COSLI September 2023 Newsletter
COSLI September 2023 Newsletter
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COSLI September Newsletter
The COSLI newsletter is written and edited by students on the COSLI Student Advisory Board and is released the first week of each month. Enjoy student perspectives and updates on events and opportunities!
Letter from the Executive Editor
Dear Friends of COSLI,
The first few weeks of senior year have flown by in a blur. From classes, to soccer games, to senior sunrise, I’ve gotten quite a taste for what the rest of the year is shaping up to be. But in between all of this, I’ve surprisingly developed immense gratitude for this month: the month that is the beginning of fall. With fall comes a cool breeze in the air, the pumpkin spice latte, powderpuff, and most importantly, the best part of the school year. Club season! My school holds our annual club fair in September, where we work to recruit the incoming freshmen and other unsuspecting individuals into a variety of student run clubs. Spanning from Women’s Empowerment to Finance Club to Ethics Bowl, we cover basically every club in existence. At a small school like Peak to Peak, where I am a student, everyone knows each other and that’s especially important when gathering support to begin a club.
A few years ago, my friend and I began a club educating students on financial literacy. Over the months, we cover the stock market, different types of investments, credit vs debit, and other information that’s important to know once you leave the house. Beyond Finance Club, I participate in our Ethics Bowl and Speech & Debate team, both activities showing me the power of my voice. When I was a freshman I was forced to sign up for Ethics Bowl, and it sounded like the stupidest, nerdiest thing in the world. But after that year, I realized that it was one of my favorite things to do, to analyze the cases and argue with my peers and learn about different philosophies: it was the perfect separation from the STEM heavy classes I took. And I tell this story to encourage all of you to stretch your boundaries, because it’s a privilege to be offered so many activities. Whether you want to begin a club of your own or just join one, opportunities never just at your feet, take the initiative to get what you want. Because while fall is the time to binge watch Gilmore Girls, it’s also the time you can reinvent yourself in school. Become who you want to be.
Thank you all,
Anjana Radha
COSLI Class of 2021
Peak to Peak Charter School, Class of 2024
Letter from the Founding Executive Director
September is a favorite month - changes begin to happen, most times the first snow falls somewhere in our state, and it is the beginning of eye-popping colors on our Aspen trees (also happens to be my birthday month 🙂). We are less than a month away before our 9th summer application is opened as well!
But I want to talk about academic freedom and then tell you a story about my friend Congressman Bob Schaffer. First, academic freedom. You'll notice in an article here that all three people interviewed about the topic are adamant about the importance of it - so important. The subtle difference in their perspectives embodied in the application of The First Amendment. We have freedom of speech, to a point. It's the classic "don't cry fire in a crowded theatre." Doesn't it sometimes feel like we live in a crowded theatre right now, always on the brink of fire - or at least always on the edge of someone yelling that we are? It goes back to the book we read this summer, Righteous Mind, and the idea that just because you can do something doesn't always mean you should. That is one of the basic lessons COSLI is about. Hear all but act critically and carefully. That is the essence of academic freedom.
Now the story. Congressman Bob Schaffer, who was interviewed for the academic freedom story, is now Headmaster Schaffer - he heads one of our state's best schools, both in data and in popular opinion. Liberty Common in Ft. Collins is also an incubator for critical thinking and practical solutions to world problems - like the robotic arms I saw being built there that were being sent to kids in Africa. It was during that visit to his school that The Congressman told me one of my favorite stories of all tales. In The U.S. Capitol every state has 2 statues in the National Statuary Hall. One of ours is of Astronaut Jack Swigert. This particular choice was made when Schaffer was in the CO State Legislature. It was a hard-fought battle, apparently. Congressman Schaffer followed the new statue, from Denver to D.C. He had the privilege of being its shepherd, metaphorically and in real life. The Swigert statue was different than most at that time - it has golden highlights, different than the majority of the monotone marbles from every other state but HI. As such, when Swigert's statue was being unloaded, the Capitol architect at the time tried to block its entrance. It didn't fit the code. Not to be deterred, Schaffer noticed a visiting football team from another state enjoying a tour. I'm guessing you can imagine the rest of the story - together, they physically carried the incredibly heavy statue to its rightful place. When Colorado's statue was unveiled, a generous benefactor made sure that the football team that performed this herculeos task was present at The Capitol. It's one of my favorite stories. It represents the independent spirit, critical thinking and absolute determination that I hope COSLI embodies - and it sure shows what a strongly held commitment can make happen.
