Las Vegas Man Visits Park Rapids to Spread Message of Kindness

by Ngozi Ekeledo
November 08, 2011

Students in Park Rapids, Minnesota are learning about the value of kindness.

A Las Vegas man whose 12–year–old son died is traveling around the nation spreading the word about being kind and helping one another.

It only takes a few seconds to perform a big act of kindness, and for Josh Stevens, compassion was just a part of his personality.

“His legacy by far was his gentle heart,” his father Drew Stevens said. “He was an incredibly kind little boy.”

In 2008, Josh Stevens died one month before his 13th birthday in a tragic accident. Today, his father continues to spread the message of his son’s kindness.

“Our ultimate vision is to inspire more kids to be more kind more often,” his father said.

Drew Stevens doesn’t just talk about being kind. He provides a visual message as well.

“We printed up some shirts that said ‘Be Kind…’on the front and on the back, ‘More Often,’ and since that we have now more than 200 slogans for the back,” Stevens said, “and when schools embrace the foundation, they get to choose their own slogan.”

And the movement continues to spread. Schools across the country are encouraging and rewarding students for being kind to others.

“I’ll try my best to be more kind to more people and just help them feel not so alone,” said 8th grader Scott Petersen.

“I meet lots of kids during the year through sports and activities, like my youth group, and so we could talk about it and just show how good it is to be kind to people,” said 8th grader Mya Johnson.

Stevens has visited 48 states, and how does it make him feel to see his son’s legacy continue to spread?

“It just seems unreal, it really does,” Stevens said.”I think early that was the hope—it was, ‘I want everybody to know Josh’s kind heart,’ well now it’s happening. It just seems sort of surreal and humbling how many people embrace this message.”

For more information about the foundation, you can check out www.joshstevensfoundation.org.

Las Vegas, NV—A kindness revolution is sweeping Southern Nevada, having been sparked through the hearts of children. And Walmart is now helping foster the “Be Kind” message that the Josh Stevens Foundation spreads on a daily basis in schools all over Southern Nevada. Through the Walmart Foundation, the company has donated the funds needed to implement the “kindness” project at Sue H. Morrow Elementary School in Henderson. A special event attended by students, teachers, parents, administrators (including Principal Dr. Mike Rodrigues), and top local and regional Walmart management is scheduled for 9 AM, June 2, 2011, at the school. The inspirational kindness message for Morrow ES is, “Be Kind … You Can’t Rewind”. Schools work with the foundation to create memorable and thought-provoking kindness messages.

Since 2008, the Josh Stevens Foundation has helped recognize kindness and good-hearted acts in more than 20,000 children. These children were “caught being kind” when teachers, parents, administrators, or others noticed them taking the time and effort to be nice and to make a difference in the life of another human being. They are both simple acts–doing the kind act and recognizing it–but in this day and age, being kind may be the best way to make a difference in the world. The Foundation has created a ripple effect of kindness throughout the community, with more than 70 schools embracing the message and foundation, and countless teachers, parents, kids, and administrators relaying testimonials about how “being kind” has made an indelible, positive impact on campuses across the valley.

“Having the world’s largest retailer embrace the Belief and Mission of the Josh Stevens Foundation has been humbling,” says Drew Stevens, the founder of the organization along with his wife, Barbara. “Their endorsement tells us that what we are doing is important and is favorably impacting children in our community. Cherie De Wilde with Walmart has been a blessing to our Foundation and we could never adequately thank her for all she has done. We want this ‘Kindness Revolution’ to spread throughout the country, and clearly, Walmart has the influence and resources to help us in our quest.”

The Walmart Foundation strives to provide opportunities that improve the lives of individuals in their communities including customers and associates. Through financial contributions, in-kind donations and volunteerism, the Walmart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in their four main focus areas: Education, Workforce Development / Economic Opportunity, Environmental Sustainability, and Health and Wellness.

Recently the Josh Stevens Foundation ran across the following story. An inspiration to read, Barbara Stevens realized there was only one way to respond to such a story; by sending Coach Claybourn some gifts from the foundation. It is stories like this that show true kindness!

Classy New Jersey coach gives skid-breaking game ball to foe

By Cameron Smith

Last Friday, South New Jersey was host to a heated battle between two struggling teams. When the game was finally over, Sterling (N.J.) High coach Jarod Claybourn had to decide what to do with a game ball from his program’s first win in two years. According to Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Phil Anastasia, he chose the least-likely recipient in a choice which testified to Claybourn’s class: He gave the ball to the other coach.

“I don’t even know if I can put it into words,” Gateway coach Mike Karp, the ball’s recipient, told Anastasia. “We’re two struggling programs. Somebody had to lose, and we came up on the short end of the scoreboard.

“But for him to do that, it just shows that we gained some respect that night. That means so much to our kids.”

Both teams were shooting for respect while carrying the baggage of epic losing streaks. Sterling entered having lost 17 straight games, sitting at 0-5 in 2010. Gateway was also 0-5, and the 20-13 loss it absorbed on Friday pushed its own losing streak to 17 games.

While the game had to have a winner and loser, Claybourn said there was no reason why his team deserved to win any more than its opponent. Leading late in the fourth quarter, Sterling declined to punt on a fourth down near midfield to try and salt away a rare victory. Instead, Gateway’s defense held strong and earned the ball back.

Gateway then put together one final, dramatic march down the field, fighting into the red zone before the game clock finally ran out.

“They just ran out of time,” Claybourn told the Inquirer. “They deserved to win that game as much as we did, if not more.

“They had something like 17 players in uniform [actually, 19]. For them to play as hard as they did and come that close to winning, I just wanted to honor them in some way.”

Claybourn indicated his decision to give up the game ball was a reflection of his own personal experience. While struggling through week after week of losses, some devastatingly close, it was sometimes hard for Claybourn to find positive signs to build on. Gaining the respect of an opponent is one of those signs, and handing over the winning game ball was the strongest indication Claybourn’s team could give Gateway that it had earned Sterling’s respect.

“It was very emotional for me,” Claybourn said. “I looked at him, and I knew exactly where he was. I know exactly what it’s like to be right there and have an opportunity to win a game and have it taken away from you.”

Nearly a week later, the memory is still just as emotional for Karp as well.

“Classiest thing I’ve ever seen on a football field,” Karp told the Inquirer.