Happy Valentine's Day from Friends of Colorado Student Leaders Institute!
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 COSLI Friends,
These past few months, I have explained the mission COSLI has for The State of Colorado. However, I never shared the pivotal role COSLI played in my current endeavors.
Being a first generation, low-income student, the idea of achieving a college degree already seemed beyond my grasp. After learning of COSLI, I was immediately enthused about such an opportunity. Unlike many summer programs, with COSLI I was able to use my entrepreneurial skills and academic accomplishments, as my school and local businesses sponsored the $400 fee. Through COSLI, I was able to define a true college experience, exploring the fields of STEM and government with many students from across the state. Additionally, the program provided me with the skills to become a contributing member within my community and school. I finally began to believe that it was possible for a hard-working student to obtain a college degree, no matter their financial stability or ethnic identification. My education was in my own hands at this point. I am forever grateful for the experiences and opportunities COSLI has given me.
With kind regards,
Mohamed Ibrahim
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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 Valentine’s Day!
During this fall’s COSLI Student Advisory Board retreat, our student leaders spent a lot of time brainstorming what a “perfect COSLI student” meant. The most common attributes were these: open-minded, responsible, brings out the best version of others, courageous, persistent, confident, driven, can be outside their comfort zone, problem solver, resilient, risk-taker, not afraid of a challenge, enthusiastic. There was some mention of academically advanced, but nowhere near as much as these sorts of personal qualities. That is part of the point of what we do--we are looking for “those” kids--they might be identified as gifted and talented, have had straight A’s since pre-school, and be the teacher’s favorite every year. But, they might not be. It’s also the student who a teacher or a community leader or a religious leader might know is a diamond in the rough or a kid in the corner, just needing a chance to shine. We’ve had a lot of those unpolished gems who have become full-blown heavy carat stones. And, we’re incredibly proud of each and every one--proud that we are part of their journey. This will be our fifth summer. It is hard for me to believe. This is the first time I’ve ever said what I am about to say--there were a whole lot of times (basically every day for a couple of years) when my brain told me there was no way Colorado was ever going to have a program in the governor’s school network. As a foundling director, I guess I was one of those very rough stones, lacking some of the qualities our brilliant younger leaders outline. Our scholars have buffed us into a full blown diamond, far more valuable than any crown jewels. To be sure you heard--it’s our kids that did this. They are our Valentines--and we can’t wait to meet this year’s class!
The deadline to apply is, appropriately, February 14 th. Application available here.
Feel free to share, it’s shaping up to be a great summer!
Celeste
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★ Important COSLI Application Information! ★
The COSLI 2020 Application deadline is coming up fast!
But, as an early Valentine's Day gift, the deadline has been extended to February 14 at midnight!
This incredible experience will take place this summer from July 5th to August 1st, 2020, and is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Colorado’s best and brightest high school students.
The application details can be found here, and we recommend that you look into COSLI, whether it be for yourself, a family member, or a friend! We’re looking for driven students of all backgrounds. Current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders will be considered for the program.
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Exciting Scholarship Announcement for COSLI Alumni!
With a large number of COSLI alums graduating this year, we are pleased to announce a new scholarship opportunity! The $2,500 IEA Public Service Scholarship is to be awarded to a student who will be enrolling in The University of Colorado Denver’s Bachelor of Arts in Public Service program, and who successfully completed COSLI or other such K-12 programs.
It is a great opportunity for all COSLI graduates who desire to attend CU Denver and major in Public Services. In fact, preference is given to students who completed COSLI. So, alumni, make sure to check out this scholarship! Students must be enrolled full-time in the School of Public Affairs, and must maintain good academic standing. It will be given in even amounts during both the fall and spring terms.
Deadline: March 31, 2020
More information on the Bachelor of Arts in Public Service
For more information about the program or the scholarship, contact Rebecca Gianarkis
(rebecca.gianarkis@ucdenver.edu).
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Lesson Learned: Senator Chris Hansen
Authors: Timi Kola-Abiola and Bryce Li
 Timi with Senator Chris Hansen
One of COSLI’s favorite presentations for the last two years has been Sen. Chris Hansen, a current member of the Colorado State Senate. When he was a teenager in Kansas, Sen. Hansen attended a governor’s school similar to COSLI, which exposed him to an abundance of opportunities and unprecedented experiences. Later on, Sen. Hansen went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a Master of Science in engineering in 2003. Following that, in 2009, Sen. Hansen received his Ph.D. in Economic Geography from Linacre College in the United Kingdom.
