COSLI July Newsletter
The COSLI newsletter is written and edited by students on the COSLI Student Advisory Board.
Enjoy student updates, perspectives, events, and opportunities.
|
|
|
Letter from the Student Advisory Board President
Dear Friends of COSLI,
July 4th marks 246 years since the founding of the United States of America. A testament to the world and a modern birthplace for democracy were founded in the very documents that govern this land to this day, shaping a timeless new identity of freedom and economic liberties for some. Throughout these 246 years, this country has overcome civil war, hard international affairs, and above all shaping a new identity with the inalienable rights it is required to provide to its citizens. In the past two years, the success and global strength this country has to offer seem to be in limbo. A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, the aftershocks of which have shown even more the increasing hyper polarization that is devastating this country. Every month that passes presents new dividing challenges: gun violence, climate change, COVID-19 policy, international war and apartheid, and far too many complex issues without solutions. Some say we have reached a point in our nation where we are no longer able to find compromise in discussion and policy reform. Recently, I had the privilege to have a deep conversation with former governor of New Mexico, Gov. Susana Martinez, at the 2022 Daniels Scholar Dinner. Within five minutes of conversation, we came to agreement on real world solutions to immigration and our American infrastructure. It was clearly evident that the answers to the adversity this country faces remain suppressed along party lines and in states of polar opposites. As time continues, it seems our country is being pushed inch by inch to the brink of insanity, but I am confident that what most view as turmoil is the coming of a new identity for who we are as a nation. The problems and stripping of rights for particular groups are things that have been overcome in the past, and the same will happen yet again.
Thank you, all the best and happy 4th of July!
Mohamed Ibrahim
Wiggins High School
COSLI Class of 2019
|
|
|
Letter from the Founding Executive Director
Friends of COSLI is proud to be a Project of the Rose Community Foundation
Happy 4th of July!
A friend of mine posted this on his Facebook page, "Some plan on protesting on Independence Day. Please don't. July 4th should be a unifying day for our country not a divisive one." That will be a great opening question for our COSLI students next week--2022 opens just one week from today! We are starting this year in the middle of what some historians will argue is among the top five most divided times in our country. Mohamed speaks about it in his president's letter this month--as he has before. We received the very first "Letter to the Editor" and that writer spoke of it as well, wistful for another time when life was a bit simpler. It made me think, has there ever really been a time such as that?
Next week we'll be beginning our ninth class of COSLI! It is hard for me to imagine that it was ten years ago that I had the first conversation about a possibility for a governor's school in Colorado. This year, our calendar includes conversations about homelessness, drugs, and criminal justice--among so many other hot topics that we address each year. We'll go on hikes and tours--seeing the last remaining CCC camp, the incredible enterprises of Jake Jabs, the aircraft and aeronautical history at Wings Over the Rockies, and the natural history shown by Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We'll dive deep into Colorado's history--important for the student's National History Day projects. Our students will meet and hear politicians and leaders, scientists and scholars--and they'll do a bit of yoga, art, and music. We hope you'll follow along on our Facebook page. Oh, and if you're at the Rockies game on July 31, we'll be there too! Go Rockies!
Celeste
|
|
|
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Thank you so much for the informative and fun newsletters every month. As an alumnus, I truly appreciate them and the work you and the others put in.
I’d like to respond to the Mohamed’s letter in the Super Summer edition. He talked about the shooting that had just happened in Uvalde, Texas. It was a horrible tragedy that is unimaginable. But, he also wrote this, we live in “the only country in the world where educators must enter the classroom with fear of how they will protect their students and return home to their families.” I need to take issue with his saying it, and anyone else who might. There are a number of countries where violence and safety cause teachers to be fearful in what they do--some even teach in hiding. Mexico and many countries in South America find this is true, as it is so in countries in Far East Asia and The Middle East. I’m sure there are others, I was just able to find these examples more quickly.
We are very lucky to be in the United States and to have an opportunity to be educated, no matter how much our education systems might need to be changed, especially in poor places like Uvalde. My mom and dad told me that when they were in high school, a lot of their friends would come to school with a gun rack on the back window of their car and rifles hanging there so that they could go hunting after school. That seems impossible to me--and my parents are not that old.
