‘This is the beginning, not the end’

Before Thursday, June 14, Angela B. was the only one of her mother’s nine children not to have graduated from high school. Walking across the stage to finally receive her diploma at the Academy of Hope graduation ceremony, her smile said all her family needed to know. “I told my mom that instead of saying eight of your children have a high school diploma, now you can say that all nine of them have one,” she said.  Now, Angela plans to continue her education with the goal of becoming a substance abuse counselor.

Angela poses for her graduation portrait.

            Angela was in good company at the ceremony, held in Crawford Hall in North East, DC. In an auditorium crowded with proud graduates, their beaming family members and a whole network of support in the Academy of Hope staff and volunteer faculty, everyone had a reason to be proud.  Introducing the graduates, Executive Director, Lecester Johnson, quoted the Shel Silverstein poem “Woulda-Coulda-Shouda,” in which “…those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas/All ran away and hid/From that one little Did.”

            “Standing in front of me are a whole bunch of ‘Dids,’” Johnson said. It was not an easy road for a lot of the graduates here tonight…and it is one thing to say ‘I ‘woulda coulda shoulda’ done it’, it’s another thing to have actually succeeded.”

             As each student was introduced and was presented withtheir diploma, there were plenty of success stories to go around.  Twenty-four of the 27 graduates were present to walk across the stage to receive their GED certificates or high school diplomas.    The audience heard from graduate Antonette R., who remembered returning to her classes at Strive for Success, the STRIVE DC-Academy of Hope joint youth-focused GED program, a mere two days after giving birth to her son. She was getting ready to go to class on the day her contractions began, but soon realized that she would have to go to the hospital. “The first thing I did…was call my teachers from the hospital to tell them I can’t make it,” she said. She had her baby and went right back to studying – she was determined to not let anything get in the way of her obtaining her high school diploma.

            For Mary C., graduating from Academy of Hope with her high school diploma after 17 years of hard work means that she can get back on track with a career in child development or education—a plan that has been on her radar for a while. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she said. She had worked with preschoolers before and the fact that she didn’t have her high school diploma held her back.  Now, armed with one following her long awaited and well deserved graduation from Academy of Hope, she’s looking forward to continuing her education at the University of DC and eventually working in childhood development.

            Throughout the evening, the smiles kept coming. Anthony J. accepted his diploma after being named the ‘social butterfly’ by his presenter. Four students received attendance awards for their dedication to coming to class and Tony Y. received the “I Can Fly” award for his hard work in class and great help outside the classroom. Several other students received the industry recognized Internet and Computer Core Certification (IC3) certificates, which will greatly help them in their further pursuits of either college or a job.  Eugene Thompson, a former volunteer, opened the ceremony with a passionate take on “You Raise Me Up.”

June 2012 Academy of Hope graduates with Executive Director, Lecester Johnson.

“This day means the fulfillment of so many dreams,” Academy of Hope’s co-founder, Marja Hilfiker said. Whether it means closure after a lifetime of striving for a high school diploma or the extra boost that a young person needed to get to college, for the students, teachers and families at the graduation, Thursday was more than a day to celebrate their achievements. It was the beginning of a lifetime full of continued success.

By Martha Shanahan, volunteer writer for Academy of Hope 

Summer’s Sizzling in Ward 8

A picture of the area before the renovation.

The lazy days of summer haven’t put a stop to Academy of Hope’s burgeoning programs in Ward 8. To the contrary, new students, new classrooms, and new curriculum have combined to fuel the growth of both the ABE-GED and computer classes as AoH enters its second year of operations in Ward 8.

The biggest change in Ward 8 this summer is the opening of two much-anticipated new classrooms at the main site in the Overlook Apartments at Wheeler and Valley Streets, S.E. Classes started in the new classrooms with the beginning of the summer session. The build-out of the classrooms was completed at a greatly-reduced cost in partnership with Yachad, the Jewish Housing and Community Development Corporation of Greater Washington, a non-profit organization that works with partners throughout the Washington area to revitalize neighborhoods and renovate the homes of lower-income residents. The new space includes a mural celebrating the expansion of Academy of Hope to Ward 8, donated by muralist Julie Dickerson. The new classrooms provide the opportunity to double the number of classes currently offered, increasing our ability to offer classes at multiple levels. And with classes no longer held in the original AoH space, that area serves as a new student lounge and tutoring center.

Summer has also brought to Ward 8 almost 20 new ABE-GED students who, in addition to their regular classes, have been enjoying a new social studies curriculum that will include three field trips centered on the Civil War to Civil Rights Downtown DC Heritage Trail. Students have already enjoyed a visit to and tour of the National Building Museum and are looking forward to trips to Ford’s Theatre and Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

Computer class offerings in Ward 8 have been enriched this summer, too, with the addition of an IC3 class Monday through Thursday mornings at the Overlook. Students successfully completing this advanced computer class will earn a certificate that will enhance their employment opportunities. We’re excited that the class includes two students who started in AoH’s Ward 8 beginning computer class earlier this year.



As always, the focus of all this activity is student growth, and many Ward 8 students are closer to meeting their educational goals. Five students have passed the practice GED test and are expected to take the GED in the next few months. Under the leadership of Alyssa Ballentine, our Ward 8 The Workplace D.C. instructor, three additional students have made significant grade level gains in both reading and math. So, while “hazy, hot and humid” is the forecast for Washington, Ward 8’s forecast remains all A’s: advancement, achievement and attainment. “The final ‘A’ is amazed,” says Ward 8 program coordinator Daquanna Harrison. “I am simply amazed at the commitment of my staff. From the creation of a new curriculum, to the grade level gains, to running three different levels of computers in one session, my staff has truly put their all into making Ward 8 great. Thank you all so much.”



Ward 8 utilizing their new space.