Wellsville Secondary School students spent two days learning how to help classmates who feel isolated during a Sweethearts & Heroes visit Oct. 19 and 20 for National Bullying Prevention Month.
The visit paired an assembly about hope, empathy and action with a second day of circle-based communication, according to a news release from Sweethearts & Heroes. Geneva-based H. Richardson & Sons helped sponsor the program through its 5th Wire Program, a partnership with Buckingham Manufacturing in Binghamton.
From an assembly to small-group conversations
Tom Murphy and Sgt. Rick Yarosh led the visit. Murphy, the organization's director, is based in St. Albans, Vermont. Yarosh is a Purple Heart recipient from Vestal who was severely burned while serving in Iraq.
The Oct. 19 assembly focused on HOPE, the organization's acronym for “Hold On, Possibilities Exist.” Students were encouraged to recognize when others need support and take action to help them.
“We don't just want students to sit and listen to a presentation about what bullying or hopelessness looks like — we want them to realize they already have the superpowers to change the culture around them,” Murphy said in the release.
On Oct. 20, the team introduced its Magic of S.M.A.R.T. Circle program. The organization describes the circles as a way to practice communication, compassion and teamwork, with the aim of preventing hopelessness, bullying and suicide.
Geneva sponsor supports school visits
H. Richardson & Sons, an electrical utility contractor, launched the 5th Wire Program in 2024. The company and Buckingham Manufacturing also supported Sweethearts & Heroes visits to Auburn and Olean schools during the 2025-26 school year.
Cheryl Richardson, the contractor's CEO, said Murphy and his team had worked with employees through presentations and circles before the company helped bring the program to schools.
“It is all about being aware of people's ‘back story’ and being curious instead of judgmental,” Richardson said in the release. “Trust is a hard thing to build, and Tom and Rick just sneak in and get it started in some powerful way.”
The organization says it has reached nearly 3 million students over more than 17 years, with programs across the United States and Canada. It also offers workshops for businesses, nonprofit organizations and civic groups.
Murphy co-wrote “13 Pillows for Affective Teachers” with Brian McKeon Jr., focusing on hope, empathy and action. Yarosh's children's book, “A Bridge Named Amos,” tells the story of his late service dog.
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