The Hope Project
The Hope Project, our mindful arts healing and education program, serves over 900 children (98% economically disadvantaged) in their schools and facilities through classes in music (drumming, eurhythmics, guitar, keyboard, vocal), theater/spoken word, dance (creative movement, modern, ballet, ethnic), photography, digital arts, fashion design/sewing, and creative emotional intelligence.
Jane Weiner, Hope Stone’s Founder and President, began The Hope Project with 40 children. It had been her dream to bring passionate working artists into the classroom as she herself combines a professional dance career with a degree in deaf/elementary education. Through her commitment to the organization’s vision of “Art for All,” the program has solidified its place as a significant arts education program in Houston.
2026-2027 Community Partners
“There is something powerful that happens when a child feels seen. The joy on our students’ faces when Hope Stone artists arrive says it all. They know they matter.”
Early Learning (18 mos–6 yrs)
Small Steps Nurturing Center
13-Year Community Partner
Small Steps Nurturing Center provides early childhood education to economically at-risk children in Houston's Fifth Ward and Gulfton communities.
Now in our thirteenth year of partnership, Hope Stone serves students ages 3–5 with weekly creative movement classes.
Elementary School (pre-K–5th grades)
Clemente Martinez Elementary School
Houston ISD | 8-Year Community Partner
Clemente Martinez Elementary serves a predominantly Hispanic and Black student body, with 98% of students coming from economically disadvantaged households.
Hope Stone partners with lower school students in pre-K through 2nd grade, providing a weekly arts class in music or dance. Through our Creative Emotional Intelligence curriculum, students build essential life skills — including self-regulation, impulse control, and problem-solving. Hope Stone also created and maintains a school garden on campus, where students work and learn throughout the year.
Looscan Elementary School
Houston ISD | 3rd-Year Community Partner
Looscan Elementary serves a predominantly Hispanic student body, with 96% of students coming from economically disadvantaged households.
Hope Stone partners with students in Pre-K through 5th grade, offering weekly arts classes in dance, theater, drumming, music, and ballet. Students also participate in Hope Stone's Creative Emotional Intelligence curriculum — a dedicated classroom program where students explore self-regulation, impulse control, healthy relationships, and an understanding of how the emotional brain works.
Sherman Elementary School
Houston ISD | 1st-Year Community Partner
Sherman Elementary serves a predominantly Hispanic student body, with 90% of students coming from economically disadvantaged households.
Hope Stone partners with students in Pre-K through 5th grade, offering weekly arts classes in dance, theater, drumming, music, ballet, Bollywood, modern dance, and photography & video. Students also participate in Hope Stone's Creative Emotional Intelligence curriculum — a dedicated classroom program where students explore self-regulation, impulse control, healthy relationships, and an understanding of how the emotional brain works. This year, Hope Stone will also launch a rooftop garden at Sherman, giving students a hands-on connection to nature and sustainable living.
Browning Elementary School
Houston ISD | Returning Community Partner
Browning Elementary serves a predominantly Hispanic student body, with 90–93% of students coming from economically disadvantaged households.
Hope Stone partners with Pre-K and Kindergarten students, offering weekly Creative Movement classes.
Creative Collaborations
These collaborations bring together people who might never otherwise share space to create meaningful art. Whether it's high school dancers moving alongside elementary students, college interns bringing fresh energy and perspective to our teaching artist staff, or students from dance departments across Texas deepening their own practice by learning within our residencies — these moments of connection are powerful. Across generations, neighborhoods, and campuses, art is for everyone.
Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
10-Year Community Partner
Kinder HSPVA is one of Hope Stone's most meaningful and enduring partnerships. Each year, HSPVA dancers travel to Clemente Martinez Elementary to lead a 10-week collaborative workshop alongside 5th grade modern dance students. Together, they create original work and perform side-by-side at each school's end-of-year celebration.
University of Houston Dance Department The UH Dance Department places an intern with Hope Stone each semester, working directly alongside our administration and teaching artist staff.
Texas A&M University Dance Department Teaching Education students participate in Hope Stone residencies, gaining hands-on experience through site visits and master class observations — building the tools they need to become effective teaching artists.