In an evening filled with applause, laughter and tears of appreciation, community members, families, staff and more came together to celebrate the 6th-Annual Aliorum De awards.
Hosted by the Special Education Advisory Committee, the Aliorum De awards recognize the dedication and commitment of an individual, or group of individuals, who have touched the life of a Lewis-Palmer School District 38 student with a disability.
In 2023, the committee received their highest number of nominees, with more than 35 nominations submitted.
Emceed by Executive Director of Student Services Rick Frampton, attendees of the April 26 event heard excerpts from all nominations, including in-depth excerpts from the nominations of each award winner.
The 2023 Aliorum De Winners are as follows, accompanied by a quote from their nomination:
Staff Award: Stacy Campbell
“Stacy is incredibly committed to the best interest of all students. I have seen Stacy take the most complex and severe situations head-on with a positive attitude and most optimal outlook. When others would have felt that there was little to no progress, Stacy would continue to persevere and celebrate the small wins.”
Staff Award: Evan Cochran
“Evan exudes a calm demeanor which belies any potential concerns which students and staff alike respond to positively. Evan views others in a positive light and promotes trust within his team. He treats others with genuine empathy and respect.”
Staff Award: Kylie Palmer
“She knows her students very well and is able to advocate fearlessly for what they need both in and out of the classroom. She understands the conversation not only from the teacher perspective but also from the parent perspective and is able to talk to the team with compassion, strength, and the firm belief that each child deserves to learn in their own way.”
Staff Award: All D38 Transitions Staff
“These five individuals possess dedication and hearts of angels and are the unsung heroes in our school district! The paraprofessional staff at Transitions work individually with students in a community setting. The staff provide essential daily living and coaching skills across four key transition components: community, education, career and independent living.”
Student Award: Kaitlyn Cantrell
“There is a student with disabilities who is in class with Kaitlyn, and she is always helping the teacher to try and redirect that student, or simply provide aid within the classroom. Outside of that specific class, Caitlyn is a TA in resource, and helps, again, with students who need clarification on tasks, or who are having a tough day.”
Student Award: Dominik Imke
“Dominik does not need to be asked to help a student in need, he always steps up. Last year, as a fifth grade student, Dominik interacted with the students with disabilities in such an inclusive manner that he stood out among his peers. He was able to see a struggle before it actually happened, and he would step in to help. He was always willing to help a student work through a situation, and he never allowed peer pressure or what others would think prevent him from doing what was right. Dominik is kind, compassionate, and a true example for younger students at Bear Creek.”
Student Award: Palmer Ridge High School Cheerleaders Isabella Bradshaw, Illianna Corum, Shelby Erminger, Elisabeth Jensen and Abigail Newman.
“These individuals continue to support our Special Olympic athletes by cheering and encouraging and pumping the crowd up during the game and halftime, for the Special Olympics Ability Classic between our Unified basketball team and the Monument Warriors. Thank you girls for taking time out of your busy schedules to encourage and engage with students as equals.”
Student Award: Unified Basketball Peer Mentors Joey Biggs, Shannen Fitzpatrick, Andrew Grundel, Moriah Kruc from Palmer Ridge High School, Colleen McLin from Lewis-Palmer High School and alumni Mason Huckstep.
“For their dedication and support of our Unified Basketball program and the Monument Warriors Special Olympic team. These fantastic kids assisted coaches for 8 weeks, working on passing, shooting, and dribbling skills, encouraging, cheerleading, promoting good sportsmanship and making lasting connections. These students demonstrated a remarkable ability to honor and value each student as a person first.”
Community Award: Larry Bowman, Sprouts team member
“Larry not only knows all our students by first name, but he notices when they are there and absent. He consistently takes the time to train them on new policies and procedures and provides a positive example of leadership within a business. Life with a disability is never easy. Fortunately, there are people in this community who go above and beyond to include those who need more support. Larry is one of those people.”
Community Award: Steve Clowes, Sundance Studio owner
“Steve welcomes the students and staff with enthusiasm, setting up age appropriate activities for children with special needs and helps along with staff to make it a fun, active and memorable time. He takes a personal interest in each child and gets to know their names and interests.”