Aurora Central students Danny Nguyen, left, and Tyeler Fields perform their Humor/Drama routine during the CenturyLink Classic.

Winning and losing isn't everything. Sometimes, it’s the journey that matters most.

APS high school students are learning this now more than ever thanks to their participation in the Denver Urban Debate League. Students demonstrated their skills recently at the DUDL’s CenturyLink Classic at Aurora Central High School, where they showcased their talents against each other as well as other students from across the metro area.

Through DUDL’s debate, drama and impromptu activities, students gain skills that will lead to powerful credentials down the road.

Quote Me On That:

On experience with debate and DUDL:

“This has helped me become more confident in myself. I believe in myself. I can speak publicly without being shy around people.”
– Hinkley High School senior Zakira Seidu-Aroza

“I feel like it’s really good and efficient. It teaches you a lot of stuff. I really like the improv pairs. It lets you connect with your partner.”
– Aurora Central High School freshman Wendy Camacho

Aurora Public Schools staff, students, parents and community members are invited to celebrate “Love the Bus” day on Friday, Feb. 13.

The event will start with a breakfast from 5:30 to 7 a.m. at the Transportation Office, 160 Airport Blvd. APS students and staff will greet bus drivers during school drop-offs scheduled at:

• 7:55 a.m. - Vista  PEAK Exploratory P-8, 24551 E. 1st Ave.
• 8:50 a.m. - Peoria Elementary School, 875 Peoria St.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and greet APS bus drivers and transportation staff who serve our students daily and recognize their tremendous contributions!

It was a day of glory for many APS students who competed in a recent Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District Leadership Conference. Between Vista PEAK Preparatory and Rangeview High School, nearly 50 students qualified to compete in FBLA’s State Leadership Conference. The event will take place April 23-25 in Vail, Colo.

“We are very proud of the efforts from the FBLA students at Vista PEAK and Rangeview,” said Career and Technical Education Coordinator Valerie Dodrill-Killen. “Vista PEAK’s FBLA club sponsor Michael Dougherty and Rangeview’s FBLA club sponsor Lawson Miller put their hearts and souls into these students, which gives students a ‘leg up’ to reach their future goals and increases postsecondary and workforce readiness skills.”

Vista PEAK Preparatory's FBLA chapter

Congratulations to the following Vista PEAK students headed to state:
- Emily Acuff
- Noah Butler
- Aimee Leyva Cardenas
- Kyree Conaway
- Faith Crowder
- Grisel Zuniga Cruz
- Harkiran Deol
- Manjoyt Deol
- Trejon Hamilton
- Alex Herrera
- Sydney Herrera
- Matthew Heimlich
- Jharen Johnson-Knoblock
- Eliseo Dominguez Mier
- Cassy Miller
- Haylee Ortiz
- Elijah Reed
- Breauna Reeves
- Iomar Rodriguez
- Jacob Rothrock
- Joel Rowe
- Sade Scott

Rangeview High School's FBLA chapter

Congratulations to the following Rangeview students headed to state:
- Elvis Ahn
- Edwin Chiang
- Cynthia Corral
- Melissa Estudillo
- Maria Flores
- Ray Green
- Anthongy Gustin
- Heaven Irwin
- Eric Khat
- Ryneika Knight
- Cassie Kochman
- Jorion Marshall
- Tzigane Martin
- Brayan Melendez
- Kevin Melendez
- Sierra Miller
- Abel Negussie
- Mikias Negussie
- Miriam Nsubuga
- Esther Nyugen
- Teresa Pomrening
- Zach Powell
- Alex Seguro
- Jason Serrano
- Raymond Simanjuntak
- Hailey Sorensen
- Alex Tizon

Tizon will also campaign to be elected as an FBLA Colorado State Officer.

“Working with students who put countless hours into preparing for an academic competition is the best part of my job,” said Miller. “FBLA truly prepares students for post-secondary readiness and exposes them to real-world scenarios that prepare them to be successful in all facets of their life.”

APS wishes each student the best of luck!

Story submitted by APS Art Educators

Students from across Colorado, including many in Aurora Public Schools, submitted over 5,000 original works to be considered for the state's Scholastic Art Awards.  All work honored at the state level will be on display through March 6 at The History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver.   Honorees will be recognized in an awards ceremony on Feb. 21.

Pieces receiving the honor of a "Gold Key" at the state level will be juried at the national level. 

