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Aspen Spark Aspen Spark ignites potential in disadvantaged youth through experiences & educational opportunities

10/06/2026

How does an animator behind Disney+’s I Am Groot handle big projects and tight deadlines? Kirsten Lepore shares how she does it on the new episode of Soaring High. 🎬
Full episode on YouTube now.

10/02/2026

You’ve probably seen Hi Stranger. Now meet the artist behind it. Kirsten Lepore, director of Marvel Entertainment I Am Groot and animation director on Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, tells Michael Simmons why this strange little clay character remains her favorite project. The full episode of Soaring High drops Tuesday, Oct 6.
A24 Marcel The Shell with Shoes On

09/30/2026

Looking back at our first experience one year ago, where we brought youth from a local shelter to a Los Angeles Dodgers game and our first sparks ignited. One of the attendees is now studying at UCLA, after being so inspired by this Aspen Spark event. We can’t wait to share more of the ! 💙

09/23/2026

A roaring good time. 🦁 ⁠
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30 + kids from Southwest DC spent the day at Catoctin Wildlife Preserve. The Safari Ride was magical - Camels leaning into the safari wagon for a snack. Deer, elk, rams, and emus strolling right up to them. They also saw a beautiful jaguar, bison, giant tortoises, Rhonda the pygmy hippo, and the goats who clearly run the place. ⁠
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Big thanks to for organizing the day and keeping it running smoothly. And to the Safari guides Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, thank you for educating everyone about these amazing animals.⁠
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For many of these kids, it was a first-time experience full of wonder and connection. A much-needed day away from the city. For kids to be kids. ⁠
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09/18/2026

A roaring good time. 🦁

30 + kids from Southwest DC spent the day at Catoctin Wildlife Preserve. The Safari Ride was magical - Camels leaning into the safari wagon for a snack. Deer, elk, rams, and emus strolling right up to them. They also saw a beautiful jaguar, bison, giant tortoises, Rhonda the pygmy hippo, and the goats who clearly run the place.

Big thanks to for organizing the day and keeping it running smoothly. And to the Safari guides , thank you for educating everyone about these amazing animals.

For many of these kids, it was a first-time experience full of wonder and connection. A much-needed day away from the city. For kids to be kids

09/11/2026

What does it look like when girls build something together? This.

Aspen Spark, Our Daughters’ Future Fund, and Annie Broderick created a workshop where young women wouldn’t just see art, they’d make it. Girls Inc. DC girls braided, wrote, and wove their own words into the piece, reflecting their voices: “Be you.” “Be true to you.”

As our partners at Girls Inc. DC put it: “Creativity is a powerful form of leadership. When girls are encouraged to express themselves through art, they build confidence, strengthen their voices, and imagine new possibilities for themselves and their communities.”

Their sculpture, created with artist Annie Broderick, who donated her time to build it alongside them, joins Forever Fearless—Maggie O’Neill’s collection of sculptures that gives young girls everywhere a voice.

To every girl who showed up: you’re Forever Fearless 💗

Thank you Girls Inc. DC Annie Broderick Maggie O'Neill Chela Mitchell Gallery FEMME Art Fair 🙏

DCYouth

09/01/2026

Backpacks packed. Minds warmed up. Smiles everywhere 🎒🧠 😊⁠
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Aspen Spark was honored to support at their annual Back-to-School Carnival for the Southwest community, along with other community organizations⁠
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Along with the carnival rides, we supplied brain teasers, art activities, school supplies, and creative giveaways to Southwest DC kids, a fun way to get kids’ minds ready for class while celebrating together.⁠
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Because every child deserves a strong start to the school year 📖⁠
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08/12/2026

We were thrilled to host the All Access with host Andy Garcia team in our podcast studio with sokidssoar! It was great hearing from Andy Garcia about all the meaningful work SKS is doing and we are so happy to be a part of it. If you’d like to get involved in some way, check out their page!

07/16/2026

The ideas were big. The people were real. And we came home changed. 💡⁠
Aspen Ideas did not disappoint.⁠
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Here’s what hit us hardest:⁠
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🔹 Living to 100 — Our systems were built for a 70-year life. But people are living to 100 now and our financial planning, retirement savings, and social safety nets haven’t caught up. Young people need to know this early.⁠
🔹 Aspen Challenge — High schoolers designing real solutions for food insecurity, social media addiction, immigrant inclusion, and the lost middle — the kids who fall through the cracks of every system. The next generation is not waiting. QHH Aspen Challenge Henry Ford bincabridge2aspen
🔹 Navigating the Great AI Transition — How do we help societies adapt to AI before it leaves people behind? Katie Couric and Futurist Amy Webb broke it down in a way that made the stakes impossible to ignore.⁠
🔹 The Case for Loving Humanity — “Where you start matters.” Teach kids to start with love.⁠
🔹 Echo Chambers → Ecosystems — People want goodness. Practice empathy, ask questions.⁠
🔹 Blueprint for Peace — Former rivals. One community. Zero gunfire. This is what’s possible. Nothing to See Here: Watts
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This is just a snippet of what we experienced at the festival, but we encourage everyone to see the work Aspen Institute is doing aAspen Instituteurces they offer⁠
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Big thank you to Aspen Ideas yoantoine for Aspen Ideassyoantoinee conversations like these can happen — and for the resources they make available to all of us doing this work.⁠

You can also follow on Instagram to see more.
06/17/2026

You can also follow on Instagram to see more.

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