December 21, 2025

Virgil Sheppard – President and CEO, Hope Partnership for Education

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

This year, our Hope community came together to create something special: our very first Hope mascot! The process began in the fall when students, parents, and staff were invited to take a survey about what mascot they felt best represented our school. One answer appeared again and again. Hopper, our beloved school bunny, was overwhelmingly selected. Many shared that Hopper feels like “part of the Hope family,” making him a natural and heartfelt choice for our mascot. He has become a source of daily joy in our building, and the way students care for him directly reflects the core values our students aim to live out everyday.

Once Hopper was selected, our art teacher, Ms. Jihan Thomas, guided students through a learning process to understand what a mascot is and why it matters. Students studied examples from local schools, colleges, and professional teams, discussing how mascots express community pride and spirit. With that inspiration, students then moved into the design phase, sketching their own interpretations of what a Hopper mascot could look like. Some designs were sporty, others were artistic or bold, but each reflected the creativity of our students.

After the artwork was complete, we held a school-wide vote. Students viewed all the designs and voted for their top five. Those top selections were shared with a professional designer who merged the strongest elements into one unified mascot.

Hopper was officially revealed at our 19th Annual Friendraiser, The Excellence of Hope, through an exciting merchandise drop that celebrated school spirit, joy, and community.