From Foster Care to Foster Care Advocate

Someone To Count On

Bridging The Gap To Success

Music Makes The Grade!

Getting out of the Gang

Siblings Keep the Lights on After School…and in the Summer

Steppin’ With Initiative

Growing up Guided

Brothers Breaking the Cycle

Mentor Helps Youth Reach College Dream

Nurturing Students When the School Day Ends

Getting out of the Gang

“Making the foster care system better is really what I like to do,” says former foster youth Tamisha Macklin.

After spending twelve years in the Colorado foster care system, Macklin is speaking out. She says she wants to make the Colorado foster care system better and the transition from foster care to independence easier for those boys and girls now in foster care.

Recently, she took her message to the Colorado State Capitol. The topic? Driver’s education for foster youth.

Colorado youth in foster care are routinely denied the opportunity to receive the classroom portion of driver’s education. Many of these young men and women do not have a biological parent, legal guardian or court appointed custodian to sign an affidavit of liability that will allow foster youth to take the course.

Depending on how Colorado lawmakers respond to House Bill 1059, that could all change. Passage of the bill will waive the requirement for foster youth to complete an affidavit of liability.

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, Colorado foster youth testified before the House Transportation and Energy Committee. They told lawmakers how the current barrier to driving and having a driver’s license is hampering their ability to become independent, self-sufficient members of the community.

Tamisha was one of those who testified. She was denied the option to take driver’s education when she was of age. She eventually got her license at age 20, but not having a driver’s license made it more difficult for her to get to work once she was living on her own.

The issue was proposed in a focus group of youth who are or have been in foster care. The focus group was conducted by Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap program. The youth in the focus group determined that this was one of the most important issues impeding their success.

Colorado has 13,000 children in foster care. More than one third of those are between the ages of 14 and 21. Each year an average of 360 of them “age-out” of the foster care system and are, for all intents and purposes, on their own. Without a clear path to acquire something as basic as a driver’s license, many foster youth face a tough road toward an independent future.

 Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap program provides support for foster youth and advocates on their behalf.

“There are currently only five states that allow foster youth to drive and this is one step closer to Colorado allowing that option for our youth,” says Kippi Claussen, Director of Population Based Strategies at Mile High United Way. “Driving can be a critical barrier keeping these young adults from becoming self-sufficient and able to live on their own and keep a job.”

Tamisha enjoys being involved in the process.

“Just to have these experiences is something I never thought I would ever be doing,” said Tamisha in an interview on “Colorado Matters” a Colorado Public Radio program.

The bill was approved by the house in early February and is now being considered by a state senate committee.

Hear more of the story by listening to the February 8 edition of “Colorado Matters,” where both Kippi and Tamisha were interviewed, by visiting www.cpr.org.

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At first glance, James Woodall is a typical twelve-year-old boy. He’s into all kinds of sports, especially football, and is developing healthy social skills. What sets James apart from others his age is his story.

When James was 7 years old, his mother died. He had no contact with his father, so he went to live with his grandmother, Bobbie Morgan.

A couple of years passed. James was growing, getting older. He was doing well in school and had lots of friends, but his grandmother says she realized he needed something more.

“He seemed lonely,” says Bobbie. “I knew right then that I had to do something- had to get moving with him.”

That’s when she contacted Metro Denver Partners, a youth mentoring organization that receives support through Mile High United Way.

As an active part of Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative, organizations like Metro Denver Partners offer at-risk youth, like James, the opportunity to be paired with responsible, caring adult mentors. The goal is to give kids an adult role model--someone they can look up to, learn from and talk to about anything.

Enter Matt Brower. A young, real estate professional, Matt says he was looking for a way to give back to his community and help kids at the same time. A friend connected him with Metro Denver Partners and within a few weeks, he was matched with James.

“That first meeting was real quiet,” says Matt. “James just sat back and listened. He didn’t say much at all!”

“That’s just the way James is,” says grandma Bobbie. “He just listens and takes stock of a person, but I knew right from the start that Matt would be someone he could count on, trust and talk to.” Within a couple of weeks, James came out of his shell.

“Matt is a positive person,” says James. “He has taught me that even though there may be tough times, you have to remain positive and I like that.”

Nearly three years since they met, Matt and James are very close. They go to movies, share meals, play sports and talk. They both say that they are more than friends now-they are family.

