GIVE TO STEM
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STEMShares

What is STEMShares?

STEMShares is our opportunity to bring our community together to give back and share what being #STEMStrong really means. Our community showed an amazing amount of support for us in our time of need, and giving back is a great way to honor the heroic actions of our students and staff.

Sharing your #STEMShares

We’d love for our community to share what they’re doing during #STEMShares. Please consider sharing using our online submission form by clicking here. If you share on social media, we ask that you please use the #STEMShares so that our community can see.

Ideas for Getting Involved for #STEMShares

Attention All Makers with 3D Printers
Please join Mrs. Phillips in making 3d printed face shields bands! If you are interested in joining the efforts please go to Make4Covid.mn.co . You will need to follow their protocol to produce the bands including wearing gloves and a face masåk and using the correct material for each type of print. There is even a STEM School Highlands Ranch Team on Make4Covid that you can join and ask questions you have. If you have any questions you can email Mrs. Phillips at cara.phillips@stemk12.org . Together we can make a difference!
Sewing Masks
Sixth-grader Sarah Callahan and her mom shared with us her handmade face mask, along with a video tutorial on how anyone can make their own.

You can also find more information at https://www.coloradomaskproject.com/.
Act of Kindness Ideas
This could include donating to a charity or non-profit, volunteering, helping a family member, reaching out to a friend you haven’t connected with in a while, or anything else you can think of to provide a moment of connection with others. Click here to see a complete list of Acts of Kindness suggestions.
  • Contact a nursing home in your area and ask about
    • Writing letters to residents
    • Connecting with residents over video
  • Make a “thank you” sign for your window or front yard
  • Do yard or gardening work for a neighbor
  • Write kind messages on the sidewalk with chalk
  • Call Grandparents to say hello!
  • Know a member of the STEM class of 2019? Reach out!
  • Write a letter to:
    • Class of 2019 Graduates
    • Current or former school staff
    • Support Our Troops
    • Patients at Children’s Hospital
    • Mail carriers
    • Any essential workers
Acts of Service
Financial Donations
Here are some of the ideas that we’ve received from out community.
  • Buy a gift card from a locally-owned business to support them during the shutdown
  • Donate to a food bank
  • Donate to a nonprofit organization
Give Back to First Responders
First Responders that assisted us last year
  • Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (4000 Justice Way, Castle Rock, CO. 80109)
  • Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Substation (9250 Zotos Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO. 80129)
  • Lone Tree Police Department (9220 Kimmer Dr., #120, Lone Tree, CO. 80124)
  • Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office (13101 E. Broncos Pkwy., Centennial, CO. 80112)
  • South Metro Fire Station 18 (401 W. Timbervale Trail, Littleton, CO. 80129)
  • Colorado State Patrol (4600 Castleton Ct., Castle Rock, CO. 80109)
  • Littleton Hospital (7700 S. Broadway, Littleton, CO. 80122)
  • Children’s Hospital South Campus (1811 Plaza Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO. 80129)
Have an idea you’d like to share with others on what they could do during #STEMShares? Email Hannah.Reese@stemk12.org.

Thank You to Our Community

These organizations supported STEM last Spring if you want to consider thank you notes or supporting their local business.
  • IMS Printing & Signs
  • PDQ – Printing Done Quickly
  • Mission Hills Church
  • St. Andrew United Methodist Church
  • Cherry Hills Community Church
  • St. Lukes
  • Children’s Hospital
  • Littleton Adventist Hospital
  • SkyRidge Hospital
  • Chickfila – Town Center
  • Starbucks
  • Home Depot
  • Tokyo Joes
  • Shake Shack – Highlands Ranch
  • Honey B’s Macarons
  • Buffalo Wild Wings
  • Mad Greens
  • Festive Cup
  • Living the Dream
  • King Soopers – Wildcat location & Highland Ranch Parkway locations
  • Safeway – Mineral location
  • Costco – Lone Tree location
  • Office Depot – Town Center
  • Target
  • Northridge Rec Center
  • Go Team Therapy Dogs
  • Avaya
  • Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria
  • Hodson’s
  • Big Daddy’s Burgers (all locations)
  • Quiznos – Highlands Ranch
  • Parry’s Pizza – Highlands Ranch
  • McDonalds – Highlands Ranch
  • Wahoo’s Fish Tacos
  • Garlic Jim’s Pizza
  • Raising Cane’s – Town Center
  • Mod Pizza – Highlands Ranch
  • Cold Stone Creamery -Town Center
  • Tokyo Joe’s
  • Old Chicago
  • Nothing but Bundts
  • Which Wich
  • Torchy’s Tacos
  • Rock bottom Brewery
  • The Grist
  • Breckenridge Brewery
  • Boy Scout Troop 873
  • Boy Scout Troop 794
  • Perfect Teeth

ACTS OF KINDNESS

ACTS OF SERVICE

ACTS OF DONATION

33

7

10

Acts of Kindness

Name Connection to STEM Who Benefitted? What Was Done?
Karyn Weiffenbach Current Parents The Castillos Coordinated with Seven Stones Cemetery for the Castillos to receive messages from our community
Janet Arnold Current Parent Children’s Hospital Mailed off 365 hearts of gratitude to the workers at Children’s
Nicole Smith, Rudy Lukez, Roy Martinez, Thomas Wendling, Jeff Berg, Trevor Kilpatrick, Ramesh Thatavarthi Board of Directors STEM Community Created a video to share with the STEM Community.
Douglas County Libraries Community Partner STEM Community Created a video to share with the STEM Community
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office & South Metro Fire Community Partner STEM Seniors Gathered together to create video messages for STEM Seniors.
Littleton Adventist Hospital Community Partner STEM Community LAH staff shared photos of solidarity with signs that said #STEMStrong
Graham Thompson Current Student DCSO I made a coffee cake and a thank you card and took it to the sheriff substation close to STEM
Susan Montgomery Current Parent STEM Community We participated in STEM’s car procession today and my husband created a time lapse of it: https://youtu.be/omRFLxYoQ3A
Beth Boen Current Parent Two families – our neighbor who has cancer and another person who has a disability. For our neighbor with cancer, we assisted in helping repair a fallen down fence. For the person we know with a disability whose caregiver is sick, we made hot meals, sides and desserts that they can easily heat up with no preparation. We delivered enough prepared food for for a week.
Anonymous Current Parent Elderly We wrote letters to some elderly members of our family who are in a senior living home not allowing visitors at this time.
Anonymous Current Parent Teachers We also planted flowers for our teachers and sent them homemade gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week
Anonymous Current Parent Neighbors We distributed bundles of face masks to several of our neighbors most of whom fall in the senior category and higher risk; over 30 masks distributed.
Haylee Fustich Current Student South Platte Our family painted stones. While leaving the stones outside on trails today we picked up garbage.
Christine Logue Current Staff Peakview Assisted Living and Memory Care We painted 37 5×7 paintings for their residents to spread joy to those living there that cannot be visited by their family members at this time.
Hannah Reese Current Staff Various Individuals I wrote thank you notes to the national and local experts and mental health professionals who have provided guidance to STEM over the past year.
Liz Dougan Current Staff STEM Families Connected with impacted students/families.
Anna Magle-Haberek Current Staff An Individual Gave away sourdough starter and bread baking lessons
Stephanie Hooley Current Parent DCSO We are having Parry’s Pizza delivered to the DCSO HR Substation to say thanks.
Mike Pritchard Current Staff Former Staff Called a former employee
Maria Moreno Current Staff Neighbors help with their garden
Maura Ridder Current Staff Essential workers, friends, family, neighbors Planting trees, posting signs thanking essential workers, creating meaningful collages and letters mailed to friends and family, sending unexpected gifts to people in need, lots of paying it forward at drive throughs (over a dozen.)
Coleen Sullivan Current Parent & Staff Our Garbage Man Alberto! Jack and his brother love our garbage man, Alberto. Jack wanted to thank him for all of his hard work.
Coleen Sullivan Current Parent & Staff Amazon, UPS and FedEx delivery workers We are receiving A LOT of deliveries lately and Jack thought it would be a good idea to leave thank you messages for delivery workers to see.
Hannah Nikolaev Current Student Nursing Homes, Hospitals & Neighbors I am sewing masks that I can disinfect and donate to places that need them to prolong the life of N95 masks. We are in the process of hanging the masks on a tree in our neighborhood (sterilized + sealed in bags) allowing anyone who needs them to grab them.
Kelly Murphy Current Parent Adopt a Senior Our family adopted a 2020 Graduate from Missouri. We will be sending him several gifts to brighten his day over the next few weeks. We specially chose a student who is mildly on the Autism spectrum.
Kelly Murphy Current Parent Our Neighbors My children dropped off plates of doughnuts to our neighbors to brighten their day.
Asher DeCrescenzo Current Student My Family Took part in the Run for the Fallen
Stephanie Mendrala Current Staff Neighbors Delivered cards to my neighbors
Coleen Sullivan Current Staff Neighbors Jack painted rocks with uplifting pictures and messages and left a rock on the doorstep of each house on our cul de sac.
Abbi Kaplan Current Staff Neighbors Donate homemade cookies to neighborhood.
Tobi Anderson Current Parent HS Senior from KIPP Denver Collegiate HS ‘Adopt’ a senior graduation gift
Tobi Anderson Current Parent STEM Community Participate in car procession
Alexa Nichols Current Staff A friend Took birthday cookies to a friend to help her celebrate her 13th in quarantine.

Act of Service

Name Connection to STEM Who Benefitted? Hours of Service What Was Done?
Karyn Weiffenbach
 Current Parent STEM Community 4 Coordinated a car procession for the community to participate in on the one year mark
Nicole Bostel
 Current Staff Village XChange Aurora 4 Delivered food to those in need
Michelle Gasser Current Staff and Parent Village XChange Aurora 2 Delivered food to those in need.
Tammy Horlacher Current Parent Heart and Hope center .5 We conducted a food drive in our neighborhood.
Jenny Johnson Current Staff Faith Lutheran Church (Castle Rock) 12 I helped purchase and pack groceries for a Drive Up Food Bank for 50+ families
Kalissa Braga Current Parent Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 15 Sewed over 40 face masks
Alexa Nichols Current Staff Help & Hope Center Food Bank 1 Donated dry/shelf sustainable food items for families in need.

Act of Donation

Name Connection to STEM Organization donated to Amount of Donation
Nicole Bostel Current Staff I5City Church $120
Liz Dougan Current Staff Cat Care Society $100
Liz Dougan Current Staff The Gathering Place $100
Hannah Reese Current Staff Food Bank of the Rockies $60
Mike Pritchard Current Staff Beyond Home $200
Chris Smith Current Staff Feeding America $100
Karyn Weiffenbach Current Parent Food Bank of the Rockies (at the request of DCSO) $1860 (Various Donators)
Karyn Weiffenbach Current Parent Make4Covid My son used his 3D printer to print and donate 60 items of PPE. Both visor bands and ear buckles.
Nicole Bostel Current Staff Children’s Hospital Blood Bank Donated Blood
Nicole Bostel Current Staff STEM Community I made candles to donate to the STEM community to show that they are a light in our community. Left them at the school for anyone to take.

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