COSLI February Newsletter

By Joe MacDougall
Along with the increase in people seeking two- and four-year degrees comes a lot of debate surrounding the return on investment of higher education. When considering obtaining higher education, whether a four-year degree, two-year degree, or certificate, the consumer must weigh the cost of the degree or certificate against the financial benefit and overall value that it will provide them. Also, we must all collectively consider the value that these higher institutions provide to Colorado. Luckily, the Colorado Department of Higher Education has published a return on investment (ROI) report for the last four years. With information including salary differences, employment, value, price, and debt, the ROI report assists students and families in making a decision whether to attain these higher education degrees and certificates.
 
The unemployment rate continues to be lower for people who seek higher education. In 2021, the unemployment rate for the population with a bachelor’s degree was 3.5% whereas the rate for the population that only received their high school diploma was 6.2%. Similarly, salaries prove to rise with education level. In the American Public Use Data Set from 2016 – 2020, there was a $36,418 difference between the mean salary for a person with a graduate or professional degree and that of a person with a high school diploma. The difference was $20,727 between a bachelor’s degree and a high school diploma. Although these differences are significant, the debt that a college graduate has coming out of a higher education institution also has to be taken into consideration.
 
Seeing the increasing importance of higher education, COSLI works to develop advanced skills in Colorado leaders to better prepare them for the opportunity of college. COSLI advances the professional skills of high school students by providing resume and cover letter support throughout the four-week experience. Additionally, COSLI encourages original thinking, creative thought, and collaboration through its projects and programs. Dr. Charles Ferguson, a professor at CU, is a guest speaker who talks to COSLI students about how they will seek out leadership positions in their new communities. Furthermore, through multiple education sessions on news and media literacy, students emerge capable of more readily and accurately interpreting the world around them. As commented by Allison Thomas (class of ‘21), “COSLI allowed for me to feel more comfortable adapting to college. The experience made me more confident in my academic abilities by challenging me on several topics.”

 
Dr. Charles Ferguson speaking at COSLI.

Since the majority of students of COSLI go on to attend four-year colleges, COSLI prepares students for increased academic rigor and more freedom in learning options. Students partake in group projects in which they design their own business and address an issue facing the Colorado community. These projects both facilitate collaboration and further instill leadership techniques into students, two skills that define the college experience. Students are exposed to the academic rigor associated with higher education by working on these projects in conjunction with enrollment in Special Topics in Public Service, a college level course through CU Denver.
 
It is without a doubt that higher education comes with a large price tag. Year over year, Colorado has continued to work on the affordability of a college degree. The average yearly total cost of attendance for Colorado state-funded institutions is $26,900. Although the majority of students who need aid and loan support are receiving it, this can lead to debt for these students that can be hard to handle after graduation. In 2021, 53% of students graduated in debt with an average debt of $25,300, but only 8% had debt higher than $40,000. With Colorado institutions continuing to be determined to make education affordable for our in-state students, many students from low-income families have a lower net price overall and pay little to no tuition. Considering the continued trend of lower amounts of debt and continued affordability of two- and four-year degrees, the return on investment of a college education continues to improve.
 
COSLI works to address the cost of developing higher education skills by being a completely free experience as well as providing opportunities for seeking scholarships for higher education. Along with other scholarship organizations, COSLI collaborates with the Boettcher Foundation to provide students with the opportunity to apply for prestigious merit scholarships within the state of Colorado.
 
As COSLI continues to adapt to our ever changing world, it will continue to emphasize the importance of developing an advanced educational toolkit during formative high school years. The lessons learned at COSLI will continue to better prepare students to pursue higher education and become key leaders and contributors in each community that they encounter.
 

Spend your summer in the great outdoors and share comradery with the closest of friends as a Summer Conservation Crew Member with the Southwest Conservation Corps. With a $600 weekly stipend, members will work in either Salida or Durango from May 29 – August 11, 2023. Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazardous fuels reduction, re-vegetation, weeding, herbicide treatment, fencing, facility maintenance, and local environmental service projects. Applicants must be 18 years old. More information and application here.
 
