December 17, 2015 VO LUM E 29 | IS S U E 4 | FREE
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Threat prompts students’ arrests Sheriff’s office alerted through Text-A-Tip to situation at Mountain Vista By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Ezra Miller, a seventh-grader at STEM School and Academy, was diagnosed with leukemia in August. Fellow students describe him as a bold kid who likes to be with friends. Photo by Alex DeWind
Bone-marrow drive is labor of love Teacher inspired by her work with STEM student
A MOTHER’S VOICE
By Alex DeWind adewind@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Ezra Miller’s mom, Cynthia Lowry, a real estate agent with Brokers Guild Cherry Creek, said she had to step down from being a “doer” to let others do for her and her family.
Erin Christian, a teacher at STEM School and Academy, spends every Sunday at Children’s Hospital Colorado: She visits Ezra Miller, her seventh-grade student who was diagnosed with leukemia
It’s changed the dynamic of her household and the time she spends with her other two daughters. They often reconvene in the lounge of the hospital where they play games and talk about life.
“We are all learning more about acceptance, diversity and what our humanity looks like as we see so many other courageous kids struggle — and see some lose,” Lowry said. “It is my hope for my children that they continue to grow in compassion, understanding and acceptance of differences in people.”
Ezra continues on Page 9
Two 16-year-old female students are facing charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after threatening to harm staff and students at Mountain Vista High School, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reported. The two students, whose names were not released because they are juveniles, were arrested Dec. 12 and are in “secured facilities,” said Lori Bronner, public information officer with the sheriff’s office. Bronner would not provide specifics on the threat, but said it was a blanket threat against the school in Highlands Ranch and everyone in it. She also declined to say exactly where the students were being held. But “they are secured and not out in the public,” Bronner said. The threat was reported to the sheriff’s office through Text-A-Tip, Bronner said. Text-A-Tip is a reporting system that allows high school students to convey concerns about safety, drugs and other issues anonymously. Bronner would not say whether or not the tip came from a student. Threat continues on Page 8
Heisman runner-up sets pace for brothers Valor Christian grad Christian McCaffrey had a recordbreaking season at Stanford
By Jim Benton jbenton@coloradocommunitymedia.com Valor Christian junior quarterback Dylan McCaffrey recalls when he and his brothers would sneak onto the Country Club at Castle Pines golf course to play football. Dylan, older brothers Max and Christian, and younger sibling Luke each had their own dreams while running on the manicured grass near their home. “We used to play together all the time,” Dylan said. “We lived on a golf course,
and when we were growing up we’d all go out on the golf course in a big grass area and play. The maintenance people never liked it. We’d always get kicked off, but we were out there almost every day playing football.” Christian’s dream almost became reality last weekend. The Stanford sophomore running back and former Valor Christian standout was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He spent time in New York City, did myriad interviews but was the runnerup when Alabama running back Derrick Henry was announced as the Heisman winner on Dec. 12. McCaffrey, who broke Barry Sanders’ NCAA record this season with 3,496 all-purpose yards, garnered 290 first-place votes (32.4 percent) and 1,528 overall. Henry won with 1,832 points and 378 (42.2
percent) first-place votes. Clemson sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson was third with 1,165 votes. Henry gained 1,986 yards in the same number of games but had just 139 more yards rushing than McCaffrey, the Pac 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and didn’t come close to matching McCaffrey’s allpurpose yardage. There was a Heisman watch party at the Valor Center Performance Hall in Highlands Ranch, with 180 supporters in attendance to view the awards program. “All the predictions I heard were pretty much carried out,” said Jon Kozan, who has been Valor’s football statistician since the school opened and has watched all four McCaffrey brothers play. “These days, McCaffrey continues on Page 9
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Christian McCaffrey, shown here two years ago while a senior at Valor Christian, had quite a run at Stanford this season, finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. File photo