FEATURE
Hope is often thought of as something ephemeral, intangible, or idealistic. It can be hard to find, especially in challenging times when fear and injustice fill our news feeds. We may confuse hope with optimism—or the belief that things will get better—when really it just requires the belief that they could.
Hope calls forth a sense of agency and accountability—that we have a role to play in how things will ultimately turn out. Among teens, there are links between hope and health, quality of life, self-esteem, resilience, and sense of purpose. And we, as the adults in their lives, are called upon to offer a glimpse of a better future, to show them why it’s worth fighting for.
“Once people realize something is possible, they no longer accept the mental constraints that limit their ability to make that leap forward,” says philanthropic leader, author, and strategist Sandy Herz.
Dr. Jamil Zaki, Stanford psychology professor and Director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, who spoke at Menlo last year, reminds us that hope thrives on collaboration and connection. “Hope is not the same as wishful thinking…,” he says. “It is something that you endeavor to follow and chase through your actions. And because of that, when people achieve even the smallest step toward something that they hope for, it can be self-reinforcing, it can be empowering, and people can realize their ability not just to want things but to go out and get them.”
From global programs and Catalyst to moviemaking and flag football, Menlo is a place that cultivates hope. You’ll find it in every corner of campus—people inspiring each other, growing, learning, persevering, trying, failing, finding support, and trying again.
Here we offer seven stories of hope that remind us of the importance of taking risks, trusting generously, speaking kindly, savoring the small stuff, cheering each other on, and never letting go of our desire to make a positive impact in the world.
01:
THE AUTEUR
JULIA ’26
The irony wasn’t lost on Julia ’26 when her short film about an artist choosing anonymity became an official selection of the 2025 All-American High School Film Festival. After spiraling into an obsession with validation and losing touch with why she fell in love with art in the first place, the film’s protagonist longs to rediscover the joy she felt while fingerpainting as a child.
Julia couldn’t help but relate as she sat among an audience of hundreds in a Manhattan movie theater, waiting for her film to be screened alongside films with much larger crews and production budgets. “There’s this one scene where the main character looks over, and she sees someone else painting a beautiful piece of art. And she’s jealous. She looks back at hers and thinks, ‘What did I even make?’”
“It helps knowing that even in these crazy and saddening times that, as humans, we can use those emotions that we’re feeling to create something beautiful and inspire people to do good...”
—Julia ’26
02:
THE PROBLEM SOLVER
JACOB ’26
Whitaker Lab has become like a second home for Jacob ’26. As the radio engineer for the Applied Science Research (ASR) balloon launch, Jacob spent countless hours tinkering with GPS trackers, amateur radio transceivers, and antennas that would allow the team to track and communicate with the payload in flight.
Meanwhile, Global Programs Director Peter Brown was exploring a new Menlo Abroad opportunity—an engineering-based service project in Peru. The goal was to help map the system of irrigation canals used by Andean farmers to enhance the efficiency and equity of water distribution across the region’s fields. Mr. Brown knew that the ambitious work would need a skilled student engineer. Enter Jacob, who was thrilled by the prospect of applying his STEM skills for good.
Using techniques and technology he had developed in his ASR and neuroscience classes, Jacob spent months designing a small device that could float through the canals while sending real-time GPS data to an SD card on a laptop waiting on the other end.
Fast forward to a muddy hillside in the highlands, where the first day of mapping went off without a hitch, capturing lots of valuable data. But as they tried to replace the battery on day two, the voltage regulator on the Arduino—the mini computer that powered and tracked the GPS—broke. After much troubleshooting and trying again (and again), the team was forced to plug their laptop into the GPS tracker and walk alongside the canal—a much slower process.
Jacob was devastated. In contrast to the solo engineering projects he took on for fun or for school, he felt he had let everybody down. And the real-life stakes of this assignment felt so much higher. But as he gradually began to accept reality and relinquish control, he learned that maybe it’s okay to let go of perfection. “Sometimes I think of myself as an all-or-nothing person, like I have to be completely locked in on something for it to matter,” he said. “But this made me realize that it doesn’t have to be like that all the time.”
Jacob learned a life lesson that applies far beyond the Andean highlands: that it’s not all about the end game. He admits that for a long time, he’s been laser-focused on getting into a good college, his sights set firmly on what’s next. But seeing how interconnected he and his cohort became with each other and the local community reminded him that investing in the people and places around him in the moment is just as meaningful.
Jacob’s visions for the future have also shifted. “I’ve always loved engineering, but for a long time, my engineering projects were just for the joy of experience, the joy of adventure. And that’s not a bad thing. But I think this project taught me that it could be way more than that,” he reflects. “It was really awesome to see something that I had worked on for so long—even if it didn’t work perfectly—have an impact on real people and help them out.”
Jacob ’26 brought his GPS tracking device to test in the irrigation canals of the Peruvian Andes
“It was really awesome to see something that I had worked on for so long—even if it didn’t work perfectly—have an impact on real people and help them out.”
