Since opening as an informal tutoring program in 1985, the Academy of Hope has developed into a model for adult literacy programs in the greater D.C. area. By promoting a supportive community that creates a comfortable learning environment, the Academy provides the tools needed for educational success. Students have the opportunity to participate in an interactive classroom setting as well as receive individual assistance.
The Academy of Hope makes the individual’s goals the Academy’s goals as well, whether a student hopes to test for a higher literacy level or pass the GED. The need for basic adult education remains strikingly evident. One in five adults lacks a high school diploma, while one in three cannot read a newspaper or map. By supplying an educational foundation for its students, the Academy of Hope instills a long-lost ingredient for success: “hope.”
Educational success in the classroom translates into financial stability for most Academy students. Prior to obtaining GEDs, only 33 percent of future graduates received more than $15,000 annually. But, equipped with their diplomas, school officials say the majority go on to earn higher wages. Ninety percent of participants are able to stop receiving public assistance benefits.
Academy of Hope graduates leave armed with the tools for success and prepared for a new chapter in their lives.
