November 4, 2009

Catholic schools enjoy awards, supplies and new technology

By John Gleason

Throughout the year, many events take place at the Catholic schools of the Denver Archdiocese, commemorating events and honoring the work of students and teachers in the classroom and the community.  Read about some of those happenings below.

Arrupe Students win at convention

Students from Arrupe Jesuit High School in northwest Denver participated in the Youth Entrepreneurial Biz-Fest Competition sponsored by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at its annual convention, which was held in September  in Denver.  The students took part in business and leadership development curriculum and learned how to turn hobbies into business ventures.  Finalists were then selected to present their business plans to a panel of judges. Three Arrupe students were selected as winners: Junior Brianna Apodaca for a plan of training business to support the hospitality industry, senior Jacqueline Meraz for her plan of a shelter for battered women, and senior Jose Madrid for his plan to create a community exercise gym that recycles customer energy.  The winners are now qualified to participate in next year’s national Biz-Fest competition in Dallas, Texas.

Grade school teacher honored

Mary Ellen Hogan, a teacher at Most Precious Blood School in Denver, was recognized by the 2009 Boettcher Foundation Teacher Recognition Awards program.  The program, created in 1992, enables the Boetcher Foundation to extend their gratitude to educators who have dedicated themselves to providing the youth of Colorado with an outstanding education.  In addition to a plaque, recipients of the Teacher Recognition Award receive a $1,000 grant, which must be used toward a special program or project at their school.

Students receive personal
dictionaries
Thanks to the efforts and generosity of Lakewood Elks Lodge 1777, third-grade students at St. Bernadette, Guardian Angels, Our Lady of Fatima, Sts. Peter and Paul, and St. Catherine of Siena grade schools as well as Mount St. Vincent Home were recently presented with their own personal student dictionary.  Teachers at all schools received a copy as well. The gifts were made possible through the Elks’ Dictionary Project, which is designed to aid all third-grade teachers in their goal to see their students leave at the end of the year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers.  Elks’ spokeswoman Venita Collier said it was rewarding to see the excitement, thankfulness and enthusiasm on the face of the children.  “We’ve received many fantastic and creative letters from the children,” she said. “It’s touched my heart.”

Seven schools receive SMART boards

Seven Catholic Schools are now using SMART boards as part of their regular classroom structure as the result of a grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation.  SMART boards, developed by SMART Technologies, a world-wide leader in the development of education technology, are interactive white boards teachers use to help students in the learning process. The boards are connected to a computer and are touch-sensitive, allowing the teacher to manipulate the information being presented. The schools now using the SMART boards are St. Vincent de Paul, St. Rose of Lima, Annunciation, St. Pius X, St. Bernadette, Good Shepherd and Blessed Sacrament.