Hope Through School Summer Program a Big Hit!

The youth at Hopeworks ended this summer with a bang! For 7 weeks, 15 youth had the opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun all at the same time. Trainees learned Internet Basics, HTML 1, and PhotoShop! They made their own movies and went on trips to the National Liberty Museum and Six Flags Great Adventure! In our Literacy Program a team of Literacy Volunteers provided each youth with one-on-one tutoring, over 100 indivisdual tutoring sessions in all! In addition to all of that, they were able to plan, organize, and accomplish a nighborhood park clean up. We are all looking forward to keeping the success going as we move into the fall and our HTS after-school program gets back in session. 

Youth Clean Up Park as part of

Neighboring Action Project

Led by Nefertiti Bryant, Shakira Johnson and Waylen Adams, 16 youth cleaned up Northgate Park which is two blocks from Hopeworks.  After two weeks of youth-driven efforts to organize the cleanup, our trainees spent three hours picking up trash in this once-popular but neglected park.  The youth conceived this neighboring action through their individual stories of making something better and in reference to a shared vision for their community which they wrote collectively.  They presented this vision to Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes and Director of Public Works Patrick Keating, who were at the park.  Our youth are hopeful that their hard work will show the city the care they have for the park and lead to a rehabilitation of the space for enjoyment and safe public usage. 

A Summer Reflection

This summer Sean Toole, a Jesuit Scholastic, worked at Hopeworks tutoring and leading a group of youth in a mapping project.  He left us with this reflection on his experience at Hopeworks:

One theme I have repeatedly encountered during these past three years of Jesuit life is that of experiencing “more than expected.”  I’ve prayed more deeply than I could have imagined, come to know people more closely than I ever intended, and traveled more places than I thought possible.  This pattern of exceeding expectations is my understanding of the magis about which St. Ignatius speaks so passionately.  It is also how I best understand one of the mantras often repeated around Hopeworks ‘N Camden: “Be Big...” 

click here to read full reflection...