Fifteen- fourth and fifth-grade students participated in BRE’s annual spelling bee.

By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Tim Ryckman

Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) held its annual spelling bee on Friday, January 11. Nearly 40 students applied for participation in the bee through a written pre-test, with the top 15 scores advancing to the spelling bee contestant group. The event culminated two months of diligent practice, both individually and collectively, with help from teacher Dana Sedersten.

Nervous and excited chatter filled the gym before the bee began. First-round jitters were eased as each contestant was asked to spell their own first name. Round-two kicked off the official spelling words. In keeping with spelling bee tradition and etiquette, the audience of third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students, parents and teachers respectfully kept silent except in-between each round, when loud clapping erupted.

Anticipation and tension mounted as spelling words progressed in difficulty from “owner,” “radar,” and “swoosh” to “shivery,” “interviews,” and”‘blathering.” Two rounds asked remaining contestants to choose the correct definition of a given word instead of spelling it. “Champion: someone who has proven superior.” “Diminutive: small.”

Fifth-grade student Lauryn W. won the spelling bee.

Many of the adults present were awed by the accurate spelling of obscure words such as “offal” (waste parts; viscera after butchering an animal; not to be confused by the more common homonym “awful”) and “haberdasher”’ (men’s clothing and accessories). Other words typically outside the vocabulary for the average 10-year-old child included “trenchant,” “valise” and “jefe” (pronounced ˈhefā).

All 15 contestants showed exemplary sportsmanship and grace throughout the spelling bee. They encouraged and cheered and celebrated one another. Camaraderie was evident both on and off the stage.

After nearly two dozen spelling rounds, the 15 contestants had dwindled to just three. The suspense in the gym amplified as each took a turn spelling increasingly recondite words such as “attenuated” and “cavil.”

According to bee official rules, a winner can only be declared when a speller has won an entire round alone, not simply because everyone else has misspelled. The audience held its collective breath through the final rounds, as the remaining two contestants, both fifth-graders, Tyler H. and Lauryn W. took turns at the microphone. Metallurgy. Emaciated. Cyanide. Noisome. Affidavit; misspelled. With palpable nervousness, Lauryn stood and said “Savanna, S-A-V-A-N-N-A, savanna.” The gym exploded with enthusiastic cheers as Lauryn beamed with relief and pride.

Lauryn will represent BRE at the District Spelling Bee February 2. C-O-N-G-R-A-T-U-L-A-T-I-O-N-S to all the 2019 BRE participants!

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Regis Jesuit High School senior Lauren Winston beamed with joy while volunteering in a classroom of students at Eastridge Community Elementary School.

By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Lauren Winston

Lauren Winston is not your ordinary teenager. She is kind, dedicated and personable with a passion to help those in need of a little lift. Lauren has been a part of National Charity League since she was in seventh-grade. She has volunteered at a number of sites, including Food Bank of the Rockies, Ronald McDonald House, Joshua Station, Meals on Wheels and Children’s Hospital.

Lauren is a resident of the Castle Pines community and is currently a senior at Regis Jesuit High School (RJHS), where she is actively involved with the Service Projects program. This program provides students the opportunity to spend two weeks away from school providing service at numerous sites. Lauren chose Eastridge Community Elementary School (Eastridge), where 80 percent of its students are on free- or reduced-lunch programs. Instantly, Lauren felt connected with the kids and her desire to help grew even stronger.

After two weeks working closely with the kids, what Lauren noticed most was that many kids did not have winter coats. Most of the students came to school in just a long-sleeved shirt. The impact that Eastridge Elementary made on Lauren ran deep and she was driven to give back to these kids. After a day of winter cleaning at home, she decided to start a coat drive campaign within the Castle Pines community, and approval was granted to extend the campaign beginning this February at RJHS. With the help of her fellow Service Learning colleagues, Lauren is hoping to collect 50 coats. As of press time, she had collected 15 coats by promoting it on Nextdoor in Castle Pines.

Lauren Winston enjoying her time with the students of Eastridge Elementary, inspiring her to organize a winter coat drive.

Lauren stated “this initiative has really impacted me because it’s made me feel like I can do more to help. It’s also made me think about what I can do in the future. My experiences with Eastridge Elementary School have also inspired me to go into a field where I can work with kids. I definitely see myself involved in future initiatives to help those in need. I’m hoping to continue helping out at Eastridge and my stretch goal is to hopefully raise the funding going toward low-income schools.” Lauren continues to volunteer today and will be completing her senior service project at Children’s Hospital.

If you would like to help Lauren warm the kids of Eastridge, email wintercoatdrive2019@gmail.com for more information on donating.

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Executive Director of Schools Erin Kane and excited AA students presented Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Steve Johnson (left) and Parker Police Chief David King (right) with a donation in honor of the Douglas County Fallen Officer Fund.

Information and photos provided by American Academy

American Academy (AA) students and staff celebrated National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day by showing local law enforcement officers and agents a little extra love. The school designed special “American Academy Backs the Blue” T-shirts and sold them to families and staff to raise money.

