Back-to-School 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,
As we move closer to the most influential election in our nation’s history, the importance of political engagement has reached unparalleled levels. However, one of the largest constituents of our nation’s population, youth and teenage groups, go unheard and are seemingly left without the necessary tools and knowledge of civics when they become eligible for voting at the age of 18. In such a politically divided society, the stakes have never been higher for how we choose to govern our country for the next four years and beyond. Issues around the climate and racial equality are the most important we will face in the coming decades. How we educate ourselves and what we do with that in the voting booth will have important consequences.
With that being said, COSLI alumni, Veniece Miller led a group of student board members and alumni to initiate a Colorado voter education campaign, “YOUR VOICE. YOUR VOTE.” These words have never been more important than now. Our campaign includes an Op-Ed sent out to a diverse array of news outlets across Colorado, and postcards detailing how teens can get involved in this year’s election that were sent to communities and districts across the state. The Op-Ed is called “Our Civics Education System is Failing Students,” and can be found later in this newsletter. To find ways to have your voice heard, view the teen postcard here.
This past month has yet again been a strong example of the holes within our justice system and our society has suffered great losses--two remarkable figures who provided a platform and an example to live by. Chadwick Boseman and the amazing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will continue to leave their legacies on a country that is in dire need of them.
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 have a big announcement to make!
Each Summer, a COSLI alum is chosen to receive the Susan Kiely Service Award. This is given to the alumni who has exhibited the same level of commitment and service to community as has one of our key supporters, Susan Kiely. Susan was the founding Chairperson of our adult Advisory Board. She and her husband, Leo Kiely, were our first benefactors. They helped us become Colorado's governor's school. To learn more about what an incredible woman Susan is and the example she sets for our students, enjoy this article.
In keeping with this annual tradition, we are pleased to announce this year's choice. Veniece Miller from Fruita, Colorado is the 2020 Susan Kiely Service Award winner. At almost the exact same time that the choice was made, I received an email from Veniece asking if we could talk because she "had an idea." Her idea was to create the "Get Out the Vote" Campaign
directed to Colorado youth that is presented in this newsletter.
Veniece Miller, COSLI Alumni
Now a college junior at CU Boulder, during her time in high school, Veniece was one of the founders for Kindness is Contagious. She has had internships with Sen. Michael Bennet and CO Attorney General Phil Weiser, and she was serving in a fellowship with the International Law Institute in Washington, DC when COVID-19 hit. She has definitely already begun a noteworthy career of service to community.
We look forward to seeing Veniece in one capitol or another--or several--when she finishes her education. How fortunate we are to have her as part of Colorado. Like all of our students, she is one of our best and brightest. Congratulations, Veniece!
And, to all of you--be sure you are registered to vote... and that you exercise your right!
Celeste
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"Our Civics Education System is Failing Students"
Authors: The Colorado Student Leaders Institute Student Board and Alumni
Mohamed Ibrahim, Wiggins; Sam Pausbeck, Littleton; Ayush Shekhar, Boulder;
Sophia Truex, Crested Butte; Hagan Archer, Denver; Veniece Miller, Fruita.
Young adults in Colorado face a pivotal choice, perhaps the most important of their life,
on November 3rd. Yet, the rising generation has not been given the tools to engage civically.
Apathy has become the weapon of choice for silencing the largest eligible constituency in the
Election of 2020. We as students will not stand for it.
From the sharp peaks of Crested Butte, to the diverse streets of Littleton, to the grasslands
of Wiggins, to the foothills of Boulder, we have come together on this crucial subject. As
Colorado student leaders we believe civics education is of the utmost importance to the future
engagement of all Coloradans. Colorado needs to invest in its young people.
We face a myriad of problems. From returning to in-person school, to rising tuition rates,
to astronomical numbers of entry level jobs lost, to climate issues, it will be on our backs to solve
the problems of today and tomorrow. Too often, we have been left out of the conversation on issues
directly impacting us in our communities.
