This was a memo from Rockville High School principal Eric Baim sent on Jan. 3:
There is a new group at RHS called the Unity Team, which was provided training through CREC. It involves students from all races who want to make RHS a positive place. They have done a neat thing here at RHS which students will see tomorrow.
Neither Baim, nor advisers Alysse Hoagland and Justine Moriarty knew what the impact would be, but when school opened on Jan. 4 and 1,000 sticky notes awaited the students, faculty and staff, it, "put some light in the school," as Moriarty put it.
The team consisted of nine students, three of which were choice students from Hartford, all fresh off a seminar sponsored by the Capital Region Education Council. The activity the students chose was to put positive sayings on the sticky notes and place them all over the building.
For example, one said, "Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes." It was placed on a locker.
Another read, "I live each day to the fullest." That one was placed in the top left-hand corner of a rules poster.
Hoagland and Moriarty said they received comments about the notes all day.
"There was a positive feeling in the school," Hoagland said.
It took the Unity Team members about two hours to make and post the notes before school, Baim said.
"I am so proud of the leadership skills these students and staff members are showing," he said. "It was amazing to hear all of the positive responses from the students and staff when the notes were placed all over the building."
Hoagland and Moriarty said the Unity Team is not done. A lot more activities are planned.
"We want to unify the building and promote a positive atmosphere," Hoagland said.
So stay tuned, she and Moriarty said.
