Our Story

 

 

H.O.P.E. was founded in 2008 by Stella Robinette.  Ms. Robinette is very passionate about helping youth and it shows through in the H.O.P.E. organization.

H.O.P.E. (Help Our Potential Evolve) is a nonprofit organization (501c3). We help youth from 11-19 years of age. We teach them the necessary life skills for our youth to become self sufficient later in life.  Some of the ways we prepare them are our college prep programs, Dress For Success, etiquette classes, banking classes, CPR classes, and involving them with other businesses and charity organizations.

With our college prep programs we teach them how to go on to higher education with little or no money through scholarships and grants. Our youth have toured colleges to learn what resources are out there, what they are eligible for, and to gain a perspective on college life. Through this it helps teach them that college and higher education is attainable. We also help with the application process and making sure they are doing the appropriate things to be eligible for assistance with college.

We have done Dress for Success, teaching them the appropriate attire for job interviews. With this they learn the proper attire for different types of jobs they may be interviewing for and how to present themselves.

We have done etiquette classes with the kids in the program so they are more prepared for certain social and professional settings they will likely face in the future. We feel like it gives our youth an opportunity to stand above the crowd when they attend formal social and business functions.

Another great thing we do is a banking class. We have a representative from a local bank come in and teach the youth about saving money, managing a checking account, and teaching what it means to build your credit and how to manage it wisely. It also teaches them to be vigilant about creditors with college lending. 

We have had our youth certified in CPR. This especially helps those considering the medical field but also helps the ones who are not just by knowing this vital skill. It also tremendously helps the ones who are babysitting while still in school.

  Hope also awards the Joyce Dockery Memorial Scholarship to graduating seniors each year. Our youth are required to do so many volunteer hours, such as clean up down town Kingsport, Fun Fest and other activities. We are also taking them on a mission trip to New York to work with special needs children. We want to impress upon our youth how important it is to give back to your community.