From Pioneer to City Hall
Saúl Tapia Vega | Mayor of Lafayette
Pioneer Class of 2011
Saúl Tapia Vega came to Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer in Lafayette in second grade—the same year he became a Dreamer Scholar. The son of immigrants, he grew up in a mobile home community and was a quiet, very shy kid.
In fifth grade, his teacher held a class election, and Saúl was elected class president. It was his first glimpse of what democracy could mean for families like his.
In 2023, Lafayette was about to lose its only Latino council member, and no one Saúl asked would run. That’s when he realized it might have to be him. He was elected to City Council and, today, he is mayor of the city where he grew up.
In Saúl’s words
The “I Have A Dream” program led me from second grade through college… it instilled something incredibly important in me: the belief that we, as Dreamers, were greater than the circumstances around us, the circumstances through which we grew up.
It taught me that postsecondary education wasn’t out of reach. It wasn’t just a dream, it was a tangible reality. And thanks to the “I Have A Dream” Foundation, I stand here as the first in my family to graduate from college.
The Altitude Class
Elementary | Lafayette
With a strong beginning in Fall 2025, the Altitude Class is IHDF’s newest cohort of Dreamer Scholars. It began at Ryan Elementary in Lafayette and brings together students from several schools. Today the class meets at Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer, where most of the cohort attends school, so afterschool programming is practical for families and students stay connected to the BVSD educators and staff who support them. Like every IHDF class, Altitude is just getting started on a long journey. These Dreamer Scholars and their families will have caring staff and volunteers alongside [ … ]
In Saúl’s words
I had the privilege of meeting with the new Altitude class [at Pioneer]. And you know what I saw in that room? A lot of little Saúls. A lot of shy, curious students that have so much potential.
But they need us to stand with them. They need to know our community will invest in their future just like they did in mine.
A World of Possibilities
Ana Robles | Summit Middle School Teacher
Iris Class of 2016
Ana Robles joined IHDF’s Iris Class in elementary school and shared the journey with her younger sister. She describes the program as a second family. Every afternoon she did homework with friends who grew up together all the way through high school.
IHDF helped her navigate toward college as a first-generation student. It opened doors to internships, a scholarship to Dawson, and help applying to CU Boulder. That help included orienting her parents to the application process and FAFSA. She credits IHDF with showing her “a world of possibilities of who I could be.”
Ana teaches Spanish at Summit Middle School in BVSD, which brings her joy as she shares her first language with her students, including several Dreamer Scholars.
In Ana’s words
I share with my students a lot about my experience… It’s so important for them to know that they have someone in their corner, and they have someone who’s going to advocate for them and going to teach them how to advocate.
I definitely see how they’re going to be great leaders in the future… it’s just the beginning for them.
A Parent’s Dreams
Stephany Rodríguez | IHDF Parent & Parent Navigator
Stephany Rodríguez and her family moved to Colorado from Colombia almost two years ago with one goal: that their children would have “no ceiling on their dreams.”
Her son, Emiliano, started later in the school year after the move, in a new country and without friends, and he wondered whether he would fit in. Then he joined IHDF. After-school homework help, in Spanish when algebra got hard, lifted his grades. He also found friends, confidence, and new experiences, like learning to climb.
Stephany has grown, too. Through IHDF’s Advancing Families program, she is studying English and has found that parents can dream alongside their children. Now Stephany has joined IHDF as the parent navigator for Advancing Families, so she can help other families thrive and make the most of the opportunities IHDF brings.
In Stephany’s words
I tell parents, “You can dream, too. There’s an opportunity for you as well—not just for your children.
“When a door opens, you say, ‘Okay, I have a chance to be something different.’ I have a chance to share with other parents what [IHDF has] done for me.”
The Best Investment You Can Ever Make
Terry Gillach | Retired Principal & IHDF Supporter
Terry Gillach spent 33 years in the Boulder Valley School District, including as principal of Southern Hills Middle School, Boulder High, Centaurus High, and Fairview High. He worked alongside Dreamer Scholars and their teachers and saw firsthand the role IHDF plays in the community.
In Terry’s words
As a high school principal, I could see the difference the “I Have A Dream” Foundation makes for kids. It is absolutely remarkable. Students have the wind at their back when they feel somebody is there to support them, both financially and as mentors.
I saw students develop extraordinary resilience. Some dealt with difficult things outside of school, yet they came to school and did their work every day because they had so many people behind them.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you, as a donor and community member, see this organization as an investment in the future—in these students and our community. Many first-generation students give back to their communities, and that, to me, is the best investment you can ever make. Your dollars could not go to a better place. We give to “I Have A Dream” in our home.
Thank you for considering this appeal. You are making a massive difference for students in our community.