Alumni Spotlight

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READY FOR THE WORLD

As ‘ready for the world’ adults, Teen HYPE’s Alumni are truly the next generation of leaders.

Please give our alumni a standing ovation. Since 2004, more than 600 young people have become trained certified peer educators (PE) through our innovative Peer Education program.

Boasting a 100% high school graduation rate, most PEs go on to attend college or enter the workforce. Our team of caring adults maintain relationships with many PE alumni after graduation and help ease their transition into adulthood. Alumni also take the initiative to stay connected with each other after forging indelible bonds during their crazy teenage years.

We applaud our alumni’s pursuit of their dreams, desire to change and impact the world, honoring of their voices, and those still trying to figure it out. Many alumni support Teen HYPE with their time and money and have served on our board of directors continuing to role model leadership.

alumni spotlight

Tristin Taylor

2012
Detroit School of Performing Arts

tristin taylor teen hype

2016
Eastern Michigan Graduation

NOW
Behind the Scenes Headshot

TRISTIN TAYLOR

Q & A

4

2012

I too can inspire and empower others to greatness regardless of my family’s social economic status or the color of my skin. I also learned that my dreams can come true if I put in the work and keep my head up to the sky.
Teen HYPE offered me a platform to perform on stage, a place to voice my ideas and concerns about the world, and the tools I needed to venture out in the world.
A young woman named Daisha told me about Teen HYPE and invited me to the stage play entitled Love Notes. During that time, I was looking for an opportunity in theatre for young people who resembled me. I wanted to get involved with an organization that was willing to take the time to build nurturing relationships with all youth. Not only did I act in Teen HYPE productions; I also became a trained Peer Educator. This was all new to me, and at that time in my life, I didn’t realize that I had the power to change the world by educating my fellow peers. I graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in theater. Immediately following graduation, I moved to California to pursue acting. Since then I have been in several plays, on TV shows, and in commercials. Thanks to Teen HYPE, my passion for giving back to the community and educating youth has remained the same.