Our peers tell us they do not know enough to vote, that they do not have the tools
necessary to turn out. This is not surprising, since in Colorado, only a single semester of
government class is required to graduate. Students are falling through the cracks, stripped of
their right to participate before their chance even arrives. We would argue that the desire to vote
starts in the classroom. In fact, a 2020 study by CIRCLE, a research institute at Tufts University,
found that students who had not received encouragement to vote from teachers in high school
were more than twice as likely to agree with the statement, “voting is a waste of time,” as those
who had been encouraged.
While Colorado has made significant gains in making voting more accessible to young
people, there remains a gap. Our education system has failed us. Countless of our peers tell us
they did not know you could pre-register to vote at sixteen. According to CIRCLE, only half
(50%) of students in high school say they were taught how to register to vote. Quite literally,
half of our students are not being set up to begin a lifelong habit of voting. It is no surprise that
the decline in education of our government has been met with a steady decline in votership by
voters aged 18-26 since 1964. Civics education has taken a backseat in our country.
The good news is this problem can be remedied. First, give students a seat at the table in
civics education and voting initiatives in Colorado schools. Then, redesign curriculum that
provides a civics class with open space for students of all backgrounds. And lastly, make voting
education equitable for all students in Colorado, whether from the city, a rural area, or a suburb.
The skills we as students build from our civics classes transcend beyond the classroom
and our daily lives. A diverse toolbox of civic engagement and proper education helps address
the needs within our community, which ultimately creates an equitable and welcoming
environment for all citizens. It results in an atmosphere that promotes community involvement
and civic obligation.
As we, the young adults of Colorado, reach the voting age, the time, exposure, and
engagement we receive in civic education is imperative in making informed voting decisions.
Schools need to encourage dialogue about political topics, as well as creating a space for differing opinions to be heard. This allows for the experience students need to form their own
political truths and values, which is necessary for a functioning Democratic Republic. All youth,
no matter the citizenship status, can be involved in discussions. With more understanding comes
less vilification and more unification.
In these times of crisis, there is an imperative to arm young adults with the tools they
need to make Colorado better. Civics education is necessary to enfranchisement. It is a
conversation we hope will continue and mature into a more robust civics expectation in our
school curriculum. These lessons start with the family and community, continue in school, and
end at the ballot box. There is a fundamental hallowed duty that Colorado’s schools have to
prepare every student who comes through their doors. There is a need to be certain Colorado’s young adults hear multiple perspectives and understand all parts of our state’s issues and concerns. Now is the time to have these hard conversations, to ask our school boards, our elected representatives to take a stand for us, as Colorado’s rising generation of voters. This is not a new idea.
From Thomas Jefferson: “I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society
but the people themselves, [A]nd if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their
control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their
discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”
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Student Features
Note that all students who successfully complete COSLI are given automatic acceptance to the University of Colorado Denver.
Fareed Ahamad (2019) has been awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work in assisting students struggling with remote learning by offering free online tutoring services via his organization Superior Minds. Great work, Fareed!
Sheila Ta (2018) and a club she is heading up have created a pen pal project with a local nursing home to write back and forth with the elderly residents to keep them company. Great job, Sheila!
Sophia Truex (2018) was accepted into Montana State University. Congratulations Sophia!
Myria Garcia (2019) was awarded the Gwendolyn S. Duran Memorial Scholarship by the Colorado Association of Legal Support Staff. Way to go Myria, now a student at American University.
Ewan Wummel (2018) earned an East Angels Friends and Alumni Foundation scholarship. He is a student at Colorado State University now.
Lamar Philmon (2018) is attending Howard University and has been awarded the Thomas W. Bean Foundation scholarship.
Izzy Brophy (2019) is featured in this super GOTV video by West Slope Youth Vote.
Kaliah Yizar (2020) served as a panelist for The Colorado Health Foundation’s “At the Heart of the Matter: A New Generation of Good Troublemakers.” View the panel here.
