GREENSBORO, N.C. — Christopher Carroll teaches physical education at Sternberger Elementary School in Guilford County. For the last nine years, he’s enjoyed teaching his kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
Three years ago, he created the HOOT Initiative. It stands for “Helping Ourselves and Others Thrive.”
“Groups couldn’t go out and we couldn’t come in because of COVID,” Carroll said. “It seemed like the day was not that exciting. I started thinking about what we could do to help these students with their mental health and make them excited about coming to school at a time that wasn’t exciting.”
The mission of this initiative is to provide students with opportunities to cultivate skills and develop strategies to become well-rounded individuals who care for themselves and others.
Sternberger Elementary has special “HOOT Days” several times a year to learn and practice good character and self-care.
“With our helping others, we’ve made over 850 kindness kits for the Urban Ministries and the Interactive Resource Center,” Carroll said. “We made over a thousand bags for the Out of the Garden Project last year. This year we are working with Project Linus in making blankets for children who need a little warmth and security.”
Carroll said it’s important students also learn to put themselves first.
“There’s a lot of discussion about mental health right now and sometimes we forget to look out for ourselves,” Carroll said. “By offering opportunities like splatter paint, cosmic bowling, or mini golf, we’re letting these kids kind of blow off some steam.”
Carroll is Guilford County School’s 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year.