The girl who found the courage to do what was right; the girl who found the courage to be BETTER THAN THAT™
On New Year’s Eve, 11-year-old Valentina Clemente made a special resolution. She decided that she was going to spend this year spreading kindness and helping others by showing her peers that it’s cool to be kind. Valentina reached out to Wear the Cape with a creative idea to help spread kindness in her school. We can’t wait to share it with you, along with a few fun facts about her; we’re sure you’ll understand why Valentina is our Cape Kid of the Month for January 2018! So here goes:
As an avid soccer fan, Valentina plays on two travel soccer teams. She has helped win two championships with her quick feet and constant encouragement. What’s more, she is a member of her school’s student council, is active in her school chorus, and participates in her school plays, in various roles.
Baking is one of Valentina’s passions. She loves to bake for her family and hopes to one day be on Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship. “Whenever there is a family birthday, we can count on Valentina to make a delicious cake,” shared her grandmother.
Valentina has an incredibly kind heart, and often helps others – whether at home with her younger siblings Lily and Antonio, or at school, where she is known to be one of the first to offer assistance to her teachers and friends.
Michelle, Valentina’s mom, noted: “Valentina is a great friend. She makes it a point to include those who are being left out. She is always kind and compassionate to others, especially when they need it the most.” In fact, one of her newest friendships formed from helping a classmate who was cyber-bullied. Without hesitation, and with loving support from her parents, Valentina immediately came to her aide. She befriended the girl who was being teased, found the courage to ask those being unkind to stop and challenged them to change their actions.
When asked if it was difficult for her to stand up to those being mean and politely remind them to be BETTER THAN THAT™, she replied, “It’s never easy to stand up and correct a friend’s behavior, but I believe that it’s more important to do the right and kind thing, rather than hurt someone, or join in when someone is being teased.” She said she lives by the mantra: Strong people stand up for themselves, the strongest stand up for others.”(Source unknown)
We were completely honored when Valentina reached out to us asking us to help her write a proposal to create a Kindness Club at her school. Her goal: get kids together and teach them that it’s cool to be kind and encourage them to BE BETTER THAN THAT™ by being good friends to others and standing up for what is right. We are delighted to help!
Valentina has some words of wisdom for being a good friend:
- Be Yourself:If you act like yourself, people will accept you for who you are. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not in order to “fit in” or ”be cool.” Being in middle school, I find people often comment on the way others look. Many times these comments are negative. Please remember that everyone is different and special in his/her own unique way. Rather than comment negatively on how someone looks, try finding a way to compliment that person. Hint: you can always start with, “I like your smile!”
- Stand up for the person being mistreated, don’t just watch it happen: My mother always tells me that watching someone being bullied and not saying anything is almost as bad as being the bully. Always stand up for what is right! It may not be easy. It takes a lot of courage, but it’s the right thing to do!
We are so impressed with your kindness and courage, Valentina. You are an excellent example of being BETTER THAN THAT™ and a true role model for others. Thank you for encouraging others to WEAR THE CAPE at home and in school! Keep up the great work.