Sweethearts & Heroes brings HOPE to Clifton-Fine students for new school year

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Ryan M. Wendt

@Clifton-Fine Daily News

Published: 2:49 PM EST

STAR LAKE, NY — October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and an amazing superhero without a cape recently returned to the Clifton-Fine Central School District (CSD) with strong messages about HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist).

Sgt. Rick Yarosh, of Sweethearts & Heroes — “The World’s #1 Human Development Team” — delivered student empowerment to the Clifton-Fine CSD on Monday, Sept. 21 and Tuesday, Sept. 22.

With HOPE as its foundation, Sweethearts & Heroes aims to prevent hopelessness, bullying and suicide by providing dynamic, inspiring content that centers on the human interaction skills necessary for schools and other organizations to change and strengthen all aspects of their culture — skills such as empathy, compassion and teamwork.

Sweethearts & Heroes’ robust menu of services includes S.M.A.R.T. Circle, which is built on the ancient ritual of communicating in a circle to build compassion and empathy. Yarosh wove S.M.A.R.T. Circles with Clifton-fine students and staff on Sept. 21 and 22.

Sweethearts & Heroes Circles are S.M.A.R.T. because they are Scientifically evidence-based, Model healthy behavior, deal with the Affective domain, utilize time-spaced Repetition, and focus on Trust-building. S.M.A.R.T. Circles enable any organization to develop and accelerate meaningful inter-groups in a fraction of the time it takes humans to build a trusted and connected community.

Sweethearts & Heroes central team of traveling presenters includes Yarosh, a HOPE expert, Purple Heart recipient and motivational speaker from Vestal, NY, who was burned severely while serving in Iraq.

Yarosh and Sweethearts & Heroes Director Tom Murphy brought their foundational and impactful anti-bullying presentation to the Clifton-Fine CSD in 2024. Since then, members of the Sweethearts & Heroes team have returned to Clifton-Fine with S.M.A.R.T. Circles and S.M.A.R.T. Circle Trainings for staff. Yarosh returns with more S.M.A.R.T. Circles next March.

“Sweethearts & Heroes and S.M.A.R.T. Circles have become an important part of how we support the whole student body in the Clifton-Fine CSD,” said Matt Southwick, Superintendent. “By helping students build meaningful connections, develop confidence and communication skills, navigate challenges, and understand that they are valued members of our school community, S.M.A.R.T. Circles in the classroom directly contribute to stronger relationships, greater student engagement, and a school environment where students can thrive."

For more than 17 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has presented what Murphy calls “‘the ‘stop, drop and roll’ of bullying” to nearly 3 million students in school districts from New England to Hawaii and north into Canada. Sweethearts & Heroes also tailors its presentations and professional development workshops for businesses, non-profits and civic groups.

“We go where we’re needed,” Murphy said. “That’s what heroes do.”

Sweethearts & Heroes’ books include 13 Pillows For Affective Teachers, a novel by Murphy and Brian McKeon Jr., also of New York, that covers the themes of HOPE, Empathy and Action in the Sweethearts & Heroes curriculum; and Yarosh’s illustrated children’s book, A Bridge Named Amos, the true, inspiring story of his hero and late service dog, Amos.

For more on Sweethearts & Heroes, find them here on social media