Join us for Academy of Hope’s (AoH) inaugural Stride for Hope 5k & Homecoming Festival on Saturday, April 25.
This family-friendly event through Anacostia Park brings together fitness, fun, and community while supporting Academy of Hope’s mission to empower adult learners in DC through education, career training, and life-changing support services.
Designed for runners, walkers, families, alumni, staff, and supporters alike, Stride for Hope is more than a race. It is a homecoming— a moment to come together and celebrate the resilience, determination, and potential of adult learners across our city.
More than just a run, the AoH 5K is a celebration of possibility. Every step you take helps adults in our community rewrite their stories through learning, confidence-building, and economic mobility. Funds raised from this event directly support AoH programs that help adult learners build literacy skills, earn high school credentials, and access workforce pathways that lead to sustainable careers.
Take recent high school graduate Deborah B. Deborah enrolled in AoH’s National External Diploma Program (NEDP) in 2024 to pursue her diploma. She was inspired by her children and grandchildren, who had accomplished their goals of graduating. It was her turn to do the same.
Hoping to follow in their footsteps, Deborah stayed focused, studied hard, and even purchased a cap and gown to motivate herself towards the finish line. Now, with a diploma in hand, she plans to open a transportation business or pursue a career in healthcare.
Deborah’s story demonstrates how education uplifts entire communities, strengthens our workforce, and gives every person the opportunity to reach their full potential— no matter their age. The funds raised from this event support programs that help adult learners build literacy skills, earn high-school credentials, and pursue new career pathways.
When you run, walk, volunteer, or sponsor Stride for Hope, you become part of something bigger: a collective effort to make lifelong learning accessible, equitable, and transformative for adults across DC.
Interested in impacting adult learners’ lives? Read HERE to learn more and get involved in Stride for Hope.