Polaris Program Develops Leaders

Polaris Expeditionary Learning Develops Student Leaders

Outstanding Hispanic students will live in the wilderness this summer to learn leadership skills through a program developed by Polaris Expeditionary Learning School.

Twenty-five students will participate the Hispanic Institute of Leadership and Learning

(HILL). The program was developed by Polaris Expeditionary Learning School for students in grades 9-12, and is funded by a grant from the Bohemian Foundation.

Two wilderness trips are planned.  One group of students will backpack into the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park, from July 7 to 12. The second group of students will go rafting on the Gunnison River from July 21 to 26. 

In addition to the week long summer leadership trainings in the Colorado wilderness, students will attend monthly seminars during the school year and plan public events for the Fort Collins community which will highlight Hispanic culture.

The students selected for the program include: Nancy Amaro, Olga Maria Larrea, and  Javier Aquirre of Lesher Junior High School; Laura Barajas, Jessica Rivera and Gabriella Duran of Rocky Mountain High School; Samantha Borrego, Tina Brannan, Aliyah Cardona, Mariah Kennell, Desideria Lucero, Joe Angel Nieto and Trey Valdez-Wares, all of Polaris Expeditionary Learning; Chuy Chavez, Oyuki Chavez, LaTasha Moreno, Adriana Recio, Fransisco Ruiz, Jonathon Velasquez and Sanjuana Leos, all of Fort Collins High School; Luis Luna and Maya Stokes of Poudre High School; Adriana Fragoso of Lincoln Junior High School; Rachel Kelley of Webber Junior High School; and Tylene Montoya of the Poudre Transition Center.

For more information or to donate to the HILL Scholarship Fund, please contact          

Cree Bol, Polaris teacher, at 488-4447 or by email at abol@psdschools.org.