Congratulations to the APS art students and their teachers for all of their hard work!

Gateway High School

• Christian Padilla – University of Colorado, Denver scholarship winner

Silver Key Winners:

• Marisol Meza
• Elinor Netherly
• Christian Padilla
• Rachel Rodriguez

Honorable Mention:

• Alec Himes
• Margarsa Mohamed
• Jennifer Morales Figueroa

Vista Peak Preparatory 9-12

Gold Key Winner:

• AJ Carire

Silver Key Winner:

• Miles Cannon

Aurora Frontier P-8

Gold Key Winner:

• Taylor West

Aurora Central High School 

Honorable Mention:

• Moo Dah 
• Getsemani Diaz Rivera
• Jazmine Sotelo 
• Francisco Villareal 

Silver Key Winner:

• Itzel Solis 

Hinkley High School 

Honorable Mention:

• Reece Hubbard

Rangeview High School

Silver Key Winners:

• Coree Morgan

Members of the Aurora Youth Commission

As summer break approaches, teenagers begin to anticipate having fun soaking up the sun with their friends and family. Additionally, many start to contemplate landing a summer gig. To ease the stress of circling around town in search of who's hiring, the Aurora Youth Commission (AYC) assembled businesses in one place to host a teen job fair.

AYC, which is part of the City of Aurora Boards and Commissions, is comprised of 16 ambitious teenagers, 10 of whom are APS students. They serve as the voice for Aurora's youth and provide the Aurora City  Council with a fresh, young perspective.

The fair was a success, bringing in 200 teen job seekers.  Representatives from 25 businesses, including city departments, food services, financial institutions and more were eager to recruit and many connections were made.

Congratulations to the following AYC students for organizing such a rewarding event!

- Sandra Appiah - Hinkley High School
- Chris Daneau - William Smith High School
- Sara Dessie - Rangeview High School
- Kevin Gray - Hinkley High School
- Betty Hailu - Rangeview High School
- Maren Kebede - Rangeview High School
- Adriana Montiel - Hinkley High School
- Angelina Rivera - Vista PEAK Preparatory High School
- Naelli Sanchez - Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
- Beth Siyoum - Rangeview High School

Aurora Public Schools is excited to host the 2015 Festival of the Arts on April 13-26 at the Town Center at Aurora. During mall hours, come enjoy hundreds of artistic masterpieces created by APS students. Every APS school will be represented.

In addition to visual arts, enjoy the performing arts as students showcase their music, dance and theatre talents on April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lower level near JCPenney and Dillard’s.

Student artwork will be recognized at an awards ceremony on May 9 at the APS Professional and Learning Conference Center, located at 15771 E. 1st Avenue, Aurora 80011.

APS 2020 Strategic Plan Core Belief:
Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning.

Cassy Miller, a Vista PEAK Preparatory sophomore, recently took part in the Microsoft YouthSpark Denver event. She spoke on behalf of Vista PEAK and Aurora Public Schools. 7 News Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson gave Cassie a shout out on Twitter for her inspiring message. Congratulations Cassie!

Aurora Public Schools parents, staff and community members recently gathered at the Professional Learning and Conference Center to honor and salute the class of 2015's top ten graduates. Students graduating with the top ten grade point averages celebrated their success with their families, the APS Board of Education and a host staff members from the various schools. Principals praised students and wished them well as they prepare to start the next phase of their lives as young adults.

Congratulations, top ten students! APS couldn't be more proud.

 Aurora Central High School
1. Brenda Sanchez - V
2. Eunice Callejas Solano - S
3. Diego Delgado Camacho
4. Patresia Aguilar Dowdell
5. Shirley Tun-Verde
6. Tonny Sosa Juarez
7. Brianna Purnell
8. Diana Morales Munoz
9. Carlos Torres Serrano
10. Yamel Ramirez Morales

Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
1. Sherlock Crockett - V
2. Sarah Daniels - S
3. Katherine Monroy
4. Maricarmen Nares
5. Marta Velasquez
6. Daisey Rivas Garcia
7. Jennifer Mar
8. Maria de Lourdes Recendes
9. Ana Mezquita Velasquez
10. Samuel Alvarado Gonzalez

