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Brewster Browser
November 17, 2025 Wolfeboro, NH
Students Spread Kindness Through RAK Club by Molly Kirschenbaum ’26
movement, which inspired many to partake in kind acts. This idea was taken and tailored to fit Brewster’s boarding school culture. “The goal was to make kindness visible and actionable: something that every student, faculty member, and staff member could take part in during their daily routines,” said Mrs. Found. The students played a significant role in this club, as it was created for them to make kindness a central focus around school and empower students to plan and lead events. Other individuals who played a significant role in RAK were Barb Thomas and Lauren Hunter, both of whom participated in RAK for many years. The first major tradition that was created was “RAK Week,” a week filled with activities such as handwritten notes, kindness bingo boards featuring good deeds, and a “free hug” station. These events gained popularity, and more students began participating and devising various ways to spread kindness throughout the community.
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Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) has been a tradition at Brewster since 2016. According to founder and faculty advisor Mrs. Maria Found, it was created by a group of students and faculty with the goal of establishing a movement centered on community, connection, and gratitude. The initial idea was to make small gestures that would give people a small pick-me-up in their day. Mrs. Found said that RAK’s founding ideas were based on the belief that small, genuine acts can have a profoundly positive impact on a person’s day. They wanted to promote empathy, kindness, and appreciation. They wanted to inspire students to engage in a kind act without expecting something in return for doing a good deed, and to teach how the feeling of doing something kind for someone else can be enough to continue empathetic gestures. The club was inspired by the national Random Acts of Kindness
RAK members Wren Baden ’28, Sharlene Francis ’28, Maddy Neal ’28, Madi Fahey ’29, Isabella Levine ’29, Sienna Pursley ’29, Giada Blake ’29, and Joseph Blake ’29 packing candy for Halloween. photo by Ms. Maria Found
RAK Week has since evolved to include three activities per day: morning, daytime, and evening. RAK began with a small group, but has continued to grow; it is now one of the most active groups on campus. At RAK’s peak, over 80 students were involved. Currently, RAK has
Giada and Joseph Blake '29 seen handing out Boo Bags at Esta for Halloween. Quinn Dufort ’29 happily accepts his treat! photo by Ms. Maria Found
Volume 48 Issue 2
Students might receive a RAK gift bag some time this year, for a holiday like Halloween or Valentine's Day. Artwork by Molly Kirschenbaum ’26
50 members signed up to help spread kindness throughout the school through various activities. The same mission has remained throughout the years: to promote kindness, gratitude, and inclusion throughout Brewster. The current leaders of RAK are Anelya Caesar ’27, Casey Shea ’26, Katherine Twombly ’26, Alina Yu ’26, and Sasha Pisarevsky ’27. According to Mrs. Found, these students have been chosen due to their expertise in club planning, logistics management, and ability to maintain momentum throughout the years. For next year, some leaders have already been chosen due to their commitment: Gabi Reynolds ’27, Jason Feng ’27, and Kaaloni Boisvert ’29. Recently, RAK participated in preparing 200 "Boo Bags" for students, delivering bags of candy and treats to students whose parents or friends purchased on for them. RAK Club also hid bags of candy around the school for students to find during the academic day. They are currently planning for November. cont. on pg. 2