Recipient Profile
Desiree Root
“Follow your dreams,” advises Desiree Root, a Bootstraps’ scholarship and loan recipient who graduated from Evergreen High School in 2005.
Desiree has lived an interesting life since she graduated from EHS – living in New Zealand, Australia, San Diego, Breckenridge, and back to Evergreen. It was New Zealand that set her future path; there she met her husband, who grew up in Brazil. They share a passion for traveling, among other things.
Desiree believes in always learning and challenging herself. She attended Colorado School of Mines during her freshman year of college and then went to CU Denver for a year. Desiree’s scholarship supported her studies at both schools and the loan was a lifesaver! Desiree is proud to have paid back the interest-free loan five years ago. She moved out of state to study graphic design in San Diego and lived there for five years, during which time she received her AA degree in graphic design.
Desiree has been exploring what she wants to do for her life’s work. She studied engineering, graphic design, sales, and fashion. She fell in love with fashion design during her four-year tenure with DC Shoe Company (Quicksilver). She started in sales and quickly moved into graphic design. Currently, she works for a beverage company and is also bartending on the side. Her new dream is to sell real estate. She would like to help a family relocate or find their dream home. The freedom and flexibility of real estate attracts her and would enable her to pursue outside interests like travel.
For fun, Desiree loves to snowboard, while enjoying the beauty of the mountains and anything outside. COVID19 changed her life path as it was difficult to find work in the ever-changing environment. She has seen the restaurant industry fluctuate and created a jewelry business on the side to supplement her income. She finds new value in spending time with family and close friends with whom she has quarantined.
The Bootstraps scholarship opened more doors for her to achieve what she wanted to do. The scholarship and loan facilitated going to places that she hadn’t expected or planned. Desiree says, “Bootstraps helped me learn who I wanted to be." She took an unconventional path and along the way, but always kept learning and growing. Her one big piece of advice to future and current Bootstraps is to be true to themselves.