The following five-phase outline of our programs is our recommended approach to implementing and sustaining a Sweethearts & Heroes culture in your school and community from the ground up. However, we know schools, districts, administrators, educators, and students are all at different stages and dealing with different challenges. Thus, while this is our recommended progression, we always encourage you to select options and programs that will work for your community of students and educators.
Implementing our Circle practices and shorter B.R.A.V.E. or S.T.E.P. programs, in particular, is frequently enough to create and sustain healthy relationships, stronger networks of support, and a positive impact on the social determinants of health.
PHASE 1 - INTRODUCTION
ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS (YEAR 1)
The Signature Sweethearts & Heroes Experience
We deliver day-long and multi-day experiences that spread a message of HOPE, Action, student empowerment, and empathy activation. We know each district is different, but the signature Sweethearts & Heroes experience is for all!
For new schools, we recommend bringing in Sweethearts & Heroes for a one-day, two-day, or three-day visit to deliver our signature K-2 (40 minutes), 3-5 (60 minutes), and 6-12 (90 minutes) presentations and offer a glimpse of our culture-building and community-changing Circles.
For partner schools and those wanting to embed the Sweethearts & Heroes message into your school regularly, we offer an array of Circle packages, youth leadership programs, and CTLE professional development experiences for administration, educators, and staff alike.
Our work meets multiple learning standards, including those related to Storytelling, Teamwork, Leadership Skills, Wellness, Life Skills, Bullying Prevention, and Character Education.
The Assemblies (K-12)
Middle/High School | Grades 6-12 | 90 minutes
Our Middle and High School presentation is about humanity, reversing the degradation of empathy in our world today, and empowering young people to make a difference. The crux of the Sweethearts & Heroes message centers on five “Bully Buttons” that combine to form a call to action against bullying and apathy.
Dive into a world of new perspectives and learn what it takes to become Sweethearts (those who give HOPE) and Heroes (those who Jump into Action) to help those who are emotionally, socially, and psychologically on fire.
Late Elementary | Grades 3-5 | 60 minutes
Our late elementary presentation is designed to raise awareness of bullying and teach students how to recognize it. We call it the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” of Bullying, focusing on simple role-playing scenarios to train students on what to do when they witness bullying. The fun, engaging activities entertain and impart a message relevant to students, leaving a lasting impression. Most importantly, we give them a plan and the tools to carry HOPE and ‘Jump into Action’ to help those in need!
NOTE - Also suitable for 6th graders.
Early Elementary | Grades K-2 | 40 minutes
Our early elementary presentations teach your students the basics of bullying, how to stop it, and what it means to be accepting of those we see as different from ourselves. Through the power of play and our exciting Bully Drills, we give your young Sweethearts and Heroes the superpowers they need to help those feeling down or being mistreated.
The best part? It’s as simple as the ABCs!
Recommended Small Group Sessions
Circle with Tom
Perhaps our most important work is Circle. Have Tom run our unique Circle experience with select groups of students and educators, 5th grade and up! Check out more on our Circle work here!
Q&A with Rick
Rick Yarosh has experienced challenges few know. Invite Rick to travel to student classrooms to discuss how he dealt with adversity, and let your students ask him ANY question they can think of!
S.T.E.P. HS Certification
The Sweethearts & Heroes message from day one has been about empowering our youth to be the change the world needs. Our Student-Teacher Empathy Program certification takes 15-20 high school students through the ins and outs of our 1st-2nd and 3rd-5th signature student assemblies. We help them tailor this message to their superpowers and then have them deliver these assemblies in small group (classroom) formats to all students, 1st-5th, sparking the next generation to be the change and continuing to sustain the message of Sweethearts & Heroes at a whole new level. It’s our message delivered by students, for students.
In addition to S.T.E.P. reaching every student at your elementary level, this program is the perfect segway for these high school students to “STEP” into our initial B.R.A.V.E. youth leadership 6-week program.
PHASE 2 - CIRCLE
ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS (YEAR 1-2)
What is Circle?
Circle is a powerful tool and ancient process. It brings people together, encouraging active listening and breaking down barriers. It forges new bonds and intergroup connections, creating a culture of belonging. Circle cultivates open networks, protecting against insular echo chambers. It's a space that grows empathy and compassion, where participants can practice vital social and emotional learning skills. Ultimately, Circle is a transformative growth practice that helps individuals and communities grow closer, establish positive norms, and develop critical human skills for individual and collective well-being.
We provide Circle Training Experiences built around our unique elements, experiences, and tools to help you become what we call a Master Weaver or facilitator of Circle.