The KeyBank Business Leadership Program is for current high school juniors passionate about solving today’s business problems. The program is held at the Leeds School of Business in University of Colorado, Boulder from June 11 – June 17 and is completely free. Students will meet mentors and professionals in the business world, collaborate with fellow peers on marketing projects, and get the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship to the Leeds School of Business. Application closes March 5. More information and application here.
 
Colorado Health Careers Collaborative is a health career pathway program for Coloradans ages 16 – 24 to explore their passions in a professional setting. The seven-week program allows students to immerse themselves in the health industry by engaging directly with health professionals and receiving mentorship on how to obtain entry-level positions. Students also receive support on how to navigate higher education. Applications are due March 1 and the program is June 13 – July 29. Info page here, and application here.
 
The Grossman Scholarship is for graduating seniors with a passion for the outdoors who have demonstrated commitment to preserving Colorado’s environment and natural resources. Applicants must be pursuing an environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry related education program through an accredited Colorado post-secondary institution. More information here, and application here.
 
The Summer Science Scholars Program is a three-week program from June 12 to June 30, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday where rising seniors and community college students learn about STEM principles and careers. Students will use critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving skills to conduct a research-based project surrounding topics such as water and the environment. Applications open soon; more information here.
 
The Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program is a two-week virtual program that teaches 10 – 12^th grade girls (trans and cis) and non-binary students the computer science skills they need to make an impact in their community while preparing for a career in tech. Participants will get exposure to tech jobs, meet women in tech careers, and join a supportive sisterhood of girls in tech. More info here, and application here.
 
The Emory Pre-College Program is a summer academic program for high school students. It gives current sophomores and juniors an exciting glimpse of academic and residential life at a top-ranked national university. Students can take college credit or noncredit courses online for a two-week session. There are three sessions, two in person and one online. Application deadlines vary by program. Apply by February 6 and the application fee will be waived! More information here.
 
The Catherine G. Jurgemeyer Memorial Scholarship from the American Lawyers Alliance is looking for an outstanding high school senior who has overachieved during high school in law-related activities, such as Mock Trial team, Model UN, Speech and Debate, or class president. Applying students must be high school seniors with at least 3.5 GPAs, and must submit an essay. One student will be chosen for the $10,000 scholarship. Deadline to apply is May 31. More information and application here.
 

by Deajane Jackson Morgan

See what your COSLI students and alumni have been reading!

The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds 
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Circe by Madeline Miller 
1984 by George Orwell
Powerless by Lauren Roberts 
Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
Spare by Prince Harry

By Knox Leonard


Elora Smith, in pursuit of a fun and eventful summer, applied to the COSLI class of 2017. It would become one of the best and most formative experiences of her academic journey. COSLI was where she met her best friend, Emma Field, whom she did everything with. She loved listening to all the guest speakers and having the opportunity to ask them questions of her own. In addition to engaging with community leaders and professors, she was also enthusiastic about the community of students who were equally passionate about investigating and deliberating state issues with her. She refined the skills she developed at COSLI in college as a Biology and Global Studies major minoring in Political Science and Religion.
 
Smith is involved with numerous clubs and organizations on campus such as the Health and Life Science Club, Hornet Ambassadors, FSJ, Honors Program, the Political Science Society, Alpha Delta Honors Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honors Society. She is also the founder and chapter director of Delight Ministries, a women’s organization whose members build one another up with faith. With her experience on an educational trip to Antigua and Barauba and an international relations course she took at Oxford, Smith is currently on a mission trip to Belize to help at a medical clinic.
 
Hoping to be a humanitarian scientist — someone who studies the complex systems of all of the wonders of living and connection — Smith hopes to attend graduate school to continue her study of humanitarian efforts, religion, and international politics. She wants to be an optimistic realist, acknowledging the darker edges in today’s society, but refusing to give up on the light. She is passionate to serve by advocating for universal human rights, speaking up even when no one else dares to, and mentoring the lost and scared. Constantly overflowing with questions and curiosities, Smith wants to see every inch of the world, experience all of life, and work towards a more peaceful world.
 
