About Heroes & Cool Kids
WHO WE ARE
Heroes & Cool Kids, which began operating during the 1998-99 school year, is a not-for-profit organization based in New Jersey. The program utilizes the services of current and former professional athletes whose personal life experiences enable them to train high school student leaders.
WHAT WE DO
The athletes train high school students to mentor middle school students on important life skills, including sportsmanship, conflict resolution and positive lifestyle choices highlighting drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention.
WHEN WE DO IT
The program runs each school year from November until May.
WHERE WE DO IT
Heroes & Cool Kids is currently implemented in nine counties around New Jersey. The athletes and high school students make three site visits to the middle schools each year.
To prepare, the high school students must complete three training conferences before mentoring the middle school students. These conferences are held at the Vonation (Vonage in Holmdel, NJ) and at Bergen Community College in Paramus.
WHY WE DO IT
Mission Statement
"The goal of Heroes & Cool Kids is to promote pro-social behavior in students and to create a caring and disciplined school climate"
This program is successful because the elementary school students look up to their high school mentors as role models, making a positive impact on both.
