“Hope Ignites Colorado gave me people who believed in me before I fully believed in myself, and that made a difference in the way I saw my future. “
Hope Ignites Colorado Collegian turned Alum and 2026 Colorado State University Graduate, Makuei, was the presenting speaker at this year’s Hope Challenge Golf Tournament.
Makuei’s Hope Challenge Speech
Thank you for coming out to this event and for continuing to support us scholars. I wanted to take this time to recognize that without your contributions and guidance, the achievements I have been able to accomplish would not be possible.
Hope Ignites is the perfect name for what this program does, because it gives students hope before they can fully see the path ahead. My mom always taught us that knowledge was power, yet even then, I remember the idea of graduating high school, or even college, feeling distant and almost impossible.
I knew about Hope Ignites [Colorado] from my brother, and I decided that if I wanted to chase my dreams, this program would be the key to success. I did not know the journey that joining a program like this would take me on, but I was ready and determined to make a name for myself.
I decided Regis Jesuit High School would be the place where I grow the most, and sure enough, with the help of Hope Ignites [Colorado], I started to learn so many things.
I remember the dinner nights where all 10 to 15 of us would sit in the small cafeteria room and talk about life over dinner. I remember long tutoring hours with Mrs. Bartholomew until it all clicked and I got a 90 on my science final.
I remember staying at Regis until 7:30 p.m. every day and getting home around 8:00 p.m. Some days, I wondered if I had made too big of a leap. But I kept telling myself I had come too far to quit.
Looking back, those years taught me more than just how to do well in school. They taught me discipline, patience, and how to keep going even when things felt overwhelming. Hope Ignites Colorado gave me people who believed in me before I fully believed in myself, and that made a difference in the way I saw my future.
College was a whole new environment for me. Nobody in my family had graduated before, so there were many moments I had to figure things out as I went. Thankfully the foundation that Regis and Hope Ignites helped build made a real difference. They taught me about time management, getting the help I needed, and staying focused despite challenges. That foundation helped me get over the hump and keep pushing forward.
I made many connections and lasting bonds that shaped who I became. These character-defining moments helped shape the accomplishments I am proud to share today, such as graduating from Regis Jesuit High School, earning scholarships, receiving honors and leadership awards, interning at World Wide Technology, graduating from Colorado State University, and accepting an internship with Coravant in Denver.
When I look back on this journey, it is hard to believe how far I have come. None of this would have been possible without the people at Hope Ignites [Colorado]who have always had my back.
The other day at the Hope Ignites Colorado end-of-year celebration, I was overjoyed to see how many more scholars we had compared to my freshman year. This tells me that more people are getting the help they need, and I hope to one day be a part of that process, whether that means being hands-on or simply being an inspiration to others.
Thank you so much again for coming out, and thank you so much for your support.