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A seventh grade student at Challenger Middle School has been spreading a great deal of cheer around her school since the beginning of the school year by writing inspirational cards for her teachers.
"I make inspirational things and hand them out to teachers every day," 13-year-old Aubrey Duncan said. "They do a lot for us and education is a big part of my life."
The decorative index size cards either have quotes or little messages to help "boost them up every day." She has written more than 300 cards since the third day of school.
"Aubrey Duncan is someone I came to know in a slightly different way because Aubrey isn’t just any middle schooler. She is a middle schooler who took the time without any reason to do it other than just to show kindness. To leave notes for adults all around her school campus, at Challenger. We did a TV video of her earlier in the year because this is the type of kindness that we see in our children that give us hope for the future of where we are headed. It’s the type of thing as an adult to be very easily jaded and to be focused on any of the negative things and challenges we are faced with. But when you are sitting in the presence of a student like Aubrey for no other reason other than she wants to lift up other people, hands authentic notes to staff all over the building just to lift them up, just to brighten their spirits. That’s the type of child that is out there. That is the type of person who is setting an example. That is the kind of person who is lifting up people every single day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the example you set for all of us. The example you set for me as a superintendent," Schools Superintendent Dr. Ken Savage said during a recent board meeting.
The feedback Aubrey has received from teachers is "thank you so much," "you are amazing," while others said they passed along the card to make other teacher's day.
"You can do anything," Aubrey said of making people smile. "Open up a door can boost up someone's day and make them happier. It makes me happy to see someone else happy. I like to see I can make someone else's day better. I want them to have a good day. I want to make other people have good days. It makes me feel good to make other people as happy as I am."
Jenny Duncan, Aubrey's mother, said her daughter really loves to make people smile and is always doing things to make people happy. She said on her own she came up with the idea of writing inspirational notes.
"She took off with it. It made her more motivated to do more and more and she started writing them all the time. She started the year off by doing it at the beginning and has kept up with it," Jenny said. "I'm very proud of her. Kids are free spirited and have big hearts. They have such a pure heart. It's kind of taught me some lessons, to be less worried about what people think and more pure in your thinking."
Challenger Middle School Principal Stacia Winfree said Aubrey is an amazing young lady.
"What I can say is she brightens each staff members day with her encouraging notes," she said. "Her notes help to make every day a bit brighter and Aubrey always, always has a smile on her face."
Aubrey said the teachers at Challenger Middle school are "so sweet."
"They are family to me. It doesn't matter what you are going through. They are going to love you no matter. I know I am welcome. It's easier, honestly, to do academics when you have a school that is welcoming," Aubrey said.
She also fills her time by being on the student council, National Junior Honor Society, sits on the Student Advisory Committee. Aubrey has volunteered at the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Community Cooperative Food Bank through the Student Council.
"I do a lot of things involving student council because it makes a better community for everyone around us," she said. "It makes me feel good to give because I have a fortunate family. I want to spread the good vibes I have for everyone else."
In addition to the cards, Aubrey also runs a lemonade stand, "a kindness cart," which has slowed down since her school work has increased. The idea came along after she got a new cart last Christmas.
She said she raised money for her mother to purchase an air purifier for her classroom, as well as a pressure washer for her dad. After that she began raising money for various animal rescues, such as a rabbit, bird and horse rescue.
"In total I have donated over $1,000," Aubrey said. "I am a really big animal lover. We have a whole zoo at my house."
The Duncans have 15 rabbits, two guinea pigs, three birds, four cats, a dog, tons of fish and a horse that stays at her P.E. coach's barn.
"I go over there two times a week to go see the horse. I have been riding her a lot," Aubrey said.
Almost every single animal is a rescue, as the Duncans are a big rescue family.
"When I was in third grade I started getting a lot of anxiety. They help me cope with that," she said of the animals.
One of her rabbits, named Mel, thinks he is a dog and will lick her and jump on her back.
"You can talk to them," Aubrey said. "I can talk to them if I am having a bad day. We have a cat and comes right up to you, knows when you are crying. They make you feel happier."
With her love for animals, she wants to attend Mariner High School, so she can pursue the vet tech program and obtain her certification before graduating from high school.
"I want to go to college to be an actual veterinarian. It comes from being in a house with a bunch of animals. It’s amazing; I couldn’t ask for anything better," Aubrey said.
The animals also remind her that she does not have to be perfect all the time.
"I like to get everything perfect. The animals also help me with that," Aubrey said.
She said her animals are not perfect as they all come with different back stories.
"No one is perfect. We have our good and bad days," Aubrey said.