Members of the 2017-2018 Hope Life Skills class representing Hope High School at the 2018 National Youth Leadership Forum on CSI and Law in Washington, D.C. (from left to right) – Walter Jimenez, Nayely Furcal, Eveline Silva, Laisha Mendez, Rosa Rodriguez and Lisanyis Gonzalez.

   “I learned so much”….. “This Forum in Washington, D.C. was amazing!”   ” I met so many interesting, nice people from everywhere!”….   “I visited George Mason University“…….  “I took your advice on stepping out of my comfort zone and spoke to more people which helped me become good friends with my roommates and others.”…..  “The CSI part of the program  was extremely interesting and I learned so much about how the law really works.   I volunteered to be the sketch artist at court which I really liked doing.”…..  “I enjoyed it all!  I made new friends.  The students at the Forum broke up into two groups, CSI and Law.  I did the law part. It was exciting going to a courthouse and witness a real trial.  As a project in my class, we separated into two groups, two defense attorneys and two prosecutors.”………. “The mock trial was great!  I really enjoyed meeting students from all over the United States. I got to see how different and similar we all were.   I really enjoyed the simulations. The simulation I enjoyed most was the case with the sketch of the crime scene.”………”Thank you for giving me an opportunity to grow and add to my network.  Prior to being in your class, I wasn’t sure that I could get out of my shell and talk to new people. Thank you for teaching me the values of being the best I can be at all times. Thank you for teaching me to be brave. Being in your class taught me the importance of my future.  Also, thank you so much for giving me the chance to travel to Washington; I met so many diverse people my age and I saw many beautiful and different parts of D.C.”….  “I was part of an amazing group; we all become a family.  Everyone felt welcome just like I felt since the first day.  It was a great experience that helped me open my mind to a different career…….I collected a lot of business cards and I gave many people my business card…..Thank you…”……….

Thank you to our many sponsors who have made a visit to the National Youth Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C. possible each year.   This opportunity would not be possible without your unwavering generosity.

Finally, our Hope High School students made us proud once again.  Their intelligence, their responsibility, their willingness to step out of their comfort zones to maximize each opportunity, their engaging personalities makes the Hope High brand something to be proud of.