June 7, 2017

Rose Martin, RSM, Executive Director, Hope Partnership for Education

Hope Partnership for Education is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child of Jesus.

In the 2016-2017 school year, Hope’s After School Enrichment Program sought to offer a variety of experiences for middle school students. New offerings this year included Arts-related courses such as Cyanotype Photography, Torn Paper Collage, Bookmaking 101, Perfect Angles (a photography and photo editing class), and Origami.

Skill development classes included Fun with Numbers (math games), Poetry Club and Writer’s Workshop, and craft classes (Sewing by Hand and Books and Beads).

The growth of the music program has been amazing! Recorder Club and group lessons in violin, guitar, piano, and singing instructors in music were cultivated by Hope’s music teacher, Lourdes Wenger, through her contacts with the Esther Boyer School of Music at Temple University.

A continuing partnership with William Penn Charter School allowed us to offer two new cycles: Science, Technology, Education and Math classes (STEM). One class focused on building machines and the other on building an ideal community. We enlisted the skills of a building engineer who volunteered to lead a class in creating a model derby car from a wood block.

A new partnership with Penn for Youth Debate (PYD), a student-led debate organization, introduced Hope students to skills and best practices of debating. PYD works with middle and high school students in Philadelphia to develop critical thinking, research, and oratory skills throughout their school and college careers. Although Hope’s fledgling Debate Club isn’t quite ready for an audience, working with PYD offers the potential for entering our students into competitions throughout the region.