Love — it isn't just about romance anymore

Utah Valley schoolchildren are learning that love is about more than romance as they prepare for Valentine's Day.

Love also means service, caring and taking an interest in someone else.

For instance, Northridge Elementary School students are working on a project that began on Jan. 24 with an assembly called "It's About Love."

Students collected small baskets, lotion, soap, diapers, baby wipes, books, toys and fabric from local businesses including Wendy's, Albertson's, Arctic Circle, Wal-Mart, Arby's, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Chuck-A-Rama Buffet, said student council adviser Rachel Daugs. The students then made the fleece fabric into small heart-shape pillows and blankets and put them into gift baskets that went to Family Services for distribution to birth mothers, foster children, adopted children and adoptive families, she said.

"Adoption is about love," Daugs said. "The tie-in with Valentine's Day is perfect."

As part of the final celebration, students will write what they learned as they munch on Valentine's Day cookies.

"For Valentine's Day, and the whole month of February, we talk about kindness and doing kind deeds," said Katie Nuttall at Shelley Elementary in American Fork.

She keeps a stack of die-cut hearts in the classroom. When a student sees someone do a kind deed, they write about it on a heart.

"We have a 'heart attack' mail delivery every day of the notes, and the students (who get them) keep the hearts in an acts-of-kindness book. We then talk about how being kind affects everyone around you — at school, home, and the community," she said.

Alpine Elementary sixth-graders take Valentine's Day a step farther. They hold a formal dance.

Students learn dances in their physical education class and show them to their parents during a program. It's been a tradition at the school for many years, said principal David Stephenson.

"There is a floor show, refreshments, the whole nine yards," he said.

At Harvest Elementary in Saratoga Springs, activities include teaching kindergartners to mail letters. The first-graders learn to write love letters.

Some students learn about Valentine's Day poetry.