Happy March!
The COSLI newsletter is written and edited by students on the COSLI Student Advisory Board.
Enjoy student updates, perspectives, events, and opportunities.
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The COSLI Petition Needs Your Signature!
Calling all students, parents, friends, and acquaintances of COSLI, we need your help to protect COSLI’s funds and, by extension, the future of the program. The COSLI Student Board has created a petition to help persuade our legislators to advocate for and protect COSLI and its funding. We need as many signatures as possible to help remind them why COSLI is so important. Here is a section from our statement:
"COSLI’s 2020 $178k was rolled back into the general fund and we need your help to protect COSLI’s funding. The Executive Director had already returned $80k of the monies, cutting the budget by eliminating parts of programming for the upcoming summer. We can still make the 2021 session possible, but it has meant accepting fewer students and cutting the session’s time on campus.
During this legislative session, the Governor has removed funds for COSLI completely, starting in 2022. We need everyone's help and assistance to get our budget back and secure it for years to come! When COSLI was founded in 2015, there was a commitment to stick to a small fiscal note, expecting private contributions from students and the community. COSLI has done that. For a fiscal note of $218,858, COSLI is battling the Colorado Paradox in a meaningful way. We can’t afford to lose this tool for economic and workforce development, retaining and engaging our state’s best and brightest students."
COSLI means a lot to so many students, and it is important to the future leaders of Colorado that they are given this incredible opportunity. Please sign our petition here and encourage everyone you know to do it as well; every signature matters. |
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Letter from the Student Advisory Board President
Dear Friends of COSLI,
I have recently been working as a member of the Colorado Youth Congress to help bring together youth-initiated conversations on racial justice, and to bring mental health to the forefront in Colorado’s schools. We, as youth collaborating with dozens of youth advocacy groups, health institutes, school leaders, philanthropy clubs, and political leaders, have created our own agenda. We have been able to bring the focal point of conversations to addressing the most pressing issues in Colorado and to their solutions. The efforts of the Colorado Youth Congress have only scratched the surface for what collaborative work and youth-led initiatives can ultimately lead to. We are part of a world of opportunity for youth leaders who are working to increase the feasibility of systematic change.
With that being said, the COSLI Student Advisory Board has been hard at work initiating an effort to maintain the security of our state-legislated funds for future classes. For the past two weeks, the Student Board has been working diligently to create a petition, student advocacy statements, outreach networks and resources, and strategies to carry this effort out. The time has come for us to begin collecting signatures and loud support to sustain our state legislated funds for COSLI. This will ensure COSLI’s presence in Colorado and will guarantee the future of COSLI. In addition, I ask all of you to reach out to your respective state legislators and all members of the Joint Budget Committee to highlight our cause. I look forward to seeing what our hard work and efforts can accomplish.
Thank you and all the best,
Mohamed Ibrahim
COSLI Class of 2019
Student Advisory Board President
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Letter from the Founding Executive Director
Friends of COSLI is proud to be a Project of the Rose Community Foundation
Last week I was asked to view a film on Netflix called Social Dilemma. I’d like to recommend that each of you do the same. It provides one possible answer for the divide we are seeing in our country. This film shows clearly the effect that social media has had on our lives, our politics, our choices. It’s a wake up call to the power of this necessary set of modern tools. What we see and hear is a need for balance, the importance of recognizing the way in which we are being shaped and, well, manipulated. Please take the time to watch this part documentary with your family or a room of friends. Added bonus... the small part that is drama was filmed in Central Park with an actress from Denver. Well worth the important hour and a half.
This is a month of op-eds--enjoy this celebration of student voice! It’s what COSLI is all about. And, we hope you’ll heed the calls for your signatures on our petition.The success of COSLI deserves a permanent spot in Colorado’s Education landscape. We know you’ll agree!
Best,
Celeste
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We are so pleased to share the newsletter from the National Conference of Governor’s Schools. Our own intern, Zach Gabehart is the editor!
View that newsletter here.
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2021 NCoGS Logo Design Competition
Following the events of last year and the need for increased logo recognition, the National Conference of Governor’s Schools (NCoGS) is pleased to announce the 2021 Logo Design Competition. Click here to enter your design for the new logo and to read more about the expectations. Below is the current logo; enter and make yours the next one! All designers receive a prize and the winning logo’s designer will be awarded $500!
