West Islip School District students learned that they could become Carriers of H.O.P.E. (Hold on, Possibilities Exist!) during attendance of the assemblies for the Sweethearts & Heroes program in the middle schools and elementary buildings from April 17-20. Sweethearts & Heroes is a student empowerment and empathy activation team that prevents bullying and suicide.
During the assemblies, students met Tom Murphy, Sweethearts & Heroes co-founder, and retired U.S. Army Sgt. Rick Yarosh, a HOPE expert who was severely burned while serving in Iraq. Both speakers offered ways in which students can jump into action like superheroes by following the five Bully Buttons, which include perspective, HOPE, becoming a Sweetheart who gives others hope, by jumping into action and becoming a superhero to others who are being bullied.
“You may not recognize it yet, but you possess the HOPE that many seek,” Yarosh said. “You can change and save lives. You have to choose to give HOPE by becoming a Sweetheart.”
“We’re thrilled to be in New York for the 2022-2023 school year, and we’re honored that our friends and colleagues in West Islip have invited us to their schools,” said Murphy. “The most recent national data tells us that student anxiety and hopelessness are still on the rise, a trend that was escalating before COVID hit, so our work in West Islip is crucial.”
For the last decade, Murphy has presented what he calls “‘the ‘stop, drop and roll’ of bullying” to more than 2 million students in several hundred schools nationwide. “Just talking about awareness doesn’t fix anything,” Murphy said. “We give each student a plan to activate their innate superpowers — to empower them to help others who are struggling with bullying or other challenges that all students face. Our message and strategies go way beyond bullying. We are about humanity, giving H.O.P.E. to the hopeless and making the world a better place.”
In addition to their assemblies, the members of the Sweethearts and Heroes team co-facilitated Circles with students and educators. Pat Fish, who is Sweethearts and Heroes’ BRAVES and Circle leader, joined Murphy and Yarosh in West Islip on April 19 and 20.
“Circle is an opportunity for amazing stories to be shared and heard,” said Fish. “Amazing isn’t good or bad. Some amazing stories I’ve heard are heartbreaking, others are heartwarming, and others are hilarious. But every single one of us has an amazing story, because we all have unique experiences. Circle allows everyone the chance to share those stories and, more importantly, to practice listening so that we can learn from others’ amazing stories. Also, there are various social-emotional skills practiced in Circle.”
Date Added: 5/3/2023