Our Impact

In the community…since 2004 more than 350 participants have benefited from HYSO programming that includes: the year-round program, March Break & summer camps. Our young players have contributed more than 10,000 volunteer hours to community events –Hamilton Canada Day celebration, Ancaster Fair, 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, Countdown to the 2015 Pan Am Games, Lynden Canada Day Parade, Dundas Cactus Parade, Festival of Friends, Burlington Sound of Music Parade, the YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, SACHA Chocolate Fest, Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life, Black History Month & Christmas celebrations at local schools, Afro Canadian Caribbean Potpourri Inc. (ACCPI) Scholarship Awards Dinner, Supercrawl, to name just a few.

Competition & International Travel

From 2006 to 2014 HYSO participated in the Ontario Steelpan Association’s Pan Alive, steelpan competition where our young players competed against seasoned veteran of Ontario’s steelpan fraternity. We brought home the People’s Choice Award in 2009 & earned 5th place ranking in 2011.

HYSO is often cited for its commitment to bring the ‘pan’ to a younger generation of players.

2009:

HYSO took a 9-day cultural tour to Trinidad & Tobago

2012:

Participated in the Festival international de steelpan de Montréal

2015:

HYSO travelled to Japan to perform in the Ito Jumble Festival

Our players:

Self-identify as “HYSO kids”, a measure of the program’s success in developing social cohesion and group identity among participants.

In 2018, the HYSO Alumni Players established the HYSO Founders’ Award in conjunction with ACCPI Annual Scholarship Awards

To date, 90% of HYSO players who became eligible for post-secondary school have made the transition successfully.