By Rachel Neglia

De Equitibus last spotlighted Tempe Prep’s Hope Crew in the club’s formative stages. Since the beginning of the semester, the club has grown in support among the student body.

Hope Crew – according to Ariana Cardoso, one of the club’s founders – was established to provide a “safe space” for students to discuss their unique perspectives on issues often classified as controversial. From watching Ted Talks to holding group discussions, the club seeks to address social differences in order to “better understand them and promote respect,” says Erin Guiney, another founding student.

Recently, the club turned discussion into action. “We held two fundraisers in order to really take the discussions on tolerance that we were having, and actually DO something with them,” Erin says. In February, the club held a penny drive for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, eventually raising $350 that it sent to United Way, an international charity. More recently, it held a bake sale to raise money for refugee children displaced by the civil war in Syria, and ultimately sent $150 to Save the Children, a charity that delivers aid to refugees.

Due to the success of Hope Crew’s first two fundraisers, rumors have spread that with time it could become a friendly rival to TPA’s National Honor Society chapter.

“I honestly just hope to see the club continue next year,” Erin says. This prospect looks increasingly likely due to its dedicated members and partnership with the Herstory Club, which was founded by seniors Billie Nagy and Erin Guiney. Erin elaborates that “Herstory and Hope Crew want to do a joint effort to volunteer for Maggie’s Place, a shelter for pregnant women and mothers that are homeless or running away from abusive partners.”

Hope Crew has also suggested initiatives to “increase tolerance” on TPA’s own campus. “We were talking about creating some sort of survey to give to teachers and students to see how well they think diversity and tolerance is addressed in the classroom and on campus,” Erin explains.

The club meets on Mondays during high school lunch in the Spanish room. It will undoubtedly remain active through April and May, so stay tuned for more fundraisers and events.