Palmer Elementary School Honored for Outstanding Work

Denver, CO - Palmer Elementary 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 was honored for its outstanding work in promoting positive youth development and for taking the initiative to infuse developmental assets throughout its school community.

Palmer staff member Polly Beck accepted the award. Palmer reading specialist Cheryl Badger also attended the ceremony.

Said María Guajardo Lucero, executive director of Assets for Colorado Youth, "Palmer Elementary has shown how a committed principal and a handful of asset champions among the staff and parents can successfully imbed the framework of developmental assets into a school community."

A parent group meets regularly to identify and implement asset-building strategies. Early in the school year, Palmer held a Pep Night for Parents to talk about how parents could help students have a great school year. Each family receives an asset calendar and articles on the asset framework appear regularly in the school newsletter. In addition, Principal Patty Kipp provides information on the assets whenever she meets with parents.

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 Palmer Elementary: 303-388-5929.

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