Talent Is Everywhere. Opportunity Isn’t.

Welcome to the first in a series of thoughtful articles by Dr. Dewey Brigham, President and Executive Director of CABPES.

America’s demand for engineers, scientists and problem-solvers has never been greater. Here in Colorado, we have a higher concentration of architecture and engineering jobs than the nation overall. The careers are here. The question is, "Who gets the chance to reach them?"

Thousands of talented students from underrepresented communities never receive the academic support, exposure and mentorship they need to see a STEM career as theirs.

The gap starts early

In 2025, fewer than 19.7% of underrepresented students who took Colorado’s grades 3–8 math assessment met or exceeded expectations, compared with 48.7% of their peers. Math is the gateway to every engineering and science career. When students fall behind in middle school, that door starts to close long before college.

Changing the story since 1980

For more than four decades, CABPES has helped young people build the math skills, experience and connections to pursue STEM careers. Our mission hasn’t changed: to encourage and assist underrepresented youth to pursue and succeed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

We work with students in grades 5–12 through four core programs:

• Math Enrichment Program (MEP) strengthens mathematical proficiency and builds confidence.

• Junior Engineers, Tomorrow’s Scientists (JETS) offers hands-on engineering experiences that spark curiosity, creativity and problem-solving.

• Summer Math Boot Camp helps students close skill gaps and get ready for the next school year.

• SAT/ACT College Preparatory Program prepares students for college admissions and scholarship opportunities.

More than STEM exposure

What makes CABPES different is that we stay with students. We pair rigorous academics and hands-on learning with sustained mentorship from practicing and retired engineers and scientists. Students learn in small groups, get individual coaching and take on design challenges that apply classroom concepts to real-world problems. Our teams earned back-to-back Future City regional wins in 2025 and 2026, independent proof of what these students can do.

Seeing themselves in STEM

Our students learn from engineers, scientists and STEM professionals who look like them, grew up in communities like theirs, faced the same doubts and similar challenging and built careers.

Many of our students have never met an engineer, let alone one who looks like them. Representation changes how students see themselves. A student who once said “I’m not a math person” starts to say “I’m going to be an engineer.” Half of our students are girls, and they see women scientists and engineers leading the room.

At CABPES, our students see themselves every day.

What it adds up to

• 17,500 students served since 1980

• 300+ students served each year

• 90% college acceptance rate

• 80% college graduation rate

• 5,000+ alumni who have launched STEM careers in Colorado and beyond

Behind those numbers are students like Dr. Amira Del Pino-Jones, a CABPES alumna who earned her BA at the University of Colorado Boulder and is now an MD and Associate Professor of Medicine at CU Anschutz.

And behind every student is real commitment. Each CABPES student receives an average of 65 hours of sustained instruction and engagement, 14,000 hours across our programs. Half of our students are girls. Nearly half of our families, 48%, face economic challenges. Many of our students take part in more than one program because they keep coming back for more.

Building Colorado’s STEM workforce pipeline

This is more than a youth program. It is a workforce pipeline. Colorado’s employers need engineers, scientists, technicians and innovators, and the strongest pipeline starts long before college, in a middle school math class or a weekend engineering challenge.

CABPES builds that pipeline at every stage:

• Grades 5–8: math skills and confidence that keep the door to advanced coursework open.

• High school: hands-on engineering, SAT/ACT preparation and college exploration.

• College and career: a 90% college acceptance rate, an 80% college graduation rate and mentors who open professional networks.

When students succeed in STEM, Colorado gains the engineers, scientists, innovators and problem-solvers its future demands. Every student we reach strengthens our workforce, our innovation economy and our communities.

The demand is bigger than our space

Our programs frequently have waiting lists. That tells me families believe in this work, and it tells me we could reach many more students. For decades, we’ve made it work in borrowed and rented space. To grow, CABPES needs a permanent home of its own.

Here’s how you can help: Give Five. Ask Five.

On November 1, Colorado Gives Day early giving starts, and CABPES is launching Give Five. Ask Five. Fuel the Future. The idea is simple:

• Give five. Make a $5 gift to the Fuel the Future Fund.

• Ask five. Invite five friends, family members or colleagues to do the same.

• Fuel the future. Together, we raise $50,000 toward a permanent building for CABPES students.

Our incredible Board of Directors has committed $1,000 to match the first $1,000 in gifts, so your $5 becomes $10. Colorado Gives Day itself is Tuesday, December 8, and you can give or schedule your gift anytime starting November 1.

Talent is everywhere. Together, we can make sure opportunity is too, and that Colorado’s STEM workforce reflects all the talent our state has to offer.

Give $5 starting November 1: bit.ly/fuelthefuturefund

And please spread the word. Share this article with five people who believe in the next generation of STEM leaders.

Dr. Dewey Brigham President & Executive Director, CABPES