This weekend was the 10th annual Checkmate Violence Chess Marathon at Temple University. Over 200 students came out to participate in this two day event-including 16 Esperanza Academy students. Saturday, five rounds in the unrated division lead Esperanza to a sweeping victory. Tyrese Casiano and Angel Ramos took home bronze medals. Angelika Gonzalez wore a…
Trombonist, composer, and arranger Papo Vázquez, visited Esperanza Academy and held a workshop for music students on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the middle school drama room. The workshop consisted on a Q&A session where Vazquez shared part of his biography and students got the chance to ask him questions on a one-on-one basis. He reiterated…
Martin Luther King Jr. once said in his most famous speech: “This is our hope, and is the faith that I go back to the South with.” He believed that we could come together to make this country great. He believed that everyone should have equal opportunities to accomplish their dreams. Esperanza Academy was created…
During the last few days, Esperanza has highlighted successful stories of each division. We have seen how Esperanza’s programs have flourished in this year and how many lives have been impacted and transformed. As the end of the year approaches, it seems as the most pertinent time to highlight some of the great moments of 2016. It…
Greetings in this sacred season! The Christian Scriptures in 1 Peter tells us: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope…” (1:3, NIV). Emmanuel, God with us, came as a light in the darkness and His birth…
It is always a good time to serve others, but what a better occasion than the holidays. Esperanza’s Housing and Economic Development division celebrated last Friday, Dec. 16, its annual Christmas Family Fun Night. The event allows neighbors from the community to come to Esperanza’s headquarters and share the joy of the holidays with a…
October was a historical month for Esperanza’s National Programs as they hosted the 10th Esperanza Capacity Institute (ECI). Over 200 youth workers and pastors attended the conference which included relevant plenaries, networking opportunities, workshops, and worship. For the first time, the ECI was able to have a day devoted to building the capacity of youth workers and pastors…
The Esperanza Academy Choir shared stage with the pros at the 2016 Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia. The choir performed in the Mass Youth Choir ensemble on the steps of the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art. The students spent several months rehearsing mentally and physically for the performance which required singing and dancing. “It was a…
Sherrell Leland’s relentless home pursuit proves there is no such a thing as an impossible dream. Leland had been renting from The Philadelphia Housing Authority scattered sites for more than 5 years. On November 2015, determined to fulfill her dream of being a home owner she came to Esperanza for housing counseling in order to buy her first home….
In the past four years, Esperanza has embarked in a mission to bring life back to the Hunting Park neighborhood. This process started with the drafting of the Hunting Park Neighborhood Strategic Plan in 2012, followed by a series of implementation projects. From this plan, Esperanza gave birth to NeighborCare, a program that seeks to…
