On Friday, February 13 —the day before the Holiday of Love — the Bishop’s cafeteria terrace sparkled with red and pink beads, handwritten notes, and plenty of smiles and laughter as Kindness Crew hosted a bracelet-making and card-writing celebration for the community during lunch in honor of Valentine’s Day.
At the center of the event were juniors Coco Kuehn (‘27) and Seffi Morrison (‘27), who organized the activity as part of the Kindness Crew leadership selection process. Throughout the semester, juniors hoping to become senior Kindness Crew leaders plan different events, giving them the chance to demonstrate creativity, leadership, organization, and, most importantly, kindness.
Kindness Crew Leader Paige Meyers (‘26) explained that she, along with her co-Leaders Chloe Chereque (‘26) and Eleanor Meyer (‘26), “use this specific period of time with a lot of little holidays for some of the juniors who have demonstrated interest and consistent club participation, to “try-out” what it’s like to run the club and do all of the setup for an event.”. She explained, “For the leaders now, it’s a good way to gauge who will be a good fit to take on the club next year.”
While planning the event, the pair brainstormed several ideas before settling on a bracelet-making and note-writing activity. Early concepts included baking cookies or bringing donuts, but they ultimately wanted something more interactive that would bring students together rather than have them simply grab something and leave. “We just thought of ways that we could include everyone and have an interactive activity,” Seffi said. “That’s where the bracelet making came in.” The result was a colorful crafting station filled with beads, string, and markers, where students could create bracelets, bag charms, and handwritten notes, personalizing their designs however they liked.
“It was different because it wasn’t like [Kindness Crew] was asking something of you, like to take a quiz or sign a petition,” said Ronik Gupta (‘27), an attendee. “It was just actually having fun… I could just talk to my friends, make bracelets, and hang out.”
Unlike many structured activities, the bracelet-making station had no rules or instructions. Students could sit down, pick up beads, and design whatever they wanted, whether it was a bracelet for themselves or a gift for a friend. “We just gave beads, some Valentine’s Day ones and then other random ones, and brought string, and it was kind of just ‘make what you like,’” Coco said. “There was no specific way to do it.”
Students gathered around tables throughout lunch, chatting, laughing, and designing colorful creations. “People wrote some notes, but some people were honestly just coloring together,” Coco said. “I think that just brought everyone together.”
The bracelet-making became a highlight for many students. “My favorite part was probably making the bracelet,” said Rowan Harmon (‘27). “It was cool… I had lots of fun, until mine broke.”
One unexpected fan favorite quickly emerged…the bag charms! “Probably a highlight from the event was making the little bag charms,” Coco said. “Yes, the bracelet was the main part, but with the charms, you were able to do a lot of different things and bring in different creative aspects.”
Beyond the crafts themselves, what stood out most was the sense of connection the event created. Students lingered longer than usual, helping each other choose beads or simply spending time together.“I think it brought the community together,” Seffi said. “You could customize something for yourself or for a friend, and that made it really meaningful.”
Ronik echoed this sentiment, noting that the event offered something students don’t always experience during the school day. “It gives people something to do at lunch besides just being on their phones,” he said. “You could make something and give it to someone; it actually felt like spreading kindness in a real way.”
That sense of intention and care was exactly what Kindness Crew strives to create through its events. “As someone who participated, I thought the bracelet making was really fun and a nice way to even destress during the day,” said Paige. “It was also really great to see so many students, guys and girls, coming up and participating.”
Paige also emphasized the importance of these events in building community during busy or stressful weeks. “I think with events like these, it’s a nice way to stay festive during weeks that can feel long and draining. It’s really important for us as Kindness Crew to provide outlets for the school and find little ways to bring everyone together,” she said.
For Coco, the most memorable part of the event was seeing the turnout and the positive energy surrounding the activity.“My favorite part was just seeing everyone there,” she said. “And hearing from the leaders that the event had such a great turnout.”
Paige confirmed this sentiment, saying, “Coco and Seffi stayed really organized and on top of things in planning stages, and their execution was great in getting people to participate within the club and the school, too.”
As students left the tables with bracelets on their wrists and charms on their backpacks, the event proved that sometimes the simplest activities, like some colorful beads and good company, can bring a community together. According to Seffi, the impact of the event extended beyond the lunch period: “It’s something you can give to someone, and they can wear it forever,” Seffi said. “It’s just a small way to show love and appreciation.” For a lunch period in the middle of February, kindness was definitely in the air at The Bishop’s School.