Gateway High School
1. Mattilyn Egli - V
2. Megan Graf - S        
3. Chau Tran
4. Alyssa Kelly
5. Friedrich Amouzou
6. Alecia Harris
7. Lauren Stecklein
8. Elshaddai Mulugeta
9. Marquize Fells         
10. Malorie Williamson 

Hinkley High School
1. Morgan Zugelder - V
2. Salina Tesfay - S
3. Jelena Durdic
4. Adriana Montiel Lara
5. Odalys Fernandez
6. Lianne Gill
7. Jubilee Hernandez
8. Katherine Khuu
9. Victoria Aquino
10. Magdalena Landa Posas

Rangeview High School
1. Luke Robinson - V
2. Lauren Arnold - S
3. Jeffrey “Dave” Nuttall
4. Annie Batsaikhan
5.  Cody Carlson
6. Maren Mendoza
7. Andrew Card
8. Anna Phan
9. Brighid Bardsley
10. Alexander Abrams-Flohr

Vista PEAK Preparatory
1. Paxtynn Risk - V
2. Savannah Cloud - S
3. Melissa Richardson
4. Iomar Rodriguez 
5. Summer Graham 
6. Ana Seini Fifita 
7. Bruno Tapia Garcia
8. Abbygail Malle
9. Malia Kennedy
T-10. Francesca Rossi Rivas
T-10. Christopher Santos

 V - Valedictorian
S - Salutatorian 

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Belief:
 -Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning. 

NEWS RELEASE #44
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2015

WHAT: Career and Technical Education Pathway Student Showcase
WHEN: Thursday, April 30, 2015 from 4:45-5:45 p.m.
WHERE: APS Professional Learning & Conference Center (PLCC)
                 15771 E. 1st Avenue (Mt. Massive Room), Aurora, CO  80011

Aurora Public Schools Students Showcase Interactive Career and Technical Education Projects

Aurora Public Schools is proud to celebrate our Career and Technical Education (CTE) students. A large group of students will be showing off their top work and projects during an interactive showcase. This event will be hosted in the Mt. Massive Room at the APS Professional Learning & Conference Center.

Student work will include: Aerospace, Digital and Software Engineering/Design, Visual & Design Arts Capstone projects, Web Design, Tax Help Colorado services and Biomedical Health Science Capstone projects. Students are representing CTE Pathways from Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Vista PEAK Preparatory high schools.

Members of the CTE Pathway Advisory Committee will be asking students questions and offering them feedback about their work. The time and efforts of PAC members have positively impacted CTE student achievement and outcomes. 

A requirement of state-recognized CTE programs is to have an active Advisory Committee comprised of 51% business/industry members who provide feedback regarding class curriculum, technology and work place skills, learning opportunities and business and industry trends. CTE Pathways prepare students to graduate from high school prepared for entry-level employment and/or participation in post-secondary programs. 

###

Interested media may contact APS News Media Specialist
Patti Moon at 303-326-2755 for more information

Congratulations to Aurora Public Schools Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapters for their hard work and success at the Colorado State Leadership Conference. Out of the 24 Rangeview High School students who qualified to compete at the state level, nine students placed first in their events and six students placed fourth. 11 APS students are national qualifiers and are invited to compete this summer at the National Leadership Conference in Chicago.

Congratulations to the following students: 

First place winners:

• Elvis Ahn, Mikias Negussie, Raymond Simanjuntak placed first in the Marketing competition (Rangeview)
• Heaven Irwin, Sierra Miller, and Maria Flores placed first in the Business Ethics competition (Rangeview)
• Abel Negussie, Brayan Melendez, and Jorion Marshall placed first in the Social Media Campaign competition (Rangeview)
• Cassy Miller placed First in the Spreadsheet Applications competition (Vista PEAK Preparatory)

Fourth place winners:

• Esther Nguyen, Miriam Nsubuga, Tzigane Martin, Cassie Kochman, and Cynthia Corral placed fourth in Parliamentary Procedure
• Andres Marquez placed fourth in Intro to Parliamentary Procedure

Also, Congratulations to Alex Tizon who ran and was elected as the Colorado FBLA Vice President representing District 10!

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Beliefs: 
-Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning.
-Every student has unique abilities that we must recognize and engage.

Aurora Public Schools Career and Technical Education (CTE) students recently showed off their top work to business and industry leaders. Students from Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Vista PEAK Preparatory high schools participated in the showcase.

Student work included: Aerospace, Digital and Software Engineering/Design, Visual & Design Arts Capstone projects, Web Design, Tax Help Colorado services and Biomedical Health Science Capstone projects. 