“My experience with James has exceeded my expectations,” says Matt. “Here I thought I would be the one imparting the knowledge and experience, but James has taught me much more than I ever expected about just being yourself and not allowing others to influence you. He’s a very special person.”

James’ grandmother, Bobbie, is thrilled with how her grandson has grown with Matt’s help. “It’s definitely been a good thing, for all of us,” she says. “With Matt’s support, James is becoming the outgoing, responsible young man I always knew he could be.”

As for James, he says he and Matt are talking a lot about college plans these days. He hopes to study business management at either Louisiana State University or Syracuse. But, he admits, Matt is most helpful when it comes to talking about a particularly important and sensitive issue that is filled with teen angst and plenty of hormones.

“Girls!” says James. “It’s kind of awkward to talk about girlfriends with my grandma.”

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“This is the first time in my life that I have felt successful,“ says 23-year-old Gordon Davidson, “that I felt like everything was going to be okay.”

That may sound like a dramatic statement coming from such a young man, but for Gordon Davidson it is the truth.

A product of Colorado’s foster care system, Gordon says he spent his youth feeling out of place and not particularly loved by anyone. He says his first foster family was abusive. The second provided him a roof over his head and food, but not the loving family he desired.

When he turned 18 and graduated from high school, his foster family threw him a party and then told him that he had to move out. Like countless other foster children, Gordon had officially aged out of the system. Technically and legally, his foster family owed him nothing more and any state sponsored benefits like health care were gone. Gordon was, truly, on his own.

“My first thought was, what am I going to do?,” says Davidson, “Where am I going to go?”

Gordon says that the countless case workers, therapists and social workers he knew growing up had never told him what would happen after his 18th birthday.

“They don’t really tell you about what happens when you turn 18. They don’t prepare you for that,” says Gordon.

For the next few years, like many former foster youth, Gordon was technically homeless. He slept on friends’ couches, dabbled in drugs, tried and failed on his first attempt at college and had a hard time holding down a job. He says he was going nowhere, fast.

But then, something happened. While working a couple of jobs in the mountains, Gordon says he turned a corner. He says he finally realized he was the key to his own happiness and that he had to take control of his life. So, he packed up, moved back to Denver, enrolled in college and became involved with Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap program.

Bridging the Gap provides foster youth with financial education classes, matched savings accounts, assistance with finding affordable housing, employment and scholarships for college, and peer networking and adult partner coaching.

“The people I met through Bridging the Gap became my family,” says Gordon. “They kept me motivated and on track.”

After earning his associates degree in computer networking, Gordon interned with Bridging the Gap for eight weeks. Turns out his desire to give back made quite an impression. One week before his internship ended, Gordon was offered a full-time position with Mile High United Way’s Information Technology team!

“I still can’t believe how fortunate I am,” says Davidson. “My life is transformed. Bridging the Gap and Mile High United Way changed my life! ”

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It’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon at Stevens Elementary School in Wheat Ridge. The music room risers are filled with students standing at the ready, violins tucked under their chins, bows poised to slide across the strings.

Music teacher Traciann Heisler patiently counts, “1-2-3”. Scratchy and sweet, the melody is a familiar one. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

“This has been a dream of mine since forever,” beams Heisler, as her students play on.

This is the first year for the Stevens Elementary Violins. 32 students ranging from kindergarten to third grade are part of this new musical extra-curricular string section. It’s made possible through Mile High United Way’s Lights On After School Program which provides funding for quality after school programs for thousands of students each year throughout metro Denver.

Lights On After School is part of Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative which strives to provide students with the support they need to succeed in the classroom, graduate from high school and move onto higher educational opportunities.

Rather than potentially being left unsupervised after school ends, studies show that when boys and girls regularly participate in positive, enriching after school activities, their school day attendance and academic performance goes up.

And that is exactly what Heisler is hoping the violins do for her students. She is tracking how the skills used to learn an instrument- focus, reading music, counting time- translate to classroom work and performance.

“It’s so exciting to see them progress. I can’t wait to see where it goes,” says Heisler.

As for the students, many of them had never picked up an instrument before. But, now they confidently read music, count time and can’t stop talking about their new found talents.

“I was better than I thought I would be,” says 6-year-old Salvador Martinez Serrano.

“I had never learned to read music, but I caught on real fast,” says 9-year-old Marissa Twitl.

“Mozart inspired me,” says 9-year-old Patrick Martin.

