North Allegheny students learn to 'Pay It Forward'

Carrying groceries for people at local stores, creating welcome bags for the Ronald McDonald House, delivering food to the homeless in the downtown Pittsburgh, and fashioning handmade blankets for babies at hospitals are just some of the generous acts of kindness that North Allegheny Senior High students were performing in mid-February to “Pay It Forward.”

Four years ago, after watching the movie “Pay It Forward,” North Allegheny Senior High School teacher Danielle Omasits was inspired to design a project for her students that would allow them to come up with original ideas centered around performing acts of kindness.

Juniors in English 3, alongside their teachers, Kristin Yakich and Danielle Omasits, were tasked with this project the week of Feb. 11. Students were responsible for brainstorming ideas, creating a plan of action, and finally executing that plan. These projects were a week long and the students documented their process by blogging daily, filming video and taking photos.

At the end of the project, students created final videos detailing their challenges and successes.