School News: Local Families Receive Support to Apply for College Financial Aid

Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week

Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.

January 12, 2012

Local Families Receive Support to Apply for College Financial Aid

College Goal Sunday hits Commerce City to help families pay for college

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Jan. 12, 2012) – On Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, local families in Commerce City will have the opportunity to attend College Goal Sunday to receive free assistance on how to pay for college.

College Goal Sunday will be held at Adams City High School on Sunday, Feb.12, from 2 to 4 p.m. Families will receive free professional guidance on ways to pay for college, specifically how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is a crucial step in the college planning process.

The FAFSA must be completed for a student to receive any type of financial aid, including grants, work study, student loans and even many scholarships. Students are encouraged to submit their FAFSA as close to the first of the year to receive as much financial aid as possible.

“In a time where college is no longer a luxury, but a necessity in the workplace, it is more vital than ever to provide families with the knowledge and resources to make higher education a reality,” said Dawn Taylor Owens, executive director of College In Colorado – an initiative of the Department of Higher Education. “For many families the greatest hurdle is how to pay for college. College Goal Sunday provides an incredible platform for families to receive free direction on ways to make college affordable.”

College Goal Sunday will take place at 16 other locations across the state. Spanish translation will be available to families, and more than $20,000 in scholarships will be given away during the day.

Families are encouraged to bring their 2011 federal tax records, to ensure they can work through the FAFSA during the time they have with financial aid experts. More information on College Goal Sunday can be found at www.collegegoalcolorado.org.

For local College Goal Sunday information, contact Sarah Pingel at sarah.Pingel@du.edu.

The partners of College Goal Sunday include Colorado Association of Financial Aid Administrators (CAFAA), CAFAA – Past Presidents, College In Colorado, Colorado Department of Higher Education, LUMINA Foundation for Education, University of Denver and Regis University.