2024-25 Acts of Service Winners
This years Acts of Service winners have been announced. Below you will find all the winners and some information about their submission.
Overall Winner
Suicide Prevention Campaign
Hoover High School
Hoover City Schools
Unfortunately, our school has experienced the raw and horrific pain that comes when a friend chooses to take their own life. Because of this pain, the Peer Helpers at Hoover High School - through lots of hard conversations - came up with ways to encourage their peers to seek help and recognize that they matter to their teachers and one another. After much collaboration, difficult conversations, and lots of work, the Peer Helpers implemented our Suicide Prevention Campaign for our entire school.
Here was the plan:
1. Flyers in the bathroom stalls, abover water fountains, and densley populated areas of the school that had a video embedded in a QR code from our counselors. (video and flyer are in this application)
2. Two videos were created and shared through our crew classes (homerooms). One video (in this application) was designed to remind students that teachers care for them. The second video (not shared - not enough space) was created to show that pain still exsist to others if someone chooses to take their own life.
3. Peer Helpers filmed instagram stories sharing how suicide has affected them personally. These were real and raw. They were powerful.
4. Instragram posts were made about how to help a friend struggling with suicide.
5. Peer Helpers presented in Crew classes (homerooms) about what to do if someone had a friend that was considering suicide.
Show the Way - Primary - Co-Winners
Peers with a Purpose
Leighton Elementary School
Colbert County Schools
The LES Peer Helpers Program is a student-led initiative for 4th through 6th graders, designed to foster leadership, responsibility, and community engagement. This program allows students to take on key roles within the school, helping to create a supportive and inclusive environment. Each participant is assigned to one of four roles: Reading Buddies, Breakfast Buddies, Morning Greeters, or Backpack Club. These roles rotate every nine weeks, giving students the opportunity to gain diverse experiences throughout the year. 1) Reading Buddies: Older students are paired with kindergarteners to read books aloud and discuss the stories, fostering early literacy and a love for reading. 2) Breakfast Buddies: These students assist younger peers in the cafeteria, helping with meals, reinforcing good manners, and creating a welcoming atmosphere. 3) Morning Greeters: Positioned at school entrances, they welcome students, staff, and visitors with smiles and positive energy, promoting a warm and friendly school culture. 4) Backpack Club: This group distributes food bags to students in need for the weekends, ensuring that every child has access to essential nourishment. The LES Peer Helpers Program is a year-round initiative that makes student leaders visible throughout the school. By participating, students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and gain a sense of community and service. The program positively impacts both the helpers and the students they assist, strengthening relationships across grade levels. Through this contest application, we aim to highlight the success of the LES Peer Helpers Program in fostering a caring and engaged school environment. Winning this contest would further support our mission to nurture young leaders and expand opportunities for meaningful student involvement.
Life is a Treasure!
Oxmoor Valley Elementary
Birmingham City Schools
During Red Ribbon Week, the Peer Helpers worked together to launch the "Life is a Treasure" Campaign to promote safety, drug prevention, and making positive choices. Each day, the school participated in themed dress-up days, adding excitement and engagement to the week. Peer Helpers visited classrooms and presented interactive skits focused on staying safe and saying no to drugs. Their engaging performances encouraged students to think critically about making healthy choices. Additionally, Peer Helpers led morning announcements, delivering daily messages inspired by the "Life is a Treasure" theme. In classrooms, students watched educational videos and completed Peer Helper-designed activities to reinforce the importance of living a safe, drug-free life. Red Ribbon Week School-Wide Scavenger Hunt One of the highlights of the week was the Red Ribbon Week Scavenger Hunt, an interactive activity designed to test students’ knowledge of safe vs. unsafe choices. On Monday, Peer Helpers delivered the first clue to each class to begin the scavenger hunt. Classes had the entire week to choose a day to participate together in the activity. The scavenger hunt included questions related to safety and drug prevention, encouraging teamwork and discussion. At the end of the scavenger hunt, students received a Red Ribbon Week prize prepared by the Peer Helpers.
