HYPE Hangout 1 Was A Blast!

Hancock Youth for Positive Efforts (HYPE) is an adult-guided, youth-led initiative that empowers middle and high school students to lead engaged, healthy, and positive lifestyles. A partnership with the Hancock Resource Center and the Hancock Community Coalition, HYPE serves as a resource and platform for students and community members dedicated to promoting safe and healthy environments for our youth.
 
HYPE Hangout 1 was held on September 12th, 2020. Sixteen HYPE members volunteered to spend a Saturday decorating trash cans with positive messages and encouragement to lead a healthy, drug and alcohol-free lifestyle as middle and high schoolers. Hangout 1 was hosted at the Bay St. Louis Creative Arts Center thanks to the hospitality of Steve Barney and his staff, who were both welcoming and supportive of the students’ mission! This project is an expansion of an earlier venture by past HYPE students, which resulted in several of the painted trash cans placed throughout downtown Bay St. Louis.
 
Fourteen trash cans were created in total and can be found on all of the Hancock County middle and high school campuses (Hancock High School, Hancock Middle School, Our Lady Academy, Holy Trinity Catholic School, Bay Middle School, Bay High School, and St. Stanislaus College). The HYPE members worked hard to develop thoughtful and bright designs, and had a blast bringing them to life!
 
The purpose of HYPE Hangouts is to provide fun, safe, and substance-free opportunities for sixth through twelfth graders in Hancock County to serve the community while building the foundation for successful futures. The four HYPE pillars are communication, commitment, passion and courage. Each HYPE Hangout incorporates these values into activities and conversations centered on living substance-free while aspiring to be the best possible version of oneself.
 
Hancock Youth for Positive Efforts are present at each of the seven Hancock County middle and high school campuses, and new members are always welcome. For information on how to get involved as a student or coalition member, and what it means to #believethehype!, please email Cathy Pitalo at cpitalo@hancockhrc.org.