HUGS Helping Us Grow Strong was started by a group of friends at a lower income high school, with the dreams of motivating female teens ages 13-17. That are challenge by there environment as a result they act out in school to express what's going in their lives and in their homes. The truth is they just need a little guidance from their peers. We designed this program because I was one of these female teens. I had so many problems going on at home; that I expressed my anger at school. This program will influence teen girls to make a difference in their communities as well as in their homes. While enforcing education, health, community involvement and improvement. I know that this will work one inner city school at a time..... Our design for this program is to pair each high school student to a college student based on their similarities .The High School Students will be invited into this organization based on a referral from High School Principal. We will conduct interviews for mentors at Albany State University and candidates will be chosen based solely upon their interview. Following the interviews candidates will be contacted for their membership. There will be a weekend retreat at the hotel. That will accompany the mentor and the mentee with the permission of the mentee’s parents. This weekend retreat will serve as a meet and greet for all involved in HUGS. The mentor and the mentee will meet a mandatory two times a month. These two visits will be field trips to (Movies, Museums, Skating Rink, Parks, Bowling College Tours Etc...)It will be mandatory that Mentor call the Mentee once a week to do a weekly report and to closely bond. We will request that teachers of mentee complete a monthly evaluation to show if the student has improve as a result of this organization. Once a month all members will complete a community service project. We will work closely with Albany State University to insure that this organization is welcomed. Bringing the high school student to on campus events will give them a taste of the college life and hopefully influence them to consider furthering their education. This program will address many aspects on life. At the end of the year two members of this will receive a $500 dollar book scholarship based upon their improvements. It will prove that with proper guidance anything is possible. This program will restore teenage girls self esteem, educational values, morals, and friendship. I believe in this, So PLEASE believe in me. This grant is desperately needed to provide T-shirts, Snacks, Money for Scholarship and Monthly field trips. Thanks