Lynchburg Beacon of Hope

08/26/2026

FREE Test Prep sessions will start on Tuesday, September 1st!
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If you are interested in receiving FREE SAT/ACT Test Prep Sessions from Oakes Test Prep, stop by your Future Center and sign up with your Future Center Director. These sessions take place every Tuesday leading up to the October SAT and happen during the school day!

08/13/2026

Come back to school with a fresh start! 📚

Glow Up at Glass helped students return to school with confidence, meaningful connections, and a fresh look. Every service provided during the event was completed by volunteers, making it easier for parents to prepare for the new school year without the added expense.

We deeply appreciate all of our providers for their time and effort during this event. Together, we helped students begin the school year with confidence as they work toward their future.

Thank you to our providers: Kara, Ted & Ted’s Barber Shop, Peyton 💜 Lynchburg, VA, Sara Lynchburg Nail Technician 📍, and Tay

08/11/2026

Heading to Enrollment Day tomorrow? Swing by EC Glass for Glow Up at Glass! Bring your class schedule to McCue Gym to get glowed up. ✨

A free back-to-school event at E.C. Glass connects LCS students with local barbers, stylists, and nail techs on Enrollment Day.

08/07/2026

Back for the third year in a row, Glow Up at Glass is happening next week during Enrollment Day!

While getting class schedules, scoping out routes to classrooms, and meeting teachers, swing by the McCue Gym to grab a last minute haircut, brow wax, or fresh mani. It’s one more way our community is helping students walk into the new school year feeling confident and ready to succeed!

🗓️ Tuesday, August 11 | 12:30-6:30pm
📍 McCue Gym, EC Glass HS

First come, first served. No pre-registration for Glow Up at Glass is required.

08/04/2026

Yesterday, we were excited to host some of our 2026 Beacon of Hope Commonwealth Scholarship Recipients during our annual Send Off Workshop!

As these students transition from Heritage and E. C. Glass High School to their colleges and universities, our Office of College and Career Success is ready to support them in this post-secondary journey! We are so proud of our scholars and cannot wait to see the impact you will make!

07/29/2026

What a gift to attend a nonprofit conference and feel like it’s a homecoming!

It was wonderful to visit with and hear from Laura Hamilton, founding executive director, along with so many other local and regional nonprofit leaders, at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance’s annual Nonprofit Summit.

Today’s event and workshops were a great reminder we truly live, work, and play in a community robust with resources, collaboration, and talent. Leaving the day energized for the new school year around the corner!

07/02/2026

Our Summer Internship Program isn’t just developing tomorrow’s workforce. We are also developing tomorrow’s leaders!

While our high school interns are gaining real-world experience at their internship sites, 12 near-peer college-aged mentors are growing and learning right alongside them.

Many of these mentors are Lynchburg City Schools graduates and Beacon of Hope alumni who once sat where today’s interns are. Now, they’re giving back by checking in throughout the week, celebrating successes, helping interns navigate challenges, and serving as a trusted voice during our Friday reflection sessions at Central Virginia Community College.

At the same time, they’re investing in themselves through their own professional development. This summer, they’ve explored financial literacy and homeownership with Bianca Allison at Bank of the James, strengthened their networking skills, shadowed professionals in careers aligned with their goals, and built their personal brands with Jennifer and Nevaeh Huffman.

That’s the beauty of the near-peer model. Our mentors are learning to lead while helping the next generation discover what’s possible. This model creates a cycle of growth that extends far beyond a single summer and builds connections that last longer than a single internship!

06/29/2026

Our last original internship employer spotlight is on Framatome!

It all starts with an idea. A concept. By the end of the internship, it’s a robot that students designed, programmed, and built…one that can pick up a water bottle or be used in the field for hazardous materials.

That’s the kind of hands-on learning students experience at Framatome North America . Each summer, about 10 Lynchburg City Schools students step into a world of engineering, innovation, and advanced technology, where they’re encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, and create alongside experienced professionals. They don’t just learn about STEM careers; they get to truly experience them.

A special thank you to Kellea Hogan, Andrea Ponce, Heather Ramsey, Danny Murphy, and the many Framatome employees who invest their time, expertise, and encouragement in our students year after year.

Thank you, Framatome, for helping students discover that the future isn’t something they simply prepare for. It’s something we can build together.

06/26/2026

Our sixth Employer Spotlight is on Lynchburg City Public Works!

One day, you’re standing inside one of Lynchburg’s iconic fountains. The next, you’re making a street sign with your own name on it. That’s the kind of behind-the-scenes experience students discover during their internship with Lynchburg City Public Works.

As interns rotate through engineering, parks maintenance, refuse collection, plumbing, asphalt, traffic operations, and more, they don’t just learn how a city functions. They see the people, skills, and teamwork that keep our Hill City running every day.

A special thank you to Gaynelle Hart, Staci Hopkins-Reynolds, and the entire Public Works team for creating experiences our students will never forget and for showing them the many ways they can build a career serving their own community.

Thank you for helping students see Lynchburg from an entirely new perspective.