December 25, 2015
THIS WEEK IN
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Meet the All-South Metro Football Team
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GOING UP
Students pick up snow day Most recent one in Littleton Public Schools came in 2013 Staff report Students in Littleton Public Schools encountered something they’re not used to on Dec. 15 — a much-appreciated snow day. “Thank you!” wrote parent Lori Winslow-Horton on a Facebook post representative of the many thanks that appeared that day on the LPS page. “I am pleasantly surprised and much appreciative!” The district’s former superintendent, famously known as Scott “No Snow Day” Murphy, called the last snow day on April 9, 2013. Superintendent Brian Ewert, who took over last summer, seems content to not carry on that particular legacy. “The storm had not been expected to shift so dramatically, so we watched it very closely,” he said.
Joey Kleeman (22) drives in to take a shot for Arapahoe during the Dec. 16 game against Heritage. The Warriors pushed the tempo in the second half and won the game 64-46. For more on the game, turn to Page 19. Photo by Tom Munds
LPS continues on Page 10
Girl Scout bridges the generation gap Catherine Welch earns Gold Award for tech sessions at retirement community
By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com Treva Boyd, 88, uses her iPad daily. She starts the morning with a virtual game of Scrabble against her granddaughter. Then she checks Facebook to connect with family. But one day, she got percent — locked out of Seniors who go her iPad. online. “I wish I knew more percent — about technolSeniors who use ogy and how online social to use it,” Boyd networks, such as said. Facebook. Ca t h e r i n e percent — Welch, a HighSeniors who own a lands Ranch cellphone. High School graduate and percent — longtime Girl Seniors who own a Scout, was smartphone. there to help. She created a Note: Senior refers to project called age 65 and older. “iTech for Seniors” that Source: www. earned her a pewinternet. Gold Award org/2014/04/03/ — the highest older-adults-andaward achievtechnology-use/ able in the Girl Scouts program. Welch, 18, a freshman at University of Colorado-Boulder, had been a Girl Scout since she was 5 years old.
BY THE NUMBERS
Snow piles up in the Littleton Public Schools administration building’s parking lot, just one of 20 the district has to plow. Photo by Jennifer Smith
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Catherine Welch, 18, helps a senior resident at Holly Creek Retirement Community with her iPhone. Welch held six sessions on technology questions at the retirement home. “It was also a way to bridge the generation gap,” Welch said, “between people my age and the senior citizens.” Photo by Alex DeWind
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A Girl Scout can earn a Gold Award during her senior year of high school. The process involves training, identifying an issue in the community, researching that issue, building a team and presenting a proposal to a Girl Scout committee. If approved, the project is carried out with an assigned mentor, according to Aimee Bianca, Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Highest Awards Manager. “You have to do it by yourself 100 percent,” Welch said. “I started preparing a year before.” Welch partnered with Holly Creek Retirement Community, at 5500 E. Peakview Ave. in Centennial. Starting in April, she organized six, 1 ½ hour technology sessions for the senior residents. She chose to focus on senior citizens for her Gold Award because she loves to work with people, she said. And she tied in technology because of her own expe-
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rience seeing her grandparents struggle with modern-day gadgets. Boyd, a resident at Holly Creek, attended one of Welch’s sessions for her iPad issues. “I loved the interaction,” Boyd said. “The computer age can drive me crazy.” Welch recruited family members, friends and fellow Girl Scouts to help her lead the sessions, which had about 10 to 15 seniors each. They answered questions about everything from iPhone apps to Facebook accounts. Welch’s team helped a grandfather set up a Skype account so he could see his grandson who lives on the east coast. They helped seniors navigate their Facebook pages to keep up with family members. And they taught seniors how to use an iPad, which is growing in Girl scout continues on Page 10
Centennial hits streets City outlines four priorities for snow removal Staff report The volume of snow that fell on the south metro area was more than expected Dec. 15. The storm intensified overnight and Centennial received 8-10 inches, according to Travis Greiman, public works director. “The timing of the storm made for a messy commute Wednesday morning,” he added. Centennial has procedures in place to promote safety. Snow continues on Page 10