Members of the CTE Pathway Advisory Committee asked students about their projects and offered them feedback. The time and efforts of PAC members have positively impacted CTE student achievement and outcomes. 

A requirement of state-recognized CTE programs is to have an active Advisory Committee comprised of 51% business/industry members who provide feedback regarding class curriculum, technology and work place skills, learning opportunities and business and industry trends. CTE Pathways prepare students to graduate from high school prepared for entry-level employment and/or participation in post-secondary programs. 

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Belief:
 -Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning. 
-Community partnerships provide vital resources and opportunities for students and families.

APS students who strongly contribute to the life and community of their schools were recently honored as Aurora Scholars by the City of Aurora. The program was established in 2009 to bring city officials, district staff and families together to celebrate the achievements of Aurora’s future leaders.

One teacher-nominated student from each grade level (first through 12th) at every school in Aurora is recognized as an Aurora Scholar. The students obtain a certificate and gifts donated by community members.

Bravo to the 2015 APS Aurora Scholars listed below for their hard work and dedication!

Altura Elementary
Giselle Hernandez, 1st grade
Daniel Conde, 2nd grade
Jaxon L. Davis, 3rd grade
Dominick S. Ocampo, 4th grade
Manuel A. Betancourt, 5th grade

Arkansas Elementary
Addison Rarick, 1st grade
Emma Warren, 2nd grade
Jazlynn Rolison, 3rd grade
Kayleigh Leek, 4th grade
Wahida Sehar, 5th grade

Aurora Academy
Joshua Mautz, 1st grade
Zoie Pietriyk, 2nd grade
Sebastian Nguyen-Le, 3rd grade
Dagem Tadesse, 4th grade
Lawrence Gonzales, 5th grade
Natalie Perez, 6th grade
Lydia Willer, 7th grade
Kimball Easton, 8th grade

Aurora Central High School
Aline Thongvanh, 9th grade
Brandie Radilla Galicia, 10th grade
Jesus Montano Gomez, 11th grade
Tonny Sosa Juarez, 12th grade

Aurora Frontier K-8
Romanat Kahssai, 1st grade
Austin Baca, 2nd grade
Thomas Hutrya, 3rd grade
Hannah Sandoval, 4th grade
Jacob Johnson, 5th grade
Elizabeth "Ellie" Newman, 6th grade
Kimora Jackson, 7th grade
Dillon Hutchison, 8th grade

Aurora Hills Middle School
Rayya Hobbs, 6th grade
Noah Dorsey, 7th grade
Breauna Espinal, 8th grade

Aurora Quest K-8
Carson Crockett, 1st grade
Erin Johnson, 2nd grade
Danica Green, 3td grade
Alejandro Salazar, 4th grade
Ashlynn Stewart, 5th grade
Iyanla Ayite, 6th grade
Kathy Pham, 7th grade
Mia LaMontagne, 8th

Aurora West Preparatory Academy
Thulukshika Suresh, 6th grade
Yasmine Al-Nur, 7th grade
Erick Chaulagain, 8th grade
Alexis Cisneros Flores, 9th grade
Madeline Alainz Sanchez, 10th grade
Aaron Landa, 11th grade
Paola Lopez Tena, 12th grade

AXL Learning Academy
Ella Nichelson, 1st grade
Alex Hernandez Lopez, 2nd grade
Abigail Arthur, 3rd grade
Allyson (Ally) Whelan, 4th grade
Angel Mason-Warren, 5th grade
Angela Rojas Silva, 6th grade
Jairo Barragan, 7th grade
Brian Roberts, 8th grade

Boston K-8
Anie Tamla, 1st grade
Kewin Bonilla Saravia, 2nd grade
Ber Ker, 3rd grade
Alondra Esparza Rodriguez, 4th grade
Erik Salas Aguilar, Jr., 5th grade
Poe Reh, 6th grade
Azucena Hernandez, 7th grade
July Htoo, 8th grade

Century Elementary
Pablo Garcia, 1st grade
Rehani Champion, 2nd grade
Gabriel Flores, 3rd grade
Isaiah Doumbia, 4th grade
Amiah Romero, 5th grade

