Introducing the COSLI Newsletter
The COSLI newsletter is written and edited by students on the COSLI Student Advisory Board, and will be released the first Monday of each month.
Enjoy student updates, perspectives, events, and opportunities.
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Letter from the COSLI Director
Welcome to COSLI's first newsletter!
Colorado Student Leaders Institute is Colorado's governor's school--a residential institute in the summer for the state's best and brightest high school students, at least partially supported by the state. In Colorado, our kids come together for the month of July. They live on campus at CU Denver where they study every day for twenty-eight days. They start small businesses, create solutions for Colorado's most pressing problems, enjoy an annual book club and deeply research Colorado history. Each day they meet and question our state's most important leaders in politics, business, religion, philanthropy, non-profit management, and known activists. At the end of the month, this amazing group of up to 100 teens have become a family and earned three hours of college credit. They will be part of a respected group of students nationwide --those who have successfully completed a governor's school program.
The program in our state is one of the newest--having begun in 2013* (legislated in 2015)--but it is among the best. COSLI has alumni who have either graduated or are currently enrolled in almost all of the four year post-secondary institutions in Colorado. COSLI students are currently attending Yale, Stanford, William and Mary, Willamette, Middlebury, McGill and more. There are Daniels Scholars and Boettcher Scholars, full-ride athletes, and full-ride academics. Our students are in highly competitive BS to MD and BS to DDS programs, in addition to a Journeyman working his way toward an important trade. I'm certain that among these brilliant minds are Colorado's future governors; future Members of Congress; future CEOs; future writers, thinkers and educators; and, future so many other foundational roles in our state. This makes COSLI as important in economic development for Colorado as it is for the education of our smartest students. Thank you for taking the time to read their words--we hope you will enjoy receiving this monthly communication.
Want to know even more? Check out our website and our Facebook page. And, if you know a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader who would be the perfect COSLI student, direct them to the application on our website--it is open until January 30!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Celeste Archer
Founding Executive Director
*The oldest governor's school program is in North Carolina, started by then Governor Sanford in 1963.
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Letter from the Student Advisory Board President
Dear COSLI Alumni, Teachers, Members, and Friends,
During the month-long COSLI program on the CU Denver campus, students build a variety of life skills, engage in rigorous academics, connect with various high profile people across Colorado, and reach unsurpassable post-secondary perspectives and learning levels. Cultivating an environment that includes students from all walks of life who are committed to this work, COSLI constructs a foundation for the future of Colorado that truly represents this wonderful state we have. As a student of the program myself, I can say that COSLI has opened numerous doors, including opportunities across the state instilling the necessity of civic responsibility in our communities. Among all the summer programs in the nation, COSLI, endorsed by the National Conference of Governor's School, is one of the best.
The COSLI Student Advisory Board is a student-driven board that consists of students elected from the past COSLI classes. On the Board, we develop strategies to ensure further success for COSLI, such as fundraising plans and annually reviewing the COSLI experience. By combining life-perspectives from many backgrounds, the Student Advisory Board aspires to improve and maintain the principles COSLI is founded upon: civic responsibility, entrepreneurship, academic excellence, and vocal outreach. With this, the Student Board is able to implement positive and successful change to the program, transcending to the state and national level.
It is truly an honor for me to have such a presence in a great program. I cannot express the gratitude I have for all the experiences, connections, and opportunities COSLI has provided me and hundreds of other students.
Thank you,
Mohamed Ibrahim
Wiggins High School
COSLI Class of 2019
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Lessons Learned at the 2019 Study Advisory Board Retreat
At the 2019 COSLI Student Board Retreat, the board was able to listen to and have a conversation with Johnny Valdez and Antwan Jefferson on the topic of “equity versus merit.” Johnny is Director of Resource Administration for The Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation and Dr. Jefferson is a long time educator, now a professor of education at CU Denver, as well as a speaker and activist.
Johnny Valdez by Bryce Li
Johnny Valdez and the COSLI student board.
During the 2019 COSLI Board Retreat, Johnny Valdez--the son of the last hereditary hunting chief from The Southern Ute Tribe, the great-grandson of Buffalo Soldier Jack John Taylor, current Director of Resource Administration for Papua New Guinea, former Executive Officer of the Southern Ute Tribe, and father of two COSLI alumni--spoke about equity and merit. Specifically, Valdez spoke about their crossovers and implications; how a basis on “too much” of either one could pose unintended consequences. To demonstrate this general concept, Valdez quickly sketched out an example. In it, runners originally started at the start, with $50 placed at the finish line as an incentive. In this model, the “fastest” runner or the runner with the most “merit” would easily outpace the rest. But as Valdez added more conditions (i.e. "if your parents are not divorced, take a step forward"), the idea for a need of equity began to become apparent. Moreover on the idea of equity, Valdez spoke about his family’s experience with the Ute Tribe and how that reflects equity. This discussion revolving around equity versus merit has become critical in society; within the COSLI Board, the board members spent most of their retreat focused on “defining a COSLI kid.” During this discussion, equity versus merit became incredibly powerful in shaping the way we analyzed this idea and it will continue to provide valuable insight on who COSLI is searching to serve.
