Lone Tree Voice May 8, 2025 by Colorado Community Media

WEEK OF MAY 8, 2025

DC Comics and Marvel superheroes descend onto Children’s Hospital Colorado in Highlands Ranch

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

“Was it a bird, was it a plane?” No — it was the Douglas County Regional SWAT team dressed as DC Comics and Marvel superheroes bringing smiles to the faces of everyone at the Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch.

One by one, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Flash, Superman and Captain America rappelled from the top of the hospital, waving through the windows as they passed by patients, their families and nurses. is has been a beloved event at Chil-

dren’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and in Colorado Springs for years, that’s aimed to bring a joyful surprise to everyone. On the nal day of April, the superheroes made their way to Highlands Ranch to ascend on the hospital for the rst time.

“To have superheroes propel is amazing because it just brings morale for the kids,” said Erin Bolinger, corporate and community development junior specialist for the hospital. “ is at least brings a little sunshine to their day.”

e idea to bring the event to Highlands Ranch sparked when Taylor Davis, the

division chief of support services at the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, saw other agencies repelling down the sides of hospitals on social media. Davis immediately presented the idea to his community resource team and soon after, members of the Douglas County Regional SWAT team were getting tted for their superhero suits.

“It was super fun,” said Sgt. Dan Mo tt of the Castle Rock Police Department, who served as Captain America for the day.

“We jumped at the opportunity.”

Hard choices, heavy hearts

Inside the Douglas County School Board’s vote to close three elementary schools

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“It breaks your heart,” said Douglas County School Board Member Brad Geiger, re ecting on a vote that closed three Highlands Ranch elementary schools and sent ripples through the tight communities surrounding each.

“Many nights it kept me up,” Geiger said. “I woke up thinking about the questions I needed to ask. I would walk between schools, drive bus routes and spend a lot of time by myself just processing concerns.”

On April 22, the board voted 7-0 to close Acres Green, Saddle Ranch and Heritage elementary schools and pair them with Fox Creek, Eldorado and Summit View, respectively.

e decision came after months of emotional meetings, angry emails, late-night school visits and gut-wrenching deliberations. To the board members, the closures were never just about budgets or enrollment numbers.

“When it changed from being a general discussion to very speci c kids and families, it increased the pressure by an order of magnitude,” Geiger said.

e closures were about children, teachers and neighborhoods whose histories are stitched into the hallways of shrinking schools.

“It’s not just about buildings or enrollment charts,” Board Member Susan Meek said. “It’s about people and places and the heart of our communities.”

Meek called the process “weighty in a di erent way,” comparing it to the di cult decisions the board faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, but noting that this time, the weight came from adding more transitions for students who had already endured so much.

Board Member Valerie ompson said she carried the faces and fears of parents with her through every meeting, email and deliberation.

And Board Member Kaylee Winegar described it as “one of the hardest votes” she has made

Dressed as superheroes, team leaders from the multi-agency regional tactical team commanded by the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce rappelled down the side of the Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus location in Highlands Ranch.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Douglas County launches Hall of Fame program

Initiative honors those who positively impact community, preserve legacies

BY FRANK DEANGELI

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In March, the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners launched a new Hall of Fame program. e initiative aims to both o cially acknowledge the e orts of people who positively impact Douglas County and ensure their legacies are preserved.

Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle, who spearheaded the e ort, said that giving o cial recognition to prominent and accomplished Douglas County residents has been a personal aspiration since his time in the Colorado state legislature.

“I would constantly come across local heroes, anyone from an Eagle Scout to a decorated war veteran,” said Van Winkle. “And since coming home to Douglas County, honoring these folks has been a priority of mine.”

Van Winkle said his fellow commissioners, Abe Laydon and George Teal, were “excited as can be,” about the idea when he originally proposed it.

On March 11, the board o cially inducted the Hall of Fame’s rst member: 101-year-old SSgt. Howard A. Berger. Berger fought in World War II, continued his service overseas for over 50 years after the war, and launched an “Over 90 Charitable Gift Annuity Plan” at age 97.

