In a recent unsolicited letter, Samantha Peeple, a 19-year-old former Peer Educator in HAI's Violence Prevention Program, wrote about her experiences working for HAI.

Ms. Peeple, who attended her first Violence Prevention Workshop at HAI in 1998, currently attends Seminole Community College in Florida, where she is studying toward an Associates Degree in Political Science.

Hope And Inspiration, that's what HAI is for me. HAI brought me hope that some day I would be able to give a helping hand to my fellow peers and make a difference in a young person's life.

I was 14, looking to find what I wanted to do with my life and I found a place of comfort and education at HAI. I attended one of their workshops and was very impressed with the work that was being done by people no older than I. Through the art of role-playing, we helped youth understand the importance of properly handling certain situations and through education we made them knowledgeable about things they would be faced with in their life. Drugs, dealers, peer pressure, HIV, AIDS, safe sex and violence are just a few of the topics that were touched on during the workshops.

The young people attending workshops will now think twice before they do something irrational and understand what the right decision is. Through HAI, I have hope that the future of young people will be made better. Through this newfound hope, I also found inspiration. After doing my first workshop, I was inspired to find as many ways as possible to help young people. My favorite technique that is still used today, role-playing, was in my opinion the best way to teach the young people the message we were trying to get across to them.

Love, Understanding, Education and Respect are what I received from HAI and with that I have grown to be a better person. Each day I find that the work and time I put into HAI has and is paying off. I have learned how to deal with people and their situations and lend a helping hand.