Kristina Ulmer lost her sister, Katie Amode, in a car accident in 2014. Katie had just finished her shift as a waitress and had about $100 in cash tips. Kristina wanted to honor Katie, who always tried to help others.
Kristina held onto the money until 2018. She found inspiration while teaching Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to her freshman English class. This led to the creation of the $20 Kindness Challenge.
The $20 Kindness Challenge
Kristina felt that Fahrenheit 451 was a warning that kids need connection more than ever. She combined her sister's tip money with some of her own. Then, she gave each student $20. The only rule was to use the money to do something good.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News Detox
"I told them to go out and do an act of kindness with it," Kristina told People. She hoped they would see how important it is to connect and care for each other.
The students took the project seriously. Some helped people experiencing homelessness. Another student bought feminine hygiene supplies for a local shelter. Other students combined their money for larger projects. The positive impact continued to grow.
This single English lesson started The $20 Kindness Challenge. So far, 425 students in Kristina's class have taken part. This spring, the challenge will give its first grant to a teacher in New Jersey. This will allow that teacher to bring the project to her own classroom. Kristina believes Katie would be very proud.
"I definitely think she is orchestrating all this," Kristina told People. "I see her reaction to all of this; I think she'd be really proud."
