Liberty Elementary School welcomed Sweethearts & Heroes co-founders Tom Murphy and Rick Yarosh on June 12 as the district continued its commitment to building empathy, connection, leadership and belonging among students.

Murphy and Yarosh began the day with an engaging hourlong presentation for students in grades 1 through 4. Through personal stories, humor, role plays and meaningful lessons about courage, kindness and human connection, students learned the importance of treating others with respect, recognizing the impact of their actions, and understanding that everyone has the ability to be a hero in someone else’s life. First grader Austin Vogler was proud to learn from the assembly that “it’s OK to be different. Rick was different, and he showed us it is OK.”

Following the assembly, Murphy worked alongside Liberty Middle School students who recently completed the Sweethearts & Heroes BRAVE Peer Mentoring Program, highlighted in the district’s June 11 story. Murphy visited six elementary classrooms where Circle activities provided opportunities for students to build relationships, practice active listening, develop empathy, and engage in meaningful conversations that strengthen classroom communities.

Fourth-grade teacher Nicolina Shormis reflected on the experience, sharing, “The kids in my class all have different home lives, so when they were asked to talk about their heroes it was nice to see the kids open up with their peers. There were even some tears, and the kids were very supportive of each other, which is not always the case.”

At the same time, Yarosh visited six additional elementary classrooms, leading question-and-answer sessions with students. Drawing from his own remarkable journey of perseverance following severe injuries sustained while serving in the military, Yarosh encouraged students to face challenges with courage, resilience and a positive mindset. Students eagerly participated, asking thoughtful questions and learning valuable lessons about overcoming obstacles and supporting one another.

The lessons shared by Murphy and Yarosh resonated long after the presentations ended. First grade teacher Taylor Perez recalled reading a story to her class later that day in which students discussed a situation involving one peer being mean to another. During the conversation, student Danna Sanchez Portillo applied what she had learned from the Sweethearts & Heroes presentation, explaining, “We learned that to be bullying it has to be over and over, and these kids in the story were just having a bad day.” Perez noted that the interaction demonstrated students’ ability to distinguish between isolated conflicts and bullying behavior, one of the important concepts emphasized during the visit.

The visit reflects the ongoing partnership between Liberty Central School District and Sweethearts & Heroes, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to reducing bullying, strengthening school culture, and empowering students to become leaders through empathy and human connection. Rather than focusing solely on preventing negative behaviors, the Sweethearts & Heroes approach emphasizes creating positive school communities where students feel seen, valued, and connected.

The June 12 activities also served as a continuation of the BRAVE Peer Mentoring Program, which trained Liberty Middle School students to become role models and mentors for younger peers. By bringing middle school student leaders into elementary classrooms, the district is creating authentic opportunities for students to practice leadership while fostering positive relationships across grade levels.

The work aligns closely with Liberty Central School District’s mission to empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential. Through programs such as Sweethearts & Heroes and BRAVE, students are developing the social-emotional skills, confidence, and leadership abilities needed to make meaningful contributions both within their schools and beyond.

As the Sweethearts & Heroes partnership continues to grow throughout the district, students are learning that leadership is not defined by titles or positions, but by the everyday choices they make to lift others up, build relationships, and create positive change within their school community.