American Province Ministry Connections
March 2024
Hope Partnership for Education 
 
Virgil Sheppard - President and CEO
This past November, elections were held for the Student Council, and four members of Hope Partnership School were elected to the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer by their peers.
Swift off the tail of the election, the Student Council decided to lead Hope Partnership for Education’s Giving Tuesday campaign as their first initiative. They surveyed their friends and identified several priority fundraising goals. By creating an online website and sharing their vision for civic engagement, the ambassadors raised $3,400! 

Meanwhile, a partner organization, Philabundance, invited our Student Council President to volunteer with President Joe Biden on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in January. Our Council President had the opportunity to learn about how volunteerism has impacted President Biden while packing food donations for community members. The experience further reinforced the civic duty our Hope students pursued in their leadership roles.

To put those funds from Giving Tuesday to work, the group has been diligently planning school-wide field trips, confirming a visit to the Camden Aquarium and a city-wide tour on a charter bus. Students will eat lunch in Center City Philadelphia, a neighborhood where many students have not spent much time. The Council also plans to host a Spirit Week this May for their peers, including a Field Day with friendly competitions, a catered lunch, and an end-of-year award ceremony. The Hope Partnership School staff are proud of their initiative, creativity, and dedication to the Hope Core Value of Hospitality.
Washington School for Girls (WSG)
 
Dr. Beth Reaves - Head of School
Each year, WSG hosts Career Day for middle school students to help girls envision their futures. Volunteers come from all across the Washington, D.C. region and represent various professions, and students learn about their work during a career fair and several special workshops and presentations.
 
Some girls already have ideas about their potential career paths, with many particularly interested in medicine and law. We were joined by a neuropsychologist, a physician specializing in integrative medicine, a nurse anesthetist, a dentist, and a pediatrician who showcased some of the many tracks within the field of medicine that are possible for our students. We also had several legal and public service representatives, including lawyers from government agencies like the SEC and the Baltimore Housing Authority and corporate lawyers. We also welcomed a current City Council member, a political journalist, a Secret Service special agent, and cadets from the Metropolitan Police Department.
 
Even if they don’t yet have a specific product or service in mind, many of our students are entrepreneurial and aspire to own their own businesses. Students enjoyed a special presentation from a woman who founded her IT and management consulting firm. Our girls also met professionals in finance, sales, human resources, engineering, aviation, philanthropy, communications, museum curation, and more.
 
Through this experience, our girls have the opportunity to imagine themselves in positions they have always dreamed of or those they may not have considered.

Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus 
Casa Cornelia Law Center * Providence Center

Co-Sponsored Ministries of the Society of Holy Child Jesus
South Central Los Angeles Ministry Project (LAMP) * 
Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep * Hope Partnership for Education * 
Cristo Rey New York High School * Washington School for Girls
 
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Ministry Connections is a monthly publication highlighting ministries sponsored or co-sponsored
by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.