“My parents watch me practice,” says 6-year-old Aliyah Rothstein. “The kids need this,” says Stevens Elementary Principal Marie Norby-Loud. “Without the funds provided through Mile High United Way’s Lights On After School, we could not provide this unique learning experience for our students.”

Safe, fun, motivating and educating, Lights On After School hits all of the right notes!  

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My 12th birthday wasn’t typical. Instead of a cake and presents, my older cousins initiated me into their gang. I looked up to them; they were family, and honestly, I didn’t really have a choice. Unfortunately, that decision I made as a kid changed my life forever.

For a number of years, I felt like one of the cool kids. That’s why kids join gangs, to feel like they are part of something. I didn’t just feel accepted, I felt powerful.

They gave me a gun; they gave me drugs. I basically did whatever my cousins told me.

I quickly climbed the ranks. My main job was a drug runner. Because of this job, I earned a lot of respect. People were afraid of me. If I said something, people would listen. It felt good. People knew if they didn’t listen, we’d come to their house and pull our guns.

Being a gangster is a lifestyle addiction. The language, the clothing, the music, the cash are all so addicting. I had family members, my cousins, telling me it was ok to be bad.

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Gabe and Roxy’s parents are working hard to create a better future for their children, and thanks to a new after-school program, they have a powerful community partnership supporting them. 

Mile High United Way, Adams County School District 14 and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver joined forces last year to create a Lights On After School partnership to provide elementary and middle school youth in Commerce City with enriching, educational and fun activities after school and in the summer. The new program at Kearney Middle School has created a life-changing opportunity for Gabe and Roxy and the 430 other youth who are participating. 

 “Our mom works at Taco Bell and dad works the night shift for Shamrock Foods,” said Gabe. “They never had the chance to go past middle school.”

Gabe and Roxy are good kids who do well and school and steer clear of dangerous activities they see some of their peers experimenting with. Still, without the new Lights On After School partnership, the two would most likely spend their after-school hours and summers without any direction or supervision.  

 “We’d probably be at home watching TV and eating chips,” says Gabe.

Instead, the two have the opportunity to participate in a wide array of activities, each designed to foster healthy youth development.

 A typical day for Gabe and Roxy this summer began with the two reading to the younger members of the program in the library.   Then, it’s on to a sports activity like basketball, tennis or soccer, or even a game of pool until lunch time. Members of the program are given free school lunches and then move on to other enriching activities of their choice in five core areas: technology, arts, academics, sports and life skills.

Roxy is an incredibly avid reader. She’s in the reading club at Kearney and finished so many books this summer that she won an iPOD from the Club.

“She’s a nerd,” Gabe teases.

Roxy smiles confidently - she has a lot to be proud of. 

Roxy is a member of the program’s Torch Club, a team of boys and girls ages 10 to 13 that works on character and leadership development. Torch Club is a powerful vehicle through which Boys & Girls Club staff can help meet the special needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their development. Torch Club members learn to elect officers and work together to plan and implement activities in four areas: community service, education, health and fitness and social recreation.

Roxy and the other Torch Club members participate in eye-opening activities, such as assisting youth in Managua, Nicaragua who are living in a community trash dump. Club members learned about the community, wrote letters to the youth, and organized a community clothing and toy drive to support the Nicaraguan families.

“What’s going on in Nicaragua is really sad,” says Roxy. “What if this were happening to you? I just want to help.”

Just like his sister, Gabe is already a role model, even if he doesn’t know it yet. He recently earned the MLB® S.T.A.R. Award, sponsored by Major League Baseball, for exhibiting STAR qualities: Sportsmanship, Team spirit, Achievement and Responsibility through sports, fitness, and recreation. Beyond the award, he’s a stellar baritone saxophone player, and thinks math is easy.

The Boys & Girls Club program is focused on inspiring and enabling kids, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential.

 “For kids like Roxy and Gabe who are already on a path to success, we like to think we have some part in keeping them focused so they can maximize all their natural gifts,” says Jason Martinez, branch director of the Commerce City Boys & Girls Club.

“These two kids have really stepped up to become leaders,” he continues. “They truly stand out. They’re well mannered, follow directions, great energy, excited to be here, and are always willing to try new things.”

The pioneer program at Kearney Middle School is the first of many Lights On After School programs to be established throughout Commerce City.

