AoH Anacostia Community Service Event

AoH volunteers struggling with a tire found in the area.

Academy of Hope encourages all of our adult learners to become active members in their community. This is one of the first goals many learners set when joining the Academy of Hope community. On July 1st AoH students, volunteers and staff members volunteered with the Anacostia Watershed Society to assist with the maintenance, preservation, and conservation of the Anacostia River area. The students in attendance greatly enjoyed this experience and now want to participate in additional community efforts.

Florence finds some interesting trash.

AoH Student Leadership Representative, Florence Akurut said "I felt so happy because I had achieved my goal of keeping and saving the environment of Anacostia and the surrounding areas of the river." Florence is a very active Academy of Hope learner and has taken her position as one of our Student Leadership Representatives very seriously by leading school fundraisers for organizations such as the The Family Place.  After her experience  in Anacostia Florence is now searching for some to assist her with the monetary funds necessary to become a member of the Anacostia Watershed Society.

Kaye stays busy ensuring all is clean.

     Academy of Hope Ward 5 learner, Kaye Fraser also attended the trip to Anacostia and when asked why she thought it was important to keep our parks clean she said "it helps the environment, the air will be better to breath and children can have somewhere clean to play." Kaye is a very dedicated individual and after working overnight at a local hospital she still makes it to class on time every morning.

Community service presents an opportunity for AoH learners to get involved in their community and make a real difference. Feeling like you are a part of your community is very important and many of our learners had never traveled across the Anacostia River to Ward 8 prior to joining the AoH community.       

 We hope to continue increasing enrichment activities and opportunities for all of our adult learners.