Show the Way - Secondary – Co-Winners
Healthy Habits Week
James Clemens High School
Madison City Schools
When you tell a teenager not to do something it often results in them either not listening or wanting to do "that thing" more. So our Peer Helpers decided to put a different spin on "Say No to Drugs" and encouarge students to replace poor habits with healthier ones. Hence, "Healthy Habits Week" Teens typically won't stop doing something UNLESS they have something better to replace with it- and you don't know until you try! Our Peer Helpers provided opportunities throughout the week for students to participate in and grow healthier habits. This started with providing students with a creative outlet- you could come to the art hallway and participate in a school wide mural titled "Add Your Materpiece". If frawing didn't feel like your thing a student could come to the Food and Nutrition lab and get a "how-to" on how to bake chocolate chip cookies! Baking can be a creative outlet to take your mind of things and kids got to enjoy a cookie after! The enxt day was basically an outdoor recess during lunch and it was BY FAR the kids favorite day. Our Peer Helpers set up different stations for students to just move and be active in- volleyball, pickleball, four square, a pull-up contest, yoga, and yard games. We expected around 50 students and ended up having close to 900 students come outside and participate. Thee goal was to move your body, engage face to face with friends (without phones!), get some sunshine. It was a huge success. And the staff loved it, too! The next day was "I'll be there for you" where students could go and offer a helping hand to a teacher by giving back to them. Sometimes the best thing we can do to work through our stress and sadness is to give back to someone else. That always makes a person feel better and the kids really enjoyed giving back to their teachers. The last day was a dance party in the landing with Dr. D (our principal) during lunch. Who doesn't love a good dance party with their principal?! Even staff and our SROs got involved. A great way to finish the week!
Aiding the Crestfallen – “One Too Many”
Demopolis High School
Demopolis City Schools
“One Too Many” The Demopolis High School Peer Helpers are raising awareness about the importance of teenage mental health through a suicide awareness and prevention campaign. We live in a world where, when asked “How are you?” most people say they are “fine.” The reality is much different. Our peer helpers have created a campaign to make a difference to all of their peers. Our slogan is “Demopolis strong, together we belong; reach out, stay safe, and keep holding on.” Discussion of teenage mental health is often a taboo topic, but shoving feelings under the rug makes the situation worse. The peer helpers at DHS wish to not only raise awareness but also erase the stigma of getting much needed help. They have created “compassion kits” for students who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health crisis. These kits contain vital access to emergency numbers, breathing and calming exercises, stress-reducing activities, stress balls, and self-esteem boosting reminders. These kits are located outside of our counselors’ offices for any student who may have need of them. One student lost is one too many. Suicide is a preventable death; the DHS peer helpers want to do everything in our power to prevent even one student from getting lost in unimaginable thoughts. Our peer helpers have positive reminders of self-worth and care all throughout our school. We have a "Post Positivity" sign on each main hallway. We have created positive post it notes and put around each sign. We have also encouraged our student body to add to this wall of positivity. We have posters encouraging mental health care all around school. First, we can all start really conversing with one another. With all of today’s technology, we are more connected than ever, but we have never been so disconnected emotionally. Emojis are not emotions; human beings need connections. Our peer helpers encourage students and parents to talk with one another; have meaningful conversations. Let them know you care about them and their feelings. Listen…we know it is hard but really listen. Every human being yearns to really be heard, but teenagers are particularly vulnerable. Our peer helpers have researched the warning signs and included them in a newspaper article encouraging parents to look for these warning signs. In this article, they also encouraged parents to engage their teenagers in meaningful conversations to support positive connections for optimum mental health. Our peer helpers have encouraged positive conversations and connections with their peers in the hallways as well. We want our student body to know we are truly here for them. Mental Health is so important. In a world where we often feel helpless because we cannot control our circumstances, we can do so much to protect the mental health of our precious youth. Our peer helpers have delivered announcements with music each morning, as well as Monday motivational videos going out to the school each Monday in support of positive mental health. One is one too many.
Lend a Hand - Primary
S.A.I.L: “Students Assisting in Learning”
Mixon Intermediate School
Ozark City Schools
The Mixon Intermediate School Peer Helper Coordinators, and Math Coach collaborated to develop the S.A.I.L. Program: "Students Assisting In Learning". Students who score a 2, on their iReady Math Diagnostic, are invited to attend the morning program. Our 5th grade Peer Helpers, and a few 4th graders, assist students participating in the programs in the mathematical areas where growth is needed. We are very pleased with the program's growth, and plan to continue SAILing in the future.
Lend a Hand - Secondary
Peer Pals/Kindness Calendar
Greenville Middle School
Butler County Schools
Being able make friends or open up to others is not always an easy task, and some students have a difficult time because of reasons such as, learning disabilities, lack of social skills, or they could just be shy. Greenville Middle School peer helpers recognized the struggle and quickly came up with fresh ideas so that no student feels alone. Peer Pals is one of my favorites because I saw the impact it made on the student body. The students began to learn new things about one another such as their likes, dislikes, favorite color or food, ans so much more! Some students came to find out that they shared some of the same interests and started to do things together out side of the school setting. The Kindness Calendar also made a big impact here at GMS because we had no days off! We encouraged and challenged the entire school community to participate in this month long activity with us. Students and teachers extended love and kindness to each other using kind words (compliments), or even small gifts. This peer helper group has really made their mark on Greenville Middle School this year and students are asking when are we selecting a new group. Students are wanting to help others and be their best version of themselves. The peer helpers have shown that they are leaders and they will make the biggest impact that they can! I truly hope that The Peer Helper Program is here to stay.