Clyde Miller P-8
Kingston Switzer, 1st grade
Stephanie Perez, 2nd grade
Itzel Martinez, 3rd grade
Joshua Herrera, 4th grade
Leilah Weathersby, 5th grade
Aaron Zarco, 6th grade
Alyssa Ortiz, 7th grade
Judith Martinez, 8th grade

Columbia Middle School
Devin L. Philio, 6th grade
Aliza C. Davis, 7th grade
China S. Noeun, 8th grade

Crawford Elementary
Steven Diaz Rosales, 1st grade
Gennesis Renteria Giron, 2nd grade
JiLisa Daniels, 3rd grade
Alexander Lopez, 4th grade
Miguel Garcia Hernandez, 5th grade

Dalton Elementary
James Eben Moore, 1st grade
Darian Puentes, 2nd grade
Adrian Pinedo Gutierrez, 3rd grade
Julian Anderson, 4th grade
Anthony Conforti, 5th grade

Dartmouth Elementary
Sapphira Doherty-Cedeno, 1st grade
Leandro Jimenez, 2nd grade
Mario Mendoza, 3rd grade
Kendale Lewis, 4th grade
Tinbit Yoseph, 5th grade

East Middle School
Katie Torres, 6th grade
Gabriel Dominguez, 7th grade
Maria Lopez, 8th grade

Elkhart Elementary
Carmen Davis, 1st grade
Aaron Sarmiento, 2nd grade
Fernanda Hernandez Zubiate, 3rd grade
Luis Reyes-Castellanos, 4th grade
Adama Ndiaye, 5th grade

Fletcher Community School
Georgina Gutierrez-Bautista, 1st grade
Cesar Hernandez-Chuc, 2nd grade
Alexa Ramos-Santos, 3rd grade
Melissa Cabrales-Galindo, 4th grade
Camila Lua, 5th grade

Fulton Academy of Excellence
James Ray, 1st grade
Edith Barrientos, 2nd grade
Daniella Salcedo Pasillas, 3rd grade
Ashley Facio, 4th grade
Elena Cruz, 5th grade

Gateway High School
Khalil Flowers, 9th grade
Bibi Madina Arman, 10th grade
Christina Menchaca, 11th grade
Vanessa Rosas, 12th grade

Global Village Academy
Rylie Sain, 1st grade
Anna Latifa Bane, 2nd grade
Asha Munn, 3rd grade
Madeline Joslin, 4th grade
Paige Black, 5th grade
Mackenzie Kupfer, 6th grade
Ricardo Zapata, 7th grade
Nathan Rabuck, 8th grade

Hinkley High School
Calvin Pope, Jr., 9th grade
Lizabeth Luna Estrada, 10th grade
Esmeralda Cabrera, 11th grade
Usbaldo Vela-Tapia, 12th grade

Iowa Elementary
Hunter Kirby, 1st grade
Fatoumata Daou, 2nd grade
Litzy Gonzalez, 3rd grade
Ryan Reyna, 4th grade
Larina Appleton, 5th grade

Jewell Elementary
Colt Tweedale-Wenzel, 1st grade
Raphael Tambunan, 2nd grade
Lily Wall, 3rd grade
Judith Hernandez Correa, 4th grade
Kristin Grigler, 5th grade

Kenton Elementary
Kimmy Alvarez, 1st grade
Keni McGary, 2nd grade
Eric Marquez, 3rd grade
Yuwainy Selvachandran, 4th grade
Alex Camacho Vicario, 5th grade

Lansing Elementary
Amira Quazrane, 1st grade
Vanessa Morales Velasquez, 2nd grade
Bryan Ramos, 3rd grade
Jonathan Guillen, 4th grade
Sara Kiros, 5th grade

Laredo Elementary
Krystal Hernandez, 1st grade
Wendy-Germaine Fu Tamajong, 2nd grade
Anthony Cordova Sanchez, 3rd grade
Walter Giovanni Escobar Ajin, 4th grade
Thomas Miller, 5th grade

Lotus School for Excellence
Chris Lopez Rodriguez, 1st grade
Carlos Young, 2nd grade
Dominic Gonzalez, 3rd grade
Kimberely Torres Marroquin, 4th grade
Joselyn Arriaga, 5th grade
Saba Gebru, 6th grade
Liya Seleshi, 7th grade
Adam Mohmand, 8th grade
Valeria Lopez-Tiznado, 9th grade
Munira Sultan, 10th grade
Jonte Roberts, 11th grade
David McChesney, 12th grade

