Courage isn’t about slaying dragons or standing on a stage with all the answers. Courage is about showing up, being seen, and letting ourselves be vulnerable enough to care. And when it comes to raising a generation of empathetic, resilient leaders, courage might be the most important lesson we can teach.
Since 2017, L.O.V.E. Is The Answer has been building bridges between communities, police, schools, and families across the nation. Our mission is simple but radical: remind people that what gets taught gets learned, and what gets learned gets practiced. And if we teach kids to lead with empathy, compassion, and love—we’re shaping not only their futures but the future of our society.
This spring, we launched a new program that’s been years in the making: Kona Club. And what happened inside the walls of Lake Elkhorn Middle School in Columbia, Maryland was nothing short of extraordinary.
What Is Kona Club?
Kona Club is more than an after-school program. It’s a leadership development experience for children and teens, carefully designed to meet them at their stage of life—with age-appropriate activities for elementary, middle, and high school students.
The program is rooted in Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which research consistently shows improves academic performance, reduces behavioral challenges, and increases empathy and teamwork. But what sets Kona Club apart is its heart.
At its core, Kona Club is about practicing the four L.O.V.E. principles in everyday life:
- LEARN about the people in your community.
- OPEN your heart to their needs.
- VOLUNTEER to be part of the solution.
- EMPOWER others to do the same.
These principles aren’t abstract theories—they’re lived experiences that students practice through projects, conversations, and acts of kindness.
Courage, Connection, and a Bag of Rocks
For six weeks, a dozen middle school students at Lake Elkhorn gathered once a week for 90 minutes. Each session built on the last, weaving together lessons in empathy, compassion, leadership, and courage.
At the end of the cohort, they put their learning into action with a simple but powerful project: painting L.O.V.E. Rocks.
Each student painted small rocks with words of encouragement, hope, and love. Some took their rocks home as reminders of what they had learned. Others hid them around the school for classmates to discover—tiny acts of kindness designed to brighten someone’s day.
Principal Brian Wallace called the results “outstanding,” and Community School Site Coordinator Cindy Drummond echoed his enthusiasm. But the true measure wasn’t in the rocks—it was in the way the students carried themselves, with greater compassion for each other and a stronger sense of responsibility for their community.
Why This Matters
If you’ve ever watched kids navigate the social jungle of school, you know how tough it can be. Bullying, exclusion, cliques, “othering”—these aren’t just playground problems. They’re early rehearsals for the way we show up in adulthood.
Research from CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) shows that students who participate in SEL programs demonstrate:
- 11 percentile-point gains in academic achievement
- Improved classroom behavior and stress management
- Decreased emotional distress and conduct problems
But SEL isn’t just about improving test scores or reducing discipline referrals. It’s about shaping humans. It’s about helping kids learn that empathy isn’t weakness—it’s strength. That compassion isn’t soft—it’s courageous. That leadership isn’t about being in charge—it’s about lifting others up.
Kona Club takes those truths and translates them into lived experience.
The Four Principles in Action
LEARN about people
The first step toward empathy is curiosity. Students in Kona Club learn to ask better questions, to listen deeply, and to seek understanding before judgment. This simple shift can change the dynamics of a classroom, a friendship, even a family.
OPEN your heart to their needs
Opening your heart requires vulnerability—the willingness to be moved by someone else’s story. When kids learn to open their hearts, they discover that connection isn’t about similarity—it’s about compassion.
VOLUNTEER to be part of the solution
Leadership begins when we stop waiting for “someone else” to step in. Whether it’s offering to help a classmate, standing up against bullying, or contributing to a group project, students practice being the solution.
EMPOWER others to do the same
The final step is multiplication. True leadership isn’t about what you achieve alone—it’s about what you inspire in others. Empowering peers to act with empathy creates ripples that spread through classrooms, schools, and communities.
The Results So Far
The first Kona Club cohort at Lake Elkhorn Middle School showed us what’s possible:
- Improved teamwork and camaraderie
- Reduced bullying and “othering”
- Stronger community and belonging
- Emerging leadership qualities in students
And this is just the beginning.
Scaling the Movement
After years of development and testing, we are ready to expand Kona Club into:
- K–12 schools nationwide
- Youth community centers
- Ministry programs
- Nonprofit organizations
- Juvenile detention centers
Every child deserves the chance to learn how to lead with empathy. Every community deserves the ripple effects that follow.
The Courage to Invest
Bringing Kona Club to a community requires resources. A six-session cohort for 20 students costs about $4,000, covering materials, snacks, swag (t-shirts, backpacks, slap bracelets, stickers), administrative support, and a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
But here’s the truth: we can’t afford not to invest in this. Because the cost of unchecked bullying, disengaged students, and disempowered kids is far greater.
Funding can come from schools, PTAs, local governments, chambers of commerce, foundations, philanthropists, or even a simple GoFundMe campaign. Where there’s will, there’s always a way.
Why Now?
We live in a divided world. Our kids are watching us, learning from the way we handle conflict, difference, and power. They’re picking up cues about whether empathy matters, whether compassion has a place in leadership, whether courage and kindness can coexist.
Kona Club is our chance to teach them a different story. To show them that leadership begins not with control, but with connection. That courage isn’t about winning—it’s about showing up with love.
How You Can Help
- Champion Kona Club in your community. Bring it to your local school, youth organization, or ministry.
- Partner with us. Connect us with decision-makers who care about kids and communities.
- Support financially. Help fund a cohort through your business, PTA, foundation, or personal giving.
- Spread the word. Share our stories, videos, and photos. Invite others into the movement.
Conclusion: Love Is Always the Answer
When those middle school students painted L.O.V.E. Rocks, they weren’t just making art. They were practicing courage. They were embodying empathy. They were leading with love.
And if we want to change the future, we need more of that. More rocks hidden in hallways. More kids willing to step into leadership not by demanding power, but by offering compassion. More communities that believe in teaching empathy as a core skill, not a side lesson.
It’s never too early—and never too late—to teach our kids how to love their neighbor. Because at the end of the day, the bravest leaders are the ones who choose love.
Want to bring Kona Club to your community? Let’s talk.
📧 Contact us at trylovenow.com
🐾 Learn more about Kona the L.O.V.E. Dog: Kona the L.O.V.E. Dog
📸 See photos from our first-ever cohort: Facebook Album
🎥 Watch Principal Brian Wallace’s message: Vimeo Video
#LoveIsTheAnswer #KonaClub #trylovenow #loveistheanswermovement #wwbmovie #walkingwhileblack #walkingwhileblackthemovie #ajaliloves #alohaman #SEL
