Dr. Kent Hutcheson insisted the celebration be about the organization, not the founder. But Michael Bennet, superintendent of Denver Public Schools, knew darn well that had it not been for Hutcheson, Colorado UpLIFT would not exist.
And so in his remarks to the 800 guests at the youth mentoring organization’s 25th anniversary gala, Bennet commended Hutcheson for recognizing that giving inner-city children a chance “isn’t someone else’s problem” – and then doing something about it.
In the beginning, Colorado UpLIFT focused on finding summer and after-school jobs for teens from low-income families. It didn’t take long for Hutcheson and his staff to realize they were dealing with issues much deeper than financial. So they set about developing a program that would help kids “ignite the fire within” and realize that current circumstances need not define their destiny.
An overwhelming majority of UpLIFT students were from homes where one or both parents were absent; where they were exposed to drug, alcohol or sexual abuse; violence and other negative influences. Yet success stories abound in the 30,000 students UpLIFT has reached.
Speakers at the gala included Liliana, who began cutting herself in an attempt to ease the pain caused by a schizophrenic mother and being date raped. “The only thing I could think about was how I wanted to die,” Liliana said. But thanks to an UpLIFT counselor “who actually listened to me,” Liliana was able to overcome the negativity and become the first in her family to graduate high school and enter college.
Siblings Grant and Veronica Wylie grew up in a single-parent home where money was tight and college was a dream, at best. With UpLIFT’s help, Veronica went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Loyola Marymount while Grant recently passed the Colorado bar exam after completing his studies at the University of Denver law school.
The gala, held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, opened with a parade of UpLIFT alumni marching to “Celebration” performed by the Ricardo Peña Band. A congratulatory video sent by Dan Reeves, former head coach of the Denver Broncos and a past member of the UpLIFT board, followed.
Guests included presenting sponsors Mark and Melissa Grosvenor; such longtime board members as Butch Seal, Bill Pauls, Dick Saunders, Darrel Schmidt, Jerry Berglund, Don Ringsby, Joe Wagner and Michael Peebles; Joyce Wilson, president of the UpLIFT Guild; former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong; Bob and Claudia Beauprez; UpLIFT president Mike Painter;the agency’s first staff member, Mike Riley; and Brian Thomas of scholarship sponsor Accenture.
Net income is still being tallied, but the event did gross an impressive $445,000.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com. She also contributes at
Online: See additional pictures from the Colorado UpLIFT Gala.