It seems to me we are asking the wrong questions. How did that change in just one generation? What is different now in the way people like me are raised than the way my parents and their friends were raised? Was mental health at the crisis level then as it is now? Were televisions and computer screens with ultra-violent games the babysitters they are now? Were drugs legal or as easily available? Were there the pressures on kids then that are there now? When I hear my parents talk about what they were worried about, it seems very mild compared to what I need to worry about. I know Columbine changed everything, but did we, as a country, react in the right way?
Has our nation regulated and educated ourselves into such a state that we have become mentally unfit as a whole? I worry. I hope we all worry. When I was at COSLI, I heard things from a lot of sides and it has made me listen to things I wouldn’t have before. My parents challenge me to do the same. In the summers, I spend a lot of time in a place where there is no connection. It is healing. Sometimes I wish we could hit rewind and go back to what my parents tell me about--it seems much kinder and simpler.
Sincerely,
Member of the Class of 2018
|
|
|
|
|
RSVP for the 2022 COSLI Showcase
Colorado Student Leaders Institute
and the
University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs
present the annual
Student Showcase
Friday, August 5
11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Student Commons #2600
1201 Larimer St.
Denver, CO 80204
RSVP by July 30
Register Now
|
|
|
Lessons Learned
By Joe MacDougall
In a nation where opinions and news have become increasingly polarized and truth has been called into question, media literacy has proven to be an important skill to effectively stay fully informed. Colorado Student Leaders Institute students meet with Dana Coffield and Skip Thurman to discuss the importance of media literacy and methods to detect bias in an effort to develop their critical reasoning skills and learn ways to be well informed.
Coffield, Senior Editor of the Colorado Sun, makes it her mission to promote the consumption of non-partisan media. She is an advocate for objective truth in media, and, along with Skip Thurman, talks to COSLI students about the importance of media literacy and ways that students can employ it when consuming media. The development of media literacy skills has become crucial in this new era. In the past, as Coffield explains, “Journalism was defined by its pursuit of truth and less by entertainment.” Now, however, truth has become much more difficult to discern due to the increase in media outlets. COSLI students meet with Thurman and Coffield to develop the skills to sift through sources and look for unbiased information. As maintained by Coffield, doing so proves to be difficult with the rise of entertainment media and many new ways to consume news. Coffield and Thurman aid students in looking for key identifiers of trustworthy sources. Coffield highlights that it is crucial that information “is good quality,” that “sources are cited,” and that “there are links in your stories that you can click on and look at original research.” Key identifiers such as these enable consumers of the media to stay well informed with objective information and to be minimally impacted by personal biases.
In addition to staying personally informed, being able to seek out unbiased sources of media also enables media consumers to have meaningful connections and conversations with people who have perspectives differing from their own. Coffield asserts, “It is important to, perhaps more than anything else, be able to have discourse with people who are not like ourselves.” Staying well informed without letting personal biases cloud our judgment enables media consumers to contribute meaningfully to topics of debate. For this reason, COSLI promotes the inclusion of and respect for varying perspectives throughout all four weeks of the program. Regularly practicing media literacy enables a student to do just that: take a step back from entertainment media and focus on objective truth.
|
|
Student Accomplishments
Our alumni are doing amazing things! We can't wait to meet the new class of alumnus. Welcome Class of '22.
     
|
|
What else happened in May/June?
by Sandra Brock
July 1st, 1969: The state legislature voted to provide public transportation to a large portion of the Denver metro area, creating the Regional Transportation District (RTD).
July 5th, 1991: The Colorado Rockies were born! They were selected by the league to play in 1993.
July 20th, 2012: A mass shooting occurred in the Century 16 movie theater in Aurora.
|
|
COSLI Birthdays!
by Sandra Brock
Happy Birthday to our COSLI Alumni! May your day be full of smiles!
Love, your COSLI Family.
