Look for BHC kindness rocks

If you spot a colorful rock while at the Quad-Cities Campus, scoop it up! These stones have a purpose.

Known as kindness rocks, they are hidden discreetly with a goal of brightening the finder’s day.

You will find a positive message or a fun design on the front of each rock, and instructions on the back of them.

Finders can take the painted rocks to the Student Life Office in the Hawk’s Nest (Building 4, second floor, Room 202) to receive a prize during Student Government Association office hours Monday through Friday.

If there is a gap in SGA office hours where the office is closed, visit the Marketing & Public Relations Department on the walkway between Building 4 and Building 3 (A201-A210). The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SGA Senator Brittany Young is a work-study student in the department and has a rock and prize station set up at her desk for those times.

She says the hope for the project is to spread kindness and further unite students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus. Some students have most of their classes in the same building and do not venture out much.

“We wanted to give them a reason to step out of their comfort zone and see everything that Black Hawk College has to offer,” she says.

A batch of rocks was painted by students and employees during the Student Club/Organization Fair on Aug. 30, 2018, and SGA officers recently hid them around campus.

The theme of the fair was Kindness Rocks! and included a speaker presenting on Creating a Kindness Culture.

A Mix and Mingle event earlier in the semester included decorating leaves with positive affirmations for a kindness tree display on a wall of the Hawk’s Nest.

The kindness tree will be up through the end of September for anyone who wants to visit it for a pick-me-up!

SGA decided on kindness themes for the events kicking off to encourage a sense of community and acts of kindness.

“The purpose is to push kindness in all forms not just on campus, but off campus also,” Young says.

SGA officers will re-hide the rocks after they are turned in to give more people a chance to find them and win prizes.

Once you find a rock, snap a pic and share it on social media with the hashtag #BHCrocks.

SGA officers also might take a picture of you with the rock when you turn it in for your prize. There will be a #BHCrocks photo album on the Black Hawk College Facebook page.

Sharing these photos will be one way to get the word out and encourage others to participate. Happy rock hunting!