West Leadership Weekly Round Up: April 23rd - 27th

Hi all! 

Last week was a busy one with our YESS Breakfast as well as our lessons about the War on Drugs. 

On Monday, the class checked their grades. As with last week, if they had a grade of a C or lower, they were to come up with a plan on how to fix it. As we near the end of the semester, these plans and their execution will become increasingly important. Additionally on Monday we also started the War on Drugs unit by going over the general timeline of marijuana leading up to today's policies. Students were introduced to some new vocabulary and we had discussions as well as provided examples prior to diving too far in. 

On Tuesday, students were given an article about the history of the War on Drugs that gave them a better understanding of the timeline and context of what occurred. Students primarily focused on how marginalized communities were the target of many drug laws and the various consequences that stemmed from these policies. 

Wednesday we had our YESS Breakfast fundraiser which was a great success! I was fortunate to sit with various administrators from West and talk about the program while also having the help of 5 of my YESS students. Our Mentor Leaders and a couple additional students helped out at the event and did an excellent job being strong representatives of the program. I was really proud of their willingness to help out and get involved. 

After Wednesday's breakfast, the class dove back into the content and we showed various clips from the documentary, 13th, while having conversations about the War on Drugs and its effects on society today. We continued this review and conversations on Thursday as well by also sharing statistics that we found from the DEA and Drug Policy Alliance websites. Students were surprised to see the number of arrests, the costs associated with fighting the drug war, and how drugs are perceived in different parts of the country. Overall I was very pleased with the robust conversations we had and how engaged students were in the content. 

School was out on Friday at WLA. The day was originally intended to be a professional development day with additional culturally responsive training. However, due to the teacher walkout, teachers were given the opportunity to plan which I took advantage of as we gear up for the final push of the year! Another a good week in the books, stay tuned for next week as we near the end of our curriculum and approach the final Stand Up Project! -Ben



Hola a todos!

La semana pasada fue ocupada con el desayuno de YESS, un recaudación de fondos, y los lecciones sobre la guerra contra drogas.

En lunes la clase revisaron sus calificaciones. Como la semana pasada, si tenían un C o peor, tenían que hacer un plan para mejorarlo. Como estamos casi al fin de semestre, estos planes serían más importante. También en lunes empezamos la tema de la guerra contra drogas y empezamos de hablar sobre la historia de marihuana del pasado hasta ahora. Los alumnos aprendieron vocabulario nuevo y platicamos sobre ejemplos antes de continuar.

En martes los alumnos leyeron un artículo sobre la guerra contra drogas que dio un mejor entendimiento del tiempo y contexto de lo que pasó. Los alumnos se enfocaron en cómo los comunidades marginalizados eran blancos de acosto con los leyes de drogas y las consecuencias que afectan la comunidad.

El miércoles tuvimos el recaudacion de fondos para YESS con el desayuno, que fue un gran éxito. Fue afortunado de asistir con algunos directores de WLA y hablar sobre la programa y tambien 5 de nuestros alumnos ayudaban a servir. Los alumnos líderes y otros alumnos nos ayudaban y hicieron un trabajo excelente de representar la programa. Estoy orgulloso de su disposición de ayudar e involucrarse.

Después del desayuno hubo clase. Usamos el tiempo para mostrar partes del documentario, 13th, y platicamos sobre la guerra contra drogas y sus afectos a la sociedad hoy. Continuamos la plática y revisar la materia en jueves también compartimos estadísticas que encontramos de los sitios de la DEA y Drug Policy Alliance. Los alumnos fueron sorprendidos de ver los detenciones, los costos de la guerra contra drogas, y como las drogas están percibiendo en las áreas diferentes del país. De todos modos, estoy orgulloso con las pláticas grandes tuvimos y cómo los alumnos participaban en la tema.

No hubieron clases en el viernes pasado. Originalmente, el dia fue diseñado de ser un día de desarrollo para los maestros con capacitación de cultura. Sin embargo, por medio de la huelga de los maestros, los directores nos dieron de planear par el fin del año escolar. Me aproveche del tiempo para terminar el año exitosamente. Fue otra semana bien, manténgase informado cuando terminamos y tendremos el proyecto final! -Ben

West Leadership Weekly Round Up: April 16th - 20th

Hi all! 