Diana Garcia - 7/2
Joey Vongphasouk - 7/2
Bella-Analise Brown - 7/5
Elena Dunn - 7/8
Bedha Neopaney - 7/8
Frederick Norman - 7/9
Payvan Gudavali - 7/10
Valeria Miramontes - 7/10
Prashasth Satish - 7/10
Mikaela Kevil - 7/11
Cristina Nava Rios - 7/12
Ashley Gurrola - 7/13
Rafael Lutz - 7/13
Kevin Nguyen - 7/15
Subul Zeerak - 7/20
Elena Fierro - 7/21
Karthrik Reddy - 7/22
Greta Cahill - 7/23
Mo Dominguez - 7/24
Mirebelle Riley - 7/24
Laura Morfitt - 7/27
Akaljot - 7/31
|
|
COSLI Reads & Listens
by Mo Dominguez
Need book recommendations? Here’s a list of what the COSLI alumni are reading — take a look, you might find one you like!
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw
Merchants of Doubts by Naomi Oreskes and Eric M. Conway
SAT Prep Book by Princeton Review
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Made for Goodness by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu
The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton, PhD
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Zelensky by Andrew L. Urban and Chris McLeod
Need podcast and music recommendations? Our COSLI alumni have lots of music and podcast recommendations that they enjoy. See what your COSLI alumni have been listening to!
Daebak Show w/ Eric Nam - podcast
Duolingo Spanish Podcast - podcast
Teenage Therapy - podcast
Proof - album by BTS
Title - album by Meghan Trainor
SZNS: Summer - album by Weezer
“Mother I Sober” - song by Kendrick Lamar
“Surfin” - song by Kid Cudi
“Monogamy” - song by Leith Ross
“Another Lifetime” - song by Nao
|
|
|
|
COSLI Alumni Feature: ThanhBinh Nguyễn
By Anjana Radha and Allison Thomas
Binh Nguyen is a COSLI alum from the class of 2018 and current student at Regis University. She studies biology as a pre-med student, fueled by a passion derived from several events throughout her life.
![]()
Through her experience at COSLI, Nguyen not only made lifelong friends and felt more prepared for transitioning into college, but she also gained a new perspective on social justice issues. One activity consists of making sandwiches and giving them to the homeless community in downtown Denver. Nguyen recalls it as her favorite. Even after running out of sandwiches, she and her peers came together to buy more food for additional homeless people in the community. This experience was incredibly touching and inspired Nguyen to dedicate future work to helping homeless communities as well. At Regis, Nguyen started P.A.C.T. (Providing Assistance to the Community Together). This club provides clothing and food to homeless communities in need.
Nguyen advises future COSLI students to make the best of the experience. “Use this program to help you discover your passion and allow it to show you what your potential is in both life and careers,” she says.
Throughout college, Nguyen has worked on several research projects. She is in the process of publishing her first research paper, has participated in research relating to a roundworm called C. Elegans, and took part in a human clinical trial testing a new drug for type II diabetes through Anschutz Medical Center at CU Denver. Nguyen currently works as a Medical Assistant/Scribe for Colorado Heart and Vascular clinic at St. Anthony Hospital.
Partnering with Global Medical Brigade, Nguyen was also able to travel to Ghana; she named the trip a “life-changing experience.” There, she provided healthcare to two communities while learning about shortcomings in Ghana’s healthcare systems. Nguyen and her group fundraised to allow about 300 individuals to sign up for free healthcare. “One of the most important things I learn[ed] is to be grateful for what we have and to always smile even when things are rough,” she recalls from the trip. The Ghanaians she met were always grateful and smiling despite any hardships they faced, and she took their outlook on life to heart. Nguyen’s trip to Ghana is pictured above.
In her future, Nguyen hopes to attend medical school in order to practice family medicine. She hopes to continue serving her community by providing free healthcare to individuals and assisting the homeless community.
