SandBoxBlogs: Town Hall/Bob Beauprez "A Teacher Saving Lots of Lives"

Bob Beauprez:
"It is a common cliché; "You changed my life." But, how many people really do? 

Tom Tillapaugh not only changes lives; he literally saves them. Lots of them. 

In 1985 Tom was led by his faith to begin an education ministry in Denver for the most seriously at risk, often forgotten, kids in society. He launched the Denver StreetSchool on East Colfax with the financial help of a business man and three kids in desperate need of help. 

His model is built on four principles:
1. Small schools – typically only 50-60 kids
2. Small Classes – limit of 10
3. Strong interlocking relationships – adults willing to be "extremely inconvenienced"
4. A Christian School – Jesus "gives hope and purpose to even want to try."

Tom says the schools are run like an intensive care ward in a hospital. We need "adults who will pour themselves into these kids," he says. Saving and changing lives requires "sacrificial intervention into the lives of these kids by loving, caring adults to the point of extreme inconvenience." 

What's that mean? "Doing something during the work day is not sacrificial, that's your job – what are you doing with the kid at 10:00 at night?" Tom asks. And, he walks the talk. Tom had to identify the body of a murdered student because he was considered next-of-kin. He held another as she died with AIDS. Tom and his wife routinely open their home to needy kids. As many as seven students – and their babies – have lived with Tom and his wife at one time...."  (Read more?  Click title)

 

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit Daily News "Liddick: Learning is hard work"

Morgan Liddick:
"...The world is a competitive place, in which the well-prepared and vigorous flourish. Others, not so much. Our nation embraced this reality once, and it led us to preeminence and prosperity. Now, we seek to shield young people from this truth, in favor of nourishing their egos. Everyone gets a medal simply for showing up, and if one wishes to ride instead of drudging out a job, there are unemployment benefits as far as the eye can see, paid for by taxes on those who produce a profit. This must stop. What is subsidized, grows; what is taxed, shrinks.

Excellence and diligence need recognition and reward; not the empty praise that levels in the name of “fairness,” but acknowledgement of real accomplishment. This will require a sea change in our society: the acceptance of challenges as a part of life, the discipline to surmount them and the will to hard work must become expectations again. Everyone must demand it — parents, teachers, friends, everyone. Lady Gaga got this one right: We all have to put our shoulder to the wheel, persist, and understand that change of this size and importance takes time. And that making it is absolutely critical to this nation's continued success.

Or, we can just throw more money at the problem. That's worked so well in the past...."
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"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent/Your Letters "Colorado ranks 34th, not 49th, in school spending"

Was it something we said that finally got Marty Lich's Letter to the Editor posted in the PI?

"Having read the statement made by Mary Elizabeth and Chris Geiger in their Sept. 12 letter, “Colorado is currently 49th in state spending on public schools,” yet once again, I am compelled to say not so.

An Issue brief of December 2010 written by the Colorado Legislative Council states that Colorado ranks 34th in per pupil operating expenditures.

People can read it for themselves here: http://tinyurl.com /4xfoeku.

I am not sure who is perpetuating this misleading and untrue information, but it is wholly untrue and deceives voters.." (Marty Lich/Gypsum, Colorado)


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"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."