February 25, 2016
VOTING STARTS NEXT WEEK!
VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 28
LakewoodSentinel.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Ceremony welcomes 49 new citizens People swear allegiance to the U.S. in Denver ceremony By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Lakewood Head Start students do some hands on scientific learning at the 11th Avenue location. Photos by Clarke Reader
Helping kids get up and running Lakewood’s Head Start program benefits more than children By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Students learn about music during some self-directed learning time at the 11th Avenue Lakewood Head Start location.
HEAD START APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY Children must be at least 3 years old and not yet 5 years old on or before Oct. 1 to be eligible for the Head Start school year. Applications are accepted year-round for the Head Start program. To apply for Head Start download the documents online, contact the program at 303-987-2490 or visit the Wilbur Rogers Center at 12100 W. Alameda Pkwy. Children who are age-eligible for Head Start services will be selected to enroll in the program during summer. Priority for Head Start services is given to children in families at or below 100 percent of the poverty level, children who
are currently homeless and children with identified disabilities. Children with the highest priority will be selected to enroll and assigned a classroom. Head Start maintains a waiting list yearround and children on the waiting list will be contacted when vacancies exist. Children are enrolled at the beginning of the school year and continually during the program year when vacancies exist. Parents will be contacted to set up an appointment to complete enrollment paperwork and arrange a time for the child’s screening. For more information, visit www.lakewood. org/HeadStart.
Teachers at Lakewood’s 11th Avenue Head Start recently gave out homework to their 3- to 5-year-old students — take a box and make a replica of their home. Sherry Peterson, Head Start administrator, explained that once the students brought their finished projects to class, they were then tasked with making other community mainstays — like parks, police stations and churches. Once everyone was done, the classroom turned into a giant map of Lakewood, with the models spread out in approximation of where they are outside. “They’re designing the community, and in the process learning about themselves and where they fit in the community,” she said. In a way, that’s what Lakewood’s Head Start has been doing since its creation 18 years ago — teaching its students to be ready for the future. Not just educational, though kindergarten readiness is one of the top tenets of the program, but as community members and people. “Our No. 1 goal is to ensure these kids are ready to succeed when they leave Head Start continues on Page 8
Hundreds of people sat smiling in rows of folding chairs set up in a large room at the History Colorado Center in downtown Denver. The first few rows were filled with 49 of the United States’ newest citizens. In honor of Presidents’ Day, the 49 new citizens joined nearly 20,000 others like them across the country to take the Oath of Allegiance at more than 180 naturalization ceremonies held between Feb. 12 and Feb. 22 by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In Colorado, Immigration Judge Melanie Corrin administered the oath on Feb. 17. The new citizens represented 25 different countries from six of the world’s seven continents. They came from cities throughout the Denver-metro area, including Arvada, Englewood, Lakewood, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster and Wheat Ridge. Some traveled from Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. No matter what country they originated from, all had to complete a series of steps to gain citizenship, said Andy Lambrecht, director of the Denver field office of citizen and immigration services. They each have their own story and their own reason for pursuing Citizen continues on Page 7
WHAT’S INSIDE
The show must go on: Every day, local venues introduce new generations to the theater. See PAGE 12
LAKEWOOD HEAD START GOVERNANCE Lakewood’s City Council holds the legal and fiduciary responsibilities for the City’s Head Start program. The mayor then appoints three members to serve as the Advisory Committee, and this group has the authority to make decisions for the Head Start program. The current advisory committee members are Ward 1 councilman Charley Able, Ward 2 councilwoman Sharon Vincent and Ward 5 councilwoman Karen Harrison.
Bumps in the road: Legislators seek funds, solutions for pot hole problems . See PAGE 5