2023 ANNUAL REPORT A Program of Colorado Rocky Mountain School
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR “The dictionary has most words in the English language, yet there’s no word for how much I appreciate (HS)2. But, If I had to pick one, I think of the word zenith. This is because (HS)2 is the highest point of happiness I’ve ever felt. There’s something about being on campus, waking up around these people I consider family, and getting to be alive with everyone; this is a feeling I can’t explain. Everyone should be able to experience (HS)2 - they won’t be able to put their emotions into words either.” - Maci M., (HS)2 Class of 2023 I am profoundly moved by the words of this recent (HS)2 graduate. This sentiment, that (HS)2 has been the zenith of Maci’s 17 years of existence, is simultaneously beautiful and complicated, showcasing the way (HS)2 reaches far beyond our mission statement. I can understand why (HS)2 is the “highest point” for Maci. (HS)2 is a peak academic experience, providing small, engaging, and project-based classes for students. (HS)2 is a peak adventure experience, as students live away from home, engage with the active curriculum, and explore the Rocky Mountains. (HS)2 is a peak community and mentorship experience, as students live alongside friends for five weeks who become family for life. (HS)2 is a peak college prep experience, as it supports students in navigating the nuanced college process. And (HS)2 is a peak joy experience, as you weave all of these pieces together and it becomes more than the sum of its parts. (HS)2 is 75 teenagers on a beautiful campus on which they experience safety, inspiration, and joy with each breath for five weeks. But (HS)2 as a zenith also reveals a country amidst an adolescent mental health crisis. It reveals an education system that too often fails to serve and prepare the marginalized. It reveals an income and opportunity gap that widens with each year that passes, and it reveals the extent to which students feel unsafe in expressing their truest selves. (HS)2 as the zenith is beautiful and complicated all at once. The five weeks of (HS)2 are undoubtedly the zenith of my year in terms of investment in my work, but more importantly in terms of joy, love, and purpose. The 2023 program was one of myriad successes, and I hope you will take the time to explore the components of our programming in the pages ahead. I am tremendously lucky to spend those five weeks alongside our brilliant scholars, and I am grateful to you for making this possible. Thank you for helping to create an experiential zenith for our students. With warmth and gratitude,
Annie Oppenheim, (HS)2 Program Director
MISSION
VISION
(HS)2 prepares a group of first-generation and/or low-income students to succeed in college by empowering them with STEMbased skills, a family of driven peers, and a space to see the light and power in their own voices.
We envision a world in which all students have unburdened access to higher education and professional opportunities regardless of race, income, and family history.
(HS)2 was incredibly helpful with the transition to dorm life at Colorado School of Mines and I have found it so much easier to adapt compared to my peers. - Arael A., Class of 2022
(HS)2 CLASS OF 2022 MATRICULATION Boston University Carleton College Colorado School of Mines Columbia University Georgia State University Louisiana State University Loyola University, New Orleans Northwestern University
Prairie View A&M University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Santa Clara University Tulane University Tuskegee University University of Louisiana at Lafayette University of Pennsylvania Yale University
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF AN (HS)2 SUMMER?
90+ HOURS
OF STEM CLASSES PER STUDENT Math students increased their assessment scores on average by 56% throughout the summer. “I loved this intro to learning programming languages and it allowed me to think about fields in STEM involving coding. It got me excited for my future.”
45+ HOURS
OF WRITING OR COLLEGE COUNSELING
“I learned SO MUCH that I didn’t know before in College Counseling. I used to think that the college process was so complicated and I wouldn’t ever understand it all but that quickly changed. The notes I took from that class will carry me forward this year.”
45+ HOURS
OF ACTIVES / ART ACTIVITIES
“The problem solving aspect of rock climbing is so valuable. While you’re climbing up, you have to think about where you’ll put your feet and what your next hold is. It’s SO rewarding when you reach the top knowing you had to problem solve to get there.”
10+ HOURS OF SAT PREP
“It was helpful to learn strategies to solve SAT and ACT problems faster and getting to do a lot of practice problems together.”
10+ HOURS
OF LEADERSHIP FOR THIRD YEARS
“Learning how to evaluate situations without bias was hard at times but a very necessary skill to have been taught.”
LIVING OUT OUR VALUES CARE - (HS)2 students show tremendous empathy towards each other and are rewarded with a community of vulnerability and trust.
CURIOSITY - (HS)2 students explore and expand the outer bounds of their thinking and their comfort zones.