—Jacob ’26
03:
THE MUSE
LILY CHAN, ENGLISH TEACHER
Upper School English teacher Lily Chan reminds us that inspiration can come in the simplest forms. To foster a culture of kindness and self-affirmation, she integrated a “Yogi Tea” ritual into her daily classroom routine.
The process is simple but impactful: she keeps an assortment of herbal teas in an orange tin and invites a different student each class to select the “Tea of the Day.” The practice has naturally encouraged a spirit of sharing, as students often step aside to ensure their peers get a turn. After brewing the tea, Ms. Chan reads the affirmation on the tag aloud—messages like, “We can always start again” or “You are the master of your actions.” These moments serve as a springboard to discuss authenticity and self-compassion, grounding her classroom community in a shared language of encouragement. “I believe that internal dialogue is a powerful tool for resilience, especially in uncertain times,” she says.
After 18 years of teaching in Canada, Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong, Ms. Chan found her way to Menlo in 2024. “In my experience teaching at schools across the globe, I’ve seen many unique approaches to building community. However, Menlo is different; it is incredibly intentional about creating a true sense of belonging. The School elevates genuine human connection by fostering kindness from within.”
She remembers feeling especially moved by our community’s interaction with Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel last year. “Watching students from different grades present their perspectives with such confidence—while remaining sensible and mature enough to applaud alternative viewpoints—was truly inspiring. It gave me immense hope. In a world increasingly defined by conflict, the respect we offer one another is often more vital than where we land on the moral compass.”
This spirit of open-mindedness reminds Chan of a Yogi Tea quote that resurfaces in her classroom time and time again: “The one who listens understands.” She adds, “It is this culture of intentional listening and genuine connection that sets Menlo apart, proving that when we lead with kindness, we create a space where every voice is valued.”
English Teacher Lily Chan and her class get daily doses of inspiration from tea.
“It is this culture of intentional listening and genuine connection that sets Menlo apart, proving that when we lead with kindness, we create a space where every voice is valued.”
—Lily Chan, English Teacher
04:
THE CATALYST
CHELSEA ’27
It was on an Outdoor Ed trip in elementary school that Chelsea ’27 started feeling the weight of the warming planet. “They basically told us that we had seven years until climate change was irreversible,” she remembers. “And the only thing we could do was take shorter showers and not use straws.”
Chelsea remembers going home and crying to her mom, feeling helpless and terrified. Climate change has shaped her thinking ever since, motivated by the assumption that her life’s work would be dedicated to combating it. So when Menlo announced the launch of the Catalyst Semester last spring, she knew she wanted to be a part of the inaugural cohort of Menlo juniors learning how to apply systems-based thinking to some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet today.
The program taught students how to leverage the opportunities around them to build leadership skills and create real change. Rather than just relying on what they read online, they engaged directly with local leaders—from the CEO of Waymo to the author of Radical Candor to California State Senator Josh Becker—connecting classroom concepts to real-world relevance. Beyond their brilliance, these visionaries offered something doomscrolling never could.
“When I talked to some of the stakeholders for my leadership project, I saw that most of them were very optimistic and very hopeful about the future,” shared Chelsea. In conversations with some of Silicon Valley’s foremost innovators, she learned that “if you approach a problem with optimism and you really love the problem you’re solving, you’re going to have greater success.”
As the semester was coming to a close, Chelsea felt changed. Having grown up hearing that her generation was charged with solving this crisis—yet feeling too young to move the needle—she felt, for the first time, that she was truly making an impact. “I think problems that are worth solving are always very complex and human-centered,” she added. “The real way to change things is through empathy and putting yourself in other people’s shoes.”
And, after spending a semester surrounded by peers driven by the same desire for change, she no longer has to feel as though she is carrying the weight of the world alone. “They’re not just my classmates,” she says, smiling. “One day they’re actually going to be people who go and do things, and I’m going to be a person who goes and does things. And we have each other forever now. And that’s really cool.”
Chelsea participates in a Catalyst field learning experience in East Palo Alto
“...if you approach a problem with optimism and you really love the problem you’re solving, you’re going to have greater success.”
—Chelsea ’27
05:
THE MENTOR
DONOSON FITZGERALD, COACH
Some might call Coach Donoson FitzGerald an “eternal optimist,” but for him, it’s more like a daily practice. “Treating everyone with respect, kindness, empathy, and an open heart is how I try to live each day,” he says.
“Dono,” as he is affectionately known, has been coaching at Menlo for 36 years. From track and cross country to soccer and Middle School football, he’s done it all. But while the sports may vary, Dono’s demeanor is consistently cool, calm, and collected. Much more of a “cheerleader” than a “yeller,” he encourages his student-athletes to use their voices while he serves as a steady “North Star.”
Building relationships with kids and colleagues in the Menlo community has kept Dono coming back to campus for more than three decades. “I love connecting with kids and creating teams and guiding them to get the most out of their experiences,” he shares. “And I just love seeing their joy and friendships; those things lift me up.” When not coaching, Dono is often found supporting his players in other arenas. “I really enjoy observing student-athletes in games, school plays, concerts, and their other creative endeavors,” he adds. “Their range of talents and interests is inspiring.”
