Littleton High School has been named a finalist for the 2018 Succeeds Prize for Excellence in STEM Education. The Succeeds Prize, a collaboration between 9NEWS, mindSpark Learning and Colorado Succeeds, is the state’s most prestigious awards and recognition event honoring transformational public schools and educators. The Succeeds Prize also serves as a year-long campaign to identify and scale successful innovations and best practices so that every student in Colorado can benefit.

LHS is a finalist along with Northridge Elementary in Longmont and STEM Launch K-8 in Thornton. All three schools are focused on providing meaningful and high-quality STEM learning opportunities for their students. The winning school will be announced at a live reveal event September 18 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and will receive a $15,000 cash award to fund ongoing success.

On May 15, the Succeeds Prize panel visited LHS to interview the leadership team - including Director of Secondary Education Clay Abla, Assistant Superintendent Connie Bouwman, LHS Principal Amy Oaks, Board of Education President Jack Reutzel, and STEM Secretary Heather Bartlettmogg. Additionally, they will be meeting with parents, teachers, students, staff and community partners, including Galvanize in Boulder, Shades of Blue and the American Association of University Women.

“Education is not a 12 or 14-year experience, it’s a lifelong journey,” said John Hayes, CEO of the Ball Corporation. “STEM-related skills play a very big part in what we do each day at Ball and we believe that a robust STEM education is critical to the success of Colorado’s communities and workforce. We are proud to invest in our community through The Succeeds Prize and congratulate the Excellence in STEM Education Award finalists. We are grateful for your efforts and applaud your success.”

By 2020, 55 percent of the top jobs in Colorado will require skills in STEM. Yet, currently, Colorado is filling STEM jobs by importing qualified talent from outside the state. STEM career pathways in Colorado also tend to have a low percentage of workers who are women and people of color, even as the state grows more diverse. The Succeeds Prize recognizes that educators across the state are working to provide students with meaningful STEM learning opportunities that will prepare them to enter and succeed in STEM careers.

The STEM Award finalists and winner are selected by the STEM Award Selection Committee, which is made up of expert educators and business and civic leaders. In addition to the $15,000 cash prize for Excellence in STEM Education, The Succeeds Prize is also offering $15,000 to the winners of the following:

• Transformational Impact in an Elementary School, sponsored by TTEC
• Transformational Impact in a Middle School, sponsored by DaVita
• Transformational Impact in a High School, sponsored by Western Union Foundation
• Excellence in Education Innovation, sponsored by Janus Henderson Investors
• Excellence in Technology Enabled Learning, sponsored by Arrow Electronics

Separate committees will select the winners for these awards, which will also be revealed at The Succeeds Prize event on September 18.