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'Thank God there was a door' A safe harbor for stormy lives Animals love human volunteers Bean Project changes lives City Red Cross chapter helps victims of 300 blazes yearly Cops continue crusade for needy kids Dental clinic for kids delivers smiles Denver Partners find joy in mentoring Determination helps single mom Feast gives poor a meal fit for king Green thumbs, warm hearts help harvest hope for needy Homeless critters need Christmas, too Kids Cafes serve up sustenance Little white ball leads teen to turnaround Mentors help teens excel in school, life Musician strikes chord with mentors Once-homeless teen opens door Project Angel Heart's meals a blessing to Denver's sick Rape awareness program also emphasizes prevention Reach out by reading aloud to kids Recipient: Samaritan House help 'a miracle' Salvation Army long has helped the needy, especially at yule School's goal is personal growth Specialist helps keep Indians in class Students communicate, learn through dance moves Sungate helps abused kids survive confusion and pain
'Thank God there was a door'
A safe harbor for stormy lives
Animals love human volunteers
Bean Project changes lives
City Red Cross chapter helps victims of 300 blazes yearly
Cops continue crusade for needy kids
Dental clinic for kids delivers smiles
Denver Partners find joy in mentoring
Determination helps single mom
Feast gives poor a meal fit for king
Green thumbs, warm hearts help harvest hope for needy
Homeless critters need Christmas, too
Kids Cafes serve up sustenance
Little white ball leads teen to turnaround
Mentors help teens excel in school, life
Musician strikes chord with mentors
Once-homeless teen opens door
Project Angel Heart's meals a blessing to Denver's sick
Rape awareness program also emphasizes prevention
Reach out by reading aloud to kids
Recipient: Samaritan House help 'a miracle'
Salvation Army long has helped the needy, especially at yule
School's goal is personal growth
Specialist helps keep Indians in class
Students communicate, learn through dance moves
Sungate helps abused kids survive confusion and pain
Christian-based track at alternative academy has turned kids around
By John C. EnsslinDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
Misty Valdez arrived at the Denver Street School with an attitude. She is leaving with a plan. By her own description, the 17-year-old junior was a mouthy kid when she started taking classes at the Christian-based alternative school in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood. "I was an easily angered person," she said. "Now I'm not angry. I follow God now." She is also following her dream, which goes like this: Graduate high school. Get a nursing degree. Move to Nebraska. Live on a farm. Find a husband. Have a baby. "It's going to be so cute," she said in a recent interview. Whether Valdez succeeds in her plan remains to be seen. She still has another year and a half of high school. But she is making gains. Last year, the Street School faculty gave Valdez their "most improved student" award. That's the kind of personal growth Tom Tillapaugh had in mind when he started the school in 1985. "It's my life's work," he said. "I like to see kids catching a vision for their future." Long before charter schools came into vogue, Tillapaugh started the Street School with just five students in the living room of a house at 1545 Ogden St. Bob Miller was one of those five students. He had met Tillapaugh at the Jesus on Main Street coffee shop. Tillapaugh told Miller about his vision for a school. One day. Miller mentioned he had never finished high school. Tillapaugh switched to his recruitment mode. "He rode me for two weeks. He was really persistent," said Miller, 37, who serves now as the school's project manager and photography instructor. Since the school opened, 136 youngsters have graduated with high school diplomas. The school currently has about 120 students. The quarters are cramped but the classes are small, with an average student-teacher ratio of about 10 to 1. One of Miller's jobs is to oversee construction of a permanent school within the next three years on some property near East 38th Avenue and Steele Street. Currently the high school leases the upper floor of a church-owned building at 1567 Marion St. The school has its own men's basketball team, the Bulldogs. This year, they added a woman's squad. Valdez is one of their players. "The people here care about you," she said. "They take the time to talk to you about the issues you have." December 14, 2000 NewsWeatherOpinionNationWorldSci/TechDeaths BusinessStocks Bank Rates SportsBroncosAvalancheNuggetsRockiesCollegeRockyPreps RecreationSnow Rept.HikingBikingFishingGolfCalendarDentry EntertainmentMoviesDiningMusicOn StageBooksTV Living Comics Health Food Home & Garden Family Travel Cookbook Births Weddings Crossword ClassifiedPlace an adAutoCareersHomes User Agreement / Privacy Statement © Copyright, Denver Publishing Co.Subscribe to the NewsQuestions? Comments? Talk to Us
Misty Valdez arrived at the Denver Street School with an attitude. She is leaving with a plan.
By her own description, the 17-year-old junior was a mouthy kid when she started taking classes at the Christian-based alternative school in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood.
"I was an easily angered person," she said. "Now I'm not angry. I follow God now."
She is also following her dream, which goes like this:
Graduate high school.
Get a nursing degree.
Move to Nebraska.
Live on a farm.
Find a husband.
Have a baby.
"It's going to be so cute," she said in a recent interview.
Whether Valdez succeeds in her plan remains to be seen. She still has another year and a half of high school.
But she is making gains. Last year, the Street School faculty gave Valdez their "most improved student" award.
That's the kind of personal growth Tom Tillapaugh had in mind when he started the school in 1985.
"It's my life's work," he said. "I like to see kids catching a vision for their future."
Long before charter schools came into vogue, Tillapaugh started the Street School with just five students in the living room of a house at 1545 Ogden St.
Bob Miller was one of those five students. He had met Tillapaugh at the Jesus on Main Street coffee shop.
Tillapaugh told Miller about his vision for a school. One day. Miller mentioned he had never finished high school.
Tillapaugh switched to his recruitment mode.
"He rode me for two weeks. He was really persistent," said Miller, 37, who serves now as the school's project manager and photography instructor.
Since the school opened, 136 youngsters have graduated with high school diplomas.
The school currently has about 120 students. The quarters are cramped but the classes are small, with an average student-teacher ratio of about 10 to 1.
One of Miller's jobs is to oversee construction of a permanent school within the next three years on some property near East 38th Avenue and Steele Street.
Currently the high school leases the upper floor of a church-owned building at 1567 Marion St.
The school has its own men's basketball team, the Bulldogs. This year, they added a woman's squad. Valdez is one of their players.
"The people here care about you," she said. "They take the time to talk to you about the issues you have."
December 14, 2000
