Format
Poster Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
The Citadel Graduate College
Second Presenter's Institution
The Citadel
Third Presenter's Institution
The Citadel
Fourth Presenter's Institution
The Citadel
Fifth Presenter's Institution
NA
Location
Meet & Greet Poster Reception (Harborside)
Strand #1
Social & Emotional Skills
Relevance
Today, heroes come in many forms, transcending age, gender, and all types of people. Students have a wealth of information available in determining who their hero is. Choosing one that encourages well-being and compassion for others may have positive social and emotional outcomes for students. This five-session Heroism-Themed intervention provided students with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a hero and how to identify a positive one. This intervention promoted the “HEART” of social and emotional skills by addressing topics like self-esteem, self-efficacy, character education, student empowerment, and positive identify development.
Brief Program Description
Is it possible to teach students about heroism? This presentation will examine how a five-session intervention influenced at-risk students’ understanding of a hero. Outcomes from the study may be of interest to educators, administrators, and counselors who encourage students to find positive role models in the community.
Summary
The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a five-session heroism themed outreach in Title I elementary and middle school students enrolled in summer programs. The intervention is called the summer SHARE program, which stands for School Heroism Activity for Remembrance and Engagement. The program is designed for children to have a better understanding of what it means to be a hero. The objective is to provide students with the ability to recognize a hero in their personal life whose positive characteristics can be emulated. This outreach also allows Title I students the opportunity to interact and learn from college students, which may give students the idea that higher education is an option. A survey before and after the five sessions measured the development of students’ concept of heroism through the summer SHARE program.
Participants in this study were 56 students in Charleston, SC, ranging in age from 7-14 and grade from 3rd-8th. The sample was 45% male and 55% female. The sample was 93% African-American and 5% Caucasian. Participants in the SHARE program were in enrolled in one of four different academic, extended school year programs designed to reduce the loss of acquired knowledge and academic practices over the summer. Those who attend this poster session will get an understanding of the construct-based curriculum, learning outcomes of students, and improvements to the intervention in the future. Sample materials and activities of the replicable program will be shared.
Evidence
Following the five week, five session summer SHARE program, paired samples t-test indicated that children had a more developed understanding of the definition of a hero t(55) = -1.936, p <.058. This supports Zimbardo’s (2011) claim that heroism is not an innate characteristic and can be learned, taught, and modeled. Paired t-tests also demonstrated that children were less likely to endorse stereotypes of heroism including “you have to risk your life to be a hero” [t(55) = 3.028, p < .058] , and all heroes are famous” , t(55) = 3.451, p <.001.
Biographical Sketch
Nathan Adams is school psychology graduate student at The Citadel and a graduate of Clemson University. He has experience as a crisis counselor, special education teacher, research assistance, and volunteer coordinator. Following the completion of his degree he plans to pursue a career in school psychology with the goal of increasing the availability of mental health services for students.
Dr. Lori Fernald is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Licensed School Psychologist who is an accomplished practitioner and scholar in school psychology. The replicable SHARE curriculum she developed has been documented to positively impact thousands of children in Title I schools.
Dr. Conway Saylor is the Director of Service Learning and Civic Engagement and a Professor of Psychology at The Citadel. In her 38 years as a clinical child/pediatric psychologist she has engaged with children, adolescents and families around clinical intervention, research, service, and advocacy.
Mike Akers is a 2019 graduate of the Citadel who is now serving a year as a full time Community Engagement Fellow. His collaboration on this project included the development of a complimentary “Peer EXPRESS program that engages students in service to their communities.
Keyword Descriptors
Heroism, Social-Emotional Learning, Intervention, at-risk youth, Title I
Presentation Year
March 2020
Start Date
3-9-2020 4:45 PM
End Date
3-9-2020 6:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Adams, Nathan; Fernald, Lori; Saylor, Conway; and Akers, Mike, "The Impact of a Heroism-Themed Outreach with Title I Summer Program Students" (2020). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 43.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2020/2020/43
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, School Psychology Commons
The Impact of a Heroism-Themed Outreach with Title I Summer Program Students
Meet & Greet Poster Reception (Harborside)
Is it possible to teach students about heroism? This presentation will examine how a five-session intervention influenced at-risk students’ understanding of a hero. Outcomes from the study may be of interest to educators, administrators, and counselors who encourage students to find positive role models in the community.
