Following the unexpected week off due to severe weather, Poolesville High School’s HERO club wanted to do something to make the return to school a little easier: thank the teachers who worked to make the return trouble-free. HERO club wrote appreciation letters to staff members throughout the building, recognizing teachers who helped students feel welcome and supported at the start of the semester.
School Counselor Mrs. Melissa Nagy, the sponsor of HERO Club, stated that the idea came directly from the students during a meeting on the first Wednesday back from the unexpected break.
“It was hard coming back,” commented Nagy. “They were like, we should do something where we recognize the teachers that made a difference.”
The initiative was organized by seniors Sam Lewis and Theodore (Ted) Doto, leaders of the club. During a following HERO club meeting, members were given time to write thoughtful notes to staff members who had positively impacted them.
“The club members were given 10 minutes to write a thoughtful, multi-sentence letter to a staff member,” said Doto. “The students delivered the notes to the staff and took a picture.”
Teachers’ reactions showed just how meaningful the gesture was.
“The staff members were so happy to receive heartfelt letters from students,” commented Doto.
Nagy said appreciation from students can be especially impactful because it’s personal.
“Students don’t realize how much it means when they say thanks, cause it’s genuine,” explained Nagy. “Teenagers don’t say things that they don’t mean. So when they tell you something that you’ve made a difference, it’s heartfelt because you know it’s true.”
The letters reflected part of HERO club’s mission to “help everyone” and “respect others” in the school and the community. Nagy believes student-led efforts like these are more impactful because teenagers often notice when peers are struggling before adults do.
“For teenagers, they’re around teens, whether it’s on sports teams, in classes, on social media, more than any of the adults,” said Nagy. “So we have to empower the teenagers.”
Founded in 2011, HERO club originally focused on mentoring middle school students through the Project Change program. They eventually started mentoring elementary school students, too. Over time, the club expanded its work to include mental health advocacy and community-building initiatives at Poolesville.
In 2021, the club partnered with the national organization Our Minds Matter, which focuses on youth mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and created Falcon Minds Matter. The partnership between Falcon Minds Matter and HERO club helped expand the kindness initiatives.
Doto, who joined HERO club as a freshman after encouragement from Nagy, said the club has grown significantly since he first joined.
“Since my freshman year, we have expanded greatly from about 15 people per meeting to now over 30 per meeting,” explained Doto. “We are also much more involved in our local schools of John Poole Middle School and PES, in addition to Poolesville High School.”
One way they’re involved with PES is through lessons given to the students by HERO club members. For three weeks in Jan. and Feb., they teach the students topics such as communication styles, kindness, and wellness. During these visits, high school students lead discussions and activities with younger students.
According to Nagy, the elementary students are often engaged and excited to interact with the older students.
“They’re such good role models,” said Nagy. “The kids will say a goal is ‘I’m going to join HERO club.’”
The mentorship also benefits the high school students, who learn the impact of small acts of kindness.
“I think they learn that, like, I feel better because I’ve made a difference,” said Nagy. “They walk out of those elementary school lessons, like, it just empowers them, and it’s contagious.”
“I enjoyed seeing the topic of mental health through the eyes of younger students,” added Doto.
HERO club leaders are already planning additional initiatives for the remainder of the school year, including another We Belong Week and new kindness-focused activities across the school community.
Doto is working on new activities for this year’s We Belong Week, following last year’s success of the kindness-focused week. Lewis is organizing a kindness scavenger hunt in which students will complete various kindness activities throughout the school. Senior Charlie Gleason, another leader of HERO club, is working on a county-wide kindness chain to connect all the schools in one mission.
HERO club meets during lunch on Wednesdays in the Career Center.
