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Puma Spotlight 2024-25

January 2025

Since November, NHS students have been hand-making blankets for people experiencing homelessness. Last week, during the extreme temperatures, Nick Griffin (class of 2026) dropped off about 100 blankets from our NHS members at the Boulder Homeless Shelter to help keep our community warm during this cold snap. Thank you for using your skills and spare time to help others, Pumas. You make us proud!

student in yellow jacket holds thumbs up near the open trunk of his car in a snowstorm. Trunk is filled with blankets for unhoused.

 

Congratulations to our Spelling Bee winners!

In elementary, Naomi Antman took 1st place and Arrin Petkar was named runner-up (both class of 2032). At the middle school level, Sophia Alter placed 1st and Juston Liu was our runner-up (both class of 2029).

All participants did an amazing job competing for the title!

two 5th grade girls smile after finishing 1st and 2nd in the spelling bee competition
a group of students smile for a photo after the spelling bee competition

 

Avery Pascoe (class of 2032) showcased her equestrian skills during her debut at the Interscholastic Equestrian Association Point Show on January 12th. Riding Gideon in the Future Beginner Walk/Trot category, Avery delivered an impressive performance, earning a well-deserved 4th Place finish on the flat. This remarkable achievement marks an exciting start to her competitive equestrian journey! You can watch a clip from her performance on YouTube.

a young girl holds a white 4th place equestrian ribbon at an outdoor riding arena

 

The Peak to Peak National Honor Society (NHS) has been honored with the Scholarship Award of Excellence from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). This is an incredible achievement, and Peak to Peak is one of the only schools in the state to receive this distinction for 2024!

Peak to Peak's NHS chapter was recognized for its extensive tutoring efforts through Summer Lab, Summer Bridge, and Study Skills courses. These programs, which were developed to support struggling students, are designed to help them fill learning gaps, stay on track, and graduate on time. To make these initiatives sustainable, Ms. Tarbutton (NHS sponsor) creatively integrated them with NHS by training our students to be effective, empathetic, and engaging tutors and mentors.

The impact has been profound—not only on the students receiving support but also on the NHS members themselves, who have demonstrated tremendous growth in leadership and service. Together, they’ve fostered a more cohesive school culture, one of collaboration and shared success, breaking down the divides between "us" and "them."

This national recognition highlights the incredible efforts of our students and underscores the significance of prioritizing programs that support equity and academic achievement. We are so proud of these Pumas and what they've accomplished!

Pictured: Ms. Tarbutton and the NHS Leadership Council

4 high school students and their teacher stand together holding the scholarship award of excellence certificate

 

Last weekend, four Pumas participated in the 2025 Colorado All-State Choir.  They worked hard in all-day rehearsals with fabulous clinicians Dr. Marques Garrett, Dr. Jenaya Robison, and Dr. Anton Armstrong. This culminated in a concert at the famed Buell Theater in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, where they sang exceptionally challenging and enriching repertoire with hundreds of the most talented singers from across the state. Please join us in congratulating Ellie Hayes ('26), Sydney Lewis ('25), Abby Fitzgerald ('25), and Alex Henry ('25) for representing Peak to Peak at the highest level of choral singing. Way to go, Pumas!

3 girls in blue performance gowns and one boy in a black dress shirt with bluw tie stand side by side in front of a stone wall at All State Choir

 

Allison Duan (class of '27) qualified for the American Invitational Math Exam (AIME), which will be held in February. Her score in the qualifying test (AMC10) was among the top 5% of all participants in the nation. Great work, Allison!

female student stands in front of a red brick wall, wearing a navy blue coat

 

Aadi Sobti (Class of 2026) was recently named the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge and was recognized by Congress. Aadi's app, Firewatch, provides real-time emergency fire and weather updates and was inspired by his own experience of losing his family home during the Marshall Fire in 2021. Congratulations, Aadi, on this impressive achievement!

Read the full article on CPR.org.

Photo courtesy of Amita Sobti via Colorado Public Radio.

male teen sits at computer desk, turns towards the camera

December 2024

These middle school actors recently performed in The Arts Hub’s musical production of “Alice in Wonderland.” They practiced all semester and were shining stars on the stage. They finished just in time to join the cast of Peak to Peak’s middle school play- “Romeo and Juliet- Together (and Alive!) at Last” which will perform at the beginning of February.

