Zoe lost her parents at the age of 14 in a tragic murder-suicide. Following this loss, she dropped out of high school and spent many years in the child welfare system where she moved more than ten times and rarely had a stable place to call home.
Her story inspired the founding of Hide In Plain Sight, now called Aspire Scholarships. Thanks to the assistance she received, Zoe graduated Summa Cum Laude from Metropolitan State University in 2019 and went on to study at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and the California Polytechnic Institute.
“I graduated with my masters in research psychology in May. I started a job as a textbook editor and teaching consultant and I’m continuing to publish my own research.”
Aspire Scholarships partners closely with school districts to identify promising students like Zoe and offer them assistance.
Since its founding, the organization has awarded over $800,000 in scholarships to nearly 300 students facing homelessness and adversity in Denver Metro area communities.
MISSION:
We award college scholarships to aspiring young students facing homelessness and adversity.
VISION:
Our students are empowered to achieve their goals and positively contribute to society through investment in their post high school education.
WE VALUE…
…Education as the path to lifelong success
…Respect for all individuals
…Perseverance in our students
…Integrity in all that we do
OUR GOALS ARE TO…
…Grow our resources and increase our impact
…Steward and celebrate the contributions of all donors, volunteers, and staff
…Prudently manage and effectively use all resources entrusted to the organization
…Practice excellence in nonprofit management and board governance
OUR FOUNDER JOE ROOS
If you ask any supporter of this organization how they got involved, they will say, “Joe Roos, of course!” In 2015, Joe’s heart was moved by the plight of homeless students and he decided to do something about it. Joe’s passion and energy for the mission were contagious and he inspired all those he knew to join him. Soon, Hide In Plain Sight was born and has since impacted hundreds of students.
There’s something else you need to know about Joe. If you speak with any student who was impacted by Hide In Plain Sight from 2015 to 2022, they will say that it was more than a scholarship. It was personal. Joe befriended these students, advised them, and supported them in countless ways.
Aspire Scholarships is grateful for Joe’s vision and the organization he built, and we are proud to build on his legacy.
