Thursday, March 17, 2022 - 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Hamel Recreation Center
The 2022 HYPE conference will focus on relationships and communication.
How does our generation create a world where valuable communication and relationships are emphasized? Approximately 800 high school students will discuss this essential question during the annual HYPE Conference hosted by Souhegan High School’s Ethics Forum on March 17, 2022.
HYPE stands for “Hosting Young Philosophy Enthusiasts” and was founded by Souhegan seniors in 2009 as an opportunity for high school students to have meaningful philosophical discussions centered on philosophical topics centered on ethics and civil discourse. HYPE is unique because it is an authentic high school student conference created, designed and led by high school students for high school students. The HYPE project and its affiliated student voice and leadership programs provide students from all over the greater New England region, the chance to have discussions at large and small student-led conferences at a number of venues in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Based on the educational tenets of Souhegan High School, the great tradition of Socratic dialogue endorsed by the University of New Hampshire Durham’s department of philosophy and the directives of St. Anselm College’s ethics and leadership training, students discuss important issues and topics not only with their peers but also with experts who help to shape their ideas and perspectives.
The HYPE program includes a number of schools involved in helping Souhegan High School students with the leadership decisions and implementation of important tasks that must be accomplished in order to make March 17th successful.
As part of the HYPE program’s development, seven years ago, HYPE received a renewable prestigious RGSCP (Responsible Governance and Sustainability Citizenship Project) Grant from UNH Durham to fund HYPE and to expand its programming. This grant has led to the UNH Philosophy Department's endorsement of the Souhegan Ethics Forum, the generous support of UNH Durham’s College of Liberal Arts, and the use of the UNH Durham campus each year for this major conference event. As a result of HYPE’s ongoing success, the Souhegan Ethics Forum was awarded the 2014 Granite State Award by the NH University System for the group’s “dedication to creating an academically rich environment for New Hampshire students to connect through philosophical discussions” through the HYPE program. In 2017, HYPE was given a commendation from the UNH Innovations Division.
Schools interested in this program should contact Christopher Brooks, coordinator of the HYPE program, through the following e-mail: cbrooks@sau39.org.
