You are invited to an open house to learn more about our ACTION Zone work at Aurora Central High School, Aurora West College Preparatory Academy, Boston K-8 and Crawford and Paris elementary schools. Participants will have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on draft school innovation plan frameworks with school staff:

Tuesday, Feb. 16 • 4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Aurora Central High School
11700 E. 11^th Ave. Aurora, CO 80010

You may also view draft innovation plans and frameworks and provide feedback at aps2020.aurorak12.org/action-zone/.

Based on feedback from parents, students, staff and the community, the Aurora Central High School innovation plan has been revised and posted at the ACTION Zone website.  The revised plans from the other proposed ACTION Zone schools were also posted a week ago at the ACTION Zone website at aps2020.aurorak12.org/action-zone/.

Innovation plans for Boston K-8, Crawford and Paris will be presented to the APS Board of Education on March 1.  The Aurora Central plan will likely be presented to the Board later this month. Staff at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy decided not to move forward with their innovation plan at this time.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
April 13, 2016

WHAT:   Aurora Public Schools’ Top Ten Ceremony
WHEN:   Friday, April 15, 2016, 6 p.m.
WHERE:  City of Aurora Municipal Building, 15151 E. Alameda Pkwy., Aurora, CO 80012

 Community Partners Shine the Spotlight on Aurora Public Schools' Top Ten Ceremony

Aurora Public Schools is proud to partner with generous community organizations to celebrate Top Ten scholars from each of our high schools. Xcel Energy and the Medical Center of Aurora are lighting the way to help sponsor a special event at the City of Aurora’s Municipal Building.

Top ten scholars from Aurora Central, Aurora West College Preparatory Academy, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Vista PEAK Preparatory high schools will be honored for their outstanding academic achievements.

The City of Aurora, Falck Rocky Mountain, the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, FirstBank Aurora, RBC Capital Markets and Colorado State University Global have also teamed up to help sponsor this event.

Thanks to these generous community partners, students will be escorted in stretch limousines from their schools to the event. A ceremony will be held outside (west of the building) as long as weather permits.

###

Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303.326.2755 for more information

Is your student prepared for college or ready for a job?

Families, join us for an Informational Meeting about Digital Badging! 

Digital Badging is a new way to give APS students opportunities to develop their hopes & dreams! WIN a BACKPACK full of school supplies! 

• North Middle School 12095 Montview Blvd. Aurora, CO 80010  Date: Tuesday, April 12 Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Location: In the Library 
• Mosley P-8 55 N. Salida Way Aurora, CO 80011  Date: Thursday, April 21 Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Location: In the Media Center
• Mrachek Middle School 1955 S Telluride St Aurora, CO 80013 Date: Tuesday, April 26 Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Location: TBD
• Aurora West College Preparatory Academy 10100 E 13th Ave Aurora, CO 80010  Date: Thursday, April 28 Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Location: In the Media Center

For questions, contact Amanda McLean at armclean@aps.k12.co.us or 303-340-0859 x28290

• View the flier.

The Aurora community recently took part in a unique celebration honoring Aurora Public Schools’ top graduates of 2016. APS partnered with the City of Aurora and a host of gracious sponsors to host the annual Top Ten Ceremony -- dubbed the 'Bright Lights Program' -- at the Aurora Municipal Center. Taking a page from the Academy Awards, students from each high school arrived in limousines and were escorted to the city council chambers for an evening of laughter, cheer and admiration for their outstanding academic achievements.  

Thank you to our event sponsors: the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, City of Aurora, Colorado State University Global, Falck Rocky Mountain, FirstBank Aurora, the Medical Center of Aurora, RBC Capital Markets and Xcel Energy.

Congratulations to our Top Ten graduates!

APS 2020: Shaping the Future - Core Belief:
-Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning.

Aurora Central High School

1. Jasmine C. Carr - V
2. Awah E. Tilong - S
3. Beatriz Avelar- T. 3
4. Isidro Perez- T. 3
5. David Guerrero Baez
6. Gabriela Vaquerano Erazo
7. Quincy Moreno Casas
8. Jesus Montano Gomez
9. Shaone Garcia Hernandez
10. Jaqueline Duron Hernandez
11. Daniel Garcia

Aurora West College Preparatory Academy

1. Samantha Lopez Alvarez - V
2. Chiemerie Ogbonnaya - S
3. Melissa Ortiz Valles
4. Aaron Landa
5. Amairany Orozco Parra
6. Iris Valdes Perea
7. Yovanna Gonzalez Bermudez
8. Mayra Valdez Mancinas
9. Wuillian Pineda Portillo
10. Aung Hah

