Fall 2025

The 2025-26

Jeffco Writing Challenge

Prompt is Out!

Plan Now for the

2025-26 Jeffco Writing Challenge

* First Place Winners in Each Grade Win $100

* Second Place Winners Win a $25 Gift Card

* Third Place Winners Win a $15 Gift Card

* Honorable Mention Winners Win a $10 Gift Card

Schools win awards based on the percentage of their students who win:

* First Place School Wins $500

* Second Place School Wins $300

* Third Place School Wins $200

* Honorable Mention Wins $100

The Jeffco Writing Challenge is open to

all Jefferson County students in K-12.

Poetry, short stories, non-fiction, or drama are all welcome.

Please no paired grades submitted together, and no AI. Each writer must do their own work.

Deadline for submissions is

February 20, 2026

K-5th grade prompt:

Imagine you are a Truth Detective: Sometimes things — like friends, food, or stuff online — can look real, but they're not really what they seem. How do you know it is real? Write a story, essay, or poem that explores the idea of what is real, what is fake, how we can tell the difference, and why it matters.

6th-12th grade prompt:

Sometimes it can be hard to tell what is real and what is not. You’ve probably heard about "fake news," deep fake videos, fake food, and even fake friends. Write a story, essay, or poem that explores the idea of what is real, what is fake, how we can tell the difference, and why it matters.

To submit your entry, fill out the Entry Form/Permission Slip here:

https://tinyurl.com/2025-26-JWC-Registration

Then, 1) send a printed copy of your story and

2) attach a copy of the permission slip/entry form completed online to:

ENC-JWC

Your child’s grade number

P.O. Box 688 Golden, CO 80402

Questions? Call 800-978-4290 or email educationnonprofitcorp@gmail.com

Click here to see 2026 Jeffco Writing Challenge Flyer

THE 2026

"I LOVE TO READ"

CONTEST

Writing & Art Criteria

Please have your students complete the following statement:

“I love to read. . . ” and then create an illustration to go along with their statement. Have students create the illustration on a normal 8 X 11 sheet of paper with only one statement that explains why they love to read.

All grade levels can participate in this contest.

Winners will receive $100 for First Place and a Gift Card for Second, Third, or Honorable Mention!

The winning schools will receive an ENC donation.

Deadline: February 20, 2026

To submit your entry, fill out the Entry Form/Permission Slip at:

https://tinyurl.com/2026ILRRegistration

Next: 1) Send a printed copy of your illustration and statement and

2) attach a copy of the permission slip/entry form completed online to:

ENC-ILR

Your child's grade number

P.O. Box 688

Golden, CO 80402

Questions? Call 800-978-4290 or email: educationnonprofitcorp@gmail.com

The “I Love to Read” Contest is Sponsored by ENC: Education Nonprofit Corporation.

Click here to see 2026 I Love to Read Flyer

2025

Jeffco Writing Challenge

& I Love to Read Winners

Last school year, over 1,600 Jefferson county students wrote stories and created artwork for the Jeffco Writing Challenge and I Love to Read Contests. ENC chose over 200 winners this year! The annual contests are sponsored by Education Nonprofit Corporation (ENC) in collaboration with Jefferson county educators.

Oberon Middle School hit it out of the ballpark again, with 636 entries entries out of 659 students (over 96 percent!) in their school submitting entries. Oberon students won over 45 individual awards!

First place winners received $100, and second, third, and honorable mention winners received $25, $15, and $10 Amazon gift cards, respectively.

Last year's Writing Challenge prompts asked students to write about how AI (Artificial Intelligence) and other technologies affect the arts of writing and storytelling and the I Love to Read contest asked students to write and illustrate a sentence beginning with “I love to read.”

Winning Schools received over $10,000 in donations in the 2024-2025 school year, and over $362,900 since 2009.

Congratulations

to all the participants and winners!

JWC Contest Winners:

2025 JWC Slide Show

ILR Contest Winners:

2025 ILR Slide Show

Visit our Website

We Love Hearing from Winners

Did you win this year, or in a previous year? We'd love to know what you did with your prize money! Let us know, and you may be featured in a future newsletter!

"The BCHS AP English classes and the BCHS Literati -- our National English Honors Society -- are looking forward to all the fun we can have with our ENC award money. It will help fund activities for our 4th annual African American Read In this spring as well as our minion-themed Trunk-or-Treat for our feeder elementary schools. We'll definitely be buying some new books too. A current fan favorite is the memoir Crying in H-Mart. We definitely want more copies of that. Thank you so much for offering the contests and supporting our students!"

