Amanda Pevey
Elmore Autauga News
What started as a simple second-grade lesson at Wetumpka Elementary School has blossomed into a community-wide message of kindness, empathy, and service, carried far beyond the classroom by a flock of plastic ducks.
As the Wetumpka Mardi Gras Festival and Parade is set to roll through downtown Wetumpka this Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, second-grade teacher Shannon Hughes saw an opportunity to turn her students’ excitement into something meaningful. With curiosity already building, Hughes set out with one simple goal: to give her students a chance to participate in the parade while helping them feel connected to the community.
From an academic perspective on education, research shows that students learn more meaningfully when they are connected to their learning. The class practices writing, working together, problem-solving, and creativity.
The project combines academics with hands-on, real-world learning. Students honed their writing, collaboration, problem-solving, and creative skills while discovering that kindness and community involvement can be fun. Each student wrote a kind note, signed it, and attached it to a plastic duck—more than 300 of which will be distributed along the parade route.
“From the mushy humankind side of the coin, these kids are just good, and I want them to learn that they can shine their light, and even when they never will truly see the end of how brightly they shone their light for someone else,” said Hughes.
In the classroom, students discussed empathy, inclusion, and the idea that everyone is facing their own battles. They discussed how pressure to conform can cause those who look or feel different to feel isolated, and how choosing kindness and standing up for one another can help ensure that no one feels alone. Through the project, students learned to recognize those feelings as valid and share the kind words they would want to hear themselves.
“This community project comes directly from 21 tiny humans in the second grade at Wetumpka Elementary,” said Hughes. “That is how special our children are and how kind and creative they can be when given the opportunity.”
Wetumpka Elementary School Principal Myeshia Brooks praised Hughes and her students’ efforts, calling the project a reflection of Elmore County Schools’ focus on mind, body, and character development.
“Through this experience, our second-grade students are developing strong characters by intentionally choosing kindness, empathy, and connection with their community,” said Brooks. “We are incredibly proud of our students for leading with their hearts and of Ms. Hughes for fostering an environment where kindness, creativity, and community are at the center of learning.”
Hughes, a Jeep owner and a member of the Alabama Jeep Outfitters, often talks highly about her Jeep named “Henry” to her students, inspiring their excitement for the ducks and parade.
“I want to give the Alabama Jeep Outfitters our utmost thanks in actually spreading our kindness and Henry the Jeep, and I cannot wait to ride alongside you this Saturday,” said Hughes.
Hughes will hand out the ducks to paradegoers this weekend, and with each one comes a simple reminder: small acts of kindness, made with care and shared with love, can brighten a day—and, as these 21 second graders are showing, ripple out to touch an entire community.