Smith loves reading books, and currently is in a memoir phase. She also loves learning new languages. Currently, she is reading Harry Potter in Spanish and is learning Hebrew by translating the Book of Genesis to English.

By JP Kerrane 


Hello! It’s JP, and I’m back for the sixth “Things to Know” column dedicated to current events, technology, interesting tidbits, and other cool things I find each month! I hope to write about a lot of interesting topics worth your time.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but February has always brought with it a feeling of the wind in my sails blowing a little softer. Winter break and spring break are both very far away, we’re getting to the weird holidays (sorry President’s Day, but you’re no winter holiday), and the New Year’s resolutions I’ve made at the beginning of the year are beginning to become carried only by habit and routine. Thus, I wanted to write about ways to prevent burnout, prioritize self-care, and make February a fun and exciting month!

COSLI Valentines from 2021. 

One way to prioritize yourself this month is making time for mindfulness practices. Many of us already have a technique that calms us down and helps us destress — journaling, breathing, meditation, practicing gratitude, exercise, music — experiment and find what works for you! You don’t have to meditate for an hour every day to lower your stress levels. Try writing down what you are looking forward to, or what you’re grateful for. Google a box breathing video or a guided meditation. Practicing an activity semi-regularly that focuses on lowering your stress and improving your health can be really rewarding.
 
This might be a funny tip for me to give for those that know me (I don’t tend to give myself a lot of time for this activity), but hear me out! I just finished reading Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, and my biggest takeaway was how the amount of sleep we get impacts our entire lives. In short, when we neglect our sleep, even if we don’t feel like it, we are negatively impacting a lot of processes in our body that regulate how we function. I’m still working on this (being a master procrastinator has led me to sacrifice sleep for mostly unjustified reasons), but for me getting adequate sleep is the best predictor for what kind of day I’m going to have.
 
Finding it hard to carry on your resolutions or sticking to a habit? Try to find an accountability buddy! If you know someone who’s working toward a similar goal to you, it’s a lot more fun to work on it with another person. Knowing that someone else is looking out for me and supporting me helps me a lot with sticking to what I want to accomplish!
 
I was ragging on February holidays being a little boring earlier, but just because the holidays slow down a little bit at this part of the year, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t fun ones to celebrate! Did you know that February 7^th is Send a Card to a Friend Day? Or that February 17^th is Random Act of Kindness Day? Start a new tradition this month and have fun with it! A word of warning, I’d probably skip Toothache Day.
 
Before I go, I have an update on a previous column! Last month, I talked about tips and tricks on getting books and audiobooks for free using apps like Sora and Libby. Since then, I discovered a really cool website called BookFinder that automatically compares book prices across the web. It’s also important to support our independent bookstores, so I’ve also been using IndieBound and Bookshop to expand my search beyond just Amazon.
 
Have a great month, and a wonderful day!
 
Take care,
JP

By Sidd Nareddy

Political polarization in the United States is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has been on the rise for decades and has significant consequences for the country. At its simplest, political polarization is the increasing ideological divide between the major political parties. Within the context of the United States, this refers to the increasing divide between the Democrats and the Republicans. This divide has only grown in recent years and makes it more difficult for politicians to reach consensus on important issues and for the government to function effectively.
 
There are a number of factors that contribute to this rise of political polarization in the US. One of the primary drivers is the increasing ideological homogeneity of each of the two parties. In prior political landscapes, members of both parties had a far more diverse range of viewpoints, with politicians on both sides of the aisle willing to work together and compromise in order to get things done. However, in recent years, the parties have become more ideologically cohesive and homogenous, so that there is less variation in each party. The Democrats move further to the left and the Republicans move further to the right, causing an overall decline in moderate voices on both sides. This has resulted in a situation where the parties have become more entrenched in their positions. This entrenchment also has the unfortunate side effect of politicians voting solely along party lines rather than voting on what is best for their constituents. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult for politicians to reach across the aisle and find common ground.
 
