The activities our school is completing as part of the Culture Quest are truly helping to boost the morale of both students and staff. For example, today a child ran up to me, excited to show all four decorated sides of the thank-you card he had made for an EMS worker. He was so proud of what he had accomplished and the fact that he had spelled Christmas and it was legible! Students love being able to write notes to one another and to staff members to share what they appreciate about them. And on the flip side, they also love receiving mail.

More than once I’ve heard a surprised teacher or staff member say, “Wow! They wrote something nice about me—I thought they didn’t like me or my class!” The Birthdate Challenge activities have become something everyone looks forward to, both in the joy of sending positive messages and in the excitement of receiving them.

It is beginning to shift the culture of our school, creating a more supportive, appreciative environment where kindness is expected, noticed, and celebrated.

Laurel Elementary School

Participating in the Holiday Cards of Thanks has strengthened our school culture by giving us a shared purpose during a busy time of year. It brings our students and staff together around a common goal—spreading positivity beyond our walls. The experience reinforces the values we want to model every day: compassion, connection, and community. These cards have become more than a holiday activity; they have become a reflection of who we are as a school.

The Birthdate Challenge has been a great addition to our culture activities. One student chose to leave encouraging notes for others, and it quickly caught on. Instead of focusing on who wrote them, students started talking about how the messages made them feel, and others wanted to join in.

Since then, we’ve seen more students showing kindness in simple ways, from checking in on each other to offering small acts of appreciation. What started as a once-a-month activity has grown into everyday habits of kindness.

Decatur County Middle School

Participating in the Birthdate Challenge has shifted the atmosphere at our school. Hallways feel warmer. Students started noticing one another more. Acts of kindness popped up unprompted—even on days when no birthdays were being celebrated.

Teachers reported fewer conflicts and more cooperation. Staff members found smiles easier, knowing that kindness was becoming part of the daily rhythm.

Alamo City School

Parents value hearing when their children are recognized. When a teacher wrote a note thanking a student for being a helper, the student’s father was so moved that he shared it on social media.

Overall, the community has responded very positively to our Culture Quests. Since participating in the Birthdate Challenge, there has been a noticeable increase in kind words and acts of appreciation among both students and staff, creating a more positive atmosphere across campus. Being thankful is becoming a part of our daily culture.

Hawkins Elementary School

The Bravo Board was a big hit with both students and staff, receiving a lot of participation. You could hear people talking and laughing about it throughout the day.

We also shared our UTrust Culture initiatives through Facebook and newsletters, and visitors frequently noticed and commented on the positive culture in our school.

Church Hill Middle School

As a result in participating in the Culture Initiative, we started seeing more students openly saying thank you, giving compliments, and showing appreciation throughout the day. It made the whole school feel more connected and reminded us how much even a small act of gratitude can make a difference.

Jackson County High School

Our Bravo Board has become a meaningful way to connect staff, families, and the community. Because it’s placed in a central location, people naturally stop to read the notes and take in the appreciation being shared.

Parents and visitors often comment on how uplifting it is to see so many positive messages recognizing both small and big acts of kindness. It has helped make our culture more visible and given others a simple way to be part of it, reinforcing the positive, connected environment we are building.

Erin Elementary School

Community sponsors were genuinely touched by the thoughtful messages and the effort put into each Holiday Card of Appreciation.

Many expressed how meaningful it was to be recognized in such a personal way. The students, in turn, were thrilled to know that their cards brought joy to the people who support their learning.

Centerville Elementary School

The weekly Thankful Thursday gestures created a positive and welcoming atmosphere and gave staff members something to look forward to during the week.

This helped build trust and connection, showing staff that their efforts were recognized not only by students but by the entire school community.

Norwood Elementary School

One our students saw another student having a bad day. They used their birthday challenge opportunity to give a student a small turtle. This gave the student strength and encouragement to overcome their bad day.

Our students are smiling more often and feeling encouraged when they get recognized. Students are engaging with other students in the school that they would normally not talk to.

Students are starting to recognize the need to encourage one another as well as faculty members to promote positivity and smiles throughout the school.

Mountain View Elementary School

The ongoing Birthdate Challenge has quietly but powerfully shifted the culture at Morristown East High School by creating consistent moments of recognition and belonging.

One student who rarely spoke up shared that hearing her name announced on her birthday made her feel seen for the first time all year, and teachers noticed a visible change in her engagement afterward.

Over time, the Birthdate Challenge has normalized celebration, encouraged positive adult-student interactions, and reinforced a culture where individuals matter—not just for their performance, but for who they are—strengthening the overall sense of community and pride within the school.

Morristown East high School

The Bravo Board helped to show recognition for accomplishments, both big and small, that may have been otherwise overlooked within our school. This also highlighted students that may not typically receive this form of positive reinforcement and acknowledgment of their successes.

Our Thankful Thursdays Culture Quest impacted our school culture in a positive manner. We shared these on our school social media and received encouraging and positive feedback from within our community, some alumni and community members even sharing feedback for their own Thankful Thursday.

What started out as a school culture quest ended up not only fostering gratitude and thanks within our building, but also became an outreach project for our entire community.

Central High School