As a young 8th grade student, Rebekah Robeck couldn’t understand why she was being bullied at school. She constantly asked herself why her friends and fellow classmates were being so unkind to her. Rebekah admits they would do things like call her names, step on her shoes and make fun of her.
For months, she tried to figure out how to make their negative behavior change. She even talked to her parents about it. They thought about ways that Rebekah could forgive and move on. She tried that way of thinking, but it didn’t work.
One day, when Rebekah came home and said, “Mom, we have to do something!,” her Mom suggested she take slices of pizza to school as an act of kindness. Rebekah taped signs onto the pizza boxes that read, “Let’s be kind to each other!” 200 pieces of pizza later, she had started an important conversation on her school campus, and the rest is history.
Rebekah, with the help of a logo designed by her mom, then raised three thousand dollars that gave her the ability to purchase 700 t-shirts for every student, faculty, and staff member on her school campus at Costa Mesa Middle School. Rebekah says seeing everyone come together, united in kindness, only inspired her to do more. Soon she created the first “Let’s Be Kind Day” at her school. It was a day with one purpose. Kindness.
In 2019, the following year, her friends encouraged her to hold another “Let’s Be Kind Day”. Rebekah took it to the next step, raising nine thousand dollars in one month. Not only was she able to buy t-shirts for everyone on her campus, but she also bought shirts for everyone at the high school as well. She was even more thrilled when Kaiser Elementary School joined the movement too. A combined effort meant a total of 3000 shirts were handed out at the schools that day.
Since starting this movement, Rebekah has created the non-profit she appropriately titled Let’s Be Kind. Her goal is to show the world that school campuses can be a community of unique, talented, and kind people working together for the betterment of our world.
Now, as a rising high school senior, Rebekah has put on a total of four “Let’s Be Kind Days.” She won the Costa Mesa Mayor’s Award in 2019 and was acknowledged for her kindness initiative. In 2020, the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach designated the month of April as “Let’s Be Kind” Month. Rebekah’s long-term goal is to have the organization all over the world, but for now, she says she is focused on all California schools.
You can get in on the kindness action by participating in the 1st Annual “Let’s Be Kind” Charity Ride. This indoor spin class and/or strength class is open to the public. There will also be an open community event right after the class. The whole family is welcome to celebrate! You can expect storytime with Rebekah for the kids, giant yard games, a kombucha bar, snacks, and a big raffle. The money raised will go directly to 32 schools that have implemented the “Let’s Be Kind Day” on their campus. The event will be held at MOXi3 on Saturday, August 14th, 2021.
To register & purchase a ticket, go to moxi3.com & select “First Timers” to create an account. If you want to learn more about Rebekah and her amazing movement, you can find her on Instagram and Facebook.
