A lesson in kindness: Umatilla fourth-graders fundraise for Lake County Animal Shelter

Umatilla Elementary School fourth-grade students finished their unit on the importance of a loving heart toward humans and animals.

The students in classrooms taught by Kelly Beach, Emily Wood, Mary Clay and Maggie Reyna finished a book called "Love That Dog" followed by a community service project.

"They chose to collect donations for Lake County Animal Shelter ," Beach said. "They ended up collecting a car full of items such as potty pads, blankets, towels, toys, treats and bags of food."

Student Paisley Snow made a Facebook public service announcement encouraging parents, friends and families to donate to her Amazon Wish list.

"She collected tons of stuff and one special homemade blanket for the shelter," Beach said. "When asked what did you feel about your part in the process, she said that she was amazed at how much and how many people cared."

Beach's students spent a month with signs promoting their cause. Their efforts led to collecting a total of $108.34 for the shelter.

Modeling kindness is important in teaching kids empathy, Scholastic News explains in a recent article about how children learn generosity:

"Be sure to show your child that you notice when someone does something nice. For example, if someone slows down to let you exit a parking lot at a busy intersection, say, 'It was really nice of that driver to let me out.' Likewise, if your own child treats someone nicely, be sure to acknowledge and praise her effort."

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: A lesson in kindness: Umatilla fourth-graders fundraise for Lake County Animal Shelter