An amazing duo of cape-less superheroes, including a Vestal resident and Purple Heart recipient, will emerge upon Glenwood Elementary School to show students and educators how they can spread HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist) in their classrooms — and beyond.
The Sweethearts & Heroes team of Tom Murphy, director of Sweethearts & Heroes, and Rick Yarosh, Retired U.S. Army Sgt. and Purple Heart recipient, visited Glenwood students on January 9, 2023, and presented their message in two assemblies.
Mr. Yarosh was deployed to Iraq in December 2005. In September 2006 he was severely injured by an improvised explosive device (IED). He spent six months at Brooke Army Medical Center fighting through second- and third-degree burns on more than 60 percent of his body. His right leg was amputated below the knee and he also lost both ears, his nose, multiple fingers and most function in his hands. He spoke to the students about how he lost hope during his recovery, but was grateful to the people in the hospital who pushed him to get better. He also was frank about the aftermath, of leaving the hospital, feeling hopeless, and not wanting to leave his home because he was aware that the way he looked scared children.
He and Murphy explained that "Sweethearts" give hope to other people, and through various scenarios helped the students see that they have Hope inside of them to give to others. One of the ways is to stand up when they see someone being bullied or excluded because they are different.
"We are all different," said Mr. Yarosh, "and being different is not a bad thing!"
They showed the students techniques for safely helping someone who was being intimidated or excluded... techniques they called "bully drills." These included
A = Away (Take the vulnerable person away without confronting the aggressor.)
B = Better (Approach the person after the negative encounter and try to find ways to make them feel better.)
C = Confront (Confront the situation or Call for help.)
The duo acknowledged that to step up and be a Hope Hero made them vulnerable, but reminded the students that you can choose to give Hope.
Even without a specific incident to react to, the students were encouraged to find ways to accept and include others that they typically might not interact with... They told the kids "Superheroes include everyone! Superheroes accept everyone!"
For 15 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has presented to more than two million students in school districts from New England to Hawaii. For more information on this program, visit www.sweetheartsandheroes.com