Creating a college-going culture is something DSST has strived for since day one, and we are continuously looking to improve the access our students have to top 4-year universities and their success through college; which is why building up our college success program is one of our network-wide goals for the 2018-2019 school year.

Success in college begins on the first day of 6th grade at DSST. Students at all DSST middle and high schools are placed in advisories and these advisories are named after their teacher’s alma mater. Not only does this start to expose kids to different college options, but it also instills a bit of pride and healthy competition between advisories. For example, Madi Shipley, a teacher at DSST: GVR High School, went to the University of Kansas and each year she turns her advisees into Jayhawk fanatics; walk around the GVR campus on a Friday, and your bound to see some KU pride.

DSST’s flagship event, Senior Signing Day, also helps us work towards fostering this culture. This month, DSST held our second annual all-network Senior Signing Day - a day where students, staff members and guests come together to celebrate our seniors. Every senior walked across the stage revealing their post high school plans to a crowd of almost 7,000 people - their 6-11th grade peers, DSST staff, families, and community members.

Senior Signing Day is about the hope and persistence of our students. As proud as we are to celebrate our incredible seniors, we hope the event inspired every one of our 6-11th graders to see themselves walking across that stage, celebrating themselves, their families, and their DSST community, as they share their college of choice in the future.

To get a little sense for the SSD glory, watch the two videos we highlighted during the event. The first is truly a tribute to the parents of DSST students and a way to thank them for all of their support; the second highlights three seniors, one from each our of graduating classes at DSST: Stapleton, Green Valley Ranch, and Cole.

Check out these awesome articles about college success and DSST:

• Are High Schools Adequately Preparing Teens for College?
• 10 Years, 100% College Acceptance: Inside a Most Remarkable Decade at the Denver School of Science & Technology
• These Seniors are Defying Expectations From Every Corner of the City