In the city of Denver, 9,000 students are participating in the Lights On After School partnership supported by Mile High United Way, Denver Public Schools, Denver Public Schools Foundation and the City of Denver. Recent research in Denver found that youth who regularly participate in Lights On After School receive higher test scores and improve their school-day attendance. 

In conjunction with the Jefferson Foundation and Jeffco Public Schools, Mile High United Way expanded Lights On After School to Jefferson County last year.  

Expanding Lights On After School is a key strategy of Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative, which focuses on helping at-risk youth overcome obstacles and graduate from high school, “said Art Rimando, senior director of Mile High United Way’s Youth Success initiative. “We know that investing in quality after-school programs is a highly effective strategy for keeping kids engaged in school and helping them graduate.” 

Mile High United Way’s goal is to expand Lights On After School throughout metro Denver. But, we need your help. Donate to Mile High United Way’s Youth Success initiative and help us expand Lights On After School. 

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It’s the kind of synchronization that gives you goose bumps. Walking into Jefferson High School in Edgewater, you hear T.R.O.O.P. long before you can see them. These girls have serious rhythm. They keep time in a dynamic step team that focuses on the Total Respect of Other People.

Today, the girls are learning a new segment in their routine. The coach begins the countdown and T.R.O.O.P. erupts into formations with clapping, stomping, yelling and hip hop dancing.

The girls cry out in unison, “We represent life…let’s make an impact!”

The girls are determined with serious looks on their faces and deliberate movements. All of a sudden, their routine ends; they show their age and burst into uncontrollable giggles and conversation.

One 16-year-old girl stands out among all the rest. Priscilla Gomez asks the coach to reiterate the new steps with her. She has acute attention to detail and is genuinely involved with the group. After each take, she moves quickly back to her spot at the front of the formation and waits for the coach to count off again.

But, it’s not just her dancing that sets her apart. Priscilla has learned important lessons in T.R.O.O.P. that have translated seamlessly into the classroom.

The step team weaves together lessons of empowerment, conflict resolution, and effective communication with hip hop dance. Led by their coach, Shirnae Mackey, the girls learn how to be strong, independent women. They also learn how to be committed to a project, and how to work together as a team.

“T.R.O.O.P. has taught me how to respect people you may not necessarily get along with,” said Priscilla. “I can communicate with people and understand them -- even if I don’t get along with them. It’s a mutual respect thing.”

T.R.O.O.P. is supported by Mile High United Way’s Youth Success initiative through Lights On After School.

Without Lights On After School, many students would be unsupervised after school, and research shows that’s prime time for youth to begin to experiment with dangerous behaviors like drugs, alcohol and even criminal activities.

Students at Jefferson High School are able to participate in a variety of Lights On After School projects that focus on art, culture and academics. Tutoring, comic design, hip-hop, salsa and cultural dance, mural design, choir, and robotics are available to students.

“Lights On After School programs are necessary in this corridor of Jefferson County,” said Elizabeth Sigmond, 21st Century Grants Manager. “Kids get to explore areas they may not get electives for in school like dance, art, theater, music and shop. These experiences make them well-rounded and give them a safe place to come every day after school.”

Priscilla is one busy 16-year-old. In addition to T.R.O.O.P., Priscilla also participates in salsa and hip-hop dancing classes after school. She even works on the weekends in Boulder and is an excellent student.

“She helps other students in class, always turns in her work on time, and is an advocate for herself and others,” said Rhiannon Wenning, Priscilla’s world history teacher. “It is her work ethic and positive attitude that has made her successful both academically and socially.”

Priscilla comes from a single-parent family. With a rebellious older brother, her mom is strict but loving with Priscilla. “My mom works all the time. T.R.O.O.P. gives me something to look forward to after school instead of going home to an empty house,” she said.

Priscilla’s motivation comes from her college dreams. “I hate the negative stereotype out there of Mexicans. I want to continue to get good grades and go to college so I can make something of myself and prove everyone wrong.”

Expanding Lights On After School is a key strategy of Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative, which focuses on helping at-risk youth overcome obstacles and graduate from high school. Currently, 9,000 students in Denver Public Schools participate in a Lights On After School Program. Mile High United Way expanded the Lights On After School partnership to Adams County School District 14 and Jefferson County Public Schools this school year.

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When Nigel was just 5 years old, his single mother knew her son needed a strong male role model to help him be successful in school and in life. She connected with Denver Kids, hoping a male mentor could help Nigel in school and put him on track to graduate.

