Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Hopkins.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Both Corey (my husband and business partner) and I came into this work as educators first. We each earned Master’s Degrees in Education and spent years in classrooms across the Denver metro area. It was that time spent with students and families that really shaped everything Hopkins Education Services would become.
What we kept seeing, over and over, was that a child’s academic success wasn’t determined solely by what happened at school. It depended enormously on the structures, routines, and supports in place at home too. Parents were doing everything they could, but they were searching for real, practical guidance — and we knew we were in a position to help.
Corey founded Hopkins Education Services in September 2015, and I joined him shortly after. From the beginning, we wanted to do things differently. Rather than focusing on deficits, we take a strengths-based, compassionate approach — meeting each child where they are and building from there. We also weave mindfulness and leadership training into our work, because we believe true confidence is the foundation of lasting success.
The business grew in ways we never could have fully predicted. In 2018, we launched our Summer Explorers Program, which quickly became a favorite among our families. That same year, we were recognized as a Top 5 educational support provider in Colorado Parent Magazine — and we’re proud to say Hopkins has been voted #1 for years since.
Then came the pandemic. When schools closed in March 2020, we refused to let our students lose their footing. Within one week, we launched ‘Liz and Corey in the Morning,’ a daily Facebook Live show that gave kids a familiar face, a consistent routine, and a sense of connection during a very uncertain time. By fall of 2020, we were out in backyards providing micro schooling and pod learning for small groups.
Today, in 2026, Hopkins Education Services has grown into a full-service educational support organization. We partner with school districts, offer in-home services, online tutoring, comprehensive assessments, post-secondary transition planning, homeschooling support, and small group social skills programming for learners of all ages. Whatever the next challenge looks like, we’ll be here — ready to help families navigate it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The post-COVID years changed education dramatically. We saw students struggling not only academically, but emotionally and socially in ways that were much deeper than many people realized. Anxiety, isolation, executive functioning challenges, school avoidance, and low self-confidence became incredibly common. At the same time, educators themselves were carrying enormous stress and burnout after navigating years of constant change and instability. There was a growing recognition in education that both students and teachers had experienced real educational trauma during and after the pandemic.
Fortunately, the foundation of Hopkins Education Services was already rooted in trauma-informed and relationship-centered practices long before those terms became widespread educational buzzwords. We were uniquely positioned to respond because our approach has always focused on the whole child — building trust, emotional safety, confidence, mindfulness, executive functioning skills, and authentic relationships alongside academics. Families were not just looking for tutoring anymore; they were looking for stability, understanding, and support from people who truly saw their children as individuals. In many cases, our work became just as much about rebuilding a student’s belief in themselves as it was about improving academic skills.
At the same time, Hopkins itself was growing rapidly. We transitioned from a small, highly personal business built almost entirely through relationships and word-of-mouth into a much larger organization serving families, schools, and community partners across multiple communities. That growth came with its own challenges. We had to intentionally build stronger systems, onboarding processes, coach training pathways, and operational structures while still protecting the heart of what makes Hopkins special. One of our biggest priorities has been ensuring that growth never comes at the expense of connection, compassion, or individualized support. As we continue to expand, we remain deeply committed to creating an organization that feels both professional and deeply human — especially at a time when so many students, families, and educators are still healing from the long-term impacts of educational trauma.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Hopkins Education Services, we provide individualized educational coaching and support for students and families across Colorado. While many people initially think of us as a tutoring company, our work goes far beyond traditional tutoring. We specialize in a holistic, relationship-centered approach that combines academic support with executive functioning coaching, social-emotional learning, confidence-building, and individualized strategies that help students succeed long-term. We work with a wide range of learners, including neurodivergent students, students with disabilities, gifted and twice-exceptional learners, homeschool families, and students who may have struggled in more traditional educational environments.
Over the years, we’ve become especially known for our ability to connect with students who may have lost confidence in themselves as learners. Many of the families who come to us have children who feel frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, or misunderstood in school settings. Our coaches are all experienced educators who understand that learning is deeply connected to emotional wellbeing, relationships, and feeling safe enough to take risks. We’re also known for our strong partnerships with schools and districts, our personalized family communication, and our ability to create creative, meaningful learning experiences that truly meet students where they are.
What I’m most proud of is the culture and philosophy we’ve built within Hopkins. We’ve created a team of compassionate, highly skilled educators who genuinely care about the whole child and who approach this work with empathy, professionalism, and heart. I’m proud that families often tell us their child not only improved academically, but began to enjoy learning again, feel more confident, or believe in themselves for the first time in years. That’s the kind of impact that matters most to us.
What sets Hopkins apart is that we don’t believe education should be one-size-fits-all. We understand that every learner is different, and we intentionally design support around the individual child and family. Especially in the post-pandemic educational landscape, where many students and educators have experienced significant educational trauma, our trauma-informed and relationship-centered approach has become even more important. We focus not just on academic outcomes, but on rebuilding trust, confidence, resilience, and connection in the learning process. That combination of expertise, compassion, and individualized support is what truly defines Hopkins Education Services.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
One thing we would love readers to know is that there is no single “right” way to learn. So many students — especially after the pandemic — have internalized the idea that struggling means they are failing, when in reality many simply need a different approach, stronger support systems, or someone who truly understands how they learn best.
At Hopkins, we believe relationships matter deeply in education. We believe students thrive when they feel safe, understood, and genuinely connected to the people supporting them. We also believe families deserve encouragement and partnership, not blame or judgment. Much of our work is centered around rebuilding confidence and helping students rediscover that they are capable learners.
We’re incredibly grateful to the families, schools, educators, and community partners who have trusted us over the years. Watching students grow not only academically, but emotionally and socially, continues to be the most meaningful part of this work. Our hope is that every child knows there is a path forward, even when learning feels difficult — and that they never have to navigate those challenges alone. Education is ultimately about human connection, and we hope that never gets lost in the conversation.
Pricing:
- One-on-One coaching starts at $90/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hopkinseducationservices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopkinsdenver
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopkinsedservices/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethshopkins/
