Latest News – May 31

Leadville Sophomores Receive HMI Scholarships

Lake County High School (LCHS) sophomores Ariel Benney and Bianca Gonzalez, and Abigail Reigel are the recipients of this year’s High Mountain Institute (HMI) merit scholarships.

Benney, daughter of Charles & Suzi Benney, will attend HMI this summer, Gonzales, daughter of Alberto & Vianca Gonzales, will attend HMI for the fall semester; and Reigel, daughter of Michael & Allison Reigel will attend in the spring. With an extremely competitive admissions year at HMI, these LCHS scholarship recipients were selected for their commitment to academics, leadership, and involvement in their greater communities.

The merit scholarships cover the full cost of tuition for each recipient, a $29,263 value for the HMI Semester, and a $8,650 value for the HMI Summer Term.

Since inception in 1998, 31 other LCHS students have attended HMI on full merit scholarships. Past LCHS HMI Alumni have attended colleges such as University of Denver, University of Colorado Boulder, and Colorado State University.

The High Mountain Institute is a semester-long boarding school for high school juniors. Each semester a new cohort of 48 students travel to Leadville from all over the country to partake in the school’s rigorous academic curriculum, extended backpacking expeditions, and a small, intentional community.

Lake County High School sophomores pictured here left to right: Abigail Reigel, Bianca Gonzalez, and Ariel Benney are the recipients of this year’s High Mountain Institute (HMI) merit scholarships. Congratulations! Photo: HMI

In addition to the semester program, HMI offers a 5-week Summer Term for high schoolers, a two week backpacking trip for middle schoolers, and a variety of adult programs including wilderness medicine and avalanche awareness training. HMI also partners with the local non-profit Full Circle of Lake County each summer to offer a free, week-long backpacking program for LCHS 7th and 8th graders.

Hey Batter, Batter  . . . It’s Skyline Baseball Time!

The annual parade of Skyline Baseball teams march down historic Harrison Avenue will be Saturday, June 3 at 10 a.m. Photo: Leadville Today.

It’s spring and as the seasons slowly turn, it’s time for Skyline Baseball. This Saturday, June 3 will be their Opening Day Parade, one of the favorites on historic Harrison Avenue. The teams will take their traditional march down Leadville’s main drag and then west on to Baker Fields. Head down to Harrison at 10 a.m. this Saturday and give ’em a “Play Ball” as America’s favorite pastime gets underway in America’s Highest City! For questions, please call Frank Martinez at 970-376-4785 or David Negrete at 970-331-1926.

Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Kicks Off

Last week, the Department of Labor and Employment announced the start of the 2017 Governor’s Summer Job Hunt.  Each year, the program helps thousands of high school and college students map a course for the uncharted territory of a summer job.  Administered by state and county-run Workforce Centers across Colorado, the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt connects young people with employers willing to give them a chance to learn, put skills to use and see firsthand how a business operates.

The Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the country, says Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Ellen Golombek.  “It was established by Governor Richard Lamm in 1981, at a time when teen unemployment was particularly high.  Over the last 36 years, in good economic times and bad, it has established a proven track record.”

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Governor’s Colorado Summer Job Hunt from CDLE on Vimeo.

Even in a strong economy, teens often struggle to get the work experience they need.  For young people 16 – 19 years of age, the 2016 average unemployment rate was 13 percent.  That’s why the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt is so important.  For teens who are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of landing a summer job, the program gives them the tools and self-confidence to be successful.

Workforce Centers across Colorado offer assistance in résumé writing, interviewing skills and job search strategies to help young people gain a competitive edge in their job hunt. And, of course, these offices also have access to a wealth of job listings.

Last summer, almost 47,000 high school and college students received assistance statewide.  Front range workforce centers helped more than 29,000 teens last year.  In 2017, professionals in every workforce center are again ready to work with young job seekers as the program launches its 37th year of operation.

Long before most students have given any thought to a summer job, Workforce Center staff are talking with teens about the importance of building the groundwork to their future.  In addition, they contact local employers, urging them to give a teen job seeker a chance.  Youth-friendly employers are the backbone of the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt and Workforce Centers have a good connection with local employers.

Kim Rodriguez from Leadville’s Workforce Center assists students in registering at a recent Community Fair. They also provide job seekers workshops. Photo: Leadville Today.

The ultimate value of a summer job isn’t just the paycheck young workers earn.  It’s building tomorrow’s workforce, Ellen Golombek emphasizes.  “It’s one thing to tell young people the value of knowing how to spell or do simple math, but it’s something else for them to recognize how important it is to get it right when they’re preparing a letter for work or having to make change.  It makes the classroom learning real.”

Employers can’t teach their summer job workers everything they need to know, of course, but opening the door to the marketplace can be a valuable companion piece to what they’ve learned in school, helping them see how classroom and textbook learning can be applied to real-world situations.  In addition to enforcing successful work habits like keeping to schedules and staying organized, the experience teaches young people the value of commitment, about gaining confidence and working with others.  Their participation in the program is critical and makes them partner in an important community development initiative, one with a very high return on the investment.

Summer job seekers and employers can obtain more information about this free service by visiting their website for the nearest Workforce Center.  Teens can also do a self-directed job search by registering at ConnectingColorado.com.