RUTLAND, Vt. – About 20 educators from southern Vermont returned to the classroom for two days last week, so that they can start the 2023-2024 school year with Hold On, Possibilities Exist (HOPE).
On Aug. 16 and 17, Sweethearts & Heroes conducted a southern Vermont Circle Training at Rutland Town School. Sweethearts & Heroes is a student empowerment and empathy activation team that aims to prevent bullying and suicide with a focus on the basic components of social-emotional learning (SEL).
Sweethearts & Heroes worked with thousands of students and hundreds of educators in Vermont during the 2022-2023 school year. Sweethearts & Heroes offers a profound, engaging signature presentation that calls for HOPE, Empathy and Action; Circle, which is built on the ancient ritual of communicating in a circle to build empathy; and BRAVES Buddies, which trains older students in bully drills that they, in turn, teach to students in lower grades.
Educators and administrators from these Vermont schools and districts attended the Rutland trainings: Rutland Town School, West Rutland School, Manchester Elementary/Middle School, Two Rivers Supervisory Union, Mount Anthony Union Middle School, and Green Mountain Union High School.
The workshops primed educators on the “Magic of Circles,” and other strategies that can build empathy and compassion in their classrooms. Discussions also touched upon Sweethearts & Heroes’ novel, “13 Pillows For Affective Teachers,” which covers the themes of HOPE, Empathy and Action in the Sweethearts & Heroes curriculum.
Sweethearts & Heroes teammates Tom Murphy (director, of St. Albans, Vt.) and Heather Gottlob (affective educator) led the Rutland seminars, which happened with support from these local North Country Chevy Dealers: Langway Chevrolet Volkswagen of Manchester, Alderman’s Chevrolet Buick GMC, Benson’s Chevrolet Inc., and Key Chevrolet of White River.
“The timing was perfect for these seminars in Vermont,” Murphy said. “Never before have we witnessed such tremendous need for support with social-emotional wellness in our schools and communities. Participants left these trainings with a comprehensive understanding and ability to use the power of human connection, acceptance, and behavior modeling to create cultures of empathy, compassion, and leadership.”
On July 24 and 25, nearly 40 educators from northwestern Vermont attended a Sweethearts & Heroes Circle training at KW Vermont in Burlington.
For more than 16 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has presented what Murphy calls “the ‘stop, drop, and roll’ of bullying” to nearly 2.5 million students in school districts from New England, to Hawaii, and north to Canada. Sweethearts & Heroes can tailor its presentations and workshops for businesses, non-profits, and civic groups. Murphy said, “We go where we’re needed. That’s what heroes do.”
“13 Pillows For Affective Teachers” is based on real students and teachers that Sweethearts & Heroes has encountered. Murphy co-wrote the book with Brian McKeon of New York. “13 Pillows” is available on Amazon. Digital or printed copies are available upon request. The audiobook is on Audible.
For more information on Sweethearts & Heroes, visit www.sweetheartsandheroes.com.