 Gateway High School

1. Danny Nguyen – V
2. Kellie Lam – S
3. Johnson Ngo
4. Layla Abdulla
5. Emma Johnson
6. Megan Johnson
7. Tatiana Macupa
8. Elinor Nethery
9. Tess Collins
10. Juno Park

Hinkley High School

1. Anthony Lee – V
2. Marie-Elizabeth Ferdinand – S
3. Dylan Van
4. Eric Jiang
5. Benjamin Davis
6. Maegan Walker
7. Timothy Soeur
8. Benjamin Rhoton
9. Marissa Maldonado
10. Deisy Rosales Salazar

Rangeview High School

1. Eric Roon –V
2. Kendra Cameron – S – T. 2
2. Mikias Negussie – S – T. 2
3. James Dinius
4. Michelle Hulongbayan
5. Alexis Wall
6. Morgan Petersen
7. Dominick Dunn
8. Joseph Graff
9. Austin Nguyen

 Vista PEAK Preparatory

1. Danielle Klem - V
2. Abdur Khan – S
3. Connor Anderson
4. Kevin To
5. Jordyn Probst
6. Suzu Warrior
7. Momina Khazi
8. Stephanie Pallares
9. Aaron Siu
10. Eric Artola

V – Valedictorian
S – Salutatorian
T. 2 - Tied for 2nd
T. 3 - Tied for 3rd

There are seven colors of the rainbow, Seven Wonders of the World and now seven Aurora Public Schools students named 2016 Daniels Scholars!

Congratulations to the following seniors for their outstanding character, leadership and service:
• Sandra Appiah, Hinkley High School
• Semhal Abbady, Rangeview High School
• Elvis Ahn, Rangeview High School
• Humberto Meza Chavez, Hinkley High School
• Yonathan Fisseha, William Smith High School
• Cristian Hernandez, Rangeview High School
• Chiemerie Ogbonnaya, Aurora West College Preparatory Academy

The Daniels Fund Scholarship covers all required tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and other miscellaneous college expenses. Students earned the investment by persevering through an extremely competitive process that involved more than 2,200 applicants.

“People told me not to go for big scholarships because chances of getting them aren’t as high, so I may be wasting my time. But, my friends say I’m very ambitious. I go for things higher than most people’s expectations. If I listened to what people said, I wouldn’t have gotten this scholarship.”

– Chiemerie Ogbonnaya

“Do what makes you happy! That’s something that took me awhile to realize, but it was key in getting me this far and in earning this scholarship. When I make plans for the future, I keep them somewhat general so I have the ability to do things I can’t imagine at the moment. That’s where my excitement comes from.”

– Yonathan Fisseha

APS 2020: Shaping the Future - Goal 3:
-Every APS student will have credentials that open doors.

APS is excited to share recent student experiences from a historically black college and university tour.  Through a partnership with the Ethnic College Counseling Center, four students participated through a rigorous application and interview process.  The students, Breanna Palmer, Tamara Baker, and Lijea Wells, of Aurora West College Preparatory Academy, and Quereya Morris, of Gateway High School, chose to spend their spring break on the tour, learning about admission requirements, school traditions, scholarships and support opportunities.

In addition to visiting schools, the students also visited historical monuments like the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum, the Underground Railroad territory, Martin Luther King Jr. statue, and the White House.  The students enjoyed the opportunity; it helped raise their awareness of their potential for postsecondary education and opened their eyes to the benefits of choosing an HBCU.

As students grow and continue to plan their ICAP, it is recommended that they seek out opportunities like college visits or interviews with college admission representatives to expand their options.  Students can access college and campus visit information by utilizing Naviance for direct links to the college/university websites.

APS 2020: Shaping the Future - Goal 1:
-Every APS student will have a plan for his or her future.

The City of Aurora recently honored numerous Aurora Public Schools students as Aurora Scholars!  These students are recognized as Aurora’s future leaders who have made noteworthy contributions to their schools.

One teacher-nominated student from each grade level (first through 12th) at every school in Aurora is named an Aurora Scholar. The students obtained a certificate and gifts donated by community members.

Congratulations to the 2016 APS Aurora Scholars listed below for their hard work and dedication!

