Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Health and Exercise Science
Project: I’m thinking of pursuing Mental Health Awareness within CSU’s community. There could be some improvement in the CSU health network by providing a fund for the inclusion of more people of color to counsel. The system that the health network uses currently is time-consuming and difficult to understand for many students seeking help.
Inspiration: I’ve always struggled to reach out for help, so trying to get myself to go to counseling was incredibly difficult. I’ve been to the CSU health network at least three times since being in college and still haven’t received adequate help. The appointments take a minute to make, the appointments are inconsistent, I was with a different counselor almost every session, and I felt like there wasn’t any diversity amongst the counselors I spoke to. So, as a black woman. I didn’t feel comfortable in a place where I was supposed to feel safe.
Future Plans: I’d want people of color who struggle to fit into the CSU community to get the right counseling service they deserve. I’d also hope that having a fund would help boost the chances of people going to get help. This would also make the school look better in terms of the action they take on what’s important.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Biology/Pre-nursing
Project: I want to create an art exhibition of art that has been made from people who struggle with all sorts of addictions.
Inspiration: Growing up in a household grappling with the challenges of drug issues has fueled my determination to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Inspired by the lessons learned while supporting my family, I am driven to contribute meaningfully, particularly in light of the ongoing homeless crisis affecting communities across America.
Future Plans: I aspire to enlighten individuals on more effective approaches to address drug addiction, while also shedding light on systemic flaws within the American system. Through education and awareness, I aim to contribute to a broader understanding of these issues and advocate for positive change in our societal structures.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Entrepreneurship
Project: What I would like to pursue for my Puksta Project is equal educational opportunity for minorities. From elementary and forward, motivating and providing resources to students of color to attend higher education and advanced classes such as honors, AP and IB in order to promote and have more diversity in advanced education.
Inspiration: What inspired me to choose this project was my experience in the education system. I grew up taking honors, AP, and IB classes which were predominately white. I always felt out of place and my peers and teachers never helped me feel included or smart enough. I would like to encourage and motivate students of color to take these advanced classes because we are all worthy of a higher education.
Future Plans: What I hope to accomplish is making advanced classes more diverse. By making these classes more diverse more and more students of color will feel comfortable and worthy enough to take advanced classes which in the long run benefit their academic career.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Public Policy
Project: I plan to learn about how different districts determine the conditions of their local schools. Through research and testimonial information, I seek to identify which policy method would work best for bringing equitable opportunities to all schools. On a large scale, education requires more local and federal investment, so that all children have access and opportunity.
Inspiration: Growing up I went to school to a densely populated public elementary school and then obtained a scholarship to attend a private school. This experience allowed me to see the differences between these two institutions of education, and how some children, given their economic background, are granted a much greater opportunity within their education. This difference had much to do with funding but was also influenced by culture, pedagogies, and expectations, all of which seemed influenced by race, class, and socioeconomic status. My hope is that all kids, regardless of background, have the opportunity to a quality education.
Future Plans: My hope is to learn more information about how the educational system affects younger children and in what ways it could be improved so that every child reach their highest potential. Through Public Policy, I’d like to learn how we can create sustained change for K-12 public schools in Denver and also across the US.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: undecided
Project: Currently I’m working in CCESL’s youth organizing program to help high school student produce change in their communities. In the future, I want to work more with students on tutoring/mentoring to push more students to make it to college.
Inspiration: I grew up in more underfunded areas of Denver where opportunities were not readily available. I wanted to change the way I grew up for those younger than me as the few opportunities I was given changed my life. I want to be that change that I received.
Future Plans: I want to push low-income students to pursue their education. I want to give them the tools to be able to get scholarships and get accepted.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Psychology
Project: In my Puska Pathway project I am looking for mental health areas. Specifically going into sexual assault awareness and domestic violence. I would love to work towards and find new ways to aid people and families in these intense situations.
Inspiration: This social issue sparked a passion inside of me because of my own history with sexual assault I wish I could have known what to do or who to turn to for help and different ways to find the solution to my problem. As for domestic violence, my mom has had a history of domestic violence and one of the main things that kept her in the situation was not knowing what to do or who to ask for help.
Future Plans: I hope to create first of all more awareness around these social issues but also to help find new ways to fight for the people who are going through situations like this. Also, find ways to give free mental health help to families.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Entrepreneurship
Project: At the moment, the topics I am circling on are advocating for mental Health Awareness and Artistic Expression. However, I am thinking of merging both because I believe they can both be tied together.
Inspiration: I want to emphasize the importance of self-expression for the well-being of mental health, and a good and healthy way to do so is through art. The core sense of self and art are closely related. Art helps us all. It is very beneficial for us as it is a form of expression that fosters our natural need for self-expression and fulfillment to communicate feelings and sentiments towards anything. The world becomes a better and happier place to live in via the power of art. Art is all around us and open for interpretation, leaving a big void to fill, and allowing us all to get involved.
Future Plans: I consider art to be highly positive and the highlighter on the text of life, so I want to increase the inclusivity of all artists, especially among my community, family, and neighborhood, and immeasurably extend an artist’s standard without limitations. I want to significantly enable art creation as a healthy and accessible outlet of expression and shed new light on the art world.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Accounting
Project: Spreading student loans and debt awareness in DPS High School.
Inspiration: The raising of student loans and debt in society inspired me to work with high school students regarding student loans. Student loans should not be normalized because it harms students after graduation.
Future Plans: With my project, I wish to get more students to apply for scholarships and find alternate ways to finance for college instead of getting loans. I want to make sure the students that I help graduate with high school knowing they don’t have student loans to worry about later.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Business
Project: Working with a partner and taking the task of getting the youth in some communities out of gangs, violence, and drugs. Focus on the areas where we used to live and help with those communities.
Inspiration: I come from an area where I’ve seen a lot of youth violence and was close to being a part of it and I want to end the cycle of young kids dying. I have family members on the same path and I hope to get them out of that life.
Future Plans: I hope to get kids off the streets and give them a chance in this life without death or prison. I really want to make a difference in these kids life to know there is another way out.
Posted on November 1, 2023
Major: Political Science
Project: I’m interested in youth education because, in many low-income communities, young people lack the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Inspiration: I chose this project because, in my personal experience, I had to commute 45 minutes every day from my community to access a quality education. Leaving my community was a daily challenge for me because I never had the opportunity to connect with fellow youth from my own community.
Future Plans: With my community engagement and social impact work, I hope to create opportunities for local youth, ensuring they don’t face the challenges I did in accessing education. My goal is to foster a supportive environment and empower them to thrive within their community.
