It has certainly been a year for the books. In honor of our last day of school, we are re-debuting our 2012-2013 music video!
Special thanks to Kathryn Bronn of Simple Life Photography and Cheri Luciano of Panic Attack Pictures for all their dedication and hard work! It is because of your vision and love for our students that this was possible.
Be on the lookout for new videos from the Denver Street School throughout the summer.
This is my 13th year working at the Denver Street School, and being here that long as afforded me the opportunity to see miraculously changed lives. And while those of us who work at the school have had a front row seat to see God’s hand in the lives of these troubled students… others haven’t.
But they’ve supported our mission, regardless.
We have generous donors who give selflessly month after month. There are companies who have supported us for years. And even foundations have chosen to partner with the school. Our community has come along side us, enabling the Denver Street School to be a beacon of hope in Denver.
On February 21, we get to celebrate those friends.
Part of the reason we have the Evening of Stars Gala each year is to bless the community of supporters that make the school a viable option for at-risk youth in need of a second chance. It’s our chance to show them the lives they help change by financially partnering with the school.
They hear about students on track to be the first in their family to graduate.
They meet kids who have walked away from drug and alcohol abuse.
They see lives transformed by the love of Jesus.
It truly is a celebration of HOPE.
These 13 years have been good ones. There have been challenges, heartaches, and frustrations… but there has also been countless stories of victory and freedom. Watching these students began to see a hopeful future has been an amazing privilege!
Want to see hope in action?
Make sure to attend our Evening of Stars Gala on Thursday, February 21st. Click here for more information.
Carrie Sutton – West Campus Math Teacher
What seemed like a disruptive teenager not particularly interested in math was really a young man who was bored and in need of a challenge. Although he completed his Geometry assignments, his side comments weren’t helping his classmates stay focused.
In hopes to channel Sean’s energy and personality in a productive way, I presented him with the opportunity to become a math “coach” for my Pre-Algebra class in the morning. There were a couple students in particular who I knew would benefit from more individualized attention. After just a couple weeks of this arrangement, the students Sean has been working with are understanding concepts better. When they check in with me after working together, they have smiles on their faces and completed work in their hands.
While some students may get frustrated when their peers don’t understand something, Sean is very patient and is able to explain concepts thoroughly. I can hear the excitement in his voice when he reports that he can tell that the guys he’s working with “are starting to get it.” I’m excited to see Sean’s personality, intellect and natural teaching ability blend together as he continues to coach my Pre-Algebra students!
Kacy Leyba — Electives Teacher, West Campus
As a former Street School student, I know what it’s like to be clueless in a kitchen. So, when I felt God calling me to teach a cooking class this year, a small part of me went into panic mode.
Sauté, flambé, boil, broil; At the beginning of the summer I didn’t have the first clue about anything in the cooking world- except how to make oatmeal (and I usually manage to mess that up). But after realizing how unrefined my own cooking skills are, I realized how important it is that our students learn their way around a kitchen and know how to cook nutritious, well rounded meals.
So throughout the school year, I am undertaking the role of “faux sues chef”; Wrapping geography, anthropology, math, life skills, art, & cooking all into one course. My students and I will be taking a journey around the world with the cooking class as our vehicle. By the time Christmas vacation rolls around, we will have explored the food and cultures of the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Italy, China, Japan, the Philippines, and France- just to name a few.
I’m a big believer in broadening your horizons and learning through adventure. I am trying to instill some of that adventurous spirit in my students, and trying to break them out of their “McDonalds everyday” comfort zone. So, on the first day of class, my students and I made a pact: No matter how strange something looks or how ‘gross’ it sounds, we will try it- together.
I’m excited to see where God takes our class in the next nine months and am so thankful for all the wonderful people who have helped to get this class off the ground! If you are interested in stopping by the class for a day, or being a “guest chef”, feel free to call the school and set up a time to drop by! We would love to have you.
Amanda Hockmuth, Director of Development
During the month of June, the Denver Street School students went to the Outfitters for Christ (OFC) Ranch, an outdoor adventure mentorship program located in Yampa, Colorado. First the girls, then the boys spent a week in this incredible program.
I had the privilege of being 1 of the 3 chaperones for the girl’s trip.
During their week at OFC the girls participated in Bible studies, trust exercises, quite-time in nature, horseback riding, fishing, long hikes and many more reflective and exciting activities.
One of the more intensive trust exercises involved the majority of the group being blindfolded while a few students lead them through a meadow full of natural obstacles including foot bridges, steep hills and uneven ground. Oh yeah, and the guides weren’t allowed to speak! Everyone finished the exercise, but there were several girls on the edge of quitting. The exercise was designed to bring up personal challenges, and that it did!
After everyone’s nerves calmed, we sat down as a group and processed the issues brought up by the activity. One student stated “I felt like I was being pulled in two different directions!”. We discussed how in life we are often pulled by the 2 opposing forces of good and evil.
It was an incredible week full adventure and meaningful reflection! Thank you for helping make this possible.
Breeze Marker — English Teacher, West Campus
Recently, I took my eleventh grade students to see The Hunger Games. Their assignment was to predict the differences between the movie and book. Did you see the movie after reading the book? If so, feel free to stop by and read some of the students’ reviews of the movie. In addition, Suzanne Collins is a unique writer because she developed a Young Adult Lit. book, where the setting changes around the characters, as opposed to the characters traveling through different settings. Consequently, students have tracked the setting changes by recording quotes, which they are developing into a visual display of the unique changes in surroundings throughout The Hunger Games. I’m excited to see their final projects!
Christina Schmitzler — English Teacher, East Campus
That saying has become a running joke at the school, used by students and teachers alike. The situations it is applied to run the gamut from the humorous to the heartbreaking. We’ve all had our own “Only at DSS” moments, but here are some of my favorites:
I’ve been called at all hours of the day and night for all sorts of emergencies. I’ve spent nights at the hospital and been to doctor’s appointments, baby showers and baptisms. None of this is in the job description of a high school English teacher. Only at DSS, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
