DANBURY — Ben’s Bells Project, in collaboration with the University of Arizona’s Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families, will present the 2015 Kindness Conference: Building the Science of Kindness Together on Saturday, October 24, at Broadview Middle School, 72 Hospital Avenue.

The conference will run from 8 am until 4 pm, and admission is free.

The event will be focused on the Ben’s Bells Kind Campus and Kind Colleagues programs, and featuring a keynote by Jeremy Richman, CEO and founder of The Avielle Foundation. Parents and educators are invited to kick off the new school year by learning more about Kind Campus engagement, kind discipline, new school materials, and #BeKindChallenge2.

Ben’s Bells Kindness Education Programs are based on the belief that everyone has the capacity to be kind, and that kindness can be cultivated through intentional practice.

Kind Campus is an innovative school-based outreach program that strives to educate students, families, faculty, and staff about the benefits of kindness, and then empower them to create a culture of kindness in their school and beyond. Participating schools receive access to Ben’s Bells Kind Campus Program, with easy-to-incorporate ideas and materials.

The program is provided at no cost to schools and is designed to be highly adaptable for different ages and needs. During the 2014-15 school year there were more than 320 schools worldwide enrolled, with 64 from the Connecticut/New York area alone.

Jeremy Richman, PhD, will discuss “Crating A Spark: Building Communitywide Social, Emotional and Leadership Skills.” Named to honor Dr Richman and wife Jennifer Hensel’s daughter Avielle, one of the children killed on 12/14, the foundation was created with a goal of preventing violence through brain health and fostering community.

Ben’s Bells Founder Jeannette Maré will also participate in the conference. 

In addition to offering Welcome remarks that morning, she will have three presentations Saturday afternoon. At 1 pm, Ms Maré will discuss “Kind Discipline.” At 2 she will offer Program Enhancements and Announcements.

Following a brief break for all conference guests, Ms Maré will offer the day’s closing session, “Nuts and Bolts for New Kind Campus Schools.”

Registration is required for this event and space is limited; visit .bensbells.org/kindness-education