On Wednesday, January 19, students and staff wore those T-shirts (or navy uniform shirts) all day to show their support for law enforcement and to make officers feel welcome. Retired and current deputies of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office were invited to visit the school for a free Red Robin burger lunch and their own Backs the Blue T-shirt, courtesy of the American Academy Castle Pines PTO. In honor of the Douglas County Fallen Officer Fund, Executive Director of Schools Erin Kane presented Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Steve Johnson and Parker Police Chief David King with a check for $4,260 – money raised by the Backs the Blue T-shirt sales.

Kane and her staff believe that it is really important to connect personally with law enforcement officers. She encouraged them to “appreciate and take care of those men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to keep everyday citizens, and particularly school children and staff, safe.” Kane said she looks forward to continuing the school’s involvement in this celebration each year.

Douglas County Sheriff Office deputies and AA staff greeted and welcomed students with enthusiastic high fives for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.

Castle Pines campus front office manager Brooke Ekstrom, added, “We really value the relationship we have with local law enforcement, and we welcome them into our campus building every day. Their presence is important for our students to see and we love having them here.” The front office always keeps a special basket of snacks set aside just for visiting law enforcement and school marshals.

AA is a Douglas County public charter school with an emphasis on STEAM which serves approximately 2,700 students in preschool through eighth grade. For more information about AA, visit www.aak8.org.

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Pictured left to right: Kate Koury, president of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS), Megan Hassler and Faith Kolberg spoke to future freshman at the NAHS booth on January 16 for Future Jags Night, where they gave out information on arts classes.

Article and photos by Amanda Brauchler, RCHS intern writer

With overwhelming possibilities for their futures, incoming high school freshmen could be at a loss for how to start getting involved in their new school. Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) held their Future Jags Night on January 16 to showcase many of the school-sponsored clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities that are available. RCHS has more than 87 clubs and activities, ranging from chess club, gluten-free club, choir and everything in between.

Current eighth-graders, the Class of 2023, had the opportunity to explore the multitude of activities featured at Future Jags Night as well as watch a presentation on honors and advanced placement classes. RCHS Principal Andy Abner gave an introduction to the school presentation and the RCHS band performed in the gym. Future freshmen meandered the halls, where the club booths were set up, waiting for something to catch their eye.

RCHS senior, 80108 resident, and president of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) Kate Koury, volunteered for the NAHS booth at the event in hopes of recruiting future Jags to an art class. “It can be overwhelming, but just remember that you have time,” Koury said about how to handle freshman year. “I recommend the art classes; they’re a lot of fun. Try as many as you can. It’s a really supportive and creative community.”

Emily Wilding, 80108 resident and junior at RCHS, spoke in front of the Société Honoraire de Français, or French Honor Society, at Future Jags Night.

Another booth helping the Class of 2023 choose classes was the Société Honoraire de Français, the French Honor Society, (SHF), which answered questions about language classes and activities. “Try as much as you can your freshman year,” Emily Wilding, an 80108 resident and junior in SHF said. “It’s really easy to get involved in things and it’s a very welcoming environment for freshmen, so try to get involved in as much as you can.”

Emma Cusick, a junior and 80108 resident, echoed the same advice and added, “High school goes by quickly; before you know it, you’ll run out of classes to take and opportunities.”

For the future freshmen out there ... no matter your interests or hobbies, you will find a place for yourself in high school. You will find your niche and your people who will uplift and support you. You might find them in unexpected places. Get involved.

To see the complete list of clubs and activities at RCHS, visit: bit.ly/2AR2PfU.

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At top, girls will be girls! Castle Pines Storm swimmers and long-time swimming buddies Shayne Polk and Sophia Lush (pictured with Gabi Dyer) in 2015, circled back in 2018, pictured with Maya Amerlan and Kassidy Harris.
Bottom photos, Sam and Claire Isert pictured above in 2010 and again in 2016 (right) are long-time Storm competitors.

By Kathy Fallert; photos courtesy of Noelle Polk

The Castle Pines Storm swim team began 10 years ago in the summer of 2009. As the second swim team to form in the Castle Pines (North) area – the first being the Castle Crocs – Storm formed due to a high demand by residents for summer swim teams.

The first year, eight swimmers were All Stars. The most All Stars in the team’s history was the summer of 2017 with 43 swimmers. The team started off with about 100 swimmers, with 70 percent of those being first-time swimmers. Today’s balance of mostly experienced kids hovers around 90 swimmers.

The team started off in D division of the Mountain High Swim League. They did not win their first meet until 2012. Storm Board President Matt Amerlan said, “We had a well-respected high school coach, Christina Kwon, from 2012-2017 who really helped build the program.”

Storm won its first meet in 2012 in the D division, went 1-4 and placed 4th at championships. In 2013, the team remained in D division and went 5-0 and won championships. In 2014, the team moved up to C division, went 5-1 and won championships. In 2015, still moving up, the team went on to the B division, went 5-0 again and won championships. In 2016, still in B division, went 5-0 and were second at championships. Then in 2017, again in B division, they went 5-0 and won championships. In 2018, Storm was 2-3 in the league.

