At Creekside Elementary, a simple end-of-year giveaway became something far more meaningful. At the end of the year, two brand-new bikes were raffled off to students with perfect attendance. What happened next left Principal Linda Horsley—and many others—nearly speechless.
“The first student whose name I drew was a sixth grader,” Principal Horsley said. “As he came up to claim his prize, he leaned in and whispered, ‘I want to give it to someone else. Can you draw another name?’ I asked him again—just to be sure—and he nodded.”
Horsley honored his request and drew another name. This time, it was a sixth-grade girl.
“She came forward and quietly said the same thing: ‘I want to give it to someone else,’” Horsley said.
Still stunned, she drew a third name. Once again, it was a sixth-grade girl. And once again, the same response came: “Please draw another name. I want someone else to have the bike.”
“By this point, I was nearly in tears at the humility and generosity these students were showing,” Horsley said.
When the fourth name was drawn, it belonged to a fourth-grade student who did not have a bike. His face lit up with joy, and the moment turned into something much more powerful than a prize giveaway.
“If you ever doubt that goodness exists in the world, come spend a day at Creekside,” Horsley said. “These students reminded me today that kindness is alive and well. They gave up their chance to win something new so that someone else could feel special.”
In a world often focused on rewards, three Creekside sixth graders chose compassion.
“Their selflessness, compassion and leadership give me hope—not just for our school, but for the world. These students are the future, and today, they showed they’re ready to lead with heart.”