Written by Amelia Miller
With the start of the new school year, the Unionville-Chadds Ford school district has selected a new initiative for the district to focus on: Kindness Matters. Throughout the year, students, teachers, and staff members will be reminded of this motto. But what better reminder that kindness matters than a person who displays kindness every day? Here at Unionville Press, we’ve decided to highlight an individual within the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District who demonstrates kindness to students and staff every day. Our “Kindness Corner” is meant to display the acts of individuals who make a difference in our community by simply being kind to those around them. Our first feature in the Kindness Corner is Unionville High School security guard, Michael “Mike” Hebb.
After working at Unionville for over 13 years, Mike has most certainly left his mark on the high school community. Every day starts with a friendly “hello” from Mike as the kids enter the high school. Whether he knows you or not, Mike makes an effort to greet every student as they walk across the street. These everyday interactions with Mike have made him a familiar face to almost everyone at Unionville. “I really appreciate Mike saying hello in the morning,” Unionville student Ruby Astbury says. “He greets a lot of kids by name, and it’s nice to say ‘hello’ to a familiar face at the start of my day.”
Something as simple as a greeting every day can have a positive effect on those who receive it, and Mike couldn’t be happier that students are comfortable saying “hello” to him. “My favorite part about my job is that the students speak to me,” Mike says. “Everyone says ‘hello’ to me first, and I love that.” Demonstrating kindness is even more important with the responsibilities that Mike has as a security guard. As a security guard, Mike’s responsibility is to make sure students feel safe and comfortable in school. “Being security, it’s important that the kids are open and feel comfortable with coming to me and talking to me,” Mike says. “If I can say ‘hello’ in the morning, and they can say ‘hello’ back, then it might just brighten their day.”
By simply being kind every day, Mike has been able to help create a positive atmosphere at Unionville High School. His everyday greetings and friendly conversations with students has helped each student feel valued and included. In regards to demonstrating kindness, Mike sets the perfect example for students and staff, encouraging and inspiring the community to practice kindness themselves.
