VIDEO: Hope, In Their Own Words
CROWDSOURCING HOPE
From classrooms to communities, hope takes many forms. We asked Menlo students and faculty, “In one sentence, what gives you hope, and why?” Here’s a sampling of what they had to say.
“I am inspired by how people in my community truly care and want to connect with others on a deeper level.”
—Menlo Senior
Regardless of what’s happened in the day, the ocean’s waves keep lapping on the shores, trees keep going towards the sunlight, and the stars keep shining.
Studying history gives me hope: knowing that people have built better worlds out of uncertain times before helps me believe we will do it again.
I feel hope whenever I see people building community spaces together, like going out to swing dance, or play board games, or stay up late chatting.
Witnessing the ways Menlo colleagues and students support and uplift each other when someone is going through a challenging time makes me hopeful that the kindness and compassion in this community will ripple out beyond our school.
Traveling the country and chit-chatting with people, because none of them are as weird or angry or irrational as the media portrays them. They’re kind, and they have families they love.
As a biologist, I know everything will be okay and ultimately move towards further improvement and triumphs! Life is never static, which is why it is so exciting and hopeful.
What gives me hope is the amount of kindness that radiates off everyone who makes Menlo the amazing place it has become.
The random conversations with students that suddenly turn into something meaningful—a moment of genuine connection, a shared empathetic perspective, a full belly laugh—they’re unexpected and fill me with hope.
I feel hope when my students—even at the end of a long day, and after they have just taken a physics test, and they’re feeling a little tired or stressed—dive into a thoughtful discussion of literature.
Something that gives me hope is my family, because despite the hard times they’ve been through, they still love and protect me.
What gives me hope is seeing students’ eyes light up when they successfully communicate a complex idea or cultural concept in Mandarin Chinese.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that it’s not worth being kind and ethical in the world, I still see many people choosing to be kind every single day.
The solidarity that I am experiencing in my neighborhood to fight aggression, violence, and inhuman treatment of immigrants and the rise of an authoritarian regime.
“I think it’s really important to have a close community that you can rely on, just knowing that everyone will work together and help each other out.”
—Menlo Eighth Grader
My hope is powered by my two daughters, whose days are a whirlwind of pinching matches, silly dances, and a never-ending parade of costumes and dress changes, proving that joy really does come in sparkly shoes and infectious giggles.
The Ocean Cleanup Project—I just really appreciate people doing hard work, truly hard work, to help clean the planet. I admire them and their creativity and dedication. It gives me hope to know that smart, strong, wonderful people are doing this work around the world.
The voice of my students, embracing the existential challenges of our time—from the climate crisis and nuclear uncertainty to the AI revolution—with genuine idealism and a humanist spirit, gives me profound hope that we will choose to expand our humanity rather than cede our future to machines.
My friends and family give me hope because they always support me and give me space to dream.
I’m hopeful because young people exude a kind of joy and resilience that reminds me how possible it is to begin again.
My children and students give me hope for the future: their curiosity, kindness, and potential.
What gives me hope is witnessing how even when life breaks people in harsh and unexpected ways, they still rise above the tough challenges wiser, more experienced, and more aware of what matters, proving that resilience isn’t loud or perfect; it’s the quiet decision to keep working hard and wishing to do better.
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