In photo: Front row (l-r): Gao Zong Lee, Chee Vang; Back row (l-r): Pa Dra Lee, Sandie Thao, Thong Xiong

Thong Xiong is a Scholars for Success Coordinator at Fox Valley Technical College, working with the Diversity & Inclusion Services team to help students from marginalized populations stay in school.

But in 2010, when he was a 21-year-old living in Minneapolis, he was concerned with what he saw happening around him in the Hmong community.

“Too many kids were getting in trouble with the law, joining gangs and not embracing their culture,” says Thong. So, he and his cousins decided to do something about it. They started getting together regularly to help each other out with homework, talk about culture and just hang out. This was the beginning of an organization that would come to be known as the Hmong Youth Program for Excellence, or HYPE. “It started with about 15 of us, and over the next couple of years grew to about 45 or 50 people."

In 2012, Thong enlisted in the Marine Corps, and without his leadership, HYPE in its current form slowly disbanded. In 2016 when his active military service concluded, he moved to the Fox Cities and enrolled in the FVTC Early Childhood Education program. All the while, HYPE remained in the back of his mind.

“I wanted to start a group for middle and high school kids,” he says. “There were a lot of mental health issues in the Hmong community, so I thought it could benefit students here.” He got together with six fellow students at Fox Valley Tech, and they started HYPE in Appleton in 2018. In a partnership with the Appleton Area School District (AASD), HYPE’s goal is to support, inspire and mentor Hmong middle school-aged students. They do this by providing opportunities for leadership development and career exploration, all while helping them feel proud of being Hmong American.

The group meets two Saturdays a month at Appleton’s Wilson Middle School. “We talk about things like SMART goals, culture, mentorship, future plans and community changes,” Thong explains. “We help them understand their culture, how they can learn about their identity from their elders, and see their culture as a strength, not a weakness.”

Kids are matched with volunteer mentors who have similar interests so they can build strong relationships. “It’s an open area where I can be myself and express my feelings without judgment,” says student Kevin Xiong. “We stick together and help each other out.” When HYPE members get to high school, they return to the program as mentors for the younger kids.

HYPE is the only Hmong organization of its kind in the Fox Valley, and though its membership is limited, it’s steadily growing as word gets around. While the program is currently only offered through AASD, there is interest in creating similar programs from schools as far away as Green Bay and Milwaukee.

Learn more about HYPE >

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Current HYPE Team (pictured):

In photo: Front row (l-r): Gao Zong Lee, Chee Vang; Back row (l-r): Pa Dra Lee, Sandie Thao, Thong Xiong

Thong Xiong, President
Scholars for Success Coordinator, Fox Valley Technical College
FVTC Alumnus, Early Childhood Education, 2019

Gao Zong Lee, Vice President
Program Manager, Plexus Corp
FVTC Alumnus, Electrical Engineering, 2015
Electrical Engineering BS, UW-Oshkosh, 2018

Chee Vang, Secretary
Intern, FVTC Student Life
FVTC Student, Event Management, 2022

Hlee Lee, Treasurer
Dental Assistant, Dental Associates
FVTC Alumnus, Dental Assistant, 2018

Sandie Thao, Public Relations Manager
Research Specialist, UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies
Rehabilitation Psychology BS, UW-Madison 2018
Human Ecology MS, UW-Madison 2020

Pa Dra Lee
Rewinder Helper, Transcontinental
Psychology BA, UW-Eau Claire 2018
Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS, UW-Stout 2020

Founding HYPE Team:

Thong Xiong, President
Scholars for Success Coordinator, Fox Valley Technical College
FVTC Alumnus, Early Childhood Education, 2019

Gao Zong Lee, Vice President
Program Manager, Plexus Corp
FVTC Alumnus, Electrical Engineering, 2015
BS from UWO, Electrical Engineering, 2018

Chee Vang, Secretary
Intern, FVTC Student Life
FVTC Student, Event Management, 2022

Hlee Lee, Treasurer
Dental Assistant, Dental Associates
FVTC Alumnus, Dental Assistant, 2018

Gaolia Lo, Program Manager
Admissions Specialist, Fox Valley Technical College
FVTC Alumnus, Business Management, 2018

Ching Thao, Program Manager
Operator Support, Transcontinental
FVTC Student, Business Management

Gao Sue Yang, Public Relations Manager
Associate Director & Content Creator, Private Wealth Management Group & Owner of My Inner Champion Media
FVTC Alumnus, Nursing Assistant, 2010