New Year 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 has been over a year since I was elected to serve as President of COSLI’s Student Advisory Board. When I took the position, I did not know what 2020 would mean or the challenges it would bring, both individual and statewide. I did know, however, that I was in the presence of a very powerful and engaging group of teens. People who were dedicated to recreating and improving the same great experiences they’d had as students at COSLI for many classes to come. What became evident to the COSLI community and, by extension, the state was that the initiatives we took to have our voices heard would have a lasting impact on our diverse communities. We represent the potential of a group of youth leaders who possess resilience and character in uncertain times and will continue to do so.
This year’s COSLI Student Advisory Board has gone above and beyond all expectations. We worked diligently to produce the monthly newsletter, organized committees to compile photos for our first yearbook (soon to be completed), created a book club that connected students across the state and promoted understanding of contentious social issues, fought hard to keep our legislated funds amidst the pandemic (an ongoing fight), and found ways to ensure the class of 2020 would experience the incredible pre-college journey COSLI provides. When the state threatened to cut our budget during the 2020 Legislative session, we returned over $80,000. As the nation watched George Floyd gasp for his last breaths, we came together to work for more equitable platforms within our communities. We wrote heartfelt statements providing youth thought on currently unbroken systemic barriers. When student input went unweighted in the reorganized CHSAA sports schedule, we voiced our call-to-action for CHSAA to reconsider their decision. We provided a framework for students to have more input in future decisions. Experiencing arguably the most influential election in American history, we took the initiative to increase civics education for students across the political spectrum, particularly about their right and duty to vote.
This is just a taste of what the COSLI Student Advisory Board has done in the past year. I stressed the importance of “we” because the cohort and relationships we created this year will transcend far beyond our work within COSLI. I could not be more honored and humbled to work with such a wonderful group of student peers who have created immense change across the state. With our legislated funds at risk once again, I am confident we will prevail, as I know I am working alongside some of the best leaders in Colorado. I expect to continue this wonderful journey.
Thank you and 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
Happy New Year!
Like many of you, I consumed triple servings of black-eyed peas, cabbage, grapes, cornbread, and all the things that are supposed to assure a healthy and happy new year. Certainly we won’t go “back to normal” overnight, but it does feel like we are turning a corner. In this issue, you have read the amazing assurances from our student board president--hopeful, responsible, and ready to lead. Pay extra attention to the note from our student board treasurer. He speaks of a crisis equal to COVID. In the six weeks leading up to the holiday, there was a reported rash of youth suicide across our state in small rural communities. These were the students who were accomplished athletes, extra-curricular officers, accomplished academics--they believed their lives had been taken from them, as they watched society shut down, and saw no way out. Our treasurer’s school created a small, but powerful, solution. We hope each of you will find a way to connect with the youth in your world as well. Text four or five a day--it could mean a life. And, begin to push the good news we are hearing. Make it a resolution to push stories that are good, while being quietly mindful of each day’s realities. It is time for a re-dawn of the good that our students represent.
At the same time, we DO need you yet again during this legislative session. Governor’s schools have been part of our country’s education landscape since 1963. While Colorado’s is the newest, it is among the best--in just 8 years (5 summers). We are as much an engine of economic development as we are a vital part of post-secondary readiness. Did you know that students who graduate earn 3 hours from the University of Colorado? Did you know that our students contribute $40,000 (16%) to the budget each year? Did you know that this year-round work is done with a staff of two part-time professionals? We are unique in the impact we have on Colorado’s kids, compared to the use of resources we require. Our role is to retain Colorado’s best and brightest, while seeking those diamonds in the rough who slip through cracks undetected. Our success has been unparalleled. Please reach out to your state legislators and let them know that we are necessary. Instructions for how to do so are below. Thank you.
Celeste
P.S. Hope you’ll support our new scholarship fund for these kids--show some love with a pack of their amazing Valentine cards!
How to Contact Your Legislator
1. Visit https://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator.
2. Type in your home address to find out who your House Representative and Senator are.
3. Send them a personal postcard in support of COSLI.
Here are some good points to make: 
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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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Student Features
Tye Brown-Wolf (2016) was named a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships. Tye will enroll at Schwarzman College of Tsinghua University in Beijing in August of 2021. Amazing travels, Tye!
Austin Chavez (2015) graduated Summa Cum Laude, Outstanding Undergraduate and Outstanding Student Researcher 2020 at Children’s Hospital Colorado from CU Denver in December, loaded with an array of honors. Stoles: Latinx Grad, Peer Advocate Leader, University Honors. Cords: Daniels Fund Recipient, Public Health Association, CU Denver Future Doctors, Department Honors Cord, University Honors. Watch Austin go, as he heads to medical school. 
Nina Hufman (2018) and Luke Grabe (2018) have been named semifinalists for the coveted Boettcher Scholarship.
Hagan Archer (2018) was accepted to South Dakota School of Mines with a merit scholarship. Good job, Hagan!
Izzy Brophy (2019) has been named a Presidential Academic Scholar with admission to George Washington University. This includes a four-year renewable merit scholarship. Way to go Izzy!
