Painted rocks encourage hope and love between generations

ROYAL OAK — “One kind word can change a life,” was the inspiration behind the colorful rock garden now located at Oak Ridge Elementary School on 13 Mile Road. The garden was created by both Oak Ridge Elementary students and Waltonwood senior residents. 

On June 6, the kindness rock garden was unveiled to the community, showcasing 150 colorful rocks with inspirational quotes, designs and illustrations hand-painted on each one. 

The collaboration between Oak Ridge Elementary and Waltonwood stemmed from Royal Oak Schools’ strategic plan to get involved with the community. 

After visiting a Waltonwood open house event in the winter, Royal Oak Schools Communications Specialist Amy Murphy connected with Waltonwood’s life enrichment manager, Donyel Snead.

Snead suggested the idea of the kindness rock garden as a way to connect Waltonwood and Royal Oak Schools. 

“We felt like children could take advantage of kindness rocks the most with everything going on in the world,” Snead said. “Kind words would help a child, and we have our seniors here that could put a lot of life experiences onto a rock and try to help them to remember that they are worth it.”

Coincidentally enough, fourth and fifth grade students at Oak Ridge hand-painted rocks around a year ago with the inspiration coming from the fourth and fifth grade student senate.

Student senate is a group of fourth and fifth grade students who are tasked with decision-making and representing their classes. It is a group led by teachers Mary Kosnik and Ali Bodle.

The already-painted rocks finalized the decision by Murphy to have the collaboration be between Waltonwood and Oak Ridge Elementary.

Arlene Sherman, a resident at Waltonwood, has been one of the most dedicated rock painters among the seniors and wanted to spread the message of hope to the students. 

“We wanted to let the kids know that as seniors we care, and that we support them,” Sherman said. “We wanted to give them messages through art and take the time to make something that we thought they could look at and appreciate.”

Sherman said a lot of the rocks created by the seniors reference smiling and laughing to show the students that everything will be OK and to stay positive.  

Creating inspirational rocks for the children is a particularly emotional endeavor for Sherman, who cares deeply about the growth of society through the younger generation. 

“I want them to know that we care and that we can relate to them, and that we understand their problems and what they might be going through,” Sherman said. “We are trying to put it in words to be strong and let them know that we are here and we support them, and that they are the future.”

Snead said that connecting with younger people is very important to the residents of Waltonwood, who are anywhere from 80 to 100 years old and have gone through a lifetime of experiences. 

“It is always good to connect the older generation and the younger generation. They (residents) have been through a lot, and there is really nothing new under the sun,” Snead said. “They can relate and try to help the younger generation through those feelings and through those experiences.”

Murphy said that collaborating with Waltonwood is a great way to enhance the experiences of the students, and it gives them an opportunity to learn a new perspective. 

Kosnik said that this initiative emphasizes the importance of being kind, a topic that is widely taught throughout the school. 

“One of our favorite things is in a world where you can be anything, be kind,” she said. “Sometimes all of us have moments where we need a kind word, and that rock garden can be a place for them to seek that.”

The rock garden is open for anybody to view and enjoy. Murphy said that members of the community are encouraged to visit or leave a painted rock on the pile.