Hundreds of hearts with the names of students can be found lining the halls in all areas of the school during the second semester. A little heart shaped paper may seem minuscule, but it lets students know they are not forgotten.

Six years ago Stephanie Kimball enlisted the help of the student council to acknowledge all the students in the school.

“ [The idea] came from a convention we’ve been to where students talked about how we can recognize our peers and make every student feel seen,” Kimball said. “There’s a lot of kids that just drift into the background easily because they aren’t in sports or clubs.”

Coming back from a two week long vacation from the chaos of the holidays is demanding for many students. Senior Maci Waldron believes that the tradition helps brighten a gloomy atmosphere.

“The day we put those up there is this sense of community,” Waldron said. “It brings up those feelings and people have higher spirits. Everyone’s looking for each other and it brings a lot of smiles.”

Every year brings a new surprise for the students that never fails to put a smile on their faces.

“We’ve done shamrocks and hearts and different holidays depending on what day the holiday lands on, but kids love finding their own name,” Kimball said. 

Camouflaging oneself into the background is easy, especially in a big school, but this tradition makes sure every student is recognized. 

“So many of the same students get a lot of recognition, which is great, but there’s always a kid that just needs to feel special in some way,” Kimball said.

The hearts are a reminder that everyone matters and you are not forgotten. This little piece of paper with a name on it contains the proof.