New Rochelle Teacher Honored Statewide for Dove Self-Esteem Work That Boosts Kids’ Body Confidence

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (December 7, 2025) — A New Rochelle middle school health teacher has been named a “Health Education Section Amazing Person” by the New York State Association for Physical Education, Health, Recreation, and Dance for her work with the Dove Self-Esteem Project.

Richelle Calderon, who teaches at Isaac E. Young Middle School, received the honor Nov. 20 at the association’s annual conference. The Dove Self-Esteem Project, now in its 20th year, promotes body confidence and self-esteem in students by focusing on what the body can do rather than what it looks like.

Calderon is part of the project’s national cadre of trainers and recently filmed a 45-minute class that teachers can use to introduce the curriculum in their own classrooms. In October 2024, she appeared on the Drew Barrymore Show as a “Drew Gooder” for her efforts to build student self-esteem.

“I have always loved school,” Calderon said. “I’ve always loved learning. I have had some amazing teachers. School was my happy place. I want to be that for my students.”

Calderon said she first discovered the Dove Self-Esteem Project at an education conference where participants were asked to name something they liked about themselves that was not physical. The exercise struck a chord with her and led her to explore the curriculum further.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project provides written and video lessons that help students build body confidence and resist discrimination. Topics include how professional media images are manipulated to reflect appearance ideals, how focusing on appearance can lead to unhelpful comparisons, and how to reframe conversations for a more positive impact on body confidence.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.