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Student Features
Isabella Duskin (2020) lettered in Swimming.
Cayley Swaim (2020) ran a person best in the mile.
Allison Thomas (2020) placed 1st in her group presentation and 2nd in her individual test at the FBLA District Competition.
Sophia Watkins (2019) has committed to attend Cornell University in the fall of 2021. She plans to study psychology with a concentration in behavioral science on the pre-med track.
Fareed Ahamad (2019) was selected as a Coca-Cola Scholar Finalist out of 99,000 applicants. Fantastic job, Fareed!
Timi Kola-Abiola (2019) was accepted to Tufts University in the Early Decision pool and has received a full scholarship. Fantastic job, Timi! We’re so proud to call you a COSLI alum!
David Hadaway (2018) has pledged Theta Tau Omega, a professional engineers fraternity, at South Dakota School of Mines. Congratulations to his chapter for their service work in creating dog toys for the Humane Society of the Black Hills.
Mohamed Ibrahim (2019) was selected as one of the United States Senate Youth Program’s two delegates from Colorado. Great work, Mohamed!
Sophia Truex (2018) was accepted to Tufts University in the Early Decision pool and will be attending Tufts in the fall of 2021. Congratulations, Sophia!
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Leticia Agatti - 3/2
Fabian Delgado - 3/5
Ra’nya Marcanno - 3/6
Fareed Ahamad - 3/7
Izabelle Brophy - 3/7
Vivian Bear - 3/8
Ge’swan Swanson - 3/9
Amanda Periman - 3/10
Isabel Rodriguez Favela - 3/10
Abigail Admase - 3/13
Elizabeth Felix - 3/15
Miranda Hall - 3/18
Jillian Lucero - 3/21
Chloe Bowlby - 3/24
Keshav Nambiar - 3/25
Asley Sultan - 3/28
Samara Kincheloe-Owen - 3/28
Amarachi Onuoha - 3/30
Raul Hernandez - 3/30
Elliot Anderson - 3/31
Veronica Barajas - 3/31
Colorado History
What else happened in March?
Did you know these historical events occurred in March?
March 1, 1961 - President John F. Kennedy creates the Peace Corps.
March 2, 1933 - The Black Canyon in Gunnison becomes a National Monument, established by the signing of U.S President Herbert Hoover.
March 10, 1862 - The 5$, 10$, and 20$ bills are implemented into the US currency system.
We are so proud of our COSLI alumni! Contact Izzy McCarty (imccarty2021@esdk12.org) or Sheila Ta (sheilata93@gmail.com) with college acceptances as they start rolling in and any other cool projects or successes!
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Lessons Learned
By Bryce Li
Education is a key part of a child's development through primary and secondary school. One of the core subjects taught in school is social studies, which analyzes the events in, dynamics of, and actors within a society. Of course, there is variety and flexibility in choosing social studies courses, but usual social studies classes include government, history, and geography.
Social studies in general, though, no matter what course, is supposed to present the truth and reality of society. However, "truth" can be a difficult term to define depending on societal perspectives; there are no set guidelines, rules, or policies for such a definition. That then raises the question: What is the truth? The implications of this question are significant and affect the world every day.
For instance, during the United States Capitol riot in early January of 2021, traditional news sources covered the story in a realistic fashion while news segments aimed at kids covered the same stories in a much more innocent manner. AP News notes that this resulted in heavy criticism from many media specialists who argued that students should not be told a different side of the story as that would result in "telling a different story of history"--a real concern for the media.
At the end of the day, telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is critical for education. However, given the fact that the truth, at least for social studies, can oftentimes seem vague and indescribable, the best solution is to read a variety of perspectives to develop a holistic understanding of society. Otherwise, one's view of society may be dramatically skewed by the very system that attempts to straighten it.
