One of the best stories we’ve run this week in The Journal, one that I keep smilling about, is the one about the three girls at Jefferson Elementary School who have started sending “Feel Better” postcards to classmates who need some cheering up.

Reporter Connor Cummiskey told the story on the three this past Sunday.

Grace Bregel, Kelsey Grosam and Maarit Mattson came up with the idea this month after a special program at the school, called “Best Self, Best Work, Best World.” The program inspired Bregel to write a letter to Mattson telling her how much she appreciated her as a friend, and the thought blossomed into expressing appreciation to the whole school.

They decided to send postcards expressing good wishes to kids at school who need a pick-me-up — kids who are sad, who’ve lost a family member, who are sick or injured, who have been bullied. Teachers throughout the school who know of students who are down can e-mail STEM teacher Beth Sletta, who passes a list along to the girls. Students can also nominate students, putting their names in drop boxes located in the school.

The girls don’t know the names or exact details of why the kids are sad, but they design and decorate postcards to their “friends,” with messages of support.

We hear so much about how mean kids can be to each other, how they can single out and persecute others for whatever reason. They may physically bully someone, or use social media to send nasty messages, a psychological bullying that’s hard to understand.

So it is wonderful to hear about three kids who are doing something nice for others who need it. And postcards are a great way to do it. It’s easy to send someone an e-mail, but it takes extra effort to design a card, write the message and send it off. The recipient can hold the postcard, read it over and over again, put it up on their wall or in their locker as a reminder that they have friends.

This is the kind of program that could take off, even after the three move on to middle school. I’m sure others would like to help out. Maybe some of the students who get the postcards will be inspired to write their own.

Looking back at my own elementary school years, there were times when I could have used a “Feel Better” postcard. I’m glad there are kids like Grace Bregel, Kelsey Grosam and Maarit Mattson around these days to make it happen.

I love the quote that ends the story from Sunday:

“We want a happy world,” Bregel said. “We are trying to make the world a better place because kids being sad is not necessary.”

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Kevin Sweeney has been the managing editor of The Journal since May 1985. A native of St. Paul, he worked at newspapers in LeSueur and Albert Lea before moving to New Ulm. Contact him at ksweeney@nujournal.com.