Students and Schools Win Cash and Prizes in 3rd Annual Jeffco Writing Challenge!

June 2016 Ezine

THE 3RD ANNUAL JEFFCO WRITING CHALLENGE WAS THE LARGEST YET!

Over 1500 Jefferson county students wrote short fiction and poetry imagining time travel adventures for the JWC writing contest this spring! The Jeffco Writing Challenge (JWC) Awards ceremony on May 3rd featured award winning young adult author and new co-owner of The Tattered Cover bookstore Len Vlahos as keynote speaker and Charlee Burnor of Alice 105.9 as Master of Ceremonies. ENC awarded prizes to the kids for their outstanding writing, and also to the schools with the most participation.

Vlahos enthusiastically supports the Jeffco Writing Challenge because "in an age of texts, tweets, and emojis, we, as a society, need to do everything we can to cultivate literacy and literature in young people. The JWC Young Writer Contest is a perfect vehicle to encourage students to celebrate the written word."

ENC sponsored the JWC in collaboration with Jefferson county educators. In this, Writing Challenge's third year, the number of entries has continued to grow. Entries were up by 50% over last year! The judges were overwhelmed by the creativity of Jeffco writers. Students wrote about everything from dinosaurs to disco, cave men to cancer cures, and early feminism to 1980's fashion. "Thank you so much for organizing this competition," said one finalist's mom, "It makes kids care about the quality of their writing!"

Thanks to all the kids who rose to the challenge and submitted their writing!

Congratulations to the 2016 Award Winners!

Kindergarten:

1st -- Kaylan Lessen -- Fairmount Elementary

2nd -- Talon King -- Fairmount Elementary

3rd -- Ruby Ausband -- Red Rocks Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Natalie Helmer -- Fairmount Elementary

1st Grade:

1st -- Lily Woulfe -- Elk Creek Elementary

2nd -- Skyla Olsen -- West Jeff Elementary

3rd -- Anica Lest -- Colorow Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Harry White -- Wilmot Elementary

2nd Grade:

1st -- Annikah Ramsey -- Wilmot Elementary

2nd -- Jacob Robben -- Semper Elementary

3rd -- Ishir Jha -- Kyffin Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Jacobo Avitia -- Foster Elementary

3rd Grade:

1st -- William Johnson -- Stober Elementary

2nd -- Jacob Yeagley -- Lumberg Elementary

3rd -- Anonymous -- West Jefferson Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Liya Brunfon -- Ralston Elementary

4 th Grade:

1st -- Gwyneth Hirsh -- Kyffin Elementary

2nd -- Tahlia Knoshaug -- Mitchell Elementary

3rd -- Emily Blankenship -- Kyfin Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Sophie Wong -- Kyffin Elementary

5th Grade:

1st -- Arianna Scripter -- Stevens Elementary

2nd -- Danica Smith -- Dutch Creek Elementary

3rd -- Lanea Long -- Witt Elementary

Honorable Mention -- Autumn Marquis -- Devinny Elementary

6th Grade:

1st -- Robyn Darnell -- Woodrow Wilson Academy

2nd -- Blake Neb -- Bell Middle School

3rd -- Jasmine Blustein -- Woodrow Wilson Academy

Honorable Mention -- Jessica Morrisey -- Kyffin Elementary

7th Grade:

1st -- Sydney Pollock -- Creighton Middle School

2nd -- Connor Beasley -- Woodrow Wilson Academy

3rd -- Raya Wehner -- Bell Middle School

Honorable Mention -- Jax Collins -- Bell Middle School

Honorable Mention -- Daniel Nakayama -- Bell Middle School

8th Grade:

1st -- Annika Schooler -- Ken Caryl Middle School

2nd -- Talia Wehner -- Bell Middle School

3rd -- Theodora Ciobanu -- Creighton Middle School

Honorable Mention -- Elizabeth Ninke -- Bell Middle School

9th Grade:

1st -- Madisen Hallsten -- Dakota Ridge High School

2nd -- Alex Abarro -- Standley Lake High School

3rd -- Marlena Ramirez -- Wheat Ridge High School

10th Grade:

1st -- Isabella Gilman -- Conifer High School

11th Grade:

1st -- Reanna Moore -- McLain High School

2nd -- Madison Araujo -- Conifer High School

3rd -- Emma Pond -- Conifer High School

Honorable Mention -- Leah Nolan -- Conifer High School

12th Grade:

1st -- Kevin Douglas -- Green Mountain High School

2nd -- Jacob Willard -- Conifer High School

3rd -- Brandy Anderson -- Wheat Ridge High School

Honorable Mention -- Brandy Anderson -- Wheat Ridge High School

Schools With The Most Finalists:

1st -- Bell Middle School $500

2nd -- Conifer High School $300

3rd -- Kyffin Elementary School $200

Schools With The Most Entries (Based on Student Enrollment):

1st -- Woodrow Wilson Academy $500

2nd -- Bell Middle School $300

3rd -- Kyffin Elementary School $200

Entries were judged by a panel of elementary to post-secondary educators. First place winners received $100, second place winners won $25 Barnes and Noble gift cards, third place winners won personal journals and Baliyo skill toys, and Honorable Mention winners won $10 Tattered Cover gift cards.

We hope you'll enter the contest again in 2017! If you missed this contest this year, catch it next year! Keep reading our Ezine for details.

ENC has now donated $213,800.00 to Jefferson County public schools since 2009! Thank you for helping us grow!

Olympiads!

ENC Supports Another Exciting Science Project in Jeffco

Creighton's Olympiad team waiting to hear results at the State Competition

A team from Creighton Middle School participated in "the nation's most exciting K-12 Science Competition" this spring with help from ENC. Founded by science teachers, Science Olympiad started as a grassroots organization and has grown to all fifty states, offering standards-based challenges that fire up students and their teachers in all STEM disciplines.