Nigel and his new mentor, Mark, began “hanging out.” They spent time going to the Denver Children’s Museum, fishing, and going to ballgames. It was a great match, and Nigel responded to Mark’s influence by excelling in school.

Now, nearly 10 years later, Nigel is still “hanging out” with Mark. These days their activities include snowboarding and homework help. With the goal of graduating from high school firmly in hand, they spend a lot of time preparing Nigel for college.

Denver Kids is now a partner agency of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative, which is supported by Mile High United Way, the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships and Bank of the West. The Youth Mentoring Collaborative is comprised of 15 mentoring organizations that work together to recruit mentors and implement best practices. Their goal is to ensure that every at-risk youth in metro Denver in need of a volunteer mentor is matched with one.

Mile High United Way’s support of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative is a fundamental part of its Youth Success Initiative, which seeks to empower at-risk youth to overcome obstacles and graduate from high school. Quality mentoring programs, like Denver Kids, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, and the other member organizations of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative, have proven over and over again that they are an effective strategy for helping youth succeed in school and in life.

Having a mentor has given Nigel self confidence and a bright outlook on life.

“I’ve tried to expose him to a variety of experiences; he’s one of those kids who wants to explore everything,” said Mark. “It’s my job as a mentor to show him the doors and windows of opportunity that are out there, but ultimately he has to walk through.”

Nigel is a sophomore at Denver School for the Arts, an academically challenging public school that focuses on the arts. His concentration is in stage craft, design and the technical aspects of a theater production.

“I love the whole process,” said Nigel. “We get to create something, go through all the crazy rehearsals, and see it in action during the run of a production. It’s a little taste of everything from drafting to sketching, set design and lighting.”

Nigel and Mark get together every Monday for four hours, and the occasional weekend. A lot of time is spent on homework, especially with college looming. Getting in the habit of seeing each other every week is important.

“I wanted him to know he could count on someone, that I would be there to pick him up from school at the same time every week, and we’d have our time together for homework or fun activities,” said Mark.

At school, Nigel is taking an advanced placement history class. He admits that it’s his most challenging subject, but Mark helps him work through the struggles until he understands the concepts. A few weeks ago they spent hours figuring out the logistics of the Boston Tea Party. It turns out there was a debate on the subject the next day in class; he understood the concepts so well that he won.

Mark is a father figure and big brother to Nigel. In the last three years, they have been working on some important life lessons.

“It’s important for me to show him there is a process in solving problems in school and in life. Thinking logically and always learning from situations are core things I’ve shown him,” Mark said.

Nigel takes those lessons home. “If my mom and I get in a disagreement, instead of screaming at each other, we work out a plan and compromise. I learned this from Mark.”

Mark and Nigel’s relationship constantly evolves.

“I don’t know where I would be without Mark as my mentor. I know I wouldn’t have experienced half of what I have in life already. It would be a ripple effect: if Mark wasn’t in my life, I probably wouldn’t have picked the right friends, and that could have led to something else…could have affected my education, and so on. I’m very grateful,” said Nigel.

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Brothers Breaking the Cycle

A fourth of Colorado’s high school students do not graduate on time. (2006 Colorado Department of Education report) This high drop-out rate translates into a “staggering” loss in human potential in Colorado, says the Governor’s Colorado P-20 Council Brief. In fact, the Colorado Children’s Campaign reports that lost earning potential due to students not graduating from high school costs Colorado $3.4 billion per year.

Recent studies also indicate that young people are more likely to become involved in crime, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy during unsupervised after-school hours, especially between 3 and 4 p.m.

Meet Marco, age 19, and Josh, 13. These brothers have been through it all. Their family of eight experienced bouts of homelessness in the past decade; the boys typically changed schools every four months.

“We lived in the Navajo Projects for a while and it was awful. It was so loud; we heard gunshots all the time and couldn’t sleep,” said Marco. Most of their older siblings dropped out of high school and many members of their family have been incarcerated. Gang activity also runs rampant in their extended family and the brothers are relentlessly pressured to join.

Even with lives full of tumultuous circumstances, the brothers look to each other and Catholic Charities’ Rishel Beacon Neighborhood Center, a program supported by Mile High United Way’s Youth Success initiative through Lights On After School. Since1998, Rishel Beacon has been offering free classes and activities after school to students who live in the Valverde and Athmar Park neighborhoods of southwest Denver.