Circle Training
Admin and/or BOE Circle Training | 1-2 Days
Applying a top-down onboarding process is vital if you want to make long-lasting, sustainable changes in your school and community (which all our programs and work are about). Bringing awareness to your school administrators or board of education about our Circle work and leadership programs is essential to bring institutional “buy-in” and systemic implementation. We believe all community members should be on the same page, participate, and understand how and why these practices work in improving the lives of our students and educators.
Educator/Staff Circle Training | 1-2 Days
Designed for educators and school teams who want to learn how to use the “Magic of Circle” during lessons or school meetings to bring empathy, compassion, and security to their classrooms and school buildings. We dive into the value of Circle, their effectiveness in strengthening connections, and their role in nurturing empathy and compassion, significantly transforming your educational environment. We’ll show you how to run our unique brand of Circles and what steps truly make our Circles different from others across the education system and provide you with all the materials you will need to run our Circles with your students and colleagues, all housed in our online learning platform, The HOPE Classroom.
Student-Teacher Circle Training | 1 Day
We recommend that all educators who attend this training undergo our foundational training first. The Student-Teacher Circle Training (for elementary, middle, and high school) focuses on bringing your students and educators together to cultivate a Circle culture in your community and bridge the generational divide that often causes challenges in school. Circle offers a unique opportunity to bring these generational cohorts together, blending the wisdom of experience with the energy of youth to help your community spark change. Providing your students with the tools to implement Circle is part of this solution to changing the world.
Recommended Programs
Monthly/Bi-Monthly S&H Expert Circle Visits
Our Circle visits are typically two days in length, and we most often recommend a monthly or bi-monthly visit to establish a consistent Circle culture in your school and give your students and educators experience with our Circle experts. During these visits, we’ll run Circle all day, focusing on cultivating relationships through spaced repetitive practice, promoting vulnerability, empathy, and trust, and building networks of support.
PHASE 3 - LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION
ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS (YEAR 2-3)
The B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System
B.R.A.V.E. is a student leadership program focused on 1) student empowerment, 2) empathy activation, and 3) the SEL core competencies. B.R.A.V.E. is uniquely designed to take young student leaders who can impact their school and build a culture and community of H.O.P.E. and Action through peer modeling, mentorship, and influence.
Learn useful, life-long skills! The B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System covers a wide range of topics. Learn how to become a Circle expert, understand how the brain learns best, and gather strategies around leadership that will last a lifetime!
Build powerful relationships! The B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System is all about relationships. Develop new connections with your fellow B.R.A.V.E. students, and even cultivate relationships with younger peers through age-mixed learning!
Take control of your own education! The B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System is built around a self-directed, self-controlled, student-led environment and project-based material that gives YOU the power to focus on your interests and your autonomy!
Most importantly, have fun! Taking the fun out of education might be called abuse! Everyone loves to have fun, and the B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leadership System makes this the foundation of our program with our original Bully Drills, Circle Activators, and much more!
Foundational Programs
B.R.A.V.E. 6-Week Program | Grades 7-12
The B.R.A.V.E. 6-week program (one day per week for six consecutive weeks) introduces a group of 15-20 student leaders to Circle work and Bully Drills fundamentals. After an initial training day, each week the program focuses on one of the five Human Skills (SEL core competencies). These students will implement vital age-mixed play-based learning by traveling to individual elementary classrooms to work with younger students utilizing mini-Circles called Hero Huddles and prepared Bully Drill scenarios. In addition, our B.R.A.V.E. program facilitator will also continue working with other students and educators in Circle.
B.R.A.V.E. Buddies 6-Week Program | Grades 5-6
Our Buddies version of this program works with late elementary and early middle school students, catching them at perhaps the most important transition of their lives. We like to say the mean switch goes on at about the 5th grade, and this B.R.A.V.E. program is perfect for helping guide these students as they begin to navigate the challenges of adolescence. Just as with our regular 6-week program, we take 15--20 of your high influencers and have them work with students at 1st and 2nd grade to facilitate Hero Huddles and Bully Drills.
Recommended Programs
Train the Trainer Circle Training | 3 Days
If you’re looking to create a sustainable Circle culture and offer in-house training to future staff and students, our Train-the-Trainer Circle Training is what you're looking for. We recommend that all educators attending this training undergo our 2-day foundational training experience first and complete many hours of facilitating Circle. This 3-day intensive training is designed to prepare an elite Circle team in your school who will be able to train new Circle facilitators for years to come.
PHASE 4 - LEADERSHIP ADVANCEMENT
ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS (YEAR 3)
B.R.A.V.E. 101 Yearlong Class
B.R.A.V.E. 101 is our first year-long high school program. We utilize Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) to educate students on the five core B.R.A.V.E. modules (Circles, Empathy, Feynman Technique, Brain Rules, and Leadership) and demonstrate how each is found in Play.
