By Joanne Davidson, Special to The Denver Post
How to describe the 25 young men who were presented at the 2017 Beautillion?
Simone Ross, president of the sponsoring Denver chapter of Jack and Jill of America, handled the job quite nicely when she said: “Our Beaus, present and past, are achievers with the resilience to persevere against all odds; they are servant leaders who make profound civic contributions to their communities; they are scholars who work meticulously to secure their position on the dean’s list; they are skilled and disciplined athletes; they are loving, caring and generous young men with a desire to make an imprint on the world for the betterment of us all.”
Indeed, she was talking about teens like Myles Pace, who plans to study architecture at either Tuskegee University or the University of New Mexico following his graduation from Cherokee Trail High School. His goal is to return to Denver, degree in hand, and help his community by designing affordable housing that is “functional, affordable and nice.”
And Joshua Greer, who hopes to parlay his talent, and high school acting awards, into a successful career. “Comedy is my strong suit,” he said, “but I can do it all. No role is too big. Or too small.” Greer will attend Grand Canyon University following his graduation from Cherokee Trail, where he earned a letter for his role in producing the student newspaper and was a member of the track team.
Or Kobi Truesdale, a six-time recipient of the Academic Achievement Award and a three-time winner of the perfect attendance award at DSST Cole High School. Truesdale is a member of the Denver Mayor’s Youth Commission, has helped the Epworth Foundation distribute Thanksgiving baskets and has served as a coach for the First Tee golf program. “Life is about overcoming challenges,” he said, “and I’m confident we will.”
Likewise, Tahir Springs, a senior at Rangeview High, observed that he has learned that “If I want change, I have to start it.”
Jaren LaCabe, an honor roll student at Aurora’s Vista Peak Preparatory, where he is also a shooting guard for the basketball team, is the grandson of Al LaCabe, Denver’s manager of safety from 2003-2010, and Dr. Reginald Washington, a pediatric cardiologist and chief medical officer at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. Going forward, his goal is to help others like him to realize “We have the power to change. We must teach the younger generations to love each other.”
The 2017 Beautillion was chaired by Toshia Cowans, Candice Fletcher and Chevy Lowe and held at the Hilton Denver City Center Hotel. Dinner and dancing followed the presentation emceed by actor/comedian Shed G.
Others presented at the black-tie ceremony were Julian Abam, an honor roll student who also received the coveted Loyola Award at Regis Jesuit High School; Kole Brandon, a two-time varsity letterman in football and lacrosse at Parker Lutheran High School; Essam Bryant, a member of the student honor roll at George Washington High School, where he also plays varsity football and basketball; Isaiah Colbert, who has been an International Baccalaureate and advanced placement student for each of his four years at South High School; and Trevon Darden, an honor roll student at East High, where he is active in choir and the Theater Club and is part of the Denver Young Men’s Roundtable.
Also, DSST Green Valley Ranch senior Khalil Farad, who holds a first-degree black belt in tae kwon do and has had internships with Code Like a King and My Brother’s Keeper; Rayvon Fisher, prom prince and an academic letterman at Rangeview High; Jua Fletcher, head boy at South High School and co-founder of the Young African American and Latino Leaders Student Board of Education; Cornelius Foxworth, a three-year varsity track letterman at East High, where he was a Link Leader and member of the National Honor Society; Izhaya Fuller, the Martin Luther King Art Student of the year for 2015-16 and member of the student council at DSST Green Valley Ranch; Overland High’s Sidney Gilford, a two-time National Oratory Speech Winner and recipient of the Beautillion’s essay contest, which carries a $500 scholarship given by the Bill Pickett Rodeo; and Kyle Hanlan, a track and field state qualifier from Cherry Creek High School, where he is on the honor roll and has won awards for his photography.
Chaparral High’s Matthew Hill took third place in a Mandarin language competition put on by the Community College of Denver Confucius Institute; Shakur Hudson has been on Overland High’s honor roll for each of his four years and volunteers for Read Across America. Nathan Jones is the Rangeview High Spanish department’s Student of the Year and a member of the varsity football team. Jalen Patterson plans to major in telecommunications at Colorado State University following his graduation from Rangeview High, while Kaelan Potts is a Link Leader and varsity basketball letterman at East High.
Zavier Richmond is a three-year varsity football letterman at Rangeview, where he is a member of the National Honor Society and the Black Student Alliance. Cherokee Trail senior Braxton Stott is teen president of the South Suburban chapter of Jack and Jill and has earned a black belt in tae kwon do. Shemar Turner, a senior at East, was the AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) Student of the Year in 2016.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, partiwriter@hotmail.comԻ on Twitter
