1:3 – Mondays – High School Leadership

This course in the fundamentals of leadership will help students develop the skills necessary to effectively communicate, organize, and delegate in numerous aspects of their lives; both personal and professional.  Each month, we will develop a new soft skill (communication, conflict resolution, critical thinking, time management, perseverance, teamwork, interpersonal) and we will partake in exercises geared towards its mastery.  Additionally, we will plan and execute a series of mini-service projects to help students put their newly learned skills into practice.  In taking this course, students will learn to practice team leadership through active group participation and will develop a sense of confidence and belief in themselves and their ideas.  

Essentially this is a LIFE Experience, not just a class.  It offers opportunities for your High School student to do real-life activities such as business planning, career planning, project management, community service investigation, project execution, recognize when others are helping in our community, reflect through public speaking, and write analysis of their achievements. All of these experiences, my past students have testified, have built self-awareness, confidence, and also opened their minds so they may see needs they never knew existed, which provide them with the insight to help others that are in need. 

Legacy of Leading in Community Service

When I asked my daughter what she learned at the end of the first year in my class, she expressed, “Mom, it was like a light bulb that went off in my mind… I now see needs I never knew existed”. 

It was at this moment, I knew I needed to carry on the class and give other students opportunities to open their hearts and minds to the needs of others.  

The Hopeful Hand’s team has laid a foundation of excellent leadership and a legacy of service and recognition over the past six years.  

Since 2017, I’ve witnessed students grow and evolve into excellent teammates, leading in unity and making a positive impact in the lives of those in need through service and recognition. Most importantly, I’ve witnessed the impact made on the students themselves.  Resulting in a service-focused mindset fueled with increased self confidence and awareness.  Learning new skills enabled them to shine and make a deep and profound impact in the lives of others.  

Cumulative, the Hopeful Hand’s team has distributed: 

Over the last six years, 70 Hopeful Hands Student In Action leaders raised over $28,960 and activated over 1,533 volunteer hours. To reduce food insecurity, they provided over 600 Hope Meals and helped build 24 planter boxes.  They made a real-life positive impact in the foster community by distributing 1,430 Tote of Hope Care Bags, recruiting professional volunteers to provide a variety of HOPE CLASSES such as; Art, Journaling, Poetry, and Career and Character Building, strategically gifting seven laptops to foster high-schoolers at the time of the pandemic shut-down, and donated 1,360 pieces of clothing to an orphanage in Ensenada. 

Mrs. Annette Martinez taught the class this last year, taking it to higher levels of excellence, fun, and growth!  I’m so excited to partner with amazing Mrs. Annette Martinez to help inspire, encourage, and instruct the leaders in our class next year!

It is our goal to not only help your children excel, but to help them develop skills that will propel them into their future academic goals and careers, all while providing them with opportunities of becoming compassionate citizens. The team building aspect of this class shows them that they can even at a young age develop deep friendships by working together towards a goal of making a positive impact in the world we live in through community service. 

• Teambuilding
• Communication
• Project tracking, management
• Public Speaking
• Recognition of Others 

Testimonies from past students:

https://youtu.be/AQ2Idi4V5q4?si=MoLhnZtWxaRTIIC3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlfT5WUKah0&t=16s

The Hopeful Hand’s Team was awarded the following recognitions:

17-2018: 

• Los Angeles Regional 1st Place Team Winner 
• Bronze National Jefferson Award Recipient 

19-2020: 

• Los Angeles Regional 1st Place Team Winner
• Silver National Jefferson Award Recipient 

20-2021- Pandemic 

• Los Angeles 2nd Place Recipient 

21-2022:

• Los Angeles Regional 1st Place Team 
• Silver National Jefferson Award Recipient 

There have been many moments where I’ve been at a loss of words or just couldn’t help but cry as I’ve witnessed the deep and profound impact our team has made in the lives of others.  The legacy of the Hopeful Hand’s Team is a dynamic movement led by resilient leaders. I admonish each of you to continue seeking out opportunities to make a positive impact in the lives of those with greater needs. As you have witnessed, it only takes ONE LEADER, who has the power to inspire others to help make a positive impact in our world!  Be that one!

2017-2018

• 4 students: Kaitlyn, Jaden, Olivia, Brittyn
• 250 tote of hope Care Bags
• 300 volunteer Hours
• $7,500 raised

2018-2019

• 4 students 

– [ ] Raise$ 1000

– [ ] 200 Tote of Hope Care bags 

Volunteer Hours: 100

During the Pandemic, 

2019-2020

– [ ] 15 students 

– [ ] $15,000

– [ ] 1,360 pieces of clothing to Orphanage in Ensenada, Mexico 

– [ ] 400 Tote of Hope Easter Baskets

– [ ] 200 Tote Of Hope care bags. 

– [ 

7 laptops to foster youth 

– [ ] 328 Volunteer Hours

2020- 2021

– [ ] 15 Students 

– [ ] 300 Tote of Hope Care bags 

– [ ] HOPE CLASSES 

– [ ] $8,600 

– [ ] ] $1,000 to Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services  

– [ ] 300 Volunteer Hours 

2021-2022

– [ ] 12 Students 

– [ ] $1,560 

– [ ] 425 Hope Meals 

– [ ] 24 Planter Boxes 

– [ ] 380 Volunteer Hours

2022-2023

– [ ] 24 Students 

– [ ] $2,800

– [ ] 260 HOPE Meals

– [ ] 130 Tote of Hope Care bags 

– [ ] Diapers/ Wipes/ supplies. 

– [ ] Volunteer Hours: ?

Los Angeles 

National Bronze Jefferson Award / Los Angeles Top Regional Banner Level Team

Sage Oak Charter School – Redlands, CA

Hopeful Hands, Sage Oak Charter School’s Jefferson Awards Students in Action, is recognized for their commitment and ability to engage students and local community members to positively impact foster children’s lives by providing a “Tote of Hope” care bag.  By strategically using social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, they raised awareness of the need of foster children and coordinated a fundraising campaign. The Fish Radio Station, (95.9 FM, Los Angeles) highlighted the team’s effort which presented the need to a larger audience. As a result, Hopeful Hands raised $7,500 within three weeks.  Volunteers from four communities activated 370 hours of services during a Packing Day event in which 200 Totes of Hope were filled with basic needs and special comfort items.  This team of four 6th graders led with passion and enthusiasm inspiring others to not only see the need but to positively change the experience foster children have during the placement period.