Hope Ignites

When Anayelli Munoz Marquez joined Hope Ignites Colorado as a high school sophomore, she wasn't sure college was in her future. A first resume, a job fair, and a group of mentors who went the extra mile changed that. Now she's thriving at Boston College, having spent her summer giving back as an intern at Hope Ignites Network Headquarters.

Read her full story on the blog.

https://hopeignites.org/2026/09/11/anayelli-munoz-marquez-college/

This Labor Day, we celebrate the dedication behind every career and the limitless paths our scholars and collegians go on to pursue. We’re especially grateful for the team members, volunteers, mentors, partners and supporters whose hard work helps them turn their talents and ambitions into thriving careers. Happy Labor Day from Hope Ignites!

🎉 100 scholars—and we’re just getting started!

For a decade, our partnership with World Wide Technology has helped Hope Ignites collegians pursue their dreams through scholarships, mentorship, professional development and pathways into STEM careers.

We are deeply grateful to WWT and its dedicated team for investing in our scholars and collegians, believing in their potential and opening doors to life-changing opportunities.

Join us in celebrating the 100th WWT Scholar—and read the full story: https://www.wwt.com/blog/world-wide-technology-and-hope-ignites-celebrate-100th-wwt-scholar

We are thrilled to welcome Lena Washington as the Executive Director of Hope Ignites New York!

Lena joined Hope Ignites New York in 2024 as Chief Operations & Programs Officer and quickly became a driving force behind the affiliate's growth. She has built partnerships with more than 30 corporate, philanthropic, and community organizations, strengthening workforce development, volunteer engagement, and institutional investment.

Over the past year, she has worked closely with the Board of Directors and Hope Ignites Network Headquarters on governance, strategic planning, financial stewardship, and fundraising. She came to Hope Ignites New York with program leadership experience at the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Harlem Children's Zone, and holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Columbia Business School.

Please join us in congratulating Lena. We look forward to her continued leadership as Hope Ignites New York empowers motivated young people to reach their full potential.

Boys Hope Girls Hope of New York

Thirty-three scholars. One week in Silicon Valley. A whole new sense of what is possible.

From a hands-on AI workshop to a look inside Stanford Health Care, our scholars spent the week discovering just how many careers and how many kinds of people it takes to make big things happen. One of the most important takeaways: there is no single path to a meaningful career, and the opportunities out there are bigger than they imagined.

Read the full recap on our blog to see how the Silicon Valley STEAM + Business Camp unfolded, with thanks to World Wide Technology, Intel, Google Cloud, Emerson, QTS Data Centers, Santa Clara University, Edward Jones, Stanford Health Care, the Nanda Family Foundation, the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, and The Tech Interactive for making it possible.

Read the full story here: https://hopeignites.org/2026/07/29/silicon-valley-steam-business-camp-2026/

From the flight deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to the classrooms of Cleveland State, Bishop Jennings has never stopped building.

A collegian of Hope Ignites Northeastern Ohio, Bishop spent five years as a Navy aviation technician before coming home to study environmental science and carry forward his family's trade. This summer, he gave back as a Legacy Leader in our Envision U program, mentoring rising high school seniors from across the Network.

"You have options. Go follow your dreams, go do what you want to do. And I'll help you any way I can."

Read Bishop's full story here: https://hopeignites.org/2026/07/28/built-by-hand-bishop-jennings/

Beyond the campus tours and career panels, our scholars spent the week at the Silicon Valley STEAM + Business Camp rolling up their sleeves. In the Stepping Stone challenge, teams had to get everyone across a "polluted river" using only a limited number of stones, and any stone left unattended floated away. It took planning, communication, and a lot of teamwork to get the whole group to the other side. Later, scholars tried their hand at cyanotypes, a camera-less printing process that uses sunlight and light-sensitive paper to turn everyday objects into striking blue-and-white images.

Teams also put their creativity to the test in the Innovators for Impact Challenge, developing and pitching original ideas to a team of tech professionals in just three hours, learning and getting valuable feedback in real time. The hands-on learning carried into Thursday at The Tech Interactive, where scholars explored the exhibits and watched a documentary on the Lost Wolves of Yellowstone on a giant IMAX screen. To close out the week, everyone gathered for a Glow and Grow reflection, a chance to celebrate the highlights and recognize how far they had come.

STEM, career exploration, and big ideas in Silicon Valley.

Our scholars kicked off the second-ever Silicon Valley Immersion STEM Camp with introductions, icebreakers, and a Rock, Paper, Scissors World Cup that crowned one champion with a soccer ball to match. From there, the week dove straight into the future: a campus tour of our amazing partner school, Santa Clara University, a hands-on AI workshop led by World Wide Technology and Intel, and career roundtables where scholars tackled real-world challenges, solved problems under pressure, and pitched creative ideas with growing confidence.

The evenings were all about connection. Scholars heard from friends of Hope Ignites working in business, AI, and healthcare, picked up networking advice from the Edward Jones team, and capped it off with Silicon Valley Networking Night, emceed by Hope Ignites Cincinnati alumnus, board member, and San Francisco 49ers coach Gregg Scruggs, with remarks from CEO Kristin Ostby, Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan, and two alumni who shared their own journeys.

More service, more culture, more connection in Guatemala. This week our scholars served at the local schools, learned to hand-wash their clothes alongside Guatemalan scholars, and shared meals, games, and dancing at the residences. They celebrated one of the scholars' 18th birthday, explored the historic city of Antigua, and toured a coffee farm from bean to cup, racking up new experiences and making lasting friendships at every turn.

Esperanza Juvenil, Guatemala

One of our flagship summer programs, the Guate-Maya Immersion Experience is underway, and scholars from across the U.S. are living, serving, and learning alongside their peers at Esperanza Juvenil, Guatemala (Hope Ignites Guatemala). They are exploring Guatemala City's historic cathedral and artisan markets, discovering Mayan traditions and learning about chocolate making and craftsmanship in San Juan La Laguna. Every day brings new experiences and new friendships that will last long after the trip ends.

For our Guatemalan scholars, it's a chance to share their culture, their homes, and their generous hospitality. For our U.S. scholars, it's a window into a world beyond their own. For them all, it's an experience they'll carry for the rest of their lives.