The Falls Event Center in Littleton was at capacity on May 7th as parents, students, staff and families gathered to celebrate the CURO Awards, sponsored by the LPS Special Services Advisory Committee and Special Education Department. 

The word “CURO” is Latin and means “to care for or to pay attention to” and the CURO award recognizes the dedication and commitment of individuals who make a difference in the life of an LPS student with a disability. 

This year’s event included a video tribute to nominees and special music provided by young adults in Transition Services, followed by the recognition of 85 nominees and the presentation of 6 CURO awards, 4 Student CURO awards and 15 Junior CURO awards. The program included heartfelt gratitude shared through written comments, such as: “She exemplifies what it means to be a caring, supportive and trusted adult who specializes in seeing a student’s strengths and helping them work through their struggles” and “The team deserves this award because they go above and beyond the call of duty for the kids in their program, day in and day out.”

Any LPS community member, staff member or student is eligible to receive the award. Recipients of the award are nominated because their devotion to a student with a disability has made that student's life better. 

Congratulations to the 85 nominees and 25 CURO award winners:

2019 STUDENT AND JUNIOR CURO RECIPIENTS

• Faeth Applegate
• Logan Ashcraft
• Violet Damschroder
• Hope and Faith Harmann
• James Kellogg
• Laney Morais
• Macy Graybill
• Adelyn Hardesty
• Gina Ogrin
• Justmir Ponce Mase  
• Connor Scott
• Andrew Seed
• Jake Sweeney 
• Aleah Jost
• Frances Tharp
• Wyatt West
• Sully Pratt

2019 CURO RECIPIENTS

• Ashleigh Brateman
• Brandi Carlson and the Arapahoe Toms
• Jessica Gallegos
• Jennifer Leyden
• Jenna Southern
• Tom Stavig, Tammy Nonko

2019 CURO NOMINEES

• Kendra Ackerman
• Erin Anderson
• Megan Anderson
• Arapahoe High School
• Amber Barnello
• Kristin Bergman
• Nadia Boyd
• Nan Butler
• Bonnie Stephenson
• Peggy Brinkhuis
• Jackie Brotherton
• Ofelia Caballero
• Wendy Davis, Carole Johnson, Kristen Yerkes, Gina Wetzel, Maribeth Natale, Becky Ray, Krista Zaranski, Jody Smith
• Dionte Delouth
• Bree Dougan
• Deanna Encinias
• Deborah Flom
• Grant Gavin
• Lorrie Hall
• Kate Hammers, Wendy Bates, Angela Mulheran, Sophia Davies
• Amanda Hasting
• Eric Hofschire
• IEP Team - Marlene Buckley, Tracy Case, Katie Fanning, Michelle Jackson, Antonette Leflar, Tammy Prince
• Linda Jones
• Heather Kauffman
• Heather Kauffman, Galen Kauffman, Josh Cox, Nate White
• Erin Kennedy
• Nancy Knight
• Special Education Team - Krista Krisl, Laurie Hiland, Zack Owens, Kristie Blackwood, Jeff McAnarney, Cheryl Hubin, Deb Williams, Susan Dalton
• Sarah Lawrence
• Erica Mabry
• Brittany Markus
• Don Meersman
• Donna Millar
• Susan O’Daniel
• Megan Oaster
• Suzy Olsen, Josie Tugman, Dustin Drye
• Suzy Olsen, Eric Martinez
• Edie Petersen
• Mike Porter
• Brandi Richards
• Tiffany Ritchie, Anne Thurmond
• Amber Rogers
• Colleen Rondinelli
• Travis Shaver
• Kelly Shiller, Kirsten Boten, Larry Backe, Alyshia Shelton, Nicole Mercer, Holly Nichols
• Jenny Shoen
• Jenny Shoen, Angela Trentzsch, Jenny Muehling, Margaret Doida, Kristen Olson, Amy Philofsky
• Kelly Stahlman
• Anne Thurmond
• Christine Tippett
• Melinda Travis
• Josie Tugman
• The Vision Team - Lisa Brocard, Nancy Cozart, Ingrid Mayer, Nancy Knight, Shelley Moats, Susan Smith
• Kristen Vitale, Nancy Zizzo
• Linda Wood
• Christin Worsley 

Pictured: 2019 Student CURO Award winners Adelyn Hardesty, Laney Morais and Macy Graybill and Melissa Cooper, Director of Special Education/Student Support Services