At Denver Families for Public Schools, we firmly believe in public school choice—a freedom that students and families in our community have benefited from for over three decades. Our commitment to this value is fueled by the thousands of stories and experiences we’ve heard from the community and our own team members alike.
Two of our community organizers recently shared their personal experiences with public school choice in Colorado:
Felipe Vieyra – Director of Programs & Advocacy
My family and I are originally from Mexico and immigrated to Colorado when I was two to Fort Morgan, all in the pursuit of a better life. We then moved to Greeley, Colorado, when I was about to go to middle school. Greeley is a city that is segregated by way of a highway – Highway 85 to be exact. The city had invested more on the west side of town and there were better schools. Our family had moved into the east side of town which was a predominantly BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrant and low-income community.
My mom cared deeply about us taking advantage of the U.S. public education system and had sacrificed so much to give us this opportunity for a better life, so she always made sure my siblings and I had access to good schools. Because of that, when she began looking for schools in Greeley, she had heard by word-of-mouth that there were better schools on the west side of town. She asked a friend of hers if she could use her address so that we would have a better chance of enrolling in the traditional district run school her kids went to on the west side instead of us enrolling in the school that our zip code pertained to. She succeeded in enrolling me in that school!
My mom went above and beyond to ensure that I had access to a school that fit my needs. At that time, she worked at the meat packing plant in Greeley and would wake up at 4:30 a.m., every morning to drive us over to her friends house so that we could walk to our new school.
Thankfully, because of that experience, I ended up going to a middle school called John Evans and it was at that school that I found a love for literature and that opportunity set me off on my educational journey.
Matthew Telles – Community Organizer
When discussions about school choice arise, the focus often leans toward parents seeking the best educational experiences for their children. However, in my case, the choice was almost entirely mine.
I attended Barney Ford Elementary from early childhood through 5th grade, where I discovered a passion for the arts. Ford offered programs that allowed me to explore music, playing both the saxophone and cello in band, singing as a tenor in the choir, and participating annually in Denver Public Schools’ Shakespeare Festival. These experiences shaped my early years and inspired me to audition for the Denver School of the Arts (DSA).
In 5th grade, I was accepted into DSA’s middle school. However, that same year, representatives from the Denver School of Science and Technology (now DSST Public Schools) visited Barney Ford to share their STEM-focused model and partnership with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. At the time, I was dreaming of becoming an oncologist, and the DSST model seemed like the perfect path to help me reach that goal. So, I also applied to DSST: GVR and was accepted into its founding class in 2010.
With offers from both schools in hand, I vividly remember my parents telling me they would fully support whichever path I chose. As a 10-year-old, I was fortunate enough to make my own decision about my future. After thoughtful consideration, I chose DSST: GVR because it aligned more closely with my career aspirations.
Looking back, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to reflect on my values and dreams at such a young age, as well as for the freedom to shape my own educational journey.