Appreciatively,

Shala

Shala Fjetland

Pronouns: she/her

Bear Creek High School

AP Language & Composition

BCHS Literati Advisor (NEHS)

"Thank you so much. Our students value this opportunity."

Greg Isaac

Principal

Red Rocks Elementary

"Thank you for your kind message and for the certificate. Thank you for this thoughtful recognition and the gift.

Thank you so much again — we received the check, and Alisa is very happy! We’re truly grateful for your kindness and support.

We’ll be looking forward to the newsletter this fall."

Best regards,

Daria Tetiukhina

"Thank you so very much for your e-mail!

We are delighted to hear this wonderful news! Brianna is a tremendous reader, and she was thrilled to hear this news this afternoon about being a finalist. Her love of reading has sparked a love for writing and allowed her to imagine with such creativity and depth, we are so very proud of her.

What tremendous news! thank you so very much :) Anna is elated and so thankful to be recognized :)

Thank you so very much! Brianna did receive the gift card and we printed out the certificate for her, what joy. We appreciate you all for this, she feels so honored :)

Anna has spent her summer reading and started over 5 stories that she has been writing :) --Love it!

Thank you again"

Best to you,

Molly Bandimere

"Thank you so much. Mila is very honored and thrilled.

Thank you so much for supporting these students through this contest!"

Angie Dryer

“Thank you for reaching out; we are so very proud of Piper and all of her hard work! Piper is very excited to hear this!

Warm regards,

Lauren Dargevics

"We did get the e-gift card, thank you so much! Nolyn was so proud and excited" 😊

Thank you!

Nikayla Pennel

“Oh wow! Thank you so much. Timothy is so excited!”

Thanks,

Grace Cacayorin

"Thanks so much! Molly is over the moon thrilled with this news! And thank you for administering this contest; it's such a great opportunity for the kids."

Best,

Kate

"Thank you so much for your email! YAY Sadie!! She is over the moon, and we are so Happy!"

Many Thanks,

Lindsay

"Thank you, we will print this out for him -- and confirmed receipt of the amazon gift card. Jonah is very happy!

