“Happy Minds Happy Kids”
For the 2024-2025 academic year, Americans Helping Americans® awarded $4,000 American Helping Teacher grants to four educators at schools in Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee with high percentages of low-income students participating in the federal government’s free and reduced-price meals program.
Among them is Tammy Spoon, a school counselor at Bean Station Elementary in Bean Station, Tennessee, a Title I school with 425 student,s where 80 percent qualify for the meals program, who used her grant funding for a program she calls “Healthy Minds Happy Kids.”
Transforming Hearts and Minds in Rural Tennessee: The Impact of One Grant at Bean Station Elementary
At Bean Station Elementary, nestled in a rural corner of Tennessee, school counselor Tammy Spoon saw a challenge—and an opportunity.
In a community where 80% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch and many are raised by grandparents or relatives, childhood often arrives carrying the heavy weight of adult burdens. “Many of our students have difficult home lives and often experience many traumatic events. Due to this, these students have trouble acclimating to the classroom/learning environment,” Tammy shared. “Because we are in a rural area, there are few extracurricular activities available separate from sports.
But with a $4,000 American Helping Teacher grant from Americans Helping Americans®, Tammy launched an initiative that would ripple through the entire school community: “Healthy Minds, Happy Kids.”
Building Emotional Resilience, One Student at a Time
Tammy’s vision was simple but powerful: teach children how to understand and manage their emotions, and give them a safe space when it all became too much.
Using the Zones of Regulation framework, she held monthly sessions for students from Pre-K to 6th grade, helping them recognize feelings and develop calming strategies. The results were immediate and visible. Children began to talk about “getting back to green,” identifying when they were anxious or angry, and supporting one another with kindness.
A School-Wide Celebration of Mindfulness
One of the most memorable moments came during Mindfulness Day, a celebration of calm, creativity, and connection. The school buzzed with joy as children blew bubbles, painted their faces, played with interactive lü boards, and practiced presence. “The students thoroughly enjoyed the day,” Tammy reported. “It gave them tools and joy they rarely get.”
Notes of Encouragement, Straight from the Heart
In preparation for the high-pressure TCAP assessments (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program), Tammy personally wrote a note to every single student taking the test, each one paired with a sticker bearing an encouraging message. It was a small gesture that meant everything.
A Refuge for Emotional Safety
But perhaps the most transformative use of the grant was the creation of a sensory room—a haven for students overwhelmed by emotion or trauma. “This room was used daily,” Tammy said. “It became a sanctuary where students could self-regulate before returning to the classroom.” Teachers praised it as a lifeline, especially for learners who struggle to find peace at home.
Measurable Success, Heartfelt Impact
Teachers completed the Universal Behavior Screener three times throughout the year. The results were clear:
A significant decrease in high-risk behaviors.
Tammy believes the program’s components, from guidance lessons to the sensory space, made that difference.
Voices of Gratitude
“The fun and engaging items in the sensory room allow students to experience different tools for self-regulation than they could at home. The guidance lessons have been very effective for student behavior as well as expectations in the school environment. Many of my students are seen having personal discussions about the Zones of Regulation and the strategies they can use to get themselves into the ‘green.’”
— Conor Lamb, 2nd Grade Teacher
“The zones have been good for our kids, knowing the colors and different emotions, and it goes along with our curriculum that the state approves for us—Connect Four.”
— Alivia Gibbs, Pre-K Teacher
And as for Tammy herself, “I truly believe all the things done with this grant money improved our school environment this year. “I feel the students have learned about emotions and ways to manage those emotions, and with the safe space, they have a place to go to when they need help regulating emotions.”
A Grant That Gave More Than Funds, It Gave Hope
In Tammy Spoon’s hands, a small grant became a catalyst for cultural change. She didn’t just bring a program to her school—she ignited a movement toward emotional literacy, trauma-informed care, and whole-child wellness.
The message is clear: When you invest in kids’ hearts and minds, you empower their futures.