The classes focus on five core areas - academics, arts, technology, leadership and recreation.  The goal of this program is to empower young people like Josh and Marco to achieve academic success, participate in enrichment activities they otherwise would not have access to, and ultimately, graduate from high school.

Marco is already his own success story.  He participated in the program in both middle and high school.  Last year, he was the first person in his family to graduate from high school.  He now juggles community college with a full-time job as a restaurant manager.

“It’s simple, if I didn’t attend the after-school programs at Catholic Charities’ Beacon Program, I would be in a gang.  The classes kept me out of trouble and helped me establish goals,” he said.   

Josh is following closely in his older brother’s footsteps. 

“This is my safe place,” Josh said.  “We have nine people living in a three bedroom place right now.  It’s very crowded.  But, I can come here and I don’t feel the pressure to join a gang, do graffiti or shoplift.  If one of my friends asks me to do ‘bad stuff’ I tell them I have to go to Beacons.”

Josh says he has benefited from the wide range of classes offered by the program.   The anti-smoking class, in particular, had a huge impact on him and it may have an even more far-reaching benefit.

“I learned so much about how bad smoking is for you,” Josh said.  “Most of the people in my family smoke, so I try and get them to quit.  It’s like Beacons helped me take my training wheels off,” said Josh. 

Marco’s most valuable experience at Rishel Beacon was his role as a youth worker in both middle school and high school.  The class is unique because it is more like a paid internship than a class.  Students learn valuable leadership skills, perform mock interviews, develop budgets and help coordinate and organize programs for middle school youth.  In addition, youth workers learn about different careers and must maintain a “B” average in school. 

“Getting into trouble is very easy, especially when your family isn’t trying to steer you away from bad behavior,” Marco said.  “The youth worker job brought a whole new sense into my life.  The instructors in these programs want me to succeed.  I’m living proof of that.”

The brothers are incredibly close.  “Marco has given me a lot to shoot for,” Josh said.  “He shows me that it’s possible to get where he is.  He took me to his college - - it was so cool.  He wants to be a cop so he can make the streets safer.  I definitely want to go to college someday and become a lawyer.  I want to fight for justice and make the world safer.” 

Lights On After School

Lights On After School is a partnership between the Denver Public Schools Foundation, the City and County of Denver, Denver Public Schools and Mile High United Way’s Youth Success initiative.  This year, the partners are investing $1 million in Lights On After School programs at 90 schools in Denver.

In addition, Mile High United Way has developed partnerships to expand Lights On After School this year to five elementary schools, one middle school and one high school in Jefferson County and Commerce City.  Our partners there include Jefferson County Schools, The Jefferson Foundation, Adams County School District 14 and a major youth-serving agency.

While Marco and Josh have overcome tremendous odds, there’s still an abundant number of at-risk youth in our community without the option of attending a Lights On After School program.  Donate today by dialing 2-1-1 and help create a brighter future for these deserving young people.  We can do more together. 

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Claudia and Kristin, Mentor Helps Youth Reach College Dream

A college education is paramount to achieving success in our country; it’s the gateway to the American dream. Most of us got help from our parents as we spent endless hours on applications, essays and the constant coordination it took to apply for college and student loans.

What if no one was there to guide you?

Meet high school senior Claudia Iberra, an extraordinary young woman from less than ordinary circumstances. She knew she wanted a college education, but no one in her family had ever attended. Claudia was raised in a loving, single parent family with her two brothers for most of her life, and she witnessed at a young age the hardships of financial struggle. In order to make her dreams a reality, Claudia knew she would have to go outside her family for guidance through the college application process.

Through the support of the Youth Mentoring Collaborative, sponsored by Mile High United Way, Bank of the West and the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships, Claudia received guidance from a mentor from the Byrne Foundation.

Kristin Brookens, a Colorado native and administrative coordinator for Advanced Engineering Investigations Corporation in Denver, began mentoring Claudia in August of 2006. They were a natural match given their shared interest in sports. Kristin played basketball through college and Claudia is on her school’s basketball and soccer teams. Once a week, Claudia and Kristin get together and have a meal, coffee, go to sporting events, or just chat over the phone. Their time together in the past few months has been especially significant as Kristin assisted Claudia with college applications and scholarships.