PERSISTENCE - (HS)2 students rebound from challenges and stand firm in their desire to create incredible opportunities for themselves and for their communities.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE - (HS)2 students hold themselves to a high intellectual standard and shine in the classroom.
of students noted they strengthened their ability to connect with people’s experiences that are different from their own of students noted pushing the limits of their comfort zones through actives, outdoor activities, or other program events
of students noted being more eager to support the journey of others within their community
of students felt confident in their ability to successfully pursue the career of their choice
2023 SCHOLAR DEMOGRAPHICS
NEW YORK 24 Scholars
TEXAS
LOUISIANA
COLORADO
27%
17%
23%
19 Scholars
33%
12 Scholars
16 Scholars
45%
Hispanic/ Latino
48%
Black/ African American
80% First-Generation
7%
Poverty-Structured Communities
Multiracial/ Other Ethnicity
66% Female
82%
33% Male
1%
Non-binary
SUMMER 2023 PARTNER SCHOOLS COLORADO
Roaring Fork High School Arrupe Jesuit High School DSST Conservatory Green High School DSST Green Valley Ranch High School
LOUISIANA
KIPP Frederick A. Douglass High School The Piney Woods Country Life School (MS) The Willow School (formerly Lusher Charter School)
NEW YORK
Achievement First Brooklyn High School Achievement First East Brooklyn High School Achievement First University Prep High School Brooklyn Ascend High School Cristo Rey New York High School East Side Community High School KIPP NYC College Prep High School The Academy Charter School - Hempstead The Academy Charter School - Uniondale
TEXAS
Amon Carter Riverside High School Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Prep North Side High School O.D. Wyatt High School RL Paschal High School South Hills High School Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences Trimble Technical High School Western Hills High School Young Men’s Leadership Academy Young Women’s Leadership Academy
ACADEMIC UPDATE In walking through the halls of the Jossman during classtime one might hear joyous laughter in writing class, fierce ideological debates over the ethics of AI, spirited collaboration over a calculus problem, or a discussion about the value of sensors in the field of biomedical engineering. Our writing, college counseling, and math programming remained consistent in their engagement and rigor. We continued to build on our STEM programming, offering a class on computer science and the ethics of Artificial Intelligence, and a biomedical engineering course for our third years taught by two doctoral students from Purdue University. This university partnership delivered knowledgeable instructors and valuable resources – an academic partnership we hope to continue moving forward.
“
The hands-on activities in my STEM classes
“
were enriching and
made me feel more
motivated to pursue STEM in the future.
- Anthony G., Class of 2023
ACTIVE HIGHLIGHTS Our Active program during 2023 was a mix of new and old. Climbing, kayaking, silversmithing, ceramics, and music continue to be cornerstones of the Active curriculum, while farming, food justice, and photojournalism were new courses that students thoroughly enjoyed. Actives provide students with a counterbalance to their long academic days – a time to exercise their creative and athletic muscles, to build new skills, and to spend time with new people. It is a huge part of the joy of (HS)2.
so comfortable with and around water made me feel
“
“
The fact that we had to get
more confident in it and that will translate into my life outside of (HS)2.
- Daijuan W., Class of 2025
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS A big focus of the past summer was collaborating with different community organizations and groups to help the (HS)2 scholars feel more comfortable in the broader Roaring Fork Valley. We had a wonderful time visiting the Aspen Physics Center, the Aspen Music School, the top of Aspen Mountain and the Lost Forest in Snowmass. We also hosted guest speakers such as Phil Henderson of Cortez, Colorado, the first person to lead an all-black expedition up Mount Everest, enjoyed a (HS)2-only viewing of Barbie at the Crystal Theatre, enjoyed a special reel from 5Point Adventure Film Festival at our own movie night, a visit from the Aspen Words Author in residence, and more. Students so enjoy venturing beyond the confines of campus, and we’re grateful to all community partners who made this possible!
WINTER WEEKEND Thanks to the support of the Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant and Aspen Skiing Company, (HS)2 hosted our first-ever winter weekend in March of 2023. Roughly 10 students bused from Denver to Carbondale on a Friday afternoon and spent the weekend on the slopes of Snowmass learning to ski. Big thanks to CRMS families for loaning gear for the weekend, to other families who hosted students for homestays, and to Aspen Skiing Company for setting students up with gear rentals, tickets and lessons. We hope to continue this exciting weekend in the years to come.
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT (HS)2 continued to build on our tradition of hiring alumni en masse during summer 2023. Not only do the below individuals bring incredible richness and rigor to the program, but they’ve shared this employment opportunity with their own networks of friends and colleagues, making our summer 2023 faculty the most diverse in (HS)2 history. Having alumni on our faculty provides our scholars with incredible role models, offering various visions of future paths to our students and broadening their understandings of success in the real world. It is a joy to work with these program alums and we’re endlessly grateful for their contributions.
