Highlights Preview

(subject to change)

20th Annual MASTERS Institute

Creating and Activating HOPE

September 16-19, 2025

Host Hotel 

Embassy Suites Phoenix, Scottsdale

4415 E. Paradise Village Pkwy S

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Presented by Kids at Hope and The Intersection Construct

MASTERS Institute 

Highlights

(subject to change) 

Tuesday, September 16

1:00-3:30 PM - Pre-Institute Module I Workshop – An Introduction to the Science and Culture of Hope. 

This special presentation is designed for attendees who have not previously attended a formal introductory training to Kids at Hope or those who wish a refresher on the research conclusions, the elements that create hope, the theory that activates hope, and the practices that support a culture of hope.

No cost if registered for the Institute. Seating is limited. Register early. 

4:00 PM Opening Reception – Help us launch our 20^th Anniversary MASTERS Institute. Meet your fellow treasure hunters from around the country. 

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Let the Celebration Begin – A Special, High-Energy Presentation Honoring Our Milestone Year, “2025.” The 20^th Anniversary of the MASTERS and the 25^th Anniversary of the founding of the Kids at Hope Movement.  

Wednesday, September 17

8:30 AM – Welcome – Rick Miller, Dean of the MASTERS Institute, Founder of Kids at Hope, and Professor of Practice, School of Community Resources and Development, Arizona State University.

Special Guest:  Join us in welcoming the young and super talented 11-year-old Aiden Granum to the 20th Anniversary MASTERS Institute. Aiden's remarkable voice, acting talents, and energy remind us of the potential of all children.  A few of Aiden's stage credits include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Pippin, Aladdin, Jr. Finding Nemo, Jr. 

8:45 AM Keynote – Dr. John Coffey, Associate Professor, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arizona State University, Director, CARE Lab (Child and Emotions Relationships) 

Dr. Coffey will explore how individuals, regardless of background, can overcome adversity and thrive across their lifespans. His research focuses on how positive and negative emotions and relationships from infancy to adulthood are linked to happiness, flourishing, resilience, mental health, and physical health.

10:00 – 11:30 AM – From Theory to Practice - Facilitated by Dr. Ibi Haghighat 

Dr. Coffey will follow up on his keynote with his students and others to examine some of the themes he introduced in his Keynote presentation. Additionally, Dr. Coffey demonstrates hands-on interventions that promote the well-being of children, parents, and other adults. 

11:30 AM – Dean’s Recognition Lunch Reception with special youth entertainment featuring the San Carlos Unified School District - San Carlos Apache Tribe's Crown Dancers 

Noon – Dean’s Recognition Lunch and HOPE Honors Medal Presentation with an exceptional performance by stage performer,  11-year-old Aiden Granum. 

2:30 PM – Carousel of Treasure Hunter/Program Ideas

Attendees will be introduced to the Kids at Hope’s popular “Creating and Activating HOPE” – A Treasure Hunter’s Practitioner’s Guide, along with presentations from some of Kids at Hope's top cultural program ideas.

4:30 PM: Wrap-up and Adjournment, then off to the hosted Ice Cream Truck - does it get any better than this? 

Thursday, September 18 -

8:30 AM – Introduction of Kids at Hope's  new "HOPE and Gratitude Journal – Remembering, Planning, Achieving the Good." - Facilitated by Rick Miller

Keeping a hope and gratitude journal can have a profoundly positive impact on your mental and emotional well-being. Here are just five benefits:

     1.  Improves Mental Health: Writing gratitude can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It helps shift focus away from negative thoughts and promotes a more positive outlook on life.

     2. Boosts Emotional Resilience: Regularly acknowledging what you're thankful for enhances your ability to cope with challenges. It helps foster a sense of gratitude even during difficult times, which can increase emotional resilience.

    3. Enhances Relationships: Reflecting on the people you're grateful for can strengthen your relationships. It encourages you to appreciate others, fostering stronger and more meaningful connections.

   4.   Increases Happiness: Focusing on the positive aspects of your life can boost your overall happiness and satisfaction. Over time, gratitude practices can help shift your mindset toward seeing the good in everyday moments.

   5. Promotes Better Sleep: Research has shown that writing about positive events and expressing gratitude before bed can improve sleep quality. It can calm the mind and reduce racing thoughts, helping you fall asleep more easily.

   6. Learn how HOPE can guide you toward achieving success in your home and family, education and career, community and service, and hobbies and recreation. 

9:15 AM – The Relationship of Healthy Play and Hope

Join Spencer Gorin, University of Arizona mental health expert, creator of Healthy Play, and collaborator with Kids at Hope. 

Attendees will enter the magical world of Spencer Gorin’s Healthy Play world, where his training is a warm, relaxing, and stimulating team-building retreat, proving that “play” is the most natural way to learn.  Approximately 75% of Spencer’s “funshop” will be spent on hands-on activities with one another.  You’ll all appreciate this enjoyable time together, filled with bonding, laughter, and powerful strategies that create Hope.  

Noon – Lunch on your own

2:00 PM – HOPE Talks 

This is the Kids at Hope version of TED Talks, but with a HOPE Theme that proves the power of BELIEVING, CONNECTING, and TIME TRAVELING. This session will feature young people whose lives have been positively changed by the intentionality of Hope as a strategy. 

3:30 PM Wrap-up and Adjournment

6:00 PM - The HOPE GALA, Dinner, A Night to Remember, Celebrating the 20th of The MASTERS Institute and the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of Kids at Hope. This special evening is dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of caring adults who have joined the Kids at Hope Movement during our first quarter of a century as Treasure Hunters, and the millions of youth who are served each day with a message and strategy that proves all kids are capable of success, with No Exceptions!

Please put on your dancing shoes and get ready to HOPE IT UP! Cocktail Attire - Let's Be Fancy - Let's be Celebratory!  Featuring "All That JAZZ!" 

Friday, September 19

HOPE in ACTION 

8:00 AM – Get Ready to board our buses to visit Michael Anderson School– Where HOPE Lives! Treasure Hunters,  Lori Goslar, Principal, and Darryl Williford, Assistant Principal.  

Watch Michael Anderson's School Kids at Hope Video

http://facebook.com/watch/?v=1769552170218477

11:30 AM - Visit Avondale, AZ Elementary School District's Art Walk of HOPE - a truly remarkable experience where students share their photos of HOPE. 

12:30  PM  Graduation Lunch 

2:00 PM Institute Adjourns- MAY THE HOPE BE WITH YOU