The second annual Kahdy Day of Kindness will take place Oct. 6. Enloe students and faculty are encouraged to wear yellow, the color of kindness, in celebration of late principal George A. Kahdy.
Mr. Kahdy began as Enloe’s principal when the school was founded in 1962. Mr. Kahdy greatly contributed to the North Carolina school system, working as a teacher and area superintendent, as well as being involved in the NC Department of Public Instruction. One of his most notable accomplishments as principal was overseeing the racial integration of the school.
The Kahdy Day of Kindness originated as a way to honor Mr. Kahdy’s legacy and impact on the school since he passed away in 2023, at 102-years-old. The name comes from his core value: kindness.
Current Enloe principal Dr. Jordan said she takes inspiration from Mr. Kahdy’s leadership and life. “Even though he had done so many things beyond being at Enloe, this was still the most special job to him and I feel the same way,” Dr. Jordan said in regard to the meaning of his work here.
Earlier in 2023, Kahdy spoke to current Enloe faculty to kick off the school year.
“Everybody said it was the best [school] opening ever and would say ‘he inspired me, that’s exactly what I need to hear,’” said Dr. Jordan.
Dr. Jordan described how when Mr. Kahdy passed only months after addressing Enloe teachers, the staff wanted to create a way to keep his legacy alive.
“What if as a community we just came together and focused on being kind in his honor,” said Dr. Jordan in reference to how the tradition started.
She goes on to add what she hopes students will take away from the day, “If [this day] plants a seed, as [the students] move forward and become accomplished, whether it’s in academics, arts, or athletics, they will always maintain that humility and maintain that focus on being kind.”
Additionally, for the first time, Enloe’s Student Council will be taking part in organizing the day alongside the administration, specifically the Freshman and Sophomore Class Councils.
“This is new for the student council as a whole, and it’s also [giving] underclassmen council set jobs,” said Gabby Trinh, Sophomore class president, “I’m really hoping that this year will be bigger than normal.”
Trinh added how the student council began brainstorming, “we had a really big group chat… we were kind of bouncing around ideas. The sophomores came up with [making a] banner. The freshmen are going to do these big posters to decorate the school.”
Trinh hopes to make an impact on the student body, hoping it will inspire students and staff to take care of the valuable community at Enloe.
Beyond the Kahdy Day of Kindness, Mr. Kahdy’s legacy is honored at Enloe through the creation of the George A. Kahdy Enloe High School Alumni Scholarship. Established in 2007, the scholarship rewards a senior who demonstrates good character and is involved in the Enloe and local community. Throughout the years, as the endowment grows, the scholarship has grown from $12,000 to $15,000, and now stands at $20,000 for four years.
Enloe guidance counselor Chuck Small, who has been in charge of this scholarship program since 2011, wants to emphasize that this scholarship isn’t just about your academic achievements; it’s about having a passion for involvement within the community.
Mr. Small explains, “The student who gets the scholarship is someone who espouses all of those things, you know, not just a brainiac, but a really good human being who wants to do good work in the world.”
“I think a lot of students count themselves out because they feel their GPA isn’t high enough.” Mr. Small added, “The only thing they do by counting themselves out is making sure that they never get the scholarship because they never apply.”
Through junior meetings and senior orientation, Small wants this scholarship to reach the greatest number of students at Enloe. He emphasizes that national scholarships typically have thousands of applicants, whereas the George A. Kahdy Enloe High School Alumni Scholarship is unique to just the Enloe senior class, resulting in less competition.
“I think we should try to do whatever we can to make it [a] worthwhile scholarship,” added Mr. Small.
Even after Oct. 6, Mr. Kahdy’s legacy will continue to inspire kindness, both within and outside of Enloe.
As Mr. Barlich, the logistics administrator for Kahdy Day of Kindness, concluded, “In today’s world, what we need most is kindness. Some of the same issues that Mr. Kahdy was facing in 1962 when he integrated the school, are some of the same issues that we face in today’s society.”
Wear your yellow shirts and spread kindness Monday, Oct. 6.
