On Friday, April 24, Centaurus students, who participate in the University of Colorado Boulder’s Public Achievement program will host an outreach event to generate awareness about the prevalence of poverty in Boulder County while concurrently raising funding for Centaurus’ food bank and resource center, which they established in spring 2014. Weather permitting the event will be held at LaMont Does Park, 500 E. South Boulder Road, from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Jointly organized by Centaurus High School sophomores and seniors, A Night on the Street will feature music, an information fair, field activities, and an outdoor screening of “The Soloist”. The event is free, though community members are encouraged to make cash or in-kind (nonperishable food items, school supplies, and/or toiletries) donations to maintain the school’s resource center and support Centaurus students in need.
Eats and Sweets, a Lafayette sandwich shop, will also donate 15 percent of its total sales on April 24 to support students’ efforts.
“It is so important that we support our peers and raise awareness about poverty issues and the organizations that address these issues in the local community,” said Centaurus senior Maxine Brown.
In addition to addressing the issue of poverty, Public Achievement students at Centaurus High School are focusing on the topics of bullying, domestic violence, gender inequality, global education, immigration, teen depression, teen substance abuse, and other issues that directly affect young people. Students, who opted to address teen substance abuse, for example, are hosting an “Above the Influence” dodgeball tournament at Centaurus on Tuesday, April 14 in partnership with Boulder County’s Healthy Youth Alliance and with support from the YMCA of Boulder Valley and the Lafayette Police Department. The tournament, which will be held from 3:30-6:00 p.m., will feature a half-time show during which students and Lafayette police officers will discuss the prevalence of teen substance abuse and corresponding issues.
“Working with Centaurus students has been the most rewarding experience of my undergraduate career,” said CU-Boulder senior Alex Angueira. “Seeing students’ dedication to their project is incredible and it inspires me to take action on the issues that most resonate with me.”
Housed in CU Engage, CU-Boulder’s center for community-based learning and research, the University of Colorado’s Public Achievement program seeks to promote student retention and access to post-secondary education through civic engagement programing. More than 100 CU Boulder undergraduates and 350 K-12 students participate in the program each year.
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