Jefferson Foundation News
March 2012 Press Releases
The Jefferson Foundation 2012 Equity and Excellence Art Exhibit Artist Celebration
March 19, 2012, Lakewood, CO ~ The Jefferson Foundation 2012 Equity and Excellence Art Exhibit Artists Celebration on March 16th at the Jeffco Public Schools Education Center had a sizable crowd on hand to recognize student artists.
The show explores different perspectives of ethnic and cultural diversity and showcases the work of K-12 Jeffco students. Unique to this student exhibit are artists’ statements and descriptions of how the work was produced.
The 10th annual exhibit was coordinated by Aimee Pickar, Swanson Elementary, and Phyllis
Bubeck, Wayne Carle Middle and will be on display until April 3rd.
The Jefferson Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of FirstBank, Kaiser Permanente, and the Betty and Joe Wetherbee Arts and Music Fund, which all contributed to make the 2012 student art exhibits possible.
Photo 1: Lizzie Wood, Emma Little, and Sarah Bochman, from Vanderhoof Elementary had their work selected to receive a District Purchase Award. Photo 2: Phyllis Bubeck’s student, Michael Ramirez, was selected as a Jefferson Foundation Purchase Award winner.
For more information contact Anton Delgado 303-982-2212.
antondelgado@jeffersonfoundation.org
###
My Student My Hero showcases the accomplishments of Jeffco’s heroic teens
March 12, 2012, Lakewood, CO ~ After nine years of celebrating extraordinary Jeffco High School seniors, the most recent My Student My Hero at Southwest Plaza on March10th was perhaps one of the best. Following entertainment by the well-trained and professional voices of Manning Middle Schools’ choir, Katie Tiernan, Executive Director of The Jefferson Foundation, acted as the event emcee, and Dr. Cindy Stevenson , Superintendent of Jeffco Public Schools, was event host.
The honorees were nominated by their principals and counselors and hailed from throughout Jefferson County. Every nominee was selected to participate. Student nominations are at: http://jeffersonfoundation.org/news_events/march/mystudentmyhero.html
As the festivities were concluding, Tiernan made a surprise $1,000 scholarship presentation to Joseph Tiner. The “Positive Choice” Scholarship was created by an anonymous donor to The Jefferson Foundation in order to recognize one of the student heroes.
Southwest Plaza, Columbine Courier and The Jefferson Foundation are major event sponsors. In addition Jacqueline’s Photography, Elite Sound, Colorado Avalanche and Chick-fil-A provided services and support.
Read an article in The Columbine Courier about the 9th Annual My Student My Hero event.
Photo 1, R to L: Joseph Tiner (Arvada HS), Connor Bottke (Arvada West HS),Tori Kelly (Columbine HS), Luis Zuniga (Brady HS) Rebecca Lidvall (D’Evelyn Jr./Sr.), Adrienne Prueitt (Golden HS) Clare Livingston (Lakewood HS). and Melba Njenga (Dakota Ridge HS) (Photo courtesy: Lori Hirose)
Photo 2: Katie Tiernan, Executive Director, The Jefferson Foundation, presents the first Positive Choice Scholarship to a surprised Joseph Tiner. (Photo courtesy: Lori Hirose)
For more information contact Anton Delgado 303-982-2212.
antondelgado@jeffersonfoundation.org
###
The Jefferson Foundation Elementary Art Show featured wall-to-wall art and patrons 
March 12, 2012, Lakewood CO ~ The annual Jefferson Foundation 2012 Elementary ArtShow Artist Celebration drew a huge crowd of young artists and their families to three floors of the Red Rocks Community College campus on March 9, 2012.
With over 100 Jeffco elementary schools participating and artwork in every medium, the Elementary Art Show is the largest Jeffco student art show supported by The Jefferson 
Foundation.
“It is hard to describe the look on the faces of the young artists when they see their work displayed. Receiving accolades from family and friends, the students just glowed,” said Anton Delgado, Director of Marketing for The Jefferson Foundation. “This is such an affirmation of what they have accomplished. It is one of my favorite events.”
Now in the third year of support, The 
Jefferson Foundation and its funding partners have again underwritten the costs for the 2012 Jeffco student art shows.
The Jefferson Foundation Purchase Awards were presented to Rebekah Newgaard, a first grader at Betty Adams Elementary, for her colorful and energetic oil pastel. Also receiving a Foundation purchase award was Jenesis, asecond grader from Fletcher Miller Elementary, for an abstract zebra drawing.
The show runs through April 2, 2012.
