Good teachers help their students grow smarter in the classroom. Great teachers help them be better citizens of the world.

Every year, Pennsylvania ninth grade English teacher Kristina Ulmer gives each of her students $20 to spread kindness in the world. What started as a simple way to honor her late sister has generated more than 350 individual teenage acts of kindness. As one student put it, “You don’t have to have millions – anyone can make a difference.”

Meet Ulmer and her students and see all the good they did with their $20 bills!

To all the teachers and educators out there, we appreciate you!

(Photo credit Kristina Ulmer)