Class Sponsorship
2023-2024 Class Sponsorship Program
We invite you to make a difference in the lives of our students as a class sponsor by supporting the girls and young women of Esperanza Academy. Esperanza delivers a high-quality, holistic education model that goes beyond academics and is designed to break the cycle of poverty for young girls from Lawrence, MA. Our school is a revolutionary antidote to racism. We, as an academic community emphasize racial and cultural identity affirmation, love of community, and restorative justice. Our job is to instill in our girls a sense of confidence in themselves by creating a culture of achievement in which academic success and self-discovery are paramount.
By becoming a class sponsor you will be joining a community of students, family members, faculty, secondary schools, and colleges committed to dismantling structural barriers so that we can witness each and every one of our girls soar. The magnitude of positive ripple effects on local, national, and global communities when investments in girls and women occur, is breathtaking. We believe in the amazing power of investing in our girls through a tuition-free high-quality education. We would love for you to join us in showing the world what is possible when you invest in girls from Lawrence, MA.
Class Sponsorship Yearly Giving Level
$7,500 - Full Year, Middle School
With your support, we will continue to teach and develop more female scientists, mathematicians, artists, and whatever else they dream about becoming. Sponsors will have the opportunity to get to know the class they choose to sponsor and will receive updates and videos of their class and the girls’ progress over their 4 years at Esperanza. Each sponsor will be able to witness the curiosity, ingenuity, and growth of a class of amazing Esperanza girls. Through your sponsorship commitment, you will have played a critical part in their success story.
For more information, please contact Peter Dalton at (978) 686-4673, or peter.dalton@esperanzaacademy.org.
Who is an “Esperanza Class Sponsor?”
A class sponsor is someone who believes in the power of an all-girls education and understands that their generous philanthropy is a way to create the world we wish to see. By sponsoring a class you are supporting a group of girls who have entered this educational journey together and will remain together for their four years at Esperanza; each class develops a powerful sisterhood filled with joy, aspiration, and achievement that is possible through the support of folks like you.
Through our sponsorship program, we are seeking to create a cadre of believers in the brilliance of our students while simultaneously illustrating what can be accomplished when we join together in mission, love, and the urgent call for change. Whether it be virtual or in-person, we will create moments for you to come together with your team of supporters to celebrate in the stories and success of the class which you are sponsoring.
About Each Grade
5th Grade
An instrumental year as our students are introduced to the independent school model of education. Within the Esperanza experience, this is the foundation for critical thinking, imagining endless possibilities, and pursuing academic excellence. Through our lottery-based admissions process, this is where we begin to work with students who may have fallen behind academically, as well as students who are years ahead of their grade level. For some students, this is the first time they go on their first overnight camp experience or travel around Lawrence with a camera to record the beauty of the city. Ultimately, this is when we begin to see the genius in each student.
6th Grade
Having built a foundation in 5th grade, sixth graders continue to develop critical core academic & socioemotional skills. 6th grade is the year when students are able to expand their awareness of the world around them. Students excitedly ask deep questions about how the world works and why, and what their part in that world looks like. At Esperanza, starting in sixth grade, students have to opportunity to apply to be student ambassadors - an exciting opportunity to welcome visitors, represent the school, participate in ambassador meetings to make decisions that strengthen our school community. They begin to step into their leadership roles and we see their voices blossom.
7th Grade
Seventh grade is an important year as the students takes on more leadership roles in the community. Big Sister/Little Sister program - students are paired with incoming fifth-graders to welcome and support, and the seventh graders spend time in advisory exploring what it means to be a mentor for a younger student. Midway through the year, seventh graders begin learning about the high school application process. This includes learning about school options, logistics, and strategies as well as an emphasis on identity reflection. This process is about helping students figure out who they are, what they value, and what future school communities they want to join. This is when they begin to realize that their current actions pave their future path. This is also an exciting time to connect with class sponsors as they think about the world, opportunities, choices, and new connections.
8th Grade
Eighth grade, of course, is a BIG YEAR! As the oldest students, they are leaders throughout the school program, e.g., running weekly community meetings, captaining sports teams, and even coming up with creative new clubs and projects, such as last year’s ukelele ensemble. A year characterized by the high school application process - a process that takes a huge amount of time, effort, resources, and support. Students engage in more of an interdisciplinary humanities program to analyze US history and literature through the lens(es) of their identities, social change, and activism from before the nation’s founding to the present. 8th grade is a beautiful year of watching our fearless student leaders share in the decision making process for our school community.
What else does a class sponsorship support?
An academic curriculum that is both rigorous and holistic
Extended day, extended year program 10 hours a day over 11 months (more time in school for our girls)
Low student-teacher ratios (6:1) (more individualized attention)
Athletics- basketball, volleyball, swimming & dance
Enriching Arts & music programs through Berklee School of Music, Phillips Andover Breadloaf & Essex Arts Center (honing their self-expression and love for the arts)
Music Therapy- to address the side effects of childhood trauma and promote social-emotional well being.
Graduate Support Services- continuous support throughout high school, college, and beyond for all of our graduates.
An intentional joyful environment that celebrates each girl’s cultural identity where joy, love, and curiosity are central to her experience.