November 10, 2022
Education is such a broad concept and every person has a different experience through their educational career that shapes them forever. Throughout my time in elementary, middle, high school, and now taking on my junior year of college I have grown to learn how important a good education is and how much the resources you have matter. In my sophomore year of college I so graciously got offered the events intern position with the DPS Foundation that has opened my eyes to the resources that schools, students, and educators need and, how we can get those resources out there.
Growing up we moved around multiple times which resulted in me going to many different schools; three elementary, one middle, and two high schools. All of these schools hosted a different kind of experience for me that were likely more negative than positive, and now in my twenties I can really hone in on what it means to have a good school experience and the important aspects and resources needed for my own achievements educationally.
Throughout my internship this past year I have been involved in the behind the scenes of many of DPS Foundation fundraising activations, such as our yearly Achieve Gala and Denver’s Colfax Marathon. Both of these events allow us to involve and hear from students, educators, and the Denver community and raise funds to give our schools the tools they need to ensure every child succeeds. We have put these funds to good use through many programs including our A to Z Grant that grants money to many educators throughout the school year to use for resources for their classrooms. One of my favorite things I have learned is that our community is more supportive than one may think given the circumstances over the past three years with the COVID-19 pandemic. All of my experiences here at the DPS Foundation have helped me gain an abundance of hope towards the success of our future generations.
When I think back to my time as a student in a public school system I can absolutely say that thanks to the resources DPS Foundation is able to provide to schools, students from all over the Denver community have a chance to thrive and succeed in their education.
While it’s hard to ensure we have a perfect world, through my eyes working with the DPS Foundation I have hope for the future of our students and educators around the Denver community. As we love to say here at the foundation, when our students thrive our city thrives.
Sierra Schneider
Events Intern