Gratitude Issue
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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Letter from the Student Advisory Board President
Dear friends of COSLI,
It seems Colorado winter has hit us early this year, forcing a majority of us to transition from our summer attire to warmer clothing. At this point, all of us have had to adopt new routines in all aspects of our lives, whether it be online education, daily mask wearing, or a refined sports schedule. Nonetheless, what I have observed most is the resiliency we possess as students, educators, parents, and citizens of our communities. In the face of adversity we have found ways to make it possible to learn again, to have dinner with our families, and seek necessary reform in our communities and governments. This has truly stood out to me in the past weeks and allowed me to recognize the good that still remains in this world. However, there is still work to be done, and problems still remain that require immediate attention. Get out to the polls. Cast your vote. Have your voice heard. Yes, this is the most influential election in American History, and it is essential for ALL of us to do our part.
On another note, the COSLI book club just finished its third meeting for our new book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, which analyzes the hidden caste system of American society. It is not too late to join, so please join via the zoom link on the COSLI website to participate in our last meeting on Sunday, December 13th. Also, we have been continuing our “Your Voice. Your Vote.” campaign throughout the state. I have been able to distribute necessary resources for civic engagement throughout my high school and respective community. Be on the lookout for what we have planned next!
All the best,
Mohamed Ibrahim
COSLI 2019
Wiggins High School
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Letter from the Founding Executive Director
Friends of COSLI is proud to be a Project of the Rose Community Foundation
We are just one day away from what some have argued will be the most important election in our nation’s history. COSLI students, from across the political spectrum, have made it very clear to me that they agree with that sentiment. With that in mind, I sat down to write a letter about the importance of a vigorous but safe election process, followed by earnest healing in a divided nation. It was at that moment that I read the words of my friend, Eric Sondermann. Mr. Sondermann is the parent of a former student from my classroom teaching days. He is a well known political and public relations pundit, for lack of a better word--pardon me, Eric. And he is someone who is purposeful in seeking all sides of a question. I asked his permission to copy his column from Colorado Politics into our newsletter. It is taking the place of my usual letter. I hope you will take the time to read Mr. Sondermann’s words--digest them deeply and agree to do the robust work of healing that he says will be demanded to protect our young nation.
"That neighbor down the street with a yard full of signs for the other party’s candidates? Guess what – come Wednesday morning, or a week later if it takes that long to figure out election results, he will still be your neighbor...
...With a health virus again roaring and a political virus that has built over decades, America needs an interlude of healing. In place of a shared national goal from years past of putting a man on the moon or bringing down the Iron Curtain, how about a newfound civic commitment to mending the divide and repairing a broken political system?...
...That neighbor, that coworker, that family relative is not your enemy. She is your fellow citizen--just one with a different outlook grounded in a different life experience and perhaps undergirded by a different set of values...
...She has as deep an investment in this national enterprise as do you--and as much claim to the American dream. Instead of dismissing, diminishing, castigating or shunning her, wouldn’t you and the country as a whole be better off by earnestly trying to understand her and find elements of common ground?...
...We are headed into a time of darkness with shorter days, a virus again on the loose, and less ability to gather or venture out. But a vaccine will eventually arrive and winter in its time will yield to spring. Our politics, however, have been too dark for too long. With an election upon us to concentrate the mind, it is incumbent on all of us to find that cure, amplify those bonds and shed that light."
You can read the complete article here.
Article shared courtesy of: 
Celeste
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Support a COSLI Student
You can support our students by making a donation of any amount through the Rose Community Foundation here. For every donation of $25 or more, you will receive a COSLI face mask!
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Lessons Learned: An Editorial
By Timi Kola-Abiola and Bryce Li
A home provides a foundational level of security, identity, privacy, and control to each individual. After all, it is a place that humans can feel a sense of ownership and belonging. However, a recent surge in housing prices across the country, alongside the recent COVID-19 Pandemic, has carried with it an unprecedented increase in homelessness. A primary reason behind this surge has been the unemployment rate, which reached an all-time high of 14.7 percent in April this year. This means that many people are unable to pay their rent or mortgages, and thus, are being evicted.
Denver, Colorado has been hit especially hard by these circumstances. In fact, in mid-July homeless shelters in Denver were recording approximately 1,700 visitors per night, more than the coldest nights of February. Moreover, the problem continually increased, with upwards of 50-60 evictions happening every day. This led to the rise of many illegal encampments popping up all across Denver. Many of these encampments were unorganized, unsafe, and unsanitary. It got to a point where Tami Door, CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, described the homeless encampments as "out of control."
