In 2012, Denver Public School District superintendent Tom Boasberg wrote to his employees about the state of their schools: "Yet there's a great deal of work ahead because our gaps still aren't closing at all. They remain strikingly and distressingly similar to the national data. Our schools still aren't the equalizing force that they need to be in order to be seen by all of our families as a beacon of hope, a source of strength, and the gateway to their children's dreams" (Boasberg 2012, 49). That same year, Manual High School (Manual) on the east side of Denver was one of the schools Boasberg was referring to: the school still had educational gaps and many in the district and community were working hard to find resolutions. The 130-year history of Manual is full of challenges and triumphs, and its story still affects many people. This article will tell the story of Manual and how it served as a "beacon of hope" for all. Through the framework of social capital, this research seeks to highlight the people who were committed to Manual and the events that led to its success.