Myria Garcia (2018) made the prestigious Model UN Team at American University - one of the top ranked teams in the world!
Fareed Ahamad (2019) was nominated as a Coca Cola Scholar Semifinalist. Congrats Fareed!
Mandy Lieng (2019) became a member of the Youth Charge Mental Health Board under Youth Roots. Fantastic work, Mandy!
Sophia Truex (2018) was accepted to University of Denver with a substantial merit scholarship. Nice job, Sophia!
Ava Warren (2020) was nominated for academic recognition as a delegate from Colorado at the 2021 Congress of Future Medical Leaders.
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Winta Gonye - January 1
Emma Field - January 2
Sofia Garcia - January 7
Isabel Gumee - January 8
Myria Garcia - January 8
Tyson Keller - January 8
Jessica Aggrey - January 11
Veniece Miller - January 13
Alexis Cisneros Flores - January 15
Madeline Yusas - January 15
Nyrobi Manuel - January 17
Giselle Loya - January 18
Andrew Nguyen - January 19
Katya Schwieterman - January 20
Mana Setayesh - January 24
Bryce Li - January 27
Sophia Watkins - January 28
Siena Truex - January 29
Nancy Hernandez - January 31
Colorado History
What else happened in January?
Did you know these historical events occurred in January?
January 26, 1915 - Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President, worked toward the preservation of the Rocky Mountains by declaring a portion of them a National Park.
January 10, 1920 - President Woodrow Wilson established the League of Nations in an attempt to prevent another world war.
January 3, 1959 - Alaska, with a land mass 20% as large as that of the other 48 states combined, became a state.
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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COSLI Alumni Feature: John Valdez
By Hagan Archer
John Valdez was a student in the first COSLI Class of 2016. He continued in 2017 as a Junior RA, later serving as lead RA in 2018. John was elected by his peers to a position on the COSLI Student Board, then was elected to serve as President from 2017 to 2018. When asked to recall his COSLI student experience, John said his favorite thing from COSLI was exploring the 16th Street Mall and the rest of Denver. As for how COSLI has impacted John, he said it inspired him to serve on Willamette University’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, among other things. He also said it sparked his passion for working with underserved communities and led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Economic Sociology. John’s advice is that it is essential to make the most of the opportunity COSLI provides, to not take the program for granted, to pour your heart and soul into the people you meet at COSLI, and to create friendships and connections that last a lifetime.
John plans on attending graduate school to further his research around socio-economic issues in marginalized communities. He wants to improve the quality of life for the people living in these situations. John also says that he plans on working with indigenous people to create an economic structure that will maximize their economic potential on both a local and international scale. John is the grandson of the last hereditary hunting chief of the Southern Ute Tribe and grew up in Ignacio, Colorado.
To him, Colorado’s biggest problem is the education system in rural parts of our state. Conversely, John thinks the biggest problem in the world is poverty, especially during a pandemic with its layoffs and expenses. His proposed solution to the education system in rural Colorado is to build secondary communities with more opportunities for education at a high school level. He thinks this is essential for the whole state to progress instead of just the cities. He also proposed a mandate for sociology in the state curriculum. To reduce world poverty, John desires the creation of a more equitable employment system. This could be done by implementing the job guarantee program, which ensures full employment by making a job available to everyone who wants one and meets terms specified by the program. It substitutes wages with welfare benefits to workers who accept such jobs and would otherwise be on welfare. The job guarantee system is viewed by many economists as the most efficient and low-cost program to combat poverty, and thus John supports it.
John graduates from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon (where he was a scholarship basketball player) this spring and is currently applying to graduate schools to further his education.
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Lessons Learned
By Time Kola-Abiola and Bryce Li
By Bryce Li and Timi Kola-Abiola
The fundamental underpinning of America describes a system open to the free exchange of ideas --a society of collaboration and innovation. Unfortunately, the opposite has arisen over the past few decades; the Pew Research Center finds that the division in ideology and “mutual antipathy” between Democrats and Republicans has deepened dramatically. Without mutual trust and cooperation between the two major political parties of America, American society’s improvement will be stagnant.
How do we come together in an increasingly divided world? It all begins with discourse and active listening--moving beyond not listening or listening to respond and into listening to understand. When American citizens take the time to hear each other out, regardless of differences in morality, values, or policy, they will begin to find similarities and overlap within their positions. Even if no overlap exists, the pure act of listening sets a certain level of respect, destigmatizing conversation and discourse as a whole.
As a Governor's School, COSLI’s main focus is on instating this element of nonpartisan cooperation within America's youth. Every summer, youth come together to hear all sides of important issues; they listen to everyone, be they Democrat and Republican representatives or pro-oil and anti-oil community activists. They also express and discuss one another's opinions and engage with “the other side.” Additionally, each year COSLI students receive a book assignment, often geared towards mutual understanding. For example, the Class of 2019 read and digested Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt written by Arthur C. Brooks to understand the situation of and solution to political polarization in America. The Class of 2021 will be reading, A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive The American Dream by Yuval Levin. Overall, COSLI hopes to inspire youth to develop their own opinions through this process of cooperation.
