About us Hey U.G.L.Y. was founded in 2002 in response to the daily headlines describing the increase in teen suicide, gun violence in schools, bullying, drug abuse, eating disorders, and the obesity epidemic facing American youth. In 2004 Hey U.G.L.Y., Inc. became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (U.G.L.Y. is an acronym for Unique Gifted Lovable You.)

Mission  Give youth the self-esteem and empathetic tools they need to counter bullying, obesity and racism.

How we do it  All Hey U.G.L.Y. programs and tools are designed to empower students to be a part of the solution. We help students have empathy for themselves and others. Our radio show, in-school presentations and Empathy Learning Activity Plans, available to schools and youth serving organizations, are designed to help students become an integral part in the teaching and learning process. This is crucial since the number one influencer of youth is peers.¹  

To learn about all of our self-esteem and character development initiatives, click here.

How are we doing so far? The Hey U.G.L.Y. message has reached over 650,000 students through our in-school presentations, website, radio show, Empathy Learning Activity Plans (ELAPs), contests and work with schools, community organizations, and youth development professionals.

Some Facts Low self-esteem in tweens & teens is a veritable epidemic in our nation. Since the 1960s, psychologists and educators have recognized the powerful influence of self-esteem on short-term well-being and long-term success of American youth. Low self-esteem is a critical issue facing our youth today. It has been proven that low self-esteem affects learning and can lead to such problems as bullying, delinquency, unhealthy relationships, eating disorders, violence, drug abuse and suicide. Click here to learn more.
    
Why the name U.G.L.Y.? We choose the name "ugly" because it is one of the most negative words in our vocabulary.  It is a word that tweens & teens use to describe others, and most significantly, themselves. When they label themselves ugly or call a fellow student ugly they are unleashing a powerful force of negative energy. When tweens & teens see how Hey U.G.L.Y.'s co-founder, Sporty King, converted ugly to Unique Gifted Lovable You, they start calling each other, and themselves, ugly with a whole new perspective. The negativity is gone and in its stead is empowerment. Recognizing the value of teaching the concept of "turning negatives into positives," Hey U.G.L.Y.  developed an annual acronym contests, asking teens to take words like Dork, Hate, Racism, Stupid or Loser and turn them into positives. One contest winner converted "Geek" into Gifted Enchanted Educated Kid.  A teen in Texas converted "Loser" into Love Others Show Everyone Respect. To learn about our contests click here

Board of Advisors

¹Center for Parent Youth Understanding