Emma Hofmann was a student at Scituate High School, graduating with the class of 2015. During her senior year, Emma was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme—an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord. She fought her illness bravely for over two years before passing away in January 2017. 

Emma was well known for her acts of kindness and welcoming personality at school and in the community. She consistently reached out to those who needed a friend and made those around her feel cared for and valued.

Her parents, Kathy and Bob Hofmann, created The Emma Hofmann Memorial Fund in their daughter’s honor. This organization raises funds to ensure that small gestures of kindness continue to spread throughout our community. More specifically, it provides donations to individuals and families in need with clothing and food, grocery store gift cards, and contributions toward families experiencing the hardship of illness. 

The memorial fund also gives scholarships to high school students who are known for their continuous exemplary kindness at SHS. Since 2017, $11,500 has been granted to nine SHS seniors. 

This year, the Hofmann family decided to donate money to Gates Intermediate School. Since Principal Ryan Beattie was one of Emma’s favorite teachers–he was her English teacher and Drama Club director–the family felt compelled to donate $2,000 to Gates students. After reporting on the donation for their Introduction to Journalism class with SHS English teacher Kate Harwood, sophomores Alice George, Bridget Norris, and Tricia Gibbons proposed the idea of organizing a Be Kind Club at Gates. Inspired by Emma’s spirit, their mission is to share the joy of spreading kindness in the community.

The middle school Be Kind Club is fully funded and supported by the Hofmann family and the Be Kind organization. Open to all middle school students, the club will meet every other Wednesday at 3:00 PM in the Gates dining commons. George, Norris, and Gibbons plan to lead kindness-related arts, crafts, games, and more. They hope many students will be interested in joining the club and making a difference, no matter how small.