Small acts of kindness yield sweet results in California classroom

California fourth-grader Skip Figgins and his classmates enjoyed cupcakes provided by Baby Cakes Company, Kansas City, in response to the business appreciation letter the young man sent. Each class member received four cupcakes, and Figgins received the giant cupcake. Pictured in back, from left, are Baby Cakes employee Maggie Bradford and owner Laura Caron.
California fourth-grader Skip Figgins and his classmates enjoyed cupcakes provided by Baby Cakes Company, Kansas City, in response to the business appreciation letter the young man sent. Each class member received four cupcakes, and Figgins received the giant cupcake. Pictured in back, from left, are Baby Cakes employee Maggie Bradford and owner Laura Caron.

According to California Elementary fourth-grade teacher Kelli Williams, a small act of kindness triggered a "pay-it forward" effect in Williams' classroom week.

The cause was a letter. The effect was memorable.

Each student in the class began with a goal of choosing any business in the United States to handwrite a friendly letter to. It was to be a simple letter, both to thank the businesses for their service and to congratulate them on their successful years of operation. The students had to use proper friendly letter composition. They also had to address their own envelopes before sending them.

In response, many of the students received heartfelt letters back from various companies, thanking them for their kind words and encouraging them to continue to be great students.

Two of the writers received a "thank you" that will never be forgotten.

Isabelle Rohrbach was sent a Mardi Gras King Cake from the Ambrosia Bakery in Louisiana to share with her classmates. In addition, she received cupcakes in a jar from Wicked Good Cupcakes out of New York.

photo

The Associated Press

Ben Michels of Waterman, Ill., says wind turbines constructed near his farm have had an adverse effect on him and his goats.

Skip Figgins received a big surprise and special visitors on March 7. Owner Laura Caron and employee Maggie Bradford of Baby Cakes, a Kansas City cupcake bakery, showed up in his classroom. The cupcake masters provided Figgins with a giant personalized cupcake, and four full-sized cupcakes for each of his teachers and classmates. They also treated the elementary building teachers and staff to mini cakes in a variety of flavors on March 7.

"I always remind my students, it's what you do for others and what you share with the world that matters," said Williams. "To the Baby Cakes company, and so many others that responded to us, I can't thank them enough for showing my students the importance of a simple gesture and genuine heart. The acts displayed provided these kids with so much more than just a tangible item."

The letter from Figgins, which received such a response, expressed a liking for the Baby Cakes brand cupcakes, congratulated the company on being in the top 30 bakeries in America, and said they had done a great job on their website. His final sentence read, "Keep up the great work!!"

Figgins was surprised to enter the classroom with all of the students, the Baby Cakes owner and staff member, teacher Kelli Williams and Assistant Principal Gary Baker, and his parents, Bill and Cathy Figgins, on hand for the big occasion.