So, after your travels on foot and by bike around the City of Portland yesterday, what were your impressions? Does Portland live up to its reputation for an ultra-hip vibe? Did you see anything that inspired you? Surprised you? Ideas to bring home to Denver? How about anything you spotted that made you glad you live in Denver rather than here? Weigh in and join the conversation!
Ready we are to immerse ourselves as a business community in a new place… and learn all we can in three short days. Stumptown, the City of Bridges, the City of Roses, and most recently known internationally as a “green” city, Portland promises us variety and vibrancy. Many of us approach the trip with a lot of knowledge about Portland and its differences to our beloved mile high metro, others have never visited and don’t have specific expectations. Check out Margaret Jackson’s article in today’s Denver Post about our delegation’s trip ( http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_16046965 ). As you approach this experience, what do you hope to learn? If you’ve been on a LEX trip before, share a key learning from a past trip and name the city where you learned it.
I keep wondering when the longing will end. Every autumn, I so wish I were one of the lucky ones starting school. There is something about the experience of new books and classes, and a chance to focus on learning for learning’s sake that feels like a wonderful new beginning. The homework I can do without!
I took the traditional path of 17 years in school, from pre-K through undergrad, then worked on college campuses for more than 10 years and for a K-12 school for another seven. My entire career has been threaded with the promise that every new school year brings. My two children had the benefit of attending great schools. My youngest began college this fall, a bittersweet experience for her mom and dad. Just the term “Back to School” holds a kaleidoscope of memories, images, hopes and dreams for me.
In the past couple of weeks, I have experienced things that invited me to ponder education in a broader sense. What makes an educated citizen? Is eagerness to learn developed in the family? What motivates students to succeed, and are successful students more likely to become successful workers? How can students with few resources compete with privileged students? Is our curiosity as learners more satisfied when we can seek and find information in increasingly sophisticated ways through technology? What are the qualities of a lifelong learner?
One of these recent experiences was a gathering with high school students who had just completed the Comcast Digital Connectors Program. I was so excited to hear from teens who had learned to become sophisticated users of computers, troubleshoot and repair computers, teach neighbors and family members about computers and be technology ambassadors for their communities. These students come largely from families who do not have access to computers at home, and the program helps level the playing field so that, as these students prepare for the next phase of their life – whether that’s college, vocational school or professional training programs – they will be ready for a fast-paced series of assignments that require the use of technology. In addition, these students will develop as community assets and will be valued for their expertise. While Comcast’s Senior Vice President of the Mile High Region Scott Binder introduced his ambassadors, we learned that many similar programs are slated for cities all over the United States as the program scales from 16 sites to more than 30 by the end of 2010.
Another chance to think about education occurred during my visit to Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) for a small group conversation with President Steve Jordan. I was surprised to learn that Metro State serves more than one-fifth of Colorado’s baccalaureate students, and that they are in the top five institutions in the country that serve Latino students completing science degrees. They have the fifth largest aviation program in the country, and they have recently received approval from the Colorado General Assembly to offer master’s level degrees in accounting, social work, and teacher education. I thought I knew my academic neighbor across Speer Boulevard well, but I learned that Metro State is innovating in ways that directly serve our changing population. They are responding to market needs in the workforce and are serving students of all ages.
The last example is closest to home, as it came from our opening day of Leadership Denver for the amazing class of 2011. Classmates got to know one another, the first step in creating a community of learners who will spend the year ahead tackling complex regional issues for which there are no elegant solutions. As the day concluded, Christopher Herndon of Walmart said, “I can think of three events where I truly felt the magnitude of what I was a part of. This first was Reception Day at West Point. The second, stepping off the plane participating in my first deployment, a peace keeping mission in Kosovo. The third was today, my first among this group in Leadership Denver.” Comments like that one make me feel grateful to be in a community of learners who care about serving others and making our collective experience better.
If you or your loved ones are in a learning environment, join me in celebrating all the good things that are happening in education today. Post a response and share great results in education, from innovation of new programs, to reform efforts, to inspiring educators, to the specific impact of education on our youth.
One of the ways we at the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation promote civic engagement is through the annual leadership exchange trip. This three-day whirlwind finds 150 of Denver’s influencers visiting another metro region to explore the successes and challenges of that city. September will bring such a journey to Portland, Oregon, for the Leadership Foundation’s 21st annual exchange.
I have been studying metro Portland and pondering its quality-of-life attributes that attract great young talent from across the globe. The culture of commitment to the environment and sustainable practices is palpable as I walk the city streets. Urban density is defined by shorter city blocks, a robust, multi-modal transit system, infrastructure that supports bicycle commuters and a built environment shaped by very specific regional growth regulations.
The city has a vibe, a culture and a vibrancy that showcases its value of commitment to the making of places. For Portland, green living and sustainability have become a brand of sorts. I can’t imagine that there are very many cities in the United States that have a Bureau of Planning and Sustainability http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/. In April of this year, Portland received $20 million in ARRA funds for residential and commercial energy retrofits – part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?c=44851&a=297372
What is it that comes to mind when you think of the metro Denver brand? What is our own sustainable legacy? As you think about metro Portland, what do you think we can learn from leaders there? Post a comment and let us know your thoughts.
Alumni and friends of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership programs are nothing if not voracious volunteers.
In the midst of the deepest recession in decades, the US has seen the largest national increase in volunteering since 2003. More than 63 million Americans (age 16 and older) volunteered in 2009, an increase of almost 1.6 million since 2008.
As a Commissioner for the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, I am learning that Americans of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds are turning toward serving their communities.
The Corporation for National and Community Service has recently released the 2010 Volunteering in America report and data. Additional information can be found at http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.
Colorado highlights in the report include:
This data brings to mind my early experiences of volunteering as I grew up in Denver—how I got started in volunteering and why I’ve continued. I recall the starched pink and white striped uniform I wore with pride each week to Mercy Hospital, and the children in the pediatrics unit who were ill and often lonely. I felt needed and valued, and knew I was making a contribution that mattered.
As you think back on all your volunteer work, what were some of your favorites, and why?
Data tells part of the story:
We know Metro Denver is a rapidly growing region, well-educated (2nd in country) fit and lean (6th in country) , and wealthy (average income 15% higher). We are diverse, with 32% people of color. We spend money and time on arts, culture and sports . We are considered a “purple” state in political affiliation, and our current legislators are majority Democrat. The web of services available through the independent sector is vast, as the metro region is home to over 13,650 non-profits. 75% of our citizens volunteer in the community, and 96% make gifts to charity.
What’s the story YOU tell about Metro Denver?
When you are asked to describe metro Denver to someone from outside the state, what do you say? What are our greatest attributes? What are the people like? How does the business community function? How do big ambitious projects get accomplished? Is it easy to get involved? What are the political leaders like, and does local government function well? How would you describe the vibe, the energy, the ethos?
From where I sit, and even in tough times, things look pretty rosy. Take today for instance. 55 members of the thirty-sixth annual Leadership Denver class will walk across the stage this afternoon as graduates of a program that has brought together inspired emerging leaders to study and experience the issues that challenge our region and those that help us to flourish. These people, and their colleagues in Impact Denver, Access Denver, and all our programs, really care about contributing to the quality of life in our region through community service. At the graduation ceremonies each June, I find myself wondering which classmates will use their network and knowledge to fully leverage the possibilities their experience has provided them. Who will lead, collaborate, negotiate, influence, gather resources and make things happen? Who will become true change-makers? What will their legacy be?
As an alumnus or friend of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, please share your thoughts with us on the Metro Denver you experience, as a citizen, a leader, a professional, a parent…or in whatever role you feel most inspired to comment. Send us a single word or phrase in response to one of the questions above, or several paragraphs. We want to hear your story of Metro Denver!