Van Winkle rst heard about the sta sergeant through a constituent hoping ceremony, Van Winkle had an opportunity to sit down and speak with Berger at Berger’s home. e veteran told the commissioner stories and showed o some of his memorabilia collection. Afterwards, Van Winkle gave Berger a county “challenge coin” - a small coin awarded to exceptional residents that is engraved with Douglas County’s values.

just seemed like a perfect rst person to commemorate,” said Van Winkle.

In addition to commemorating important community members, Van Winkle hopes that the Hall of Fame will provide a point of positivity amidst a di cult political and social climate.

“In a time of bitter anger between state and federal, or left and right, this is one thing without politics. It’s important to

A 19-year-old Eagle Scout and another decorated veteran are next on the docket to be honored by the county. e next ceremony will take place on May 27. Residents can nominate anyone who they feel has had an important community impact and deserves o cial recognition by the county. e nomination form is available on the county’s website.

DUI crash brings murder conviction

Victim was killed while pumping gas in Castle Rock

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN

A Castle Rock man faces life in prison after a Douglas County jury convicted him of rst-degree murder in a DUI crash that killed a decorated Air Force pilot and father of four.

Jurors found 57-year-old Paul Stephenson guilty on April 28 for the August 2024 crash that killed Lt. Col. Matt Anderson, 39, who was at a 7-Eleven gas station in Castle Rock after attending the Douglas County Fair with his family. Anderson was pumping gas while his wife was walking into the gas station

phenson admitted to drinking a bottle of Fireball whiskey and two beers prior to the incident.

According to prosecutors, Stephenson’s blood alcohol content measured 2.5 times the legal limit . e crash marked his third DUI o ense.

District Attorney George Brauchler said that disregard is what prompted him to pursue the rare rst-degree murder charge versus vehicular homicide.

“ is is not just some other DUI,” Brauchler said. “ is dude does not care about the value of human life. at’s how we charged it.”

Surveillance and witness accounts revealed Stephenson accelerated his Chevy Silverado directly into the Andersons’ vehicle, striking it with such force that it threw Anderson more than 15 feet, causing fatal injuries. Brauchler said the impact severed Anderson’s foot above the ankle and caused massive head trau-

“What made this di erent was not just the brutality of the crash but what came after,” Brauchler said. “In the hospital,

Stephenson never once asked about the children. His questions were about his glasses, his truck and asking the nurses for ice and water.”

Jurors also convicted Stephenson of four counts of attempted murder, four counts of child abuse and one count each of assault and criminal mischief.

Brauchler said his decision to personally try the case was driven in part by the gravity of the loss and his own connection to the victim’s story.

“I’m a father of four. He was a father of four,” he said. “I’m a colonel in the Army. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. When the rst murder trial in the 23rd came up, and it was this one, I wanted to show what leadership and accountability look like.”

Brauchler also wanted to send a message to the broader community.

“If you kill someone while driving drunk,” he said, “I will do everything I can to take away your freedom and as punishment for the death you caused.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Nate Marsh said the verdict re ects the devas-

tating impact of Stephenson’s actions.

“ e Anderson family was torn apart because this defendant had complete disregard for the lives of anyone but himself,” Marsh said. “ eir strength has been on display through this entire process and hopefully this verdict will help in the healing process.”

Lt. Col. Anderson served more than 18 years in the U.S. Air Force. His wife, Alli Anderson, thanked the district attorney’s o ce, rst responders and the Castle Rock community after the verdict.

“ e kindness and support shown to me and my children has been deeply felt and will never be forgotten,” she said.

Brauchler praised the prosecution team and said the verdict brings some measure of justice.

“For the Anderson family, this murderer has sentenced them to a lifetime without a husband and father,” Brauchler said. “ ey can take some small solace in knowing the killer will never again take a free breath.”

e court set Stephenson’s sentencing for July 3.

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners awards SSgt. Howard Berger with a commemorative plaque. COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY

since joining the board.

Board members Christy Williams, Tim Moore and Becky Myers did not respond to requests for an interview.

What the community didn’t see

To many in Highlands Ranch, the closures felt sudden, even merciless. But Geiger, Meek, ompson and Winegar lived a di erent version of the story — one lled with challenging questions, emotional meetings and di cult truths about a changing district.

ey had walked the hallways. ey read every angry, tearful email. ey pressed district leaders for answers to the questions they heard parents asking in community forums, even as frustration and mistrust grew.