Binh Nguyen is a wonderful representation of how COSLI’s lessons can be further developed after the program. Her actions and accomplishments thus far are incredibly admirable. Congratulations Binh!
|
|
Opportunities & Events July 2022
By Mo Dominguez
The 350 Colorado Youth Action Committee is a committee for the 350 Colorado climate organization dedicated to promoting youth activism and interest in climate action. The committee is run by youth for youth. The youth action committee is for any youth living inside or outside of Colorado who has interest in having a say in the future of climate action or wants to be involved in climate action and climate strikes. More information on the Youth Action Committee and 350 Colorado here. Join the committee here.
The Colorado Young Leaders Program is for high school students wanting to be involved with their community. The program provides the framework to help students get involved and find what they want to do. CYL students want to learn more about the world around them, discover their own gifts, and make a real impact. More information here, and register here.
Women in the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame student-written biographies: This opportunity is for any student doing an NHDC project. Students can sign up and will receive $25 for each biography completed. After you sign up, a NHDC student board member will email you to confirm your signup. Signup here.
The Mile High Flight Program is a special youth initiative sponsored by the Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen. Their goal is to inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders through the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. The program specializes in increasing students’ knowledge of aerospace and aviation, and even includes flight training and ground instruction. The application for this year is closed, but students may still apply to be considered for the next cycle. Apply here.
|
|
COSLI Alumni Participates in Learning Disability Day of Action
By Riley Cooper
A few weeks ago I traveled to Washington DC to participate in Learning Disability Day of Action with a group of other incredible high school and college students with a wide range of differences including Dyslexia, ADHD, Dysgraphia, slow processing, and Dyscalculia. The day started with a roundtable with the Department of Education, followed by a discussion with a few speakers at the West Wing of the Whitehouse about the importance of having people with disabilities in the United State’s workforce, and wrapped up with meetings with Senator Hickenlooper and Bennet’s offices to advocate for the RISE act. If passed, the RISE act will, “amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide students with disabilities and their families with access to critical information needed to select the right college and succeed once enrolled” (RISE). One aspect of the RISE act that reeled me in to lobby for is if passed, it will guarantee college students who had accommodations in high school the same, or improved accommodations in college without having to pay copious amounts of money to get retested for learning disabilities their freshman year to receive equitable access to learning.
Accommodations, also referred to as 504s or IEPs, play a key role in supporting equitable access to learning for all students and range from extended time on exams to large print copies of class material to open notes on assessments and more. Unfortunately due to such strict guidelines, accommodations are incredibly out of reach for college students, 94% of students with diagnosed learning disabilities received accommodations in high school while only 17% received accommodations in college. As a result, there are higher dropout rates of students with learning disabilities and ultimately less learning disabled faces in the workforce altogether. This is a significant issue for both people with learning disabilities and the workforce missing out on their unique talent. Accessible accommodations for college students are rather simple and would aid the path to a much-needed, more neurodiverse workforce.
Often when teachers or fellow students learn that I have learning disabilities I’m met with disbelief. There is so much stigma around learning disabilities and expectations for students with LDs are so low that many are surprised by the fact that a student leader struggles with learning disabilities. As one of my peers at this initiative put it, “They [teachers and peers] had no idea how hard I was working outside of the classroom”.
Enacting a bill is a huge challenge and while I’ll continue to work with The National Center for Learning Disabilities to push for the RISE act, some things can be done by educators and peers on a more immediate level to protect the 1 in 5 with learning disabilities. I challenge you to update your perception of learning disabled people. Yes, students with learning disabilities are often spelling what seem to be easy words on essays, taking longer on tests, and asking what many feel to be too many questions during class but we’re also the ones pushing the creative limits, inventing the theory of relativity, operating businesses, running for president with a catchy banjo theme, and advocating on the hill.
|
|
COSLI Newsletter Contributors
Tobin Wheeler, Editor (Olympia, WA)
Sandra Brock (Aurora, CO)
Mo Dominguez (Denver, CO)
Mohamed Ibrahim (Wiggins, CO)
Deajane Jackson Morgan (Aurora, CO)
Knox Leonard (Denver, CO)
Joe MacDougall (Golden, CO)
Anjana Radha (Erie, CO)
Skyla Rogers (Westminster, CO)
Allison Thomas (Wiggins, CO)
|
|
|
|
|
|
