GRAFTON, Mass. — The graduating seniors at Grafton High School received more than just a diploma at their commencement.

South Grafton-based Michael Labbe, his family and his company, All Phase Glass and Maintenance Corp., congratulated the 187 seniors with $100 debit cards — and a challenge to help others.

“We’ve watched these kids for the last sixteen, seventeen months now go through hell,” Labbe said. “They’ve lost so many events, sporting events, social, everything. As a father of five daughters, I’m so proud of these kids. They’ve stayed out of trouble. They stuck to the books. They stayed in the game.”

Labbe wanted to show the students how proud he was of each of them with his gift. But he also wanted them to take action.

“We don’t teach these kids enough about old-school moral values and paying it forward in life,” Labbe said. “And that’s very important to me. I want them to learn to pay it forward.”

Labbe didn’t care how much was spent on a good deed or how many actions the students did. The money could help support a stranger, a charitable organization or even a family member.

“Once you do it, that feeling is just contagious. It stays with you,” Labbe said. “It makes you feel so good inside, and that’s what we want to teach these kids — to just pay it forward in life while you can.”

He has already seen the students’ acts of kindness come to fruition. He was hoping a majority of the students would take part, but he did acknowledge that if one young person did a good deed, that would be good enough.

Labbe says some students paid for customers’ food at McDonalds. Another paid for a portion of someone’s groceries at the local Stop & Shop. And some went online to make a donation to a charitable organization.

“That’s what it’s all about right there. It doesn’t have to be a hundred dollars,” Labbe said. “I don’t care if it’s a dollar. Just do something good.”

A week after COVID-19 hit, Labbe started to create a memorial on his property. One flag was placed for every person lost to the pandemic. There are now close to 18 thousand flags standing as of early June, with more being put in the ground each day.

“If all of us in this country just did one kind act or good deed a day, can you imagine what a wonderful country this would be?” Labbe said. “What a difference we could make together. Instead of us all sitting around bitching and complaining about this man or that man, this group, that group —  just do a good deed.”