Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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POWER DUO City Year students run past Mike Johnston (left) and Ben Walton on the front steps of Lake Middle School in Denver. Annual Giving Ben Walton and Mike Johnston, City Year Denver advisory board cochairs, are improving the lives of at-risk children, and everyone involved feels the positive impact. by matthew stewart photography by matt nayer W hen Ben Walton of the Walmart empire invited Colorado State Senator Michael Johnston to a 2009 dinner, he forged a unique partnership that today packs a powerful philanthropic punch. Together, as cochairs of City Year Denver Advisory Board, they are strengthening graduation rates for at-risk Denver public schools, one student, and one young volunteer, at a time. An estimated 1 million students drop out every year in the US, and half of that number comes from just 12 percent of schools. City Year enlists young volunteers (between the ages of 18 and 25) to work with "at risk" students between third and ninth grades. As part of a yearlong commitment, these corps member volunteers—easily recognized in their red City Year jackets—tutor and mentor distressed students. This innovative "near peer" model and hands-on involvement gives impressionable students a new outlook on the future. Walton championed a new Denver chapter because of the city's specific educational challenges: a discouraging 58.8 percent graduation rate and the fact that a whopping 71.4 percent of Denver students qualify for lunch aid, which equates to economic challenges at home. On the heels of City Year Denver's launch in 2011, Mayor Hancock announced the Denver Educational Compact to improve Denver's Public Schools with the assistance of educational, business, and non-profit leaders. This program's success coupled with growth in immigration has contributed to DPS's rapid expansion, adding 2,487 continued on page 80 78 aspenpeak-magazine.com 078-080_AP_SP_PwrDuo_WIN13_SPR_14.indd 78 10/30/13 4:45 PM