December 10, 2020

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 Jesus.

Pre-Covid, the Graduate Support Lounge would be full of students completing assignments, applying to college, bonding with old friends, giving middle schoolers advice, receiving mental health guidance, or simply taking a nap in a safe space. But we have come to realize Covid has given us an opportunity that is our very own “silver lining” to this unusual time. In an effort to meet local needs, we partnered with a local organization, Ones Up, to provide a fellowship for ten graduates.

The young people participating are members of the first-ever Philadelphia Community Action Team, working with other teams across the nation to address issues that affect underserved youth. Since June, our graduates have met to learn about civic and community engagement and put these teachings into action. As of last week, our alumni successfully completed 30,000 phone calls and 26,000 text messages to community members on voter registration.

As the Director of the Graduate Support Program, when I think about the vision of Hope that was created so many years ago, I reflect about how much Hope has grown. I think about how much Graduate Support has grown. I think about how much I have grown. The relationships that I have built over the years with our graduates, their families, and our North Philadelphia community at large, have taught me invaluable lessons. Lessons that cannot be taught in the classroom, but merely felt in the spirit. Lessons about growth. Lessons about the definition of success. Lessons around trauma. Lessons about love. Lessons about resilience. Most of all, lessons about Hope. We are well named, indeed! — Brittany Holiday