Boris

2025

JEFFCO WRITING CHALLENGE

WINNERS

Kindergarten

1st Place - Sebastian Battista

2nd Place - Matteo Barretero

3rd Place - Kinsey Klein

Honorable Mention - Jayra Heredia

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Ryan Elementary School

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

First Grade

1st Place - Kotomi Arceo

2nd Place - Collins Klein

3rd Place - Gustavo Garcia-Lemus

Honorable Mention - Juliette Godinez

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Ryan Elementary School

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Second Grade

1st Place - Timothy Cacyorin

1st Place - Dave Skeen

2nd Place - Mason Segel

3rd Place - Charlotte Harrell

Honorable Mention - Isabelle Kenney

Red Rocks Elementary School

Excel Academy

Red Rocks Elementary School

Red Rocks Elementary Schoool

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Third Grade

1st Place - Claire Tandberg

2nd Place - Samual Churchill

3rd Place - Lily Coffeen

Honorable Mention - Sandie Seggelke

Vanderhoof Elementary School

Fairmount Elementary School

Vanderhoof Elementary School

Fourth Grade

1st Place - Hadley Grant

2nd Place - Maxy Marsh

3rd Place - Maya Morrissey

Honorable Mention - Valentina Rodriguez Escalante

Westridge Elementary School

Maple Grove Elementary School

Shelton Elementary School

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Fifth Grade

1st Place - Corrine Spatz

2nd Place - Josie Battista

3rd Place - Piper Ginsberg

Honorable Mention - Molly Mason

Red Rocks Elementary School

Foster Dual Language

Bradford K-8 School

Sixth Grade

1st Place - Maven Dawson

1st Place - Molly McMillan

2nd Place - Nick Ciel-Boucher

3rd Place - November Wilder

Honorable Mention - Sophie Trudel

Honorable Mention - Miles Doak

Oberon Middle School

Evergreen Middle School

Everett Middle School

Oberon Middle School

Seventh Grade

1st Place - Chance Olin

1st Place - Lucia Kelloff

1st Place - Elliot Pinegar

2nd Place - Heidi Nichols

2nd Place - Naomi Watkins

3rd Place - Connor Lovinguth

3rd Place - Elizabeth Vaillanc

Oberon Middle School

Eighth Grade

1st Place - Jason Allen

1st Place - Jayden Cordic

1st Place - Olivia Macias

1st Place - Riley Schneider

1st Place - Caden Wehling

1st Place - Cole Marziano

2nd Place - Elias Peterson

2nd Place - Elena Nelson

2nd Place - Elliot Vinton

2nd Place - Fiona Stone

2nd Place - Evan Howard

2nd Place - Kaitlyn Queisner

2nd Place - Sidney Queen

2nd Place - Dakota Holt

2nd Place - Tegan Anderson

2nd Place - Mackenzi Durant

2nd Place - Natalie Hills

2nd Place - Maia Young

2nd Place - Avery Torres

2nd Place - Virginia Lesher

2nd Place - Jordan Rutz

2nd Place - Grayson Goddard

3rd Place - Lucy Hobbs

3rd Place - Jamie Ramirez

3rd Place - Emma Campbell-Henry

3rd Place - Ella Trudel

3rd Place - Alexia Paul

3rd Place - Anna Bartholomow

3rd Place - Brooklyn Meurer

3rd Place - Cadence Taschdjian

3rd Place - Camrin Wiggs

3rd Place - Jonathan Slaby

3rd Place - Julien Bailey

3rd Place - Karina Mitchell

3rd Place - Katherine Prew

3rd Place - Kylie Jones

3rd Place - Madison Ellison

Honorable Mention - Abigail Smith

Honorable Mention - Alessandra Saveland

Honorable Mention - Cayden Sherman

Honorable Mention - Katalina Melorango

Honorable Mention - Kynlie Bowlen

Honorable Mention - Nolan Keppler

Honorable Mention - Mason Mitisek

Honorable Mention - Zena Lewis

Honorable Mention -Lucy Senft

Honorable Mention - Lily Iannone

Honorable Mention - Eria Barber

Honorable Mention - Jeramiah Oates

Honorable Mention - Devyn Boggs-Renner

Honorable Mention - Charis Busch

Honorable Mention - Ava Glasgow

Oberon Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Oberon Middle School

Manning Options School

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Oberon Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Ninth Grade

1st Place - Hannah Dill

2nd Place - Kieren Camp

3rd Place - Rebecca Dill

Jeffco Virtual Academy

Wheat Ridge High School

Jeffco Virtual Academy

Tenth Grade

1st Place - Charlotte Luther

2nd Place - Molly Ketti

3rd Place - Sara Paprocki

Lakewood High School

Columbine High School

Jeffco Virtual Academy

Eleventh Grade

1st Place - Roy Wessell

1st Place - Willow Price

2nd Place - Adalyn Skaja

3rd Place - Diego Galindo

3rd Place - Audra Crowley

Honorable Mention - Isabel Gerstenkorn

Bear Creek High School

Twelfth Grade

1st Place - Junior Hernandez

Bear Creek High School

JWC Winning Schools - Percentage of Winners vs Enrollment

1st Place - Oberon Middle School

2nd Place - Foster Dual Language Pk-8

3rd Place Place - Wayne Carle Middle School

Honorable Mention - Bear Creek High School

Honorable Mention - Red Rocks Elementary

2025 JWC Slide Show 2025

Congratulations Bear Creek High School 2025 Winners!

