Something Good: Positive Messages Left Inside Restrooms At Perkins School To Welcome Students Back

As the school year begins, most teachers will tell you, it’s hard to get kids to refocus after summer break. But the teachers at Perkins Tryon Intermediate School have some positive reinforcement, in of all places, the restrooms. 

Kayla Priegel, a parent in the school district, emailed Principal Donna Boles in July about an ad she had seen on Facebook of positive message decals for the restrooms. 

“I said sounds like a great idea, and those parents went to work from there. They ordered them, they emailed and said that they are in, what evening can you meet us here,” said Boles.

Initially the intentions were to just put the decals in the girls’ restrooms, but as word got around the parents of some of the boys, wanted to get involved. 

Within hours the parent Facebook group had raised enough money to put the decals in all the restrooms in the school. 

As the kids returned to school, they quickly noticed the messages and took them to heart. 

The kids picked out their favorites.

Fifth grader Colton Zrust likes the message “Be the nice kid.” 

“Cause if you’re not being nice, you’re not going to get anywhere in life,” said Colton.

Paige Millermon likes the message “Be the reason someone smiles today.” 

“I’m always the reason to make somebody smile because I’m funny a lot,” she said. 

Fifth grader Addyson Priegel chose the message, “throw kindness around like confetti.” 

“When I leave out of the bathroom, I feel happy, and I can encourage people to be kind,” she said. 

Fifth grader Calon Williams likes the message, “Your attitude determines your direction.” 

“I always thought I had a positive attitude and I always thought I was going in the right direction and also that’s where God would point us, in the right direction,” said Calon.

“I think it’s just a constant reminder and it just reinforces what our expectations are at the school,” said Boles. 

The positive messages have caught the attention of the school district, and now every school will display these messages in their restrooms, all paid for by the parents.