Hope Ambassadors
What would happen if middle and high school students across Florida were devoted to spreading kindness and compassion? If students choose to accept this call to serve, not only would they be developing leadership skills for a lifetime of service and success, but they would also make an immediate difference in the lives of classmates and friends who need to be reminded that someone cares.
In December 2019, Hope Ambassadors was launched with the goal of schools creating clubs for student volunteers to mentor their peers and help create kind and compassionate school environments. In the pilot program, which began in the 2020-2021 school year, 25 schools started Hope Ambassadors clubs, with more than 300 student participants. In December 2021, the Florida Department of Education announced the expansion of the Hope Ambassador Clubs totaling 100 Florida schools across 39 school districts. For a full list, see below.
Students may seek the guidance of a teacher or counselor to help start a Hope Ambassadors club at their school and participate in community projects, service events and after-school activities that show how simple acts of kindness can change lives – both peer mentors and those they would be helping.
We are so proud of Florida’s Hope Ambassadors clubs:
- Alachua: Micanopy Academy
- Baker: Baker County Middle School
- Baker: Baker County High School
- Bay: Mowat Middle School
- Bay: Surfside Middle School
- Bay: J. R. Arnold High School
- Brevard: Bayside High School
- Broward: City of Pembroke Pines Charter High School
- Broward: City of Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School
- Broward: West Broward High School
- Broward: Sunrise High School
- Charlotte: Charlotte High School
- Charlotte: Port Charlotte Middle School
- Citrus: Citrus High School
- Citrus: Crystal River Middle School
- Citrus: Lecanto Middle School
- Clay: Keystone Heights Middle-High School
- Clay: Middleburg High School
- Clay: Ridgeview High School
- Collier: Gulf Coast High School
- Collier: Marco Island Charter Middle School
- Duval: Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
- Duval: Duncan U. Fletcher Middle School
- Duval: Edward H. White High School
- Duval: Frank H. Peterson Academies
- Duval: Joseph Stilwell Middle School
- Duval: Matthew W. Gilbert Middle School
- Duval: Paxon School of Advanced Studies
- Duval: River City Science Academy
- Duval: Samuel W. Wolfson High School
- Duval: San Jose Prep
- Duval: A. Philip Randolph Academies
- Escambia: Ransom Middle School
- Flagler: Buddy Taylor Middle School
- Florida A&M University Developmental Research School
- Florida State University Schools: FSUS High School
- Gadsden: Carter-Parramore Academy
- Gadsden: Gadsden County High School
- Gulf: Wewahitchka High School
- Hernando: Central High School
- Hillsborough: King High Schoo
- Hillsborough: Pepin Academies
- Hillsborough: Progress Village Middle Magnet School
- Hillsborough: West University Charter High School
- Holmes: Bethlehem High School
- Holmes: Ponce De Leon High School
- Holmes: Poplar Springs High School
- Jackson: Sneads High School
- Lake: Eustis High School
- Lake: Lake Minneola High School
- Lake: Mount Dora High School
- Leon: James S. Rickards High School
- Levy: Chiefland Middle High School
- Manatee: Braden River Middle School
- Manatee: Electa Lee Magnet Middle School
- Manatee: Lakewood Ranch High School
- Manatee: Parrish Community High School
- Manatee: Southeast High School
- Manatee: Manatee Charter School
- Marion: Belleview High School
- Martin: Treasure Coast Classical Academy
- Miami Dade: Don Soffer Aventura High School
- Miami Dade: Homestead Senior High School
- Miami Dade: John A. Ferguson Sr. High School
- Miami Dade: Madison Middle School
- Miami Dade: MAST @ FIU
- Miami Dade: MAST Academy
- Miami Dade: Miami Southridge Senior High School
- Miami Dade: Pinecrest Preparatory Academy Charter Middle/High Schools
- Miami Dade: Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School
- Okaloosa: Niceville High School
- Orange: Wekiva High School
- Orange: Central Florida Leadership Academy Charter
- Orange: West Orange High School
- Osceola: Harmony High School
- Osceola: Tohopekaliga High School
- Osceola: Professional & Technical High School
- Palm Beach: Riviera Beach Preparatory & Achievement Academy
- Palm Beach: South Tech Preparatory Academy
- Palm Beach: William T. Dwyer High School
- Pinellas: Joseph L. Carwise Middle School
- Pinellas: Largo Middle School
- Pinellas: Largo High School
- Pinellas: Pinellas Secondary School
- Pinellas: Lakewood High School
- Pinellas: Safety Harbor Middle School
- Polk: Auburndale Senior High School
- Putnam: Crescent City Junior/Senior High School
- Putnam: Interlachen Junior/Senior High School
- Putnam: Palatka Junior/Senior High School
- Sarasota: Heron Creek Middle School
- Sarasota: Woodland Middle School
- SouthTech Schools: South Tech Academy
- St Lucie: Performance Based Preparatory Academy
- St. Lucie: Fort Pierce Central High School
- Sumter: Wildwood Middle High School
- Suwannee: Suwannee Middle School
- Volusia: Burns Science and Technology Charter School
- Volusia: University High School
- Walton: Seaside Neighborhood School
Below are a few examples of the remarkable work our Hope Ambassadors clubs are doing in their schools and local communities.
- Participating in service projects
- Volunteering in school and/or community organizations
- Leading school activities that promote resiliency
- Providing peer-to-peer mentor supports that help to build a positive school environment
- Facilitating activities that support productive conversations
Let’s continue to build the Hope Ambassadors program across Florida. Begin today by sharing the idea and establishing the school support needed to make it happen!
To receive more information or to start a Hope Ambassadors club, please contact CommunityRelations@fldoe.org.
