Maria at the 2026 Hope Ignites Colorado End of Year Celebration.
Igniting Hope & Sparking Success
Maria looks back at her time in high school and sees all of the growth she has accomplished. “When I started high school, I had so much anxiety every day. I’ve grown so much and have so much more confidence now.” She gives credit to the resources provided by Hope Ignites Colorado and the support of Program Managers throughout her high school career as making the difference. “When I started high school, I barely spoke any English. I didn’t think college was even a possibility for me. Hope Ignites Colorado Program Managers and the resources they have provided gave me hope and the confidence that it was possible.” Maria points to the benefit of having bilingual Program Managers and teachers who could support her as she learned English in addition to the college prep resources made available to her along the way.
A Pursuit of the Arts Inspired by the Past
Maria is an Aurora Public School district-recognized artist and has been the Resident Artist at Downtown Aurora Visual Arts. When asked about her plan to pursue a degree in Fine Arts, Maria said, “I think of the ‘little Maria’ who was inspired by a documentary about Leonardo DaVinci and wanted to become an artist too.” Maria also looks back to her relationship with her late grandmother, who taught her many of the foundational art skills she uses today. “She believed in me,” Maria says of her grandmother’s encouragement of her interest in pursuing art as a career, “even when others didn’t.”
Looking Towards the Future
No longer the high school freshman who didn’t think college was an option for her, Maria is now excitedly looking forward to attending Colorado State University this fall. She fell in love with the campus over campus visits with Hope Ignites Colorado and has even been able to meet all of the professors in the Fine Arts program. When looking for colleges, Maria specifically looked for schools that offered programs in Fine Arts and had a quality art program, “I didn’t want to be at a school where the art program barely existed.” She’s confident that CSU is a place where she can continue to grow and learn. Hope Ignites Colorado is proud to walk alongside Maria as she takes this next step.