Luis Calderon came to Hopeworks after receiving the disappointing news that he was not going to graduate high school. He struggled a lot throughout high school but it was never because of academic challenges. He had trouble showing up in the midst of the difficulties that were going on at home. He was devastated when he learned just three weeks before graduation that despite passing grades, he did not have enough credits to get his diploma and would have to repeat his senior year of high school. Coming to Hopeworks was an opportunity for him to start fresh and get his GED. He had no intention of returning back to high school and found excitement in being able to learn more about coding while working toward earning his high school diploma. In just two months, Luis not only passed all five sections of the HiSet, earning him his diploma, but also completed the web design training at Hopeworks.
When asked what advice he would give to others, he says “no matter the troubles life throws at you, always push on and that is what I will do for the future.” Being at Hopeworks helped Luis learn to push forward despite his setbacks. Luis plans to enroll in college and study computer programming and engineering.
December has been a month of reflection and celebration at Hopeworks as we wrap up a year filled with growth, achievement, and collaboration. Our young professionals have made incredible strides in December alone, landing impactful roles with organizations such as PCS, the City of Camden, the City of Philadelphia, and the IRS! As we look […]
We’re proud to reflect on the incredible work our social enterprises have done with national brands and local organizations alike. This year, we’ve partnered with some amazing clients, including PHL Airport, Subaru, and The City of Philadelphia, providing our young professionals with opportunities to develop skills and grow their careers. These client facing projects have not only […]
This year, our young professionals took a deep dive into the world of tech, and they came up with new skills and fresh perspectives! At Elsevier, they got the scoop from experts in fields like software engineering, data science, UX, and quality assurance. After that, they rolled up their sleeves for hands-on workshops that gave them […]