Pictured: Ava W. (class of 2029), Sophia A. (2029), Tierney (2029), Audrey A. (2029), and Sophia N. (2030).

blonde girl wearing alice in wonderland costume with blue hair bow
4 student actresses dressed in classic alice in wonderland costumes

 

Congratulations to Emory Vazquez (Class of 2025), who was awarded the Dorothy Rupert High School Service Award by Congressman Joe Neguse as part of the 2024 2nd District Congressional Service Awards. Emory was recognized for his work with his nonprofit organization, Connect Digital Inclusion Labs, which is a group of Peak to Peak high school students who offer technology support at no cost to members of the community.

The photo includes (3rd from the left) surrounded by Congressman Neguse and other Peak to Peak students who also donate their time to this great cause. Congrats, Emory and team!

group of students smile next to Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse as they receive  an award.

 

Claire Kirchner and Lucy Ladd (class of 2032) participated in the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship in Shelbyville, Indiana this past weekend. Lucy placed 43rd, and Claire placed 109th.

Congratulations to Claire and Lucy on this great accomplishment!

two girls in yellow running uniforms and race bibs pose with arms around each other

 

Shaan Karande (Class of ’27), pianist for the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts’ top high school group, performed live at KUVO radio station on Tuesday as part of Colorado Gives Day. The hour-long performance took place in front of a studio audience and was broadcast live on-air and streaming from the station’s Masterpiece Studio.

You can watch a video recording of the broadcast on the KUVO YouTube Channel.

male teen sits on a bench in front of a grand piano

 

Karina Minson (class of 2029) is a 2025 Juvenile Midwestern Sectional Final Bronze Medalist and a 2025 Juvenile Southwestern Regional Pewter Medalist! She qualifies to go to the US Figure Skating National Development Team Camp in January 2026. Watch a clip from her Bronze Medal performance on YouTube.

a female teen poses with her bronze medal at the ice dancing semifinals

 

Nine athletes competed in the NXR Regional Cross Country Meet in Phoenix, Arizona, and each one achieved their personal best times. Jack Cerullo ('25) had an outstanding performance, finishing second in the region and setting a new school record for the 5K with an impressive time of 15 minutes, 34 seconds. Congratulations to Bennett Ross ('25), Jack Cerullo ('25), Emory Vazquez ('25), Isaac Cao ('27), Skye Williams ('26), Olin Harrison Anguiano ('25), Chris DiMaio ('28), Pierce Ross ('27), and Alden Bradley ('27).

9 student athletes kneel with their coach for a photo at the NXR cross country meet in Arizona

November 2024

Congratulations to Jacque Steven ('26) and Sona Karande ('27)!

Jacque and Sona auditioned for and have been accepted into this year's 2024 CSU High School Honor Band Festival. Both musicians made the top honor band, Wind Symphony, and were selected from hundreds of applicants throughout the western region; the three-day festival takes place at the University Center for the Arts at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Students will have the opportunity to work with guest clinicians and conductors to enhance their experience, providing invaluable insight and expertise. In addition to rehearsals, students will enjoy several concerts by the CSU faculty and student ensembles. The experience culminates in a performance by the Honor Wind Symphony and the Festival Concert Band in the beautiful, world-class Griffin Concert Hall. This is the second time in Peak to Peak history that a band member has made this ensemble. Please join us in congratulating Jacque and Sona on a job well done. Way to represent, Pumas!

two high school girls stand together holding their musical instruments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaan Karande ('27), who plays tenor saxophone in Peak to Peak's Advanced Jazz Band, auditioned for and was accepted into the 2024 High School Combined League Honor Jazz Band (CLHJB). CLHJB is an audition-only group for students in northern Colorado. Shaan was among four tenor saxophone players chosen. Each year, numerous students try out for an opportunity to join the band and work with some of the leading conductors in the region and from out of state. On Tuesday (Nov. 19), Shaan had the opportunity to work under the direction of a guest clinician from Washington when Shaan and the other selected musicians met for their first and only full day of rehearsal. The day ended with an impressive evening performance! Please join us in congratulating Shaan on his success!

male high schooler plays tenor saxophone on stage

 

