In order to help students improve their personal relationships, English teacher Alison Thornton is spreading positivity through several class assignments based on the play Macbeth.

“We analyzed Shakespeare to figure out what happened hundreds of years ago,” Thornton said. “We figured out how we could break bad patterns that caused unhealthy relationships.”

Thornton’s students passed out decorated hearts with healthy relationship traits listed on them to people around the school, to spread awareness.

“We did it to brighten people’s day,” senior Ashley Weber said. “It was a nice feeling to know that I was helping to promote what a healthy relationship should be.”

Another assignment involved a 5-page essay explaining the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

“We looked at relationships with parents and children, husband and wife, it was your choice which you focused on but a lot of us focused on boyfriend/girlfriend based relationships,” senior Hannah Sanchez said.

Sanchez said it is an important time for students to focus on positivity.

“I feel like this is the age where we are maturing the most and experiencing a lot of new things, and the guidance she (Thornton) has given us is really helping us,” she said.

Healthy relationships are important to many students, including senior Elijah Taplin.

“A positive relationship is being loyal and trustworthy,” he said. “Without trust there is no relationship. You also have to respect others personal wishes and be selfless.”

Thornton said she knows how crucial relationships are for teenagers.

“This is the most pivotal time in a child’s life,” she said. “It’s the start of being an adult and learning what you want and what you need. This is the time they (relationships) could make or break you.”

Taplin said he believes healthy relationships are hard to find.

“People my age need to know what it takes to have a good relationship, and this assignment helped a lot of us understand ourselves more,” he said. “It will also help others know they aren’t the only ones going through something.”

Thornton said she hopes that this assignment impacted the students now and for many years to come.

“I’m hoping it will change the school culture and it will become the norm around here to be healthy,” she said. “I also hope (each) will be more whole as a person. Then be able to break the chains of families and to start over and not have to carry the wounds, the burden and the sadness with them.”