CLEMENTE DE HOYOS - (HS)2 2017 Education: Emory University, Class of 2022, BS in Neuroscience Currently: Lead ESOL Academic Support Specialist at CRMSl LAUREN GRAVES - (HS)2 2016 Education: Tulane University, Class of 2021, BA in Sociology, Masters Candidate from Southern Methodist University in Urban Education Currently: 1st Grade Teacher in Dallas ISD, Teach for America Alumni ART JACKSON - (HS)2 2016 Education: UT Arlington, Class of 2021, BS in University Studies and Medical Humanities Currently: CRMS Teaching Fellow and on call EMT, upper level math tutor and medical technician
SHARMELY LOPEZ - (HS)2 2017 Education: Colorado College, Class of 2023, BA in Romance Languages Currently: Teaching English in Spain JAWNO OKHIULU - (HS)2 2016 Education: Stanford University, Class of 2021, BA in Human Biology + African and African American Studies Currently: Program Associate at Waverly Street Foundation JASMINE RUIZ - (HS)2 2017 Education: Ursinus College, Class of 2022, BS Math and Spanish Currently: Teaching Math at her Alma Mater, Trimble Tech in Fort Worth
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Eventually, your compass leads you back home. I’m seven years older than I was when I was in your seats, one degree smarter, and lots of mistakes and lessons later, and I find even more value in my experience at (HS)2. I find myself feeling immensely grateful for a space to be myself, a place to explore who I am and contribute back to the community that helped build me. But I am most grateful for this space as the foundation of my internal compass... No matter where life
”
has taken me, I have had these experiences, people, and memories to direct me back to the kind of life that I want to lead and the kind of human I want to be. Lauren Graves, Class of 2016
excerpt from (HS)2 2023 graduation speech
(HS)2 CLASS OF 2023
Abiel Contreras
Alex Campos Fort Worth, TX
Richmond Hill, GA
Anthony Gonzalez
Areeg Al-Dayni
Beningno Rodriguez
Caylice Williams
Chelsea Watson
Elijah Davis
Harmony Wilson
Denver, CO
Fayetteville, NC
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans, LA
Fort Worth, TX
Harvey, LA
Brooklyn, NY
Alexis Bonheur
Fort Worth, TX
Da’Vine Davis
New Orleans, LA
Ian Barnes
New Orleans, LA
“
I love (HS)2 because it was my second home that allowed me to find who I am. When I first came to (HS)2, I was shy, scared,
Jo’Shel Joseph Brooklyn, NY
Kaylyn Noah Denver, CO
and uncomfortable with myself. However, as time progressed and I completed each summer, I felt like my peers and the staff brought a sense of unity and family, which allowed me to open up to new things. Being able to find myself and be
Macielle Mendez Hempstead, NY
Mosoba Bidima New Orleans, LA
more open helped a lot once I returned home. I changed in ways that benefited myself and my community. For this, I will
”
always be grateful to my (HS)2 family.
Chelsea W., Class of 2023 Nathalie Avila
Roza Balanga
Tiffany Liverpool
Wendy Hernandez Higarede
Fort Worth, TX
Brooklyn, NY
Fort Worth, TX
Bronx, NY
Zamaris Infante Bronx, NY
2022 FINANCIAL REPORT tributio 17% CONTRIBUTIONS C on ns Individuals Foundations CRMS Contribution of Support Services TOTAL REVENUE
$377,266 $238,000
$130,200 $745,466
In-Kind
51% Individuals
32% Foundations
EXPENSES Salaries & Benefits $463,502 Program Costs $89,188 Administrative Fees $19,633 Residential, Facilities, & Food Services $173,143 TOTAL EXPENSES
“
23% Residential, Facilities & Food
Expenses
3% Administrative
$745,466 12% Program
I love that (HS)2 is a place where I can get out of my comfort
zone and not be afraid of what’s to come. (HS)2 has made a significant impact on my life by showing me what I’m capable of. When it comes to meeting someone new, trying something different (maybe scary), doing two hour classes, I know it will be okay, because I know that (HS)2 isn’t a judgmental place, but instead a place were you can be yourself. (HS)2 created a second
”
community, even family, that I love and cherish, and will be forever thankful that God gave me that opportunity. - Jade S., Class of 2025
62% Salaries & Benefits
ADVISORY COMMITTEE (HS)2 is governed by a hybrid Standing Committee of the CRMS Board of Trustees. This Committee is comprised of CRMS Board members, supporters of (HS)2, and content experts in the field. We are grateful for the Standing Committee’s ongoing support and their investment in the development, progression, and longevity of the (HS)2 Program at CRMS.
