The Connection

The tech team holding their new Verizon tablets and certificates for winning the national app design challenge. From left to right: Jordan Peters, Rohan Balan, Christy Street (teacher and faculty advisor), Deanne Apke, Adriana Maldonado, and Shivani Chauhan. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photos courtesy of Christy Street A team of five Rock Canyon High School (RCHS)…

Article by Elean Gersack The Buffalo Ridge Educational Alliance (BREA), the school’s parent-teacher organization, has set the activity calendar for the 2013-2014 school year and is seeking businesses to support the school by sponsoring events. “By supporting our school, businesses support our community,” said Lesley Gibson, BREA sponsorship chairperson. “This year, we created a menu…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines “News & Notes” Amendment 64 to the Colorado Constitution established an October 1 deadline for local governments to regulate or prohibit the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana. The retail sale and cultivation regulations of Amendment 64 are enacted in part through zoning and land use restrictions.…

Douglas County Libraries presents “May the Fourth Be with You,” a celebration of all things Star Wars, Saturday, May 4, at the Douglas County Events Center, located at 500 Fairgrounds Drive in Castle Rock. The day begins at 10 a.m. with a demonstration by pop-up artist Matthew Reinhart. Reinhart’s pop-up books include “Mommy?,” co-authored by…

Information provided by the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Bring your iPad on Thursday, May 23 and join members of the business community from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Castle Pines Chamber office for a complimentary, hands-on workshop. Weldon Dodd, owner of Rewind Technology (Apple authorized training center) will be conducting an introductory…

The production of Annie at Rocky Heights Middle School brought down the house!  The cast and crew was made up of more than 100 students from sixth through eighth grade. By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of eighth grade RHMS student Jason Lewis The production of “Annie” at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) set a new…

Information provided by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Law enforcement is beginning to see some new approaches to the old sweepstakes/lottery frauds, and Castle Pines residents should be aware of these techniques. The typical sweepstakes/lottery fraud involved a telephone call or regular mail from the criminal telling the victim that they have won a large…

On any given morning, MiYO Cafe in The Village at Castle Pines is crowded with neighbors and friends enjoying coffee, platters of eggs, bacon and pancakes, homemade burritos, yummy cinnamon rolls, or any of the other wonderful breakfast and lunch dishes that MiYO is known for. MiYO (Make it Your Own) was opened in 2009…

Mad scientists team up with twin Cliffords to help kick off the Buffalo Ridge Elementary School Spring Book Fair on Monday, April 15. This annual event is always a great way for students to stock up on summer reads. Photo by Elean Gersack

By Elizabeth Wood West The city and county of Denver, in cooperation with the Denver United Veterans Council and the Veterans Memorial Day Tribute Committee, invites the public to attend Memorial Day ceremonies on Saturday, May 25, at Lincoln Park, in front of the Colorado Veterans Memorial in Denver. Events will start with a wreath…

Pictured above: Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) baseball players joined together for a moment in a huddle before playing on Coors Field April 13. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Mike Heflebower Kade Castleberry of Hidden Pointe, the starting pitcher of the game, said, “Playing at Coors Field was a great experience for me as…

The girls bonded on the retreat; one attendee said, “I learned to be confident and I loved making friends.” By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Staci McCormack Thirteen Douglas County high school girls, ninth through twelfth grade, attended the first Girls! Enlightened, Empowered, Empathetic Retreat February 15 and 16 at the outdoor education center in…

Castle Pines Boy Scout Troop 316’s new eagle scouts – (left to right) Richard Garnett Woodford, Jr., Andrew Stephan Landeros, and Evan Lee Albert.  The eagle scouts posed with a live bald eagle, courtesy of HawkQuest, at their recent Eagle Scout Court of Honor. By Elizabeth Wood West; photo courtesy of Castle Pines Boy Scout…

Third graders in Mrs. Kennedy’s class read the book “Stone Fox” earlier this year, which was the inspiration for their Iditarod class project. By Karlie W., BRE Ridgeline staff reporter; photo by Elean Gersack Kayleen Kennedy’s third grade class reads the book “Stone Fox,” by John Reynolds Gardiner, every year. The story is about a…

By Elean Gersack; logo courtesy of The Dumb Friends League Grab your buddies and fetch your four-legged friends and then head to Washington Park on Saturday, May 4, at 9 a.m. for the Furry Scurry. This annual event for dog lovers will include fun for all, as the Dumb Friends League raises money to care…

By Elean Gersack 9Health Fair is coming to locations across Colorado in April and both Sky Ridge Medical Center and the Castle Rock Recreation Center will play host. The 9Health Fair has become an annual regimen for those taking charge of personal health and wellness. The Castle Rock Recreation Center will host the fair on…

