Our proven, proactive program helps school administrators create a positive environment.
These efforts empower students to build emotional intelligence, bring about change, and grow into socially responsible leaders.
Children everywhere are struggling socially, emotionally, and academically. They live in a world where they’re bombarded daily with peer pressure, social media influences, bullying, and academic stress. Feelings of being all alone, along with the desire to fit in and succeed, are leading our children to take dangerous and devastating actions, from alcohol and drug abuse to violence and suicide.
These issues have naturally woven their way into the school fabric, tasking administrators with finding ways to combat them. Imagine what your school’s culture could be like if you could take a proactive rather than reactive approach to these problems?
The Heroes and Cool Kids social emotional learning program is focused on not just fighting back, but getting to the root of the problem. It helps students deal with seemingly overwhelming challenges by taking a leadership approach. Using a two-prong method, we teach students:
Skills to build confidence, courage, and character
How to become role models to help end substance abuse, bullying, the negative effects of peer pressure, and other dangerous behaviors.
What Makes our Programs Different
Innovative “lead by example” model
Learning goals based on the U.S. Department of Education Core Curricular Standards for Character Education
Trainers who possess skills that top leaders exhibit
Proven results – more positive school environments and higher levels of success in life
Social Emotional Learning Programs that Combat Bullying and So Much More
The Heroes & Cool Kids Student Leadership Program (High School Students)
The Heroes and Cool Kids program develops character and promotes making healthier choices inside and outside of school by using a teaching / role model approach.
How the Program Works
A school representative selects student Heroes based on their academic achievement, extracurricular participation, and positive contributions to the school. These Heroes are trained to respond in more positive ways to:
Our program’s learning goals are based upon the US Department of Education Core Curricular Standards for Social and Emotional Learning. No other program that we know of provides the instruction and skill building opportunities that Heroes and Cool Kids does. And our program goes further than others, guiding the High School Heroes as they learn to mentor 5th and 6th graders, including those who are “at risk” as well as high achievers.
The program has been shown to help create more positive school environments, and the Heroes tend to be more successful in life. This is why districts bring us back year after year and students compete for the coveted openings in the program.
Sidekicks® Program (Middle School Students)
Our Sidekicks® program is an age-appropriate curriculum for the training of 8th grade student leaders who then mentor 4th graders to encourage making better and healthier choices.
How the Program Works
School administrators hand-select 8th graders who:
- Have shown integrity
- Want to participate
- Maintain good academic standing
- Are positive role models
- Exhibit good behavior
- Demonstrate communication skills
- Show leadership qualities
Our Sidekicks® program uses a proactive approach by focusing on lessons about kindness and empathy, and by discussing “Real Fun” (games and playing) vs. “Fake Fun” (drugs and cyber-bullying).
The Sidekicks® program can be brought into your school or district as a standalone program or as an addition to our Heroes and Cool Kids Program.
Combined Heroes and Sidekicks® Program
This expanded program allows Heroes & Cool Kids to remain a constant for students from elementary through high school. While each of our programs is created as a standalone curriculum, you achieve maximum positive impact by combining both together.
The combined program provides continuous learning. And, through the (guided) mentoring of the students in the program for their peers and younger students, the school system can achieve more positive social and emotional learning and growth for students between the 6th and 12th grades.
Because we have seen the exponential benefits of combining these two programs, we currently offer a discount for scheduling these programs together.
