‘These kids have big hearts’: This Pennsylvania teacher gave her students $20 to spend on good deeds — here's what they did

Then, an idea surfaced, wrapped in the pages of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. “It’s set in a time when everyone is glued to their screens and society lacks empathy,” Ulmer told the Washington Post. “Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It popped into my head that I could have my students do acts of kindness with my sister’s money.”

That’s when Ulmer decided that her students wouldn’t just read about a world lacking empathy; they would actively work against it.

With her sister’s money — and hundreds of her own dollars — Ulmer distributed $20 bills to each of her 25 students, giving them a simple assignment: commit an act of kindness and document it.

The $20 Kindness Challenge

A $20 bill might not seem like much, but in the right hands it can become a powerful lesson in both kindness and financial decision making.

That’s the idea behind the $20 Kindness Challenge: to encourage students to use a small sum to make a big impact. Whether it’s baking treats for local animal shelters or purchasing essentials for unhoused individuals, students are given the freedom — and the responsibility — to decide how best to spend their money.

“One of my favorites was a student who bought $20 worth of doughnuts while visiting some of her family members in the Midwest,” Ulmer said. “She stood on a corner with her uncle and randomly handed them out to people. It’s something she continues to do now every year.”

“These kids have big hearts. They’re incredibly thoughtful.”

Twice a year, Ulmer hands out $20 bills and her students’ acts of generosity are later compiled into a video montage for them to watch together. Since the project began, Ulmer and her students have collectively spent more than $7,000 on meaningful gestures, with the school now accepting donations to keep the initiative alive.

But beyond fostering kindness, the challenge also teaches students about financial literacy. The 2024 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index found that U.S. adults correctly answered only 48% of its 28 financial knowledge questions. Gen Z scored even lower, averaging just 37%.

The $20 Kindness Challenge is more than just an exercise in generosity — it’s also a hands-on lesson in personal finance. By giving students a tangible sum and letting them decide how to spend it, Ulmer is introducing them to real-world budgeting.

Students are faced with essential financial questions like: How far can this money go? And what’s the best way to spend it? The challenge pushes them to think critically about priorities, trade-offs and the value of a dollar — skills that will follow them well beyond the classroom and into their adult lives.

The power of giving

Generosity is often treated as an afterthought, something reserved for those with deep pockets and plenty of spare time. But research shows that giving back isn’t just good for the recipient — it’s a direct investment in personal well-being.

“Giving back has been shown to boost happiness, reduce stress, enhance self-esteem and strengthen social connections,” Megan Hays, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, shared with UAB News.