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Teen Mental Health During a Pandemic
By McKenzie Woodhead
Most schools in Colorado offer a limited mental health curriculum; they only do what state standards mandate and have limited mental health resources. Their offerings are often limited to a piece in a health class curriculum in which teens are told to reach out to their support systems in challenging times. When it feels like the world as you have known it has become drastically different overnight, a typical response such as “reaching out to your support system” or “using physical activity to release stress” can be insufficient mental health support. As schools continue into another semester, we need to rebuild the once vibrant community that wilts without the sustainment of clubs, activities, sports, and natural engagements that come in a school building. We need to have the hard conversations, not just take the easy steps; we need to learn how to support our peers; we need to cultivate a community before we can create support systems; we need to know that the teachers care for us as individuals. Without these essential steps to establish a sense of community, teens will struggle.
Teachers should work to engage with their students in a meaningful way that makes students feel understood and heard. It could be as little as adding an encouraging comment on an assignment or asking non-educational questions in class discussions. That interaction is the validation that students need when they are struggling with online school, or any other challenge they face in their education. To students, these comments show that their teacher is taking time for them and appreciates them. Students can also get this essential feeling of appreciation when teachers have a non-educational engagement activity for the sake of cultivating a community that is much easier for students to participate and engage in. Although, when online, these comments and activities don’t compare to a normal class environment, they serve to supplement the lack of normal class conversations, discussions, and experiences that naturally create community while in-person.
Many students, myself included, would like to have more access to understandable and actionable methods with which we can support ourselves and our peers. Just contacting a counselor or using Safe-to-Tell is often insufficient since we typically confide in each other first. There’s a lot to talk about regarding mental health, but we cannot have those hard conversations without a willingness to be vulnerable, a willingness that comes from a sense of community and belonging. It’s more important for students to feel like they belong to a community than to do the surface-level mental health activities students are bombarded with.
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The Importance of Student Voice
By Kaya Crawford
If a decision directly impacts the lives of students, why wouldn’t their opinions be considered? This question has been asked by many students within my community, after the school board decided to reconfigure schools in two towns so that the two separate high schools will be consolidated into one. The announcement of this decision caused tension within our classrooms, as we have no idea what the future will bring. What will happen to our teachers and our principals? Where will the school be? What will happen to the traditions that our schools have upheld for decades? Teachers, students, and parents all have questions that have yet to be answered, and this may be because nobody knows the answers.
I am not upset about the decision to consolidate the high schools like some of my peers are. I understand that our school district cannot financially support the high schools separately and that enrollment at both schools has been decreasing. I am excited for the opportunities that consolidation will bring. We will have more options for classes, rather than having the options limited due to a limited number of teachers at each school. There will be many new extracurricular activities to join. The gym will be full of fans at games. There will be chances to meet new people. This change that caused panic at first could turn out to be an amazing opportunity, but only if the needs of all parties involved are considered.
However, I am upset with the way this decision was handled. Two years ago, a survey about the idea of consolidation was sent to parents and students around the district. Two years ago this survey was sent out, meaning the responses are outdated and do not represent the community’s opinions now. This idea has been contemplated for years and many of us knew that the change would be made eventually, but we just thought the news would come directly from the school board. Most of the community heard about the decision through the grapevine, causing panic that could easily have been avoided with a direct statement from the school board. It seemed as if the community did not matter in the decision. Most importantly, it seemed that the students did not matter, as we were the last ones to be informed.
Indeed, the same students who are being directly impacted by this change were the last ones to be told about the change. Perhaps this is why there is so much opposition to the consolidation. School, a stable environment for many of us, is going to be completely altered. Each and every one of us, especially after this last year of COVID, wants to make sure that this alteration doesn’t ruin another year. Our opinions and ideas could help this transition run smoothly, so our opinions must become a valued resource to school administrators. We, as students, have needs that can be overlooked by adults making the decisions. If our needs and ideas are heard, the transition will be set for success. It will meet the needs for all parties involved and ensure the students feel they matter. The people directly impacted must feel their opinions are being heard for the change to be successful.
In my opinion, for any change to run smoothly, all voices must be heard. Students are the ones directly impacted by this decision, so, naturally, they will have opinions on the subject. These students, who have no idea of what this consolidation will mean, have already dealt with abrupt changes to our education with the pandemic and many share my sentiments. We all know that the decision has been made. Talking with my peers has made me realize that we all have opinions, valid opinions, that can help any decision run more smoothly. If the student voice is valued by administrators, all changes will have a high likelihood of success.
