When New York City teacher Karen Feldman noticed an increase in hate speech among her middle school students, she didn’t just scold them—she gave them teddy bears. Yep, really. Teddy bears. 🧸
In 2022, Feldman partnered with Bear Givers, a nonprofit that helps children in need, to launch the Leading with Kindness Initiative. Instead of simply sitting in detention, students decorate teddy bear T-shirts and write heartfelt notes to comfort hospitalized children. The goal? To channel their energy into something positive.
“I wanted to give students that jolt of adrenaline, but because they’re doing something good,” Feldman told CBS News. “And maybe that would deter them from doing something bad.”
The impact has been so powerful that even students who never got detention are joining in—and some are still giving teddy bears in high school. Just goes to show, a little kindness goes a long way. 💙
