School in Raymore is in the middle of its Kindness Challenge week, and now they are challenging the rest of the community to join them.

“Greeting your teacher, holding a door open for people, say good morning, smile,” Christina Malcolm, a sixth grader at Bridle Ridge Intermediate School, said.

They’re actions you would hope come naturally, but it’s easy to forget the most simple acts of kindness with so much going on.

“Kids and adults focus on ourselves, and when we focus on ourselves, we tend to not think of other people’s feelings, and not do things for others and I think this was just a reminder that it’s not all about us,” school counselor Piper Showen said.

Showen went to a conference where she learned about the Kindness Challenge. She adapted the idea for her school and encouraged her ‘Be The Change’ club to lead the movement. She said they made a video and challenged the school.

“Everyone just automatically started doing it,” Malcolm said.

“I think it’s becoming a habit for them, their being kinder through this checklist,” fifth grader Lexie Thomas said.

It started Monday and goes all week. It’s 50 kind acts in five days. it could be telling someone a joke, holding their things, or playing with a new friend at recess.

“Trying to get everyone to stop bullying or stop gossip and make it a better place,” Malcolm added.

“My friend that I invited to recess, she looked really happy, and the person I told a joke to…we just laughed and laughed,” Thomas added.

Showen says she’s gotten positive responses from students, parents, and teachers.

“They’re excited about it, they’re glad we’re doing something like this, because there’s a lot of focus on the negative, and to focus on something happy and positive is kind of a nice change,” Showen said.

She said now she’s seeing kindness everywhere.

“They’re telling me, ‘Mrs. Showen, I checked something off my list!'”

Showen said they hope to do the Kindness Challenge every year, but she’s hoping it becomes more of a habit all year round.

The school also challenged their district office staff, even teachers from other school districts are following suit.

We’re going to take the challenge here at FOX 4 We challenge all of you, too.

Check out The Kindness Challenge checklist here.