HELEN OBERMEYER Committee Co-Chair RAVI VENKATESWARAN Committee Co-Chair ANNIE OPPENHEIM Program Director GARLAND AND MOLLIE LASATER Program Founders
CHRIS BABBS GARETT BJORKMAN DR. WHITNEE BOYD CHELSEA CONGDON NICK FAVALORO JAY HUGHES LISANNE ROGERS LISA SCHULTZ Ex Officio: JEFF LEAHY STAN WATTLES
2022-23 SUPPORTERS The (HS)2 program is enabled by the generous support of individuals and foundations that believe in the program’s mission. All gifts are used to meet the expenses of the students, including their travel, room & board, and the wide range of academic and social development services that are a hallmark of the (HS)2 experience. The per-student cost to operate the (HS)2 program is $8,000 per summer.
$50,000 - $99,999
Garland & Mollie Lasater Gary & Judy Havener Gates Family Foundation John Fullerton Mary Ann & James Harris North Start Charitable Foundation Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust Sharon Ann McCulloch-Wells & John W. Wells Endowed Fund of The North Texas Community Foundation
$10,000 - $49,000
Anonymous (3) Bob & Soledad Hurst - Hurst Family Foundation Haydn Cutler, Jr. Hemera Foundation Jill & Curtis Kaufman Oscar & Agnes Tang - The Tang Fund Pritchard Foundation R4 Foundation Rainwater Charitable Foundation Rosalyn Rosenthal The Melony & Adam Lewis Advised Fund at Aspen Community Foundation Walker & Joan Friedman Wally & Helen Obermeyer
$5,000 - $9,999
Anonymous Chelsea Congdon DuBose Family Foundation Eric and Deborah Alden Esther Navias Fred & Frances Davies Garett Bjorkman CRMS ‘06 & Christine Bjorkman Mitzi & Bill Davis
NoëÎ Congdon State of Colorado, Parks & Wildlife Susan Lodge The Kingsberg Foundation Thomas & Dathel Coleman
$1,000 - $4,999
Anonymous Clint Parsley & Alex Albright David Dowler Evelyn Petschek, CRMS ‘68 Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Grossman Family Advised Fund at Aspen Community Foundation Jaimie Field Jordan & Jennifer Lewis Kathryn & Richard Rabinow Kit & Rob Rohn Samuel & Linda Winn Susan Aspinall Block Suzi McKinley, CRMS ‘96 Tad Whitaker, CRMS ‘94 The Laura & Gary Lauder Advised Fund at Aspen Community Foundation Todd Oppenheimer Virginia Touhey, CRMS ‘74
$500 - $999
Annie Drapeau Chris & Nancy Babbs Elliot & Caroline Norquist Fonda Paterson Jake Marston Katie McCormack Laura Alvarez & Juan Quiroga Lisanne & Jim Rogers Mark & Jeanie Clark Peggy & David Tanner
Richard & Carolyn Herb Tabor Furr
up to $499
Anonymous (2) Aimee & Luis Yllanes Aliza Green Amanda Toledo Barrios (HS)2 ‘15 Amy Shoemaker Anne Favaloro Annie Oppenheim Betsy Bingham-Johns Betsy Danziger Caren Duane Dania Ahmed (HS)2 ‘21 Dave & Shannon Meyer David & Barbara Chase Emily Uniman Esther Assenso (HS)2 ‘16 Jaymie Oppenheim Jeffrey Colt Joel Sanchez (HS)2 ‘21 John Lund John Wyman Katherine McKee Katie Rohn Kendall Caple Liliana Diaz (HS)2 ‘12 Mabel Gardner Madison Stebbins Mags Miller, CRMS ‘90 Marcia Banegas Maria Rivera Marisol Sanchez Mary Ellen Treadway Meghan Duff Michael A. Pavlis Morgan Hardy Morgan Karow, CRMS ‘22 Nathaniel Drucker Nick Pavlis Olivia Tabah Peggy Corcillo & David Pietsch Pete Wyman Ravi Venkateswaran, CRMS ‘69 Reed Schultz Rick Colt Sam Critchlow Sasha Kahan
Shawn Gerum Stefano Cruz (HS)2 ‘19 Tess Winebaum Thomas Hyde Tyler Valtin Virginia & Rick Newton Will Colt Zoe Shea Zoya Dalessandri
(HS)2 Volunteers Caitland Peterson Daisy Cullwick Maia Cullwick Makai Yllanes Scarlett Carney Stewart Corona
In Kind
5 Point Film Aspen Physics Center Aspen Skiing Company Aspen Words Dr. Whitnee Boyd - Doc. B Empowers Kersten Vasey Photography Mountain Pearl Magazine Phil Henderson Renee Ramge Photography Shark Ninja
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS ROBERT GATABAZI, (HS)2 CLASS OF 2016 Texas Christian University, Class of 2021 Boston University School of Medicine, Class of 2023 My name is Robert Gatabazi, and I graduated from (HS)2 in 2016. I am currently a Mental Health Clinician on the Community Violence Response Team (CVRT) under the Trauma Surgery Department at Boston Medical Center. CVRT provides individual and family counseling services to survivors of violence and family members who have been impacted by violence. In addition, we have case management and family advocacy services to provide additional support and assistance. All services are non-insurance based and are free to the clients and their families.These services are offered to children and adults of all ages. Survivors of violence and their families are offered support while inpatient at the hospital as well as follow up after discharge. Services include crisis intervention, psycho-education, ongoing counseling, therapeutic support, case management, advocacy and referrals to community partners. Family survivors of homicide victims are offered assistance with burial planning, ongoing