Find The Courage: Bystander Positive Impact Program is based on the Courageous 7, which are seven diverse and effective strategies students can use to make a positive impact when they see someone being mistreated.  They are taught the Courageous 7 strategies with options to use them in a direct or indirect way.  Students can feel safe and empowered.

The third graders just finished their 30 day challenge: "Keep it kind 1000 times".  For 30 days they were to keep track of every time they were kind to someone.  They received T-shirts to encourage them to participate.  At the wrap up, Molly Creamer the Executive Director and Co-Founder visited and brought two guest speakers: Adam who is a senior Dartmouth Baseball player and Mark Coogan, 1996 Olympic Marathon runner and Dartmouth Girls’ track coach.

The third graders reflected on the Find the Courage experience and made posters.  After reviewing the posters Molly shared the following:

“Susan, being her creative and amazing counselor self, created a great follow up activity where she asked the students to  1) draw their favorite Courageous 7 strategy and 2) draw a way they have #keptitkind.

Their words and drawings were not only precious, but wise, thoughtful and powerful. I was blown away, impressed and so touched reading what they wrote for The Courageous 7 drawings. (I was teary).  Susan made the great point that they "got it," thanks to YOU GUYS. I wanted to share with you some of the great things they wrote and will make a collage sometime soon of all their great work :)

"Pay attention is when somebody is sad and you make sure they are okay."

"Paying attention is walking up to someone that is crying and asking them if they are okay."

"Finding your inner peacemaker is when someone says or does something mean and you say that you like them right in the middle of the scene."

"If people aren't being nice don't just keep walking, try to get them to be friends."

"Build em up - make someone feel better."

"When your friend and you are outside and you see a person you include them in and play with them."

"Stand together, all it takes is one voice"

"Ask if you want them to play, if they are lonely."

"Standing together means if one person stands up and then a bunch more people stand up it can make a much bigger difference."

"Build them up is if someone said something mean, you tell them something nice."