Several students raise their hands as Kitara Johnson-Jones, host of Come-Unity Solutions Magazine and Podcast, asks if anyone has ever felt alone. Johnson-Jones spoke Thursday as the honored guest of the 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration.
January 16, 2026
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Fifth graders participate in 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration
Fifth graders participate in 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration
Fifth graders know that kindness really does make the world a better place. "You don't have to be famous or grown up to make a difference," Northwest Expedition Academy fifth grader Bryce Buskirk said Thursday morning. "Sometimes, all it takes is one small kind choice to start a chain that changes everything." Micah Linder, a Dalton Elementary fifth grader, said kindness is like hot cocoa on a winter day. "It brings warmth to the heart and brings comfort and joy to the sad soul," he said. "It brings a soothing presence, often exceeding expectations in how it makes people feel." Kindness can spark a positive reaction in others, he said. "It spreads light in the dark," Micah said.