Photo #1: Wall-to-wall patrons attended The Jefferson Foundation Elementary Art Show. Photo #2: Betty Adams art teacher, Joan Mund, with young artist, Stephen Carmon.
Photo #3: Mr. and Mrs. Newgaard with their talented daughter, Rebekah, who garnered a Jefferson Foundation Purchase Award.
Photo #4: Young artist with mom.
Photo #5: Anton welcomes Jeffco School Board Member, Jill Fellman.
Photo #6:The whole family enjoyed the show.
Photo #7: Art teacher, Jenni Halsted, with "Zebra" by Jenesis, a 2nd grader at Fletcher Miller.
For more information contact Anton Delgado 303-982-2212.
antondelgado@jeffersonfoundation.org
###
The Jefferson Foundation receives literacy grant
March 2, 2012, Lakewood CO ~ The Jefferson Foundation
was awarded a highly selective Social Innovation Fund grant to advance early childhood literacy. The grant from Mile High United Way will be matched by the Denver-based Salazar Family Foundation, a long-time supporter of The Jefferson Foundation’s literacy programming. The Jefferson Foundation will use the grant funds to expand an evidence-based summer literacy program which helps students retain reading and writing skills over the summer months between school years. The program will serve approximately 400 Jefferson County students each year at Swanson, Edgewater, Molholm and Lasley elementary schools.
“We know that being able to read and write proficiently by third grade is one of the greatest indicators of future academic success,” said Katie Tiernan, Jefferson Foundation Executive Director. “The simple fact is that some of our kids need more time, attention and instruction than their peers to become successful readers, and that summer reading loss makes it even harder for them to read at grade level. Offering this opportunity makes sure all our students are prepared for successful futures.”
Mile High United Way announced last October that it had received a $3.6 million grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service to address early literacy. As one of only five organizations around the country to receive an award, Mile High United Way utilized an extensive review and interview process involving 60 community and education leaders and hundreds of hours of review. The grants, called Social Innovation Fund grants, require both Mile High United Way and the final recipients to raise matching funds as part of the criteria for accepting a grant.
Photo: Attending the governor’s announcement of literacy grant funding are: (L to R) Heather Beck (Chief Academic Officer, Jeffco Public Schools), Celeste Sultze (Principal Edgewater Elementary), Katie Tiernan (Executive Director, The Jefferson Foundation), Rebecca S. Feuerstein (Director, Early Childhood Education), Priscilla Straughn (Executive Director, DLEA), John D’Orazio (Principal, Molholm Elementary) and Lola Salazar (President, Salazar Family Foundation.)
For more information contact Katie Tiernan at 303-982-2261, katietiernan@jeffersonfoundation.org
###
The Jefferson Foundation Elementary Art Show Artist Celebration on March 9
March 2, 2012, Lakewood CO ~ The Jefferson Foundation Elementary Art Show, featuring artwork from Jeffco Public Schools K-6 students, invites the public to attend an Artists Celebration on Friday, March 9, 2012, from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. at Red Rocks Community College (13300 West Sixth Avenue Lakewood, CO 80228.) The show opens on March 7 and runs through April 4, 2011.
When budget cuts threatened to end the 40-year tradition of student art shows in Jeffco Public Schools, The Jefferson Foundation and its supporters committed more than $17,000 annually to keep the shows running. This is the third year of funding the four district-wide shows and the Foundation says saving the shows was one of the best decisions it ever made.
“Jeffco schools have a reputation of excellence in arts education,” said Katie Tiernan, the Foundation’s executive director. “The arts help students develop better planning and reasoning skills, connect with diverse subjects, and help them become critical thinkers. We could not let these student exhibitions go away”
The Jefferson Foundation Equity and Excellence is currently running at Jeffco School’s Education Center (1829 Denver West Drive, #27, Golden, CO, 80401.) The Jefferson Foundation Middle School and High School Art Exhibits will follow this spring. The Jefferson Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of FirstBank, Kaiser Permanente, and the Betty and Joe Wetherbee Arts and Music Fund, which all contributed to make this year’s shows possible.
Photo 1: Elementary Art Show Chairs (L to R): Lowell Sipes (Eiber), Chris Lager (Welchester and Kullerstrand), Roy Annaberg (Westgate), Amber Bon Durant (Shelton), and Katy Irwin (Secrest.) Photo 2: “Butterflies” Naomi Pacheco, Welchester Elementary.
For more information contact Anton Delgado 303-982-2212.
antondelgado@jeffersonfoundation.org
###