Start With Hello Week Daily Activity Ideas 2021
Start with Hello Week is a national campaign with the goal of teaching empathy and empowering students to end social isolation by following three steps:
🟢 SEE Someone Alone
🟢 REACH OUT and Help
🟢 START with Hello
Start with Hello Week is typically promoted during September, but you could pick a week in October too! It doesn't matter when you host it! The activities below could be done anytime during the school year. My goal is to provide you with information and ideas so you can host a Start with Hello Week at your school.
Below is what I'm planning to do for Start with Hello Week this year.
We are participating in Start with Hello Week from September 27th - October 1st.
During Start with Hello Week we will engage in activities, challenges, and opportunities that encourage everyone to build a welcoming and inclusive school culture.
Monday, September 27th: Make Someone Smile Monday! Be a rainbow in someone’s cloud!
Go out of your way to make someone smile today! One kind word can make a difference in someone’s life. Students can draw positive chalk messages on the sidewalks this week before and after school.
** For this activity I purchased a giant containers of chalk at Target. 50 pieces for $5! I will have students help create chalk messages on the sidewalk. I usually provide them with a list of ideas for messages and drawings to help them get started.
Tuesday, September 28th: Take What You Need Tuesday. Take a positive sticky note!
Students can stop by the school counseling office and get a positive sticky note. They can keep it or give it to another student as a kind gesture.
** For this activity making a display outside the school counseling office. I have a freebie of positive post-it notes and kindnesses sticky notes that you can print at your school! You could also have students write handwritten notes too.
I made this sign to go with the sticky note display.
Wednesday, September 29th: Welcome Wednesday. Wear Green and Start with Hello!
Student Council members will welcome students as they come into the building on Wednesday. Students are encouraged to wear green as a reminder to Start with Hello.
** I literally just ordered this green kind t-shirt on Amazon so that I can wear it on Wednesday! I am planning to work with my Student Council group to make signs and have them welcome students as they come into the building on Wednesday.
Thursday, September 30th: Talk About it Thursday. Start a conversation with someone new!
Students are encouraged to reach out to other students, Start with Hello, and engage others!
** Start with Hello has conversation starters available for free in their Educator Back-to-School Kit. I put selected Start with Hello Conversation starters into a slideshow so that teachers could project it during homeroom or at other times of the day.
View the conversation starter slideshow here: Conversation Starter Slideshow.
Friday, October 1st: Find Something in Common Friday. Complete Start with Hello Bingo!
Students can participate in Start with Hello Bingo. Students are encouraged to complete bingo by doing the challenges on the Start with Hello bingo card! Once students get bingo, they can submit their bingo card online or turn in their paper copy to the school counseling office for a chance to win PRIZES!
** Start with Hello has a bingo board that encourages students to get to know each other. I modified the original to make it match my theme. I am going to give students the option to submit the bingo card online or a by turning in a paper version. Students will be able to submit or turn in their bingo card for a chance to win a prize. I will give a few prizes to local stores. I will use a random number generator to pick the winners.
Start with Hello Week is run through the Sandy Hook Promise, a national non-profit organization founded and lead by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
I am using items from the Social Media Action Kit to promote Start with Hello Week via email and on Twitter.
What questions do you have?
#scchat #schoolcounselor #startwithhello #mscchat
