The Elevated Hope Project

Today on the Elevated Hope Project, we sit down with Jill and Nancy, the Principal and Vice Principal leading Eastpointe High School's East Tucson campus. What started as two people stepping into roles neither of them originally wanted has turned into one of the biggest turnarounds in the network. This conversation with Jill and Nancy is about what happens when you stop managing behavior and start...

Today on the Elevated Hope Project, we are honored to share the story of Dr. Kelly Burns, Superintendent of the Yavapai County Accommodation District and one of Arizona's most passionate advocates in the fight against human trafficking. What started as a routine professional development day turned into a mission she has not stopped fighting for since. This conversation with Dr. Kelly Burns is abou...

Today on the Elevated Hope Project, we are honored to share DOC Ivory's remarkable story. Once a promising athlete with dreams beyond his neighborhood, DOC found himself on an unexpected path that led him from the streets of Chicago to the front lines of combat. What followed was not a story of perfect victories, but a lifelong commitment to rising, serving, and refusing to quit. This conversation...

This conversation with David Huff is about what happens when things don't go your way. Not the highlight moments. Not the wins. The moments where you fail, lose confidence, and start questioning everything. David breaks down the reality of competing at a high level, where talent alone is never enough. He talks about pressure, identity, and what it actually takes to keep going when most people woul...

Kylene, better known as "Cupid," joins The Elevated Hope Project to share a story that is equal parts raw and relentlessly hopeful. From growing up in a chaotic home environment to battling chronic health conditions, severe depression, and the constant pressure of simply getting through the day, Cupid explains what it felt like to live in survival mode while still trying to stay in school and keep...

What does it actually mean for a student to be "ready" for the future? In this episode of the Elevated Education Podcast, we sit down with Matt Gress, Arizona State Representative and Chair of the House Education Committee, for a candid and deeply personal conversation about education, accountability, and what our systems are truly preparing students for. Matt shares his journey from growing up in...

What do you do when the dream you built your whole identity around gets taken away? In this episode of the Elevated Hope Project, we sit down with RaSean McMiller, a former high-level basketball recruit who had to make a hard pivot after injury and setbacks changed his path. Instead of isolating, RaSean chose action. That decision started with something simple, selling socks at 17, and turned into...

Today on The Elevated Hope Project , we are honored to share Mayson's remarkable journey. A graduate of Accelerated Learning Center in Phoenix, Mayson has lived through more loss in her young life than many face in a lifetime. Yet through every hardship, she remained grounded, compassionate, and determined to move forward. In this candid conversation, Mayson reflects on her upbringing, the challen...

Radio and TV host Mike Broomhead sits down with The Elevated Hope Project to talk about the mentors who shaped him, the brother he lost, and why earning a young person's respect matters more than any lecture. From a father-absent childhood and a GED to leadership in the trades and a media career, Mike shares honest lessons on discipline, community, and second chances. We dig into school choice, pa...

In this episode of The Elevated Hope Project, community leader and longtime team member Uriah Grissom shares how a mindset of steady positivity can break through resistance and help students see their potential. From being the sixth of eleven homeschooled children in rural Arizona to guiding at-risk teens in alternative education, Uriah unpacks lessons on resilience, setting the tone, and "mining...

In this powerful episode of The Elevated Hope Project, we sit down with Sincere Townsend, a Chicago native whose story embodies resilience, transformation, and the pursuit of hope. Growing up on the South Side, Sincere navigated the challenges of street culture, violence, and limited opportunities. By middle school, he faced a life-altering choice: follow the path of friends who ended up in jail o...

In this powerful episode of The Elevated Hope Project , we sit down with Olivia, a graduating senior from Accelerated Learning Center in Phoenix, Arizona. After losing nearly everything to the ripple effects of the pandemic—including her health, her education, and her confidence—Olivia made the bold decision to take back control. With the support of her family, her teachers, and her own unshakable...

In this heartfelt episode of The Elevated Hope Project , we sit down with Sean "Tarzan" Strickland—not the UFC fighter, but the equally tough and inspiring special education teacher at Elevated Education. From childhood surgeries and leg braces to bench pressing 400 pounds and mentoring students who've survived unimaginable hardship, Sean shares his journey of resilience, perspective, and unwaveri...

In this moving episode of the Elevated Hope Project , we sit down with Leilani Billy, a senior at the Accelerated Learning Center, whose story embodies resilience, cultural pride, and unshakable perseverance. From growing up on the Navajo Nation to navigating academic struggles, profound personal loss, and the challenges of urban life in Phoenix, Leilani opens up about her journey toward graduatio...

In this episode, KarIn, a staff member at Elevated Education, shares her powerful story of resilience. Growing up in poverty and homelessness with an unstable father, KarIn's life began with immense hardship. Her mother instilled hope by exposing her to a better world through church, and a caring third-grade teacher changed her life by investing in her personally. Despite starting school late and...

Everyday in high school was survival mode. The fights, the drama, the bullying at school that followed you home through a screen. You knew exactly who you were and what you wanted, but the world around you didn't get it. In this episode of The Elevated Hope Project, you'll meet Jazmine, a resilient young woman who went from feeling hopeless and overlooked to building a life of purpose and success....

In this episode of The Elevated Hope Project , we share the inspiring journey of Gabby, a graduate of one of our Phoenix schools, who overcame adversity, dropping out, and uncertainty to find hope, return to education, and thrive at Scottsdale Community College. Sponsored by Elevated Education, this podcast celebrates stories of resilience and transformation, highlighting the impact of schools lik...

This podcast celebrates stories of resilience, transformation, and second chances. In this episode, I'm honored to share the incredible journey of Ariel Harlow, our first staff interview and someone whose life was changed by one of our schools. Ariel opens up about her challenging upbringing, the struggles she faced in school, and how finding the right support system helped her turn things around....

Ty's journey is one of struggle, transformation, and the power of unwavering support. From battling addiction and homelessness to finding mentorship, education, and a path forward, his story is a testament to the impact of second chances. In this episode of The Elevated Hope Project , we explore how a community of mentors, a school that believed in him, and his own resilience helped Ty overcome ad...

Welcome to our first podcast! In this podcast, we're sharing incredible stories of resilience and transformation from current and former students who have faced and overcome tremendous obstacles. A year ago, I got excited about starting this and even bought all the equipment, only to let it sit collecting dust—typical me! But here we are, with the goal of inspiring teenagers, parents, and educator...