Happy Fall!
Celeste
Btw, Colorado's second statue is of Florence Sabin.
Student Accomplishments
By Alyson Font
Aria Swenk (2016): Sold out of their new poetry book called All The Rain That Falls.
Hagan Archer (2018) Pledged Lambda Chi Alpha at South Dakota School of Mines where he is a Junior and Senate Officer.
Pallen McArdle (2022): Completed Colgate University’s Office of Undergraduate Scholars (OUS) Summer Institute. Pallen took two condensed summer semester courses, accessed Colgate’s resources early, and developed a unique community! Learn more here
McKenzie Woodhead (2021): Is a finalist for the Caravan for Democracy Program, which sends collegiate student leaders to Israel to meet leaders and visit historical sights to create meaningful dialogue about the Middle East.
Grace Schulte (2021): Was promoted to “Executive Assistant” at McCullough Law based out in Utah, where she is a Sophomore at Brigham Young University.
Amen Tadelle (2023): Received a leadership position in the Pep Committee at DSST; Cedar High School.
Ranye Ezenekwe (2023): Was appointed to the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) for Senate District #17.
Kylah Dierks (2023): Was invited to join the National Society of Leadership and Success and received a Dean’s List certificate.
Thomas Katsaros (2023) made varsity at Denver East Soccer.
Adult Governance
By Jessica Buser
Hello everyone, my name is Jessica Buser and I am a junior at Sargent High School in the San Luis Valley. My friend Emily and I are kicking off this new column, which present a series of interviews with the Adult Board Members of COSLI. I wanted to lead this column so that I could learn about why people (especially leaders) choose their work, as well as the beliefs that influenced them in making these choices. Stay tuned for more interviews coming your way!
Our first interviewee was Johnny Valdez, who hails from the Southern Ute Reservation. After attending Ignacio High School, he ventured to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, getting a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Sociology. Economics inspired him because he believes that “Indigenous people need more responsible Indigenous economists to lead their economic and social development.” With this passion in mind, he harnessed his leadership skills, becoming co-president of the Native and Indigenous Student Union, as well as an advisor to the Black Advisory Council. During his time there, he developed teaching methods that focused on minorities and activism while at Willamette Academy as an intern instructor. It was during his time and the research he did at Willamette University where he coined the term “Racial financialization,” which refers to the intentional exclusion of people of color from the economy.
After his time at Willamette, he traveled back to his roots to get his Master’s degree in Global Economic Affairs at the University of Denver, a place he had fond memories about a COSLI year. Johnny became a Sié Fellow, and was awarded the Richard M. Gillis Senior Award in Economics, and the American Statistical Association Datafest “Best Insights” Award. He worked as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant at DU, where he and his team created extremely detailed and heavily researched reports to help the university increase their inclusivity, equity, diversity, and accessibility.
Today, Johnny works as a Programming Assistant for Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Denver, where he has helped in the creation of the Native Student Alliance Social Justice Working Group. He also works as a Graduate Assistant for the International Career Advancement Program or ICAP. Johnny is passionate about his work “in the financial sector criticizing the use of policies that cause conflict and promote genocide.” He describes his work and research as “criticizing policies that are put into place in the financial system that are disconnected from Indigenous understandings of economics, and policies that create conflict in the distribution of wealth in Indigenous communities and create poverty.” He is also one of the newest members for COSLI’s adult board. Prior to serving on the board, Johnny was a first year COSLI participant, a RA, and a head RA for two years. He served as Student Board President for two years. A true COSLi officianado! When Johnny is not working, he is probably spending time with his family and friends, writing music, or reading.
