Posts tagged service
Boulder High’s student council is as good as gold
Apr 5th
(NASC contributed to text) RESTON, VA–– For its exemplary record of leadership, service, and activities that serve to improve the school and community, Boulder High School has been awarded a 2013 National Gold Council of Excellence Award by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC). In addition Boulder High School is one of just five schools in Colorado to receive the Gold Award. Nearly 180 high school councils across the country were named National Councils of Excellence. Of those, Boulder High School is one of only 163 high school councils nationwide to receive the highly-esteemed honor of being named a National Gold Council of Excellence.
“I am extremely pleased with the honor our Student Council has received”, says Scott Cawlfield, Assistant Principal at Boulder High. “To be recognized for the exemplary work and commitment our students demonstrate on a daily basis, and being one of only 5 high schools in the state of Colorado to receive this award, the staff of Boulder High couldn’t be more proud.”
“I am very proud of the hard work this council has completed to achieve this award” says Russell Selnau, Student Council adviser at Boulder High.
“It is such an honor to be recognized as a gold standard council”, says Tate Moore, Student Body President at Boulder High. “Everyone has worked so hard and put so much effort in and I am so proud.”
To meet the requirements of the NASC National Council of Excellence award, a student council must demonstrate that it meets a variety of criteria. Those councils named to the Gold level have successfully met a greater number of criteria. In addition to basic requirements such as a written constitution, regular meetings, a democratic election process, and membership in NASC, schools that qualify for the award demonstrate such things as leadership training for council members, teacher/staff appreciation activities, student recognition programs, school and community service projects, spirit activities, goal setting, financial planning, and active participation in their state and nation student council associations.
“I am so glad that all the hard work we do in Student Council can finally be recognized”, says Flora Quinby, Council of Excellence committee chair. “Collecting all the work from the past year has taken a long time but looking back, it was worth the hard work and effort.”
“Receiving an NASC National Council of Excellence Award indicates a dedication on the part of the local school to providing a strong, well-rounded student council program,” says Jeff Sherrill, associate director of NASC. “NASC applauds the work of the National Councils of Excellence and challenges them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities.”
“I am so pleased there is an award that acknowledges the years of development and excellence of this group of leaders”, says Ruthie Banta, assistant Student Council adviser at Boulder High.
In addition to receiving this award, the Student Council at Boulder High is very excited about Keegan Velasquez, a current junior, having been elected to serve on the 2013-2014 Colorado State Student Council board as CHSAA Student Leadership President. Says Keegan, “I’m very excited for the opportunity I’ve been given to help lead the students of Colorado as CHSAA Student Leadership President. It will be a great thing for Boulder High School to develop a stronger connection with the community and the state. I’m confident many great things will come from this. I hope that Boulder High can become an incredible example to all who look in and see a school full of great leaders, great students, and a great community. We have already made a tremendous accomplishment in this by becoming a Gold Council of Excellence. My goals are to develop a way to communicate or meet with Student Leaders from around our region and the nation. I also hope to continue work from this year by reaching out to as many possible schools around the state to work on our State Projects (Make-a-Wish and Special Olympics). And finally I hope to organize meetings for schools within their districts or regions to help enable community collaboration. Building a strong community is the best resource I, along with the board of student State Representatives, can develop to ensure our success as a state. Working with our schools, and the local, regional, state, and national councils will expand our potential and allow us to make a difference now and in the future! I am honored to be in this position and I can not wait to be the President of something so powerful, so passionate, and so enduring.”
BVSD press release
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CU business school endowed with $2.25 million chair to promote global enterprise
Apr 3rd
Advancing global enterprise at the university level by a billionaire seems to make excellent sense.
A better understanding of the core drivers that help great leaders innovate — and avoid failure — is key to advancing global enterprise. The Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder is now better equipped to advance this understanding, thanks to a new $2.25 million gift from the Thomas Stix Guggenheim family to establish an endowed faculty chair aimed at educating new generations of entrepreneurs on the core drivers of successful business design and innovation.
This prestigious faculty post was made possible by Thomas Stix Guggenheim and his wife Pedie, of Cincinnati and Snowmass Village, Colo., and his four children, each of whom also attended CU-Boulder.
The new chair will enhance business education at the Leeds School by offering a broader exploration of the factors that allow some firms to succeed while others fail.
