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Parker Home Town Heroes

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We are going to be using this space to recognize our own hometown heroes who do good in our community. If you know of someone who should be recognized, please let us know.

Scholastic’s Kid Reporter is Parker’s own Amyla Posey!

The award-winning Scholastic News Kids Press Corps™ today welcomed 32 new Kid Reporters, ages 10 to 14, to the country’s oldest and largest student reporting program. The young journalists will report “news for kids, by kids” with coverage of current events, breaking news, entertainment stories, and sports events from their hometowns and on the national stage. The 32 Kid Reporters hail from 20 states across the United States, with international correspondents in Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Thailand.

The new reporters were chosen by the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps editors from more than 200 student applications, which required students to submit a news report about their local community, ideas for future stories, and a personal essay explaining why they would like to be a Kid Reporter.

We are very proud to announce that the winning student in Colorado is from Parker Colorado! Congratulations to Amyla Posey!

“The Scholastic News Kid Reporters’ stories are a terrific way to engage students with news reported by kids their own age. They’re an invaluable complement to the articles in Scholastic News® magazines and on Scholastic News online, which put contemporary news in a context that’s relevant and age-appropriate for young readers,” said Suzanne McCabe, Editor of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps. “I’m really looking forward to working with our new team of Kid Reporters and seeing them grow as young journalists.”

In the past, Kid Reporters have interviewed politicians, entertainers, authors, sports stars—and even a sitting President, Barack Obama. They’ve also gathered “Tips from the Pros” from such journalists as Brian Williams and Soledad O’Brien.

For more than 14 years, the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps has delivered “news for kids, by kids.” The Kid Reporter videos and reports will appear in issues of Scholastic’s classroom magazines, which are read by more than 25 million students in classrooms nationwide, and be available on their news site.

Congratulating 7 year old philanthropist TJ!

This adorable young man is continuing in his efforts to help the hungry in Colorado. This summer he held a garage sale and a movie in the park with all proceeds going to the “Hunger Free Colorado” fund.

Second-grader TJwill host a”Parent’s Night Out – Kids In” fundraiser at Parker’s Prairie Crossing Elementary School in Parker Colorado on Friday Dec. 6, 2013 to fight hunger this holiday season.

Parents can drop off their children for a safe and fun movie night, as well as a learning experience about Hunger Free Colorado, for a small donation of $10 per child. Thirty to fifty children are expected to attend.

TJ started a Kids’ Club this past May, with a goal to fundraise and raise awareness for Hunger Free Colorado. Since then, they have raised more than $300 through garage sales and other activities. The 7-year-old philanthropist also joined the Hunger P.O.D. Squad, an engagement opportunity facilitated by Hunger Free Colorado, where people of all ages commit to at least five activities throughout the year to help end hunger in their community, whether it be hosting a fundraiser, volunteering at a local anti-hunger group, participating in a community or school garden, or educating others about the issue.

Hunger Free Colorado is the state’s leading anti-hunger advocacy organization, working to ensure that no Coloradan goes hungry. Learn more at HungerFreeColorado.org.

When: Friday, Dec. 6, from 6-8:30 p.m.
Where: Prairie Crossing Elementary School, 11605 S Bradbury Ranch Drive, Parker, CO 80134
Contact: Michelle Ray, cell (720) 432-0255 for more information.

Douglas County School Board Election Information

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A very important and hotly contested school board race is happening NOW in our county. Ballots have been mailed and you should have them this week. 

Douglas County Election Results

These locations are ONLY for Ballot by Mail Drop-off.  Douglas County offers several drop-off locations for the 2013 Election.  These sites are not Voter Service and Polling Centers.

Douglas County School Board Election Information

Beginning October 15
Monday – Friday
Regular business hours for the respective location

Saturday, November  2
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Monday, November  4
Regular business hours for the respective location

Election Day, Tuesday, November  5
7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

If you aren’t registered or need to change your affiliation click here.

The return postage required for a ballot differs by size of the ballot.  For the 2013 Coordinated Election, required postage is one first-class stamp. 

If you have not received a Ballot by Mail by October 21 or need assistance with voting call 303-660-7444

Ballot by Mail Drop-off Locations

Castle Rock Motor Vehicle Office 301 Wilcox Street Castle Rock
Town of Castle Rock 100 N. Wilcox Street Castle Rock
City of Castle Pines 7501 Village Square Drive, Suite 100 Castle Pines
Town of Parker 20120 E. Mainstreet Parker
City of Lone Tree 9220 Kimmer Drive, Suite 100 Lone Tree
Highlands Ranch Motor Vehicle Office 2223 Wildcat Reserve Parkway #G-1 Highlands Ranch

24-Hour Ballot by Mail Drop-off Locations

These locations are available 24-hours a day from October 15 – November 5.  Ballots must be placed in the ballot box by the close of polls at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5.

Douglas County Elections 125 Stephanie Place Castle Rock
Douglas County Sheriff Highlands Ranch Substation 9250 Zotos Drive Highlands Ranch
Park Meadows Center 9350 Heritage Hills Circle Lone Tree

It’s impossible to find an unbiased source of information about this election so we are quoting a post from a former Douglas County Teacher who now works for the Littleton Public School District.

I’m not going to tell you how to vote – that would be silly, I don’t know you or what you believe. (If you ask I’ll happily discuss who I’m voting for and why and see what you think.) But I am going to ask you to do two things to become a more informed Douglas County voter. First, learn a bit about the candidates. Visit their websites, attend a Candidate Forum and, if possible, talk to people who both agree and disagree with them to hear their reasoning to try to get a better idea of what the candidates believe, what they will do, and what effect that will have on our students.

Second, and this is crucial, talk to some Douglas County educators. Talk to teachers and educational assistants, the people we trust our children with each and every day, and see what they think. How do they think it’s going, what do they think would be best for our students, and why? If possible, also try to talk to one of the more than one thousand teachers that have left the district in the last few years. Many of those folks left for reasons completely unrelated to the district, but some of them left because of what’s going on in the district. Ask them why they left, compare that to what you hear from folks who stayed, and then judge for yourself.

This election shouldn’t be about the adults’ agendas, it should be about the students’ learning. Become an informed voter so that you can make the best decision possible for our students. They deserve at least that much from you.

Fundraiser for Movie Theater Shooting Victim Aug. 22 at Swirls of Parker

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Swirls Frozen Yogurt Shop parker coAshley Moser and Veronica Moser-Sullivan were a mother and daughter who always had a smile and hug to give and whose love was apparent in the way they spoke and looked at each other.   Tragically, on July 20, 2012, Veronica’s life was cut short when a gunman entered a movie theater and opened fire. She was only 6 years old.

Ashley sustained multiple gunshot wounds and is still in the hospital recovering. In addition to grieving for her daughter, she faces a long road to recovery and mounting medical bills. The 25-year old is lucky to have a large and strong family support system, but it won’t be enough for the challenges she now faces.

In an effort to help this family financially, Swirls of Parker is proud to be holding a fundraiser in honor of Ashley Moser on Wednesday, Aug. 22 from 4 to 8 p.m.  Located in Parker at 19751 Mainstreet, 20 percent of the evening’s sales will go to Ashley’s fund.

Please contact Kindle Morell at cousins@helpash.org with media questions or for additional information.  For updates on fundraising efforts, check www.HelpAsh.org or #HelpAsh on Twitter.