Another factor that contributes to political polarization is the increasing polarization of the media landscape. With the rise of social media and the proliferation of polarizing news outlets, it is easier for people to solely consume media that aligns with their preexisting beliefs. This has led to the creation of echo chambers, where people are only exposed to viewpoints that reinforce their own beliefs. These echo chambers make it more difficult for people to engage in constructive dialogue with those who hold different beliefs. The rise of fake news and misinformation also plays a role in exacerbating polarization, as people are more likely to believe and spread false or misleading information that aligns with their beliefs.
 
Political polarization has a number of negative consequences for the US. Primarily, it creates a situation where it is difficult for the government to function effectively. By making it harder for politicians to reach consensus on important issues, political polarization also contributes to a decline in public trust in government. Many people feel as though their voices are not being heard or that their representatives are not acting in their best interests. In addition, political polarization leads to an increase in polarization in other areas of society, such as the workplace and even personal relationships. As the general public becomes more entrenched in their beliefs and less willing to consider alternative viewpoints, the ideological divides that exist in the political institutions of the US begin to spill out into all other aspects of society.
 
There are a number of steps that could be taken to address the problem of political polarization in the US. One solution is to encourage more bipartisanship and cooperation among politicians. This could involve initiatives such as bipartisan task forces or working groups, which bring members of both parties together to work on specific issues. Another solution is to encourage media literacy and critical thinking skills, so that people are better able to evaluate the information they consume and engage in constructive dialogue and discussions with those who hold different beliefs. Promoting dialogue and understanding across political divides could also be helpful by allowing people to better understand the perspectives and concerns of those on the other side of any issue.
 
Political polarization in the US is a complex problem that has had significant consequences for the country. It is important that steps be taken to address this issue by promoting more bipartisanship and cooperation among politicians, as well as encouraging media literacy and critical thinking skills among the general public. The mountain of political polarization is a tall one, and it is one that we must rise above together. Despite the challenges that we may face in tackling this issue, we must remember the reward that awaits us at the summit: a healthy and effective democracy.
 

Happy Birthday

by Sandra Brock and Izzy Garwood 

Giulina Chavez - 02/02
Alyson Font - 02/03
Ezekiel Coventry - 02/04
Honey Zin - 02/07
Benjamin Berry - 02/08
Andrea Espinosa-Torres - 02/14
Clark Wilson - 02/15
Sarah Keller - 02/16
Verenice Ballestros - 02/18
Jaclyn Villareal - 02/19
Sonya Ralstin - 02/20
Jake Rapoport - 02/21
Ally Rusling - 02/21
Kendric Chen - 02/24
Mikayla Crouse - 02/24
Kent Hernandez - 02/24
Kevin Hernandez - 02/24
Alex Dao - 02/25
Kenneth Huynh - 02/27
Daniela Jaquez - 02/27
Kayla Hawkes - 02/28
Michael Hernandez - 02/28
Sartaj Singh - 02/28
 

by Deajane Jackson Morgan

See what your COSLI students and alumni have been listening to!

“Complicated” by Mac Miller
“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus 
“How I Feel” by Marco McKennis
“In Agreement” by Lizzy McAlpine
“Lesson Learned” by Alicia Keys ft. John Mayer
“Rental Love” by Lake Street Dive
“Still in Love - Acoustic” by Thirdeye
“Stupid” by Lizzy McAlpine
“The Nearness of You” by Norah Jones
“What I’m Doing Here” by Lake Street Dive
“Who Cares?” by Rex Orange County 
“Woo” by Rihanna  
“Work Song” by Hozier
Five Seconds Flat by Lizzy McAlpine, album 
Midnights by Taylor Swift, album
Rotten Mango by Stephanie Soo & Ramble, podcast 
The Daily from New York Times, podcast