Save the date for the remote 2021 ECOC Summit: January 16, 2021
Congratulations to our 2020 Winners
Alycia Jensen
Alycia Jensen (Teller County) has overcome adversity and has turned it into strength. She has been participating in the Communities that Care process to be a youth voice to create positive change within her community for young people in Teller County.
Izzy Frizalone
Izzy Frizalone was abandoned by parents in May of 2015. Izzy is excelling in school, friendships, and acclimating to family life with an adoptive family after living in group homes and residential facilities. Izzy will graduate this spring, is a volunteer at Camp Shady Brook and is involved with the choir. Izzy is a leader and exemplifies what it means to overcome the hardship endured during childhood.
Joey Littleton
Joey Littleton recently emancipated from the custody of the Department of Human Services where he spent many years as a result of abuse by his adoptive parents. Joey has inspired others by following his dreams of being a filmmaker and releasing his very first film. The film, “Musical Chairs,” depicts his time in foster care. He hopes to inspire young people in foster care to “take back the pen” and become authors of their own stories. You can view the film at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvfF6pCZga4
Diego Caraveo Hernandez
Diego Caraveo Hernandez lives in Colorado Springs with his grandparents. His parents live in Mexico, and he had not seen them for four years until he visited them at Christmas. He is a role model in the classroom, he works hard at all subjects and translates for Spanish speaking peers. When this eighth grader was asked why he has such a good work ethic, he replied “to make my parents proud.” Diego is an inspiration.
Davon Brown
Davon Brown has known food insecurity, neglect, and abandonment. Before being put out on the streets, he had been left for ten days to care for five siblings, including a two-week-old. Davon is completing his fifth year of high school, has completed the FAFSA and has been accepted to college. Davon is extremely special. His path could have been very different without his determination and his joy of life that invites people to be his friend.
Jamar Gonzalez
Jamar Gonzalez has been in foster care and is now living with his grandmother. He has not had an easy road, yet he continues to choose to take the higher path and inspire others to do the same. He does not let setbacks become excuses for permanently getting of the path he wished to be on.
iInspire
iInspire is an award sponsored by the Educating Children of Color Summit (ECOC) and the Minority Overrepresentation Committee. iInspire recognizes youth from El Paso County, Colorado, who have overcome adversity and inspired others to do the same. iInspire’s goal is to recognize those youth who might not receive recognition, but definitely deserve it. Think of the youth who earns a GED while caring for an ill relative, the youth who overcomes a serious illness, the youth who creates a non-profit organization, or the youth who manages to use social media to return a lost wallet to its owner.
Facebook page
Our Facebook page, “iInspire: Inspirational Youth” can be found at https://www.facebook.com/iInspire.InspirationalYouth/. Please check the page out, like it, and invite others to do the same!
The link for 2021 iInspire nominations will be posted there soon!
Past Videos and press
A Gazette Article, “iInspire Awards recognize six Colorado Springs students for rising above adversity,” has a video and pictures of 2018 recipients. It can be found at http://gazette.com/iinspire-awards-recognize-six-colorado-springs-students-for-rising-above-adversity/article/1618864.
A Fox21 Article, “iInspire awards recognize six El Paso County teens,” has a video of a news segment and pictures of the 2018 recipients. It can be found at http://www.fox21news.com/news/local/iinspire-awards-recognize-six-outstanding-el-paso-county-teens/911290393.
Questions?
Contact Cara Nord at CaraLNord@hotmil.com.