The fun and unique invitation, featuring the guest of honor and her husband, for the Warren Village fundraiser. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo and invitation courtesy of Julie Lamb “The dream that I dreamed was only surpassed by the magic that happened in the room,” was how Tammy Abramovitz described her 50th Big Love Birthday Bash…

Good food and neighbors made for a fun afternoon at the Winter Festival and Chili Cook-off in Castle Pines Village. Article and photos by Amy Shanahan Residents of Castle Pines Village (CPV) recently enjoyed an afternoon full of friends, food and fun! The Winter Festival took place on March 3 and was attended by more…

Photo courtesy of DCSM DCS Montessori kindergartners enjoyed recess in some of the unpredictable Colorado weather, an unexpected 65 degree day on March 13.

Members of the Timber Team, Timber Trail Elementary School’s student council, assembled 200 Easter baskets for donation to the Douglas County Task Force. Baskets, which were created for recipients ranging in age from infancy to 18 years old, included toys, school supplies, toiletries, and candy.

Castle Pines resident Kelly McAlear, here with her family, helps clients find perfect fitting clothes that “work with what they already have in their closets.” By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Kelly McAlear Style consultant Kelly McAlear of Castle Pines has joined a customer-focused business that brings custom luxury menswear direct to its clients, and…

By Lisa Crockett Craig Cook, a Castle Pines resident who works as the Chief Architect of Cloud Services for Longview Systems, is heading to Haiti next month in an effort to help the earthquake-ravaged country. Cook and 15 of his coworkers will spend a week building playgrounds and delivering school supplies. “The devastation there really…

By Julie Montoya March was a time of giving back for the Valor community through service projects and Discovery trips. Valor also reveled in the boys basketball, first-ever appearance at the 4A State Championship. The junior and senior classes prepared and packaged 100,000 meals for hungry kids around the world through Feed my Starving Children,…

What started as a handout for his patients turned into an informative and interesting book by Dr. Bill Lee. Lee believes that all adults have the ability to take charge of their wellness and aging by practicing good health. By Amy Shanahan, photo courtesy of Dr. Bill Lee Dr. Bill Lee, a resident of Castle…

Castle Pines resident Pete Solano’s passion for running has translated into his profession. His Boulder Running Company store is being rebranded, and is now Run Colorado. By Elizabeth Wood West; photo by Tim Gamble “Running has been a constant for most of my life,” said Pete Solano, Castle Pines resident and owner of the Boulder…

Information courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff’s website. Coyote sightings have been on the rise in Castle Pines so it’s a good time to be reminded about coyote safety for your family and for your pets. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple calls in the last month about coyote sightings and encounters in…

Scot Chadwick and his daughter Essa had a blast on the dance floor during the Father Daughter Dance at The Country Club at Castle Pines. The dance has become a fun annual tradition for many members and their guests. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The Macarena and Gangnam Style were just two of the…

By Liz West Beginning with the April issue, a familiar section of The Castle Pines Connection newspaper has been brought back by popular demand. Our “Community Connections” section is our version of a business directory and is designed to be a useful resource for our readers, as well as an affordable marketing tool for small…

Gary Ewing is retiring from Rocky Heights Middle School after serving as the head of security for the past ten years. His warmth and genuine kindness toward the staff, parents, and students will be greatly missed. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan They may not know him by name, but any parent who has dropped…

By Elean Gersack; logo courtesy of The Cherry Creek Sneak Lace up for the Cherry Creek Sneak, Denver’s spring running tradition. This year’s race is planned for Sunday morning, April 28, in the Cherry Creek North Business District. Events include 10-mile; 5-mile; 3.1-mile (5K); 1.5-mile sprint; .5-mile Kids’ Fun Run (ages 8 and younger); and…

Rocky Heights Middle School seventh graders (from left) Karen Yi, Shreya Nallapati, and Sophia Klokinis qualified for the state spelling bee, held last month. Yi and Nallapati advanced to the final round. By Lisa Crockett; photo courtesy of the Klokinis Family Sophia Klokinis, a 13-year-old seventh grader at Rocky Heights Middle School, along with her…

Daniel Deschane’s love of maps helped him advance to the state Geography Bee. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Most of us probably don’t know where the Sundra Strait is or which two islands it separates, but Daniel Deschane, a seventh grade student at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) knows that and much more! Deschane…

By Patte Smith The Douglas County Libraries score big time when it comes to fun ebook reading for children. Check out the Disney Digital Books that bring favorite, classic and new stories to life for young readers. This collection of more than 600 stories includes great tales like “Sleeping Beauty,” “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” and…