Antwan Jefferson by Timi Kola-Abiola
Antwan Jefferson and the COSLI student board.
During the 2019 October COSLI Student Retreat, Dr. Antwan Jefferson, a current professor at the University of Denver Colorado and a previous high-school educator, came in to lead an important discussion on equity versus merit. Dr. Jefferson focused on how to tackle the question of equity and merit but more importantly how he defined each concept. For example, while Dr. Jefferson was discussing merit, he dismissed the dictionary definition of merit, “the quality of being particularly good or worthy.” He believed the definition inversely states that if an individual enters a specific program, they are more "worthy" than those who did not get accepted. With Dr. Jefferson’s deep insight and analysis on the subject, the COSLI Student Board was able to develop our first full conversation regarding the dilemma of equity versus merit. Using this, the board later generated specific qualities that “the Perfect COSLI kid” does and does not exhibit in order to clearly pinpoint characteristics that the COSLI program is searching for. Our Socratic seminar with Dr. Jefferson allowed the board to focus on our main objective, which was to create a list of characteristics that clearly communicated who the COSLI program is meant to serve.
Overall, the COSLI Student Board’s discussion with Dr. Jefferson greatly aided in the discussion of how factors of equity and merit can play into the role of a “Perfect COSLI Student.” Due to the depth these speakers provided, the Board quickly began to understand the distinction and misconceptions surrounding these two topics as well. For example, one common misconception that the speakers helped the Board grapple with was the fact that equity can and does result in meritorious individuals. That said, regardless of a kid’s placement in life, succeeding requires substantial drive and work ethic no matter what. Valdez explained to the Board how one can’t simply expect to rely on their position in life to carry oneself into life, but that any success requires perseverance and effort. Therefore, the Board constructed the idea that the students they want to serve are persistent and powerful, regardless of whether or not they are the first generation of their family to attend college or qualify for FRL (Free and Reduced Lunch). Those are the students COSLI is willing to serve.
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Student Features
Note that all students who successfully complete COSLI are given automatic acceptance to the University of Colorado Denver.
Drew Smith, COSLI 2018, Sargent High School, Montana State University
Ewan Wummel, COSLI 2018, Denver East High School, Temple University Tokyo
Prash Satish, COSLI 2018, Peak to Peak Charter School, Colorado School of Mines
Rebekah Jensen, COSLI 2018, Glenwood Springs High School, University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Colorado Mesa University
Happy Birthday to these COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles! Love, your COSLI Family.
Angela Li (Broomfield) - Nov. 2
Sheila Ta (Pueblo) - Nov. 8
Emma Logan (Denver) - Nov. 28
Do you know what else happened in Colorado in November?
1806: Zebulon Pike first sited what we now call Pike's Peak.
1893: Colorado passes Women's Suffrage.
11/1/1879: Birthdate of Florence Sabin, from Central City, Colorado. Sabin was an American scientist who was the first woman to graduate from Johns Hopkins and the first lifetime woman member of the National Academy of Sciences.
11/4/1916: Birthdate of Ruth Handler, from Denver, Colorado. Handler was a toy manufacturer who invented the Barbie doll.
11/5/2019: Election Day--don't forget to vote!
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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Alumni Feature: Sara Taketatsu
Sara Taketatsu, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and COSLI Alumni from 2014-2015 was recently named the West Quad Director of the American Institute of Architecture Students. Read the full announcement here.
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COSLI Newsletter Contributors
Sophia Truex, Editor (Crested Butte, CO)
Drew Smith, Editor (Monte Vista, CO)
Hagan Archer (Denver, CO)
Iris Courtney (Thornton, CO)
Emma Davis (Aurora, CO)
Mohamed Ibrahim (Wiggins, CO)
Timi Kola-Abiola (Denver, CO)
Bryce Li (Broomfield, CO)
Emma Logan (Denver, CO)
Izzy McCarty (Elizabeth, CO)
Valeria Miramontes (Denver, CO)
Sheila Ta (Pueblo, CO)
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Student Advisory Board Feature
COSLI Board members showing off their paintings at the 2019 Retreat.
The COSLI Student Advisory Board is made up of astounding students from all over the state of Colorado who come together to ensure COSLI is the best program it can be. These COSLI alumni are voted onto the Board by their fellow COSLI classmates, and are not only from a variety of COSLI years, but also a variety of grade levels from sophomore through senior. This board creates an environment for students to take a major leadership position and through improvements such as this student led newsletter, we have the opportunity to inform others about events and how they can further their skills.