Earlier this year, Claudia was nominated by the Youth Mentoring Collaborative and the Byrne Foundation to receive the highly prestigious Daniels Fund Scholarship. These highly competitive scholarships are awarded to well-rounded students whose potential far outweighs their financial ability to pay for college. The scholarship supplements tuition, room and board, and other miscellaneous costs.

Claudia was in competition with 800 other high school seniors for the scholarship; she needed Kristin’s help to make her application stand out. For months, Kristin and Claudia went through the intense and tedious process of the Daniels Fund Scholarship, filling out various applications and forms and writing essays. They did this together while concurrently applying for college and other financial aid grants.

“We were at a Youth Mentoring Collaborative workshop earlier this year and I was impressed by Claudia’s progress,” said Kristin. “Imelda from Mile High United Way was reading her essay aloud and it occurred to me in one of those ‘ah-ha’ moments: this girl is really going to do something with her life. She had three out of the four required essays completed for the Daniels Fund when other kids had only started getting ideas together.”

In early 2007, they spent a lot of time rehearsing for the interview, arguably the most important part of the Daniels Fund Scholarship process. Kristin continually conducted mock interviews with Claudia over coffee or dinner in order to prepare her.

“Kristin is like a big sister to me. We practiced interviewing so much; I felt comfortable and pretty relaxed when it came time for the real interview. She gave me that extra push and I felt really prepared,” Claudia stated.

In April of 2007, Claudia was selected as an official recipient of the Daniels Fund Scholarship.

“I don’t think I could have done this without Kristin’s guidance,” said Claudia, “She’s helped me in so many ways. No one in my family has ever gone to college and she has-- so it was so awesome to have her there for all the stuff I had to do in order to get the scholarship.”

“I am immensely proud of Claudia. She made this happen for herself. She’s one of those kids that just has a light inside that’s visible to everyone, most importantly, in the last few months, to the Daniels Fund.”

In fall of 2007, Claudia plans on attending CU Boulder in the pre-med program. She wants to be a doctor so she can help others in need and make her family proud. 21 other high school seniors from the Youth Mentoring Collaborative also received scholarships.

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Miguel and Duveena, Nurturing Students When the School Day Ends

Miguel and Duveena are eleven-year-old students who attend Columbine Elementary School in Denver. At the end of each regular academic day, they join nearly 100 other kindergarten to sixth grade students in a Lights On After School program, which is a partnership between Mile High United Way, the Denver Public Schools Foundation and the Mayor’s Office for Education and Children.

“I wasn’t a really respectful kid,” Duveena admits after a thoughtful pause, “but I think when I was in the after-school program and talking to [program director] Mr. Gale he taught me a lot more respect, in a way.”

Miguel, who has attended the program for three years, speaks proudly of his experience in Lights On After School. “When I got here,” he says, “I didn’t know any English . . . so they helped me and now I’m a lot better.” He likes playing basketball when he’s finished his homework, and he smiles as he describes the work he put into building a small model of a wooden boat. Like his classmate Duveena, he has also learned lessons in compassion and respect which, along with academic support, are important components of the program. After getting in trouble for fighting with another student, Mr. Gale coached Miguel about taking responsibility for his actions. “I went to the kid and told him I was sorry and I wanted to be friends,” Miguel says with a smile.

"It’s really fun,” adds Duveena, “You have to earn what you want to do—by doing your homework and obeying the teachers.” The things she enjoys most about the program are the special trips to a local water park and getting advice and guidance from Albert Gale and the other teachers.

Albert Gale has been overseeing Lights On After School students for seven years, returning to the school after retiring from a 30-year teaching career spent entirely at Columbine Elementary. “I love working with the kids,” he says. “I love helping in the community . . . I grew up in the community, so I’ve been around here for about 50 years.”  Mr. Gale explains that the goal of Lights On After School programs is to provide elementary and middle school youth with quality, after-school support and supervision, including tutoring, sports and activities, and a safe place to be when the school day ends.

He recalls one young student who was having difficulty with her studies and experiencing some problems at home. Mr. Gale helped her with her reading and math, but also spent time sitting and talking with her—giving her a daily “pep talk.” From the time she came into the program, Mr. Gale observed that she “changed a whole lot—for the better.”

Stephen Wera, the principal of Columbine for the past three years, couldn’t be happier with the results he sees in his Lights On After School students. “It’s really easy to see the ones that are falling through the cracks blatantly. But it’s the ones that are kind of slipping slowly—those are the ones we can really target in this program. And we don’t let them fall through the cracks.”

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