A quiet student finds her voice — and her purpose

Cecilia Chigo knows how to speak her mind. She just doesn’t always use words to do it.

Growing up, Cecilia was the quiet kid in class. The one with paint on her hands and a sketchbook in her lap. As a heritage Spanish speaker, sometimes words felt too complicated, so art became her language. “It was how I communicated what I was feeling,” she said. “My drawings said what I couldn’t.”

Today, Cecilia is a college student at Metropolitan State College of Denver, preparing to become an elementary art teacher. Her dream is to stand in front of a classroom and help students feel the same sense of pride and belonging she felt when she picked up a paintbrush as a child.

Her story is one of talent, resilience, and powerful community support. It’s also a reminder that when students have access to the right opportunities, anything is possible.

The power of being understood

Cecilia’s creativity was obvious from the start. She spent hours drawing as a child, supported by her uncle and a family friend who made sure she had access to art supplies and classes. But it was her time at University Hill Elementary that helped her see herself as an artist.

Cecilia’s artwork

“I still remember how it felt to be in my teacher, Ms. Powell’s, classroom,” said Cecilia. “She encouraged me to experiment and try new things. Her class gave me the confidence to explore who I was.”

“I realized I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to be that kind of supportive adult for someone else… Someone who listens, especially to kids who think differently or speak different languages.”

Years later, Cecilia returned to Uni Hill as a high school senior to volunteer in that very same art room. It was there, surrounded by finger paint, crayons, and wide-eyed students, that her future became clear.

“I realized I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to be that kind of supportive adult for someone else,” she said. “Someone who notices. Someone who listens, especially to kids who think differently or speak different languages.”

A pathway to possibility

Navigating financial barriers and the complex admissions process as a first-generation student, college felt out of reach at times. But Cecilia’s passion was firmly in place. She was determined to find her way to higher education. Then a high school teacher told her about Teacher Recruitment Education & Preparation (TREP), a program that allows Colorado students majoring in education to attend college tuition-free for two years.

Cecilia applied and was accepted. She began studying art education at MSU Denver in fall 2023.

Cecilia speaking at the 2025 Impact on Education Gala. Photo credit: Victoria Engblom.

What she didn’t know at the time was that while TREP covered her tuition, Impact on Education covered her class fees and books. That support, funded by donors, allowed her to focus on learning instead of worrying about how to pay for materials.

And it wasn’t the first time Impact on Education had helped Cecilia.

“Back then, I didn’t know where the support came from. But looking back now, I see that I had what I needed when it mattered. That made all the difference.”

As a student in the Boulder Valley School District, Cecilia benefited from school supplies, field trip fees, and other opportunities made possible by donor generosity. From backpacks in elementary school to support for Advanced Placement test fees in high school, these behind-the-scenes investments helped her stay on track and feel prepared.

“Back then, I didn’t know where the support came from,” said Cecilia. “But looking back now, I see that I had what I needed when it mattered. That made all the difference.”

A vision for the future

Having learned English as a second language herself, she’s especially committed to supporting bilingual students and helping them see their language and culture as gifts.

“Art helped me feel proud of my roots, and I want to give that to my future students.”

Cecilia’s goal is to become an elementary art teacher for culturally and linguistically diverse students. She wants her classroom to be a place where students feel proud of their identities, confident in their creativity, and safe to express themselves.

“I want kids to know they don’t have to change who they are to belong,” she says. “Art helped me feel proud of my roots, and I want to give that to my future students.”

Thanks to the support she received, from educators, family, and Impact on Education, Cecilia is well on her way to achieving her dreams.