Hope Squad

Prevention starts with hope. ✨

Hope grows when students know that they matter, know that they belong, and know that they don’t have to face hard things alone.

Together, we can build school communities where hope has room to grow.

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For Su***de Prevention Month, we’re grateful to team up with Ambassador Emma Benoit Hebert of Emma Speaks to share a powerful story of hope.

Hope Squad Leaders can access My Ascension—Emma’s inspiring documentary about mental health, su***de prevention, and finding hope—exclusively in the Leader Portal through October 31.

Honest conversations can change lives. 💜

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What does it mean to be a trusted adult? 💛

It means being someone a young person feels safe turning to when they need to share something difficult, ask for help, or say, “I’m worried about my friend.”

It doesn't require you to have to have all the answers. You can listen without judgment, take their concerns seriously, and help connect them with the right support.

Our latest blog shares practical ways to respond when a child or student opens up—and how to be the trusted adult who connects.

🔗 www.hopesquad.com/community-stories/being-a-trusted-adult-what-to-do-when-a-young-person-comes-to-you

What do peers have to do with MTSS?

Join Hope Squad Founder Dr. Greg Hudnall on September 23 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a special edWebinar to find out how two district leaders use peer nomination to strengthen MTSS at every tier, from universal prevention to targeted support.

You'll hear from Tiffany Sommerfeld (Belton ISD) and Shannon Toney (Billings Public School District) on what it took to build peer nomination into their MTSS structure and how it's helping them identify students earlier and connect them to help faster.

If you're evaluating how to close gaps in your MTSS strategy, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Sign up now: https://home.edweb.net/webinar/positive20260923/

Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you the recording.

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Leader Spotlight: Director of School Counseling Steven Shiels from Tomball ISD 🌟

What began with three high school squads in 2024–25 has grown into a districtwide movement of hope and connection in Texas.

Led by Steven, with funding from Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora's Superintendent of the Year award, Hope Squad expanded to all seven secondary campuses in just two years—empowering students to support peers, promote help-seeking, and remind one another that no one has to struggle alone.

We love seeing support spreading across entire communities!

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Prevention starts with trusted adults. 🧑🏽‍🏫

Students need adults who will listen without judgment, take concerns seriously, and help them find the right support.

In fact, being the adult a student trusts is where prevention begins.

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Want to connect? Start by listening. 👂

Whether it's a friend, a classmate, or a student in need, taking the time to truly hear someone can make all the difference.

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Connection creates belonging. Belonging creates hope. 💚

The Hope Squad at Applied Tech HS in Las Vegas recently participated in their school’s Club Rush, an event showcasing opportunities for student involvement. Members connected with the student body to raise awareness about who they are and how they can help, and they invited their peers to reflect on what makes them hopeful.

The result: New connections and a board filled with what gives students hope. 🛟

Small connections. Big impact.

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Every district is building toward a stronger MTSS framework. But what happens between the tiers is where the real work lives.

Join our founder, Dr. Greg Hudnall, alongside district leaders Tiffany Sommerfeld, Director of Academic Advising & Counseling at Belton ISD, and Shannon Toney, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Stop School Violence Grant Coordinator at Billings Public School District, for a free edWeb webinar on how peer-led prevention strengthens MTSS from the inside out by helping schools identify students earlier, connect them to help faster, and build a culture where support reaches every student.

You'll hear firsthand from two districts putting this into practice, including what changed and what it took to get there.

📅 September 23 at 2pm ET

Sign up today: https://home.edweb.net/webinar/positive20260923/

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The Impact of Hope Squad 🌟

Hope Squad is making a difference in schools and communities nationwide by empowering students to build connection, kindness, and a culture of support.

We’re proud to share our first annual Impact Report, celebrating the meaningful work happening through Hope Squads across the country.

Take a look at the impact we’re making together:
https://publuu.com/flip-book/1163279/2591629

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