What did the City of Denver do about this? Around late July, Denver began "authorizing state police to enforce city laws," which included a complete camping ban in certain areas surrounding the State Capitol and Governor's Mansion. This program was meant to run through October as a way for Denver to begin seeking solutions around the rise in homelessness. This granted a lot of power to the Denver Police Department in terms of regulating where homeless people could stay in the City of Denver. It also marked the first time any sort of "camping ban" had been enforced during the Pandemic. Critics argued that fining those with no home does not assist them in searching for permanent housing, but rather achieves the opposite, making it increasingly difficult to afford or even qualify for housing. Moreover, some argued what seems obvious to us: if you force homeless people out of one place, they still have to sleep in another. Thus, it is ineffective to spend time and resources on "camping bans" when they could be spent on simply helping those in need.
Homelessness is a huge problem within America, and it deeply affects Colorado’s capital city of Denver as well. At the end of the day, this epidemic must be solved, especially as it has only been made exponentially worse by the recent pandemic. This is where you come in. As a member of society, your contributions to thoughts and ideas discourse is incredibly valuable and important for the future of our nation. In terms of both homelessness and many other large issues, make sure to contact your representatives and city council members to advocate for a world that you would like to see. After all, you are the change in this world.
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Student Features
We’re going to save this month’s honors and accolades and add to next month's. This month, we want you to see what a small group from our Student Advisory Board, led by an active alumni, put into the mail--1500 copies! Way to go Veniece Miller, Mohammed Ibrahim, Sophia Truex, Hagan Archer, Sam Pausback and Ayush Shekhar!
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Angela Li - 11/3
Lamar Philmon - 11/6
Malaysia Pullman - 11/6
Cherelle Jones - 11/7
Nivedita Prabhu - 11/7
Sheila Ta - 11/8
Anysa Vilchis-Ruiz - 11/10
Sylvia Cuellar - 11/10
Isis Hammond - 11/12
Lorenz Wilkins - 11/13
Anthony Swenk - 11/15
Chaltu Hamma - 11/15
Jasnoor Kaur - 11/15
Alma Wolf - 11/16
Dorcas Mwika - 11/16
Joyceline Tweneboa - 11/9
Sabrina Tran - 11/21
Yatziri Gonzalez - 11/21
Maria Green - 11/23
Daniel Ngo - 11/25
Eh K Blue Lah - 11/25
Ewan Wummel - 11/25
Emma Logan - 11/28
Heaven Chacon - 11/30
Colorado History
What else happened in November?
Did you know these historical events occurred in November?
November 7, 1893 - Colorado becomes the second state in the nation to pass legislation for women’s suffrage.
November 8, 1881 - Denver is chosen to be the State Capital of Colorado.
November 19, 2017 - Denver resident Martin Truex, Jr. wins the 2017 NASCAR Cup.
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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"Know Justice Know Peace" Curriculum Approved in DPS
Just recently the Denver School Board unanimously voted to integrate racially diverse narratives into the new school curriculum after much work from students, teachers, and staff in the Denver Public Schools and at Martin Luther King Jr. Early College. This came from the “Know Justice Know Peace Resolution” demanding unified reassessment of the curriculum across the district to focus on anti-racism and inclusion in education. Kaliah Yazir, part of the COSLI class of 2020, is a founding member of this movement. She was asked to give a talk about how she, along with other students, advocated for better education surrounding Black history. Click here for the full Colorado Sun article to learn more about this monumental moment/movement.
You can also read an article from Colorado Parent here.
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COSLI Newsletter Contributors
Sophia Truex, Editor (Crested Butte, 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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Alumni Feature: Celeste Archer
Pardon us this month as we divert a little bit from the usual focus on an alumni. This month we are going to focus on the longest standing alum--our Founding Executive Director. Celeste Archer returned to Colorado after her husband's work transfer required that her family live in Arkansas for four years. It was during that time that Celeste learned about Governor’s Schools. So impressed and excited was she about what she saw in the Arkansas program that was based at Hendrix College, she was determined that when her family was able to return to their home in Colorado, she would bring the nationwide program with her.
