PHS students Layla Witherspoon, Zahra Sandifer, Robert Beach, Aziah Samuel-Johnson, and Simone Harris are members of an initiative where the ACE Academy students visited elementary schools each month, starting in November, to encourage a love of reading for elementary schoolers. They worked with Smith, Barron, and Forrest elementary schools, motivating younger students to read more through  mentorships. The ACE Academy students developed relationships with the elementary schoolers through multiple visits to read with their younger counterparts, helping to improve literacy for all. 

PHS students Kyla Smith, Naveah Parker, Renea Orange, and Michaela Woods tackled the issue of food insecurity problems in the area of Phoebus. They worked with numerous community partners, including Zion Baptist Church, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, and the Veterans Administration to produce, package, and deliver nutritious meals to the doors of participating families and their children. They used feedback from their community partners and those receiving the food to improve the practicality and sustainability of their project and the quality of life for families and their children. Throughout their PBL, they produced, served, and/or delivered over 1,000 meals to those in need.

BHS students Cameron Love and Daylon Smith developed an app that educates young people about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  Users have access to the top 25 HBCUs with a detailed college checklist and the team is working with J&F Alliance to integrate augmented reality virtual tours into the appIn addition, they entered and won the Congressional App Challenge. Their app is now on display in congressional buildings for one year.

This team, consisting of PHS students Layla Price, Josiah Porter-Jordan, Morgan Miles, Michael Bender, Ja’Ron Duncan, and Cassius Peacock identified the issue of students not being adequately prepared for social interactions. They developed a digital course that teaches etiquette related to dining, dress code, hygiene, social settings, and digital interactions. They visited Smith Elementary, where they taught the students how to use the digital course. The course can be teacher-led or self-paced and they are talking with the HCS Curriculum teams to determine how the app can become part of the official HCS curriculum.

Bethel Academy Freshman created "We+Us=Our Thing" to help incoming high schoolers adjust. They ran workshops on social and emotional challenges, developed an interactive journal, and partnered with middle schools and the school district for wider impact. Their work is even being considered for the official curriculum!

Phoebus High Freshman Academy's "The 757 Connection" uses podcasts to uplift Hampton Roads (the 757).  They partnered with local organizations for a shoe drive, wellness workshops, and emergency preparedness, even learning from listeners that videos would be a welcome addition.

Hampton's Health, Human, and Financial Services Academy ran "Helping Hands," a service project connecting with local organizations. They partnered with shelters, businesses, and a food bank. Through a fundraiser, jeans drive, and hygiene bag creation, they provided resources and support to those in need. They even built a website as a one-stop resource hub. The project instilled in students a sense of community responsibility and the importance of helping others.