A Brighton girl’s vision to spread kindness and leadership on the playground is becoming a reality, thanks to a big boost from a long-necked friend.
You may recall Charlotte Mandziuk, the Maltby Intermediate School 5th grader who turned her older sister’s struggles on the playground into a student-led club to make sure kids were not being left out at recess. Retailer Toys ‘R Us came through on its promise to help Charlotte bring her Recess KLUB (Kindness and Leadership Uniting Buddies) program to more schools with a $10,000 donation, and even sent special envoy Geoffrey the Giraffe to kick things off.
On Wednesday, Charlotte, Geoffrey, and the Brighton Bulldog made the rounds of all-school assemblies at Hawkins and Hornung Elementary schools and Maltby Intermediate School, where student mentors from the program were introduced and recognized. The program officially was officially launched on the playground of each school later in the day.
Charlotte says she hopes this is just the beginning, and that the Recess KLUB will continue to spread throughout Michigan and beyond. You can follow her efforts on the Recess KLUB Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/Recessklub/)
