I bet you’ve noticed the dozens of notes popping up around Gibbons. They’re on lockers, walls, in every corner and crevice. Basically, they’re everywhere you look.

     You’ve probably come across them in the hallways, and you’re not quite sure where they come from. 

     Well, good news for you! All the answers to these mysterious messages are now right at your fingertips. After conducting an interview with Percikan, a student who’s part of this (and wishes to remain anonymous), you may one day join in the fun!

     Percikan is just like any other student here at school. She enjoys sketching, composing music, and writing up stories once in a while. However, Percikan is only one of the many people who are participating in this positivity wildfire.

“I have to give credit to the many other note-givers spread around the school. They’re also a part of this!”

     She’s only recently started creating these cards, around the start of the school year. One day, while strolling through the hallways, a little note caught her eye. Ever since then, Percikan decided to contribute to the secret group. The most interesting thing about this is that nobody knows each other! Everyone’s anonymous, but they work together in silence, all striving towards one common goal.

“Middle school is a rough time for people.” Percikan admitted. “Transferring from elementary to here wasn’t hard, but what came with it was. The expectations, the responsibilities, the peer pressure, all of that. So we just try to brighten one’s gloomy day up.”

      You might think it’s just sticking a cringey note to the wall, but it’s much more than that. The experience can be very rewarding if you put your heart and soul into it. Even a simple, ‘you matter,’ can make a Monday a bit more cheery than usual.

“I try my best to put my emotions into my cards, but it’s crazy, honestly, when someone discovers your note and you see it from afar. The slightest smile from them can make you gleam with pride. If they tuck it away in their pocket, you’re pretty happy. If they laugh at the joke on it, you laugh as well. It all seems so cheesy, but it’s actually pretty nice.”

     Of course, there’s always challenges to this business. For Percikan, it’s mostly trying to stay secret and hidden. But for others, and her including, it’s also the backfires.

“…The people who throw it in the trash… that just hurts.” 

     These reactions may lower one’s eagerness to continue making these batches of cards, but let’s face it. We can’t please everyone we meet, can we? However, effort can still make a difference.

“I do take my time trying to make these… making sure that these notes are actually effective.”

     Congratulations on reading this far! For that, you earned a cookie.. and a guide on how to get involved with this! It’s simple, really. All you need are sticky notes/cards, and anything to write with. Then comes the dreadful part: hiding them without getting caught.

“Just whip[ped] my hand aside and smack a note on the wall, make sure it sticks,” Percikan reflected on her first time trying it out, “but I was a bit nervous. I thought I would give myself away easily!”

     Turns out, it’s no sweat! Try not to look too suspicious, and you’re free to go. My suggestion? Do it during lockers. Maybe you get let out just twenty seconds early before all the others. That would be the time to strike!

     Most likely, you’re probably thinking, ‘But author! I don’t know what to put on my card!’ Well, that really depends on you. What makes you happy? What makes others feel a bit better about themselves? Put that on the note.

“They can vary from drawings, to motivating questions, to quotes by famous people.”

     You might be an artistic person! Go ahead and let your imagination run wild. Deep, heartfelt meanings can hide in anything. Hey, you might be more on the clever side. How about making up your own quotes, and research ones you’re interested in for inspiration.

     These cards can be anything! Get creative. However, just putting a little reminder out there— make sure it’s appropriate for school. If not, it can make what could’ve been a smile on someone’s tired face, to make it worse. 

“Take the job lightly,” She warns, “but don’t take it too light. We’re doing this for others.”

    Well, I hope this article inspired you to spread positivity as well. And remember, notes are not our only limit! Inviting someone to sit with you at lunch, or treating well with the classmates you don’t quite agree with can do just as much. We’re all middle schoolers, and we’re all learning.

So let’s learn together.

Remember, live life to the fullest, and don’t be afraid to stand up for what’s right.

Oh, and stay organized!

Thank you so much, Percikan, for taking the time to settle down and answering all my boring questions! Perhaps the finished product would make up for it.

See you in another article, Gibbons!