St. HOPE: Home
Behind The Mask
Guild Theater
What the natural eyes see, is not what is. Be blown away by the gut-wrenching and emotional filled story of a girl who can’t see a way out.
About this Event
Things are not always what they seem. This story is about a girl, Grace, who masks her pain, insecurities, and abuse to prove to everyone that she got it all together. On the outside, she’s dressed to impressed, but who knows what is hidden on the inside.
St. HOPE Academy Founded by Kevin Johnson
July 1989
St. HOPE began in 1989 as an afterschool program in a portable classroom at Sacramento High School
After 13 years, St. HOPE realized that an after school program simply wasn’t enough to dramatically improve the academic outcomes of children, that it would be necessary to establish and run our own schools.
In 2003, St. HOPE Public Schools was founded as a preK-12 independent charter school district that provides high-quality education to nearly 2,000 students.
St. HOPE Facility Grand Opening
January 1992
7,000 square foot facility opening at 4101 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
40 acres Art & Cultural Center Grand Opening
May 2003
St. HOPE’s largest economic development project opened with Underground Books, Uncle Jed’s Cut Hut, Starbucks and the Guild Theater.
40 Acres is the jewel of the SHDC efforts in the Oak Park community. The building was the historic Woodruff Hotel which was build in 1922 and was renovated by St. HOPE Development company in 2003.
The 23,000 sq. ft. mixed use facility includes:
- Guild Theater
- Underground Books
- Old Soul Coffee House
- Coopers Wine Bar
- Upper Room Apartments
Oak Park book store helps to provide a space for the community to learn about Black art and culture
ABC News 10
Georgia West, aka Mother Rose, talks about Oak Park’s Underground Books and how they help provide a space for community members to learn about Black culture and arts.
Author: abc10.com
Published: 12:08 PM PDT June 18, 2020
Updated: 12:05 PM PDT June 18, 2020
Senior Signing Day
Each Spring at Sacramento Charter High School we celebrate out scholars and their amazing achievements with a Senior Signing Day where they share their final college decision with our community. This year, given social distancing parameters, scholars were honored with a Senior Signing Day video. Watch the video here.
Sac High’s 2020 Graduation Ceremony
Congratulations to Sacramento Charter High School’s Class of 2020! We are so proud of these scholars and hope you will join us in celebrating their achievements. This year’s graduation ceremony was pre-recorded at the Guild Theater in Oak Park and all social distance rules were followed. Click here to watch the ceremony.
Oak Park Restaurants are Still Open for Business
We are so thankful that Fixins, Old Soul, La Venadita, and Oak Park Brewery are still open for take out! Support your favorite local restaurants by placing a to go order and making it a picnic meal at the park or special night with the family. Check out their Instagram pages for the latest news and discounts!
Creative Distance Learning Happening at SHPS
It was a tough transition to distance learning for students – so some St. HOPE teachers aimed to help ease the way through video introductions to their “virtual classrooms” helping their students understand expectations, how the new process will work, and to get excited about their new way of learning.
Scholar Spotlight: Jazmine Spears
See below for a brief but encouraging interview with Sacramento High School’s 12th grade scholar, Jazmine Spears!
Q: Tell us a little bit about your high school experience.
A: These last four year years at Sac High have been so busy! I have been involved in so many different activities like step team, basketball, cheerleading, College Track, working at Underground Books and so much more! This year I was one of the team captains for cheer and last summer I got the experience of going to East Africa for 2 weeks with College Track. Being involved has been so important to me as it allows me to bond with my fellow classmates, be a part of a team, and gain different responsibilities.
St. HOPE Public Schools 2020-2021 Virtual Admissions Lottery
It’s that time of the year again where our St.HOPE team gets to welcome new scholars and families to the network! We are eager to invite all applicants to attend this free, public event. Prospective families will be able to enjoy a fun filled evening with their new St. HOPE family. Our teams from PS7 Elementary, PS7 Middle, and Sac High will be ready to meet our new scholars and share a bit more about what’s to be expected at SHPS.
Sac High Teacher Domina Stamas Selected for a NASA Training Program
Sac High teacher Domina Stamas, is one of only 29 teachers from across the country selected for NASA’s “Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors” Training Program. She will fly with the SOFIA Telescope and receive training to bring a new space science curriculum to her 11th grade students.
Check out the full story on KFBK here!
Wehrly: What’s the Secret to Closing the Achievement Gap? Aligning Curriculum, Teacher and Student Expectations, and Whole-Child Support
What’s the secret sauce for academic success? A great teacher? More school funding? At-home support? This is a subject that generates impassioned debate in the halls of government as well as around kitchen tables across the country. Parents often think the key to their child’s academic success lies in which teacher they are assigned to and whether that person can identify children’s abilities, work to strengthen their core competencies and push them to be the best students they can be.