Lyn Knoll Elementary
Ayse Kalem, 1st grade
Raul Mejia, 2nd grade
Guadalupe Chavez, 3rd grade
Helen Alday, 4th grade
Kaylin Garcia, 5th grade

Montview Elementary
Eliana Klingensmith, 1st grade
Silver Velasquez-Delao, 2nd grade
Genesis Ramirez, 3rd grade
Gabriel Parra, 4th grade
Elizabeth Chavez, 5th grade

Mrachek Middle School
Steven Linares, 6th grade
Crystal Duran, 7th grade
Eryn Noli, 8th grade

Murphy Creek P-8
Zaya Elliott, 1st grade
Sydney Kueber, 2nd grade
Jackson Mitchell, 3rd grade
Zachary Kueber, 4th grade
Cikeng Lee, 5th grade
Katherine Higgins, 6th grade
Mikayla Lee, 7th grade
Nicole Minikus, 8th grade

North Middle School Health Sciences & Technology Campus
Katy Milla, 6th grade
Thomas Taylor, 7th grade
Jenny Hoang, 8th grade

Paris Elementary
Angie Gomez, 1st grade
Amir Nix, 2nd grade
Dayumi Espinoza, 3rd grade
Jorge Argumedo, 4th grade
Hnin Cherry, 5th grade

Park Lane Elementary
Tatiana Holquin, 1st grade
Zarahi Albarran Sanchez, 2nd grade
Crystal Rodelas Castruita, 3rd grade
German Villalobos, 4th grade
Orlando Montelongo, 5th grade

Peoria Elementary
Melany Araujo, 1st grade
Juliana Marquez, 2nd grade
Laila Rojas, 3rd grade
Melanie Sosa, 4th grade
Maria "Lupita" Davila, 5th grade

Rangeview High School
Langston Kelly, 9th grade
Miriam Escanuela-Mata, 10th grade
Kendra Cameron, 11th grade
Michael Lozoya, 12th grade

Sable Elementary
David Calderon, 1st grade
Daniela Alvarez Diaz, 2nd grade
Carolina Herrera Marquez, 3rd grade
Sunflower Tekle, 4th grade
Karen Valenzuela Viorato, 5th grade

Side Creek Elementary
Kyra Wiles, 1st grade
Amelia Reposa, 2nd grade
Eden Hailu, 3rd grade
Katie Ker, 4th grade
Aliya Jones, 5th grade

Sixth Avenue Elementary
Ashlyn Yamira Sims, 1st grade
Juan Antonio Chavez Cardoza, 2nd grade
Leonard Bradley Scott, 3rd grade
MacKenzie Marie Casbarian, 4th grade
Prince Korang, 5th grade

South Middle School
Kevin Torres Hernandez, 6th grade
Dayanna Massu Sanchez, 7th grade
Luis Torres, 8th grade

Tollgate Elementary
DeQuan Williams, 1st grade
Arse Gamada, 2nd grade
Alicia Aguila, 3rd grade
Laih'La Hatch, 4th grade
Kamora Jonell Morehead, 5th grade

Vassar Elementary
Chase Hammond, 1st grade
Leona Shaw, 2nd grade
James Le, 3rd grade
Samantha Vargas, 4th grade
Svyatoslav (Slav) Voznyak, 5th grade

Vaughn Elementary
Angelin Estrada Lozano, 1st grade
Joselyn Martinez, 2nd grade
Austin Delmonico, 3rd grade
Isaac Osei, 4th grade
Asjourri King, 5th grade

Virginia Court Elementary
Chloe McCrea, 1st grade
Jaira Mayo Guatemala, 2nd grade
Jack Tyron, 3rd grade
Mirella Isabel Franco, 4th grade
Makenna Staack, 5th grade

Vista PEAK Exploratory P-8
Carlee Jackson, 1st grade
Vincent Darling, 2nd grade
Brenna Middleton, 3rd grade
Sofia Ochoa, 4th grade
Kayla Karwacki, 5th grade
Adriana Green, 6th grade
Lainey Morris, 7th grade
Alexis Zarate, 8th grade

Vista PEAK Preparatory 9-12
Nolin Boyd, 9th grade
EryKah Williams, 10th grade
Kevin To, 11th grade
Bruno Tapia, 12th grade

Wheeling Elementary
Apichun (Izac) Panichakul, 1st grade
Aailiyah Lambeth, 2nd grade
Melgen Burciaga Buhaya, 3rd grade
Trinity Schermerhorn, 4th grade
Janaina Barboza, 5th grade

William Smith High School
Laissa Torres, 9th grade
Daegan Macias, 10th grade
Diana Gonzalez, 11th grade
Akosua Antobre, 12th grade

Yale Elementary
Abel Torres Mireles, 1st grade
Christie Espinal, 2nd grade
Haiden Ortega, 3rd grade
Angel Castro Castro, 4th grade
Giovanni Flores, 5th grade

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Belief:
Every student has unique abilities that we must recognize and engage.

