WINDSOR, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) - A local hero returned to his alma mater today with a powerful message about doing the right thing even in the face of peer pressure.

Retired Army Sergeant Rick Yarosh is a teammate of the organization Sweethearts and Heroes, which held an assembly at Windsor Middle School Wednesday morning.

Sweethearts and Heroes is an anti-bullying program that focuses on empowering bystanders to overcome their fear of being judged by their peers and intercede when they witness bullying.

Yarosh, who was badly burned in an explosion while serving in Iraq in 2006, is a proponent of HOPE, an acronym that stands for Hold On, Possibilities Exist.

He and his partner Tom Murphy have brought their message to more than 2.5 million students over 17 years, but Yarosh says coming back

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