Castle Pines resident Olivia Hamilton took an impressive second place in classical and third place in contemporary dance in the pre-competitive division this February. Alexandra Gray will be off to the Big Apple this month to compete in the Youth America Grand Prix 2013 Finals in New York.    By Kathy Dunker; photos courtesy of…

Robotic creations included this chomping alligator by Abby Mays at American Academy during STEM week. Article by Kathy Dunker; photo courtesy of American Academy STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) week at American Academy (AA) is filled with fun, hands-on information for young students. March 4 through 15 was the Lego WeDo construction session for…

By Lisa Crockett “Wax It,” a salon specializing in hair removal, will soon open in Castle Pines with an eye toward good value and efficient service. Owner Christine Kemmer and her partner Omar Velayudhan plan to celebrate the grand opening of the salon, which is located in the Village Square shopping center, on April 8.…

Emersen M. takes a swing during coach-pitch baseball last summer in Castle Pines. Register now for summer baseball and t-ball for ages 4 to 4th grade with Castle Pines Athletics at www.castlepinesathletics.com. Photo by Cari Ogg.

RCHS Principal Andy Abner with Apple award winner Shawndra Fordham. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Julie Lamb Shawndra Fordham, science teacher at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), is glad her husband kept insisting she become a teacher. She was working for the National Park Service and missing the interaction with people when her husband…

Article by Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Kim Butorac Children from the remote village in Haiti, L’Asile, are excited to receive new uniforms for their music program (pictured below). The program, Music Of The Heart, was founded in 2011 by Surrey Ridge resident Kim Butorac. The nonprofit program assists children of these villages in learning…

The City of Castle Pines may soon have a community garden. The Canyons, a mixed-use development slated to be built in the city on the eastern side of I-25, has given the garden a home. The garden will include 50 individual garden plots, as well as parking, a pergola, and composting areas that residents can…

Unused or expired medications can be a dangerous threat to children, teens and even adults. The Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is April 27 at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Highlands Ranch substation. Article and photo by Elean Gersack Medicine cabinets can be overflowing with pills. Between allergies, illnesses, injuries and surgeries, the bottles can accumulate…

Crews in lighting, sound, and special effects work diligently to transform a Castle Pines home into a wintery wonderland, as the backdrop for the filming of a television Tcommercial for SourceGas Energy Services. Article and photo by Julie Montoya; storyboard courtesy of Blue Onion Advertising It was the talk of the town … the BristolCone…

The Castle Pines Connection staff, families, and friends had a great time working the phone bank at Rocky Mountain PBS. By Kathy Dunker; photos by Tim Gamble and courtesy of Rick Holtzmann On March 6, The Castle Pines Connection staff, along with spouses, family, and friends joined forces with Rocky Mountain PBS and volunteered to…

     Daryl Navarro interviewed Miss Colorado Hannah Porter for his T.V. show Colorado SportsConnection. Porter played football for Arapahoe High School as a freshman, and went on to win the Miss Colorado pageant in 2012. “It’s so easy to root for good people,” stated Navarro.      By Amy Shanahan, photo courtesy of Daryl Navarro Daryl…

By Amy Shanahan A new dining option will soon be available in Castle Rock across from the Outlet Mall. Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers recently broke ground near Lowe’s, and is set to open in early July. Freddy’s is a franchise location of an enormously popular restaurant with 89 stores in 14 different states. Freddy’s…

The RCHS Student Council proudly displays the check that will make wishes come true. Mara is in the middle, wearing pink. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of RCHS STUCO The entire Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) community united for Wish Week and made wishes come true for eight kids with life-threatening illnesses. The goal was…

By Lisa Crockett; photos courtesy of Lutheran High School Lutheran High School boys and girls varsity basketball teams took fifth and third at the state finals last month, a true achievement for a new program at a growing school. “It was a lot of fun to play with the team this year,” said Reilly Carew,…

Lili Sannino’s primary class at DCSM experienced a little bit of Bulgarian tradition last month while donning their Martenitsa masks to welcome spring. By Kathy Dunker; photo courtesy of DCSM Bulgaria has an interesting tradition related to the first of March and is based on the founding of Bulgaria in 681AD. Students in DCS Montessori…

Rotary Club of Castle Pines Charter President Karl Krueger (left) and current President Elaine Love (center) presented a $7,500 check to Alison Rakotonirina, executive director for the Colorado Haiti Project (right). By Elizabeth Wood West; photo courtesy of Patricia Fiske Members of the Rotary Club of Castle Pines (RCCP) recently donated $7,500 to the Colorado…

