When you greet someone, often times a handshake is involved, but there is an Irving ISD librarian taking a simple handshake to the next level.
Andrea Keller is the librarian at Lamar Middle School. She said she found something good happens with a special handshake and a smile.
"Being a librarian, I have the opportunity to work with the whole school, staff and community members," Keller said. "I am continually working on building relationships and this handshake that some sixth graders made is just one way to help remind students that they are important and belong."
Now, the handshake is part of the daily routine at Lamar Middle and providing a life lesson students won’t be able to read from a textbook.
"I always have a word of the year, but my word [now is to] believe. I want to believe in everybody and know that they all have a place to belong," Keller said.
Keller shared the video of the special handshakes with the students on social media and immediately started getting attention.
She said the bottom line is teaching kids that building relationships is important and sometimes you have to be creative to do it.
