The SPARKy Story

Changing lives through Creativity

In 1998 two local Telluride mothers, Jennie Franks and Katie Jewitt, filmed Soft Smoke, AIDS in the Rural West, in order to educate youth, both locally and nationally. SPARKy continued to make relevant, educational films, until in 2006 we created the Telluride Playwrights Festival. For a decade we brought professional actors, playwrights, and directors from major theatre companies all over the country to the beautiful San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

In its final year, the Telluride Playwrights Festival produced THE HISPANIC WOMEN’S PROJECT. A play written by Jennie Franks which told the true stories of Latinas in our community. This play launched SPARKy in a new direction. While we have always been an entity that encompasses art, theatre and education, this new chapter brought us a new focus, with new rewards. One that began with a promise.

To the women that told us their stories we promised that in the names of their mothers and grandmothers we would try and raise money to send young, local Latinas to college.

 
Inspire
 
Motivate & Mentor
 
Educate
Support
 
Inform
 
Create

Our Scholarships

  • SPARKy Donor Matched Scholarship

    The donor matched scholarship is a four-year SPARKy award that is matched by a donor.

  • SPARKy Scholarships

    SPARKy four year scholarships are need-based and awarded to deserving graduates of the SPARKy Program.

  • SPARKy Tech College Scholarship

    SPARKy Tech College Scholarships are need-based and awarded to Latinas pursuing skills specific to a certain technical career.

The SPARKy Club

Provides mentoring and guidance for our Latina High School students to prepare them for success after graduation. We partner with Telluride and Norwood Schools. Our goal is to make sure all Latinas graduate excited and prepared for their next journey in life, whether it be college, tech school or a fulfilling career.