Be the Good - Primary
Tyson’s Turnaround
Windham Elementary School
Daleville City Schools
Last year, Tyson was known for all the wrong reasons — getting in trouble, fighting during PE, spending time in ISS and even facing suspension. But behind that behavior was a boy who just needed someone to believe in him. With the unwavering support of his amazing teacher, Mrs. Floyd, and a family that never gave up, something incredible happened — everything started to click. Tyson chose a different path. This year, that same student — once doubted by many — was nominated to be a Peer Helper, and I couldn’t think of a more powerful example of what it means to be the good. Some questioned if he deserved the opportunity because of his past, but I saw something deeper — I saw what God’s grace and mercy can do in the life of a child who decides to grow. Tyson now walks our halls as a leader, encouraging others, showing kindness, and proving every day that your past doesn’t define your future. He reminds us all that when you choose to be the good, you don’t just change your story — you inspire others to believe they can too.
Be the Good - Secondary
A New Way - “Be the Good”
Centre Middle School
Cherokee County Schools
Student is describing how PeerHelpers has changed her perspective and her life.
A Creative P.A.T.H - Primary
A Mile in Their Shoes
Wilmer Elementary School
Mobile County Public Schools
As an extension to the P.A.T.H. Lesson L6.2 Compassion, students were challenged to practice empathy and compassion by stepping outside of themselves and placing themselves in someone else’s shoes—both literally and figuratively. To help deepen their understanding, each student was given a random picture of a pair of shoes, with the rule that they couldn’t choose shoes they liked, wanted, or that resembled their own. This forced them to imagine a completely different life from their own. The task was to envision who might wear the shoes, what that person might be doing, and how they might be feeling. Students then wrote a first-person narrative, imagining themselves as the person in the shoes they had been given. They detailed the experiences, emotions, and challenges they believed the person might face, speaking from that perspective. While some students were quick to dive into the exercise, others struggled at first, finding it difficult to imagine themselves as someone so different from their own reality. With scaffolding and thoughtful reflection, all students were able to complete the task, demonstrating growth in their ability to understand and empathize with others. The final challenge of the lesson was to extend this empathy practice into their daily lives. Students were encouraged to put themselves in the shoes of others they encounter—whether it’s someone who feels alone, hurt, anxious, or embarrassed—and consider how they could help. This extension encourages students to actively practice compassion in real-life situations, making empathy a meaningful part of their interactions with others.
A Creative P.A.T.H - Secondary
Creative P.A.T.H to Success
Dunbar Magnet School
Mobile County Public Schools
The 2024-2025 school year was Dunbar's first year implementing the Peer Helper Plus Program. Initially the program was presented to the staff. Staff were then trained on the Peer Helper Program. To provide training for the 20 plus selected kids, we had to be innovative and very creative. Since we are a creative and performing arts magnet school, remaining after school for lessons would be a difficult task to conquer due to the students' extracurricular activities, therefore we elected to complete trainings during the regular school hours. Each week we were able to meet during the 30-minute advisory time that is built into the school's schedule or right after breakfast to ensure that the students didn't miss academic class time but also allowed the peer helpers to complete their trainings to fidelity. The selected peer helpers had to be structured, task oriented, dedicated, and committed to the process. Lessons that were not completed during the advisory period were completed during our morning meetings or late in the afternoon. I would sometimes have to call the students back at the end of the day to complete some of the games and bonding activities. This requires flexibility, frequent interaction, and great communication from the peer helpers and the peer helper coordinator. After beginning the training there was no stopping my students. They were eager to learn the program, they were enthusiastic about helping their peers, and they were ready to get to work even before the training had been completed. The teachers bought into this program and have played a vital role in the implementation of the Peer Helper Plus program. The Peer Helper lessons have been completed weekly for the entire student population of over 300 students. We have been able to use the 30-minute embedded advisory time to complete lessons. Dunbar Magnet School teachers expressed that they were able to teach the lessons easily because the lessons were informative, the lessons provided insight for the students, were student friendly, and were easy to use. As the school counselor and the Peer Helper coordinator, the lessons have been assigned and provided for the staff based on the appropriate P.A.T.H. curriculum. Parent letters, notifications, and parent resources are disseminated using a program called Schoology. I have also set up student groups and parent groups to keep our parents informed about the program. Since so many of the students fail to check emails, the families having been enrolled in an app called "Talking Points". This keeps the Peer Helpers, and their parents informed on trainings, upcoming events, or for student and parent questions. In conclusion, I would say that our P.A.T.H program is on its way to being successful in its own right. Student Supported, Student Embraced, Student Growth, Student Acts of Service