By Nonie Caudell
Fifth grader, Kendra, is a student at Hood View Adventist School, just outside of Boring, Oregon. She is sweet and kind for one so young.
In early spring 2023, I had occasion to visit Hood View bringing two trays of dessert goodies for lunch. As I met my daughter at the back door of the school she said, “Mom, don’t look behind the door!”
Now really, what did she expect, I looked behind the door and there lay a dead bird. I soon forgot about the bird, however, and a short while later I was headed home when I saw something that changed my life!
Getting into my car, I noticed a student moving the bird with a stick off the sidewalk and to a small area suitable for burying the little thing. A group of five or six students were laughing and making fun of her. She looked back, but didn’t hesitate for a minute, continuing to move the bird.
Watching her, I realized that she didn’t have gloves on, so I took a kitchen towel that had covered the goodies and handed it to her telling her to wrap the bird in the towel. She did so but then looked at me as though to say, “Now what should I do with it?” I told her she could give it to me and told her I would take care of it.
What impressed me the most about Kendra was that as she handed the dead bird to me, she didn’t complain that kids were laughing at her or making fun, but that she didn’t know what had killed the bird! Clearly, her concern was for the little bird and not herself.
After getting into my car and heading home, I had a conversation with God. Clearly, He had put me there at that moment to witness the event, so I asked Him what He wanted me to do with what I had seen. The answer didn’t come right away. It came to me in the night.
The next morning, I made a telephone call to my friend, Gale Crosby, and told what I had witnessed. I loved his advice and from it came the Kendra Caring Award.
The award was given to Kendra Paynter on September 6, 2024. It consisted of five hundred dollars given towards her tuition for the school year, a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill to be spent as she wants, a sweatshirt that says, Kendra’s Caring Award 2024, and a trophy. She was a surprised and happy girl!
Currently, I am funding the award, but hopefully there will be others who want to see this fund grow and will donate to it. This award is currently awarded only at Hood View Adventist School.
Kendra is known at school for her kindness and caring. I haven’t had the privilege of becoming acquainted with her personally yet, but what I have seen has deeply impressed me.
The question has been asked, will the award always carry her name, and the answer is yes indeed! My hope is that one day this award will pay a full year’s tuition for the student chosen to be the kindest and most caring student at Hood View Adventist School! The staff and students will determine the next recipient of the Kendra Caring Award.
My name is Nonie Caudell. My association with Hood View began in 1958 when my father, Curtis Aldred, my fiancé’, Larry Caudell, and E.P. Smith built the west wing of the school. Hood View opened its doors in 1960.
My father came out of retirement a few years later to lay blocks for the new gymnasium.
Hood View Adventist School has been a Christ Centered, Character Driven school from the very beginning. It has educated my brothers, our children, granddaughter, nieces, and nephews over the years. Our daughter, Patty Caudell, now oversees the hot lunch program.
My long-time wish is that Hood View will become the kindest most caring school around because one young lady’s everyday life demonstrated kindness even toward one of God’s littlest creatures.
