Dr. Hopwood  is the founder and overseer of Secrets of Success Restoration Life Association, a faith based non-profit association dedicated to building communities through evangelism; world outreach and civic engagement; biblical counseling; and the restoration of families. Dr. Hopwood’s record of achievement began early with his passion for basketball. A  four year starter at Arizona State University; two years with Athletes in Action averaging 15pts a game. Invited to free agent camp for the ABA San Diego Conquistadors (Los Angeles Clippers) and Dallas Chaparrals before joining the Virginia Squires rookie camp. He opted to play 5 seasons professionally in Europe averaging 27.03 points per game, scoring 53 points in a playoff game with ES Avignon against Racing Club of Paris in the semifinals of the Championship of France. April 26, 1980 selected as a starter in the first ever European Converse Star Game, Genève Switzerland. One of Dr. Hopwood’s longest lasting passions, though, has been his passion for education – both as a student and an educator. He holds a B.A. in Business Education from Arizona State University, a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from National University and a Master’s in Biblical Theology from Esther Mallet International Bible University, where he received his Ordination. He received a Doctor of Divinity from Word of God International University in Los Angeles. Dr. Hopwood began teaching math in 1982 at L’ Ecole Secondaire in Switzerland. Later He became an Assistant Principal at Locke High, Gompers Middle School and King Drew Magnet High School in South Central Los Angeles. Dr. Hopwood was promoted to Coordinator of Operations and Safety Local District 7 providing operational leadership, training and support to 56 schools by guiding and coaching principles in the areas of school operations including school safety, school emergencies, school safety plans, and overseeing the establishment of School Community Safety Collaborative in the Los Angeles Unified School District, second largest in the nation. Dr. Hopwood held the positions Chairperson of the California Teachers Association-City of Compton Joint Future Search Committee, Chairperson of Compton High 100 year Celebration Committee. He is a founding member of the Education is a Civil Right Committee, a member of several service organizations, and served several years on the Scholarship Selection Committee for the Coalition of Black School Administrators. Dr. Hopwood is also committed to ending violence in schools and on the streets. 

Dr. Hopwood has served as advisor to elected officials, city, county and community based agencies, and nonprofits. Michael Hopwood is an innovative violence prevention specialist and one of the nation’s foremost authorities on Safety Collaborative. In 1995 Michael Hopwood hired gang intervention specialist Mr. Leon Gillet and together they established a first of its kind Safe Passage program to create a safe pathway for Gompers Middle School students traveling the gang ridden streets to and from school. Building upon the earlier Safe Passage successes, Mike Hopwood, then Operations Coordinator Local District 7, formalized a Safety Collaborative structure in which he and Elder Michael Cummings, himself an ex-offender and a former LAUSD Jordan High School student implemented a Safe Passage program around David Starr Jordan High School in Watts in 2001. The program became a model for subsequent safe passages programs throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District, Watts and Compton.

This Safety Collaborative and their Safe Passages was a major contributor to an historic decline in crime across the City of Los Angeles. In 1998 Michael Hopwood was selected to participate as a member of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Advisory Committee on Street Gangs which assisted in the development of a Teachers Manual on Gang Dynamics and a resource guide Teaching Alternative Behaviors School Wide. While an administrator Michael Hopwood supervised various successful anti-violence programs including the L.A. Bridges Anti-violence Program, Young Negotiators Conflict Resolution, the Gang Risk Intervention Program (GRIP), 21st Century Program, and the After School/Safe School Anti-violence Program. Later, in 1998, he was selected as a member of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Advisory Committee on Street Gangs.

Dr. Hopwood has been honored extensively as an educator and served as an advisor to many elected officials, city, county and community-based agencies and nonprofits. He has served on the Watts Gang Task Force, Assembly Member Karen Bass 47th Assembly District People’s Council, 2006 Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Education Congressional Council, The County Wide Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Gang Task Force. In 1997 he was appointed California School Boards Association Governmental Relations Chair for Assembly Member Richard Floyd. He was awarded the prestigious 2015 Mayor’s Award for citizen involvement and exemplary public service presented by the City of Lakewood California. In 2017 he received the Watts Rising From The Ashes, Education for A Better America Award from the National Action Network, LB&R. Dr. Hopwood was recognized by Bristols Who’s Who in 2014.  Compton Senior High School class of 1968 .

 

 

Dr. Michael L. Hopwood Compton High School Hall of Fame.