Model UN sent 13 delegates to the Valor Christian conference last weekend and walked away with several awards! Kavi Gokula Giridaran ('26) won Best Delegate. Kashyap Bista and Jonah Antman (both '27) won Stand-Out Delegates, and Windan Palmer ('28) won Best Position Paper. Congratulations, delegates!

group of high school students pose on a staircase while holding their Model UN award plaques

 


October 2024

This week, three high school teachers found out they were the second-place winners of the 2024 Voya Unsung Heroes nationwide awards competition and were surprised with a grant check for $12,000. Bayley Zubler (Physics), Kristie Letter (Innovation), and Cindy Guajardo (former Art teacher) worked together last year on the "Tech-Enabled Teaching Forest" project to inspire students to become changemakers to solve environmental issues in Colorado.

Congratulations to Mr. Zubler, Ms. Letter, and Ms. Guajardo, and thank you for the innovative ideas and experiences you bring to our students every day!

3 teachers hold a giant check for $12,000 that they received from the Unsung Heroes competition

 

After a year of hard work & perseverance, Austin Ringgold ('26) established Peak to Peak’s first-ever Red Cross Club. This club has quickly grown to 60+ members and has gained tremendous momentum. Their first event, a blood drive on October 22nd, attracted 47 donors, exceeding the Red Cross' expectations and significantly contributing to local blood supply efforts. Thank you to Austin and his club members for helping to assist in the collection of a much-needed lifesaving resource!

male high schooler smiles with double thumbs up with a successful blood drive in the background

 

Nine Peak to Peak students competed on the Monarch Mountain Biking Team this year. This was the first time Peak had enough students riding to score as its own team! Kyson Webb ('28) and Wes Hruska ('28) qualified and went on to race in the Colorado High School Mountain Biking State Championships!

Congratulations, Pumas, and way to represent!

Grant Johnson ('28), Kyson Webb ('28), Quentin Bona ('25), Wes Hruska ('28), Will Fischer ('27), Phil Fischer ('25), Calvin Johnson ('25)

Not Pictured: Soren Dumond ('27) & Cohen Hamilton ('27)

7 high school boys take a team photo wearing helmets and gold mountain biking shirts

 

Congrats to 10 Peak to Peak String Players for representing Peak to Peak at BVSD's District Honors Orchestra. Special recognition is due to senior Vix Douglass who sat Principal Bass and Kavi Gokula Giridaran who sat Co-Principal Second Violin. In addition, freshman Cayden Mallory (not pictured) has been accepted into the Western States Honors Orchestra, which will perform in November - a rare feat for a freshman musician. Congrats all!

Left to right in photo: Kavi Gokula Giridaran ('26), Axel Rudolph ('26), Meredith Seiler ('25), Pranavi Mantha ('26), Vix Douglass ('25), Elliott Graves ('28), Katherine Zerwekh Reardon ('27), Tyler Li ('26), and Julianne Chirakattu ('27).

group of high school students hold their string ornaments

 

Noa Carmelli (Class of 2030) organizes monthly volunteering for teens in her community at Community Food Share in Louisville. Noa and the group she organizes have helped rescue thousands of pounds of food from landfills to feed families! Thanks for making a difference in our local community, Noa!

teen girl in a yellow safety vest holds a box in a warehouse while surrounded by vegetables

 

The boys golf team competed at the state tournament in Pueblo this week. Jack Brayman took third overall. Congratulations, Pumas!

4 teen boys and two coaches smile on the golf course at the state tournament

 

Niche, a national review and ranking site for schools, recently published its list of top schools and districts for 2025. Boulder Valley School District ranked as the #2 district in the state, with Peak to Peak listed as their highest-ranking school. Peak to Peak received the following rankings:

  • A+ overall Niche grade
  • #1 Best College Prep High School in Colorado (#119 in the USA out of nearly 18,000 schools!)
  • #2 Best Public Elementary School in Colorado
  • #2 Best Public Middle School in Colorado
  • #22 Best Charter Elementary School in America (out of 4,191 schools)
  • #24 Best Charter Middle School in America (out of 3,930 schools)
  • #35 Best Charter High School in America (out of 2,638 schools)
  • Niche 2025 best schools logo

     

Nine Peak to Peak students were designated as Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Program based on their performance on the PSAT last fall and the nationally applied Selection Index. Congratulations to the following seniors!

