Missouri’s Hannibal. As the new school year begins, the United Way of the Mark Twain Area is showcasing the efforts of organizations that deal with school-aged children.
The Hannibal Alliance for Youth Success, or HAYS, helps families in the Hannibal School District by meeting their basic needs, including food and mentoring. The third annual back-to-school fair sponsored by HAYS will take place on Thursday, August 14. The Hannibal Middle School gymnasium will host this year’s fair from 2 to 5 p.m.
Attendees can receive a haircut or free school supplies. Along with other community organizations, MOCHIP will be present. Families and children alike can take part in games and activities.
All Hannibal public school kids from Pre-K through 12th grade are welcome to attend the fair, according to Andrea Campbell, the district’s communications director.
“We started it as part of HAYS as a way to collaborate with community members post COVID, to get school supplies into our students’ hands more efficiently and effectively,” Campbell stated via a press release. Additionally, to truly link students with community resources in addition to school materials.
Families may find that meeting and learning about those neighborhood options is a crucial opportunity. Knowing which local agencies exist and what they do is a crucial piece of knowledge. “It’s really the only time of year that we get to have all of our partners and community organizations come in and meet our families,” Campbell says.
This year, the school fair will take place on Thursday instead of Saturday morning due to scheduling issues. According to Campbell, families are urged to contact their principals or send an email to the HAYS organization at [email protected] if they are unable to attend the school fair. Families will have access to school supplies because to HAYS. HAYS is assisting families in getting ready for the upcoming school year in this way.
HAYS will begin putting together and delivering Buddy Packs in September. According to Campbell, Buddy Packs is undoubtedly still in existence, and the demand for them is rising. On the weekends, Buddy Packs give students meals, which could contain things like cereal, peanut butter, crackers, fruit cups, or microwaveable macaroni and cheese.
Peanut butter drives are one of the simplest methods for organizations to donate to the Buddy Pack initiative. Peanut butter containers can be delivered to the Hannibal School District’s central office. The most costly food item in the Buddy Packs is peanut butter. According to Campbell, HAYS is always appreciative of financial contributions as well. We place bulk orders for everything else.
Additionally, HAYS provides students with a mentorship program. According to Campbell, our school counselors match a person with a student in our school system who needs a little more one-on-one time with a positive role model. This is how the mentoring program operates. In terms of academic fields, mentors do not require any particular expertise. Meeting with pupils one-on-one and developing a positive relationship with them is the main goal of the mentorship program.
We always aim to link a mentor with a young student so that they may meet once a week and that relationship will develop every year, says Campbell. By the time they reach middle or high school, the student has not just a role model but also a confidant and a friend who supports them through the various phases of life. When it comes to social and emotional requirements, just that additional help makes a big difference. The impact of a positive role model is invaluable to pupils. They offer the additional support that so many children could require. If you would want to be a mentor, send an email to [email protected].
HAYS continuously considers the requirements of families and students. Throughout the year, they have committees that work on various projects while also considering potential new initiatives that could address a particular need.
Visit the HAYS (Hannibal Alliance for Youth Success) Facebook page to find out more.