Altura Elementary

Evangeline Ford, 1st grade

Valyn Harwood, 2nd grade

Jazmin Garcia, 3rd grade

Lisbeth Flores, 4th grade

Aileen Mancilla, 5th grade

Arkansas Elementary

Olivia Zulkarnaen, 1st grade

Elisse Drummond, 2nd grade

Bryan Vallejo Villarreal, 3rd grade

Jazlynn Rolison, 4th grade

Sabrina Lahlali, 5th grade

Aurora Academy

Brock Martin, 1st grade

Ebenezer Bisrat, 2nd grade

Margo Owens, 3rd grade

Yebella Melaku, 4th grade

Nini Bruner-Yound, 5th grade

De'Maya High, 6th grade

Caesar Coss, 7th grade

Velveth Backhus, 8th grade

Aurora Central High School

Benjamin Zuniga, 9th grade

Maryam Tawfeq, 10th grade

Brandie Radilla Galicia, 11th grade

Jamal Abdulkadir, 12th grade

Aurora Frontier K-8

Mayte Barnes, 1st grade

Brooklyn Burke, 2nd grade

Nalaa Barnes, 3rd grade

Hannah Young, 4th grade

Rachel Labit, 5th grade

Timi Ola, 6th grade

Vy (Andy) Tran, 7th grade

Jonathan Loya Gonzales, 8th grade

Aurora Hills Middle School

Destiny Kande, 6th grade

Sedrick Dean, 7th grade

Jasmine Jule-Jimenez, 8th grade

Aurora Quest K-8

Olivia Gonzales, 1st grade

William O'Donnell, 2nd grade

Lauren Peavy, 3rd grade

Maya Braunstein, 4th grade

Ishita Agrawal, 5th grade

Breawnna Curry, 6th grade

Rylie Ward, 7th grade

Ariana Cuevas, 8th grade

Aurora West Preparatory Academy

Briana Lopez-Tena, 6th grade

Luis Alvarez-Aguirre, 7th grade

Victoria Castillo, 8th grade

Jose Flores, 9th grade

Hafsa Ali, 10th grade

Jorge Pelayo, 11th grade

Janeth Hernandez, 12th grade

AXL Learning Academy

Lyric Jackson, 1st grade

Mariah Worthy, 2nd grade

Alexander Hernandez-Lopez, 3rd grade

Lillian Hinneh, 4th grade

Andrew Gandara, 5th grade

Amanda Trujillo, 6th grade

Joyce Amy Lopis, 7th grade

Nicholas Rosenker, 8th grade

Boston K-8

Samuel Hernandez Jacobo, 1st grade

Kieara Pickle, 2nd grade

Betwel Eyasu, 3rd grade

Phar Reh, 4th grade

Patience Graves, 5th grade

Namen Hurd, 6th grade

Leslie Rodriguez Flores, 7th grade

Hei Wee Htoo, 8th grade

Century Elementary

Matthew Cuevas, 1st grade

Madison Callaway, 2nd grade

Makailah Williams, 3rd grade

Francisco Beltran, 4th grade

Isaiah Coumbia, 5th grade

Clyde Miller Elementary K-8

Nicholas Switzer, 1st grade

Walfred Santos Contreras, 2nd grade

Kassandra Rodriguez De La-Cruz, 3rd grade

Zephron Tobin, 4th grade

Carmiya Weathersby, 5th grade

Norberto Flores, 6th grade

Julia Mirita, 7th grade

Alexis Soto Vargas, 8th grade

Columbia Middle School

Montserrat Jimenez, 6th grade

Gelnda Chiang, 7th grade

Helen Do, 8th grade

Crawford Elementary

Beatryx Hill, 1st grade

Raul Espinoza Ortega, 2nd grade

Favio DeLaCruz Rivera, 3rd grade

Netayah Chum, 4th grade

Vicent Hakizimana, 5th grade

Dalton Elementary

Gerardo Flores Morales, 1st grade

Kristian Johnson, 2nd grade

Anna Jane Geddes, 3rd grade

Ayden Rosen-Gammel, 4th grade

Princess Pena, 5th grade

Dartmouth Elementary

Analia Mendoza, 1st grade

Shalom Yoseph, 2nd grade

Kyla Cordova, 3rd grade

Lydia Basterra, 4th grade

Ayden Quiroga, 4th grade

Edna & John Mosley P-8

Vinnie Somers, 1st grade

Natalia Serna, 2nd grade

Nathan Coronado, 3rd grade

Mia Lopez, 4th grade

Luisa Quintana, 5th grade

Megan Reno, 6th grade

Erika Villarreal Hernandez, 7th grade

Giovano Luna Guzman, 8th grade

East Middle School

Serena Gouverneur Torres, 6th grade

Ahtumn Rains, 7th grade

Luis Lupercio, 8th grade

Elkhart Elementary

Adrian Stewart, 1st grade

Jared Chavez, 2nd grade

Reagan Clark, 3rd grade

Jorge Pacheco, 4th grade

Issac Osei, 5th grade

Fletcher Community School

