Hilltop Communities

Get ready for Black English Heritage Month 2026—celebrating culture, unity, history, and community all August long.🎉🎊

A book can travel much farther than the miles it takes to deliver it.

Recently, members of the Warwick Valley High School Interact Club in NY helped place copies of Emily and the Mango Man into the hands of children in Crawfish Rock, Honduras.

As part of our literacy initiative, this story will help children explore an important idea: every person has unique gifts, strengths, and talents waiting to be discovered and shared with the world.

Through reading, discussion, creativity, and connection, we hope this book becomes more than a literacy experience. We hope it becomes a reminder that every child has something valuable to contribute.

Thank you to the Warwick Valley High School Interact Club for helping make that journey possible.

yourgift

Meet Larito ⚽🌎

At just 18 years old, he is already someone younger kids in Crawfish Rock look up to. He’s there for the games, the practices, and the kids know he genuinely cares about them.

In the video, he talks about why futbol matters so much to him: keeping kids focused, connected, and away from negative influences by creating something positive they can be part of together.

Larito was also part of Islanders for Change, and watching young leaders continue to step into mentorship and leadership roles within their own community is exactly what this journey is about.

This is what leadership through connection can look like.

Promoting Arts Teamwork & Hope

Before getting involved in community projects, it is important to take time to learn, listen, and better understand the culture, environment, history, and daily life of the island.

Clearwater's cultural snorkeling experience is an opportunity to connect more deeply with Roatán beyond what can be seen on the surface.

Today, the team had the honor of having lunch in Crawfish Rock, and learning about the natural beauty and what it provides for the people.

Meaningful leadership and community engagement begin with understanding, respect, and connection.

Different strengths. Different interests. One PATH.

Each person arrives with their own unique talents, perspectives, creativity, and way of seeing the world. Part of this journey has always been about creating space for people to explore those gifts, stay open to new experiences, and discover how they can use them to make a difference.

This group’s journey started through virtual leadership conversations and continued through workshops, connection, and experiences at Hilltop in New York.

Now the journey continues here in Central America.

Over the next week we’ll be learning, creating, connecting, and continuing work that bridges education, leadership, sports, the arts, and community through PATH: Promoting Arts, Teamwork, and Hope.

Thomas has been part of this journey for years.

It wasn't a straight path either, changing majors, figuring things out, and staying connected. There was uncertainty but he continued to show up and trust the vision.

Somewhere between Honduras, the people, the experiences, and the work, something shifted.

Now, he is a teacher and still part of what we’re building. He is someone who genuinely wants to make a difference.

This is one of the reasons we keep creating spaces where young people can explore, connect, lead, and discover who they’re becoming.... both in the states and Honduras.