COEUR d'ALENE - How do you get 11- and 12-year-olds to pour their hearts and souls into a writing assignment?

Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy teacher Nancy Larsen has the answer. She calls it the "Good Deeds" project.

Each year, Larsen challenges her sixth-grade students to perform acts of kindness for others and then write about the activity.

"Doing a good deed provides such a rich experience. I get really good writing out of them," Larsen said.

Each student selects a deed, decides who the beneficiary of their kindness will be, and whether the act will be performed anonymously or not. The children must also produce presentations about their good deeds - with poster boards, pictures and prepared speeches.

"I never evaluate the deed. Every good deed is worthy," Larsen said.

The sixth-graders were rehearsing their presentations Thursday, in preparation for a Good Deeds Open House to be held that evening at the school.

They raked leaves, baked brownies, prepared meals for their families, walked their neighbors' dogs, collected food for the hungry and items for veterans and sick kids.

Many of the kids' presentation boards were peppered with rainbows, stars and kind phrases.

"I wrote a saying here," said Sammie White, 11, as she pointed to her board. "Changing the world one can (of food) at a time."

A boy who baked cookies and delivered plates of them to his neighbors, discovered one of his intended recipients of kindness was not at home to accept them. Because he decided to do his good deed anonymously, he left a note: "Thank you for being my neighbor."

Another child, Riyan Johnson, 11, raked leaves to help her parents out, and included a special message for them, made out of leaves: "I LOVE U GUYS!"

Kyle DeSimone, 12, baked pumpkin bread, zucchini bread and pumpkin chocolate chip cake for patients at one of the long-term rehabilitation facilities in the area.

"I learned that basically, giving is way better. I didn't really know that before," Kyle said.