Valeria Villagran, 1st grade

Federico Amezquita-Lara, 2nd grade

Angel Jaramillo Ramirez, 3rd grade

Nellie Sherwood, 4th grade

Juan Gonzalez, 5th grade

Fulton Academy of Excellence

Benjamin Stonebraker, 1st grade

Anthony Hernandez, 2nd grade

Alize Ramirez, 3rd grade

Edwin Luna, 4th grade

Sher Ku Moo, 5th grade

Gateway High School

Jonatan Solomon, 9th grade

Irinia Amouzou, 10th grade

Keelan Altman, 11th grade

Brianna Favela, 12th grade

Global Village Academy

Lovely Tilon, 1st grade

Lilia Benavides, 2nd grade

Maggie Shi, 3rd grade

Ian Gair, 4th grade

Emari Terry, 5th grade

Josue Gardie, 6th grade

Justin Altman, 7th grade

Austin Murphy, 8th grade

Hinkley High School

Poleth Valdez, 9th grade

Seiloni Sanft, 10th grade

Teaggan Ilela, 11th grade

Isaiah Jackson, 12th grade

Jewell Elementary

Gavin Friend, 1st grade

Chanel Mayhew, 2nd grade

Aubrianna Carpenter-Torres, 3rd grade

Madyson Newton, 4th grade

Riley Oehring, 5th grade

Kenton Elementary

Jitzel Hernandez, 1st grade

Gabi Lagunes, 2nd grade

Jacquelin Valencia, 3rd grade

Alexis Salas Guerrero, 4th grade

Cesar Pacheco, 5th grade

Lansing Elementary

Cesar Galaviz Ojeda, 1st grade

Ryan Lyle, 2nd grade

Adhieh Redgebol, 3rd grade

Ashley Soriano, 4th grade

Lamarana Balde, 5th grade

Laredo Elementary

Israel Bulto, 1st grade

Mackailyn Hensley, 2nd grade

Ananda Vargas Holguin, 3rd grade

Emily Padilla Martinez, 4th grade

Caroline Flores, 5th grade

Lotus School for Excellence

Ebeneezer Yiman, 1st grade

Nyallay-Christina Ngebkome, 2nd grade

Andrea Caballero, 3rd grade

Neiyat Temelso, 4th grade

Hlina Kahsai, 5th grade

Elijah Rodriguez, 6th grade

Gissele Bueno Casteneda, 7th grade

Ruth Hundie, 8th grade

Daratu Kadir Mohammed, 9th grade

Bra'a Mahur Huer Al Durien, 10th grade

Camilo Vazquez, 11th grade

Leah Noemi Galvez Valencia, 12th grade

Lyn Knoll Elementary

Gustavo Miranda, 1st grade

Ayse Kalem, 2nd grade

Luis Toro, 3rd grade

Mohand Allami, 4th grade

Maella Lemon, 5th grade

Montview Elementary

Yaole Amanuel, 1st grade

Lluvia Martinez, 2nd grade

Andruw Gonzalea, 3rd grade

Cesar Giron, 4th grade

Evelyn Torres Lopez, 5th grade

Mrachek Middle School

Douglas Solano, 6th grade

Rachel Etter, 7th grade

Mataniya Bikis, 8th grade

Murphy Creek K-8

Jeremiah Schmeling, 1st grade

Ian Chavez, 2nd grade

Xavier Allulli, 3rd grade

Jack Higgins, 4th grade

Kristabelle Dutton, 5th grade

Daniel Campbell, 6th grade

Maria Rosales, 7th grade

Issac Gardberg, 8th grade

North Middle School

Jason Hoang, 6th grade

Breanna Remigio, 7th grade

Alexandra Reyes, 8th grade

Paris Elementary

Kelson Merino Orellana, 1st grade

Maurice O'Roy, 2nd grade

Daisy Moran, 3rd grade

Amairani Penaloza Arriaga, 4th grade

Zulue Jimenez, 5th grade

Park Lane Elementary

Tayanna Gomez, 1st grade

Joshua Mavinga, 2nd grade

Michael Ramos, 3rd grade

Bryan Ramos, 4th grade

Brian Gutierrez, 5th grade

Peoria Elementary

Valeria Martin Sainz, 1st grade

Sophia Paola Ochoa, 2nd grade

Selmah O'Bryant, 3rd grade

Lizeth Bustamante, 4th grade

Alondra Patricia Garcia Villpando, 5th grade

Rangeview High School

Maia Sandoval, 9th grade

DeJuan Chapa, 10th grade

Hannah Brown, 11th grade

Eric Roon, 12th grade

Sable Elementary

Markell Cox, 1st grade

Kandes Abreha, 2nd grade

Valencia Hudgins, 3rd grade

Cynthia Barlow, 4th grade

Lily Bade, 5th grade

Side Creek Elementary

Angeliqué Sharpe, 1st grade

Felipe Prieto Suarez, 2nd grade

Leila Tadesse, 3rd grade

Marco (Tony) Rodriguez, 4th grade

Melanie Ternlund, 5th grade