More Improvements at 40 Acres
40 Acres, formerly known as the 1922 Woodruff Hotel, was once known as one of the most dangerous spaces of Oak Park. The 23,000 sq. ft. mixed use property was acquired and renovated by St. HOPE nearly 17 years ago. Today, 40 Acres is the jewel of the neighborhood and home to The Guild Theater, Underground Books, Old Soul Coffee Co., World Class Faders, Fixins Soul Kitchen, and the Upper Room Apartments. This year, 40 Acres will undergo a second set of improvements including paint, awnings, signage, window plant boxes, and more! At St.
World Class Faders Now Open!
We are very excited to announce the opening of World Class Faders, a barbershop at 40 Acres. See below for an interview with owner Lonnie Horne.
1. Where’d you get the name World Class Faders?
I wanted a name my team, myself, and the community would be proud of. I wanted our name to give the impression that the highest level of service could be expected for anyone who walks into our business.
At Underground Books in Sacramento, youth find their freedom
1.31.2020
Author’s note: The following story was originally written for Comstock’s magazine as part of my recurring “Media File” column, a monthly examination at media-related businesses in the Sacramento region. Comstock’s declined to publish this story.
Walk into Underground Books along Broadway in Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood and the first thing you’re likely to notice is that it isn’t your typical bookstore.
Are updates to Oak Park sign of gentrification?
Part 3
ABC 10 - December 19, 2019
Keristen Holmes found out some Black-owned businesses are fighting back against gentrification. Watch the video here.
Christmas in Oak Park
By Xavier Mascareñas December 14, 2019 05:07PM
Christmas in Oak Park, hosted by St. HOPE, featured photos with “Black Santa” at Underground Books, and more holiday-themed activities at neighboring The Guild Theater, on Dec. 14, 2019, in the historic African American Sacramento neighborhood. See video here.
St. HOPE Puts Data To The Test, And Aces It
November 14, 2019
After a difficult past, the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento has been undergoing a revitalization. One longtime force in this renewal has been a nonprofit, St. HOPE, that has spent 30 years energizing public education and economic development aimed at helping resident families thrive.
Which high school grads go to college? These Sacramento schools send the most students
SAC BEE ARTICLE BY PHILLIP REESE SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 05:20 AM
About two thirds of students who finish high school in the Sacramento region attend a two- or four-year college within a year of graduation, but college-going rates vary dramatically by school, according to California Department of Education data.
Among the roughly 17,700 graduates in the four-county area who quickly went to college after the 2017-18 school year, almost 60 percent went to a community college, nearly 20 percent went to a CSU campus, and 8 percent went to a UC campus. The rest went to a private or out-of-state college.
First Look at the Brand New PS7 Elementary School
In the winter of 2018, PS7 Elementary was awarded a $25 million dollar grant for a new facility. Over the past year we have hired key members of the team (construction manager, architect, civil engineer) and have developed the preliminary design. Our goal is to create one of the finest school facilities in the Sacramento area!
1st Annual Back to School BBQ and Backpack Giveaway with Diamond Autosport
We are super thankful to have partnered with Diamond Autosport this year for a community barbecue and backpack giveaway that was held at McClatchy Park on August 9th. Hundreds of families came out for free delicious grub, backpacks, and school supplies. Children also participated in a basketball tournament and Diamond Autosport even brought a few of their most decked out vehicles for the kids to enjoy. Overall the event was a win for our community and we send a huge thank you out to Diamond Autosport for their partnership!
Fixins Soul Kitchen brings soul food and more to North Oak Park
8.15.19
A new spot to score soul food and more has opened for business in the neighborhood. Called Fixins Soul Kitchen, the new arrival is located at 3428 Third Ave. in North Oak Park.
Fixins Soul Kitchen specializes in comfort food. On the menu, you’ll find fried catfish, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, gumbo, chicken and waffles, mac and cheese and more.
With a five-star rating out of 18 reviews on Yelp so far, the new addition is on its way to developing a local fan base.
Sacramento’s Oak Park transformed: One organization and its $89 million footprint
Sac Bee Article by David Caraccio
Long-time Oak Park resident and activist Robbin Ware remembers that when he moved to the neighborhood, “there wasn’t a damn thing.”
“There wasn’t nothing here but gangs, drugs, drugs being sold,” said Ware, 82.
Nearly 20 years later, Oak Park has become a hotbed of investment and development. One organization in particular has been busy — St. Hope.