District o cials warned that declining enrollment was hitting Douglas County hard. Some Highlands Ranch elementary schools were operating at less than 60% of their designed capacity, a threshold the district identi es as a tipping point for sustainability.

In public meetings and board work sessions, administrators detailed how shrinking enrollment strained budgets, limited sta ng, reduced access to specialists and, ultimately, eroded the very programs that kept students engaged and supported.

Geiger acknowledged that board members initially did not attend enough of the early community engagement sessions.

“If I had to do it again, I would have gone to every one of those,” he said. “I would have been more visible early.”

Once the school closure recommendations were announced, the fear of loss became palpable.

“ ey have this rational fear they’re going to lose something that works and trade it for something unknown,” ompson said.

So when families asked about class sizes, transportation and access to mental health support, Geiger, Meek and ompson said they were happy to see the district made real-time adjustments.

e district added new bus stops, arranged individual meetings with families who need special education and brought in principals to help answer parents questions directly. Still, many families left feeling unheard.

“No amount of listening can erase the pain of losing a school,” Geiger said. “But we tried to be as present and responsive as we could.”

Behind closed doors, they debated not just dollars but dignity, how to communicate compassion without raising false

hope and how to make an impossible decision feel slightly less devastating.

The real stakes

School closures don’t just shift enrollment numbers. ey shutter traditions. ey erase years of school plays, science fairs and PTA pancake breakfasts. ey ask a child who knows every creaky hallway tile to suddenly learn a new map.

Meek said she felt the emotional toll most acutely during her visits to schools, where she witnessed the uncertainty and grief the sta and families were experiencing.

“Transitions can be great, but they can also be hard,” Meek said. “Our job now is to support students every step of the way.”

ompson also knew the emotional cost was real. She saw it in parents’ faces, and heard it in their voices. But she also saw something else: a glimmer of resilience.

“Our parents’ advocacy was not without impact,” she said. “It showed the strength of an engaged and solutions-oriented

community.”

Winegar, too, emphasized that the closures were not meant to diminish any community’s worth but to give all students the kind of rich academic and extracurricular experiences that larger, more stable schools could provide.

“I want all kids in our district to get the same opportunities that my daughter has,” Winegar said.

Looking ahead with caution and hope

None of the board members interviewed mistook the vote for a solution. It was, at best, a necessary injury — one they hoped could heal with careful stewardship.

Winegar expressed optimism, praising the leadership teams already working to create new traditions and new cultures.

“I am looking forward to hearing the progress and ideas and new developments that these new school communities come up with,” Winegar said.

Geiger was more cautious. He knew trust would have to be earned all over

again.

“ e real work begins now,” he said.

“Keeping the promises we made.”

As part of the transition, families from the closing schools and their new partner campuses will work together to choose a new school name, colors and mascot — a small but meaningful way to build a shared identity.

After the vote, the April 22 meeting ended quietly. Board members packed up their papers and sta and parents led out of the building, carrying with them the weight of loss and the rst bit of fragile hope that something new might eventually take root.

e vote is over, but the real work of rebuilding trust, reshaping communities and supporting students through the change is just beginning.

ese board members said they understand the hurt won’t disappear overnight.

What remains is the frail, un nished business of loss and hope intertwined, and a future still being written – one student and one school day at a time.

Outside the Douglas County School District building in Castle Rock. The school board voted to close three elementary schools in Highlands Ranch, despite the outcry from parents of students who attend them.

PHOTO BY ARIA MARIZZA

SUPERHEROS

e Douglas County Regional SWAT team is a multi-agency regional tactical team commanded by the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce. With nearly 40 people from law enforcement agencies across the county, the team includes operations and tactical commanders, entry operators, K-9s, snipers, crisis negotiators, paramedics and team leaders.

In addition to putting smiles on the faces of everyone in the hospital, it was also a good training day for the team.

“It was great to be able to repel … and we got to see a bunch of smiling faces,” said Mo tt. “It’s a little bit more fun than

our usual training.”

Patients inside the hospital gave highves and st bumps through the windows to the ying superheroes. Families watching them from the ground had a chance to speak with — and get their photos taken with — their favorite superheroes.

