Northwest Arkansas Childrens Shelter

Hope Academy

On October 10, 2019, the Arkansas Department of Education Board of Directors unanimously ratified the Arkansas Charter Authorizing Panel approval of Hope Academy of Northwest Arkansas! Hope Academy, the first trauma-informed school in Arkansas, will open on the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter campus in August 2020. The charter school will be an expansion of the mission of the Shelter and fill an educational gap that currently exists in Northwest Arkansas. Children who have experienced trauma, many of whom have the same profile as our current residents, will now be able to find specialized, small classes taught by trauma-trained teachers who strive to create a safe environment for the children to learn, cope, manage and thrive. Our teachers and staff are specially trained to provide an educational space for learners with unique needs. Our team-based approach fosters student success by understanding and meeting physiological, social and emotional needs of students.

For more than 21 years, the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter has operated a school on site for residents of the Shelter. Our goal now is to expand those much-needed services to children throughout Northwest Arkansas who will benefit greatly from a trauma-informed educational setting. This expansion of services will allow us to begin to break the cycle of abuse and trauma and provide hope to vulnerable children and families.

If you’re interested in receiving updates about Hope Academy and the timeline for applications, please complete the form below:

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Samuel

Samuel came from an environment of neglect. He didn’t know where his next meal would come from, and he spent much of his young life on the streets.

Read more about SamuelImpact stories

Meet Samuel

Samuel came from an environment of neglect. He didn’t know where his next meal would come from, and he spent much of his young life on the streets.

By the time he arrived at the Children’s Shelter at 16-years old, he’d experienced 26 failed placements, was reading at a second grade level and failure was just a normal part of life.

Upon meeting Samuel, the dedicated team at the Shelter began building trust with him and created an individualized success plan.

He has not only received the care, love and vital services he so desperately needed, but he has thrived. Samuel has made great strides in school. He is working on life skills such as changing the oil in the Shelter vans, assisting with set-up for Shelter events and helping reconcile petty cash in the business office. He’s even opened up a bank account and visited different work environments to discuss career options for his future.

Before the Shelter, Samuel didn’t know home. At the Shelter, he’s found not only a home, but a family.

I rode on a tire swing for the first time!

Mitchell, age 10

Due to a rough childhood, I had lost all hope in life. The Shelter changed my life for the better. I’ve been given opportunities I never, ever thought I could get in life.”

Rhiannon, age 17

The Shelter is a perfect placement for all ages. It’s a safe place where all of my needs were met so I could spend more time on things I needed to work on – like graduating! The Shelter helped me so much!

Danielle, age 16