Sixth Avenue Elementary

Aminata (Amy) Thiam, 1st grade

Elise Mitchell, 2nd grade

Edwin Quintero Campa, 3rd grade

Melissa Saenz, 4th grade

Jacob Brennan, 5th grade

South Middle School

Christian Arguetta, 6th grade

Jayden Lavigne, 7th grade

Katiana Williams, 8th grade

Tollgate Elementary

Robert Martinez, 1st grade

Devin Blanton, 2nd grade

Daniel Orozco Sanchez, 2rd grade

Junior Chino Perez, 4th grade

Thyler Endita, 5th grade

Vanguard Classical School - East K-12

Elena Gott, 1st grade

Delilah Rodriguez, 2nd grade

Kiefer Scott, 3rd grade

Aliya Hendricks, 4th grade

Jayden Marquez, 5th grade

Anastasia Chuklanov, 6th grade

Olivia Martinez, 7th grade

Lauren Stuck, 8th grade

Emily Maughan, 9th grade

Jessica Pau, 10th grade

Meghan McFerren, 11th grade

Vanguard Classical School - West K-8

Elizondo Carbajal, 1st grade

Selena Amaro Franci, 2nd grade

Jullian Niceta, 3rd grade

Newal Nasir, 4th grade

Dania Garcia, 5th grade

Sofia Staley, 6th grade

Devion Morey, 7th grade

Eneida Solis, 8th grade

Vassar Elementary

Aleysa Cortez, 1st grade

Jaylene Soto, 2nd grade

Bailey Kaskalavich, 3rd grade

Jayden Aguirre, 4th grade

Adison Johnson, 5th grade

Vaughn Elementary

Kai'ani Garrido, 1st grade

Melany Estevez Vences, 2nd grade

Viviana Metthews, 3rd grade

Tiffany Pham, 4th grade

Andrea Castillo, 5th grade

Virginia Court Elementary

Angel Cruz Frausto, 1st grade

Alexis (Sophie) Curry, 2nd grade

Johan Cruz Frausto, 3rd grade

Nakeya Poole-Abrams, 4th grade

Ariana Sanchez, 5th grade

Vista PEAK Exploratory P-8

Michaela Miller, 1st grade

Gabriella Warren, 2nd grade

Zachary Woodbury, 3rd grad

Irvin M. Gutierrez, 4th grade

Leah Hall. 5th grade

Kameron Elliott, 6th grade

Sarayeah Baez Little, 7th grade

Ethan Buckner, 8th grade

Vista PEAK Preparatory 9-12

Nicole Minikus, 9th grade

DaXiana Windom, 10th grade

Niles Gilmore, 11th grade

Carla Rey Diaz, 12th grade

Wheeling Elementary

Dresden White, 1st grade

Maria Cayabyeb, 2nd grade

Arielle Freeman, 3rd grade

Carla Vasquez Avana, 4th grade

Angel Montoya, 5th grade

William Smith HighSchool

Greg Rodriguez, 9th grade

Cecia Reyes, 10th grade

Evelyn Vickers, 11th grade

Christopher Godoy, 12th grade

Yale Elementary

Ashkey Romero Zelaya, 1st grade

Berenice Roman Ramirez, 2nd grade

Yahir Moreno Sanchez, 3rd grade

Duc-Tri Do, 4th grade

Darline Washington, 5th grade

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon and former Rockies player Vinny Castilla present AWCPA principal Brian Duwe with a $5,000 check from Be a Learning Hero.

Students at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy are quickly learning how to plan for success. Staff and various community members are doing their part by holding students to high expectations, and because of its overall commitment to helping students excel, Aurora West was recently named the Colorado winner of Be a Learning Hero's "Game Plan for Success" contest.

As a runner-up, AWCPA earned a $5,000 grant from Be a Learning Hero and special visit from Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon and former Rockies player Vinny Castilla, who helped present the check during a school assembly. Blackmon and Castilla used their expertise to show similarities between academics and athletics and how aiming high, listening to their teachers and testing themselves will lead to big wins throughout their academic careers. 

"No one ever accomplished anything great by running away from things that are uncomfortable," Blackmon said. 

