We are excited and honored to Welcome Wendy Sullivan to Scotts Valley on Friday, April 13.

Wendy is the founder of # I’m Kinder Than That, an anti bully program that has taken off and reached California, Washington, Montana, Colorado, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, New Jersey, Utah, Connecticut, North Carolina, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Nevada, Minnesota and Hawaii (also Switzerland, UK and Bermuda due to the diligence, dedication and passion of Wendy wanting to spread kindness.

Wendy created the #ImKinderThanThat mantra as a tool to teach her nieces and nephews how important it is to be kind to one another. As a Special Education Teacher, Wendy always found that the most important lessons to teach, were about kindness, compassion and taking responsibility for our actions.

The movement caught on quickly in Scotts Valley, so we decided to wear the #ImKinderThanThat t-shirts on Friday, April 13, the day that Scotts Valley High School will be hosting a Kindness Assembly for their students. The hope is that so many people will be wearing the t-shirts on the same day that it will draw attention to being kind.

Thank You to Wendy Sullivan and a Scotts Valley Family for the very generous donation of #ImKinderThanThat t shirts so that so many people could participate in spreading kindness together.
Here are a few people you will see in Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz that will be wearing their I’m Kinder Than That tee shirts.

-Scotts Valley Middle School Teachers , Staff, Principal Mary Lonhart, Vice Principal Tracey Bosso Neilsen
-Scotts Valley Middle School Anti Bully Club
-Scotts Valley Middle School Student Government Class
-Scotts Valley High School Teachers and Staff
-Scotts Valley High School Student Government Class , Teacher Dayna Fisher
-Scotts Valley High School Choir , Choir Teacher Beth Hollenbeck
-Vine Hill Elementary School Teachers and Staff
-Brook Knoll Elementary School Teachers and Staff
-Scotts Valley Mayor Jim Reed
-San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo
-Scotts Valley City Council Members Donna Lind , Stephanie Aguilar
-Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen
-Scotts Valley Fire Chief Steve Kovacs and 29 SV Firefighters
-Doctor Casey Schirmer & Jeanine Schirmer
-Scotts Valley Education Foundation President Derek Timm
-Scotts Valley Superintendent Tanya Krause
-Scotts Valley School Board Members Kim Shultz, Sue Rains
-Past Scotts Valley School Board Members Allison Niday , Sue Roth , Joe Espinola
-Scotts Valley Senior Center President Darshana Croskrey
-My Scotts Valley Founder Robert Aldana
-Kara’s Keepers Home Decor
-Angles 5000 Salon, Maggie McReynolds and Staff
-Santa Cruz Gardens School
-Vincent Reyna

Other residents that will also be wearing them are Stephanie Espinola (myself), Hallie Anzalone, Jeannine Anderson, Helen Tick, Jeannie Milnes, Janet Spangler Hendricks, Laura Gonzalez, Tikki Granger-Jones, Sheena Layne, Heidi Winner Odom, Laurie Hartman Aiello, Maria Kelly, Monica Headley Ifland, Agnes Lacuesta Merlo, Becky Foy, Shannon Malliet, Dylan Dix, Doug Marshall, Neelu Sangha, Renay Williamson, Christl Hinton, Joseph Espinola, Marissa Espinola, Brenda Sorensen, Nancy Rader and many, many more wonderful community members from Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, and all over.

The Scotts Valley High School Choir will be wearing their #ImKinderThanThat shirts in New York, where they will be performing on the Lincoln Center David Geffen Stage on Sunday, April 15 with Eric Whitacre conducting.

It’s not to late to take part in this movement. Check out Wendy Sullivan’s web site at www.imkinderthanthat.com

A BIG THANK YOU to Wendy Sullivan for starting this Kindness Movement and allowing us to take part in it.

Stephanie Espinola
Special Guest Contributor
Scotts Valley Resident