To kick off the 13th annual Great Kindness Challenge, the Kids for Peace Organization installed a new sign to promote the social movement. Right off the I-5 freeway, the bold, hand-painted letters of the sign project the message “Kindness Matters” that locals can’t miss.

Rather than the usual project for their annual Kindness Challenge, the Kids for Peace program decided to place a sign in front of the Carlsbad Strawberry fields. Meg Jansen, the Peace Pledge Program Director for the organization, wanted to make a striking kindness statement for others to take into their lives.

“We always try to do something big to launch the Great Kindness Challenge,” Jansen said. “In years past, we have had principals jump out of an airplane, bungee [jump] off a bridge and we’ve unveiled a community mural in Carlsbad Village. We always thought it would be cool, since Carlsbad is the kindness capital of the world, to have a ‘Hollywood’ type sign proclaiming that ‘Kindness Matters’.”

Though the sign has been sitting in the fields for several weeks, it will only be at its current location temporarily. Carlsbad Strawberry Company owner Jimmy Ukegawa is going to switch the location of it so more locals will see the optimistic message. Ukegawa hopes to spread the message about the importance of kindness while also giving the Kids for Peace club recognition for the design they created.

“The sign will stay there for a limited time,” Ukegawa said. “Then we will move it to the sunflower field where people can enjoy it further.”

The location was requested by the Kids For Peace club so everyone who drives by can see the message. The club also found it important to make sure every school was included in the creation of the sign, as elementary, middle and high schoolers worked together to celebrate kindness and create a safe, supportive community.

“Every school in the Carlsbad Unified School District was part of the project,” Jansen said. “The construction classes at AOMS and CHS cut out the letters and since there are 15 letters in ‘Kindness Matters’ and 15 schools in the district, it worked out. Each school was assigned one of the letters to design and paint.”

The “Kindness Matters” sign has prompted many smiles for those who drive by on the freeway. Some people have even reached out to Ukegawa to express how they feel about the sign.

“I have been getting many comments about the sign,” Ukegawa said. “They are all very positive.”

With all the encouraging comments and feedback about the new sign, Jansen believes that many people will look forward to the Kids for Peace organization’s yearly tradition.

“We are always thinking about ideas for different ways we can bring our community together like that,” Jansen said. “There will for sure be more opportunities to be part of a community project again, but nothing is set in stone yet. We welcome CHS students to share any ideas they have with us.”