HSI NEWS

The past lives alongside the present in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. With a rich history dating back hundreds of years, the region is home to a number of culturally-significant landmarks, including historic buildings, farms, parks and more. Over the years, some of these pieces of history have fallen into neglect and…

The country of Rwanda experienced a devastating tragedy with the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi people. In the aftermath, tens of thousands of children were orphaned. Not only did these children lose their families, but there were many barriers they had to overcome, including the disruption of their education and…

In the heart of Philadelphia, a non-profit organization is making significant strides in empowering the city’s youth to forge their own paths toward success. With a high school dropout rate of approximately 14% in Philadelphia and only 10% of students earning a college degree, there is an urgency to create…

Since 2021, a basketball tournament has taken place in the Lehigh Valley that represents meaning and hope for those who have been affected by suicide: The KNT Basketball Tournament. Named in honor of Kobee Nyro Texter, who took his own life at age 24 after battling with mental health, the…

As a young immigrant from India, Caroline Praveen struggled in school and social interactions because she spoke with an Indian accent and did not always express her thoughts for fear of ridicule and not being taken seriously. It wasn’t until she met an adult Indian woman with an American accent…

Sandra Boakye felt the need for change in menstrual health and education after engaging with the young girls in the Ghana Adolescent Health Project in 2015. She witnessed their struggles, and the lack of knowledge on adolescent development, especially concerning reproductive health, inspired her to take action. This lack of…

Greg Venneman started Bethlehem Area School District Proud Parents in 2010 because he was inspired by Pennsylvania Education Voters and similar groups who work towards increasing public school state funding. “…a lack of state education funding not only impacts the quality of the education students receive, it also causes the…

Crohn’s disease, a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is estimated to affect more than half a million people in the United States, and millions more worldwide—with the number of diagnosed cases increasing over time.* Characterized as a chronic disease, Crohn’s is lifelong and there is currently no cure. …