Chris Robinson first joined the Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis Academy Program (formerly known as Hope Prep) when he was a 7th-grade student at Berkley Middle School. As a student with a 3.5 GPA, Chris’s teachers recognized his potential and nominated him to join the program. “Stepping into the Hope Prep Program was an amazing experience,” says Chris. Although he was a bit shy at first, he soon realized “the program offered me opportunities to get to and through college.” In addition to his academic abilities, Chris embraced the opportunities that Hope Prep offered him such as mentoring, tutoring, and financial assistance. “The World Wide Technology mentoring program was especially helpful as I progressed through Harris Stowe State University along with the scholarship from BHGHSTL”.
Chris’s mother, Sandra, reflected on the importance of not only the academic assistance, but the additional skills the program also offered her son. The Super Saturday program offered through Hope Prep included life skills opportunities such as visiting several college campuses, community service opportunities, financial education, and so much more. Sandra recalled the time Chris traveled by himself with no parent to the University of Nebraska for a week-long visit with scholars from other BHGH affiliates. The scholars stayed on campus and learned what university life would be like —all in preparation for a future collegian experience. “I was so anxious, I stayed and watched until his airplane was out of sight before I left the airport.” says Sandra. “It was these types of life skill experiences that helped him
explore alternatives, make rational decisions, and problem solve when an issue arose.”
Chris graduated Cum Laude from Harris Stowe State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration –
Management in December 2023. He is currently employed at Sam’s Tire and Battery where he is shadowing
the manager to gain first-hand experience that will enable him to reach his ultimate goal of running his own Cargo
Van Transportation and Logistics business in the future.
