Our Viewpoint

When you get frustrated or think that there is too much negativity in the world, go hang out with elementary students.

We're just going to go ahead and say that Monday morning was rough this week. After finally acclimating to the time change, the bitter cold was almost enough to keep us in bed and hide from the Mondays. But then we witnessed something awesome that totally changed our perspective.

This week, we witnessed students from schools throughout the county providing special lunches and programs for Sanders County veterans. At Thompson Falls Elementary, it was such a heart-warming sight to see the student council members serving the veterans. The veterans expressed their gratitude to the school and the students. Some shared stories of their service and some asked about what the students were learning.

Students decorated posters for the lunchroom. While talking with a group of veterans during lunch, they told us to go read a specific poster. It read:

"Thank you for your service. You've kept us safe. We believe in you and love your faith. We will celebrate you today. We know we are safe so we won't go astray. We are thankful for you. Stand tall and proud 'cause that's what we think you should do. Thank you for your service. ­— Addy and Teagan"

Seeing that elementary students understand the sacrifice of those who served and those who continue to serve makes your heart melt.

In another heart-warming event, we had a couple kids in our office Friday morning while their parents were at parent-teacher conferences. Along with looking for treasures in the Ledger basement, one of them asked if they could make some footprints for our building. Last week, Thompson Falls students crafted footprints with positive messages for the school and the community. What we got to witness at the Ledger was the positive impact that type of assembly has on our kids. They are listening and they understand the impact they can have on their school and their community.

We all have struggles and we all have those days where you just want to stay in your sweatpants and hide from the world. If you ever need a pick-me-up, volunteer at your local school and see the amazing things the staff and teachers are doing. It will help improve your outlook on the world, too.