For one 6 year old, Wesley Smith, his tough morning became brighter and exciting when he got a high- ve from Iron Man.

“Sometimes this is everything to a kiddo,” said Bolinger. “(If) they’re not able to get out of their room for other di erent reasons, it’ll just bring that smile to their face, to bring that hope, to bring the joy to their day. And just to see their favorite superhero come to life right in front of their eyes is amazing.”

A member of the Douglas County Regional SWAT Team, dressed as Spider-Man, rappels down the side of Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch.

Dressed as Spider-Man, a member of the Douglas County Regional SWAT Team gives a ﬁst bump to a patient standing inside of the Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus.

A member of the Douglas County Regional SWAT Team, dressed as the superhero Iron Man, waves to children and their families as he rapppels down the side of Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch.

FROM PAGE 1

Dan Mo tt, who has been with the Douglas County Regional SWAT team for about 10 years, dressed as Marvel’s Captain America to give patients at the South Campus of Colorado’s Children’s Hospital high-ﬁves through the window.

PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

Push back on Sterling Ranch charter

I urge the citizens of Douglas County to reach out to the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI) and advocate for the denial of the pending charter authorization application for John Adams Academy (JAA). There are several compelling reasons why this application should not be approved.

1. Non-compliance with Colorado curriculum standards

JAA’s application fails to demonstrate compliance with Colorado’s curriculum standards. The reliance on classical curricula such as Core Knowledge and Singapore Math, without explicit mapping to state standards, raises concerns about potential misalignment with Colorado’s educational requirements.

2. Poor performance of existing schools

John Adams Academy locations in California perform significantly worse than charter schools in Douglas County. For instance, in 2024, only 37% of high school students at John Adams Academy in Roseville demonstrated proficiency in mathematics, 46% in science, and 71% in reading. These metrics are far below the standards of excellence we expect in Douglas County.

3. Failed attempts in other states

Other attempts to start John Adams Academy schools in different states have failed due to similar concerns. For example, a proposal to establish a John Adams Academy in southern Oregon was denied by the local school district, citing issues related to the school’s educational model and community fit.

4. Legal and land acquisition issues

There are significant legal and land acquisition issues associated with John Adams Academy’s application. The Douglas County School Board’s resolution to release JAA’s charter application to CSI explicitly states that the school would not be located on land intended for future use by the Douglas County School District (DCSD). The land described in JAA’s application has been identified by DCSD for future dedication for a district-run school, which contradicts the stated intent of the DCSD board.

Additionally, JAA has not provided concrete evidence that it can obtain the land. The application only mentions a nonbinding “Memorandum of Understanding” that is still under negotiation. This lack of certainty poses a serious risk to the feasibility of the proposed school.

The application for John Adams Academy is fraught with issues that make it unsuitable for approval. Our community deserves schools that are transparent, accountable, and aligned with our educational standards and values.

I urge the citizens of Douglas County to take action by emailing the CSI board at CSIBoard@csi.state.co.us to ask them

to deny JAA’s application or by attending CSI’s next meeting of the board on May 20 at 1 p.m. to provide live public comment against the school.

Lori Wright, Sterling Ranch

No on home rule

After the Board of County Commissioners announced the home rule proposal, I invited them — on behalf of eight Douglas County Indivisible groups — to speak at a public meeting. I sent a letter, followed up by email, and proposed three dates. I received no response.

At a public event 10 days later, I personally spoke with Commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal. Both claimed they hadn’t seen the invite but agreed a meeting was a good idea. Teal, citing a staff transition, gave me his card and asked me to resend the details — which I did that same day.

Three days later, a meeting appeared on the commissioners’ website — with the wrong date and location. I contacted Teal, and the incorrect listing was quietly removed. Since then, I’ve followed up multiple times. Still no response.

These commissioners looked me in the eye and promised to meet with us. They broke that promise.

If the board believes home rule is such a vital issue for Douglas County, why won’t they engage with the public at the public’s request? If they won’t honor a simple commitment to meet, how can we trust them with greater power?

That’s why I’m voting no on the home rule proposal. We shouldn’t give more authority to officials who refuse to show up and be accountable.