Blackmon and Castilla also spoke to one AWPCA class about their experiences with challenges and adversity and how working hard is the key to finding success. The players also signed dozens of autographs and posed for selfies. 

Congratulations to Aurora West for sticking to the game plan! 

The Aurora Public Schools' class of 2016 was not shy when it came to applying for scholarships and grants for college. This year’s graduating seniors took full advantage of the opportunity to earn dollars -- totaling more than $13 million -- for their higher education. Read highlights of some of the students who have earned scholarships so far this year!

• The Aurora Public Schools Foundation has chosen the following award recipients for their robust scholarship program:
  • Advantage Security Scholarship
    Kiefer Quinn – Gateway
  • Richard Anderson and Anderson Family Autism Scholarship
    Kendall Knighten – Rangeview
  • James Burns Memorial Scholarship
    Adrianna Linnebur  – Gateway
  • Bob Caviness Scholarship
    Alan Rios – Hinkley
  • Denise Davis Teen Parent Scholarship
    Mayra Avila  /  Aurora Central
  • Gerkin Family Expository Writing Scholarship
    Layla Abdulla – Gateway
    Jesus Gandara – Aurora Central
  • Matt Hirschfeld Scholarship
    Darrien Hammond – Gateway*
  • Kristin D Hiza Memorial Scholarship
    Alexander Hawkins – Vista Peak
  • Linn Hogue Memorial Scholarship
    Augustina Uwandu –  Hinkley
  • Jack Knapp Memorial Scholarship
    Sydney Hunt – Rangeview    
  • Vista Peak Business Pathway Scholarship
    Vicky Ramirez / Vista Peak*
  • Lore H. Wiggins Scholarship
    Esmeralda Campos / Gateway*
  • Myrtle Replogle Travis and Russell Romayne Travis Memorial Scholarship
    Jesus Gandara /  Aurora Central*

  • Nora Jane Crocker Redding Scholarship
    Madaleen Newhouse  /  Rangeview

    *The specific school is a requirement of the scholarship
    
    

• Seven talented and highly-skilled students were recently named 2016 Daniels Scholars. The Daniels Fund Scholarship covers all required tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and other miscellaneous college expenses. Students earned the investment by persevering through an extremely competitive process that involved more than 2,200 applicants.
• Gateway High School senior Kellie Lam is a 2016 Greenhouse Scholar. Greenhouse Scholars, an education non-profit organization, serves low-income college students who are exceptionally high performing. Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, service to community, demonstrated leadership skills, and financial need. 
• Rangeview High School's Alexis Wall earned a 2016 Boettcher Scholarship! She was one of only 42 students selected from more than 1,400 applicants. The Boettcher is one of Colorado’s most prestigious, merit-based scholarships, providing students a full ride to any in-state, four-year institution.
• A host of APS seniors from various high schools participated in internships this year through the Pickens Technical College Executive Internship Program. The program committee presented $500 scholarships to students Joseph Graff, Sydney Hunt and Raymond Simanjuntak. 
• Aurora Central's Andy Guerrero is a 2016 Horatio Alger Association National Scholarship recipient. The prestigious award will grant Guerrero $22,000 – an average of $5,500 per year – to apply toward the tuition at his selected college or university. 

Visit aurorak12.org/students/scholarships/ to read more and celebrate our class of 2016 graduates and scholarship recipients!

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan - Core Belief:
Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning.

Congratulations to the nearly 3,000 students who recently graduated from Aurora Public Schools. Students earned diplomas and certificates from the following schools:

• Aurora Central High School
• Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
• APS Online High School
• Gateway High School
• Hinkley High School
• Pickens Technical College
• Rangeview High School
• Rebound (North and South)
• Vista PEAK Preparatory 
• William Smith High School

The graduating class of 2016 earned more than $13 million in scholarships!

Our preschoolers from Kids Tech, the class of 2029, also celebrated their graduation as they prepare to enter kindergarten in the 2016-17 school year.

View the slideshow below for a look at some of this year's graduates.

Aurora Public Schools offers competitive athletic programs for all middle and high school students, including basketball, track and field, soccer and wrestling. Participation in athletics is designed to promote school spirit, provide a healthy outlet for energy, improve student morale and increase community involvement and support. It also aligns with the APS 2020: Shaping the Future core belief that every student has unique abilities that we must recognize and engage.

Meet APS student athletes Dah, Morgan, Noe and Jason. Representing track and field, volleyball, football and swimming, these four all-stars are on their way to the top and enjoy using athletics as an outlet.