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Opportunities and Events: March 2021
The American History and Civic Academies from the Center for Civic Education provide teachers and students with high-quality educational engagement. The experience significantly enhances students' civic dispositions and increases their political interest and attention, political discussion, community engagement, government service, sense of civic duty, and trust in government. Applications are now open, and are due April 1 st. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Academies will both be virtual this year. More info here.
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a 2-week virtual program that teaches 10-12th grade girls (trans and cis) and non-binary students the computer science skills they need to make an impact in their community and prepare for a career in tech. Participants will get exposure to tech jobs, meet women in tech careers, and join a supportive sisterhood of girls in tech. Applications are now open and close sometime in March. More info here.
The Adroit Journal’s Summer Mentorship Program is an online program that pairs established writers with high school students interested in learning more about the creative writing processes of drafting, redrafting, and editing. The 2021 program will cater to poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction/memoir, and spoken word. The aim of the mentorship program is not formalized instruction, but rather an individualized, flexible, and often informal correspondence. Poetry and spoken word mentorship students will share weekly work with mentors and peers, while fiction and creative nonfiction/memoir mentorship students will share biweekly work with mentors and peers. Applications are due March 22 nd. More info here.
The Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) welcomes a select group of rising mathematically-talented high school juniors and seniors from around the world for intensive study in advanced mathematics. Applications are due March 10 th. More info here.
The Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is also currently open for applications. This program is similar to the SUMaC program, as it invites rising juniors and seniors to attend, but is focused on humanities studies and research. More info here.
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Teen Mental Health During a Pandemic
By Hagan Archer
In January of this year, COSLI and National History Day Colorado released a survey to a small group of Colorado 12 to 21-year-olds. COSLI wanted to collect voices of youth during this uncertain time of a global pandemic. There were 113 responses from 55 different zip codes. Students range from sixth grade to a junior in college. Responses overwhelmingly represented as eager to return to full-time school. Only seven students reported having had a positive experience during the pandemic such as this, “It has allowed me to spend more time bonding with my family, which has been nice, and during the shutdown, it was nice in some ways to have to slow down and stay home because it made me reconsider my priorities and realize what’s truly important to me.”
Most students made comments such as below, including one who reports the suicide death of a sibling, saying “My brother died (by pressured suicide). I have had many friends in the mental hospital and struggling with self-harm and depression. I think everyone feels more lonely and angry.”
Others said this:
- “I feel like my mental health has declined. I’m getting snappy with my family because I’m around them so much and they’re getting on my nerves. I’m always worried about something and I wish I could see my friends more often.”
- “As a high school junior, I have felt the pressure to tour colleges and take the SAT, two resources that are difficult to come through. This has caused me anxiety about my future as I have no idea where I want to go to college or where I will be applying next year. I have also felt great frustrations due to my community's indifference toward the pandemic and their unwillingness to protect themselves and others.”
- “It has greatly affected my decision for colleges as scholarship money has been decreased and since standardized tests are no longer available my 4.0 GPA does not have as much weight as it would have had before on my applications.”
- “The pandemic has kind of made me oblivious to my responsibilities in school and at home. I noticed I put things off till the last minute instead of following my schedule properly like I used to. This has increased stress levels and now, I’m kind of scrambling to complete it all. It’s hard because I didn’t realize it until just the start of January. However, I’m getting back on track very quickly which is what I’m grateful for during this time.”
With these responses from students, it is obvious that there will be a necessary time for mental health healing and recovery, far more important in the immediate than bridging academic gaps. With only a few counties now showing as Orange, most being yellow and blue, there is still hope for a few months of something similar to normal at the end of the 2021 school year. Here is a snapshot of how these students are learning now:
For National History Day Colorado, these survey responses will be bound into a volume for use as primary sources in future historical research, similar to what some have been reading about the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918.
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COSLI Reads
Need book recommendations? Well here’s a list of what the COSLI alumni are reading- take a look, you might find one you like! Enjoy!
See what your COSLI alumni have been reading!
The Importance of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Them by Ben Sasse
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo
My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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