Carol Sorensen, Lone Tree

Service group creates opportunities

The Early Childhood Service Corps (ECSC) is bridging generations to address two urgent challenges: the shortage of early childhood educators and the growing loneliness among older adults. Founded by Lisa Armao, a leader with over 30 years in early childhood education, ECSC connects older adults with meaningful roles in early childhood classrooms.

Lisa saw firsthand the critical gaps in early childhood education, worsened by the pandemic. She also recognized the wisdom and patience of older adults eager to make a difference. ECSC creates opportunities for these generations to connect, ensuring children receive the support they need while older adults find renewed purpose.

Why Douglas County?

With over 200 members making a difference statewide, ECSC needs more participation from Douglas County.

ECSC corps members serve in three key roles:

— Classroom Volunteers assist with reading, crafts and small group learning. — Encore Substitutes complete training

SEE LETTERS, P14

socks, lukewarm coffee, and a whole lot of heart.

A game-winning goal. A solo that didn’t make your ears bleed. A moment when your kid looks proud, and you remember why you said “yes” in the first place.

7. Remember: This is a season (literally and figuratively)

The chaos won’t last forever. The time will come when your Saturdays are weirdly quiet and your car doesn’t smell like sports. Until then, keep showing up the best you can — with mismatched

You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to keep going. And, if things are teetering on the edge at home while you’re in sprint mode, we happen to know a service that can be that extra set of hands you could use, wink, wink … ahem TULA Life Balanced! And maybe — just maybe — remember where you put that other shin guard.

This guest column was written by Megan Trask and Cody Galloway, Denver residents and co-founders of TULA Life Balanced. Learn more about their business at tulabalanced.com.

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Justine Williams came to Colorado from England, she pursued horse therapy for people with disabilities.

“As a kiddo in England, I was one of those kids who asked my mom and dad if I could ride horses, and I’ve always loved horses. So, they bought me a horse for my birthday, and I took 10 riding lessons and worked at the barn to pay for my riding lessons,” Williams said. Williams said that when she was 11 years old, her friend had a stroke, so she grew up with her childhood friend being disabled.

“By the time I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to work with people with disabilities, and I found out about therapy horses,” Williams said. Williams went to Budapest to train in conductive education at the Pet Institute.

“It’s where I learned about therapy and horses,” she said.

She ended up getting married and then came to the U.S., moving to Colorado in 2001. With her passion and education as a therapist, she started her Rhythm of the Horse therapy services in Fort Lupton in 2021. Williams works with children with di erent types of disabilities, such as kids with autism, who don’t speak much.

“With training, I initiate a lot of language when they are on the horse. I teach them to say ‘go’ or ‘stop’ with my horses, Chloe or Gus,” Williams said. “It could be overwhelming to make the horse move, which is what they want, but they need to say something. So, they’re motivated to say something,”

She also works with children and adults with cerebral palsy.

“I also work with disabilities from stroke, ADHD, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, anyone with neuro-motor dysfunction, and I also work with other neurodivergent issues such as autism (and) sensory processing disorder,” Williams said.

Rhythm of the Horse also has a program for horse reading for children who are new readers or struggling readers, and can learn to read with a horse.

“So, they’re learning to feel more comfortable and con dent about reading by partnering with the horse. It’s very special,” Williams said.

William said Rhythm of the Horse also o ers its Equine Assisted Learning Program for people who may be overwhelmed in life or have relationship issues.

e children and adults can choose which horse they want to work with and eventually build a bond with that horse to get through their fear, anxiety or whatever they are experiencing.

Rachel Sartucci, who has cerebral palsy, comes once

Karen MacDowell, a volunteer with Rhythm of the Horse

a week for training for up to an hour. Her mom, Elizabeth Robinson, said Rachel, who is now 30, started the program when she was 21.

“I think the program is helping her not get old and tight as quickly. She has cerebral palsy, a type that makes her muscles contract and not go back out. Her right side is weaker, so when she’s on the horse, it relaxes her muscles,” Robinson said.

Karen MacDowell is retired, and has been volunteering with Rhythm of the Horse for about ve years.

“I’ve been working with Rachel the whole time I’ve been here. It’s important work, and it makes you feel good to help others,” MacDowell said.