Opportunities and Events September 2023
By Aisha O’Neil
Join Great Education Colorado’s Action Summit on September 14th! Participants will learn from one another and from the program; forming the next chapter of Great Ed’s youth-driven action! Participants will discuss questions such as “what does it mean to create welcoming schools?” and “shat resources and conditions are necessary and how can we ensure they are present?” Learn more here.
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program hopes to create a more equitable world by reducing the financial barriers minority students face in attending college. This scholarship, open to all African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American students with significant financial need, will cover the majority of the student's university tuition. Applications are due by September 15th. Learn more & apply here.
This year, Omni Inclusive will present its Gender Expansive & Transgender Scholarship to undergraduate students who identify as transgender or gender expansive. There will be five winners of this grant, each receiving $2,300. The application deadline is September 15th. Apply here.
The We The Future Contest, initiated by Constituting America, is now open. Entries are accepted from elementary to graduate students in mediums such as essays, songs, short films, social media, etc. While prompts vary for each category, many topics this year focus on First Amendment rights. High school students can win up to $1000 and college students may earn $2000-5000. All entries are due on September 17. Learn more here.
Low-income high school seniors are encouraged to apply for QuestBridge’s National College Match. Scholarship recipients are guaranteed admission into a QuestBridge partner college with a full four-year scholarship worth over $200,000. In order to be eligible, students must have demonstrated an exceptional level of academic achievement, (typically) must come from households earning less than $65,000 annually, and must apply before September 26. Learn more and apply here.
The Barbara J DeVaney Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications. Twelve winners will receive awards of between $5,000 and $10,000. The grant aims to aid female students (high school through graduate school) who face obstacles to education. This includes being a single mother, widow, immigrant, woman of color, first-generation college student, or survivor of abuse. Apply here before September 21st.
Young changemakers are invited to apply for the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Scholarship. The award is open to students aged 14-18 with an “inspiring commitment to change”. Winners will receive up to $15,000 in awards, an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential headquarters and coaching from industry professionals. Apply here before November 2nd.
Colorado History: September
By Izzy Garwood
September 21st, 2012 - United States President Barack Obama issued a proclamation creating Chimney Rock National Monument on 4,726 acres in Pagosa Springs, CO.
September 6th, 2010 - The Fourmile Canyon Fire begins west of Boulder. The wildfire destroyed 169 homes.
Project Rulison took place in September of 1969 in Garfield County, involving the underground detonation of a nuclear bomb as an effort to release natural gas trapped in shale and sandstone 8,400 feet beneath the Earth’s surface. The goal was to bolster the economy with the oil and gas. However, the blast did just the opposite and created a radioactive site too dangerous for commercial sale. A 1973 blast was also conducted in a spot north of Rulison in Rio Blanco County that resulted in a similar radioactive area.
September 11, 1957 – A fire at Rocky Flats exposes Colorado residents to radioactive smoke.
The first automobile crossed Loveland Pass on Sept. 29, 1929.
COSLI Listens
See what your COSLI students and alumni have been listening to!
By Pragna Yalavarthy
Here are some song and podcast recommendations from our COSLI alumni! Look at what they’ve been listening to--you might find some you enjoy! Scan the code with the Spotify app to listen!
Déjà News - podcast
by Rachel Maddow
”Autobahn Music Box” - song by Cut Copy
This American Life - podcast
Stuff You Missed in History Class - podcast
“Nobody Loves Me”- song by Ricky Montgomery, Mxmtoon, and Cavetown
How I Built This - podcast by Guy Raz Wondery
Listen Here- Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast
COSLI Reads
See what your COSLI students and alumni have been reading!
By Pragna Yalavarthy
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni!
If any of these other students are from your class, take a minute and send them a birthday wish!
