About Hope Key
Across the United States, many schools face significant challenges, including limited resources and insufficient staffing to effectively engage, motivate, and support high-risk students as they work to overcome barriers to academic success.
The Hope Key Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping high-risk students return to and remain on the path toward academic achievement. Our programs provide life-changing academic support to students identified as high-risk and those with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD).
Hope Key is one of the few educational programs in Arizona that offers continuous, on-site student support.
We support students throughout the entire school day, both in the classroom and after school, ensuring consistent guidance, encouragement, and accountability.
We’re always there with students.
“Our mission is to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and provide an equal opportunity for all children to graduate, regardless of their challenges or circumstances.”
Dr. Darlene Smith-Raibon
Executive Director & Founder
Our Approach
Hope Key provides consistent, on-site support that meets students where they are, academically, socially, and emotionally. We focus on prevention over punishment, combining academic intervention, mentorship, and mental health support to address the root causes of disengagement. By partnering with schools, families, and communities, we help high-risk students stay engaged, build confidence, and move forward toward graduation and long-term success.
Our Simple Ideas
At Hope Key, our idea is simple: when students receive consistent support, understanding, and the right resources, they can succeed. By focusing on prevention, not punishment, and addressing academic and personal challenges early, we help students stay in school, build confidence, and move toward graduation with purpose and hope.
Our Lasting Impact
Hope Key creates lasting impact by supporting students beyond short-term interventions. Through consistent academic support, mentorship, and advocacy, students gain the skills, confidence, and resilience needed to stay engaged in school and work toward graduation. Our approach strengthens not only individual outcomes, but also families, schools, and communities—helping to break cycles of disengagement and create pathways to long-term success.