Creighton competed against 32 teams in their division in events like Crime Buster and Disease Detective. They finished in 8th place and took home the gold medal in "Bioprocess Lab," the silver in "Picture This" and the bronze in "Dynamic Planet." With ENC's help, Creighton was able to buy study materials for all twenty-two events, tee shirts for the team members, and building materials.

Most importantly, the kids all had a great time working with practicing scientists and learning about science and STEM career choices. Eighth grader Katherine Yu, who chose Astrophysics as her main event, researched aerodynamics and designed and built her own glider, with a lot of trial and error. Preparing for State, she said "I now look at planes differently because now I know how they work. One little change to the horizontal or vertical stabilizer can make a difference between a 5 or a 30 second flight. I'm very excited to go to State and see all my hard work in flight!"


	Theodora with her silver medal

Theodora Ciobanu, an eighth grader who won a silver medal, said she enjoyed food science the most, and learned a lot about making dairy foods: " The most difficult part was making the cheese curds. We had only an hour to make the cheese curds and to take a 30 question test. My favorite part was making ice cream in a bag and making butter."

ENC has supported science in Jeffco from the beginning, including annual donations to Bell Middle School's "Science is Fun" program. This year, Bell honors and iSTEM students concentrated on investigating and demonstrating science concepts relating to real world issues. Bridget Jones, Bell principal reports that "these activities are helping our students learn to think critically about science and the role that it plays in our world. The Education Nonprofit Corporation provides the money for supplies to assist them with these important tasks. Without this support, we would not be able to provide the enrichment for our students."

Congratulations to all Jeffco student scientists!

Remember, your donations count!

Jeffco Student Takes 4th Place at the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee


photo credit: Mark Bowen/Scripps National Spelling Bee

Thirteen year old Sylvie LaMontagne, an eighth grader from Creighton, won 4th place out of 283 spellers at the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC this May!

Sylvie, who was sponsored by The Denver Post, was one of two Colorado students to make it to Nationals. This was Sylvie's second trip to the Bee in DC - she tied for 9th place in last year's bee. A well rounded student, Sylvie is a big Harry Potter fan, and musical, too - she's already a dancer, and her next project is to learn to play the ukulele!

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is in it's 89th year, and more than 11 million students participate at some level, making it America's longest running and largest educational program.

An achievement like this requires not only dedication and hard work, but educational supplies and tutoring. ENC is proud to support students like Sylvie with a $800.00 donation to the Jeffco GT Department for the National Spelling Bee!

Some information adapted from The Scripps National Spelling Bee website

Volunteer to Read to a Child

You Can Help ENC Launch our Reading Mentor Program:

READ CONNECT JEFFCO (RCJ)

READ Connect Jeffco (RCJ) is a nonprofit organization (through ENC) that will create shared reading experiences in preschools and kindergarten programs during the 2016 school year.

The goal of READ Connect Jeffco is to provide students with volunteer adult readers. Reading with a caring volunteer promotes the joy of learning and greater self-esteem in young children. Learning to love reading at an early age correlates with greater achievement in school, even years later!

Volunteer now to read to a child!

PROVEN RESULTS

Washington, DC's Everybody Wins found that students who are read to during lunch are twice as likely to improve their school performance as kids who aren't read to, and their teachers report that the kids who are read to take more books home, volunteer to read more in class, and are more likely to say they enjoy reading. Results like these come because of the special relationship between mentors and the children they read to. More than just "reading buddies," the adult volunteers also serve as role models, and report overwhelmingly positive feelings about their experience reading with the children.

Now ENC is bringing a reading mentor program to Jeffco, and you can help.

Just a few hours a month at lunch time or story time can change a child's life. Volunteer as a mentor, donate to the RCJ program, or get your business involved as a partner. There are lots of ways to help.

Contact Barbara Banning, Mentor Coordinator at 720-354-1444, or fill out the form below get started today!

Read Connect Jeffco Mentor Application

Join our Cause

ENC- Dedicated to the Advancement of Education

Education is the gift that keeps on giving. It develops a person

into a strong member of society. We strive to assist school programs that shape young lives. Education Nonprofit Corporation's goal is to raise money for schools to promote and advance education at all levels. We also host educational seminars for all ages. There are two ways you can help.

Volunteer at ENC!

If you have a student, scout or youth group member with a volunteering requirement to fulfill, we would love to hear from you! Everything we do is about bringing communities together to help public education. If you are interested, please contact Barbara at 720-354-1444.

Donate to ENC and get Tax Deductions.

Donations to ENC are tax deductible. ENC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. If you've already donated, thank you! We appreciate your generosity. If you've been meaning to make a contribution, it's never been easier. Click on the PayPal button to make a secure payment online, or fill out, print, and mail the form below to ENC.

Yes, I want to help education in my community! Here is my gift of: ____$5 ____$10 ____$20 ____$35 ____other amount ENC PO Box 688 Golden, CO 80402
Thank you!

About Us

Education Nonprofit Corporation is a small grassroots organization that was formed in late 2008 to advance education by providing additional funds for schools and educational programs. ENC programs include the Writing Challenge and the Read Connect Jeffco (RCJ).

ENC has donated over $213,000.00 directly to public schools since May of 2009.

Volunteer staff at ENC includes:

Barbara Banning - Director, Office and Games Manager

Marcy Hoefner- Director

Jody Thomas - Creative Consultant

Linda Rediger- Director

We are happy to answer your questions!

Call us at 720-354-1444 or 800-978-4290