DPS Students Change Their School Communities with an Idea

Students will reveal their civic-engagement projects, winning teams head to Detroit.

For the past eight months, Denver Public Schools (DPS) high school students have created, implemented and sustained solutions to issues their school communities face as part of Challenge 5280. The students have reached the end of their project timelines and will present their innovative solutions to some of Denver’s and the nation’s biggest social challenges.

Challenge 5280 is an annual DPS initiative for student groups to engage with community members, organizations and companies to brainstorm root causes, strategies and solutions to education justice issues. The ultimate goal of the challenge is to create positive change in the community and the world while students gain leadership skills.

Interview opportunities available.

• WHAT: Student leaders from DPS high schools will present the outcome of their civic engagement projects as part of Challenge 5280.
• WHEN: Monday, March 6
  • 8:15 a.m.: Student leaders will hear from Superintendent Tom Boasberg.
  • 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: On-stage student presentations – All teams will present from the stage grouped by challenge topics. Each team will have five minutes to present. The judges will have three minutes to ask questions following each presentation. There will be a midway break.
  • 1:30 to 3 p.m.: Student project exhibition – Judges will visit with individual teams for five minutes.
  • 4 p.m.: Five teams will be honored at the awards ceremony.
• WHERE: McNichols Civic Center Building
  144 W. Colfax Ave. Denver, 80202