Leaving Legacies

Each year at graduation, Hope International honors the legacy students. These are the students who have spent all of their school time at Hope International. This year three students were honored. We interviewed each of them about their time at Hope and share excerpts from these interviews below. They expressed deep appreciation and gratitude for their friends, the school campus they are so proud of, their teachers, and YOU.

Your generosity has left a lasting legacy on each of them and all of the students they represent. 

Q: How long have you been at Hope International School?

I have been at Hope for 15 years, from nursery in 2009 to Grade 12 in 2024.

Q: What has been your favorite memory at Hope?

My favorite memory is the sport. I was a member of the kickball (girls) team, we had so many memorable times together and I will really miss my team.

Q: How do you feel about being honored as a legacy student of Hope?

As a legacy student, I feel so happy and can boast of my high school. I have an old picture of the school and sometimes, I sit and compare it with the current look; it makes me so proud to see how far we have come as members of the Hope family. I am so proud and excited to receive the honor.

Q: What are you most proud of?

I am proud of the campus facility, especially the amazing buildings, as a kid here I never imagined us having this wonderful structure. I am also proud of my teachers for their great impact.

Q: What can you remember as a little kid at Hope years back?

I remember my first teacher, Ms. Tetee, who taught us well and wonderfully cared for us. She always showed us love and never got tired of our annoying behavior as kids.

Q: What are you most proud of?

I am proud of the teachers, Hope is one of the best schools in Liberia because of the quality of teachers we have. Their teachings and mentorship are great and I am so proud of them.

Q: What message do you have for Hope International School as you finally say goodbye?

Naomi: Firstly, I want to say thanks to the Hope International School, and I also want to encourage the youth of Liberia to see Hope as a great opportunity for them to achieve affordable and quality education. This school is creating a better future for all.

George: I extend my thanks and appreciation to the teachers and the administration for the great job they are doing at the Hope International School. They made a great impact on my life and the society.

Saddatu: My favorite school, I am going to miss you (Hope), my teachers and the many fun. Goodbye for now to the only school I know, I love you and you will always be my only choice.

Q: What message do you have for The Hope Project?

Naomi: I want to thank The Hope Project for the support of the Hope International School and the many children of Liberia. Your support keeps giving us hope for a better future. Please keep it up!

George: Thanks to The Hope Project, I pray and hope for continuous support to help generations to come in achieving their dreams.

Saddatu: A very big thanks to our sponsor, The Hope Project, for investing in the Hope International School.

Cheers to these three legacy leaving students and to you, who have made Hope a part of your legacy.

With Luck(y), Anything Seems Possible!

As we continue to celebrate the graduating Class of 2024, we wanted to share the amazing story of the oldest graduate and a class valedictorian who just happen to be mother (age 35) and son (age 16).

We hope you can find a pocket of time to read this interview in its entirety. It is full of tenderness, grit, inspiration, and HOPE.

Perhaps someone reading this will be stirred to invest in the futures of Michael, who dreams of becoming a civil engineer and Lucky, who still holds her childhood dream of becoming a doctor.

Q: Could you please share some of your background?

Lucky: I dropped out of school 13 years ago to earn money to care for Michael, who I had very young, and his two younger siblings without any support from the father.

Q: What motivated you to return to school after 13 years?

Lucky: I was motivated by my children’s performance in school, they were all doing well in school, and very smart.

One day, I sat and looked at my children, I thought of their smartness and said if these kids are like this, I think they took some of my smartness. Therefore, I have to return to school and complete my high school education. Growing up as a little girl, I was also smart, and comparing my younger age to my children motivated me a lot to take the bold step in the completion of my high school journey in the face of many challenges.

Q: What was your dream when you were growing up?

Lucky: Growing up as a young girl, I dreamed of becoming a doctor and this dream of a little girl is still alive in me. This dream was one of the driving forces behind my return to school and this will not be my stopping point. I will strive to further my education to become the doctor I wanted to be and achieve my dream. When achieved, I will be capacitated to handle my responsibilities, take good care of my children, and help them too in pursuing their dreams.

Michael: Growing up as a child, I have always dreamed of becoming a civil engineer and that doesn’t change. I am excited about completing high school and hope for the opportunity to pursue my dream.

Q: What are some challenges you faced getting to this point?

Lucky: It has been challenging for me as a single parent, trying to take care of my children, send them to school, and also go to school. Despite challenging times, I am proud of completing high school with my son. Today my children celebrate me for the bold step of returning to school.

Michael: My mother has always tried her best to provide for our needs. But I have had challenges going to school with an empty stomach and transportation to school. I had to walk every morning to school.

Q: How did it feel sitting in the same room writing the national exam (required testing for graduating seniors)?

Lucky: Initially, I felt that coming back to school with my son was a setback for me, imagine giving birth to a child and coming back to sit in class with him and graduating the same day. I felt that I wasted so many years to graduate at such an age, but the encouragement I received from the school motivated me. My son was also a great inspiration for me on this journey.

Michael: My mother’s decision had a great impact on my life, each time I see her, I receive strength and motivation to do more.

Q: What are you proud of most at Hope and as an individual?

Lucky: As an individual, I am very proud of myself for taking this bold step at my age. At Hope, I am proud of the teachers, they are straightforward, always concerned about the student’s well-being and academic performance. I am also proud of the administration for their level of motivation and the way they manage the school.

Michael: As an individual, I am proud of being one of the three valedictorians, the third best performing students in my class. I am proud of Hope International School for the level of teaching and guidance they provide their students.

Q: What has been your favorite memory at Hope?

Lucky: This is a school I will never forget. Hope will always be in my heart, a school I graduate from at 35 years old. Not only graduate as an individual, but I built this memory with my son, it is an everlasting memory for me.

Michael: My favorite memory at Hope International School is with the quizzing team. I enjoy playing and the time with my wonderful team is a memory I will take with me.

Q: What message do you have for The Hope Project?

Lucky: I say thanks so much to The Hope Project for the help and support they are giving to the Hope International School, through their support, we can an affordable school with good quality. Their support has not only helped our children but has also changed the lives of some parents, so I extend a very big thank you to The Hope Project. I encourage them to continue their support and nothing should stop them from doing what they are doing for us. Let them keep giving us the Hope we need for a better future.

Michael: I appreciate The Hope Project for the effort and hard work. Their support is making a great impact in Liberia and I hope that they continue their good work.

Michael and Lucky represent so beautifully what Hope International provides to students in Liberia.  If you would like to talk with Jackie about helping them achieve their college aspirations, please reach out at (509) 630-8783 or email.

On October 12th, 202 (including 19 adults in night school) Hope International seniors joyously gathered together with their families, friends, and staff for the Class of 2024 graduation ceremony.

Among the graduates were 3 valedictorians, a mother and son graduating together and 3 legacy students, those that have attended Hope International from kindergarten through 12th grade. We will be sharing their beautiful stories in the coming weeks. 

Congratulations graduates as you celebrate this significant milestone in your lives! Thank you to you, our Hope community, for your partnership that makes it all possible! 

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