ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orange County fifth-grader was rewarded for his kindness in a way that he did not expect.
Avalon Elementary student Arman Shah paid off the lunch debt for students to raise awareness of lunch shaming.
Lunch shaming is when children are left embarrassed and hungry if their parents don't pay their cafeteria bill on time.
Arman learned about it from a documentary his mother, Bella Sawkar, showed him.
"From that, he said, 'Hey, I wonder if that happens at our school,'" Sawkar said.
School officials told Arman there was no lunch shaming at Avalon but some students did have lunch debts, all together totaling $100.
Arman took about $100 from a paycheck his uncle gave him for "selling gift cards'" and paid the deficit, not expecting anything in return.
The school district learned of Arman's kindness and wanted to do something in return.
Arman was surprised with new Nike shoes, a shirt and more for the student who just wanted to help.
Arman said he wants to make enough money that he can go to other schools and pay of their lunch debts.