Emoji cards aim to help students with emotions

BATTLE GROUND — To help children not feel alone in how they’re feeling during the pandemic, Chief Umtuch Middle School’s DREAM Team developed a social-emotional campaign featuring emojis on a series of trading cards that will be distributed to students. The cards will feature one emoji, ranging from happy to sad to “meh,” to help students identify and process that feeling. There will be a new card with an emotion on it each week throughout winter break. The DREAM team partnered with Battle Ground Public Schools’ Nutrition Services department to include the cards once per week in the grab and go lunches that are distributed on specific campuses each school day. As a precursor to the campaign, and inspired by Suicide Prevention month in September, the DREAM team distributed 800 cards in sack lunches to encourage students to “A.C.T.” if they hear someone talking about hurting themselves or others. A.C.T. stands for Acknowledge, Care, Tell, and the cards instruct students to Acknowledge by listening to your friend; Care by letting your friend know you care; and Tell a trusted adult so they can help. “I’m excited to help my peers in whatever small way I can,” said team member and eighth-grader Addisyn Heller. “If we were back in school learning in person and I saw a friend or fellow student in distress, I would want to try and help them get back to a positive place.”