Colleen Larson is also retired and has been volunteering for four years, helping Williams with the clients.

“What Williams does with the horses and with riders is amazing. When they get on and o the horse, it’s nothing short of miraculous,” Larson said.

Rhythm of the Horse is a nonpro t and o ers scholarships based on nancial need. e organization applies for grants and fundraises.

“We are looking for volunteers to come and help with the di erent programs. We welcome high school students or adults — anybody who is interested,” Williams said.

Thu 5/15

Rival Ghost @ Fracos

@ 6pm

The Toad Tavern, 5302 S Federal Circle, Littleton

Colfax Speed Queen @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Fri 5/16

Brightenstar @ Black Bear Golf Club

@ 5pm

Black Bear Golf Club, 11400 Canterberry Pkwy,, Parker

Dan Navarro

@ 7pm

Swallow Hill Music - Tuft Theatre, 71 East Yale Avenue, Denver

Reks: HipHop Food Drive

CSU Denver Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale @ 7am May 17th - May 18th

CSU Denver Extension Master Gar‐dener Plant Sale, 888 East Iliff Avenue, Denver. denvermg@colostate.edu, 720913-5270

My Blue Sky returns to The Tailgate @ 5pm

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Main‐street, Parker

Sun 5/18

The Ef�gies @ 7pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

The Brudi Brothers @ 7pm Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver

Wed 5/21

Sleigh Bells @ 6pm Summit Denver, 1902 Blake Street, Denver

8th Annual Tea Fundraiser for the Castle Rock Historical Society & Museum @ 1pm / $40

@ 8pm Bar Red, 437 W Colfax Ave, Denver

CASE MADDEN @ 8pm

Goosetown Tavern, 3242 East Colfax Ave, Den‐ver

Sat 5/17

The Rock and Roll Playhouse plays Music of Tom Petty + More for Kids @ 10am

Bluebird Theatre, Denver

Kiinjo: Paradise Live Tour @ 5pm

Kirk Hall, 500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock. museum@castlerockhistoricalso ciety.org, 303-814-3164

Tantra Speed Date® - Denver! (Meet Singles Speed Dating) @ 4:30pm / $45-$150 Circus Collective, 4459 Jason St. Unit 3, Denver. help@tantrany.com

DreadNought @ 7pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Emma Ogier @ 7pm Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St, Denver

The koozies @ 7pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver

Luar La L @ 8pm

Eclipse Event Center, 2155 S Sheridan Blvd, Denver

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

SALSA & BACHATA SUNDAYS @ 6pm La Rumba, Denver

The Garcia Project @ 7pm

Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver

Mon 5/19

A Taste of Ireland - The Irish Music & Dance Sensation @ 6:30pm / $45-$65

Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker. info‐@pace-live.com

brentgill: Good Session - Comedy with a side if therapy | Comedy Works South @ 6:30pm Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village

DJ Rockstar Aaron @ 7pm

Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Thu 5/22

Soundularity: TimeWarp @ Denver Clock Tower @ 6pm Clock Tower Events, 1601 Arapahoe St #17, Denver

Brown Sugar @ 9pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

Go for Launch program aims to inspire students

Space travel experts and astronauts o ered STEM at Air and Space Port

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Michelle Lucas, founder of Higher Orbits Go for Launch, has worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and made her reputation preparing people for space ight. She traveled the world teaching people how to live on board the International Space Station.

But the satisfaction she received from that job is nothing compared to thrill of seeing a new generation get interested in space ight.

“Don’t get me wrong, training astronauts for space was ful lling, but being able to prepare the next generation is a next level of ful llment,” Lucas said. at’s what she and her team were aiming for April 26 and 27 at the Colorado Space Port near Watkins. e space port hosted the Go for Launch Higher Orbits event, a special STEM program, for 35 Denver-area middle and high school students.

Lucas said it’s incredibly ful lling to inspire the next generation of space enthusiasts, especially for kids that don’t have access to these kinds of opportunities.

She said she can relate.

“I’m a kid who is in love with space, from the south side of Chicago with no access to space-inspired STEM programming,” she said.

Post-its, tape and teamwork e students learned about teamwork, communication, technology, leadership, science, engineering and brainstorming during the two day program. eir tasks include working as teams to create a tower made of paper stable enough to support the miniature NASA Orion Capsule placed on top. Each tower was tested with a small fan to assess its strength.

