Sean Toole -

I have the privilege of joining the Hopeworks team for nine weeks this summer.  Originally from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, I graduated from Rutgers University in New Brunswick with majors in geography and urban studies.  I joined the Jesuits shortly after graduation in 2004 and have spent the past three years doing a variety of things, including teaching, assisting refugees, working in hospitals, and studying in Mexico.  Currently I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Urban Affairs at Saint Louis University, but it is exciting to get out of the classroom and into Camden for the summer. 

The Hopeworks model impresses me because of its clear connections to the local community.  The youth with whom we work desire academic assistance, job training, and employment opportunities, and Hopeworks is able to provide various programs to address each need.  Further, these resources are offered in a loving and supportive setting.

My assignment this summer allows me to learn more about Hopeworks by working with several different programs.  Each day I will lead a team of youths charged with mapping veterans’ gravesites at the historic Harleigh Cemetery.  Additionally, day trainees and participants in our Hope Through School summer program will meet with me for literacy enrichment.  It’s great to be here!

Phil Cooke -

I am a Jesuit seminarian, I plan to be ordained a priest in June 2008. I currently study theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA. After ordination my goal is to work with Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. I am impressed with what Hopeworks has done to empower youth through their educational and employment programs. This summer I plan to learn enough skills to begin a similar program in Pine Ridge. Many of the youth there suffer many of the social ills which unjustly plague many urban youth today.