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Northwest Arkansas Childrens Shelter

Northwest Arkansas Childrens Shelter

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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-centered school in Arkansas, opened its doors on the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter campus in August 2020. The charter school is an expansion of the mission of the Shelter and fills 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, are now 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 24 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-centered 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.

For more information, visit hopeacademynwa.org.

Judea

Jenny fought her whole life to be free of abuse and neglect. She finally escaped that world and arrived at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter where she immediately began to thrive.

Read more about JudeaImpact stories

Meet Judea

Judea fought her whole life to be free of abuse and neglect. She finally escaped that world and arrived at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter where she immediately began to thrive. For the first time in 17 years, she imagined living a normal life just like every other high school student. This included a wish to go to high school prom.

Casey, her case manager during her stay at the Children’s Shelter, shares:

“My heart is filled with so much joy! I got the privilege to go to prom with one of my kiddos from the shelter. No, it wasn’t a typical prom situation, but when a kiddo finally escapes abuse for the first time in 17 years, we do all we can to make it a perfect night for her. She is strong, resilient, courageous, unique, ambitious and unassuming. She inspires me and she is one of the million reasons I will never stop fighting for these kids. Prom night was a sweet reminder that no matter how many hard days we have to face, these special moments make every single hard day completely worth it. If these kiddos can endure years and years of abuse, then we can endure an infinite number of hard days. We have to, because they need us.”

Casey Krisell, former Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter Case Manager

The best thing that I love about the Shelter is the acceptance. No matter where any of us came from, we are accepted here.

Melanie, age 15

I like it here.

Jordyn, age 7

Thank you for never giving up on me when I was lost.

Rachel, age 17

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860 NW Vaughn Road
Bentonville, AR 72713

479-795-2417
website@nwacs.org

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