Salt Lake Community College Bruins

Throughout time and in every culture, HEROES with character have been revered in tales, written about in literature, viewed on the big screen, and looked to as role-models.  Never in the history of the world, has there been a more profound need for heroes – men and women educated in integrity and empowered to tackle society’s most pressing issues - in every community, home, school, and boardroom.  Introducing KNOW GREATER HEROES.

Know Greater Heroes addresses this problem.  It provides and cultivates the grounds in which heroes can grow.   THE MISSION is to empower communities with an engaging program that awakens the hero within each of us, thereby assisting all to succeed brilliantly through life's challenges.

The Know Greater Heroes Leadership Academy began at Salt Lake Community College in 2005.  Know Greater Heroes is a 501(c) (3) Non-Profit, Charitable Organization developed to serve, build and empower people in communities throughout the world. The ultimate vision of the organization is to positively affect the lives of all elementary school children, their families, and the college student-athletes who serve them.  The Heroes share a positive message through active presentations that leave a message to be active, eat healthy, choose education, and that each individual is their own Hero!
 
The Know Greater Heroes Leadership program is an academic class presented to the student-athletes at Salt Lake Community College.  KGH is a central focus of the SLCC Athletic Department student-athlete development and community outreach.  The Bruin student-athletes are involved in a hands-on leadership training course for twelve weeks prior to sharing this knowledge through a high-energy, action-packed, educational elementary school assembly.  Elementary students in the Salt Lake Valley are given the opportunity to hear, feel, and see leaders and mentors with character in their own community. Each elementary school child will be INSPIRED with the love, courage and the determination necessary to be their own greatest hero. 
 
"The training that I received in Know Greater Heroes has been a huge blessing in my life.  I have learned to be more confident in myself and my great potential.  I have learned to be comfortable when I am uncomfortable, especially in speaking in front of others.  Since leaving Heroes and graduating from SLCC I have gone on to graduate with my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education.  I have always had fears in speaking and presenting things in front of others.  Heroes helped me to see past my fears, pinpoint what things were holding me back from greatness, and truly overcome what I needed to in order to be at the point I am now.  I will always remember, use, and build on the things that I have learned from being a part of Know Greater Heroes."
Nicole Newbold – Heroes 2011, SLCC Women’s Basketball


The Leadership Academy
 
Student-athletes from the Salt Lake Community College athletic teams are selected to be a part of the Know Greater Heroes Leadership team each academic year.  Athletes from the baseball, cheer, softball, men’s basketball, volleyball, and women’s basketball teams join together to become an empowering force for the local and campus communities. 
 
The Know Greater Heroes leadership program is a PERSONAL, SYSTEMATIC approach for each member to get to know themselves so they can make positive decisions that will determine their successful future.  The Heroes are involved in a hands on training leadership course that challenges each of them to get out of their comfort zones to define their own beliefs.  The college athletes are involved in singing, dancing, and a high energy board break that allows them to overcome fears and to have breakthroughs that they will be able to share with the elementary students.
 
Know Greater Heroes is NOT about changing you. 
It is about KNOWING yourself, and then BEING you.
 
The instructors of the program desire that each student-athlete will learn to become their best selves on a daily basis.  That as they learn to apply the ultimate success formula, as taught in class, they will be able to pass on this experience to the schools they visit to perform their assemblies.  Recognizing that “The past does not have to equal the Future” helps all involved recognize that no matter the current circumstances of the elementary students that we visit, they are able to become their own individual hero with the right mentors and focus.   
 
Ultimate Success Formula

1. Know your outcome
2. Why do you want it?
3. Massive Action Plan: Take Massive Action
4. Is it working?
5. Change your approach.

 
Our decisions will determine our destiny and the program provides for student young and old to have positive experiences that will help them make wise choices.   What the students choose to focus determines what they see, feel, hear, and ultimately do.  The heroes course teaches pattern of communication utilizing physiology, tonality and voice quality that will benefit the student-athletes on the court or field of competition as well as when they progress into the world of leadership and business.
 
"Know Greater Heroes has benefited me by teaching me to set short and long term goals and to always keep focused during my season.  It helps me off the field too, with anything I am striving for.”
Dominique Taylor, 2011 Heroes – SLCC Baseball, Professional Baseball Player
 
 
The Assembly – Community Presentation
 
 
The Hero student-athletes perform 30 plus elementary school assemblies each academic year.  Over the last ten years the SLCC Know Greater Heroes have positively impacted over 175,000 students and their families in the Salt Lake Valley.  The presentation is high energy and includes dancing, singing, and speaking skits performed by the college student-athletes.  Each individual elementary student will have personal interaction with the college athletes throughout each assembly. 
 
The presentation shares various messages through song, dance, and acting.  The elementary students are taught 1) to be active 2) to make smart nutrition choices when they eat 3) that drugs are a trap, you don’t need drugs to have fun 4) education is a key to success, stay in school, and 5) that they are their OWN VOICE.
 
The educational presentation has the overall goal to help each individual in the elementary to recognize that they are their OWN VOICE, that even at a young age they can have a positive impact on their friends, family, and community.  Each of the students is taught to live healthy and active lives, to eat a balanced and healthy diet, that drugs are a trap, and to be their own voice.
 
There are many challenges in today’s world with bullies, drugs, alcohol, and distractions.  The HEROES bring a message that “The past does not always equal the future.”  No matter the current circumstances of the individual student they can be their OWN VOICE.  Than can LEAD in their homes, they can CREATE relationships and a positive atmosphere overcoming the negative of bullies, they can BELIEVE in their own abilities to help themselves and others to be successful; ultimately they can SET NEW STANDARDS of excellence for themselves and their families.    


NOW I AM THE VOICE. 
NOW I AM THE VOICE. 
I WILL LEAD NOT FOLLOW. 
I WILL BELIEVE NOT DOUBT. 
I WILL CREATE NOT DESTROY. 
I AM A FORCE FOR GOOD. 
I AM A LEADER. 
DEFY THE ODDS. 
SET A NEW STANDARD. 
STEP UP!  STEP UP!  STEP UP!
 
“I don't even know where to begin with my love for the Know Greater Hero program. Not only did it have a huge impact on the kids in our assemblies, but it has had an even greater impact on my life. It has contributed to positive change in my life. I believe I can be a better person because of KGH. I believe KGH is an inspired program.”
CJ Spjute, 2014 Heroes - SLCC Men’s Basketball