Positive Messages from Kids Make Hotline a Hit

Positive Messages from Kids Make Hotline a Hit Healdsburg,California Students at an elementary school in California, with the help of their art teacher, created a telephone hotline that people can call to get cheerful advice from kids during difficult times. In just days, the hotline began getting thousands of calls an hour. The hotline is available in English and Spanish. It offers the happy voices of children of different ages sharing positive messages. For example, by pressing 3, you can hear a group of kindergartners saying together: “You can do it! Keep trying, don’t give up!” Pressing 4 triggers the sounds of children giggling and laughing – a sound certain to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Two cards announcing and giving details on the PepToc Hotline, saying 'Call Today! 707-998-8410' Students at an elementary school in California, with the help of their art teacher, created a telephone hotline that people can call to get cheerful advice from kids during difficult times. In just days, the hotline began getting thousands of calls an hour. Most people agree that with concerns like Covid-19, extreme weather, and the climate crisis, the last couple of years have been stressful. In the last month, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, things have become even more tense. Jessica Martin, who teaches art at West Side School in Healdsburg, California, thought her students just might have the magic words needed to bring calm to people in these difficult times. Ms. Martin, along with artist Asherah Weiss, worked with students at West Side on a project they called “PepToc”. Actually, they called it “Pep Talk” first. But when Ms. Martin’s 6-year-old son drew an ad for the hotline and spelled it “PepToc”, they decided they liked that even better.