Fearing Her Students Were Glued To Screens, She Gave Each $20 With One Request

March 18, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

At Hatboro-Horsham High School in Pennsylvania, English teacher Kristina Ulmer is proving that even a small gesture can create a big impact. Each semester, she gives her students $20 with a heartfelt request: use it to do something kind.

teacher gives students 20 dollars
Hatboro-Horsham School District

The challenge began in 2018, inspired by a personal tragedy. Ulmer lost her sister, Katie, in a car accident. When a police officer returned her sister’s purse, it contained over $100 in tips she had earned that morning. Ulmer immediately knew the money had to be used for good.

“Katie was always doing something to help people,” Ulmer said. “So I knew the money had to be used for good.”

That same year, while teaching Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451—a 1953 novel depicting a screen-obsessed, disconnected future society—Ulmer had an idea.

“It’s set in a time when everyone is glued to their screens and society lacks empathy,” she said. “Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

She told her students that the way to prevent our world from becoming Fahrenheit 451 is through kindness and connection. She gave each student $20 (adding her own funds) and asked them to perform a random act of kindness in Katie’s honor. The project became known as the "$20 Challenge".

A Ripple Effect of Kindness

The challenge quickly gained momentum. Students embraced the opportunity, using their $20 to help the homeless, support animal shelters, and even surprise veterans with gifts. One group of girls created a basket of treats for an orphanage.

One story that stood out to Ulmer involved a student visiting family in the Midwest. She spent her $20 on doughnuts, then stood on a street corner with her uncle, handing them out to strangers. The experience touched her so deeply that she now continues the tradition every year.

Kindness Spreading Beyond the Classroom

The impact of the challenge didn’t stop there. After that first semester, donations from the community poured in, enabling Ulmer to continue the tradition year after year. As of this past fall, her students have completed over 350 acts of kindness in her sister’s memory.

The real reward, according to Ulmer, is seeing how much her students learn from the experience. Their testimonies reflect the lasting impact:

“We learned that small acts of kindness like this can make someone’s day.”

“I realized how much something as small as $20 can do to help someone.”

“It really takes so little to make someone’s day. Being kind is basically free.”

Through her sister’s legacy, Ulmer is teaching her students a powerful lesson: it doesn’t take much to brighten someone’s day—just a little kindness and a willing heart.

Watch this inspiring video compilation of her students' acts of kindness: