A simple second-grade project at Ventana Vista Elementary teaches students to see the best in one another
"You try your best at math." "I like when you lead me to where stuff goes." "I like how you are always putting hard work in class."
These aren't lines from a greeting card company. They're compliments written by 7- and 8-year-olds about their classmates: heartfelt observations that reveal just how closely young children pay attention to the people around them.
Each February, Ventana Vista second graders take part in a Valentine's Day tradition that swaps sugary treats for something more nourishing: genuine praise from peers.
The concept is disarmingly simple. Every student writes one compliment about each of their classmates. Teachers then type up the messages, compile them onto bright yellow sheets of paper, and distribute them during the class Valentine's Day celebration. Each child walks away with a personalized page filled with kind words from every member of their class.
"We have the kids write a compliment about each of their classmates, and then we type them up to give on Valentine's Day," Mrs. Gulley said. "The kids always really like receiving their compliments, and it's so good for them to think of the good in others."
What strikes you looking at one of the finished pages is the specificity. The compliments aren't generic. On Charlie's sheet, for example, one classmate noticed he is "curious." Another appreciates that he's "good at being ready." A friend named Alonso wrote, "I like how you play with your friends." Two classmates independently praised his four-square skills. The children notice things adults might overlook: who runs fast at recess, who works hard without being asked, who makes PE more fun just by being there.
When the pages were handed out, the reactions told the whole story. Students in Valentine's Day reds and pinks settled into their seats and unfolded the yellow sheets with a kind of quiet intensity rarely seen in a room full of second graders. Some read alone, tracing a finger down the list. Others immediately found a friend to share with, two heads bent together over the page, pointing out favorites.
This project is a reminder that some of the most powerful lessons don't require a curriculum guide or a budget line. Sometimes all it takes is a yellow piece of paper, a classroom full of second graders, and the simple instruction: tell your classmates what you like about them.
The results speak for themselves.