It is undeniable that youth are America's, or any country’s, future and political polarization will be just one of the many challenges we face in the future. However, it is likely the most critical; America's future is at stake.
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COSLI Will Help You Show Some Love!
This year we will unveil the first annual COSLI Valentine Card Collection, designed by COSLI seniors and offered in packs of twelve for $10. COSLI’s project was inspired by the Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship by Gallery Collection. Student-created greeting cards are submitted to Gallery Collection to compete for a $10,000 annual scholarship. Card designs are chosen by judges with the Gallery Collection who then put the cards up for voting by the public--the winning card designer wins the scholarship. You will be the first to know if one of our students is a winning designer! In the meantime, support COSLI by purchasing a pack and help us build The COSLI Outstanding Alumni Scholarship. Each year’s designers will be awarded an annual COSLI Designer Scholarship, with half of net sales divided between the year’s designers.
Order Now!
$10 + taxes and fees
Valentine Designs:
by Hagan Archer
by Sophia Truex
by Fareed Ahamad
Inside Design:
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Boosting Mental Health with the Might of Pen
By Fareed Ahamad
Greetings all,
I hope everyone had a great winter break! With school starting soon, I will remember this break with fondness; a break in which I could pogo-stick around my neighborhood, explore new trails in Boulder, and spend precious time with my family during the holidays.
The end of an unprecedented year brings new beginnings. However, one area in particular needs substantial attention from all: mental health during a pandemic. Along with COVID-19 comes the second deadly peril of loneliness and the lack of connection with others. Indicators of declining mental health are visible across all population groups: the elderly, the youth, and especially the students. According to AmericanHealthRankings.org, Colorado has risen to the 7th highest rate of teen suicide in the nation this year. During 2020’s winter months, local and state officials expressed grave concern over an unusually high number of youth suicides in some of Colorado’s counties. With minimal connections to others due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has become a pressing issue. While virtual forms of communication exist, they feel far less tangible than in-person connections.
I am sure many of you have heard the prominent phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword.” This phrase illustrates just how important proper communication is to resolving conflict and dilemmas. To those ends, it can also be applied to Colorado’s mental health crisis by the most traditional of means: pen-pals. As a part of Sources of Strength, a mental health awareness club at Peak to Peak Charter School, we have been heavily involved in spearheading a school-wide pen-pal initiative. Many students at Peak to Peak have expressed upset due to being unable to come to school and talk with friends and teachers. However, with pen-pals they not only have a new way of connecting with others, but also have the sending or receiving of notes through the mail to look forward to every day; something to hope for.
As Colorado’s rising leaders, we have the power to mitigate Colorado’s abnormally low mental health through initiatives like pen-pals. With these handwritten messages, we can augment connections between Colorado students and residents in an effort to pull people together during this stressful time. For information on how you can start the same sort of program at your school or in your community, feel free to reach out.
Fareed Ahamad, COSLI Student Board Financial Advisor (2019)
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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 Molly Brown House Museum and the National History Day Colorado Youth Advisory Board are launching a new Speaker Series for students to take part in! There will be talks with historians, curators, NHD specialists, and other experts. They hope to begin hosting these events within a month to help with NHD projects, as well as for students to listen to experts in historical fields they may be interested in.
The MoneyWi$er Awards recognizes distinguished districts, schools, educators, and students that have prioritized personal finance education in their community. The 2021 awards are the third and final year of this initiative to promote financial literacy education in Colorado. Student Scholarship Honorees receive $1,500, Educator Honorees receive $3,500, the School Honoree receives $10,000, and the District Honoree receives $15,000. The 2021 application for MoneyWi$er Financial Innovation Awards is open until March 1, 2021. More information here.
The Western Governor’s Celebrate the West 2021 regional art competition is now open to high school students! The competition challenges high school students in the Western United States to create artwork inspired by their state. More information here.
The application deadline for the 2021 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP) has been extended to Wednesday, Jan. 6. USSYP is a unique educational experience for two high school juniors or seniors from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). It is an intensive week-long education and leadership program. Each delegate will be awarded a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies with encouragement to pursue coursework in history and political science. More information 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 due to the pandemic, but they are seeking individuals interested in hosting visitors 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!
The National WWII Museum runs the Billy Michal Student Leadership Award and the Student Leadership Academy each year, both of which celebrate student leadership and give amazing opportunities for youth leaders. They are currently looking for nominees for the award (more information here) and applicants for the academy (more information 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 competition and streamed live in early March 2021. You can email the state coordinator at roxanne@lighthousewriters.org or visit this link for more information.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting a series of virtual teen workshops about sculpture, DJ’ing, and more! More information 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!
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
Of Water and the Spirit by Malidoma Patrice Some
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Becoming by Michelle Obama
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Stonewall Generation by Jane Fleishman
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
Carrie by Stephen King
Contemplation by Franz Kafka
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
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Meme of the Month
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COSLI Newsletter Contributors
Sophia Truex, Editor (Crested Butte, CO)
Tobin Wheeler, Editor (Salida, CO)
Hagan Archer (Denver, 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)
Sheila Ta (Pueblo, CO)
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