Congratulations to the more than 2,900 students who recently graduated from Aurora Public Schools. Students earned diplomas from the following schools:

• Aurora Central High School
• Aurora West College Preparatory Academy
• APS Online High School
• Gateway High School
• Hinkley High School
• Pickens Technical College
• Rangeview High School
• Rebound (North and South)
• Vista PEAK Preparatory 
• William Smith High School

The graduating class of 2015 has earned more than $9 million in scholarships!

Our preschoolers from Kids Tech, the class of 2028, also celebrated their graduation as they prepare to enter kindergarten in the 2015-16 school year.

View the slideshow below for a look at some of this year's graduates.

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Belief:
 -Students take an active and ongoing responsibility for their learning. 

Vista PEAK Preparatory recently opened its doors to the 2015-16 freshman class. The former Vista PEAK Exploratory eighth grade students participated in a ceremonial walk across the street to their new stomping grounds. Loads of students and staff lined the pathway to cheer the group on and bid them farewell.

After a symbolic release of balloons that painted the sky blue and silver, tiny cheerleaders and a highly-energetic crowd greeted the new freshmen as they entered the high school’s gym. Mascot Tyson the Bison joined the festivities and the choir and band performed crowd-pleasing pieces.

Best wishes to the Vista PEAK Preparatory Class of 2019 as they embark on a new journey.

APS 2020: Shaping the Future Strategic Plan- Core Belief:
 A district with students at its center provides an adaptable and responsible foundation for learning. 

If you're a high school student looking for an affordable homecoming dress, shoes and/or accessories, The Friends of Aurora Central High School Alumni Association is here to help! 

The group is hosting its second installment of #ThePromDressProject on Aug. 19, 20 and Sept. 3 from 5-8 p.m. Students who are interested in finding that perfect, affordable dress can stop by the APS Professional Learning and Conference Center. It is located at 15771 E. 1st Avenue in Aurora.

There will be hundreds of dresses available for sale, most of them within the $10- $15 price range. In addition to offering low-cost dresses, the association will loan dresses on a case-by-case basis. Shoes and accessories will also be available.

All proceeds will benefit The Friends of Aurora Central High School Alumni Association in their efforts to support the next generation of ACHS Trojans.

WHAT: The Prom Dress Project
WHEN: Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 19^th and 20^th, 5-8 p.m. 
               Thursday, Sept. 3rd, 5-8 p.m.
WHERE: APS Professional Learning and Conference Center 
                15771 E. 1st Avenue
                Aurora, CO 80011

APS students discuss potential debate topics at the 2014 DUDL Fall Kickoff Workshop.

Students have spoken loud and clear: speech and debate is a must have in Aurora Public Schools!

Last fall, the Denver Urban Debate League and Aurora Public Schools began a partnership to help introduce students to speech and debate, and the DUDL recently released a report showing just how popular the program was. The partnership birthed urban debate teams at five APS schools, including Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley and Rangeview high schools and Vista PEAK Preparatory. Nearly 60 students participated and earned a bevy of awards.

Highlights

Aurora Central High School (16 students)

• Students Marcos Aguilar and Lorenzo Arellano participated in the public debate event at the University of Denver, where they represented the DUDL alongside college debaters.
• Shanshan Zheng earned the Maximo Corrada Award, one of DUDL’s highest honors.
• Aurora Central hosted the first DUDL tournament at an APS site in January.

Gateway High School (8 students)

• Gateway ended the year winning the DUDL’s Speech Sweepstakes Award.
• Students will help lead DUDL’s student advisory board in the 2015-16 school year.

Hinkley High School (12 students)

• Adriana Montel and Cecilia Ramos won the second tournament in Policy Debate in the Novice Division.
• 9News featured Hinkley students in a report celebrating the benefits of urban debate for English language learners.
• Hinkley will host a DUDL tournament during the 2015-16 season.

