St. Hope Band 3
Sac High Alumni Spotlight: Janera Whitney, Class of 2012
Throughout her time at Sac High, Janera Whitney (maiden name Montano) was very active and took advantage of all that Sac High had to offer. She was involved in Yearbook all four years, helped put on a shoe drive to support Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, and joined the softball team. She also attended school board meetings to advocate for charter renewal, was involved in community improvement campaigns, and participated in internships.
Black History Month Play Showcases Mental Health Struggles Women Face
St. HOPE is pleased to partner with Celebration Arts to present the play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf at the historic Guild Theater. Directed by the visionary Voress Franklin, this iconic choreopoem is a profound exploration of racism, oppression, and sexism. The production weaves the tales of seven women through poetry, music, and dance, delivering a powerful narrative filled with passion and raw honesty.
Sac High Partnership with MADE Provides Scholars with Unique Hands-on Learning Opportunity
Sac High recently established a partnership with MADE to provide scholars with an opportunity to learn how to use design programs and tools to create artistic projects. Scholars come to the creative community workspace located in Oak Park one day a week after school. They receive hands-on instruction and have access to graphic design programs and tools to create stickers, wood engraving, 3D printing projects, and more.
PS7 Elementary School Modernization Installs New Classrooms
The construction teams have been hard at work on our PS7 campus renovation project since July 2023 and we are thrilled that the project is on schedule. Crews have been busy clearing land, pouring concrete, preparing building foundations, and installing new water, sewer and power lines that will serve the new facilities. They have paved the future basketball courts and new front parking lots, and began building the new campus fence.
Celebration Arts to Present FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE / WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF
January 3, 2024
Directed by the visionary Voress Franklin, this iconic choreopoem will grace the stage at the historic Guild Theater from February 2nd to 25th, marking the second year of a decade-long partnership with St. HOPE.
Supporting Winning Teams
Message from the CEO - 11.28.23
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As I think about winning teams, I’m grateful for your support and generosity as we collectively work to uplift the Oak Park and greater Sacramento community. Speaking of winning teams, I’d like to give a shout out to our Sac High football team who came back from a slow start to make it to the second round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs. I commend them for not giving up and making the necessary changes to finish strong. We should never count the Sac High Dragons out. Let’s go Dragons!
Join Us for Christmas in Oak Park to Celebrate the Holiday Season!
We are hosting our annual Christmas in Oak Park, a multicultural community celebration with activities for kids and people of all ages. Located at the 40 Acres Complex, a historic cultural gathering place, this fun and festive event is a great way to kick off the holiday season.
Jada Pinkett Smith Book Tour is Coming to Underground Books
We hope that you can join us for an exciting in-person event as we welcome Jada Pinkett Smith as she comes to Sacramento on her book tour. Jada’s new unconventional memoir Worthy is an invitation to join her adventure in search of love and self-worth. During this special event, Jada will recount her story in an intimate conversation with readers.
Sac High Senior Micah Holmes Leading by Example
Earlier this month, Micah Holmes, a Sac High senior, presented at the City Parks and Community Enrichment Commission where he told Commissioners how much he has benefited from participating in the City’s youth workforce development Landscape & Learning (L&L) program. Micah started as an intern in the L&L program in summer 2022 where he has worked in community parks and green spaces weeding, pruning, and providing general park maintenance and clean up.
To make dual enrollment more equitable, bring the college experience to high school
October 24, 2023
College enrollment was declining even before the pandemic. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “the overall college enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds decreased from 41% in 2010 to 38% in 2021.” In 2021, the college enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds was highest for Asian students (60%) compared to 37% for Black students and 33% for Hispanic students.
Colour of Music Festival Returns to Sacramento
We are thrilled that on its 10th anniversary, the Colour of Music Festival is returning to Sacramento from November 6-11. This music festival shines an important light on underrepresented composers, musicians, vocalists, and other black artists. There are thousands of celebrated and prodigiously talented classical principals, composers and performers of African descent throughout the world. Yet, their opportunities to grace concert stages of major American orchestras are often or non-existent.
PS7 Alumni Spotlight: Elijah Orr
Elijah Orr is a St. HOPE Public Schools alumni who attended PS7 from fourth to eighth grade. After he graduated high school, he studied Criminal Justice and Ethnic Studies at Northern Arizona University and is now the District Representative for State Senator Angelique Ashby. Prior to working for Senator Ashby, he was a Policy and Advocacy Fellow at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.
St. HOPE Public Schools Op-ed About Importance of Dual Enrollment
Lisa Ruda, Superintendent of St. HOPE Public Schools, recently authored a commentary in Ed Source entitled “To make dual enrollment more equitable, bring the college experience to high school. We are proud that Sac High established a new partnership with Sacramento City College that offers our juniors and seniors an opportunity to take college courses and earn BOTH high school and college credit.
Access & Exposure for Our Students and the Community
President's Message - 11.7.23
At St. HOPE we are always working to increase access and exposure. This includes ensuring our community has access to authors and artists of all ethnicities and backgrounds. We recently hosted the Oak Park Black Film Festival at the historic Guild Theater and are getting ready to welcome the Colour of Music Festival to Sacramento. This wonderful music festival showcases the talents of black classical musicians and composers and highlights their impact and historical significance on American and world culture.
Oak Park Black Film Festival opens its annual five-day run. Here’s what’s showing
October 11, 2023
The Oak Park Black Film Festival opens its annual five-day run Wednesday night screening short, feature and documentary works by an array of African-American filmmakers.
The Guild Theater, 2828 35th St., is the setting for the second annual festival with its mix of film showings, interviews and discussion. The festival is 5-9 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 15. Tickets are $15 to $100.
Sac High Alumni Spotlight: Ja’Lyn Wright, Class of 2023
Sac High
Ja’Lyn Wright graduated from Sac High in June 2023, and will begin classes at UCLA this month, majoring in pre-psychobiology. While at Sac High, Ja’Lyn was a member of Senate, played soccer, and was on the track team. He cultivated a love of both science and performing that he credits, in great part, to the opportunities he had while in high school.
Over Thirty Historically Black Colleges and Universities Come to Sac High
Sac High
Sac High recently partnered with the United College Action Network (U-CAN) to host a college fair with over 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) including Alabama A&M University, Delaware State University, Morgan State University, and Wiley College. College representatives came to Sac High to talk to students about the programs and opportunities available at their universities and answer any questions.
Join Us to Celebrate St. HOPE Public Schools’ 20th Anniversary on September 29
St. HOPE Public Schools
We hope that you can join us on Friday, September 29 to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of St. HOPE Public Schools. Current St. HOPE scholars and families, alumni from Sac High and PS7, neighbors and community leaders are invited to gather, reconnect, share memories and current experiences, and celebrate this exciting moment in St. HOPE’s history.