- H.Y.P.E. teaches young women that emotional regulation and mindfulness are foundational leadership skills.
- Connecting participants with accomplished North Omaha women gave them a realistic and inspiring look at success and resilience.
- The program plans to expand leadership opportunities to young men, widening its impact across the North Omaha community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A North Omaha program is proving leadership isn't just about speaking up — it's also about slowing down.
Young women in the H.Y.P.E. program are learning mindfulness, emotional regulation, and the value of community leadership.
Founder Nicole Mitchell says years of coaching basketball and track around the world showed her that many young people were missing important life skills.
"I notice a lot of not being able to regulate their emotions or not having self control or not staying calm under pressure, or when you ask them what it is that they want to be. They always draw a blank," Mitchell said.
For participant Legaci McCray, those lessons have changed how she responds in everyday life.
"I try to take a breath before I say anything and think about the way I'm communicating with people," McCray said.
As a basketball player, McCray says those same skills help her stay composed when the pressure is on.
"You really gotta breathe. Especially in basketball if you're coming down. If you feel like a play that, like, mad at a ref, mad at a teammate, something like that, you take a deep breath, and just go to the next play," McCray said.
The program also connected participants with accomplished women across North Omaha, creating space for honest conversations about success and setbacks.
Jasmine Mitchell says hearing those stories reminded her that no one has everything figured out.
"Their testimony showed me that they had their own fears. They had their own doubts, but they overcame that, and now they're a successful woman in here, in the Omaha community," Jasmine Mitchell said.
Nicole Mitchell says she is excited to see what the young people do with the skills they've learned.
The program plans to include leadership opportunities for young men next, bringing even more youth into a growing network of community support.
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