support and counseling. After graduating from (HS)2, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Youth Advocacy and Educational Studies from Texas Christian University in 2021. Following TCU, I went on to get a Masters in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine, finishing my degree in 2023. Since high school, (HS)2 has been a foundational part of my educational journey and professional development. As a first-generation college student, college did not always seem like a viable option for me. (HS)2 not only allowed me to understand that a college education was possible, but it also provided me with invaluable support and skills to get me to and through college. After my undergraduate studies, I was also offered employment with (HS)2 as a Resident Assistant and College Counseling T.A. This opportunity not only gave me a chance to give back to a program that poured so much into me, but it also allowed me to develop the professional skills necessary for my current career now. Furthermore, when I started graduate school in Boston, (HS)2 extended my employment and offered me a Student Support role through the school year where I got to work closely with Annie in supporting our students while they were back in their schools and communities. This source of income was very helpful for me as we all understand how expensive graduate school is, let alone moving to a big city like Boston by myself. I can honestly keep going about how (HS)2 has stayed supportive in my educational, professional, and personal development but I think what I have shared thus far captures how important this program is to me.
LESLIE HERNANDEZ, (HS)2 CLASS OF 2019 Pomona College, Class of 2024 Since finishing the (HS)2 program almost 4 years ago, much has changed. The High School High Scholar Program enabled me from a very early age to keep an open mind and to not be afraid to explore everything. Moving from New York to Los Angeles was an adjustment to an unfamiliar city and a new community at Pomona College. At first, I was unsure of my path, as I had my mind set on studying Politics and dedicating myself to working in local government back in New York. However, throughout my time at Pomona, I found the joy and intrigue in the intersection of politics with philosophy and economics. This spring, I will graduate with a major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a concentration in Economics. My college career has been devoted to studying economic inequalities, including racial wealth gaps and gender wealth gaps, to better understand the political and social structures that maintain economic inequities and the ethical implications that result from these inequalities. To conclude my time at Pomona I will be writing my thesis to explore and envision what a world would look like if women controlled more capital and had greater access to it. The time I have spent working in finance, first in Investment Management at BNY Mellon, and then in Investment Banking at JP Morgan, inspired my thesis topic and also inspired me to create the Women in Finance Club at Pomona College. Our primary goal is to create a supportive community for women and non-binary individuals interested in finance. As a first-generation Latina, I know well the adversities that come with breaking into finance and so I was compelled to become a resource for other young women beginning their careers. The barriers women face in the finance industry are not permanent. Bringing awareness to these inequitable structures will allow us to dismantle them by working collectively. Upon graduating I will work as an Equity Research Analyst at JP Morgan in the New York City office. I look forward to beginning my professional career at JP Morgan and will continue to serve as a resource for first-generation BIPOC students after college. As a student at (HS)2, I learned not only to embrace my intellectual curiosity but also to be community-centered and to always find a way to pay it forward. Everywhere I go I find myself in new communities with opportunities to learn and grow with others. (HS)2 prepared me for college through its holistic approach to STEM education and by allowing me to explore activities like rock climbing, kayaking, and silversmithing, work that I would not otherwise have experienced. The (HS)2 experience empowered me to dream big and set goals despite how ambitious they may be because anything is possible with hard work and community support.
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It is hard to put it into words but basically I would say its like a second family, a dream, and a movie all in one. - Aaron G., Class of 2024
For more information, please contact Annie Oppenheim, Program Director aoppenheim@crms.org www.hs2.crms.org Scan the QR code to support (HS)2