She talks about the experience of founding Colorado Student Leaders Institute as pivotal as giving physical birth. After a year of listening to leaders in politics, religion, education, philanthropy, business, and community leadership, Celeste had a team of folks who were working together to make it happen. She credits the early leadership and support of Liz Palmquist, Susan Kiely, George Sparks, Sen. Nancy Todd, Rep. Jim Wilson, Brian Yates, Darren Spreeuw, Chrissy Estes Faraci, Nora Neuriter, all current Friends of COSLI Board members, and so many others for laying a solid foundation for what is now a premier program--having just celebrated our 5th Summer. We also can't underestimate the role played by Senators Owen Hill and Chris Holbert in passing our legislation. The time between the first organization meetings in 2012 with Theresa Pena and Gully Stanford and tonight’s COSLI youth book club seem like a century to Celeste. But in truth, it is only eight years.
It is for that reason that we want to shine the spotlight on Celeste and Associate Director Kayla Gabehart. Last month, for the second time in those eight years, they played host to the National Conference of Governor’s Schools Annual Conference. This year, the conference was a hybrid mix of in-person and Zoom meetings based in Buena Vista, CO. During the conference, Celeste and Kayla presented a plan to expand the reach of the organization and to solidify governor’s schools in all fifty states. We are also happy to announce that during the conference, Celeste was elected to serve as President-Elect. In one year, Celeste will become President of the National Conference of Governor’s Schools. How incredible for Colorado that Celeste and Kayla have worked so hard with our Colorado team, students and adults, to grow from a coffee meeting in 2012 to leader of the National Conference in 2021!
Kayla, Celeste, Hagan Archer (Class of 2018), and representatives from Governor's Schools in Kentucky, Missouri, and Idaho.
Kayla and Celeste at Brown's Canyon Adventure Park in Buena Vista, where students annually embark on team building and experiential learning on the high ropes course.
Asked about what more she might say, Celeste commented that it was a team event that has no match--and is almost unbelievable. She also asked that we acknowledge Gully Stanford. Although he is no longer living in Colorado, at the time he was one of the most respected leaders in education in our state. She said that he was always on call in those early years. “The people who stood by my side to create COSLI are a large and varied team. This is not an honor for me but for all of us. And we earned every single bit of it with blood (she broke her foot while texting and walking trying to get a message to someone at the Capitol), sweat and tears.” She went on to say that her family is often left out of the credits--her bad--but that she recognizes the amount of grunge work they’ve done (will continue to do) and nasty “tude” they have had to endure. Congratulations to COSLI and to Celeste for making this incredible leap into the new year!
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Opportunities and Events: October 2020
The 2021 COSLI Application is now open. The application is open until January 31. Apply Now!
The online application for the Daniels Scholarship Program is now open! The deadline is Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. MST! Only two weeks left! More information here.
COSLI alumni and newsletter writer Bryce Li has started an innovation organization, Ideatr, with the goal of empowering youth leaders and spreading innovation opportunities to students internationally. They are working to hold make-a-thons and innovation launchpad programs for youth working on community change. Find more information on this amazing new project here!
WorldDenver is a non-profit organization which organizes exchange programs with the US State Department to bring international visitors to Denver. These programs are currently on hold as a result of the pandemic, but they are seeking individuals interested in hosting visitors in their homes when these exchanges restart in 2021. This program allows hosts to engage as citizen diplomats and participate in a unique cultural exchange from the comfort of their home. Visit WorldDenver’s website to learn more about these programs and others, or sign up as a potential homestay host here!
Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud is a national program that encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. The 2020-21 Colorado Poetry Out Loud State Finals will be held virtually as a video submission-based competition and streamed live in early March 2021. You can email the state coordinator here: roxanne@lighthousewriters.org or visit this link for more info.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting a series of virtual teen workshops, about sculpture, DJ’ing and more! More information here.
History Colorado is hosting STAMP’s Student Virtual Series: From Quarantine to Informed Teen. This engaging seven-session series, created by and for teens, will cover a wide array of topics ranging from digital allyship, environmental justice, anti-racism, LGBTQ rights, mental health, and healthy relationships. Takes place on Mondays, from Oct. 12th - Nov. 23rd from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. More info here.
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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!
COSLI Book Club Book:
Midnight Sun by Sephenie Meyers
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Poems of Sappho
Rose Legacy series by Jessica Day George
Electric Universe by David Bodanis
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
J’Accuse by Emile Zola
The American Constitution by James Madison & Constitutional Convention of 1787
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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!
COSLI Book Club Book:
Midnight Sun by Sephenie Meyers
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Poems of Sappho
Rose Legacy series by Jessica Day George
Electric Universe by David Bodanis
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
J’Accuse by Emile Zola
The American Constitution by James Madison & Constitutional Convention of 1787
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