South Lakewood Elementary Wins Awards

South Lakewood elementary is one of several Jeffco Public Schools that sit within the boundaries of downtown Lakewood-- in this case, tucked into a very residential, very suburban neighborhood on the northwest side of Alameda and Wadsworth.

The school has also been on somewhat of a roll of late, having won both the national 2016 Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award and the City of Lakewood's 2016 Defender of the Planet Youth Award.

The Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes Parent-Teacher Associations that "best demonstrate outstanding achievement in the areas of diversity and inclusion, as well as efforts to end discriminatory practices."

According to Sandie Weathers, the PTA President, the group "collaborated with students, teachers, staff, and the community to host a variety of events and activities throughout the school year. These events included our Intercultural Fair, Multicultural Club, Indian Ed Movie Night, and Autism Awareness Month.”

The City of Lakewood's Defender of the Planet Youth Award was given to a group of student leaders at South Lakewood who developed an outreach and education plan regarding renewable energy, water conservation, and waste management. According to the city's press release, "student leaders first taught themselves about the programs and technologies in use at the school and then educated their fellow classmates about how they reduce the school’s environmental impacts."