THE HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY OF HOPE

The Academy of Hope (HOPE) was founded by Joseph E. Washington in the summer of His vision was to establish a school dedicated to closing both the racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps within the United States, as well as narrowing the academic gap between the United States and other nations.

By the spring of 2010, Mr. Washington had assembled a six-member Planning Committee, and together they developed the school’s mission:

The mission of the Academy of Hope is to maximize the potential of every student by building character, promoting critical thinking, encouraging intellectual curiosity, cultivating entrepreneurship, and instilling a sense of global responsibility.

To bring this mission to life, HOPE established three primary goals:

1. Cultivate international business acumen in students.
2. Strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. Improve students’ ability to assess and communicate information effectively.

Key strategies for achieving these goals include:
-Operating on a year-round academic calendar.
-Offering single-gender math and science classes.
-Implementing a mandatory school uniform policy.
-Providing an International Business Program focused on developing foreign language proficiency and entrepreneurial skills.

HOPE opened its first academic year serving Kindergarten through 4th grade and continues to grow by one grade level each year, with the goal of ultimately serving Kindergarten through 8th grade.