Manor Students Lead With Kindness on P.S. I Love You Day

Kindness was the focus at Seaford Manor Elementary School, which marked P.S. I Love You Day on Feb. 13. The national initiative, which coincides with Valentine’s Day, is dedicated to eradicating the stigma around mental health and fostering a supportive environment and a community where everyone feels welcomed, loved and supported. 

Manor’s P.S. I Love Your Day campaign was spearheaded by social worker Jennifer DiMieri and psychologist Lindsay Friedman. They provided each class with blank “I can spread love by…” banners, which students filled out with their own ideas on being kind and compassionate to others. In the days leading up to P.S. I Love You Day, the completed banners were hung up throughout the hallways to show a unified commitment to kindness. 

On Feb. 13, all students and staff were encouraged to wear purple, which is the symbolic color of the campaign. Student council members made a give-and-take board in the hallway. One side was filled with paper hearts that had positive and uplifting messages that students could take for themselves or to give to a friend. The other side had blank hearts for children to write their own messages on to give to others.  

The student council also delivered personalized letters to each class that reflected what each teacher loves about his or her students. Additionally, they wrote and delivered thank-you letters to support staff. All students in grades 3-5 wrote positive messages on paper bags that would be used for to-go orders at a local deli on P.S. I Love You Day.  

Several teachers also planned activities in their classroom. Fifth graders in Jennifer Adelstein’s class wrote compliments on paper hearts for specific classmates, which were given out on Feb. 13. Each student in the class received at least six hearts, and smiles filled the room as they read the kind messages.