HOMETOWN
November 27, 2015 VO LUM E 1 4 | IS S U E 4 | FREE
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DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Larsen signs off, says, ‘It’s their turn’ School board president is one of three incumbents who were voted out Nov. 3 By Mike DiFerdinando mdiferdinando@colorado communitymedia.com
John Lutaaya, 19, is taking aim at the SAT score he needs to secure a college scholarship. Photos by Chris Michlewicz
Tennis phenom’s dream faces test Ugandan staying in Parker must raise SAT score to go to college
By Chris Michlewicz cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com Teen sports phenoms can have a propensity to think about nothing besides going pro. Not John Lutaaya. He dreams of getting a college education. Tennis, he says, is simply the conduit to get him one. Lutaaya is thousands of miles from home, a necessary move to achieve his goals. The 19-year-old moved from Kampala, Uganda, to the Unites States last year to attend a tennis academy in South Carolina, and when his first sponsorship ran out, Parker resident Ryan Segelke brought him to High Altitude Tennis Academy. The facility near East Parker Road and Tomahawk Road specializes in bringing out the best in junior tennis players, and has produced 193 tournament champions in just five years. In the gym where Lutaaya trains twice a day, he is surrounded by photos of the winners. He practices tennis about six hours a day for five or six days a week, and the rest of his time is spent cramming. Unwavering motivation Lutaaya has a rare opportunity. There is a lot on the line. He took the SAT test twice, and the second time came up 30 points shy of the score needed to secure him a $10,000 tennis scholarship offered by Colorado Christian University. “We haven’t put him in a whole lot of tournaments,” said Michael Farrington, one of his instructors at High Altitude Tennis Academy. “We’ve really been focusing on getting his score higher for the SAT.” With help from Susie Watts, who is tutoring him free of charge, Lutaaya is gaining confidence. He took the test a third time in mid-November and should know the result in the first week of December. He also plans to take the SAT again, and try his hand at the ACT in December. “SAT is a nightmare for me,” he said with a laugh. He later added: “I know I’m close. I’m just not so sure how my reading
John Lutaaya smiles during practice Nov. 12 at High Altitude Tennis east of Parker.
HOW TO HELP Families around the Parker community have rallied around John Lutaaya, providing lodging, clothes, tutoring, friendship and encouragement. To help cover Lutaaya’s living and travel expenses while he chases his tennis dream, High Altitude is utilizing its nonprofit, The HAT Fund. To donate directly, go to www.razoo.com/ story/Hat-Fund. “I’m really so appreciative,” Lutaaya said of the help he’s received. “They make me feel at home. I’m enjoying every moment I’m living here.”
will go.” It’s the reading section that gives him the most trouble, and that’s due in part to the fact that English is not his first language. He needs a total SAT score of 860 to earn the scholarship. He will learn the results of the final tests just before returning to Uganda on Jan. 5. This time, he won’t be returning alone: Segelke and his wife, Leslie, are going with.
“I’m so happy they’re coming home,” Lutaaya said. “Most people who try to help people, they don’t really want to bother with what’s going on back home, so they’re doing a great job of finding exactly how I’m living, where my life started, and also meeting my parents.” Solid backing Regardless of how he does on those tests, Segelke says he won’t give up on Lutaaya. The CEO and co-founder of High Altitude calls Lutaaya a “beacon of hope” for a slum in Kampala, the “one kid that got out.” Segelke has heard the stories of Lutaaya’s childhood and is eager to see where it all started. So as not to scuff his “precious” tennis shoes — a commodity in Uganda — Lutaaya would walk several miles in sandals to reach the sports facility where he discovered tennis. He accompanied a friend to play cricket, and by sheer luck was plucked from a crowd and recruited for the International Tennis Federation’s new team. He was 9 years old. Dreams continues on Page 8
Kevin Larsen took time to reflect on several occasions at his final Douglas County School Board meeting. He said it has been a privilege to serve on the board, calling it “the greatest honor of my life.” Larsen — a board member since 2011 and president since 2013 — lost his District C seat to former teacher Anne-Marie Lemieux in the Nov. 3 election. It was also the last meeting for Richard Robbins, who was defeated by former principal David Ray in District F. Craig Richardson, who lost his District A seat to parent and volunteer Wendy Vogel, did not attend the Nov. 18 meeting. The new members will be sworn in at a special meeting Nov. 30. Larsen began his farewell remarks by congratulating the three newly elected board members. “It’s their turn,” Larsen said. “I wish them the very best, wisdom and grace as they take on the many issues with the other four colleagues.” Larsen, 52, and his wife, Cindy, have lived in Highlands Ranch since 1989. Their three daughters each attended Fox Creek Elementary, Cresthill Middle and Highlands Ranch High. Larsen graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics. He is assistant vice president and actuary with Hannover Life Reassurance Company of America. He has been volunteering his time in the school district for more than 21 years. Larsen continues on Page 8
Douglas County Board of Education President Kevin Larsen served at his final meeting Nov. 18. He was defeated in the recent election by former teacher Anne-Marie Lemieux. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando