Where every student thrives: One DSST family's story

Meet Kathy, a first-generation American whose four sons all graduated from DSST.

Kathy Duda experienced the richness of an ethnically diverse school from a young age. As the daughter of Polish immigrants in Chicago, she attended Polish school on Saturdays, but spent weekdays at her neighborhood school with friends from Greek, Italian, and Jewish backgrounds, just to name a few.

Fast-forward to 2008. When her oldest son Nathaniel was in 5th grade and it was time to think about middle school, DSST: Montview MS had just opened in their Central Park neighborhood. 

Duda wanted her children to “have the same cultural enrichments I had,” and it was at DSST: Montview that she found exactly what she was looking for.

"It was fabulous academically,” she said. “And it connected my kids with students from all over the world." 

Because Nathaniel was excelling at DSST, Duda and her family chose the middle school for his three younger brothers as well. 

At DSST, Duda’s sons developed an appreciation for cultures different than their own, awareness of their privileges and friendships with students from Sudan, Ethiopia, and many other countries.

Emerson Bowen's graduation from DSST: Montview (2024)

And through the school’s international travel programs, her sons were able to visit St. Croix and Uganda, expanding their cultural awareness even further.

Immersing themselves in diverse cultures did more than enrich the Bowen boys’ lives. It equipped them with the resilience and collaborative skills that made for a smooth transition to college.

"All of my boys were really well prepared for college. They truly knew they would have to put in work,” Duda said. Her sons excelled at finding college study groups and working in teams, all skills they learned at DSST: Montview.

All four Bowen brothers are DSST graduates

Since 2008, 100% of DSST graduates, including Duda’s sons, have been admitted to college, with each student receiving an average of six college acceptances. An achievement made tangible through Kathy and her son’s lived experience.

Duda shared some highlights on where her sons are now: 

• Nathaniel (DSST Class of 2017) earned a degree in Civil Engineering from CU Boulder and now works for woman-founded/owned firm Ayuda while volunteering with anti-racist, multicultural groups like CIRCLE STAMP.
• Luke (2020) graduated from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and is now applying to law school. He mentors students for the LSAT and is involved with international peace organization CISV International.
• Elliot (2022) is currently a senior at CU Boulder studying media relations and business.
• Emerson (2024) is a sophomore at Cal Poly pursuing a degree in business.

Looking back on the impact DSST had on her family, Duda shared, “It was one of the best decisions we made. All of my boys are different, and yet DSST was a place where they each thrived in their own way."

Luke Bowen's graduation from Cal Poly

DSST Public Schools serves over 7,600 students across 8 campuses in Denver and Aurora. Our tuition-free, public charter schools are open to all middle and high school students. 

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