At Holy Cross Catholic School in Innisfil, elementary school teacher Aynslie Hahn had a simple idea and big hopes—how much fun would it be if students could share love and kindness beyond their own school walls? That idea grew into Hearts Across the Board, a meaningful initiative that brought together 11 schools within our board to exchange messages of love and joy and strengthen a sense of community.
Inspired by similar projects she had seen on social media, Aynslie reached out to teachers at different schools to see if they’d be interested. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Each participating school created greeting cards for the others, sending them through the board’s courier service. Students eagerly awaited deliveries, placing each message on a large map of the region to connect with their peers visually.
“The kids thought it was so neat,” Aynslie shared. “It was like a modern-day pen pal experience. They were so excited to see where the next message would come from and to place it on the map.”
The joy wasn’t just for the students—teachers loved the opportunity to build connections across schools. One particularly memorable moment was a card from a former Holy Cross staff member, which included funny pictures of colleagues dressed as Cupid and angels. “The kids got a kick out of it because they knew exactly who it was from,” Aynslie laughed.
Beyond the fun, the project carried a meaningful message of love and faith. “I remind my students that kindness isn’t just for special occasions—it’s something we share every day, just as Jesus teaches us. Seeing faith-filled messages on the cards was so awesome.”
With the success of Hearts Across the Board, Aynslie is already thinking about next year. “I’d love to see it grow and include even more schools, maybe even high schools. We’ll have to adjust the logistics, but the excitement and engagement show that this project has so much potential.”
We appreciate the schools that participated and helped make this initiative such a meaningful experience. Your kindness and creativity make a difference!