Lauren DeMarco, prevention educator for the Family Recovery Center of Lisbon, is meeting with kindergarteners at Southern Local Elementary to discuss social-emotional topics such as self-esteem and emotions. She is pictured here reading to students about the importance of being kind as little Ava Smith looks on. (SubmiLauren DeMarco, prevention educator for the Family Recovery Center of Lisbon, is meeting with kindergarteners at Southern Local Elementary to discuss social-emotional topics such as self-esteem and emotions. She is pictured here reading to students about the importance of being kind as little Ava Smith looks on. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE — The Family Recovery Center put the “kind” in kindergarten as the Aiming High program kicked off for February.

Lauren DeMarco, prevention educator for grades K-2 at the Lisbon-based organization, is making weekly visits to the classrooms to speak to students on social-emotional topics including bullying and self-esteem. She stopped by Feb. 9 to address kindness and read the book, “How Full is Your Bucket?”

The book centers on a little boy who learns that each person has an invisible bucket that carries their feelings, and the happier they are the fuller the bucket. He then realizes that being nice to others his own bucket is filled. DeMarco also completed a project with the class in which they identified illustrations of people being kind and unkind, such as sharing or arguing. She explained to the children that while their teacher educates them on reading, writing and math, her job was to discuss social-emotional issues.

“I will be back for three more lessons,” she said. “We also talk about communication, self-esteem and emotions.”

DeMarco shares lessons at elementary schools throughout Columbiana County and said she and colleague Ashley McLaughlin have also spoken to grades 1-4 at Southern during the fall.

“Each grade gets a specific lesson in social-emotional skills. There are four 30-minute sessions,” she added. “It’s really tailored to the grades and we usually have a book [in kindergarten] that correlates with the subject.”

The Aiming High program is funded by the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. It has been held at area schools, including Southern, for more than two decades.