Garcia Ramirez

Noe Garcia Ramirez
Grade: Eighth grade
School: East Middle School
Current Fall Sport: Track and Field
Favorite Athlete/Team: Usain Bolt (Team Jamaica)
Sports Goal for 2016-17: “Record faster times at my meets than I did last year.”

Burch

Morgan Burch
Grade: Seventh grade
School: Aurora Quest K-8
Current Fall Sport: Swimming
Favorite Athlete/Team: Peyton Manning
Sports Goal for 2016-17: “Beat my personal record for the breaststroke and surpass the current APS record.”

Bu

Dah Bu
Grade: Senior
School: Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
Current Fall Sport: Volleyball
Favorite Athlete/Team: Thailand Women’s National Volleyball Team
Sports Goal for 2016-17: “Become a better setter for my team and help everyone get better.”

Maes, Jr.

Jason Maes, Jr.
Grade: Senior
School: Gateway High School
Current Fall Sport:Football
Favorite Athlete/Team: T.J. Ward (Denver Broncos)
Sports Goal for 2016-17: “Play well enough to earn a football scholarship for college.”

For information about APS athletics and a calendar of upcoming sporting events, visit athletics.aurorak12.org.

Please join Aurora Public Schools in supporting our talented youth at upcoming high school theater productions. Our students have been fully engaged in fine-tuning their acting skills to bring exciting performances to the community.

While some students plan to pursue a career in the performing arts, others may simply embrace the stage as a creative outlet. In both cases, students are gaining a wide variety of skills that will help them implement their plans for the future. We hope to see you at a show!

A Christmas Carol
Nov. 17-19 at 7 p.m.
Hinkley High School
1250 Chambers Rd., Aurora 80011
Students, Seniors and Adults $12

Antigone
Oct. 27-29 at 7 p.m.
Vista PEAK Preparatory
24500 E. 6th Ave., Aurora 80018
Students and Seniors $5, Adults $7

Avenue Q
Sept. 28-29 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
Rangeview High School
17599 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora 80013
Students and Seniors $7, Adults $8

La Gringa
Nov. 11-12 at 7 p.m.
Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
10100 E. 13th Ave., Aurora 80010

For ticket information, please contact AWCPA closer to the production date.

The Original Acts Festival / Amahl and the Night Visitors
Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.
Vista PEAK Preparatory
24500 E. 6th Ave., Aurora 80018
Students, Seniors and Adults $5

Rumors
Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
Aurora Central High School
11700 E. 11th Ave., Aurora 80010
Students and Seniors $5, Adults $7

She Kills Monsters
Nov. 3-5 at 7 p.m.
Gateway High School
1300 S. Sable Blvd., Aurora 80012
Students and Seniors $7, Adults $10

The Man Who Came to Dinner
Dec. 1-3 at 7 p.m.
Rangeview High School
17599 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora 80013
Students and Seniors $7, Adults $8

US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visit to the CU Boulder campus on September 9, 2016. (Photo courtesy of Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)

Submitted by Ryan Adams
Aurora West College Preparatory Academy

On a recent fall morning, 15 Aurora West College Preparatory Academy students had the rare opportunity to interact with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as a part of the John Paul Stevens lecture series at the University of Colorado Law School. Before Justice Sotomayor gave a public speech, she spoke candidly with about 200 high school students for over an hour.

“I knew this was a big deal, but I didn’t understand the importance of this event until I got here and realized how significant she [Justice Sotomayor] is in our government,” said an AWCPA senior. “And then to realize that she was just like me. That was so powerful.”

The fifteen students chosen to attend the event with Justice Sotomayor are a part of a Law and Government class that is participating in the nationwide “James Madison Legacy Project”. It is a professional development program focused on civic education and sponsored by the Center for Civic Education in California and locally by the Civic Canopy. AWCPA students were in awe with the chance to ask questions and interact with the first female Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.

“When she discussed the prejudices that she faced as a Latina woman, I could immediately relate” said senior Maria Nieto.

Consensus among the students was that they were struck with her ability to overcome her humble beginnings, a life story not dissimilar to their own. The conversation with the Justice and a lunch meeting with Judge Christine Arguello, founder of the “Yes We Can” law program, which matches lawyers as mentors to minority, underprivileged students looking to attend college, has led Senior Hector Rivera to rethink his career options. 

“I used to think I didn’t have a chance to attend college, but now, I not only plan to apply to college, I want to look into how I can study law.  I plan to apply to Judge Arguello’s law mentorship program and see where it takes me.”

At Aurora West College Preparatory Academy, Robert Mangiameli’s Robotics class is reaching new heights. His students recently entered the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Robotics competition and are thrilled for an opportunity to meet the challenge.

