A year in review: Our top 10 blog posts of 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, our team has been reflecting on what we’ve achieved this year through the power of our community. With your help, we’ve expanded our impact significantly — such as increasing Kinder Bridge enrollment by 65% this past June to serve 260 rising kindergarten students, covering $38,910 in tuition and fee waivers for Boulder TEC students this fall alone (up from $10,000 in all of 2023-24), and welcoming almost 100 students to our Career Readiness Academy in November, our highest enrollment yet. We’re proud to share our 10 most popular blog posts — each capturing a unique moment of impact.
#10 – Turning the page: Grant helps rebuild school library after unprecedented challenges
The library at Monarch High School suffered a pair of misfortunes: the Marshall Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic, which left it in poor condition. Thanks to a $3,000 Academic Opportunity Fund grant and a lot of love and attention from Teacher Librarian Katherine Croasdale, the library and the students who rely on it are thriving.
#9 – This after-school reading club helps emerging bilingual students
Over the past few years Jessica Grant Van Lankvelt, a literacy interventionist at Alicia Sanchez Elementary School, noticed many students who are emerging bilingual did not have opportunities to practice reading in English. Sometimes parents are literate in different languages or they work evening hours which makes them unavailable to support their student’s literacy during the week.
#8 – Providing BVSD students access to college and career opportunities
Navigating the future with confidence and the right set of skills is crucial for today’s students. And it’s why we provide access to college and career readiness opportunities, helping Boulder Valley School District students get ahead in their academic and professional journeys.
#7 – How mock interviews support career readiness for high schoolers
For students in our Career Readiness Academy, mock interviews are more than just a practice run — they’re a safe space to explore their potential, polish their skills and practice professional communication.
#6 – Higher property taxes don’t provide extra funding for public education
As homeowners in our community see their property values and tax bills increase, many may assume the additional funds are flowing into our public schools. They’re not wrong — but increases in local property taxes don’t equate to increases in funding for the Boulder Valley School District. The reality of how school funding works is more complex.
#5 – Emerald Elementary’s Sara McIntosh honored with the 2024 Blake Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award
There is a pivotal point in a child’s education when they stop learning to read and start reading to learn. As a literacy interventionist at Emerald Elementary School, Sara McIntosh is deeply invested in this crucial juncture. So much so that she’s dedicated her life to making sure all children grow up to be confident readers.
#4 – Fairview High School’s Ash Mattys receives Imogene Maxon New Teacher Award
Ash Mattys took the road less traveled, and it has made all the difference. Unlike most first-year teachers who join the profession directly after college, Mattys delayed getting her degree so she could see the world instead.
#3 – Announcing our 2024 scholarship recipients
This year we provided over $53,500 in scholarships for Boulder Valley School District graduates, including $28,500 in scholarship renewals for 16 students. And graduating seniors in the Class of 2024 were awarded over $100,000!
#2 – Daily acts of impact: Board member Ema Lyman’s 24-year career empowering BVSD youth
After dedicating 24 years to serving the young people of Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), Ema Lyman isn’t interested in measuring the broad achievements of her career. Instead, she prefers to focus on the impact she makes each day. “I don’t need to know if my students will grow into success stories — my work is unconditional.”
#1 – School-based wellness: An innovative approach to improving teenage mental health
Tess Amer, a mental health advocate at Fairview High School, knows the pressures Boulder’s teenagers face firsthand. As a licensed counselor and certified teacher, she oversees the school’s Wellness Center, a cozy and calming space that welcomes teenagers seeking mental health support.
BEFORE YOU GO
Impact on Education is an independent non-profit supporting the Boulder Valley School District. We depend on the generosity of our community to put our mission into action.
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