Sen. Hansen began his political career in 2016, when he ran to become a State Representative for District 6, a district that encompasses part of East Denver. Hansen focused on the local issues of education funding, renewable energy, and job creation, winning the election with 58% of the vote. On January 16th, Sen. Hansen was appointed to fill Senator Louis Court’s seat following her resignation.
During the COSLI program, students were given the fabulous opportunity to discuss Hansen’s experiences in the legislative body, Colorado’s overall legislative process, and a plethora of issues affecting our communities with Sen. Hansen. Specifically, he discussed current party dynamics within both the Colorado House and Senate, a very detailed description of how a bill can become a law, and the division of power between sectors of the government. These talks with Senator Hansen also provided an opportunity for the COSLI student body and student board to discuss their ideas in a non-polarizing, intellectual environment. COSLI is built on this virtue--engaging students to pursue their beliefs through respectful, productive conversations. With the Class of 2019, Sen. Hansen talked about issues including gun violence, marijuana legalization, education funding, vaccinations, and the future of electric vehicles.
The topics were presented in an inquiry-based fashion. Students were able to directly engage with Sen. Hansen and understand his positions by asking him questions. Sen. Hansen’s answers were always concise and understandable, and oftentimes his answers would provide great clarity around his stance. For example, on the issue of gun violence, Sen. Hansen explained how he doesn’t believe the current goal of the Second Amendment is being fulfilled, alongside stating his belief in saying “gun safety” rather than “gun control,” and hoping that universal background checks, thirty-day wait periods, and face-id checks are implemented to resolve some of the issues. All of Sen. Hansen’s answers greatly broadened students’ perspectives and gave further understanding of opposing views on topics pertinent to Coloradans. Sen. Hansen’s discussions were the epitome of what COSLI is about: understanding a variety of different perspectives.
For this month’s newsletter, the COSLI Student Board was able to talk with Sen. Hansen a little more. He described the governor’s school that he attended as a “turning point” where he met all sorts of bright, young leaders and found all sorts of new opportunities that really expanded his horizons. Sen. Hansen also delineated the major successes and stepping stones he had throughout his political career. For instance, he explained how high school debate was incredibly influential and helpful in getting him into politics from a young age. He went on to describe a recent bill he sponsored, ending coal firing power--something he feels is a success for our state.
When asked what youth should think of government, he said, “The headline is, it’s your government. It’s not a distant thing. For some of the students in Denver, I am your senator, and you are about to get a new house representative to fill the seat I was taking. We are your representatives, and you have to take advantage of that by contacting us.” Additionally, he stated that he believes the Colorado legislature is more successful than the federal legislature largely due to relationships. He finds that in the Colorado legislature, it is far easier to “make bonds.” Sen. Hansen explains how he understands and knows his colleagues, both Democrat and Republican. He finds that “anything we can do at the federal level to create a more personal relationship will improve our body of politics.” Finally, we finished the interview by bringing it back to COSLI, where we asked Sen. Hansen about his favorite part of talking to COSLI. To that, he replied: “I just enjoyed the students challenging me. I had some great back and forth, I got asked about racial profiling, arrests and incarceration--some questions that I don’t have good answers to. I hope that I was able to show some vulnerability there: that I don’t have all the answers. I’m here working hard, but I have blind spots, and I have lots of things to get better at. It was just wonderful to get to talk to students. That’s the part I love.”
Sen. Hansen represents the impact that governor’s schools can have on the future generations. It was a privilege to have this experience with Senator Hansen, and we congratulate him on his Senate nomination.
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Student Features
Note that all students who successfully complete COSLI are given automatic acceptance to the University of Colorado Denver.
Mohamed Ibrahim (Wiggins, Class of 2019) was selected to represent his local electric cooperative to tour Washington, D.C., where he will get the opportunity to meet with Senators the future of sustainability in the United States. Congratulations Mohamed!
Sophia Truex (Crested Butte, Class of 2018) was also selected by her local electric cooperative to participate in the youth tour of Washington, D.C.
Katya Schweiterman (Paonia, Class of 2019) and Emma Logan (Denver, Class of 2017) are finalists for the coveted Boettcher Foundation Scholarship. Congratulations to both!
Elizabeth Valdez (Ignacio,Class of 2017/Jr. RA 2019) was featured in The Durango Herald--twice in one month! She earned the lead role of Elsa in Ignacio’s musical production of Frozen. Several weeks later, she was seen in The Herald, as well as major network news channels, for her stand in the campaign to recognize the thousands of missing and murdered Native American women.
Valdez in costume for her role in Frozen.
Emma Davis (Aurora, Class of 2019) received two honorable mentions and a Gold Key from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Her Gold Key poem is featured in this edition. Congratulations to Emma!
Nina Hufman (Dolores, Class of 2017) was awarded a Pinhead Institute, A Smithsonian Institute, internship. She will be studying marine biology for six weeks this summer. AND, she was on the President’s List at San Juan College where she received an Associates Degree in December ahead of her graduation from high school in May.
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Giuliana Chavez - Feb. 2
Honey Zin - Feb. 7
Benjamin Berry - Feb. 8
Brin Riley - Feb. 12
Andrea Espinosa Torres - Feb. 14
Clark Wilson - Feb. 15
Tallie Geshow - Feb. 16
Verenice Ballesteros - Feb. 18
Jaclyn Villareal - Feb. 19
Sonya Ralstin - Feb. 20
Kendric Chen - Feb. 24
Kent Hernandez - Feb. 24
Kevin Hernandez - Feb. 24
Mikayla Crouse - Feb. 24
Alex Dao - Feb. 25
Kenneth Huyn - Feb. 27
Kayla Hawkes - Feb. 28
Michael Hernandez - Feb. 28
Sartaj Singh - Feb. 28
Colorado History
What else happened in February?
Did you know these historical events occurred in February?
February 15, 2018--Olympic athlete Mikaela Shiffrin, born and raised in Vail, Colorado, wins the gold medal in the all women’s alpine skiing giant slalom during the Winter Olympics that took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
February 11, 2008--The notoriously known horse sculpture nicknamed “Blucifer” by the locals was revealed at the Denver International Airport. The artist who designed this piece is Luis A. Jiminez. The horse’s official name is Blue Mustang.
February 13, 1950--Aspen, Colorado becomes the first city outside of Europe to hold the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
February 2, 1848--The signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the United States and Mexico marks the end of the Mexican-American war. Colorado and other northern territories are given to the United States.
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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Student of the Month: Emma Davis
Name: Emma Davis
Hometown: Aurora
Age: 16
COSLI Class: 2019
School Attending: Homeschool
Scholarships/recognitions: Named a Cambridge Scholar with Distinction
Career Aspirations: I hope to study English Literature and History in college. Once I’m done with undergrad, I want to work in some humanities-related field or get my masters degree, while at the same time pursuing a long-term career as a writer.
Comments on COSLI:
For me, COSLI was really a sort of next step. I was actually terrified of joining at first. Living in a dorm, taking a college course. I was scared because I knew that’s exactly what college would be like, and I didn’t think I was ready for it at all. But I learned so many things with COSLI. I feel like I’m much more of an independent, capable person because of the program, and I’m more ready for college in many ways.
I always felt like I didn’t fit in with any particular group as a kid. While I’ve learned that’s a good thing, it was discouraging when I was younger. What I found at COSLI was a group of people who I clicked with. A family really. A community of teens who are like me, but also different. They’re willing to accept you for who you are, no matter where you’re from, who you are, whether you’re popular or not. It’s a big, crazy, amazing family. No one’s perfect. But we’re all in it together, supporting each other and trying to be the best people we can be. That’s what I love about it.
Favorite COSLI Experience:
The most memorable moment of my COSLI experience was the day when Rep. Jim Wilson and Rep. Hugh McKean came and talked to us about the Second Amendment. At the time, my group was working on our social project. The problem we had was police brutality, and we were pondering a legislative solution, so we wanted to talk to some legislators. I went up after Rep. Wilson’s lecture and asked him if he would be willing to support one of the measures we were thinking of. It shocked me, but he said yes! We had a whole conversation about the issue, and I found it really interesting to hear his perspective. In fact, just recently, I sat down at the Capitol and had a 45-minute conversation with him about the abolition of the Death Penalty. I just thought this was amazing, and really goes to show the importance of listening to other people and having civil discussions, something that COSLI teaches.
Ghosts
Emma was awarded a Gold Key from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for this poem.
at night wander aimlessly around our houses
looking for mint tea
and bottles of sleeping pills.
and all we catch of them
is insomnia
and a shivering guilt.
morning carries wisps of white, drinking coffee
in disgruntled bathrobes
and dream-worn faces.
and we feel hot
breath down our necks.
when we're gone their friends phase in through the walls for
dinner. and when
we return we still smell
alcohol and gossip drifting around the dining room.
and as we lay in our beds at night alone with
our sleepless minds
we can feel someone
walk towards us
not knowing what they were looking for
when they left.
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Alumni Feature: Itzel Gonzalez
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
COSLI Class: 2016
College currently attending: University of Colorado Denver
What was your favorite part of COSLI?
One of my favorite parts about COSLI was being able to meet other students from throughout the state who I created strong friendships with and who even unto this day I know I can count on for anything. Despite only seeing my peers once or twice a year, it is always such an exciting feeling knowing I will be able to spend time with them and reflect on all the good memories we created during our 2016 summer program.
What you learn at COSLI?
I don't think I could choose just ONE thing that I learned during COSLI. I grew on a personal, professional, and educational level. The whole summer was an overall big lesson for me that has truly shaped me into who I am today. And if I could go back to relive that summer again, I would in a heartbeat.
What you are doing now?
Currently I am a Program Coordinator at a non-profit organization called Servicios de La Raza, where I help individuals that have recently been released from prison to get back into society with a new home, job, and clothes. In addition to working full time, I am currently pursuing a Master's in Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Organizations at CU Denver. And when I have some free time I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, traveling, and doing community service.
What is a piece of advice you have for us?
Never lose sight of what you want. No matter how big or small it is, you can make it happen. Surround yourself with individuals that will encourage you, guide you, and believe in you. At the end of the day this is your life and it is what you make of it. And if you haven't heard this recently, I am proud of you and I believe in you.
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Opportunities and Events: February 2020
The holidays have come and gone, and school is back in full swing. But don't forget about those summer program and internship applications! Many applications close soon, but some are just opening up! Take a look at what we have here if you're searching for new opportunities.
Colorado Mesa University Summer Programs. There are several programs from CMU, all preparing students for careers in fields such as Computer Technology, Early Childhood Education, Manufacturing/Machining, Welding and Medicine. All help to teach anyone interested in these fields some of the necessities to take part in these, and offer college and high school credit for taking these courses. Applications are due March 17th. More information here
CSU Dance Lab is a program that entails a two-week long intensive dance program on the CSU campus for dancers of 15-20 years old. If you love dancing and want to study choreography, different dance styles and dance theory, apply to attend this program! Tuition is $1000. Applications are currently open, and are due February 15th. Find more information here
Lorenzo De Zavala Youth Legislative Session is a program from the National Hispanic Institute hosted at CSU every year. For high-performing teens who want to get more involved in the world of politics, this is a program that helps to develop leadership skills, research issues impacting the Latinx community and many other things. Sophomores and Juniors should apply to this program. Applications are now open, but close soon. More info here
Child Health Research Internship and MC² Program are two programs at Children's Hospital Colorado which allow students to work closely with researchers and learn more about the medical fields which they are interested in. For the Child Health Research Internship, only rising seniors can apply, and applications are due February 1st. For the two-year MC² program, applications are due March 13. Sophomores can apply to this program. More info here and here.
CU Boulder High School Summer Music Academy is a program through CU Boulder for skilled high school aged pianists, orchestra and band students interested in getting better at their instrument(s). Each student accepted gets a week's instruction with highly trained musicians. It costs between $550-775. Registration is due May 7th. More information here.
Curious New Voices Playwriting Program is a playwriting intensive from the Curious Theatre Company in Denver. For students interested in writing more and ready to write their own plays, this three-week intensive program will help you improve your playwriting skills and finish your own play. Applications are due May 15th. More information here.
Teen Science Scholars at DMNS is a program for underrepresented youth in Colorado to get more involved and complete research projects in science. Each student gets to partake in different research opportunities, and gets paid a stipend, along with other perks, such as SAT study help. Applications are due March 8th. Only rising juniors and seniors can apply, and interviews occur in the spring. More info here.
ArtLab is a program for 15 teens from underrepresented communities, meant to teach professional skills and academics through the arts. Student interns involved will work on major projects with established artists, focusing on social issues and the youth voice. The deadline to apply is March 7th. More info here.
Lighthouse Writers Workshop High School Summer Writing Camp is a program held from the refurbished Milheim House on Colfax for teen writers. Students get to learn from published authors, practicing writing and learning more techniques for poetry, nonfiction and fiction. More information 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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