Twitter account focuses on good people and good deeds at high school

WEST FARGO, N.D. -- It's no tricks, just good tweets, on a West Fargo High School-focused Twitter page highlighting the positives in Packerland.

The Twitter account -- "Wfhs_compliment" -- was created about a week ago by West Fargo High School junior Jorden Troie. It picked up hundreds of tweets in its first few days on the social media website, where messages are 140 characters or fewer.

Troie started the Twitter account in reaction to a West Fargo High School "confessions" account that included hurtful comments about students.

"At first, I thought it was funny, and then I realized it wasn't so funny if you're the person being talked about," she said. "I started the page just to make someone feel good."

One of the first comments she posted (anonymously) was to compliment a friend.

"Lexi Beyer is beautiful guys," Troie tweeted.

"It made her day. That was the point, to make one person happy if I couldn't make everyone happy," she said.

In short order, the account had 500 followers and more than 700 Packers had packed SurveyMonkey with comments to be posted on "Wfhs_compliment."

"Seriously JJ is the nicest person"

"Ummmmmm Dixie in the office rocks"

"All of WFHS is strong, stay that way! Summer is almost here (:"

"Jamie Freden u r my hero"

"Props to the WFHS band. Some of the best musicians I know"

"Erica Schmidt is a boss, nuff said. #loveher"

Troie is the sole moderator. Reading all the comments to filter out those left by "trolls" (perhaps 5 to 10 percent of those posting) took much of Sunday and working into Monday of last week, she said.

"That was a lot of hours. I don't even want to know how many hours," she said.

Kellee Kleingartner, Troie's mother, is impressed with the account.

"Jorden, she has a heart of gold and is very humble," Kleingartner said. "She wants to make an impact, a simple thing like creating a page to give compliments."

The impulsiveness of teenagers and the immediacy of technology are not always a good mix, Kleingartner said.

"I've always told my (two oldest) girls, that when you put something on the Internet, it's on there forever," she said. "You can't erase it once it's on there. Colleges and employers look at Twitter accounts. It can affect you getting into college or getting that great job someday."

West Fargo High School Principal Gary Clark said he's proud of what Troie has done.

"We're always pleased when a student takes a stand against whatever negative goes up," he said.

Troie said "Wfhs_compliment" is a view-only account during the week, with comments being posted on weekends.