Students Are Taught How to Be A Super Hero

On Jan. 29 students at Terrace View Elementary arrived to school dressed as their favorite super heroes. These super heroes were welcomed with positive posters held by teachers, parents, Colton Unified School District (CJUSD) Board of Education President Pat Haro, Grand Terrace Mayor Darcy McNaboe, Grand Terrace Councilmember Jackie Mitchell, and Colton Police Department (CPD) officers Navarro, Carillo, Smith, and Yzaguirre. All had gathered as part of the Super Hero Day Program. The program, designed to promote anti-bullying and teach self-esteem to students in elementary and middle schools, includes eighteen schools within the CJUSD, as well as, one school in Rialto and another in the San Bernardino Unified School District. The Super Hero program is a primary initiative under the CPD's Kids2Cop program, whose focus is to serve the youth by creating and instilling positive programs within the community, as well as, within the youth. The program launched in 2014 and this is the second year the Super Hero Day Program has been running. “Our goal is to start this in the elementary level and middle school level, so that when they get to the high school level, we have already instilled certain values in them to help them make the best decisions,” said CPD's Officer Todd Smith. The program has since expanded to also include: • Avondale P.D., Arizona • Clark County School District, Nevada • Colton School Security • Fontana P.D. • Ontario P.D. • Phoenix P.D., Arizona • Rialto Police P.D. • San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department • San Bernardino School Police • San Bernardino County Probations • San Bernardino City School Police “When we started this out we had a plan to involve all of our schools, it wasn’t until we started looking at the parents as they were dropping their kids off and their excitement, along with the staff excitement, and all those involved when you participate in one. That’s when you start to realize how easy it can be spread from one location to another from the excitement of those who participate,” said Smith. The Superhero Day begins with positive music outside the school and the students arriving in super hero clothing. The school’s staff, teachers, PTA members, and Board members will be out front holding positive posters with messages like “Smile,” “You are loved,” “Be a Hero,” or “Make a difference.” This is the portion of the program allowing students to feel good and build self-esteem. “It is amazing what a kind word can do for somebody and how impactful it is,” said CJUSD, Board of Education President Pat Haro who makes a point to attend every Super Hero Day, usually as Wonder Women. “I think for the kids it allows them to feel like they matter,” Haro said. “The program provides that love. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, we all have the capacity to matter—to be special. All of our kids are special and they are told that.” Additionally, the day consists of two assemblies broken down between the kindergarten through fourth grade, and fourth through sixth. The assemblies bring the students together to see visual examples and demonstrations of bullying. “The assembly will cover anti-bullying information and positive self-esteem messages,” Smith said. “The goal in that assembly is to get the kids to do the majority of the talking through their answers and examples. That has proven to work really well.” Prior to the event students are given a week to design a poster with a message against bullying. These posters are entered into a contest with the winners announced at the assemblies. Officers Smith and his partner Rico Carrillo, judge the posters and awards prizes to the winners in each grade level. Additionally, all those who create a poster receive a certificate for participating. “Students are encouraged to create with their own anti-bullying message,” Smith said. “The posters are a way we get all the students to not only go through the day of anti-bullying, but to personalize it with their own message. It is a good way to think about it on an individual level, not just participate in it.” “I really enjoy the poster portion,” said Terrace View Elementary, Vice Principal, JoAnn Grier. “I enjoy reading the posters and what the students have to say on bullying. It helps to understand what they’re thinking and what their experience is at Terrace View.” After the event, the school has planned to display some of the posters around the school to keep the message going. “For example a poster read ‘be a hero stand up for the bullied,’ it told us that the students have the confidence to stand up to bullying and that their experience at Terrace View is positive,” Grier said. “It’s in their words, not an adult telling them how feel about it. It reinforces the message that much more.” In addition to police and fire department presence, Grand Terrace Mayor Darcy McNaboe and City Councilmember Jackie Mitchell attended the recent Grand Terrace event. Each showed their support for the event and wore costumes for the day, McNaboe as Batman and Mitchell as Wonder Women. “I love how they included the kids in the program and used peer-to-peer messaging," Councilmember Mitchell said. "The reinforcement from having faculty, staff, parents, law enforcement and community leaders spreading the message added to that. We want them to know you matter, you count. We know it and we want you to know." For Terrace View Elementary, PTA member, Julia Firnkoess, the presence of members from varied portions of the community including parents, dignitaries, and first-responders meant a great deal. “There is a clear message of support when the community stands together and works to be kind to each other,” Firnkoess said. “For a program like this, it is important that the community is strong in supporting the school and reinforcing the ideas. Visibility is important and we appreciate everyone coming out.” The impact from the program and messages taught are leaving an impact according to Smith. “I definitely have seen the impact. From the parent’s perspective, I think it is really good for them to know that even if they don’t participate in the anti-bullying days, that the District it taking it so serious that they are having the message spread in all the schools. They have posters in the classrooms. They are taking action.” For Officer Carrillo, the program has left a personal impact. “Having the opportunity to give this message to the kids, is what means the most to me right now,” Carrillo said. “When we first started this program I had no idea we would be doing these assemblies and more so to my surprise to see it grow the way that it did. As a police officer you want to make a positive impact on the community you are in. I feel fortunate that I have been allowed this position, to work with this Department and create this program for the kids. I can look back on my career and say that I was able to help, not just the community but specifically the youth, in addressing a social issue like this." “I think the take away students have from a program like this is that anyone can be a hero,” Haro added. “Be a hero, everyone has the capability to be one, you don’t need super powers to be one. By being a good person, being good to others, you are one.”