By Izzy Garwood
Hellmer, Mallory - 09/01
Huizar, Edith - 09/02
Pham, Gia Bao - 09/02
Tesfa, Bemne - 09/02
Shajikumar, Dhruv - 09/03
Amankwaah, Emmanuella - 09/03
Smith, Ella - 09/04
Calderon, Isaiah - 09/07
Loya-Cobos, Esau - 09/08
Chatha, Jasmine - 09/09
Fu, Emily - 09/09
Cordova, Annalysa - 09/10
Archer, Celeste - 09/11
Grays, Kyia - 09/12
Yang, Alexander - 09/12
Carlos, Isaac - 09/13
Brown-Wolf, Tye - 09/14
Pausback, Sam - 09/14
Kern, Jessica - 09/15
Morales, Nathalie - 09/16
Chavez, Natalie - 09/17
Ortega, Marina - 09/17
Kola-Abiola, Timi - 09/18
Hensen-Guzman, Kenia - 09/19
Vazquez, Emory - 09/19
Vo, Christy - 09/19
Ngo, Timmy - 09/20
Vasquez-Ramirez, Jessica - 09/20
Clark, Idaly - 09/21
Dam, Jessica - 09/24
Smith, Elora - 09/24
Morgan, Ashley - 09/25
Garcia, Lillibeth - 09/25
Ross, Alyssa - 09/26
Garcia, Hayes - 09/27
Garcia, Emily - 09/27
Ropp, Julia - 09/27
Zheng, Queenie - 09/27
Lindler, Christian - 09/28
Garwood-Ledesma, Isabella - 09/29
COSLI Newsletter Contributors
Anjana Radha, Editor (Erie, CO)
Jessica Buser (Alamosa, CO)
Melinda Chen (Thornton, CO)
Duke Fitzgerald (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Alyson Font (Monument, CO)
Emily Fu (Denver, CO)
Izzy Garwood (Westminster, CO)
Prisha Goyal (Thornton, CO)
Nahia Kelley (Wiggins, CO)
JP Kerrane (Broomfield, CO)
Deajane Morgan (Aurora, CO)
Sidd Nareddy (Westminster, CO)
Aisha O’Neil (Durango, CO)
Julia Ropp (Boulder, CO)
Dhruv Shajikumar (Thornton, CO)
Amen Tadelle (Denver)
Emily Wheeler (Stuttgart, DE)
Pragna Yalavarthy (Arvada, CO)
Nathan Yang (Greenwood Village, CO)
Queenie Zheng (Greeley, CO)
Alumni Article
By: Sidd Nareddy
Sheila Ta is an alumni of the COSLI (class of 2018), where she took the opportunity to connect with a diverse set of peers from all parts of the state and find her unique voice as a leader in this environment. Beyond the lessons that she has learned from COSLI regarding embracing diversity in people and ideas, Sheila remembers the program in her everyday life because of the memories and connections she has forged with her peers. Her favorite memory from the program came from the Parent’s Weekend where parents of the COSLI students came to visit their students. Many of the students whose parents were not able to make it ended up spending time in Denver together and through moments like singing Justin Bieber songs in Union Station or going for a bike ride, her peers made sure it still a fun experience for everyone. COSLI is an experience that is far more immersive than a simple leadership development program and Sheila remembers moments like these whenever she feels discouraged or sad.
Sheila is currently attending the University of San Francisco where she is pursuing a degree in International Studies with a concentration in Economics. After returning home from COSLI, she continually sought opportunities to be in an environment where diversity is celebrated, leading her to the University of San Francisco. Sheila wanted to be somewhere where “being different, being weird, being you, was embraced, cherished, and celebrated”. Innovation and curiosity have been a key part of her college experience and she looks for places to apply what she can learn in the community. This desire for experiential learning led Sheila to apply and ultimately receive a scholarship from the National Security Initiative. This is a federally-funded scholarship to study in countries with languages that are deemed critical to the US. Through this program, and many other travel programs offered by her university, she was able to travel to over five different countries, immerse herself in the traditional cultures of these countries, and study the sociopolitical dynamics around the world and the contemporary issues that these communities face.
Sheila’s biggest piece of advice for future COSLI members is to “be you, embrace the weirdness, the self-love, and the spontaneity of it all. ” She encourages members to take advantage of the opportunity that COSLI presents to students to be authentic leaders. COSLI is a place that meets every student where they are. It is a place that welcomes and fosters their unique perspectives and ideas, both during the program and after it.
Lessons Learned
By Nathan Yang, Julia Ropp, and Duke Fitzgerald
Congressman Bob Schaffer
Academic freedom, which is the right of a scholar to express their own ideas without fear of retribution, has been a source of contention between scholars and leaders since the roots of modern education. As our nation has become increasingly polarized in recent years, so too have our institutions of higher education. In a statement last month, the Interim President of Texas A&M University explained that “recent events have raised concerns about the protections needed for faculty members in incidents when academic freedom is called into question.” There are a myriad of benefits to allowing scholars to express and explore their own ideas: some of the most important developments of the past century, from vaccines to rockets to quantum mechanics, have been spawned from discourse between scholars. Although academic freedom is important, many also hold the view that it is pertinent to maintain boundaries in the academic world.
Congressman Bob Schaffer, the Headmaster of Liberty Common School and former Chairman of the Colorado Board of Education, believes that there is “little daylight between the concepts of academic freedom and free speech, but also contends that, if scholars have freedom, universities should be allowed to implement limitations that retain fairness between the institution and the scholar. “An institution is obliged to promote expression that promotes the institution’s goals and objectives,” and if an employee finds their conscience jeopardized by his employer’s policies regarding academic freedom, the employee can exercise his freedom to pursue occupation at a more conducive institution. As Congressman Schaffer explains, “even though there may emerge some contest about what is useful, productive, or tolerable academic free speech, the employee is always free to seek a more desirable working relationship elsewhere. Though boundaries must be enforced and there must be agreements about the impact of academic freedom in an institution, Congressman Schaffer also feels it is a remarkably critical concept to bear. Because consensus is not automatically relevant, this idea has the ability to act as a buffer to knowledge. Congressman Schaffer compared Einstein’s theory of relativity to demonstrate the positives of academic freedom – before Einstein published his theories, there was no consensus surrounding relativity. Over the last century, however, myriad experiences have backed his results. Einstein’s viewpoint evidently lacked early concurrence, but thanks to academic freedom, was still openly considered. Congressman Schaffer emphasizes that “consensus among humans should always be regarded as less persuasive than truth, logic, reason, or revelation.”
Dr. Jim Walsh
Although some believe that academic freedom could encourage educators to introduce concepts that students aren’t ready for, others believe that the best way to prepare students is to allow teachers to have a lot of freedom within their lessons. Dr. Charles Ferguson is a biology professor at UC Denver and has taught the sciences for over 40 years. He maintains that because every field is interwoven, restricting academic freedom will set students back when they graduate from school. He explains, “we’re going to create a bunch of people that are automatons. They may be good at their specific field, but if they run into something outside of that, they won’t know what to do.” Dr. James Walsh, a political science and history professor, also notes that removing subjects regarding race and gender identity, for instance, can be dehumanizing for marginalized students. “It’s a quiet way of telling a human being that they don’t matter.” The teaching of critical race theory, the academic concept of analyzing how racism exists not only within individuals but also in larger systems such as law and media, has been a hot topic for debate in the past several years. States such as Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida have all passed laws limiting the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools. These decisions have faced backlash from many groups that believe in unlimited academic freedom. “One of the tenets of fascism is controlling the historical narrative,” mentions Dr. Walsh, “so we ought never to allow that historical narrative to be owned.”
Dr. Charles Ferguson
While there are differences in the way Congressman Schaffer, Dr. Walsh, and Dr. Ferguson view academic freedom, there is a common thread regarding the protection of the academic future of the next generation. They all care most about preparing students for the world after education and making sure they not only understand, but can also think critically about the world we live in. This common ground demonstrates how an issue such as academic freedom is far more nuanced than partisan politics may lead us to believe. Every year at COSLI, students hear from a wide range of perspectives who represent both sides of similarly polarized issues. Students are encouraged to develop their own sentiments on these issues, and to comprehend the perspectives of others. In doing so, COSLI prepares intellectual and ambitious leaders to lead in a way that accommodates the views of all, not just some. Furthermore, COSLI itself serves as an example of academic freedom at its finest, being a forum of contending ideologies that not everyone agrees with. As Congressman Schaffer explains, “viewpoints may be valid or invalid. Viewpoints may be useful or not. Viewpoints may be credible or incredible.” What matters for the next generation is for us to find the viewpoints that will shape our world for the better – many of these viewpoints will come from the lessons learned at COSLI.