Mohamed Ibrahim, from Wiggins, CO and COSLI 2019 alumni was voted as President of the Student Board this year and will be updating everyone on COSLI happenings each month in his President’s Letter. Mohamed is ready to extend his skills further in his leadership role on the board. Izzy McCarty, from Elizabeth, CO and COSLI 2018 alumni was elected Vice President, and will be working closely with the President and the Board to keep everyone connected, as well as working on further rural outreach. Elizabeth (Lizzy) Valdez, from Ignacio, CO and COSLI 2017 alumni was secretary the past two years and was elected to continue her role this year. She will also be working closely with the President and Executive Director Celeste Archer. Fareed Ahamad will be this year’s Financial Officer for the Board, advising in such things as fundraising and sponsorships. Like Mohamed, Fareed was part of the Class of 2019 and is looking forward to this coming year. This year’s Student Board Retreat was a success, and with a solid team we will be striving to make COSLI as great as it can be!
 COSLI Board at their first ever "COSLI Homecoming" during the 2019 Retreat.
Advisory Board Members
Mohamed Ibrahim, President (Wiggins, CO)
Izzy McCarty, Vice President (Elizabeth, CO)
Elizabeth Valdez, Secretary (Ignacio, CO)
Fareed Ahamad, Financial Officer (Superior, CO)
Hagan Archer (Denver, CO)
Greta Cahill (Durango, CO)
Iris Courtney (Thornton, CO)
Emma Davis (Aurora, CO)
Myria Garcia (Lakewood, CO)
Tyler Garris (Denver, CO)
Katie Gillman (Fort Collins, CO)
Timi Kola-Abiola (Denver, CO)
Bryce Li (Broomfield, CO)
Emma Logan (Denver, CO)
Valeria Miramontes-Alonzo (Denver, CO)
Samuel Pausback (Littleton, CO)
Brin Riley (Denver, CO)
Yael Sanchez (Thornton, CO)
Prash Satish (Lafayette, CO)
Ayush Shekhar (Erie, CO)
Sartaj Singh (Thornton, CO)
Drew Smith (Monte Vista, CO)
Sheila Ta (Pueblo, CO)
Sophia Truex (Crested Butte, CO)
Ewan Wummel (Denver, CO)
The Student Board members working on their skincare routine during the 2019 Retreat. |
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Opportunities and Events, November 2019
Scholarships, Contests and Speakers, oh my! The season for applications is approaching yet again. Are you prepared? If not, no worries! Here's our monthly list of opportunities, including awards, speakers, scholarships and more.
Classes, Scholarships, and Summer Programs
The Daniels Scholarship Program! Apply by November 15th! The Daniels Scholarship is a scholarship for graduating seniors that provides a full ride to any college in the USA. The Daniels Fund is a major partner of COSLI, and this scholarship is one of the most prominent in Colorado, "[providing] the opportunity for highly motivated students to earn a bachelor's degree that helps them build a successful career and rewarding life." Please make sure to apply to this! The deadline is November 15th. More information here.
Sacrifice for Freedom: World War II in the Pacific is a program sponsored by NHD. Tho accepted spend “six months to research the context of World War II in the Pacific and specifically, the life of a Silent Hero who died in World War II and is buried in or memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawai’i.” From June 24th to July 1st, you will get to travel to Hawaii to work on your research there. The application for this is due on December 2nd by 10 p.m. MDT. Find more information here.
Galvanize Learn to Code: JavaScript 101 and HTML/CSS 101 are classes that anyone interested in computer science might want to look into. These are separate but absolutely free events, and are designed to teach everyone the basics of JS and HTML/CSS. Only a laptop is needed, and the events will each be held on multiple dates. Info for the JavaScript class can be found here. Info for the HTML/CSS class can be found here.
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is a program from the Davidson Institute that “awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work.” These projects can be in any of these categories: Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Outside the Box. The application opens in November, and the due date is February 12, 2020. More information can be found here.
TASP is a program from the Telluride Association meant for high school juniors. It's an all-expenses-paid trip to a college campus in the USA, described as “a six-week educational experience for high school juniors that offers challenges and rewards rarely encountered in secondary school or even college.” In a lot of ways, it's like COSLI, except you get to go out of state and experience an intense college course on one of several different topics. Optional student nominations for this program are due on November 22nd, but the actual application opens in early November. It is due by January 13th. More information on TASP and the sister program for sophomores, Tass, can be found here.
Contests
Google Code-in 2019 is a “global, online contest introducing teenagers to the world of open source development.” It's hosted by Google, and is meant for teens aged 13-17. There are different tasks that you can take part in, and mentors work with students to help them on these projects. The contest begins at 11 am MDT on December 2nd. More information can be found here.
The Colorado Science and Engineering Fair is something you likely already know about, but you might want to check out your regional contest dates. Registration for multiple regions starts on December 1st. Information can be found here.
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COSLI Meme of the Month
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COSLI Adjective of the Month: Ambition
Ambition: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.
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