HOPE ACADEMY INC
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Mission Statement
Hope Academy was founded in 2000 with a mission to foster hope within the inner-city neighborhoods of Minneapolis by providing urban youth with a remarkable, God-centered education. Our vision is to partner with inner-city families to equip their children to become responsible, servant leaders for the future—citizens of character who work for justice, economic opportunity, racial harmony, hope for the family, and joy in the community. One of our graduates, Jose, shared: “In my family, there’s been a long pattern of fatherlessness and a lack of a strong male figure in the home. That’s something I know I want to break, and I want to continue to strive towards the man that God wants me to be. I feel like Hope has equipped me to want to pursue that.” Jose graduated from Emory University on a full-ride scholarship and is now working full-time as an EMT with an eye towards further education. Jose’s sister, Shania, graduated from Hope Academy in 2015 (also on a full-ride college scholarship), and is working full-time for a mentoring program for at-risk teens. Kimberly graduated from Hope Academy in 2017 with a full-tuition leadership scholarship to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (UNWSP)—becoming a first-generation college student. She graduated from UNWSP, with a degree in nursing, and was hired by the Mayo Clinic as a pediatric nurse to provide care to families in times of crisis. Kenneth (Class of 2018) graduated from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul on a full-ride leadership scholarship. He is the Youth Director for Cityview Church in South Minneapolis where he also mentors Hope Academy students weekly. And the list continues!
About This Cause
Hope Academy is a private, Christian K-12 school that is helping hundreds of Minneapolis youth beat the odds and excel in character growth, academic mastery, and post-high school success. With the support of business, educational, and community partners, Hope Academy has grown from serving 35 students K-2 in 2000 to 650+ students K-12. We serve a beautifully diverse student body of primarily low-income African, African American, Hispanic, multi-racial, and Caucasian youth who live in Minneapolis. Despite fatherlessness, trauma, and many other challenges, Hope Academy students are consistently beating the odds, year after year. Across all Hope Academy classes, a remarkable 97% of seniors have graduated on-time and 91% of graduates have been accepted to college or trade school (together with millions of dollars in scholarships!). Graduates are advancing in higher education and careers, and serving as leaders in their families, workplaces, and beyond. Hundreds of students are following in their footsteps; parents are gaining essential skills and resources to help their children succeed; and hope is spreading to families and communities. One parent shared: “Hope Academy has been a very big help in a time of trouble and need. It's been really challenging - I don't make a lot of money - but...I just want to thank God for those that have the gift to give, to help students and staff alike.” Five core strategies help us achieve this: a faith-based approach, discipline & high expectations, mandatory parental involvement, high accountability, and our partner funding model. In small classes, Hope Academy provides a rigorous, classical K-12 education that focuses on helping children become all that God made them to be. Students from diverse cultures and backgrounds are welcome. Teachers daily seek to model the love and kindness of Christ and to help each child grow in faith, virtue, and academic excellence. Core elements include: five years of Latin (beginning in 4th grade); math/science college prep, rhetoric, drama, choir, and classical literature (middle and high school); athletics, robotics, and the arts; 4-week mandatory summer school (K-8); optional math/reading support, free ACT prep (high school); and additional academic, ESL, and emotional/behavioral support to help students heal from trauma and overcome other barriers to success. At Hope Academy, students begin learning algebraic concepts in 3rd grade, take five years of Latin (4th-8th), and study ethics and calculus in high school. Upper school students read the Great Books of the West, participate in Socratic discussions, and present senior theses—to grow in critical thinking, writing, and oral rhetoric skills. High school students develop a “Life Vision and Career Path” as they gain experience and skills across five career pathways. And, through our four-week summer session (mandatory K-8), hundreds of youth enjoy extra support and enriching opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have. To build strong partnerships with 350+ urban families, we also provide parenting workshops, support groups, and social work services for families; teachers visit each student and family at home over the Minnesota Education Association Break; and parents are required to participate in six school events annually. All of our families have ‘skin in the game’ and contribute a fair-share tuition amount for their children based on ability (together providing 10% of the total cost to educate our students). Private donors generously provide the remaining 90%—making Hope Academy affordable to hundreds of low-income families and helping us build capacity to serve more students. As thousands of students in Minneapolis suffer academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually, Hope Academy is inviting new and existing partners to help us serve more children in the city: up to 680 during the 24-25 school year and up to 1,200 by 2035. Through the Hope Rising Campaign, we have an incredible opportunity to expand our current campus over the next 10-12 years—to serve 500 more children, amplify career exploration opportunities for students, equip and support parents, and fuel life-changing hope for hundreds more families in Minneapolis. In February 2023, we were so grateful to purchase the adjoining Phillips Eye Institute property (5.6 acres, a 150,000 sq. ft. building, and a 550-stall parking ramp) for a well below-market rate—completely debt-free! By July 2024, more than 180 donors had together provided $39.1M in gifts received/intended towards the Campaign! We’re continuing to move at the “speed of cash” to avoid long-term debt, and we hope to complete all expansion work by 2026—a new high school, pathway & innovation center, home construction workshop, gymnasium, chapel & performance hall, and more. We are deeply grateful for the countless lives, families, and futures that are being changed through a remarkable, God-centered education, and for the opportunity to welcome more children to Hope Academy. Ultimately through this growth, our desire is to see more children gain true hope in God, overcome challenges, excel academically, and become virtuous, servant leaders who contribute to the flourishing of our community.