Boettcher Scholars, Teachers, Investigators and Grantees in the News
05 Jan YourHub: Denver’s Joshua Station transitional housing complex getting much-needed facelift
By Joe Vaccarelli YourHub Reporter Kids Club night at the Joshua Station transitional housing complex can be a hectic event that sometimes sees nearly 50 kids pile into a converted hotel room to do activities. Jodi Henni has two children, younger than 10, who participate in Kids Club and said it can be tough to focus. The family has lived at Joshua Station for about a year. “It’s hard for them, it’s just chaos,” Henni said. But things are about to change at the facility that helps homeless families transition from the street to stable living environments as $356,000 in renovations will bring along a new kids programming area about 10 times the size of the current space. ... 02 Jan Grand Junction Sentinel: Access to adventure
By Amy Hamilton Grand Junction Sentinel If a person with disabilities wants to go on a bike ride, the process could take days. The folks at Colorado Discover Ability must assemble a bike to fit that person’s specifications. The bike is loaded on a trailer and shuttled down to the Colorado Riverfront Trail. The rider must get to the trail, too. Now, it’s time to ride. Let’s hope the weather holds. ... 28 Sep Confluence Denver: Ranching hub Ridgway reaps rewards of creative virtuous circle
By Laura Bond Confluence Denver In southwestern Colorado, Ridgway is a small town with a laser focus on the arts. With a critical mass of creative residents, years of hard work are paying off. When Ashley King-Grambley moved from the small town of Gunnison to the tiny one of Ridgway, she had a chief concern: "I thought I would be bored out of my mind," she says. "Instead, I'm exhausted." King-Grambley moved to take a job as executive director of Weehawken Creative Arts, a nonprofit community arts school and venue. When she first arrived, in 2008, she worked a couple of jobs, as many in Ridgway do. She got to know locals and the San Juan mountains that frame the spare and stunning valley in which the town sits. If she was bored, she was too busy to notice. ... 04 Aug Life on Capitol Hill: Colorado’s first family justice center opens
By Jason McKinney Life on Capitol Hill Reporter The Rose Andom Center, Colorado’s first family justice center to serve domestic violence victims, opened June 29 with a special ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, and District Attorney Mitch Morrissey. The Andom Center will provide services and protection to victims of domestic violence in the Denver area and beyond. “Domestic violence is a terrible, traumatic experience. The Andom Center works to ensure that services are in one easily accessible, safe, and welcoming place to the courageous souls who are seeking help,” Mayor Hancock said. ... 21 Jul Real Leaders Podcast: Boettcher Scholar CEO talks making it in Colorado’s tech startup scene
2010 Scholar Devon Tivona was recently featured in the New York Times, the Pana blog and in the Real Leaders podcast. By Paul Ballas Pana The three-person co-founding team is phenomenal, and I’m particularly grateful to work with our co-founder and CEO, Devon Tivona. This week, Devon was featured in the Real Leaders Podcast (on Soundcloud, iTunes, and wherever podcasts are found), and it’s a great chance to hear the backstory for the company and our CEO. For example, you may not know that the company originally had nothing to do with travel. Devon is just 24, and he is a rare mix of tech and EQ, getting energy from making human connections as well solving complex technical problems. These qualities permeate our app. Devon’s combination of talents also has garnered for him and Pana real loyalty among investors and advisors. He recognizes the value of this circle: “In order for a concept to be successful, you have to have this inner circle of people who are obsessed with your product.” ... 08 Jul Source: Dancing through the lab? No, but science requires fancy footwork
By Kristen Browning-Blas Colorado State University Winning grants for mosquito research is just as competitive as “Dancing with the Stars.” Rushika Perera should know. The assistant professor of virology recently won a 2016 Boettcher Foundation Webb-Waring Biomedical Research Award, one of 10 in Colorado, for her studies of mosquito-borne viruses at Colorado State University. When she’s not in the lab, she’s on a dance floor, competing in ballroom, Latin, and West Coast Swing dance events around the country. She actually wrote the Boettcher grant application at a dance competition. “I was energized. I just sat and wrote for 12 hours, all through the night.” ... 06 Jul Akron News Reporter: Judge McGuire appointed to 13th Judicial District
By Jo Anne Busing Akron News Reporter On July 1, Akron resident Carl McGuire III, became one of the four 13th Judicial District court judges for the seven counties in the district. McGuire was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper on May 24 and will replace Judge Douglas Vannoy who has retired. The seven counties in the district include Morgan, Logan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Kit Carson, Yuma, and Washington Counties. The other judges in the district are Judge Michel Singer, appointed in 2003; Judge Charles Hobbs, appointed in 2009; Judge Kevin Hoyer, appointed in 2005; and Judge McGuire is now added to the list. ... 14 Jun Colorado Springs Gazette: Boettcher Scholar wins Miss Colorado Teen title
By Debbie Kelley The Gazette Serene Singh, a 2015 Rampart High School graduate who now attends the University of Colorado at Boulder as a Boettcher Scholar, recently was crowned Miss Colorado Teen 2016. Singh called the award “an incredible achievement” that allows her to show her Colorado pride. The 19-year-old will represent Colorado at the national pageant at Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif., in November. She is the daughter of G.B. and Nitu Singh. ...