To prepare, Mangiameli’s students are learning to analyze and solve problems using the engineering design process. In turn, students are gaining technological literacy skills that will help them shape successful futures.

Below is a personal account of the academic and personal growth AWCPA senior and BEST Robotics team member Yoana Zavala has experienced thus far.

My name is Yoana Zavala, representing Aurora West College Preparatory Academy. I am in Mr. Mangiameli’s Robotics class and we are excited that our class has entered a robotics competition against 28 other schools.

BEST Robotics, an organization powered by Rocky Mountain BEST, was created to get young students into engineering and programming courses. What is engineering, you might ask? Engineering consists of many parts, but it is basically a branch of science and technology concerned with the design, construction and use of engines, machines and structures.

Programming has helped the engineering student group grow through their own experiences and guidance. Aurora West entered the 2016 BEST Robotics competition to get our school more involved in with the community. We have failed and learned throughout the process.

When thinking about the competition, our class has definitely improved since kickoff. We now have more guidance going into game day and feel prepared to compete. We’ve also noticed that our school is more excited as a whole. Students are speaking up and sharing ideas, our class has learned to be more open and accepting of every student’s opinions and we are working hard as a team. We learn something new every day. The BEST Robotics program has made a positive impact on our education as has taught us that it’s okay to fail, but it is not okay to give up. We have learned that being able to accept working together means that we are respectful of one another.

BEST Robotics teaches us beyond a rubric grading system. We are learning real-life lessons. Programing is a skill we will use in the future. We will further understand how to follow instructions and think on our feet to be quicker at problem solving, just as marketing is learning how to deal with businesses and money and how to catch people's attention. Nook booking has taught us to be organized and how important it is to be on time with deadlines. They have made our community stronger.

Although BEST Robotics has taught us to work as team, we have also learned to rely on ourselves. It has made us independent, able to come up with our own ideas and learn through our own mistakes. These are real-life issues and it has shown us that your classmates may not be there every day, so you have to get work done with or without them. It has taught us that you learn best by doing things yourself.

Aurora Public Schools wishes AWCPA’s robotics team the best on competition day, Oct. 15!

Aurora Public Schools' eighth-grade students might be ready to jump out into the real world. Really. Well, almost.

Recently, all eighth graders from across the district traveled to the Professional Learning and Conference Center for the third annual CareerTrek where they met and chatted with employers and universities about the possibilities awaiting them once their K-12 education ends.  APS staff in the Postsecondary Workforce Readiness department collaborated with businesses and higher education institutions to develop relevant topics and a variety of hands-on activities to support students’ understanding of careers while reiterating the real world relevance of 21st Century Skills.  

This year's theme, aptly titled Roadmap to Your Successful Future, proved exciting and engaging for attendees and aligned with the three goals of the APS strategic plan. CareerTrek exposes students to various career fields and supports the expectation that all students will have the plans, skills and credentials that they need upon graduation to shape a successful future.

Taking it a step further, organizers used racetrack decorations -- including a model race car -- throughout the venue to help students relate to the message. In addition to the more rigid programming, students also learned some of the basics, including how to tie a necktie and craft a resume. 

South Middle School students reflect on their experience at CareerTrek

"I thought it was fun because I went around to all of these jobs, and I actually want to do them." – George West

"I got to discover jobs that I didn't know were out there, so I got interested in other jobs." – Aaliyah Jones

"I found out that I was interested in things I didn't expect to be interested in." – Jacqueline Bernal

 

 

Established three years ago, the Green Star Schools Program (GSSP) is a voluntary energy management program created to promote and support project and place-based learning for all APS students through sustainability-driven best practices. The program provides an opportunity for students to learn lifelong lessons in conservation, leadership and accountability while earning recognition and cash incentives for their schools.

Recently, the Green Star Schools Program held its bi-annual kickoff meeting to award schools for their commitment to energy conservation and education.

Congratulations to the following schools that earned cash incentive awards:
Crawford Elementary School $300
Elkhart Elementary School 230
Lyn Knoll Elementary School $390
Sixth Avenue Elementary School $750
Virginia Court Elementary School $240
Wheeling Elementary School $250
Aurora West College Preparatory Academy $600
Vista PEAK Exploratory $400

Overall earners for elementary, middle and high school include:
Peoria Elementary $2,600
East Middle School $3,700
Aurora Central High School $7,400

After the awards ceremony, participants gathered to learn more about the GSSP and share best practices with fellow teachers. This year Green Star has partnered with Earth Force, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing hands-on PBL training to teachers and activating community action programs with our students.

The program supports the APS 2020: Shaping the Future strategic plan core belief that students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning.