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FOUNDATION REPORT
SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015
FOUNDATION REPORT
SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015
FOUNDATION REPORT
SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ………………………………3
ABOUT THE DCIS FOUNDATION …………………………………………. 4
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2015-2016 …………………………………….5
MAJOR GOALS: 2016-2017 ………………………………………………….…...5
SNAPSHOTS: SCHOLARSHIPS, TRAVEL & CULTURAL EXPERIENCES ...…….6
TRAVEL REFLECTIONS ………………..……………………………………..7
TAKING THE WORK A FEW STEPS FURTHER ………………………………8
EVENTS AT A GLANCE …………………...………………………………….9
FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT: August 2015-July 2016 ……………….……………..10
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ..…………………………………………………….10
CONTACT ………………………………………………………………………..11
“People don’t
understand
why we went—
all they see is conflict.
But we were all
incredibly inspired.
I am doing fine arts,
others are advocating
for change.”
Emily Frazer-Abel
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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear friends of the DCIS Foundation,
When I reflect on the 2015-2016 year, two thoughts come to mind:
WOW and THANK YOU!
WOW! This past school year, the DCIS Foundation exceeded its
fundraising budget; awarded scholarships that supported 442
students with cultural experiences, student travel and exchange
programs; created a paid student internship program; and
developed partnerships with organizations across the metro area
and around the world.
THANK YOU! The DCIS Foundation is greatly appreciative of
the donors, volunteers, community organizations and friends that
make our successes possible! Our successes make a difference to the students of the four DCIS schools—
and those students go on to make a difference in the world. We are so proud of what our students have
accomplished and how much they have been able to grow.
As I look forward to the 2016-2017 year, I welcome the new opportunities that will be presented—
opportunities that will, in no small way, be aided by a 50 percent increase in scholarship budget for next
year! Our board of directors will be eager to meet new students, offer new travel experiences, and continue
to accept and approve record numbers of funding requests. I know in my heart and my mind that the work
of the DCIS Foundation is changing lives, and I am so honored to play a small role in its success.
Would you like to learn more? Would you like to see the difference your support is making? I would love
the opportunity to meet with you and share our work with you first-hand. To that end, I personally invite
you for a visit at our schools where I will introduce you to our students and show you around. Please feel
free to contact me by calling 303-895-9072 or sending an email to dcisfoundation@gmail.com.
With sincere appreciation,
Shannon Clifford
"I like the work that your foundation does, and I appreciate
the educational benefits of travel. It’s hard to have a closed
mind when you have visited a country and met its citizens."
Martha Eubanks, Donor
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ABOUT THE DCIS FOUNDATION
We create a world of opportunity for students by taking them out into it.
Our scholarships enable ECE through 12th-grade students in four DCIS
schools to take their knowledge from the classroom and apply it to real
life—with lifelong benefits. Travel:
Transforms students into confident, informed and
compassionate individuals
Enhances students’ own self-image and their image of
the world
Helps students develop into globally competent people
Helps students grow into leaders and problem solvers
who take action in their communities
Experiences Abroad,
In the U.S.
and In Colorado
Homestays
Service Learning Trips
Language Exposure &
Immersion
Exchanges
“We went to a school in the favelas and got to paint the walls and floors. We also went to an
orphanage and helped build a vertical garden, and we donated a lot of toys and utensils. It was a
great feeling carrying the babies and being able to help just a little. I feel like because of this I
am just more grateful for everything that we take for granted. We have a lot of things handed to
us, while others need to work rigorously to even be able to eat for the day.” Edward Perea
This year the DCIS Foundation placed a higher priority on funding trips that include a homestay
or a community service component. The paybacks couldn’t be more rewarding!
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The DCIS Foundation board accomplished all of
its goals last year:
1. Integrate more alumni into the DCIS
Foundation and provide opportunities for
students and alumni to engage with local
global affairs professionals.
The DCIS Foundation’s board of directors
hosted fall and spring events that included
speakers who offered insights into global af-
fairs topics. These events were well attended
by students and alumni.
2. Create a financial incentive to encourage
service learning and home stay travel.
The DCIS Foundation’s scholarship commit-
tee reviewed all student scholarships for the
value of the service opportunities, home
stays and hands-on learning experiences their
travel plans would provide. Students whose
intended trips included these types of oppor-
tunities were awarded larger scholarships.
3. Meet or exceed the fundraising budget.
The DCIS Foundation exceeded the fund-
raising budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year,
raising over $125,000.
At the DCIS Foundation board’s annual retreat,
the board identified the following goals for the
next school year:
1. Expand the community outreach committee
to include alumni efforts and networking
events that can expand the number of foun-
dation supporters and increase the number
of board members. The goal is to increase
the number of board members to 16 by the
next board retreat (summer 2017).
2. Meet or exceed the foundation’s fundraising
budget.
3. Use "Coffee with the Students" events to
engage past donors and members of the
Rotary Club.
4. Investigate the requirements, advantages
and disadvantages of establishing an endow-
ment.
MAJOR GOALS:
2016-2017
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2015-2016
"The trip was extremely
reflective for me.
Almost as if everything else
stopped and I could finally think."
Abraham Saucedo
“Through my experience it was easier
to understand why these world
problems exist and why there aren’t
any easy solutions.” Oscar Buchanan
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DCIS-Fairmont
ECE Denver Zoo: 32 students
ECE History of Colorado Museum: 46 students
ECE Butterfly Pavilion: 48 students
2nd & 3rd grade Denver Discovery Camp: 120 students
4th grade Denver Museum Nature and Science:
Overnight for 52 students
5th grade Breckenridge: Retreat for 40 students
DCIS-Ford
4th & 5th grade Washington, D.C.: Group trip for 4 students
5th grade Denver Museum Nature and Science: Overnight for 80 students
DCIS-Baker
Stella Wilson Japan: Homestay
Molly Dill Thailand: Service-oriented trip
Keegan Smit China: Sister Cities International
Scout Hope China: Sister Cities International
Sofia Campbell China: Sister Cities International
Rebecca Egan Spain: Yearlong exchange / Council on International
Educational Exchange
Oscar Buchanan New York: National High School Model United Nations
Ryder Phelps Japan: Service-oriented trip and homestay / Youth in Action
Tessa Hansen Japan: Service-oriented trip and homestay / Youth in Action
Violet Virnich Japan: Service-oriented trip and homestay / Youth in Action
Sophia Tribelhorn Japan: Service-oriented trip and homestay / Youth in Action
Tia Van Japan: Sister Cities International
Tobias Lidov Spain: 7-week homestay and language immersion / Adolesco
Rebecca West Scotland
Emily Frazer-Abel Israel and Palestine: Service-oriented trip / Meet the Middle East
6th grade Costa Rica: Group trip
10th grade Canyonlands: Group trip
DCIS-Montbello
Christian Giles China
Elyjaha Garcia Brazil: Service-oriented trip
Joseph Montoya Brazil: Service-oriented trip
Noemi Luna-Montes Brazil: Service-oriented trip
Yisel Acencio Brazil: Service-oriented trip
Carolina Perdomo Brazil
Edward Perea Brazil
Coral Garcia Africa / Global Livingston Institute
Janette Ramirez China / Sister Cities International
SNAPSHOTS:
SCHOLARSHIPS, TRAVEL & CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
“By the end
I wanted to stay
there with my
host family.
They were so
kind.”
Ryder Phelps
In the 2015-2016 school year, the DCIS Foundation was thrilled to have awarded $39,122 in scholarships to
469 students across the four DCIS campuses—giving many of them an opportunity of a lifetime.
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TRAVEL REFLECTIONS
The DCIS Foundation asks scholarship recipients to keep travel journals in which they record reflec-
tions and observations about their experiences—and then share a reflection with us upon their return.
These stories always inspire us; they illustrate the growth and heightened awareness of self and others
in a way that only travel can do. We offer one such story here.
The experience that had the most impact on me was when we did
community service at an orphanage. We helped build a garden and
we got to know some of the people there. This had the most im-
pact on me because we got see how life is for others.
We complain on daily basis about our lives or about not having
what we want, when in other parts of the world people are
suffering for being poor, for not having parents, or for being
abused. We are ambitious and always want more, but we fail to
realize that other people don't have much and we are ungrateful
for what we have.
My view of myself has changed in many ways. Before I traveled I
was really scared to go to another country where I didn’t know
the language, the people, and the culture. I was scared that may-
be I was going to get home sick, that I wasn’t going to like the
food, or that overall it wasn’t going to be a good experience.
Well, it turns out I was wrong. I absolutely loved everything
about Brazil!
Now I see myself in the future moving or studying in another
country because I like learning new things and experiencing
them as well.
Yisel Castaneda, DCIS-Montbello student
Brazil
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Interns Making a Difference
This year the DCIS Foundation launched an internship program,
hiring DCIS students to help out with a variety of administrative and
community outreach functions while gaining transferable job skills.
In the summer of 2016, our intern was Jennifer Enriquez, who had
graduated from DCIS-Montbello in the spring with plans to attend
the University of Denver.
At DCIS, Jennifer was class treasurer, and was also active as a
student ambassador and an ROTC member—while also finding time
to volunteer at her church. As a DCIS Foundation scholarship
recipient, she traveled to Uganda and Rwanda in Africa with the
Global Leadership Institute in 2015. One day, Jennifer looks
forward to founding a nonprofit organization to advocate for non-
English speaking persons in the United States.
Prior to her internship with us, Jennifer had expressed a hope to gain independence, knowledge and work skills—
including skills in time management, communication and nonprofit operations. We hope she felt she achieved those goals,
for we thoroughly enjoyed having Jennifer on board, and appreciated all of her hard work and eagerness to learn. We are
very excited to see what our intern program has in store for more student interns in the future!
TAKING THE WORK A FEW STEPS FURTHER
In October 2015, Shannon Clifford, the DCIS
Foundation’s executive director, was honored to
join Denver Sister Cities International’s Kunming
committee during a trip to China.
For three days, Shannon served as a citizen
delegate representing the city of Denver. During
her brief stay she met with Kunming city officials
and spent time at the Kunming Foreign Language
School—while also experiencing the beautiful city
of Kunming (Denver's sister city in China). This
experience afforded her the opportunity to rein-
state a DCIS Foundation/Denver Sister Cities
student exchange program.
The effort was successful, opening the door for a
group of five students from DCIS-Baker and
DCIS-Montbello to travel to Kunming in the
spring of 2016. The students were graciously
hosted by the Kunming Foreign Language school and stayed with local host families.
In 2017, the DCIS Foundation will have the pleasure of returning the favor: we are making arrangements for DCIS
students to host several Kunming students in Denver, a win-win for all.
Fostering Cultural Exchange Opportunities
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On April 27, 2016, the DCIS
Foundation held its annual spring
fundraising dinner, The World as a
Classroom, at the Denver Athletic
Club. Thanks to everyone’s generous
support, we raised a net amount of
$76, 548—funds that go toward
travel scholarships for students at all
four DCIS schools.
The evening featured speakers who
shared inspiring and thoughtful
words about the importance and
value of intercultural understanding.
Keynote speakers Hikmet Ersek,
CEO of Western Union and the honorary consul for Austria, and Dr. Nayantara Ghosh-Ersek, Colorado vice
consul to Austria and a management consultant and trainer at Ghosh International, centered on themes of
empathy, knowing oneself and "the other"—whomever the other may be—and the true meaning of diversity.
Jennifer Enriquez, a student at DCIS at Montbello, shared her experience traveling to Uganda and Rwanda with
the Global Livingston Institute. She shared how the trip (her first time flying in an airplane) helped her realize
that she was not only representing her school, but her entire community—and fueled a dream to be the CEO of
her own non-governmental organization someday.
We extend a tremendous thanks to our other speakers for making the evening such a success: Jamie Van
Leeuwen of the Global Livingston Institute; Gianina Horton, a Denver native and an alum of DCIS and
Colorado College; Mary MacCarthy of Feature Story News; and Mike Ferrufino of the Denver Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce.
EVENTS AT A GLANCE
The World as a Classroom: Spring Dinner 2016
Author-Speaker Event: Fall 2015
On September 23, 2015, we hosted our annual fall fundraiser
featuring Former Ambassador Christopher Hill, author of “Life
on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy.” This speaker event
raised about $4,500 that was applied toward travel scholarships,
thanks to the approximately 80 guests in attendance.
In addition to Ambassador Hill’s speech and book signing, the
evening featured delicious food donated by local restaurants and a
beautiful array of useful and enjoyable silent auction items. Many
thanks to Ambassador Hill and to the many local restaurants,
businesses, community members and student ambassadors who
supported this event!
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FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT
August 2015-July 2016
INCOME:
Total Donations: $69,764
Total Fundraising Events: $89,919
Total Other Income: $6,807
Total: $183,525
EXPENSES:
Program: $72,997
Total Management and General: $62,044
Total Fundraising: $19,974
Total: $155,015
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LeVon Terry
President
Nina T. McGibney
Vice President and
Scholarship
Committee Chair
Kristi LaBarge
Treasurer and Finance
Committee Chair
Poorvi B. Parkhie
Secretary and Grants
Committee Chair
Tom Evans
Derek George
Jill Lohmiller
Maria
Guadalupe
Monclova
Melanie Grant
(Board
Emeritus)
Dan Lutz, Ph.D.
Founder
Shannon Clifford
CFRE
Executive Director
Linda Lidov
Communication
Committee Chair
Alyce Blum
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Denver Center for
International Studies
Foundation
P.O. 9044
Denver, Colorado 80209
303-895-9072
www.dcisfoundation.org
dcisfoundation@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/dcisfoundation
www.linkedin.com/company/denver-center-for-international-
studies-foundation
DCIS Schools
Central Denver
DCIS-Baker, Grades 6-12 | 574 West 6th Ave | 720-423-9000
dcis.dpsk12.org
DCIS-Fairmont, ECE-Grade 5 | 520 West 3rd Avenue | 720-424-7620
dcisfairmont.dpsk12.org
Far Northeast Denver
DCIS-Montbello, Grades 6-12 | 5000 Crown Blvd | 720-423-5900
www.dcismontbello.org
DCIS-Ford, ECE-Grade 5 | 14500 Maxwell Place | 720-424-7300
dcisatford.dpsk12.org“I went not confident
at all. Now I can
take on the world!”
Tia Van
