On Monday, February 21, Scott Backovich was greeted with a warm welcome by students during an assembly at Lewis-Palmer High School. Backovich came to promote anti-bullying and reminded each student how to express himself or herself.

Some of the students perceived the assembly as very serious, yet it was exciting due to the educational stories Backovich told. While Bachovich told a story of people being disrespected, Jordyn Johnson, 10, was inspired to be more kind and open minded.

“I’m going to try to make a difference and to be more open and friendly. Before I thought that people who sat by themselves was just a normal thing and that was a part of high school,” Johnson said.

Now that their views have been changed, students have started to notice that there are others who walk around with their head down and shoulders slumped. Students have started to use the littlest acts of kindness like complimenting someone to make their day. Rose Bullecks, 9, has began changing her way to help others.

“I’ve realized that giving people things and just doing the most simple things can really make someone so happy. If people keep doing this, the world will just get better and better,” Bullecks said.

During the assembly, Bullecks walked out to Backovich in front of a thousand of her fellow peers to thank him for all he had done. She told him that he had encouraged her, her friends and everyone else. The moment that convinced Bullecks to go talk to Backovich was when he told everyone that the best thing is to make a bad situation better with what you have.

“I was so nervous. I thought I was going to trip down the stairs. He is just a huge idol and role model to everyone. He felt like a celebrity and I felt I was just this normal little girl. I had planned what I was going to say, but I kind of lost it when I walked up to him so I had to improvise,” Bullecks said. “I told him that he gave me hope and thanked him for being the person who stood up and made a difference when no one else would. I went to him because I felt like I could give him hope. Just like he gave us all hope. If he’s giving us hope, who is giving him hope? I wanted to be that person just once for him.”

Students at Lewis-Palmer High School are starting to spread their kindness and compassion around the school by talking to students who may isolate themselves. Bullecks and Johnson have both made an effort to “complain less, and help more.” Many others are making an effort to make a difference in someone else’s life.