Tomorrow, students across the United Kingdom will be getting a surprise visitor in their Zoom morning assembly: a visit from the Duchess of Cambridge.
On Thursday, June 18, the Duchess will lead an online assembly for the Oak National Academy, an online classroom founded in response to the coronavirus pandemic that provides free resources and video lessons to U.K. parents and students. Since the academy's launch, the site has delivered over 12 million lessons to young people.
In addition to the online courses, Oak National Academy conducts a weekly assembly in order to give children a semblance of a normal routine. The Duchess will speak at this week's assembly, which will be themed "Spread a Little Kindness," and will emphasize the importance of being nice to others. The curriculum was developed in coordination with Place2Be, a children's mental health charity of which Kate is patron.
In her speech, which was pre-recorded last week, Kate notes the benefits in seeking console from others. "Talking to someone, whether it’s a friend, family member, or teacher, is something you can do to make yourself feel that little bit better," she said.
The Duchess then encouraged students to use their own voices and listening abilities to help their friends and classmates; however, she noted that this care shouldn't come at the expense of looking after oneself.
"You can also play your part in helping others to feel better too, whether offering a friendly ear, or helping someone in need. Small acts of kindness can go such a long way," the Duchess said. "But as we help others, we mustn’t forget to nurture ourselves, by taking the time to focus on the things that make us feel happy too."
In the next portion of the assembly, the Duchess spoke with students from Waterloo Primary Academy in Blackpool, whose parents have been working on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The students showed photographs they took based on the theme "Acts of Kindness" and shared what kindness means to them.
"Treat people how you want to be treated," one of the students said. "Sharing—that's kindness," another offered.
Indeed, the Duchess's visit was well received. “We’re thrilled that The Duchess of Cambridge was able to lead this week’s assembly on acts of kindness. Being kind and considerate is a vital lesson for children at any time, but especially so in the current pandemic," said Matt Hood, principal at Oak National Academy. "We must encourage young people to talk about their feelings and to know that it’s normal to feel a bit anxious or upset right now."
You can watch the assembly live tomorrow at 11 a.m. BST here.