Amerlan remarked, “My daughter Maya started swimming six years ago at the age of 6 for Storm and quickly fell in love with swimming. My 9-year-old son Aidan swims for Storm as well. There’s no other sport I can think of where the age range of the team is 5-18. This is such a special aspect of swimming where the younger swimmers look to the older swimmers for their leadership and guidance and the older swimmers step up and lead the younger ones. These are lessons that help shape teamwork and leadership that the swimmers will apply to the rest of their lives.”

Former head coach, Kwon, left the team in 2017 as she was starting her family. Storm had interim co-head coaches and long-time Storm swimmers Jacob Brown and Lauren McKeel, who are both college students, filling the bill temporarily. The team is currently in transition and hoping to find a permanent head coach for their upcoming season later this year.

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Neighborhood kids enthusiastically participated in Castle Pines Athletics at one of the Castle Pines community parks.

By Steve Whitlock; photo courtesy of Castle Pines Athletics

It really is true – time flies when you’re having fun! While The Castle Pines Connection celebrates 10 years, so does another local business, Castle Pines Athletics (CPA). We share a birthday with this recreational youth sports program that has served our community faithfully for the past decade.

Designed for children ages 3 to 12, and practicing and playing in Castle Pines community parks, CPA has had a lasting impact on many young lives. Now, 10 years later, more than 8,700 children have participated in soccer, soccer tots, baseball, T-ball, NFL flag football, basketball and summer camps. That is a lot of running, throwing, and catching. It also represents fun had and friendships formed.

Lane Roberts, owner and director of CPA, credits the start of the program to her son, Jack. “We were making the drive home from a T-ball game and he asked why he couldn’t play ball at the empty neighborhood park with his friends.” Roberts saw the need her son identified and the league slogan was born, “Play at Home.”

Roberts expounded on the program, “Recreational sports should not be complicated. Children benefit by playing locally because they get to play with their neighbors, classmates, and friends. We accommodate children with special needs, welcome first-time players regardless of skill level, honor friend and coach requests, and jump through hoops to make it work for each child’s schedule,” said Roberts. “Every child is welcome in this program.”

Reflecting back she says, “I am truly humbled and grateful for the ongoing support the community has given Castle Pines Athletics for the past 10 years. There are so many good families in the community who truly care about helping us bring sports to the community. We have teams that stay together year-after-year, and this league helps build long-lasting friendships,” Roberts said.

It is clear that the real heroes are the parents and coaches. Roberts stated, “Hundreds of local dads and moms have donated their time throughout the past 10 years to coach children in this program.” She tells how there have been amazing coaches throughout the years, many of whom have served, sacrificed, encouraged and ultimately, cared. Roberts also extended her gratitude to the local businesses who sponsor the program. To learn more about CPA, visit www.castlepinesathletics.com.

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Abby Kochevar (20) is a junior swimming for the University of Wisconsin Badgers. Among her fans, her French bulldog, Sully.

By Carin Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of the Kochevar family

Ten years ago, Castle Pines resident Abby Kochevar was 10 years old representing her local swim team, the Castle Crocs. She was breaking state swimming records and bettering her own personal swim times. Fast forward to now and not much has changed.

In her younger years, Kochevar continued to hone her craft, swimming for fun with the Castle Crocs during the summers and focusing in with various year-round club teams in the Denver area.

When Kochevar reached high school, her swimming accomplishments continued to mount with the Rock Canyon Jaguars swim team. She earned three state championships in the 100 backstroke and one state championship in the 50 freestyle.

Her success, both with her high school swim team and her club team, earned Kochevar a spot at the 2016 Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha, Nebraska – as well as an offer to come and swim for the University of Wisconsin Badgers.

While swimming for the Badgers, Kochevar competed in the Big 10 Championships each year, earning personal bests in each of her chosen events – the 100 backstroke, the 200 backstroke and the 50 freestyle.

Kochevar swimming the backstroke for the University of Wisconsin.

Being a student athlete at a Divison I Big Ten school is challenging, and Kochevar said that it is her teammates, as well as the strong support offered from the school, that has helped to keep her engaged. Recently, to help lighten the weight of swimming and school, Kochevar adopted a French bulldog named Sully.

“Swimming as a 10-year-old was pretty much just a fun activity. I never had any pressure or expectations. It was really just something to do with my friends. Now as a college swimmer about to go into the real world, I think swimming has really taught me the lessons of time management, discipline, perseverance and team work. A lot has happened since I was 10 years old. At times, I really hated swimming, but being resilient, pushing through hardships and remembering why I loved it so much as that little 10-year-old, has really kept me happy and proud of where I came from and where I am going!” said Kochevar.

Kochevar is currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin. She plans to graduate in 2020 with a degree in Communications and Entrepreneurship. She is also considering taking a semester to study abroad at the end of her swimming eligibility.

Long-term, Kochevar has plans to return to Colorado. She hopes to eventually open and run her own business.

Kochevar looking off in the distance, mentally preparing for her race at a collegiate swim meet.

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