Messages of hope, kindness, safety and love have begun popping up around the Hat as part of the Project Hope collaboration between the city and Medicine Hat Public School Division. -- SUBMITTED PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Messages of hope, kindness, safety and love have begun popping up around the Hat as part of the Project Hope collaboration between the city and Medicine Hat Public School Division.
The project is part of the city’s larger Connecting Community initiative, which involved local partners like MHPSD, Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, Medicine Hat Public Library and the Interpretive Program. Project Hope is a social campaign which aims to encourage hope, kindness, safety and love.
“It’s really intended to start a larger community conversation,” Leslie Jerry, the city’s Community Inclusion Coordinator told the News. “It’s difficult, I think, for all of us to live through a pandemic and we’re approaching two years of dealing with it and whether we’re aware of it or not, we’re probably all impacted by the changes to our lives. It’s easy to forget all the good things we still have in our lives.”
Students at River Heights Elementary School contributed to the project and will be featured on posters and in videos responding to questions about hope, kindness, safety and love.
“The children responding to those questions have so much wisdom to share,” said Jerry. They understand (these concepts) in very practical and action-oriented terms… I think there’s a lot as adults we can take from their messages.”
Laura Gale, vice principal at River Heights was glad her students could be involved in the project.
“Our students were very enthusiastic about Project Hope right from the beginning,” Gale told the News. “They love the idea that their ideas, words and art are being shared with our whole city… We cannot underestimate the power of sharing simple messages of love, kindness and safety (as) these are the ingredients which grow hope.”
The students hope their messages will bring happiness to those who see them.
“People need more kindness right now because a lot of people are feeling sad,” one Grade 3 student told the News. “Some people don’t have very good days and maybe Project Hope could make their day better.”
“I think they will be surprised and they will feel happy,” a Grade 1 student said.
Though the project is still in its early stages, posters can already be spotted on select city buses and billboards. Videos featuring the students are set to be released in February and a TREX exhibit at the Esplanade is planned for later this spring.
Jerry said she is excited to hear feedback from Hatters as Project Hope grows.
“Our hope is really, when Hatters see one of these social campaign posters that they also think about that question (featured on the poster). How would you answer that question? And maybe you take it that one step further and think, given that answer, what would I do differently today or tomorrow to have more of that in my life or to show somebody else more of that?” said Jerry. “What are the things we can do for ourselves, for those we care about and for the community in general when we think about things like kindness, hope, love and safety?”