Another busy week here as we finished up with CMAS testing for the high school students, worked through our marijuana lessons, and played a fun board game to end the week! 

On Monday, the class checked their grades. If they had a grade of a C or lower, they were to come up with a plan on how to fix it. This included making up missing work, speaking with the teacher, etc. We had students get their plans signed off by Neill and myself. 

Tuesday, our high schoolers had CMAS testing so they were a bit tired afterwards. We spent the shortened time introducing students to vocabulary for both the rest of the marijuana unit as well as the Not So Bored game that took place later in the week. After reviewing the vocabulary and new terms, students spent the rest of their time finishing up their work and implementing the plan they set on Monday. On Tuesday we also had a professional development after school where I was fortunate enough to be honored by a fellow teacher and given the Patron Award for helping him and his classes the past couple of weeks during testing and sick days. It was nice to be recognized and I'm looking forward to passing the award along to another faculty member this week.

Patron Award! 

Wednesday and Thursday were both lesson days as we spent time again reviewing the major vocabulary from the unit and then discussing the Science of Stress. Students discussed various reasons why we have stress as well as what are common ways we deal with it. From there we discussed unhealthy vs healthy escapism and how our strategies for dealing with stress can have various consequences. Students came up with many healthy ways to deal with their stress - everything from listening to music to reading a book or playing sports. Many knew the negative consequences associated with unhealthy escapism and shared their experiences on how the consequences can effect someone's health, finances, and career. 

On Thursday we used the discussions and vocabulary established earlier in the week to play the Not So Bored game. The game was quite a hit with the kids - not only did they know and remember most of the information but they were also competitive with one another! We had several very close games throughout each class period which kept the game interesting and fun! 

9th Period wearing their YESS at West shirts!!

Friday I had the students take a short quiz over the unit. Answering questions such as what the endocannabinoid system is, consequences for using marijuana, and examples of healthy escapism. Students did an excellent job on their quizzes and we spent the rest of the class playing games and hanging out before the weekend. I was very pleased with their efforts throughout the week, even with some testing going on, so it was nice to end the week on a fun note. 

Next week will be another busy one with a shortened week and a lot of material still to cover! Looking forward to it! -Ben










Hola a todos,

Hace ya una semana que terminamos los exámenes de CMAS para los alumnos de high school, también trabajamos en los lecciones de marihuana, y jugamos un juego de mesa divertido para terminar la semana.

El lunes, la clase revisaron sus calificaciones. Si lograban una C o peor, tenían que hacer un plan para repararla. Tenían que hacer tarea del pasado, hablar con algún maestro, etc. Los alumnos tenían que presentar los planes a Neill y yo.

El martes los alumnos de high school tenían sus exámenes de CMAS y se cansaron después. Usábamos el tiempo corto para introducir el vocabulario a los alumnos para los demás de el tema de marihuana y para el juego de mesa “Not So Bored” que introducimos luego en la semana. Después de revisar el vocabulario y palabras nuevas, los alumnos usaban el tiempo para terminar las tareas de otras clases y empezar el plan que hicieron el dia antes. También, fue tiempo de desarrollo profesional después de la escuela donde fui afortunado de ser honrado por un compañero porque el me dio el “Patron Award” por ayudarle con sus clases cuando hubieron exámenes y estuvo enfermo. Fue bueno ser reconocido y me da mucho gusto de dar este galardón a otro maestro.

En miércoles y jueves fueron días de lección y usábamos el tiempo revisar el vocabulario de el tema y hablar sobre la ciencia de estrés. Los alumnos platicaron sobre varias razones de el porque tenemos el estrés y maneras común de encargarse con el estrés. También hablamos sobre escapismo saludable contra lo que no es saludable y las consecuencias. Los alumnos mencionaron muchas ideas de encargarse con el estrés, como escuchar música, leer un libro, o jugar deportes. Muchos saben las consecuencias negativas de cargarse el estrés en manera negativamente y compartieron sus experiencias como podían afectar el salud, las finanzas, o la carrera de alguien.

En jueves jugamos el juego de mesa “Not So Bored”. El juego les cayó bien a los alumnos, porque recordaban la información y vocabulario pero también jugaban bien unos contra otros. Había muchos juegos casi empatados y hacia el tiempo interesante y divertido.

En viernes los alumnos tomaron un examen corto sobre el tema. Tenían que entender el sistema endocannabinoide, las consecuencias de usar marihuana, y ejemplos de encargarse de el estrés saludablemente. Los alumnos hicieron un buen trabajo con el examen y usábamos lo demás del tiempo jugaron o charlaron antes del fin de semana. Me gustaron sus fuerzas durante toda la semana, aun hubieron examines.

La semana próxima será otra semana corta y mucho material por aprender. Estoy emocionado de la próxima semana. -Ben

West Leadership Weekly Round Up: April 9th - 13th

Hi all! 


Last week we had testing take place with both the middle school CMAS and high school PSAT/SAT. That said, we took advantage of the end of the week by sharing our final projects and moving onto our unit on marijuana. 

On Monday, Emily visited with Faviola, a representative from Colorado Jobs with Justice, to discuss apprenticeship opportunities in the metro area. Faviola discussed a wide variety of jobs in construction, plumbing, electrical, plumbing, welding, and much more. Students can begin the program once they turn 18 and graduate high school. With both the financial and academic incentives available for these programs, several upperclassmen were interested and plan to inquire more once they turn 18. 

On Tuesday, high school students took the PSAT and SAT while middle school students had the day off. Lucky. 

How to guides, a children's book, and a sphere of influence
painting were some of the many excellent project ideas.

Wednesday we were right back in it with reviewing our Unit 2 project presentations and completing our written reflections. Students shared some excellent projects with the class and I was once again very impressed with their efforts. 

On Thursday we started our Unit 3 lesson, Fact or Fiction, where we spent time dispelling the various myths and misunderstandings surrounding marijuana. Students participated in several activities including a yarn toss and 2 Truths and a Lie. By knowing the correction information surrounding drugs and drug use, students can avoid making bad decisions and educate others to do the same. 

Forgiveness children's book, a road map to self love,
and a comic strip on dating violence. 

On Friday the conversations continued as we discussed the marketing around marijuana. Students discussed how companies market and sell their products and why they would be motivated to sell to younger audiences. From there we watched a YouTube video discussing how tobacco was once marketed towards youth. Our conversations led to comparisons to both the tobacco industry as well as the fast food industry. Students discussed how the number of dispensaries, fast food restaurants, etc shows acceptance and creates a norm of consumption although their can be negative outcomes as well. From there, students read case scenarios on various marijuana hot topics and we discussed as a class how to best handle an uncomfortable or pressured situation. It was a very productive discussion and conversation that we plan to continue into next week. Stay tuned! -Ben 

West Leadership Weekly Round Up: April 2nd - 6th

Hi everyone!

Hi all! 

Last week we returned from spring break and we got right back into the swing of things by finishing up our Unit 2 projects and setting goals for the remainder of the semester! 

Monday was a professional development day with no students. Teachers met for PSAT/SAT Training and then broke up into different workshops and planning time. It was nice to take advantage of this time and reset before the students arrived on Tuesday. 

On Tuesday, classes resumed and we spent our time completing our grade trackers and conferencing with Neill and myself on both academic and personal goals for the remainder of the semester. As we are entering our final stretch of the year, we wanted students to identify where they are, where they want to be, and what changes or adjustments they need to make in order reach their goals. 

Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated work days for the Unit 2 project. Students worked individually, in their mentoring matches, and in small groups over the course of two days leading up to their presentations. 

With the purpose of the project asking for students to: "inspire others to examine and take action to improve their own relationships", we decided to have a conversation about inspiration and influence and how we can not only inspire others, but influence them to take action and make change. With the 50th anniversary of MLK Jr's passing, it seemed like an appropriate time to talk about how one can effectively make a difference. To do this, we compared a couple of lists as a class: 100 People Who've Changed the World and Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2017. These two lists led to a great discussion on inspiration versus influence. Students enjoyed talking about people on the world changer list like MLK, Gandhi, etc and comparing them to who made Time's list. Students made great points about how the selflessness and passion for helping others was a common theme for the all-time world changers list while self-promotion and social media popularity led to a lot of influence in today's society. 

Friday the class was spent presenting their Unit 2 projects and we had quite a bit of variety! Students did everything from movie trailers about self-love to podcasts, hotlines, children's books, a newspaper, interviews with teachers and students, a few YouTube videos, a rap, and banners and posters to hang around the school! It was incredible to see students come up with such creative ways to get their message across to a broader audience. The quality of the work was impressive and I'm so proud of their efforts. With limited time in class on Friday we weren't able to get through most of the presentations so we will have to finish them up later next week after testing - pictures and links to come at our next post! Stay tuned! -Ben

West Leadership Weekly Round Up: March 19th - 23rd

Hi everyone!

We had a busy and productive week before spring break took place! 

On Monday, our classes were to have presenters to discuss apprenticeships. However, due to a school lockout, the presentation was rescheduled and students took this time to work on their planning questions and research for their Unit 2 project. 

March for Our Lives Rally - Denver's Civic Center Park
Saturday March 24th 2018

Tuesday was a normal tutoring day focused primarily on completing our grade trackers, and working on classwork and job applications. For the remainder of the year being a bit in flux with testing, we decided as a class to change our tutoring days to Mondays going forward. This gives the students the full class period and additional support with Neill each week and will allow us to focus on grades and ending the year on a strong note. 

Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated work days for the Unit 2 project. By the end of the day Thursday, students had completed their planning questions as well as their research links. Most had started the final product itself so they could get a head start before break. The final products for these projects vary dramatically so I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out by the end of next week. 

March for Our Lives Rally - Denver's Civic Center Park
Saturday March 24th 2018

Friday was the last day before break so we decided to throw a party and celebrate. Students signed up and brought various food to share with the class. Everything from Takis and Hot Cheetos to enchiladas and tacos were shared! It was a great party and I was really impressed by such participation (albeit the sugar levels in some of the foods were questionable...). 

Finally, over the break I was able to attend the March for Our Lives rally at Denver's Civic Center Park. It is estimated that over 100,000 people were in attendance. Myself and several other West Leadership Academy teachers were in attendance and it was excellent to see such a strong showing of support for the safety of our students and teachers. 



Next week will be focused on finishing up our Unit 2 projects and then we'll be moving onto our next unit! See you then! -Ben

Hola a todos.


Tuvimos una semana productiva antes de las vacaciones de la primavera.

En el lunes, en nuestro horario fueron presentados para hablar sobre formaciones. Pero porqué cerraron la escuela por lockout las presentaciones estaban programados y los alumnos trabajaban en sus proyectos de tema 2, específicamente sus preguntas y sus investigaciones.

En el martes fue una dia normal de hacer tarea enfocando en cumplir nuestras papeles que tiene nuestras calificaciones, y trabajar en tarea y aplicaciones para trabajar. Hasta el fin del año escolar porque hay mucho cambio con examines, decidimos de cambiar los días de tarea en el lunes. Creemos que daremos los alumnos un tiempo completo con más apoyo con Neill (Leo) cada semana y nos dejan enfocar en calificaciones para terminar el año escolar fuerte.

En el miércoles y jueves dedicamos a trabajar para su proyecto de Tema 2. Al fin del dia en el jueves, los alumnos a terminado con sus preguntas y sus investigaciones. La mayoridad han empezando su proyecto actual para empezar bien antes de vacaciones. El producto final de los proyectos tiene much variedad entonces estoy emocionado ver como están al fin de la próxima semana.

En el viernes fue el ultimo dia antes de vacaciones entonces decidimos hacer fiesta y celebrar. Los alumnos llevaron un variedad de comidas para compartir durante de la clase. Todo entre Takis y Hot Cheetos a enchiladas y tacos fueron compartidos. Fue una buena fiesta y me encanta mucho la participación (aún había mucho azúcar que compartimos también).

Finalmente durante de los vacaciones podia asistir la huelga “March for Our Lives” en Civic Center Park en Denver. Hubo que más o menos 100.000 personas que asistieron. Algunos maestros de WLA y yo asistimos y fue excelente a ver un gran apoyo para la seguridad de los estudiantes y maestros.


En la próxima semana enfocamos en terminar los proyectos de tema 2 y luego vamos a la proxima tema. Nos vemos!- Ben