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Nina Hufman - 10/3
Yosira Xinol - 10/7
Sydney Pruitt - 10/9
Yael Sanchez - 10/9
Bryan Rivera - 10/10
Sahra Bisetegne - 10/11
Sophia Truex - 10/12
James Vongphasouk - 10/12
Rebekah Jensen - 10/20
Madison Jett - 10/21
Brittany O'Donnell - 10/21
Emma Law - 10/23
Linh Tran - 10/23
Leticia Madrigal - 10/25
Drew Smith - 10/27
Colorado History
What else happened in October?
Did you know these historical events occurred in July?
October 6, 2014 - Colorado declares that same-sex marriage will be legal.
October 22, 2011 - Missy Franklin set her first swimming world record.
October 9, 1978 - UNESCO designates Mesa Verde National Park as one of the first 12 World Heritage Sites.
October 7, 1994 - The light rail system in Denver is open to the public.
October, 1969 - John Denver’s debut album Rhymes and Reasons is released.
October 25, 1875 - Colorado Constitutional Convention convenes in Denver to write a state constitution.
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: LaMar Philmon
This month’s alumni spotlight is on LaMar Philmon, a 2020 graduate of Denver East High School and of the COSLI Class of 2019. LaMar said that his favorite part about COSLI was being able to meet and get to know so many people that were different than he is. He also said that COSLI opened up opportunities to have controversial and educated conversations with other people who might have different viewpoints than his. He remembers these conversations sparking passion, pain, interest, and so many other feelings that he hadn’t usually experienced in an academic or peer-based program. LaMar said that this experience taught him to respect different perspectives and personalities in a more “loving way.”
During his senior year, LaMar earned the following scholarships: Delta Boule Foundation Scholarship, Greenhouse Scholars Scholarship;,Annie Clark Scholarship Fund, Cherry Creek Rotary Scholarship, Jumpstart Scholarship, and others. LaMar has chosen to attend Howard University, which he selected because it is an Historically Black College or University and he knew this would be one of the only times in his life that he could be surrounded by other African Americans. He felt the experience that Howard will provide will be unique, and he knows that he will thrive in this environment. Unfortunately, COVID has caused LaMar to be unable to be on the campus of Howard during his first semester. Instead, he is attending all of his classes online, until he can be in D.C. in person. Right now, he is reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For his parting wisdom, he said, “love and learn yourself first. Only then will you be able to love and appreciate others.”
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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! More information here.
Former COSLI student 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 U.S. 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!
A new project, Stories Behind the Stars, has been launched by a local historian in order to research and write the stories of every fallen soldier in World War II and create a database with their histories. Volunteers are needed to research and gather information on these fallen soldiers for the compilation of the database. Find more information here.
Youth Service America is holding many different programs this year. Their Anti-Racist Service Project is working to spread anti-racism and spark conversations across the country. You can find more information on that program here. They are also providing resources and promoting a ServiceVote Challenge to get out the vote and get teens more involved in our democratic processes. More information on that here. The organization also has many other programs, which you can explore on their website.
The Boettcher Foundation will be hosting some webinars on “Everything You Need to Know About Scholarships” as the applications for the Boettcher Scholarship open up. During these webinars they will go over how students can “ACE” their college and scholarship applications, including tips on how to make applications stand out. You can register to attend one of the webinars by clicking on the links below. Please note that they have a limited number of spaces available for each presentation. If the sessions fill up, you will have the option to register for the wait list. You can also find more information on the scholarship itself, including due dates and other important guidelines here.
Dates for webinars:
October 7, 6-7 pm
October 15, 6-7 pm
To inspire more Coloradans to continue their education, all 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will allow students to apply for free on Tuesday, Oct. 13 as part of the third Colorado Free Application Day. It will cap off Colorado Applies Month, a five-week campaign that guides 11th- and 12-grade students and adult job seekers along the application process. The high school graduating class of 2021 will also have the option to include or not include their SAT or ACT scores with their college applications as Colorado colleges have implemented a “test-optional” policy making the college application process even easier for students this year. More info on this 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: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyers
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
Watchmen by Alan Moore
King Lear by William Shakespeare
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
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Meme of the Month
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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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