Global Village Academy’s Colton Burke, Prospect Ridge Academy’s Eshaan Valles and Colorado Skies Academy students Yiri Yerikanis, and Zach Schultz worked as a team.

e group of 8th grade students brainstormed how to best build their tower, each participating with structural engineering concepts and feeding o each other for inspiration.

eir nal tower was made of Post-its, paper and some tape with room for the Orion Capsule on top. eir project was tested for strength, and they won rst place. Not only that, but they had fun doing it.

at’s the goal, Lucas said. Being able to create something that she can bring to the backyards of students across the country is so meaningful to her.

Dreams of space

e impact is huge, according to Robert Ferguson from Westminster Public Schools’ Random Innovation Center. He teaches the aviation engineering pathway, including drone classes, pilot training, engineering design, aviation electronics, and aerospace.

“I’m excited about the new opportunities for the next generation and am looking forward to seeing their progress and achievements at the Colorado Air and Space Port,” Ferguson said. “I’ve had students who have gone on to be airplane mechanics, training as pilots, and some have gone to the military, or the School of Mines, Metropolitan State University, and Colorado State University.”

Lucas said that since she was a little girl, she dreamed of working in the space industry, and had the privilege of doing that after she graduated.

“I worked at Johnson Space Center variety of di erent jobs with the International Space Station. I was part of the payload safety review panel,” Lucas said. “I was a ight controller and mission control, and then I was a technical instructor for astronauts and other instructors.”

After 12 years, commercial space started to take o , so she decided to leave NASA and start her own consulting company.

“I did some work for a nonpro t internationally. We launched Higher Orbits, a nonpro t. It’s our 10th anniversary. We’ve conducted 84 programs in 21 states, impacting over a thousand students.”

Space loomed large in Capt. Wendy Lawrence’s imagination, too. Lawrence was an astronaut with four space shuttle missions under her belt, including the Astro Two mission to the Russian Space Station Mir.

Lawrence said she grew up reading about the Mercury or Gemini space programs, but as Apollo started, she was in front of her black and white televisions at home.

“Most of us had not migrated to color yet, and we were enthralled, amazed by what we saw. For me, it was Apollo 11 watching Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon,” Lawrence said. “I just knew at that moment, I wanted to ride a rocket and have a chance to nd space.”

Lawrence said Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics programs, also known as STEM or STEAM, are an opportunity for the students to take what they have been learning in school and apply it to a particular challenge, coming up with an idea for an experiment that could be on the International Space Station.

“It’s their opportunity to apply knowledge and education they acquired, giving them experience that they can go on and take on challenges and be successful.”

Elizabeth Balga, another volunteer for the program, works as a senior human systems integration engineer and ight operations engineer at Sierra Space in Colorado.

She worked on the Dream Chaser program, which is a cargo vehicle designed

to bring payloads to the International Space Station.

Balga said she was inspired by Space ight since she was a little girl and was enamored with everything in science, space, and technology in her classes.

“ is age range is where kids are trying to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives, and allowing them to learn about space, but also STEM and space, everything it takes to go into space,” Balga said.

“It’s science, technology, engineering, art, and math. ere are also biology and aviation paths that are part of the greater aerospace realm,” Balga said. “As a kid, I didn’t have a lot of these opportunities to learn about aerospace. I would have loved to go to a ‘Go for Launch’ as a kid.” Go for Launch volunteer Sonia Morales also works as a modeling and simulations engineer at the Aerospace Corporation.

“I’ve been looking for other opportunities to give back to students, to inspire them. I found out about Go for Launch asking for volunteers, and I was very excited to volunteer,” Morales said.

Eighth-grade students Henry Kovacs, from Thunder Ridge, Blake Chyou, homeschooled, Ben Santos, Eagle Crest High School, and Teagan Bura, Colorado Skies Academy watch to see how the tower they constructed fares against a sti wind during the Go For Launch program at the Colorado Air and Space Port. They claimed second place for the stability of their tower.

Students work to build a tower that can withstand strong winds while holding a space capsule during the Go For Launch program at the Colorado Air and Space station. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD