The Student Spotlight feature of each LPS Board meeting, new to the Board’s agenda this year, celebrates a student or a group of students who are living out the Portrait of an LPS Graduate. 

Portrait of an LPS Graduate
What is the Portrait of an LPS Graduate? Tomorrow’s workers will succeed by constantly adapting to the changing world around them. Today’s students must begin by learning new life skills. In response, about four years ago, more than 300 local industry leaders, teachers, community members, parents and students discussed what the new learning priorities should be. Focus groups of LPS high school students reviewed this feedback, shared their priorities and compiled the Portrait of an LPS Graduate, which outlines the attributes/skills of an LPS graduate:

• Well-adjusted, Thriving and Balanced
• Communication
• Global/Cultural Awareness
• Character
• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Adaptability
• Creativity
• Risk-Taking
• Resiliency
• Collaboration
• Self Advocacy
• All surrounding Rigorous and Relevant Academic Skills

September 29, 2022
At their meeting on September 29, 2022, the Board of Education recognized Powell Middle School eighth grader Ellie Reed. Ellie provided instrumental music as people were arriving for the Board meeting, and during Superintendent Ewert’s Report to the Board, she was invited up to sing. You can check out Ellie’s performances by streaming the Board meeting. 

Ellie is a driven student. She seeks as many opportunities as she can to succeed and works hard to accomplish her goals. Ellie is organized, mature, and eager to improve. Her orchestra director, Mr. David Eilert, said, “I’ve seen Ellie start the double bass in seventh grade, a year later than most students, miss significant rehearsal time due to illness, and overcome all of these obstacles in order to be our bass section leader in eighth grade orchestra. I’ve observed Ellie help other students with their schoolwork, and she also demonstrates collaborative skills beyond her years in completing projects alongside teammates. Ellie isn’t merely satisfied with her middle school accomplishments. She has goals for high school and beyond, applying to a fine arts academy program for high school and putting in the scholastic and extracurricular work necessary to succeed in whatever next stage life has for her. On top of all this, and most importantly, Ellie is a kind, considerate, and respectful person. She volunteers to help in almost every setting, and is generous with her time.”

Where Ellie meets all areas identified in the LPS Portrait of a Graduate, she shines in the areas of Character, Creativity, and as we’ve seen here this evening, Risk Taking. To get to where she is as a performing artist, Ellie has needed to take risks and persevere through obstacles that have stood in her way. To perform the way she does with grace is indicative of strong character and judgment. To embrace music the way she has shows a tremendous appreciation for creativity and a willingness to make every performance its unique best.

LPS is very proud of Ellie! 

October 13, 2022
At their meeting on October 13, 2022, the Board of Education celebrated four students from Heritage High School. 

Gavin Batron is currently a senior at Heritage, and he is having an unbelievable cross country season! He set a new school record for a 5K at the Liberty Bell Invitational in September with a time of 15:10.40–which is just over 5 minutes per mile. Most recently, he won Athlete of the Week for September 26–October 1 for his win at the Emma Coburn Elk Run in Crested Butte. Currently, he and his teammates are ranked 4th in 5A cross country. They will be a team to watch at the state meet on October 29. Gavin is living out the Portrait of a Graduate, especially in the categories of being well-adjusted, thriving, and balanced. 

Luke Parker is a senior at Heritage High School who is captivated by engineering, making stuff that works, and just generally tinkering. He has used his creativity and problem solving to rebuild and program a robotic arm with support and guidance from his applied technology teachers. He says, “It is the greatest joy there is to find a problem and work on it, be it mechanical, electrical, software, or a combination of all three in a robot.” He is a leader within the classroom helping all students to think inquisitively, ask questions, and create solutions to problems within their world. Principal Stacey Reindeau said, “When Luke was asked for a few sentences about himself for this showcase statement, he provided us with an entire website explaining the use of the robotic arm - we think that captures it all!” Luke hopes to expand his passion for science as he plans to study aerospace engineering with a focus on propulsion and fluid dynamics after Heritage. Luke exemplifies the Portrait of a Graduate, especially the collaboration, creativity, and problem solving aspects.

Sofia Funk, also a senior at Heritage, is the epitome of grit and resilience. She overcame a traumatic experience at STEM her freshman year and has become a strong leader and advocate for students at Heritage. She is part of the Ambassador Program and is a welcoming face for our new students and potential incoming HHS Eagles. Sofia is a student who knows who she is and sets goals for herself inside and outside of the classroom. She is confident and chooses to lead versus follow the status quo. Sofia is a bright, inquisitive learner and her dream is to attend the Air Force Academy next year. We will all sleep better at night knowing Sofia’s grit and leadership will be part of our future armed forces. She shines in the global and cultural awareness, problem solving, collaboration, resiliency, and critical thinking categories of the Portrait of an LPS Graduate.

Delaney Mosteller is a part of an organization formed by National Honor Society that holds monthly meetings to help student leaders talk about their mental health. Their main goal is to support students with their own mental health so they can be the best leaders they can be back at their own schools. They focus on time management, coping with stress and building support systems. The National Association of Secondary School Principals is hosting a student leadership summit on mental health in Washington, D.C. this fall and invited students from this organization to discuss the mental health and wellness of students in the hopes they can help develop policy around it. Delaney will be leading a team from Heritage, and one of only two groups from Colorado. Delaney showcases the Portrait of an LPS Graduate categories of communication, problem solving, collaboration, and self-advocacy in all that she does.

Of all our students being “spotlighted” this evening, Principal Stacey Reindeau said, “We are excited to see what all these Eagles’ futures will hold!”

Truly, all of these students are shining examples to their peers. Thank you for your perseverance, your brilliance, and your advocacy on behalf of yourself and others.