Kate Rentz and Jolene Bird founded ASPIRE Scholarship over 20 years ago in the early 2000s. Kate, from Colorado, and Jolene, a well-known lapidary artist from Santo Domingo Pueblo, began the program with a simple but meaningful mission: to provide basic needs for children and elders during the holiday season.
In the early years, their efforts focused on distributing winter coats and gifts to children, as well as providing food for elders in need.
Over time, the program grew significantly. Today, ASPIRE Scholarship supports children from pre-K through high school by providing winter coats, school supplies in the fall, and gift cards for elders to help with essential needs.
In addition to these programs, ASPIRE Scholarship also helps students pursue higher education. To date, seven students have graduated with degrees in fields such as nursing, psychology, engineering, and forestry. Each of these students has successfully completed their education and gone on to secure employment in their chosen fields.