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Hope Forward: Celebrating 40 Years of Transforming Lives

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Key Achievements

1984

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Founding

In 1984 the Academy of Hope was started when Marja Hilfiker answered a phone call from Gayle Boss, a friend from Church of the Savior, asking if she wanted to help teach GED students. The church is rooted in the mission of members going out in the world and making change. After several months Gayle realized magnitude of the need and the work it would take to meet that need; realizing that she couldn’t do it on her own the Academy of Hope temporarily closed. In late 1984, Gayle called Marja Hilfiker and asked her if she would be willing to help out with a second attempt to start Academy of Hope. Marja felt an immediate sense of connection with the Academy of Hope having taught school in Minnesota In January 1985 Gayle and Marja secured a small guard room off the lobby of the Ritz building where they could hold their classes. Gayle had a small sign that said “Academy of Hope” and 10 GED manuals. There was no phone and the closest copy machine was 2 blocks away. Some of the first students were residents of the Ritz building and everyone helped to furnish the place by bringing in a coffee pot, curtains, and a blackboard.

1985

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First Graduate

hat first year there were 19 students. Classes were held 3 days a week for 4 hours each day. At the end of every month the school held a bake sale to raise the $50 needed to pay the rent for the space. A year and a half later, all of the hard work paid off when Linda Brown passed the GED exam.

Year Here

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Launch of Workforce Programs

AoH continues to evolve as a school and we are excited about the future. Closing out school year 17-18, AoH achieved several milestones including a recommendation for full accreditation by the Middle States visiting team, the launch of new workforce programming in hospitality with health and office skills to come in SY 18-19.

2014

charter

Charter Approval:

In 2014, Academy of Hope made the transition from community based nonprofit to a publicly funded adult charter school. As an Adult Charter School the most dramatic change for AoH has been its transformation from an NGO relying on heavily upon fundraising for survival to a school that receives more than 75% of its funding from the District of Columbia. The transition to charter has not been without its challenges. The school now operates in a high stakes environment with additional compliance requirements and significant accountability for student performance and success. The transition has also come with significant financial benefits. Prior to charter, AoH’s annual budget was $1.5 million per year. As a charter, our budget is now well over $5 million dollars annually. While the financial situation of the school has improved significantly since transitioning to charter, we must continue to fundraise. Adult charter only receive 89% of per pupil funding for K-12 schools. Additionally, adult schools are not eligible for Title 1 or a number of the additional resources that K-12 schools receive for special populations

2020

digital learning during covid

Digital learning shift during COVID

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2025

future

Present-day stats

Stats Here

Impact by the Numbers

Learner and Alumni Spotlights

AoH has helped me see things I couldn’t at first … seeing that I can make my life better than it was.
Brandon Pointer
Brandon Pointer
– NEDP graduate and CompTIA Tech+ Learner
It felt like an amazing weight was off my life.
Academy of Hope Student
Sean Robinson
– NEDP graduate and Project Management Learner
Without Academy of Hope and Accenture, I would have never believed that I would have even gotten into the area I am in. I have to truly thank them because, because of them, I have a chance.
Jerneice Ballard
Jerneice Ballard
– CompTIA Learner


Anniversary Events

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5K Race and Homecoming Festival

Join us for our inaugural 5K Run/Walk in beautiful Anacostia Park! This family-friendly event brings together fitness, fun, and community while supporting Academy of Hope’s mission to empower adult learners in DC through education, career training, and life-changing support services.

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Save the Date

Details

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Sponsor or Volunteer

Details

40 for 40 Giving Campaign

Custom donation section encouraging $40 gifts (or $400/$4000 for major donors)

Branded donation tiers with impact descriptions
Matching gift incentives or “Honor a Learner” dedications

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Partner & Funder Wall

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Media Kit or Downloadable Assets

a. Press release(s)
b. Social media graphics for supporters to share
c. Shareable toolkit for alumni/partners

Newsletter Signup & Social Feed

Embedded Mailchimp form or similar

Real-time Instagram or Facebook feed featuring #HopeForward40 content

Alumni Submission Form: Share your story or photo

Memories

Virtual Memory Wall: User-submitted messages or images

Form for Users to submit memories and images.

Questions?