Dono credits his “amazing parents” for raising him with a strong moral compass and a positive outlook. “I’ve always been taught to be my best and to be honest,” he says. He stays grounded through exercise, quiet time, music, and nature. “Like right now I’m looking out and seeing these beautiful colors on the trees,” he says, his gaze fixed on the Middle School Quad.
Every day, each of us makes an impact in the world. And every morning, Dono practices a self-reflection routine to get himself in a good, centered place. “Like anyone, I have my dips, feelings, and struggles,” he shares. “But when I go into the world, I try to connect and be kind and just try to spread love, goodwill, and a genuine interest in people.” He dons his signature smile before adding, “At the end of the day, it’s about being true to myself and my values. That gives me hope.”
“...when I go into the world, I try to connect and be kind and just try to spread love, goodwill, and a genuine interest in people.”
—Donoson FitzGerald, Coach
06:
THE TRAILBLAZER
AVA ’27
Ava ’27 has always loved football. “I was the girl who would go out and play with the boys at recess,” she remembers. But the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Offensive Player of the Year—a third-year starting quarterback who posted 74 touchdowns to lead Menlo to a CCS Open Division title—might never have played competitively had she not tried out for Menlo’s brand-new flag football team her freshman year.
This decision had a profound impact on Ava’s Menlo journey. Not only was she able to immediately make friends across grade levels as she settled into a new school, but the joy and self-assurance she gained inspired her to take other leaps of faith. She decided to try out for the basketball team (which she didn’t play much before Menlo) and the baseball team (which was all boys). “I just think that one good experience really gave me the confidence to try new things—whether it be new sports or hard classes,” said Ava. “Because I know I’ll be able to get through them.”
Ava remembers the early days, wondering whether flag football would even be taken seriously or considered a real sport, let alone take the high school athletics world by storm. In the last game of the 2025 season—once the Knights were up enough to know that the first-ever CCS Open Division Flag Football Championship would be theirs—it struck her: everything the team had poured into the past three years had been worth it. “Practicing every day, always trying to get better, all the film we watched, being able to see our hard work pay off…that was a really big moment,” she shared.
Ava and her coach, Noah Lubarski, Menlo Class of ’94, didn’t always agree on how things should be done. “But he always believed in me,” she reflects, “and he’s just given me hope that no matter how many times things go wrong, there’s always a next time and a way to do it again.” When the team experienced its first loss this year (after being undefeated since their freshman-year opener), it only energized them further. “In the long run, it helped us because it showed that we still have to work harder,” said Ava. “We wanted to do more. We wanted to keep pushing.”
Though she doesn’t know where her life’s path may lead, Ava is excited to take advantage of the opportunities that she now knows will present themselves along the way. “I’ve learned that if I just go out and try, good things will happen.”
“I’ve learned that if I just go out and try, good things will happen.”
—Ava ’27
07:
THE CHANGEMAKER
INAYA ’32
When Inaya ’32 learned about the effects of processed food and plastic packaging in Ms. Stark’s sixth grade science class, she realized how pervasive the problem really was—even in her own home, where individually wrapped snacks filled the pantry shelves. When it came time to choose a service learning science project “to plan and carry out an action to minimize food’s environmental impact,” Inaya set out to create healthy, sustainably packaged snacks for her family.
She made freeze-dried raspberries with lemon zest and ginger, no-bake energy bites, berry smoothies, breakfast popsicles, banana-peanut butter yogurt parfaits, and rainbow fruit skewers. She inspired her sisters—who preferred the homemade snacks over Goldfish and granola bars—to share some of the new recipes at their own schools. “I feel like it was just a whole movement that Menlo School started through this project,” said Inaya, who now spends part of her weekends making snacks for the following week. “And I really appreciate that.”
Beyond health and sustainability, the project taught Inaya another important lesson: that hope can cause a chain reaction. “Even the tiniest spark of hope in one person can eventually spread to their siblings, and then it spreads to their parents, and then to their parents’ workplaces,” she said. “Hope is so much more than just a four-letter word; it’s a powerful phenomenon, capable of driving entire communities forward toward a better cause.”
Inaya is uplifted by inspirational people in her life, especially her teachers. “They are always open to questions and they’re always there for us when we need help with something,” she said. “They give us that hope to keep going and to push through our mistakes and learn from them. The teachers here at Menlo are just so excited about what they teach. And the excitement kind of rubs off on the students and makes us feel like, ‘we can do this.’”
“Hope is so much more than just a four-letter word; it’s a powerful phenomenon, capable of driving entire communities forward toward a better cause.”
—Inaya ’32
“Hope is not the same as wishful thinking ... it is something that you endeavor to follow and chase through your actions. And because of that, when people achieve even the smallest step toward something that they hope for, it can be self-reinforcing, it can be empowering, and people can realize their ability not just to want things, but to go out and get them.”
—Dr. Jamil Zaki, in conversation with Than Healy
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