{"id":7316,"date":"2018-01-25T16:51:36","date_gmt":"2018-01-25T21:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=7316"},"modified":"2018-02-01T13:48:22","modified_gmt":"2018-02-01T18:48:22","slug":"kindness-birdneck-pre-kindergartner-recognized-noblemen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/kindness-birdneck-pre-kindergartner-recognized-noblemen\/","title":{"rendered":"Kindness of Birdneck pre-kindergartner is recognized by The Noblemen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Wearing animal shirts, headbands, hats and costumes on a spirit day to celebrate The Great Kindness Challenge Jan. 22-26, Birdneck Elementary students and staff showed that they are \u201cWild About Kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why pre-kindergartner (pre-K) Amelia Hardy was dressed like a penguin when Pete Reuss called her to the front of the cafeteria for a special recognition.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7310 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Nobleman introduces Amelia\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss-1024x683.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss-768x512.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-1-AmeliaHardyPeteReuss-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy name is Mr. Pete,\u201d he said to the room full of pre-K students and teachers. \u201cAbout a month ago, I was right here with a bunch of friends and we were giving toys to some great kids.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Noblemen, a service organization of which Reuss is a member, hosts an annual toy drive and delivers the collected gifts to young schoolchildren at special events before the winter holidays. Amelia was one of the hundreds of Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) pre-kindergarteners who attended one of The Noblemen\u2019s events in December. She also was someone who demonstrated the organization\u2019s mission with a selfless \u201cNoble Deed,\u201d impressing Reuss and his fellow members.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow many of you like to get toys?\u201d Reuss asked the Birdneck pre-kindergartners.<\/p>\n<p>Then he asked, \u201cHow many of you like to <em>give away<\/em> toys?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAmelia was asked what she wanted for Christmas, and what did you tell everybody?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want a Hatchimal!\u201d Amelia announced into the microphone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7311 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Nobleman has Amelia say a few words\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic-1024x683.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic-768x512.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-2-AmeliaHardyMic-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverybody loves Hatchimals, right?\u201d Reuss continued. \u201cWell, Amelia got the very last Hatchimal we had that night. There was a little girl behind her in line, and you know what <em>she<\/em> wanted? She wanted a Hatchimal, too. So you know what Amelia did?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI gave it to her,\u201d Amelia told the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe gave her the only Hatchimal we had left,\u201d Reuss affirmed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were so impressed by Amelia\u2019s great kindness that we decided to give her something special today because when you <em>give<\/em>, you get even more,\u201d said Reuss. \u201cSo we are going to present something to Amelia today for the Great Kindness Challenge because of the great kindness she showed. Everybody give a big applause to Amelia and to\u2026Amelia\u2019s new bicycle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From around the cafeteria corner, fellow Nobleman Kimball Payne appeared ringing the bell on the handlebars of new pink bike to the delight of Amelia and her peers.<\/p>\n<p>Invited to try out her new bike, Amelia rode through the center of the cafeteria with her webbed penguin feet on the pedals as her family members took photos.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7312 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Amelia tries out her new bike\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike-1024x683.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike-768x512.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-3-AmeliaHardyOnBike-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brianica Thomas, Amelia\u2019s mother, was at the holiday event where her daughter gave up the coveted Christmas gift she\u2019d been talking about since October.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s all she wanted. She told everybody she wanted a Hatchimal,\u201d recalled Thomas. \u201cShe heard the little girl behind her in line talking about how <em>she<\/em> was excited to get a Hatchimal. So, Amelia gets her Hatchimal and is all excited and sits down. Then she realizes they\u2019re bringing out other toys for the little girl behind her, and says, \u2018Well, where\u2019s her Hatchimal?\u2019 I told her, \u2018I think they ran out, sweetheart.\u2019 \u2018Oh, that\u2019s so sad,\u2019 she said. Then a few minutes later she asked, \u201cWhere did she go? I want to give her my Hatchimal so she can have one too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even after The Noblemen gave Amelia new toys to take home in place of the Hatchimal she gave away, Thomas said she continued to share those gifts with others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were walking out of the school and she saw a little toddler walking in and said, \u2018Oh, I want to give her this baby doll.\u2019 She gave that away, too. She was excited to do it though. It was the sweetest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Amelia\u2019s acts of kindness extend to playing with others at the park and to animals, according to Thomas. She is always sharing her toys and insists that even the smallest spider be taken care of and released outside. \u201cShe\u2019s really thoughtful about it all,\u201d Thomas said.<\/p>\n<p>And since the end of December, Amelia also has been taking care of not one, but <em>two<\/em> Hatchimals thanks to Santa and to an aunt who delivered them for Christmas.<\/p>\n<p>While she is grateful for all the gifts, Amelia still prefers to be the one showing kindness to others, offering this explanation: \u201cBecause I like to give more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7313 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Amelia with her family and staff\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto-1024x682.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto-300x200.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto-768x512.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Photo-4-AmeliaHardyGroupPhoto-400x267.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wearing animal shirts, headbands, hats and costumes on a spirit day to celebrate The Great Kindness Challenge Jan. 22-26, Birdneck Elementary students and staff showed that they are \u201cWild About [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":7309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[120],"class_list":["post-7316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-connections","tag-birdneck-elementary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7316"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7321,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7316\/revisions\/7321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}