By Chris Bonham Earth Day is April 22. For those who are unfamiliar with it, Earth Day is designed to raise awareness for what humanity can do to better conserve and protect the precious natural resources we have been given. Even those who have never heard of Earth Day may already know a few things…

Deputy Matthew Bach takes a quick break at Timber Trail Elementary. The school’s PTO and two local businesses sponsor a break station in the school’s front office to foster interaction between law enforcement officers and the school. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A cup of coffee or a bottle of water is a small…

A Taste of … Ivy at the Glenn Article by Lisa Crockett; photos courtesy of Ivy at the Glenn Walking into Ivy at the Glenn, located at the heart of the Streets at SouthGlenn shopping area, one of the first things you notice is the natural décor. Beetle-kill logs adorn the restaurant’s back wall from…

This rendering of the proposed North Meadows Extension was on display at the Town of Castle Rock’s recent open house at Castle View High School. By Elizabeth Wood West; rendering courtesy of the Town of Castle Rock The Town of Castle Rock’s (Town) recent open house gave residents from surrounding communities an opportunity to gather…

Cari Ogg waits patiently with Kona, Karma, Misty and Oliver, far from where students gather at morning drop off and afternoon pick up at Buffalo Ridge Elementary. Article and photo by Liz Jurkowski In an e-mail to parents on March 3, Buffalo Ridge Elementary’s (BRE) interim principal, Carrie Rotherham, reminded parents of the school district’s…

Diversity Day at RJ offers many surprises for students as they learn more about their teachers and each other. RJ theology teacher Matt Klassen is also a rapper named Paradox and he presented a seminar on the history of rap and hip hop in our culture. By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of Regis Jesuit In…

By Lynne Marsala Basche;photos courtesy of the Castle Rock Senior Center When you think about a senior center, you may conjure up visions of a dismal place where old people are propped in front of a television, day in and day out. If so, you are in for a surprise at the Castle Rock Senior…

Buffy the Buffalo is all smiles with BRE kiddos during “Evening with the Arts” on February 28. Article and photo by Elean Gersack Move over Rocky and Miles … students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary are all grins with Buffy the Buffalo! Buffy, the new school mascot, appeared for the first time earlier this year during…

Article and photos by Lisa Crockett The annual father-daughter dance at Timber Trail Elementary this year took guests over the rainbow and into Oz for a magical night of dancing, prizes and fun with a Wizard of Oz theme. The dance gave girls and their dads a chance to spend some time with each other,…

Congratulations to the following scholarship recipients: (Top row – left to right) Makayla McBride / Soccer / University of Northern Colorado; Morgan Storch / Soccer / Minnesota State, Mankato Josh Gardella / Golf / Masters College; Serina Owens / Soccer / Missouri Valley College, Marshall, MO Cameron Gill / Track / Western State College; Allison…

Paul Kelley of Academy Sports Turf on the field that he installed at Elk Ridge Park in Castle Pines. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Denise Kelley When Paul Kelley of Castle Pines and Mike Hartwell of Littleton were mowing lawns at sixteen years old, they couldn’t have imagined they would play a key role…

A group of investors is looking to partner with local officials and the federal government for a new roadway proposal that could connect the City of Castle Pines to the Town of Parker. By Elizabeth Wood West; map provided by Douglas County Discussions about a new eight-mile roadway extending due east from Castle Pines Parkway…

The cast and crew of Valor Visual Arts performance of “Footloose” like to cut loose on and off the stage. They all truly enjoy being part of a fun and very active production. Front to back, left to right: two ladies laying over the knees Virginia H and Elizabeth P. Second row, left to right:…

By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Shades of Blue Castle Pines Resident and pilot Willie Daniels visited Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) recently to encourage students to explore the field of aviation as well as pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Daniels is a graduate from the Aviation program at Metro…

Members of the Castle Pines Rotary Club attend each meeting of the new Interact club at RHMS and lend their support to these outstanding students. The Interact club is open to students in sixth through eighth grade at RHMS. Rotary members Jeff Mantz, Gary Bartmann, and Lisa Bartmann, along with RHMS counselor Kate Egan are…

Pilates in the Pines is now offering new state-of-the art equipment. The new Power Plate equipment is used by NFL, NBA and MLB players throughout the country to help enhance overall athletic performance. By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of Pilates in the Pines Pilates in the Pines, located in The Village at Castle Pines, has…

Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Archery is a sport that has become more mainstream, thanks to its popularity at the Olympics and to the impact of “The Hunger Games” books and movie. Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) is proud to be the only school in Douglas County, and the only middle school in the…