The chair also advances key Leeds priorities, as it will help aspiring innovators develop the critical thinking skills that result in creative solutions to diverse and complex challenges. “Our business experience has demonstrated there is as much, if not more, to learn from business failures as from successes,” Guggenheim said. “One main aspect of our endowed chair is to case-study this belief.”
David Ikenberry, dean of the Leeds School, said the creation of the Thomas Stix Guggenheim Family Endowed Chair in Business Design and Innovation is emblematic of the school’s mission. “We have embarked on an innovation agenda that will enable graduates to evolve in a rapidly changing business climate and ensure their ability to drive value,” he said. “We are fortunate and grateful for the family’s generous support as we pursue this great challenge.”
The concept of business design is an emerging area of business education — exploring the interaction of factors such as strategy, product or service design, and entrepreneurial leadership to solve complex problems and drive economic innovation and successful business creation.
With Leeds and CU’s long-standing reputation for entrepreneurship education along with Boulder’s identity as one of the nation’s most entrepreneurial and creative cities, the new chair is a logical fit for Colorado and its economy.
The Thomas Stix Guggenheim Family Endowed Chair in Business Design and Innovation is a tribute to the successful career and outstanding leadership of the chair’s namesake. After graduating from CU-Boulder in 1950 with a degree in marketing, Guggenheim went on to lead two successful hosiery (sock) businesses.
“It’s exciting to see CU-Boulder graduates giving back to the university in such an important way so future generations of students can succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors,” said Chancellor Philip DiStefano.
A longtime donor to CU-Boulder, Guggenheim has supported the Center for Education on Social Responsibility, which integrates ethics education across the Leeds School curriculum to develop values-driven leaders, and a popular freshman-level course titled “Profiles in American Enterprise,” which invited top executives to discuss relevant business issues.
An endowed chair gift provides a reliable and perpetual stream of funding for a senior faculty position. It is a public indicator of a program’s prestige and it helps universities recruit and retain top talent.
A global search will launch immediately to identify a candidate to serve as the first Guggenheim Family Endowed Chair. The goal is to fill the tenured post, to be housed within the school’s Division of Management, for the start of the fall semester in 2014.
The gift is one of more than 275,000 gifts made to date during Creating Futures, a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign to enhance CU education, research, outreach and health programs benefiting citizens throughout Colorado and beyond. Visit http://www.cufund.org for more information.
–CU Press Release–
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City manager approves business incentive for Gnip
Mar 15th
City Manager Jane S. Brautigam has approved a flexible rebate application for Boulder-based Gnip for up to $45,000 in rebates. The rebates were authorized for sales and use taxes, and permit-related fees.
“Gnip is a fast-growing company in Boulder’s thriving downtown and high-tech communities,” Brautigam said. “The city is very pleased that it can support Gnip’s expansion so it can grow as an industry leader, delivering three billion social media activities per day.”
The flexible rebate program is one of the city’s business incentives, covering a wide range of fees, equipment and construction use taxes. Under this program, the city manager may consider a specific incentive package for tax and fee rebates to meet a company’s specific needs. The company is then eligible for the rebate after it has made its investment and paid the taxes or fees to the city.
Gnip is the largest provider of social data in the world, partnering with Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and WordPress, among others, to aggregate social media data and information for their clients. Founded in 2008, the company has emerged as a leader in the social media industry. With 50 employees, Gnip recently expanded into a new space at 1050 Walnut, Suite 115, to maintain its presence in downtown Boulder. In addition, Gnip was named “best place to work” by both the Boulder Chamber and the Denver Business Journal.
“We’re excited to be a based in Boulder and we think our growth is facilitated by the many advantages offered by the City of Boulder”, said Gnip CEO Jud Valeski. “We think Boulder offers the world’s best place to work and live.”
The flexible rebate program uses social, community, and environmental sustainability guidelines. Companies choose the guidelines that best fit their circumstances, but must meet minimum requirements in order to receive the rebate. Gnip has exceeded the requirements and, of note, the company has initiated the Gnip Gives Back program. This program coordinates charitable giving and organizes group service opportunities for the company to participate in. Gnip also offers Eco Passes, Boulder B-Cycle memberships, and annual City of Boulder Recreation passes to their employees and is located in a LEED Gold certified building.
Gnip’s application is approved as part of the 2012 flexible rebate program; one application is still pending. The city’s approved 2012 budget includes $350,000 in funding for 2012 flexible tax and fee rebates for primary employers.
For more information about the city’s economic vitality program, go to www.bouldercolorado.gov, click on “Business,” or call Liz Hanson at 303-441-3287.