Sour Patch Kids. Lay’s chips. Funyuns.
Twinkies. Famous Amos cookies. Fudge
Stripes cookies. Juicy Fruit gum.
Those are all snacks that are yellow
or that come in yellow packaging. Those
goodies, and more, were handed out in
yellow “Smile Boxes” at the end of the
first quarter by sophomore class representatives
to 14 lucky sophomores.
Some students were nominated by
their teachers, and others were randomly
selected. One student received a box in
each sophomore English class. Then the
entire process was repeated in January, as
blue Smile Boxes were handed out as the
second quarter came to an end.
The project got its start when class
President Lexi Kilburn and her mom,
business teacher Michelle Kilburn, saw
an Instagram post about color-related
snacks and packages.
Each new set of Smile Boxes will have
a different color theme.
The second quarter box was called
“Out of the Blue” and was stuffed with
treats that are blue or in blue packaging,
Lexi Kilburn said.
The boxes take about two and a half
hours to put together, which includes
making signs and announcements, as
well as painting and assembling the boxes,
Kilburn said.
Sophomore class representatives
quickly backed the Smile Box idea. Among
the supporters is sophomore class sponsor
Christopher Reilsono.
“It’s always nice to see that the sophomores
are doing something to brighten
the day of others in their grade,” Reilsono
said. “It’s something that this year’s sophomores
can do to make them special.”
The Smile Boxes boxes were paid for
through the sophomore fund.
“The boxes were very well received
and the students were surprised,” Kilburn
said. “The students were talking
about them all day and shared with their
classmates.”
Sophomore Makayla Mangan was one
of the students selected to receive a yellow
Smile Box.
“I took the box home and then shared
everything with my family, and they all
appreciated the snacks too,” Mangan said.
Mangan said her favorite snack in the
box was the Fudge Stripes cookies, as she
remembers eating them when she was
younger.
“I think it was a very nice gesture and
it brightened my day,” Mangan said. “I
hope they continue the tradition for years
to come.”
The Smile Boxes fit into the class officers’
goals, Kilburn said.
“The overall goal is to promote kindness
among the tenth grade and to let
them know their class officers are working
for them,” she said.