MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - As part of Wilkshire Early Childhood Center's "Be Kind" program, kindergarten kids, ages five and six, spent part of their morning at the Meridian Township Fire Department.

The purpose of the visit was to thank every police officer in the township for keeping everyone safe.

There, the kids sang, asked questions and got a tour of the entire department to better understand the work that the police department provides for the community.

"They wanna make sure that they are good citizens and good people, so it's important at this age to intentionally teach kindness and teach them what a great feeling you can have by spreading kindness to others," said one of the teachers.

The "Be Kind" program is in its first year, and students have been thanking everyone, from custodians in the school to community departments such as police officers.

Kids get rewarded for being kind in and out of school, which teachers also say motivate them to be kind and will teach them proper manners for the future.