At Up In The Chair, our purpose for the Uplifters Club is to create a space for inclusion and celebration among students K-5. A common occurrence during this age for individuals is expressing playground behavior or even bullying. As a child begins to discover themselves, it’s important to show them that no one should feel left out and that we should be uplifters. We hope to teach them to be aware of others and to be there for other human beings.
Picture this: You’re a parent and just enrolled your child into kindergarten. You’re a little nervous because it’s not only a new experience for your child but for yourself as well. They are starting a new stage in their life and all you want for them is to learn, make new friends, and be happy. It’s hard to imagine your child going to the next level in their development, but you know it’s necessary for them. This is the start of something new which will hopefully bring the best to your child. You drop them off at school and you can finally take a breath. Your nerves start to dissipate.
After a few weeks of gradually getting into a routine, you pick up your child at school and notice they are all alone on the playground. Your child looks sad, as they watch the other children running around having fun. Your child explains to you how no one wanted to play with them. The next couple of days is rough knowing that your child isn’t making any friends or feel included.
Parents shouldn’t have to worry or lose sleep because their child feels alone at school. Children shouldn’t have to be afraid to go to school because of what others think about them or in fear of being alone. Children should feel uplifted and given the space for growth and development. Children should learn how to make all of their classmates feel included so that no one is left out.
At Up In The Chair, we want to achieve inclusivity in classrooms so that children K-5 can flourish. We want classrooms to feel like a sacred place where they can be authentically themselves. In order to achieve this, we plan to listen, communicate, and inspire these students to take action in being uplifting and inclusive through activities, programs, and challenges. Oftentimes, children are inspired when they see another classmate go above and beyond to make someone feel included. That’s why Up In The Chair believes these actions should not go unnoticed. Giving awards to students when they uplift others encourages them to continue the journey of creating a positive, inclusive environment.
The Uplifters Club allows teachers, mentors, and parents to leave things better than how we found them. We want to continue to pay it forward to as many schools as we can so we can truly make a difference.
Now picture this: You pick up your child from school, hoping you don’t find them by themselves on the playground. This time, your child is playing a game with several classmates, smiling and looking happy. Your child tells you that they have received an Uplifter Award for sharing their toys with classmates. Your child’s small action of kindness led to big results, as they have inspired the rest of their class to be uplifters.