Abby Wambach Inspires Kent Denver Students

A group of 13 Kent Denver students and six chaperones had the amazing opportunity to hear from two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Abby Wambach at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado Annual Luncheon on Friday, September 19. The luncheon is the state’s largest fundraiser and community-building event benefiting Colorado women.

"My favorite part of the luncheon was seeing all of the women who attended. They were all unique in their own ways, yet remarkably similar in their interest and care for the women of Colorado,” said Olivia ’29, one of the Kent Denver students who attended the luncheon. “I felt like a part of a community that shared the same perspective on the world, but each person came with their own story."

Along with Olivia, 6th graders Leilah and Isabel, 7th graders Capen and Parris, 8th graders Elin and Reagan, 9th graders Emmy and Ruby, 10th graders Emmy and Liz, and 11th graders Ashlyn and Channing all attended the luncheon, as well as several Kent Denver teachers and coaches. Read below for additional reflections from their experience, including takeaways from Abby’s keynote speech.

“I thought the experience of attending the Women's Foundation Luncheon was really amazing and inspiring. Something that stuck with me is the amazing work the Women's Foundation is doing, and something that I will take away and remember is the feeling of sitting in that room, which made me feel seen, heard, and supported. My favorite part of the luncheon was hearing the inspirational stories from Abby Wambach and other amazing women. I wanted to attend this luncheon because I wanted to learn more about the work that the Women's Foundation does and how to better uplift and support other women.”
—Ashlyn ’27

“I wanted to attended the Women’s Foundation of Colorado Luncheon because it was a chance to hear one of the most influential people in women’s sports speak. It was so inspiring and interesting to hear how Abby approached life when she was on the USWNT and how it differs from today. I truly learned a lot and hope to meet her again someday!”
—Emmy ’29

“Something that I learned from the Women's Luncheon was that you need to persevere and continue fighting for what you believe in. My favorite part of the luncheon was just listening to all the inspirational people. I wanted to attend because I thought it would be cool learning more of a variety of things.”
—Isabel ’32

“Leadership can be ‘on and off the field’—being a game changer doesn’t just mean excelling in a public arena like sports (Abby Wambach), but also making an impact through community work, policy, and everyday efforts.”
—Capen ’31

“It was amazing to hear from such an inspirational woman; [Abby Wambach] shared so many important lessons that I know everyone learned from. She emphasized the importance of being a teammate and being part of a team, recognizing when to lead and when to step back, and supporting one's teammates. As a woman who has accomplished so much in her lifetime, Abby Wambach has already changed so much in women's sports, and she continues to spread hope and empowerment among all young girls and women. She has done much in the world of women's sports, and I feel so lucky to have been able to hear her speak. It was an amazing experience to be able to attend!”
—Ruby ’29

“One thing that really stuck with me was when Abby Wambach stated, ‘Sometimes, instead of being the push, you need to be the pull.’ This resonated with me because it's easy to take on a supportive role, such as helping classmates or teammates. However, I believe there are times when you have to step up, take initiative, and become the leader who drives the group further. It's about knowing when to encourage from the back and when to lead from the front. My favorite part of the luncheon was all the different speakers, as they all had a different point of view on female empowerment and leadership. I personally wanted to attend in order to hear from Abby Wambach, but I was surprised at how impressive the other women were, as well. I would definitely go again, and I recommend it to anyone interested!”
—Channing ’27

“I wanted to attend the luncheon because it was my first time, and the people who had gone before said that it was extraordinary and fulfilling. My favorite part was how involved everyone was. Not only were there hundreds of people who showed up, but the speeches that everyone gave filled the room with energy and importance.”
—Reagan ’30

“What an honor it was to attend the Women’s Foundation of Colorado Luncheon as a representative of Kent Denver. The energy in the room was palpable, and everyone was there for a greater purpose. The speakers, board members, and luncheon co-chairs spoke from the heart and empowered, uplifted, and inspired all in attendance. Hearing from Abby Wambach and getting an inside look into her experiences was a reminder that every girl has the power within themselves to be great and achieve what they set their mind on. To quote luncheon co-chair, Sara Reynolds, ‘When women thrive, we all rise.’”
—Alicia Cooperman
C Team Field Hockey Assistant Coach

“The luncheon was a tremendous success, and I know that it had a great impact on our students, as well as on the faculty who attended. When we left the luncheon, we debriefed about how nice it was to be surrounded by like-minded women and men who seek to uplift women's voices in the community. The Women's Foundation of Colorado states that, ‘when you lift up a woman, you lift up her children, her family, and the entire community,’ and isn't that what community should be about—lifting each other up so as to strengthen the entire society? Abby Wambach really ‘spoke’ to our wide-eyed students, encouraging them to be ‘game changers’ and to get out into the community to help amplify every voice and empower those who may need it. 

It is always such a valuable luncheon, but I think that this year's speaker, being a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the captain of a FIFA World Cup Champion team, was much more meaningful and impactful for our girls. They were starstruck to say the least!”
—Christina Fakharzadeh
Middle School English and History Teacher
Middle School Field Hockey Coach

“The Women's Foundation Luncheon was an incredible opportunity for our young students to hear from many different accomplished women—especially Abby Wambach, who is successful, strong, and articulate, as well as humble and incredibly passionate about women's rights. I got chills listening to her and the other women speak.”
—Kristy Garfoot
Upper School Science Teacher

“It was great for our students to be in that positive, supportive environment and hear from community and business leaders that—even outside of our school community—representation matters, and it matters at the highest level of organizations. It was great to hear Abby Wambach's stories from high school, to the national team, to gold medals, to retirement, to motherhood, to ownership with Angel City FC! She had lots of positive and relatable messages, including, ‘Sports is important, it teaches us how to disagree’ and about leadership, that ‘getting a group of people from where they are to where they ought to be ... there isn't just one set way to do that.’”
—Stephanie Kyser
Assistant Director of Athletics