Believe the HYPE!
Project HYPE is a male-mentoring program that runs parallel to the traditional school year. We run our programs in Southeast Queens and Nassau County Long Island. There are currently five branches under our not-for-profit, such as; Men of Elmont, STAND (Students Trained and Nurtured for Destiny), TWO (Together We Overcome)HYPE, and Respectful King’s. We’ve recently started operating virtually, combining all of the programs under the STAND branch in February for Spring 2021.
We offer a safe place that is set as a “second” home environment for our student participants. The students enjoy activities in small groups (team/family), and are assigned a main mentor (team leader) who serves as their guide. The group leader takes the students through a series of courses (the path) designed to grow the students in stages until they reach their “Rites of Passage” (graduation from adolescent to adulthood). Throughout the journey, the guide monitors each student in order to identify potential issues at home or at school, which challenges the student’s ability to learn. The guide also examines each student’s “life dream” which may be suppressed. These guides are then charged with bringing information to the “Village Elders” (teachers, social workers, parents, mentors, counselors and other community leaders) to create a cohesive plan to aid the students in going beyond the barriers in their life.
Accomplishing Goals and Objectives through:
- Homework help and tutoring
- Enrichment and recreation (trips to cultural institutions, games & ceremonies)
- Providing the opportunity for participants to discover unique characteristics of themselves and to build social skills and confidence
- Engaging program participants in youth development and service learning activities with the assistance of the program staff and mentor volunteers
- College and career prep
- Financial Literacy
In order to run an effective program our organization relies on the donations and funding received to provide uniforms, trips to cultural institutions, games, ceremonies, and college preparatory trips. These trips allow our young people to see different parts of our city and enriches and empowers our youths to create goals to achieve their dreams. We help launch our student’s dreams and encourage them to believe that they can be and do anything that they aspire to do with their life and future.