The Sycamore Kindness Initiative sponsors the Sycamore High School Human Relations Award, an annual monetary award for which any senior at the high school may qualify.  The award is given to a senior who demonstrates outstanding character, sense of others, and exhibits selfless behavior that helps build a positive culture at SHS.

 

Other attributes of a Human Relations Award-winning student may include:

 

• Reaching out to younger students, encouraging them to become involved and develop into great students;
• Exhibiting genuine care and concern, and always being willing to tutor or help other students;
• Providing assistance to a teacher in working with classmates;
• Regularly assisting students and staff;
• Showing genuine concern for others and befriending them without imposition of socioeconomic or sociocultural influences;
• Demonstrating a strong belief about human rights and caring through exemplary service;
• Working to promote humation relations in settings broader than the classroom;
• Going above and beyond to prevent harrassment, and providing support to those who have been harassed or bullied;
• Always being open, honest, and friendly to all students, and striving to see students as individuals;
• Contributing outstanding service to the community;
• Responding to adversity or challenge in a way which demonstrates empathy, thoughtfulness, and kindness; and
• Taking actions to actively enhance the dignity of others.

 

We're very proud to recognize achievement with these as metrics--ones that aren't necessarily deeply and directly supported by curricula, or measured with standardized testing.  We seek to bring status to the pursuits of kindness and diginity, and are thrilled to be the presenting sponsor for this award in May 2025 and beyond!

Congratulations, Javi!

Congratulations, Javi!

The Sycamore Kindness Initiative congratulates senior Javier Lopez on being selected as the SHS Human Relations Award recipient for 2025!  In the submissions nominating Javi, the stories about him sounded like this:

 

"There is never a moment where Javi is not going out of his way to help others. He is always offering a hand wherever he can. I remember there was one day in class where we were talking about cooking and cast iron skillets. I mentioned that I need to get one, and he was talking about how much he loves his. Sure enough, the next day he walks into class carrying one that he had purchased at the store for me. He goes above and beyond making connections with his teachers and peers, and does an incredible job remembering little details people say, to then [inquire about those with them] later."

 

"I consider Javi a pillar of our Boys Tennis Program that he helped start two years ago along with eleven other players.  With his leadership, mentoring and charisma -- he has helped us grow those numbers to 30 strong...While we were wrapping up a tough and hard-fought tennis meet in Ottawa, he and I were outside the fence of the complex cheering on / supporting a teammate who was in a back-and-forth tiebreaker for his match. While our player [eventually lost] his match, we congratulated him on his effort, and were moving on to watch other players.  As Javi and I walked away, he instinctively acted upon a hunch that this teammate would need additional support as he came off the court. He excused himself from
me to walk back and wait for his teammate to exit the gate. I continued walking on...but turned back just in time to see him put his arm around his teammate in positive support... One of the unexpected joys of coaching when you have a selfless leader in your program such as Javi."

 

Stories such as these are the ones that endure, and are proof of the kind acts and granting of dignity which is happening very nearby.  Way to go, Javi!

 

 

A kindness supporter in every quarter!

 

Coming in the 2025-2026 school year, Sycamore Kindness Initiative will sponsor a monetary award given once per school quarter, available to any student of any grade level at SHS!  We're still working on the details for these awards, but submissions will be accounts by other students, or by members of the faculty, of a particular act of kindness or bestowment of dignity by a student.  The accounts can be related to something said, or something done.  We aim to collect these stories over time, and hope to present them publicly as evidence and inspiration for students and the community of reasons to temper cynicism.  Even when it can be hard to feel or hard to believe, reasons for joy are always nearby.  They're there.

 

Check in with us once in a while, and see what we're up to next!