Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going

Hello all! Whew — we did it! We got through 2020! No one really knows for sure what 2021 will bring, but I think most of us can agree that 2020 brought far more unanticipated “adjustments” than any of us could have imagined.  In a mostly unprecedented year rife with civil unrest, large-scale natural disasters,…

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Genius Has No Zip Code

THESE ARE OUR MENTEES. A bright young boy, known for laughing while playing soccer at the local field. He’s shy, but he opens up around friends with a big smile that offers a clue into his keen intellect. He’s doing great at school, and harbors a quiet dream to make a great career for himself.…

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Jump-Starting the American Dream

For the last couple decades social scientists and economists have been asking similar questions but from two different angles. They have wondered why it is becoming increasingly rare to see Americans lift themselves out of poverty. We saw the American Dream come true pretty consistently back in 1940. Back then a son or daughter had…

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What If We Could Make Our Educational System Fair for Everyone?

College graduates are likely to earn almost double the average salary of high school graduates, so making sure every child has an equal chance to walk on graduation day is extremely important for our economy. If kids of low socioeconomic status have less chance to graduate from college, then our society breaks a promise to…

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Minds Matter Senior Spotlight: Ndey

As an organization, we love to shine the light on those who deserve it most — our students. One of our graduating seniors this year, Ndey, began her journey in Gambia and now takes cultural challenges in the United States head-on to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. She also wants to create a…

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Connecting Teenage Decisions and College Graduation

Last month we wrote about one of the barriers that children from historically disenfranchised backgrounds encounter: the process of enrolling in college. Kids without access to a parent or adult with college experience are often required to perform the leadership and administrative responsibilities of enrollment on their own. For many, these hurdles become insurmountable, so…

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One Reason Lower Income Students Don’t Attend College (And What To Do About It)

The recent college admissions scandal in which wealthy parents of students allegedly bribed and manipulated the admissions system for their children has served as a stark reminder to many people that our educational system can be stacked against children who don’t come from privileged backgrounds. Fortunately, our justice system is working to ensure that the…

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5 Ways to Give Back to Colorado Kids in Need

Of all the ways to give back to the community, giving to children in need is among the best. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that relatively small contributions in childhood can significantly improve the course of that child’s life. It’s really not that hard for us to support children to break the cycle of poverty…

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An Unbiased Assessment of Full-Time Kindergarten in Colorado

In January, Colorado Governor Jared Polis requested special funding for full-time kindergarten to be taken out of the unexpected tax gains in 2018. His proposal has generated a lot of discussion in the weeks since the announcement. Some feel that the price of such a service would be too large for the state to support…

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Top Ten Most Influential Women in American Education

  Meet 10 women who have changed — and continue to change — one of the most important disciplines in our country. These women helped bring education to historically disenfranchised groups by attaining powerful positions and pushing forward, often against resistance. We are inspired seeing how far these women have come and how much many…

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