Things to Know
By JP Kerrane
Club Season
Hello! It’s JP, and I’m back for the 13th “What You Should Know” column, dedicated to current events, technology, interesting tidbits, and other cool things I find each month! I hope to write about a lot of interesting topics worth your time.
Firstly, I wanted to share my gratitude to our newsletter editors and column writers that I share this space with for all of their hard work, and extend a welcome to the new 2023 graduating class that is joining the newsletter! I’m so excited for this newsletter to come out to read your columns, and I am so grateful that you are taking the time to read what I have to say! Writing for the COSLI newsletter has been a really meaningful writing practice for me, giving me the space to delve deep into something that’s on my mind and create something that I’m proud of sharing with the whole community! I wish you all the best in your new positions, and that you start the school year off amazingly!
The beginning of the school year is always marked with this excited fervor of activity: freshmen learning the ropes at their new high schools, sophomores and juniors reinventing themselves, and where I’m at–a senior freaking out about college admissions– nervous, anxious, and very excited for the new year! One of the most unexpectedly defining moments for me when I started high school was our “club fair”, a slide presentation of the different clubs being put on by other students and information about how to sign up. It took me a couple semesters to realize that the time I was spending outside of school was as important if not more important than the time I was spending inside of school. The clubs that I participated in shaped the interests and hobbies that mattered to me. That’s why I wanted to share my experience as a club participant, a club leader, and a club quitter, to share some advice I wish I knew earlier in high school and people who say "yes" too much as adults might find this useful.
The first tip I can share during “club season” is to be open to new experiences. This may sound like clichéd advice but it’s true: follow your interests and jump at new opportunities! You never know what will stick, but trying out a bunch of new things will help you figure out what you like doing the most! I never thought I would enjoy doing any sort of sport until I joined Boys Volleyball (Admittedly I had been a little swept away watching the first season of Haikyu!!), and it became something I looked forward to each day! Whether it’s Dungeons & Dragons, Economics, National History Day, Crocheting, Ultimate Frisbee, National Honor Society, or something completely different, follow what you find an interest in and you can forge some of your best memories this year doing what you love. The second tip is not to be afraid of taking a leadership role in a club, or if you can’t find your community, start your own. Helping run student-driven clubs can make you a better teacher, leader, and listener. Even if your club only has a single club member (I once helped run a club for an entire year that had a total of 4 members including myself!), it’s not time wasted if you are creating a positive environment for yourself and the other members. Focus on creating authentic bonds with the people who show up, do something fun or rewarding, and the experience will steer itself. Now, that club has over 30 members!
Finally, take care not to over-commit yourself. There are too many amazing things that demand your time, so choose your favorites. If you find that every free period in your day is taken up by an organized activity, you will exhaust yourself. Quitting a club is not a bad thing: it lets you devote more time to yourself and to your other obligations. Continually examining how you spend your free time and whether you enjoy what you do can help you organize your time.
I hope you discover more about yourself this year! I’ll be diving into some web development with static site generators, inking, playing some tabletop RPGs (and some non-tabletop RPGs), and trying out track and field for the first time. Take care, and have an amazing start to your school year!
JP
P.S. In 4 days I am taking my driver’s license test, better late than never ;). Finally I’ll be able to use RTD’s park and ride and take advantage of zero fare for youth to explore Denver and other parts of Colorado I haven’t experienced before!
Friends of Colorado Student Leaders Institute
A Project of the Rose Community Foundation
Celeste Archer, COSLI Founding Executive Director
Itzel Reyes-Gonzalez, COSLI Associate Executive Director
University of Colorado Denver
Campus Box 182 | PO Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217
p: 303-315-1789
