What GEAR UP Teachers and Parents Are Saying

Here is what GEAR UP teachers and parents say about Power of Hope:

• It has literally changed the way they do things in our school. Youth are participating in activities they never opened up to, art is being done where it was never used before, and the culture of the teaching has totally changed.
— GEAR UP Teacher, participant at Creative Classroom / Creative Facilitation 1, Yakima Valley

• I was truly blown away at the quality of the student writing and the quality of the performances. The monologues were sincere, authentic, and evocative. I would have never imagined that the monologues I heard were authored by 8th grade students. As a former English teacher, I know that this was not by accident.  All of the careful planning and coaching drew the amazing stories from our kids and gave them the tools to be skilled writers.
— Principal Mount Baker Middle School speaking about The Monologue Project, Skagit Valley

• [The best part was] getting to hear the youths voices come alive. I learned how to further my interaction skills with the youth, and the staff were all supportive, involved and motivated.
— GEAR UP Teacher, Yakima Valley

• What I liked best about this program was the ease in which it got kids to express themselves. My belief in alternative teaching methods was reaffirmed.
— GEAR UP Coordinator, Yakima Valley

• Since my first exposure to Power of Hope, I have been unabashedly singing their praises to my colleagues. I am convinced of their ability to fulfill their mission ‘Youth Empowerment Through the Arts’ and believe firmly that their work is vital to our public school system.
— School Counselor, Skagit Valley

• I must again say how amazed I was at the performance.  I have never seen our 8th graders so enraptured. I had several students asking if we could do it again after the performance. I hope this rare enthusiasm lasts.  The other staff members were amazed as well…I am really looking forward to doing this again next year.
— GEAR UP Teacher whose class did The Monologue Project, Skagit Valley

• Awesome! [This] is a communication with our teens that we don't get to see or hear! Very informative and touching. Definitely something to do every year!
— GEAR UP Parent of a student in The Monologue Project, Yakima Valley

• Power of Hope created a successful parent event and achieved much toward camaraderie and parent networking.
— Parent Academy Organizer, Yakima Valley