This October, the Denver Public Schools Foundation celebrated a major milestone: more than $1 million was distributed directly to DPS families through our My Spark Denver program, helping middle school students access afterschool and enrichment opportunities that spark curiosity, confidence, and joy. To mark this achievement, DPS Foundation hosted a creative, month-long celebration that featured free enrichment experiences, community giveaways, and opportunities for DPS students and families to explore the wide range of programs supported by My Spark.
My Spark provides eligible DPS middle schoolers with a $1,000 restricted virtual card each school year to participate in extracurricular activities of their choice — from sports and arts to STEM, tutoring, music, outdoor recreation, and more. By removing cost barriers, the program has helped students access spaces where they can dream bigger, build skills, and feel a true sense of belonging beyond the classroom. A big thank you to Gary Community Ventures, Mile High United Way, the City & County of Denver, and Denver Public Schools for helping make this strong start possible.
Since taking leadership of My Spark Denver in August 2025, DPS Foundation has:
- Directed over $1 million in enrichment funds directly to families
- Supported over a thousand DPS students in accessing activities they love
- Expanded partnerships to increase program variety and accessibility
The impact of this milestone was felt across the district – in classrooms, on sports fields, and in enrichment spaces where students explored their interests and built confidence. One DPS parent, Ealasha, shared, “My Spark has given my girls life-changing opportunities to grow, explore, and believe in their potential. It’s more than just a program, it’s a launching pad for their dreams.” For some families, the impact was seen in academics. “Thank you so much. My daughter is improving a lot with math classes,” said Aisha, another DPS parent. For others, it created first-time experiences of belonging and teamwork. DPS parent Lorraine shared, “My daughter had been in volleyball the last few months and she loved it! She was excited for every practice and game and she was so confident!”
“To us, this $1 million milestone was more than just a number — it reflected more than 1,000 DPS students discovering new interests, building confidence, and finding joy in learning beyond the classroom,” said Sara Hazel, President & CEO of DPS Foundation. “Our October celebrations were designed to highlight these opportunities by giving students fun, free experiences that brought the spirit of My Spark to life.”
DPS Foundation partnered with local enrichment providers to offer free and deeply discounted opportunities for DPS students and families — spanning arts, athletics, STEM, tutoring, and more.
October Celebration Highlights:
As part of the celebration, DPS Foundation coordinated a series of exciting giveaways that provided 187 enrichment experiences given to 172 DPS students and families across 44 different DPS schools. These giveaways included opportunities like math classes with Mathnasium, six months of classes from Mile High Tumblers Foundation, a free winter camp through Gold Crown Foundation, tickets to a Swallow Hill Music concert, G-1 Climbing five-day passes, 50 summer soccer camp vouchers from Soccer Electric, an Art Spark Creative gift certificate, writing workshops from Denver Writes, a month of audition prep classes with Traveling Music Lessons, karate lessons with Colorado Bodukan, Slow Food Denver swag bags, WWE and Nuggets tickets from Worth the Fight Boxing, 100 Traveling Music Lesson certificates, Walmart gift cards, and more.
Families who received these enrichment giveaways shared how meaningful the opportunities had been for their students. One Gold Crown parent shared, “My child has a long-term opportunity to continue with fencing because of the My Spark program that could support his journey into college and beyond. (Without pressure!) We are so grateful!” Another parent wrote, “Thanks to My Spark funds paying for private tutoring through Thrive Tutoring Denver, my daughter went from a third grade to a sixth grade reading level in one school year! I am beyond grateful to MySpark for their financial support. Catching up to grade level has done wonders for my daughter’s self-esteem and self-worth.”
“These celebrations were about opening doors,” Hazel added. “We wanted families to feel welcomed, inspired, and connected to the wide range of activities My Spark made possible for their students.”
With more than 11,500 middle school students eligible for My Spark Denver, DPS Foundation continues its commitment to serving even more families in the months ahead, helping students discover who they are, what they love, and who they can become in school and beyond. Families interested in learning more or applying for My Spark Denver can visit: https://dpsfoundation.org/what-we-support/students/my-spark/
