DENVER—Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean donned frayed blue jeans and holey sneakers soiled from staining his Vermont home’s deck to help repaint the walls of Manual High School Thursday.
Dean was in town to meet with the executive committee putting on the Democratic National Convention in August. He declined to talk about the convention, the tight race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, or even Gov. Bill Ritter’s state of the state address earlier in the day. He instead focused on a series of community service projects the Democrat convention committee has been conducting since moving to town in the fall.
“We don’t want to just be people who have a good time and blow into town for a week,” Dean said as he negotiated painting a window pane. “We want to know this community and we want to contribute to this community.”
Friday will be the anniversary of Dean’s announcement that Denver would host the Democrats when they nominate their presidential candidate. Dean said he planned to speak publicly about the convention after meeting with the executive committee Friday.
The former Vermont governor and presidential candidate complimented Denver Public Schools’ effort to save Manual as he and a group with Volunteers for America painted the teacher’s lounge.
Manual was shuttered in 2006 as the first school closure in a restructuring of Denver Public Schools. It reopened this fall. In October, school official announced eight elementary schools will close as part of the restructuring.
“This could actually be a model for the rest of the country if it works,” Dean said. “It was a very gutsy thing to do, and I’m sure it was not without tremendous controversy. I think it is great that they didn’t give up on it.”
Superintendent Michael Bennet, Manual Principal Robert Stein and Manual alum and Denver Convention Host Committee President Elbra Wedgeworth chatted with Dean about the school’s progress during the visit.
“We are extremely proud of the work that is being done on Manual,” Bennet said. “The closing of Manual was such a tough thing … these kinds of events remind people that we’re here—we’re committed to this school over the long haul.”
