As part of National Bullying Prevention Month, the Corinth Central School District hosted a special event aimed at empowering students with compassion, empathy, and hope. The nationally recognized organization Sweethearts & Heroes hosted by Corinth CSD on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Thursday, Oct. 10, brought its unique approach to combatting bullying and promoting positive cultural change in schools.
Sweethearts & Heroes is a dynamic organization that strives to prevent bullying, hopelessness, and suicide through presentations and programs that focus on essential human interaction skills such as empathy, compassion, and teamwork. The organization’s message centers on the principles of HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist), empathy, and taking action. These values form the foundation of Sweethearts & Heroes’ programs, designed to equip students and educators alike with the tools to create lasting, positive change in their school communities.
The presentations included several core components, including their signature HOPE and empathy program, the Circle—a practice rooted in ancient communication rituals designed to foster connection and understanding—and the BRAVE Youth Leadership Program. BRAVE trains older students to lead by example, teaching them how to conduct bully drills that they can then share with younger peers. This approach helps create a sustainable, student-led initiative that can extend beyond the school walls and into the larger community.
Sweethearts & Heroes is led by a passionate team of presenters, including Tom Murphy, the organization’s Director and Founder from St. Albans, VT, Ret. U.S. Army Sgt. Rick Yarosh, a Purple Heart recipient and motivational speaker who overcame severe injuries sustained in Iraq, and Pat Fish, the Director of the BRAVE Program and Circle Specialist from New York.
Through these events, Corinth students were encouraged to cultivate empathy and compassion, transforming their classrooms into spaces of understanding and support. By empowering students to become leaders in their own communities, Sweethearts & Heroes aims to create a lasting impact not only during National Bullying Prevention Month but throughout the school year and beyond. Members from Sweethearts and Heroes will return in December to continue to empower students to be compassionate leaders.