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HOPE CIRCLE LOGO 2025

Awards

Dr. Marsh was named Individual Volunteer of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida in spring 2025.

H.O.P.E. Circle via UCF Foundation was awarded a $25,000.00 grant from the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation in summer 2024.

H.O.P.E. Circle was a finalist for a Downtown Orlando Partnership Golden Brick Award in 2024 for the “Community” Category based on the its social action event, 2nd Annual Day of H.O.P.E.

In The News

Free community celebration focusing on youth mental health returns to Orlando

WESH, News 2

UCF Professor discusses youth mental health

WKMG, News 6

'Never give up hope': Central Florida Boys & Girls Club recognize youth mental health awareness

WESH, News 2

Healing Oasis for Peace and Empowerment (H.O.P.E.) presents 3rd Annual Day of H.O.P.E.

WESH, News 2

Boy & Girls Club holds celebration of life following the death of 3 teen members from gun violence

WFTV 9

Parramore youth honor lives of young gun violence victims

Click Orlando

‘Hope is here:’ March held in Orlando to raise awareness for youth, gun violence

Click Orlando

Orlando youth join in march against gun violence

Spectrum News 13

Invited Presentations

Marsh, L. T. S. (2023, April). (Re)Centering Community In University-Community Partnerships with Youth. Presentation for the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Office of Research Scholar Circles, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

Marsh, L. T. S. (2022, March). Finding Collective H.O.P.E. After a Storm: The Process of Integrating YPAR at One Urban-Situated Youth Organization In Central Florida. Presentation at the College of Community Innovation and Education’s Office of Research Spring 2022 LED Talks, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

Select Publications

Ilesanmi, I., Marsh, L. T. S., Haynes, J. D., Belkin, L., (in press). A Healing Oasis for Peace and Empowerment (H.O.P.E.) Circle: Implementing YPAR as an Antiracist Approach to Black Youth's Disenfranchised Grief and Healing. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.

Marsh, L. T. S. & Belkin, L. (2025). Youth Voice. Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Farazmand, A. (ed.). Springer

Marsh, L. T. S., Haynes, J. D., Ilesanmi, I., Belkin, L., Reed, A., & Scott, J. (2024). Confronting Gun Violence Through Youth-led Participatory Action Research as a Form of Critical Allyship with Historically Marginalized Youth: Insights for Policymakers. Journal for the Center for Policy Analysis and Research, 66-93.        Publication issued by Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.
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Select Refereed Presentations

Marsh, L. T. S., & Sexton, M. (2025, April). “H.O.P.E. Circle: Youth-Led Participatory Action Research to Remedy and Repair Mental Health Services in School” In Advancing Academic Achievement and Teacher Experience in Urban Schools [Paper presentation]. American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.

Marsh, L. T. S. (2024, November). “She was a butterfly”: Working Alongside Black Youth in Florida to Address Disenfranchised Grief” [Roundtable presentation]. International Conference on Urban Education Biennial Meeting, Cancun, Mexico.

Marsh, L. T. S. & Belkin, L. (2024, April). “Co-Constructing Educational Possibilities With Black Youth In Florida To Support Their Mental Health and Well-being” In Youth- and Community-centered Research: Building Relationships for Empowerment and Racial Justice [Roundtable presentation]. American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

Haynes, J., Marsh, L. T. S., & Ilesanmi, I. (2024, January). “Implementing Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) to Foster H.O.P.E. Among Black Youth Impacted By Gun Violence” In Violence Prevention and Perspectives on the Carceral System [Paper presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research 28th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.

Marsh, L. T. S., Ilesanmi, I., Haynes, J. (2023, February). “Finding Collective H.O.P.E. After a Storm: Integrating YPAR at One Urban-Situated Youth Organization In Florida” [Session presentation]. Drexel University’s Critical Conversations in Urban Education Social Justice Summit, Philadelphia, PA. (Virtual).

Youth-led Projects and Creations

Dear H.O.P.E. Homie Affirmation Cards

H.O.P.E Circle PSA

Open Letter to Adults about Grief Management in School

Pledge Against Community Gun Violence

Policy Recommendations to Amend Code of Conduct Concerning Mental Health and Wellbeing

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