Rangeview High School (9 students)

• Rangeview students earned several end of year honors, including Melanee Montgomery as Speaker of the Year and Nadya Nfaoui as Rising Star of the Year.
• Rangeview will host a DUDL tournament during the 2015-16 season.

Vista PEAK Preparatory (12 students)

• Caleb Songer delivered a powerful speech at the DUDL’s end of the year awards banquet.
• Spanish Language debate will be added to future DUDL offerings, an effort Vista PEAK plans to take advantage of moving forward.

Aurora Central students Danny Nguyen, left, and Tyeler Fields perform their Humor/Drama routine during the CenturyLink Classic.

An exciting update is in store for APS high school student athletes – new equipment.

The APS Athletics and Activities and Grants and Federal Programs departments teamed up to secure $3,500  in grants from USA Football for Aurora Central High School and Vista PEAK Preparatory. The funds will allow the two schools to purchase new football equipment and supplies.

Since Vista PEAK is newer to the state’s football ranks and has seen an increase in student participation, the grant will help them better meet equipment needs.

USA Football is a non-profit youth football development partner of the National Football League, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association.  Each year, the organization offers a variety of grant programs to youth football and high school football programs. 

APS also looks forward to working with USA Football on their Heads Up Football safety protocol initiative.

Aurora Public Schools high school thespians are eager to showcase their acting skills to the community in upcoming musicals and plays. The students have been working diligently to remember their lines, create spectacular stage props, nail down their wardrobe and much more.

So grab your tickets, gather your family and friends and come out to enjoy the abundant talent our students have to offer!

High School Musical
Sept. 24-26 at 7 p.m.
Rangeview High School | 17599 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora 80013

Cinderella
Nov. 12-13 at 7 p.m.
Aurora Central High School | 11700 E. 11th Ave., Aurora 80013

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Nov. 12-14 at 7 p.m.
Gateway High School | 1300 S. Sable Blvd., Aurora 80012

Les Miserables
Nov. 12-14 at 7 p.m.
Hinkley High School | 1250 Chambers Rd., Aurora 80011

The Matchmaker
Nov. 12-14 at 7 p.m.
Vista PEAK Preparatory | 24500 E 6th Ave., Aurora 80018

Vista PEAK Preparatory’ s Advanced Placement courses are experiencing dramatic gains in student enrollment and achievement thanks to The Colorado Education Initiative’s Colorado Legacy Schools (CLS) program.

CLS strives to increase the number of Colorado’s high school female students, low-income students and students of color enrolled and excelling in rigorous AP coursework. Students who pass AP exams often receive college credit for the courses, allowing many to graduate early and save money on tuition.

Out of the 11 Colorado schools to commit to CLS in the 2014-15 school year, Vista PEAK’s results shine as one of the most noteworthy. Vista PEAK increased AP enrollment for all students by 85 percent and saw a 214 percent increase in the number of qualifying scores on AP exams. The results are even more impressive for students of color – with a 90 percent increase in enrollment and a 333 percent increase in the number of qualifying scores.

Aurora Public Schools commends Vista PEAK Preparatory staff for their zealous devotion toward narrowing the achievement gap and ensuring every student’s wish to be a successful AP student is within reach.

To learn more about The Colorado Education Initiative and its remarkable programs, click here!

Vista PEAK Preparatory’s DECA students are the leaders of tomorrow, but they’re also shining as the environmentalists of today. The group recently committed to the City of Aurora’s Adopt-A-Street program, taking an active role in keeping their community’s streets litter-free.

The chapter adopted E. 6th Avenue Parkway from N. Gun Club Road to N. Little River Way. Equipped with trash bags and safety vests provided by the city, the students recently jumpstarted their monthly cleanups along the 1.7 mile stretch of road.

“The first cleanup was tough, especially with cold weather and dirty diapers on the side of the road, but we proved how DECA can come together as a chapter, which is the whole reason I wanted to participate,” said Vista PEAK Preparatory DECA Vice President Sade Scott. “We are all motivated to keep the street as clean as we can and hopefully maintain it for years to come.”

Aurora Public Schools commends the Vista PEAK Preparatory DECA students for their humble service to the community and hope their effort to reduce environmental footprints will inspire others.