“Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.” – Dennis Prager
This past year reinforced that teaching our children the lesson above makes a real difference. Showing goodness in how we treat others changes the world, one interaction at a time. At Wear the Cape, we call this being BETTER THAN THAT™, or embodying heroism by standing up for what is right and choosing kindness over bullying.
We received countless messages from parents, teachers, and children in 2017 sharing how Wear the Cape has changed their lives, or the lives of those around them, for the better. One parent, in tears, relayed her son’s story. For months his classmates bullied him, but he didn’t tell anyone for fear that it would get worse. After watching Wear the Cape’s Hero Assembly, this first grader gained the skills and confidence needed to stand up to those tormenting him. He also made the choice to tell his parents, teachers, and guidance counselor, who all worked together to help resolve the situation.
This past year, the number of Hero Assemblies that Wear the Cape has brought to schools throughout New Jersey climbed to 41. Students as far as Sarasota, Florida learned how to STOP and THINK whether their decisions will HELP or HURT – and the assembly was even featured on Suncoast News! Sycamore Drive Early Education Childhood Center in Hazlet, New Jersey was so impressed with Wear the Cape’s assembly that they created a presentation based on the program for their November Board of Education Meeting. Wow! What an honor.
In 2017, Wear the Cape was also thrilled to create and publish its first children’s book titled, It’s Good To Be Kingd, written by Lauren DuBois Rosemond and illustrated by Marco Cutrone. Many bloggers praised the book, and many a home and classroom have enjoyed hearing the story of Leonard the Lion—admired by all other animals as King of the Jungle—who wears a red cape and uses his power and status to make a positive impact on those around him..
Additionally, children in Paterson, Bound Brook, and Camden are reading It’s Good To Be Kingd in their classrooms, as Wear the Cape’s kidkind Foundation gifted books to underprivileged areas as part of its initiative to donate 1,000 books to Kindergarten classrooms across the nation. It’s Good to Be Kingd can be purchased on Amazon.com or Wear the Cape’s website, where copies can also be donated.
What’s more, Wear the Cape introduced two new Hero Items this fall: the “Don’t Bottle Up Your Love” Thermos and our Kindness Spinner. Both can be purchased in our online shop!
At Wear the Cape’s annual holiday fundraiser, 30 elementary, middle, and high school-aged kids volunteered their time and talents to make the night a huge success. Children greeted guests with big smiles and even bigger hearts, as guests brought gifts for orphaned children at the NJ Children’s Home Society and donations for our troops overseas, which will be shipped via Operation Cares NJ.
Wear the Cape has its sights set on another giant goodness-making initiative in 2018. On the heels of great success with our elementary level presentation, we will be developing an assembly for middle school students. Be on the lookout for the big reveal this spring!
Restoring the power of kindness and heroic character is our mission at Wear the Cape…and words can’t describe how it feels to hear that our mission is being accomplished. Our team is beyond grateful for all you have done to show our youth that they can be heroes every day and to spread kindness throughout our communities. Love, after all, is the only way to win against hate.
Let’s fill the world with warmth this holiday season! And we wish you a happy, healthy, heroic 2018!
In kindness,
Leigh Ann Errico