St Monica's Catholic Primary School Richmond's caped crusaders spread anti-bullying message

Year 2 pupils launched the Kindness Avengers Club, which infiltrated throughout the school, with pupils donning masks and capes and spreading the ‘pay it forward’ message with random acts of kindness.

Classroom teacher Leanne Duval said the pupils gave every child in the school a badge, inviting them to join the Avengers.

“The Avengers message is to treat each other with respect and kindness and take part in random acts of kindness with all that we meet,” Ms Duval said.

“We hid kindness bookmarks in our library, drew chalk kindness messages outside classes and handed out positive affirmation cards to children on the playground.”

The entire school got involved in the celebrations on Wednesday, March 20 in a nod not to both the National Day of Action and Harmony Day, a movement that began in Australia 20 years ago to coincide with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“Harmony Day celebrates Australia's cultural diversity and is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone, themes that link directly to the anti-bullying focus of the National Day of Action,” Ms Duval said.

The school wore orange to demonstrate solidarity against bullying, and they laid a ‘path of kindness’ with pebbles painted and decorated throughout the week leading to the front door of the school.

Ms Duval said: “The pathway will be a permanent reminder in years to come of our school’s commitment to the anti-bullying message.”