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20th Anniversary Gala recap: Celebrating 20 years of DSST, honoring Bill Kurtz

On Friday, April 19 the DSST community gathered to celebrate 20 years of educational excellence and honor Bill Kurtz during his final year leading DSST.

The evening was filled with laughter and joy as guests enjoyed dinner and a program consisting of speeches from DSST alumni, a video from our honorary co-chairs, and a video celebrating Bill Kurtz and one about DSST's 20 years of impact.

Artificial intelligence isn't just for tech students. All classrooms are finding ways to wield -- and educate about -- the powerful tool

Scenes from “A Beautiful Mind” flicker on the screen in Zach Kennelly’s Advanced Placement Psychology class at DSST College View in southwest Denver.

The main character, economist and mathematician John Nash, is talking about his paranoid delusions. Every few minutes, Kennelly stops the film and students identify the symptoms of schizophrenia they’re seeing.

“Some delusions, the stress, his emotional unpredictability, the rage, and how he was seeing things other people weren’t seeing,” said one student.

Photos: Students create immersive stairwell mural at Children's Hospital Colorado

A group of DSST students made taking the stairs at Children’s Hospital Colorado into an enchanting experience with an immersive mural that took three days to complete.

“The best part of the project was seeing countless people stop to admire the artwork and tell the artists how the new mural brightened their day,” said Jasmine Chu, Arts Coordinator for the Ponzio Arts Therapy Program at Children’s Colorado.

Founder Bill Kurtz reflects on 20 years leading the DSST school network

Bill recently sat down with Central Park Education News to "talk about his groundbreaking career overseeing an innovative model that strives to educate well an economically and racially diverse student population."

From shy student to college-bound: Mario's journey at DSST: Cedar

Mario Garcia’s journey to his senior year looked very different than he expected. He has always been a shy student, but his middle and high school experiences at DSST: Cedar, and his teachers helped him break out of his shell and get him to where he is now.

An Animal Lover's Path to Veterinary Medicine: Conservatory Green Senior prepares to attend the No. 2 vet school in the nation

Valeria Ochoa (DSST: Conservatory Green ‘24) is headed to Colorado State University this fall with plans to earn an undergraduate degree from the College of Natural Sciences before continuing to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from CSU, the No. 2 Vet school in the nation.

Seizing Opportunities: First-gen DSST: Cole student shares her journey to Pepperdine University

Emely Rodriguez-Rodriguez (DSST: Cole ‘24) is headed to Pepperdine University this fall with plans to major in Nursing and minor in Political Science. But this accomplishment was not an easy path for her.

As a first-generation college student, Emely attributes her success to the support of her family and the DSST: Cole community.

Lights, camera, achievement: Charles Nyberg shares his love for filmmaking, the impact its had on his life

At just 12 years old, Charles Nyberg was already making waves in the world of film. Now, as a high school student at DSST: Cedar, he's taking his passion for storytelling and cinematography to new heights, all while balancing the rigors of academics.

Montview alumna shares her journey from DSST to designing dreams

Aspen Harris is a Denver native. Raised in the Parkhill, Montbello, and Green Valley Ranch communities, her journey from DSST: Montview (Class of 2015) to the drafting tables of her architectural firm is a testament to the transformative power of education and determination.

Her passion for architecture began early, sparked by the sight of houses being built around the city.

“I would see residential projects come up all around the city, and the sight of a building being erected from the underground up was mesmerizing to me,” Aspen said. “I would always have my parents drive me around the construction areas or take us to tour a model home just for the fun of it! I think that’s when I knew I was invested.”

Aurora school teams up with experts at Anschutz Medical Campus to foster future medical careers and better understanding of the brain

Bryan Castaneda has his sights on becoming a surgeon. A heart surgeon to be more precise. A thoracic heart surgeon to be exact.

“I’ve always been interested in the health care field. I like helping people, and to experience empathy,” said the high school sophomore. “Medicine is never bland. It’s always innovative and exciting.”

Innovation is the cornerstone of Aurora Science & Tech (AST), where Bryan is one of nearly 800 students in grades 6 through 10 where STEM, short for science, technology, engineering and math, takes center stage.