Every single girl at a Utah high school went home with a flower this Valentine’s Day, thanks to the thoughtful, well-executed plan of a 17-year-old boy.
Hayden Godfrey offered a carnation to each of the 834 female students of Sky View High School in Smithsfield last Thursday because seeing some girls without cards or gifts at this time of the year, according to his mom, broke his heart.
“He wanted every girl to feel joy,” recalled Hayden’s mother, Erin.
Godfrey started his sweet act and began anonymously sending Valentine’s Day flowers to his friends at age 14, when he noticed that some girls received nothing. The gesture involved more and more flowers each year, but it is in 2016 that he decided to go all out.
Godfrey worked with the school administration to carry out his plan and determine the headcount, and had 20 friends help him out. He distributed the flowers in every classroom Thursday afternoon.
And how much did the unique idea – he said that it was “more about kindness” than any lovey-dovey, romantic notions – cost Godfrey?
Months of planning and $450 for 900 flowers, as well as working part-time at McDonald’s, a Mexican restaurant, and a local grocery store. The carnations were purchased from an online wholesaler at 50 cents each and given a day to bloom before being loaded into his parents’ van to be transported to the high school.
“I’m speechless at his actions,” said Assistant Principal Curt Hanks of Godfrey.
Godfrey himself, who will be graduating in the spring and will likely attend college somewhere in Utah, thought it was “totally worth it” to hand out the flowers to the whole female population of his school.
So I did a thing today.Today I passed out 900 carnations, one to every girl at SVHS and it was totally worth it. I don...
Posted by Hayden Godfrey on Thursday, February 11, 2016
Godfrey’s own girlfriend, Lilyan Sharp, got a Valentine treat in the form of tickets to “A Great Big World” show in Salt Lake City in March.
In case anyone wonders, Godfrey is still figuring out what to do with the 66 blooms left. For sure, however, his Hearts’ Day surprises will continue in the future.
Photo: Andrew Fogg | Flickr
