heARTS is thrilled to be part of this year’s Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership’s World Leadership Congress in Chicago, IL.  Our founder, Virginia Newsome, will be addressing the approximately 400 HOBY Ambassadors from all over the world as part of a panel speaking about Leadership for Service.

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Additionally, heARTS will be working with approximately 85 ambassadors on a service project in the Chicago area.  “Backpacks of Inspiration” will be created for students who may not have access to their own supplies to use for writing or drawing.  HOBY ambassadors will write inspirational letters to the backpack recipients in journals along with adding inspirational quotes and a few “prompts” to get the students started on expressing their thoughts and feelings in their journals.  These journals will be packed in a special heARTS backpack along with pencils and other school supplies.

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It is our hope that by giving these students a creative outlet in which to express themselves, and by providing inspirational messages to encourage them to reach for their dreams, that these “Backpacks of Inspiration” will be a catalyst for these students to set and achieve incredible goals for themselves.