HOPE- Higher Opportunity Program for Education

The Higher Opportunity Program for Education (HOPE) is a student-initiated project founded by the Vietnamese Student Union (VSU) in 1999. HOPE is committed to outreaching for youths who are at an educational disadvantage. HOPE exists to raise consciousness of and provide access to higher education through holistic empowerment. We promote self-sufficiency and leadership through academic, personal, and community empowerment. We develop our students through peer advising, tutoring, workshops, field trips, and high school conferences. Under the support of the Student-Initiated Access Committee (SIAC) and the direction of VSU, HOPE strives to achieve its goals toward educational equity for all.

When Does HOPE Meet

• HOPE All Staff Meetings, Mondays 7-9pm
• Westminster High School Site, Tuesdays 1:30-7:00pm
• Chinatown Library Site, Thursdays 2:30-8:00pm
• San Gabriel High School Site, Fridays 1:00-7:00pm

Note: Site times include transportation time

Basic services we offer:

• Peer Advising
• Academic Development
• Collective Development

Peer Advising - One-on-one advising/mentoring sessions

Thru peer advising, HOPE provides an outlet for students to express themselves and helps students plan for life after high school. To prepare them for college, sessions get students knowledgable about A-G requirements, keep them accountable for graduating high school, and give students information on tests neede to get into college. In addition, students build skills such as time management and public speaking, which are needed to succeed later in post-gradtuate life.

Who Are Peer Advisors?

• Are trained mentors who help students plan (volunteers)
• Are students from UCLA
• Act as big brothers/sisters to students
• Are role models for the students
• Are members of the community

Academic Development (AD)

HOPE AD component is not just about homework help. It is about holistically developing students academically so that they can be successful in whatever they do.

Students will grow academically through tutoring, skill building, test prep, and writing development. Tutoring is one of the biggest elements of the academic development portion and is done in one one one as well as group spaces. Skill-building workshops help develop time-management, study skills, effective note taking and more. These workshops will follow the themes of finding your passions (Fall quarter), taking action (Winter quarter), and community and assessment (Spring quarter). The writing development component helps the student develop their understanding of the process and structure of writing. This can be done via HOPE blog, writing contests, journals, etc.

Collective Development

• Theme for the year
• Awareness of popular issues that often times become misunderstood
• Outcome for the year
• Learning, challenging, teaching, and living for a more aware life.
• Providing knowledge and setting the foundation for empowerment and change.
• Developing public speaking and self expression skills.

Leadership groups are student initiated. HOPE strives to develop student leaders by initiating change within their lives, school, and community. Throughout the year, students will work on 3 big projects to promote and community organizing. HOPE will also provide tools and resources for students to run their own meetings, projects, campaigns, and events, helping them to develop into student leaders.

• Leadership Skills
• Students will team build, practice organizing, outreaching, communicating and delegating
• Students will learn to facilitate meetings and plan events
• Students will goal-set, create a plan of action, take action, and reflect on their projects
• Students will create leadership roles to carry out the vision of their activities

Contact Information

• Email: Hope.director@gmail.com
• Call: 310-267-4346
• Our office is located in the Student Activities Center, in Room 106D