The Gratitude Mic Trend Is the Real Viral Moment Our Schools Needed
The "Tell Me Something Good” gratitude trend that’s spreading joy across schools has students saying thanks out loud. Here's how one hot mic in a school hallway sparked a movement—and how your school can join in on it, too.
In Monroe, Ohio, the idea was simple: set up a microphone on a stand in the hallway, place a sign reading “Tell me something good that happened today,” roll a camera, and let students speak. As part of the school's #thriveinthehive Hornets for Hope initiative, students were invited to step up and share small moments of joy, like, "I think I made a new friend today," and "I didn't miss the bus". The result? Well, probably the best video you'll watch on the Internet this week. It's no wonder it's already racked up over 500,000 views on Facebook and inspired thousands to reflect on what matters most.
While the broader Tell Me Something Good trend began on college campuses, it's now catching on at K-12 schools, too, giving it even more of a ripple effect. Your PTO can easily create your own school-wide “positivity mic” campaign by setting up a standing mic in the school foyer or another spot that gets decent foot traffic and isn't distracting to students in classrooms. This is great to do anytime during the year, during a “Gratitude Week” in November, or as part of your event lineup for Random Acts of Kindness Week. Other schools have used their mic to boost staff morale by asking students to share something good about their teachers.
A few things to remember:
- If the mic setup is being recorded and shared on social media (like the Monroe Ohio school district reel), you’ll need to collect signed media release forms for students who may appear on video. Do not post clips of non-released students.
- Keep the prompt simple and low-pressure. “Tell me something good” works because it allows students to talk authentically about small wins, too. Your PTO could also ask, "What do you love most at [Your School Name]?", or "What do you love most about Principal [Name]?" for National Principals Month.
- Get your school's families engaged, too, by sending home prompts that encourage students to think about the good things that happened to them that day to encourage conversations at home around gratitude.
- Choose a high-traffic but safe area (main entrance, hallway, cafeteria) that has enough lighting and minimal disruption to classes. Your PTO can also bring this mic set up to a school family event or a game.
- Promote it ahead of time. Hang signage at school, include the prompt in your school newsletter, share it with families on social media, and ask teachers to mention it to their students.
- Compile multiple responses into one impact reel rather than posting individual clips.
- Make sharing something good a regular part of your school culture, whether it's weekly or monthly.
- Consider creating a hashtag for your school's own "tell me something good" campaign. For example, #TellSomethingGoodAt[SchoolName]. When you post, include similar hashtags for this type of hot mic gratitude campaign, like #TellMeSomethingGood, #SchoolHallwayMic, and #GratitudeHallway.
- Build staff morale by encouraging administration, teachers and staff to share, too. Head outside with a tiny hot mic and ask the bus drivers and crossing guards to share something good.
And remember, this trend is all about giving voice to gratitude. When a student says, “There was a new girl at school today, so I think I made a new friend,” "My bus driver is the coolest - he played my favorite song this morning," or "The muffins in the caf today were actually fire", their mindset shifts from what went wrong to what went right. As the Monroe District put it in their post, “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”
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