TAMPA, Fla — Need a pep talk? Maybe a joke to lift your spirits? Or how about a solid New Year's resolution?
You are in luck!
Hillsborough County grade schoolers just helped launch "Mighty Messages," a free phone line with jokes, pep talks, and empathetic good vibes.
For people feeling a little blue, there are lots of hugs: "Things will get better. It's okay! This holiday you can hang out with us!"
The kids wrote and recorded all of the messages available to callers, a creative community outreach that anyone, young and old, can dial up for a smile.
"It is so important to have opportunities of connection and opportunities to reach out to this community," says Superintendent Addison Davis. "We can't do this in isolation. We have to do this together."
The project was created by Alexis Pastore, a star in the school system's communications department. She first heard about a similar idea in California.
When Alexis sat down with the students (including her own brother Jacob, who recorded the phone line's instruction), she said it wasn't hard to tap into their feelings about being happy and sad.
"Seeing the wheels turn as I asked the questions, and then hearing the words that came out of their mouth, you can tell what some of these kids have gone through," says Alexis.
"Mighty Messages" can be reached at 813-840-7025. The phone line will stay active, with new content added each season.
