During the month of July I have had the pleasure of working with the staff and young people of Teen HYPE (Helping Youth by Providing Education). It is perfect that this flourishing non-profit includes HYPE in the title. Inside their Midtown campus walls is a very hyped-up organization where Detroit youth are encouraged to utilize theatre and artistic expression as a way to educate and drive their creative spirit. Teen HYPE staff is focused on empowering young people and believe that through \u201cleadership development, educational enrichment and the power of learning through service,\u201d that Detroit youth will be better prepared for their life journey.<\/p>\n
When I introduced myself to Teen HYPE and asked for the opportunity to partner on\u00a0the July Impact Project, they were more interested in understanding me as a person and second as a young professional their nonprofit could lean on. The relationship, as opposed to \u201cworking relationship\u201d immediately allowed me to empathize with the process in which they get to know the young people of Teen HYPE. It\u2019s powerful. And ended up being the best way for me to connect with this unique non-profit in an organic fashion.<\/p>\n
So what is my July Impact Project you may ask!? As I mentioned earlier, Teen HYPE is invested in the success of their young people but is looking for new, creative ways to present what success looks like and how different people arrive at this so called success. One major way young people arrive at success is through earning a college degree; however young people face many different obstacles while earning a degree. My July Impact Project will propose two ways Teen HYPE can go about presenting what these obstacles look like. First, through a year-long speaker series where each month Teen HYPE invites someone from their community to share their story with this year\u2019s class, and second, through an interactive game known as The Big 8, where young people work in pairs and are exposed to 8 scenarios relating to academic, financial, social, and emotional obstacles\u00a0young people may experience\u00a0during\u00a0their first year of college.<\/p>\n