A simple sticky note and a dish of candy are sparking conversation and bringing a little extra joy to students and staff alike.
Each week Amy Bay, admissions associate, and Morgan Kunze, Chief of Staff, write a question on Kunze’s desk for students to answer. Students then respond on a sticky note and receive candy.
This weekly tradition has become a favorite on campus, fostering interaction. The initiative has gained popularity among students and staff alike, with everyone from teachers to administrators getting involved.
“Well, for one thing I’m not a classroom teacher, so I was motivated to find a way to connect more with students,” said Kunze. “I definitely don’t want to just be a boring administrator that no one knows or talks to.”
Kunze and Bay wanted to create the question of the week to engage students in meaningful conversations and have a chance to socialize. Rewards consist of candy like Starbursts and Smarties.
Kunze and Bay take turns picking the questions, providing an opportunity for a range of responses. Questions include book recommendations to who is on your hear me out cake.
“Usually Amy or I just pick something impulsively,” Kunze explained. “Sometimes it’s something pretty simple or silly, and other times it’s more personal or more of an opportunity to dig into a bigger idea.”
Hadley Pack, Operations Associate and High School Activities Coordinator, believes the initiative provides a chance to build relationships with students for administrators like Bay and Kunze.
“I’ve gotten to know high schoolers pretty well, sitting at their desks and organizing dances and other celebrations,” Pack explained. “But for folks that work in offices, in the admin, you don’t always get to have that kind of one-on-one interaction.”
Pack said that she loves reading the responses and how the light-hearted nature of the tradition creates a space for meaningful conversations.
“It’s so important, it’s fun, I love looking at what people have written,” said Pack. “I love it when it’s like a drawing or a self-portrait. It’s a great opportunity to get to know students, particularly for those of us working in administration.”
Junior Anna Marks has also embraced the activity, enjoying both the opportunity to answer the questions and the chance to chat with Kunze and Bay.
“At first, I did it for the candy, but at this point, I just like answering the question and chatting with Morgan and Amy,” Marks said. “I love it. I love coming into the office and looking at the fun question. I like doing a little thinking about what my answer might be. Even sometimes I’ve been the creator of the question, which was a special treat.”
Marks enjoys how the activity brings people together, remarking how fun it is to read other peoples answers. She finds that it is a way to connect with other students and staff.
“Once I wrote an essay on a question that they proposed: What is the difference between an orange?” said Marks, “which sounds kind of like a non-question, but I just decided to take it and run with it.”
Junior Sky Groves, who has participated a few times, also appreciates the more laid-back nature of the activity.
“It’s just a bit of a pleasantry for my day,” said Groves. “I think it does encourage some interaction, which I appreciate. I think it’s nice to just have silly little discussions about these things sometimes, like my favorite smell.”
The activity’s anonymous nature adds another layer of enjoyment for students like freshman Perci Taylor.
“It’s nice to talk like I said, it’s nice to talk to them,” said Taylor. “Sometimes I’ll see other teachers and I’ll start a conversation with them on my way there. I think it’s nice, because it’s anonymous, it’s kind of a little bit more fun, and it’s cool to see other people’s answers and wonder who wrote them.”
The “Question of the Week” initiative is also a source of creative inspiration, with drawing prompts proving to be especially popular.
“Two years in a row we’ve asked people to draw a post-it sized self-portrait, and they are AMAZING—funny, revealing, artistic, symbolic, moody, silly and terrific,” said Kunze.
While Bay and Kunze come up with all of the questions, Marks proposes that students also submit their own ideas for questions.
“I think it’d be funny if everyone asks their questions,” said Marks. “A trivia thing could be a fun way to branch out, [like what period was the dinosaur].”
Despite the candy being a draw for some, Kunze and Bay emphasize that the focus of the pastime is on conversation.
“This is just for fun, come by if you want – or not,” said Kunze. “We definitely have ‘regulars’ that come often and other students who seldom or never come by. In terms of engagement at the moment, it’s important to both of us that this be an opportunity for a chat, not just free candy.”
Kunze reflected on the success of the activity, recalling the initial inspirations behind the project. Although Kunze’s practice isn’t exactly the same, she derived the idea from her companion.
“[The idea came from] my friend and mentor, Laurel [Keppy], who always had chocolate in her desk drawer, and I loved that vibe, so I think that’s part of where the idea came from,” said Kunze.
