Cherry Creek School District Honored for Outstanding Work

Denver, CO - The Cherry Creek School District and its "Wrap Your Arms Around Cherry Creek Kids" initiative received an Outstanding Asset Builder Award at a statewide summit hosted by Assets for Colorado Youth in Copper Mountain on April 4-5. The school district was honored for its outstanding work in promoting positive youth development by enlisting a broad network of asset champions throughout Cherry Creek School's communities.

Brenda Holben, the district's prevention advisor, accepted the award. Other representatives attending the ceremony from the district's asset initiative were Gail Haun, president of the Community Asset Project, Inc., and Lynn Stambaugh, teacher at West Middle School.

Said María Guajardo Lucero, executive director of Assets for Colorado Youth, "The Cherry Creek School District embraces assets at the administrative level, with the School Board and Superintendent's full commitment, at the school level, with teams carrying out asset-based safety plans, and at the community level, with the efforts of parents and community leaders from the Community Asset Partnership board."

Through feedback from a 60-member Youth Advisory Council, the Cherry Creek School District has created effective, community events and a successful Youth/Adult Summit held each spring.

Assets for Colorado Youth (ACY) is a nonprofit organization that champions positive youth development by increasing developmental assets in youth. Developmental assets are a research-based set of opportunities, values and positive relationships that all young people need in their lives to succeed.

For more information, visit the ACY Web site: www.buildassets.org, or call the Cherry Creek School District's Prevention Office: 720-554-4247.

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