Hood Huggers

 

 

Hood Huggers International Program introduces elementary, middle and high school youth to green collar careers through service-learning projects that improve local communities.  The program is designed to build the life skills and self-esteem of participating youth, while offering them hands-on pre-employment skills training.  Specifically, Hood Huggers are involved in:

  • Identifying community needs and developing service projects to address these needs,
  • Learning about and participating in projects on solar power, weatherization, stream restoration, gardening and culinary arts,
  • Engaging with local business owners and operators to learn what makes them successful businessmen, and
  • Attending local meetings to explore what environmental, civil and social issues are important to them and to advocate for those. 

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Program Objectives

Hood Huggers International Program’s main objective is to train youth in vocational, general employment and interpersonal skills, while engaging them in community projects that turn them into active participants in their community. The program is funded by Juvenile Justice Prevention Council, 21st Century grants and private donors.

The outcomes we look forward to seeing are:

  • Decrease in school absent days
  • Decrease in out of school suspensions
  • Improved school performance
  • Improved behavior at school
  • Gaining knowledge in several green economy job trades
  • Increased employment skills
  • Increased interpersonal skills
  • Increased community involvement
  • Increased awareness of environmental issues in their community 

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Activities

Hands-on projects: Building a water slide, analyzing home water and electric energy consumption and learning ways to decrease utility bills, green house planting, building an outdoor oven, building a lemonade stand, cooking and food preservation, recycling, etc.

Community projects: Starting up gardens, installing rain barrels, stream restoration, sidewalk maintenance, back yard cleaning, maintenance of historic cemeteries, jumpstarting a PVA community association, etc.  Students will be compensated for some of the community projects, in a form of a stipend to meet a specific need, or the proceeds will go into the Program field trips fund.   

Field trips: Wolf dog rescue farm in Black Mountain, therapy horses farm in Marshall, sewer station, power plant, land field, Asheville city water source and nature hike, tailgate market, local family farm, AB Tech Small Business Center.  Participants are expected to maintain appropriate behavior during field trips. 

Art: Drumming, Martial Arts, creative writing, attending a concert, tree sculptures.

Special treats: Students who show most motivation and practice good behavior will receive an extra incentive for FREE.  The details will be discussed with students during the program.  

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Eligibility

The program is open to youth, ages 10 to 18, who is self-referred, referred by their parent/guardian, school, Court Counselor or identified by one of the Hood Huggers staff.

Important Notice

Participants are expected to display respect for themselves and others at all times.

Any behaviors that harm students, staff or any individuals we interact with will not be practiced during the duration of the program.  

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Hood Huggers Contact information:

Green Opportunities (GO) office: 828.398.4158
DeWayne Barton, Co-Director: 828.275.5305
Laura Dominkovic, Program Coordinator: 828.280.2236