Photo 1 (left to right): Jude Hartter, Sydney Lewis, Emma Casini, Charlotte Morton, Lauren Laird

Photo 2 (left to right): Elliott Graves, Nyima Chonden, Bennett Ross, Emory Vazquez

5 high school seniors stand outside smiling for the camera; national merit commended scholars
4 high school students stand in front of a brick wall giving double thumbs up; national merit commended scholars

 

Stella Corzine (class of 2025) was the 2024 Youth Speaker at the Youth Climate Action Event hosted by the Sustainable Living Association in Fort Collins last weekend. She discussed her experience with climate activism and the importance of promoting climate literacy in education. Thanks for advocating for positive change, Stella!

headshot of stella corzine, white female high school student

 


September 2024

Last Saturday, several Peak to Peak students presented at the Climate Resilience Summit held at Monarch High School. They spoke about our schoolwide science experiment using mycelium to improve soil, the 60+ trees we've planted in the last year in front of the baseball field, and how we've partnered with the community to empower teenagers for climate resilience. Great work, Pumas!

two students stand at the front of a room next to a presentation screen while holding a microphone and speaking about climate resilience

 

Peak to Peak middle school girls came out in force to attend the Innovate and Inspire Robotics Camp hosted by FIRST Colorado and Google. They spent the weekend of September 21st at the Google campus in Boulder, learning how the engineering design process works by designing, building, and programming LEGO robotics. They worked directly with industry professionals who were not only their workshop mentors, but shared what a career in STEM is like. Keep an eye on the Weekly Digest for more opportunities like this as they arise!

group of middle school girls smile for a photo with a colorful background

 

Three Peak to Peak students were selected as Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Out of over 1.3 million students, less than 1% become Semifinalists. These students received some of the highest PSAT scores in the state and are now eligible to become National Merit Scholars this Spring.

Please join us in congratulating Maren Bradley, Ranye Ezenekwe, and Vivek Balachander (class of 2025)!

3 high school students stand in front of a brick wall. national merit semifinalists

 

Olin Harrison Anguiano (Class of 2025) presented at the United Nations this summer alongside Ollin Farms and in partnership with CU Denver. The topic was centered on the importance of Indigenous practices and regenerative farming in the modern era.

You can read more about Olin's presentation in this article from CU Denver: Families, Climate Change, and Social Justice

photo of four latino individuals at Ollin Farms

August 2024

Colorado Art Education Association (CAEA) is Colorado’s professional association for art educators. CAEA recently selected our very own Heather Bertarelli, High School Art Teacher, as the Colorado High School Art Teacher of the Year. We could not be more proud of Ms. Bertarelli and all that she's done to share her love and knowledge of the arts with our students over the past 15+ years. Congratulations, Ms. Bertarelli!

You can read more about Ms. Bertarelli's award, and her contributions to the Peak to Peak art program, on the CAEA Award Winners page.

headshot of Ms. Bertarelli with caption, "Colorado High School Art Educator of the Year"

 

Sophia Banjo ('28) and Ethan Soesilo ('30) qualified to represent Team Colorado at the 2024 Western Zones swimming championships in Boise, Idaho earlier this month. Way to go Pumas!

group of students smile before competing in the swimming championship

 

Gavin Keogh (Class of 2025) competed at the US Olympic Team Trials this summer and was selected to represent USA Swimming at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships held in Canberra, Australia this week. Good luck, Gavin!

Gavin Keogh competes with Team USA for swimming

 

Clara Wright ('28) and Hadley Wright ('31) went to the USA Volleyball Nationals with their teams this summer. Hadley's team was the only Colorado 11U team to qualify and earned 13th place in the nation. Congrats!

two blonde girls stand back to back in front of a giant red volleyball

 

Sophie Walker and Prisha Jain (both Class of 2028) represented Peak to Peak's Builders Club (our Middle School Service Leadership Club) at this year's Kiwanis International Convention. Peak to Peak's club was asked to represent the entire Rocky Mountain District at this International event based on its exemplary service leadership program. As representatives, they were asked to speak of their commitment to service leadership in front of a large audience of Kiwanians from around the world.

students stand on a stage with the kiwanis international emblem in the background while they receive an award