BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Nov. 9 is Choose Love Day in Bentonville. This was the 5th anniversary of Bentonville Schools coming together at the Bentonville Square to celebrate the movement with booths, games, food, and music.
The Choose Love Movement was started by Scarlett Lewis, an Arkansas native who lost her son Jesse Lewis in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012.
“This year is the year that Jessie, her son, and the 20 other kids should have graduated. This would have been their senior year. So it's impactful this year to think about how they should be celebrating. They should be getting a diploma and going to prom," said Cortney Carlson, Chairperson for Choose Love.
Bentonville Schools use Choose Love in their curriculum which teaches students how to create a safer and more loving environment.
“The movements are all around about forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, action, and courage," said Carlson.
Each Bentonville school had a booth at the event to incorporate Choose Love.
"Each one of these booths has some things that should be applicable for the kids. So some of them are stress balls, others are breathing techniques, it's yoga to calm down, those types of things."
“These kids want to drive it and want to make a change. They aren't just sitting back, they are volunteering. They're out, they will be the ones cleaning up, and they are making it happen," said Carlson. “It just gives me so much hope for our future."
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