The running races at HOPE Field Day 2015 on Sept. 18th at CU Denver Field on Auraria Campus in Downtown Denver
When students stay with HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op for more than two years, their academic performance improves, according to a recent research report prepared by Dr. Carolyn Haug with the University of Colorado Denver.
Students enroll in HOPE because they are looking for a new way to achieve academic success and get to graduation day. Many have struggled in the traditional learning environments of other schools and welcome the extra attention received in the smaller classroom sizes at HOPE.
HOPE and their Learning Centers pride themselves in building a community with the students and families they serve. One of the ways they are doing this is through their growing Activities and Athletics program.
On Sept. 18th, HOPE held its largest-ever Field Day for their K-8th students, with nearly 800 participating from 11 Learning Centers. This fall as well, HOPE has 26 sports teams between soccer and volleyball, which is a record number of teams. HOPE’s elementary soccer league is in its first year and is extremely popular! It has 11 teams from seven Learning Centers and draws dozens of spectators each Tuesday night, many of them parents and family members of the student players.
“I haven’t played sports since I was a little. I like meeting the people and trying something new with friends I am making,” said one of the high school girls from New Heights in Federal Heights who plays volleyball.
HOPE’s Activities and Athletics program is open to all ability levels, and there are no tryouts for spots on the sports teams. Sports teams play against other HOPE Learning Centers and alternative schools throughout the area. In the winter months basketball is offered, and in the spring flag football. Students must be progressing academically in order to participate in activities and athletics.
The activities and athletics programming started for HOPE in 2012. It is a very unique program and no schools like HOPE are currently running a program of this scale.
“Activities and athletics are important to the HOPE education model. They help students build comradery and a drive to find success in the classroom,” said Melanie Stone, Director of Activities and Athletics for HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op.
In October, HOPE has a K-12th Art Show as well as their College Fair for high school students at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. January is HOPE’s annual Talent Show and Senior Day.
“I liked all the activities. Everyone worked together, and we didn’t care who won,” said a 6th grade HOPE student about Field Day.
HOPE welcomes the community to become involved in the Activities and Athletics program. Volunteers as well as equipment, material and space donations to make this program the best it can be for students are needed. To learn on how to get involved, please contact Melanie Stone at melanie.stone@hopeonline.org or call 720-402-3016.
Started in 2005, HOPE Online Learning Academy Co-Op is a blended online public K-12 charter school which delivers its curriculum through community-based Learning Centers from Denver to Greeley, Leadville and Pueblo. Students attend Learning Centers five days a week and rotate between online lessons and face-to-face classroom instruction. The award-winning curriculum exceeds state standards. HOPE also offers low student-educator ratios and is an accredited high school diploma program, with graduates going on to attend college at institutions from the University of Denver to the University of Northern Colorado and beyond. HOPE serves 3,000 students in grades K-12. Nearly 80 percent of HOPE’s student population qualifies for free and reduced lunch and 10 percent are homeless. HOPE is chartered through the Douglas County School District. For more information, visit hopeonline.org or call 720-402-3000.