2025 "I LOVE TO READ" CONTEST

WINNERS

Kindergarten

1st Place - Myles Rafa

2nd Place - Mira Koivisto-Brown

3rd Place - Paisleigh Martinac

Honorable Mention - Kinsey Klein

Green Gables Elementary School

Semper Elementary School

Ryan Elementary School

First Grade

1st Place - Willow Lundstrom

2nd Place - Nolan Pennel

2nd Place - Chase Thompson

3rd Place -Lily DiVincentis

Honorable Mention - Tenley Shackles

Shelton Elementary

Green Gables Elementary School

Second Grade

1st Place - Alisa Tetiukhina

1st Place - Aurelia Ward-Bailey

2nd Place - Willa Malcom

3rd Place - Emmett Dixon

Honorable Mention - Natalie Sharon

Kyffin Elementary School

Sierra Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary S

Third Grade

1st Place - Autumn Blake

2nd Place - Carson Gibson

3rd Place -Jonah Simmonds

Honorable Mention - Quinlan Henningfield

Foster Dual Language Pk-8

Vanderhoof Elementary School

Mitchell Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary School

Fourth Grade

1st Place - Eleanor Nieberding

2nd Place - Mia Martinez

3rd Place - Camden Brinkopf

Honorable Mention - Reese Neyerlin

Ralston Elementary School

Bradford K-8 School

Green Gables Elementary School

Dennison Elementary School

Fifth Grade

1st Place - Katherine Allen

1st Place - Nevaeh Badzinski

1st Place - Benjamin McNamee

1st Place - Ayda Verney

1st Place - Maleah Gerbers

1st Place - Olivia Diaz

1st Place - Colin Cavender

2nd Place - Stephen Dixon

2nd Place - Annelise Henriksen

2nd Place - Addison McCoy

2nd Place - Addison Harmon

2nd Place - Chloe Edmondson

3rd Place - Christinia Garza-Espinoza

3rd Place - Aleina Leahy

3rd Place - Preston Miner

3rd Place - Kendall Jacobs

Honorable Mention - Jonah Schilling

Honorable Mention - Elwood Smith

Meiklejohn Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary School

Dennison Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary School

Fairmount Elementary School

Bear Creek K-8

Green Gables Elementary School

Green Gables Elemmentary School

Green Gasbles Elementary School

Green Gables Elementary School

Shelton Elemenary School

Sixth Grade

1st Place - Delilah Piernik

1st Place - Ivey Jackson

1st Place - Emelia Stedeford

1st Place - Sophia Foss

1st Place - Elena Laird

1st Place - Victoria Cardenas Munoz

1st Place - Ellie Neyerlin

1st Place - Avi Gross

1st Place - Aria Sapp

1st Place - Tessa Bernhardt

2nd Place - Adelaide Carpenter

2nd Place - Ghadeer Almustafa

2nd Place - Locklyn Erickson

2nd Place - Brisrol Wilson

2nd Place - Iann Janiszewski

2nd Place - Conor Ross

2nd Place - Madison McWhirter

2nd Place - Cora Osborne

2nd Place - Taylor Dunlap

2nd Place - Landon Thomas

2nd Place - Cecilia Dewhirst

2nd Place - Lily Mitchell

3rd Place - Daphne Dillon

3rd Place - Lily Walker

3rd Place - Isabella Peterson

3rd Place - Sarah Fleenor

3rd Place - Scarlett Beeson

3rd Place - Sera Wolfe

3rd Place - Aria King

3rd Place - Dalylah Dudymott

Honorable Mention - Liam Anderson

Honorable Mention - Emaria Braketa

Honorable Mention - Emree Johnson

Honorable Mention - Hadlee Davies

Honorable Mention - Ashley Tejada

Honorable Mention - Julie Bagdonavicius

Honorable Mention - Maggie Hobbs

Dunstan Middle School

The Manning School

Drake Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Seventh Grade

1st Place - Elin Glunk

1st Place - Sidon Swayze

1st Place - Natalie Millenson

1st Place - Mila Dryer

1st Place - Gabriella Schuh

1st Place - Enoch Peterson

1st Place - Lily Allen

1st Place - Lilah Smith

1st Place - Nadia Moon

1st Place - Caroline Frank

1st Place - Claire Lucero

1st Place - Jade Sandoval

1st Place - Emmy Adams

1st Place - Nikolai Plotkin

2nd Place - Oscar Montiel

2nd Place - Norah Watters

2nd Place - Gabriel Martinez

2nd Place - Jaxon Adams

2nd Place - Heaven Ingraham

2nd Place - Lynca Fujiwara

2nd Place - Madison Frey

2nd Place - Brianna Bandimere

3rd Place - Zoey Jackson

3rd Place - Chase Jensen

3rd Place - Darrias Milford

3rd Place - Jillian Troupe

3rd Place - Brooklyn Brown

3rd Place - Hailey Baker

3rd Place - Maria Renk

3rd Place - Evangeline Clark

3rd Place - Maggie Tomasak

3rd Place - Emilee Morales

Honorable Mention - Sydnie Yancy-Jones

Honorable Mention - Aubrie Delisa

Honorable Mention - Evelyn Howard

Honorable Mention - Norah Shawcroft

Honorable Mention - Emma Lippard

Honorable Mention - Isabella Gerou

Honorable Mention - Kamdyn Calzoncinth

Honorable Mention - Beckett Holcomb

Honorable Mention - Ryker Briscoe

Honorable Mention - Sebastian Oberg

Evergreen Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Bell Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Bell Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Eighth Grade

1st Place - Kaelyn Molina

1st Place - Callum Lyman

1st Place - Casper Collin

1st Place - Eira Plute

1st Place - Lucy Hobbs

1st place - Ellie Wear

2nd Place - Maia Young

2nd Place - Lindsey Flanagan

2nd Place - Luke Jones

2nd Place - Vera Steinbrunner

2nd Place - Mia Jackson

2nd Place - Lucy Senft

2nd Place - Vivian Klockars

2nd Place - Calliway Watkins

2nd Place - Alexis Chavez

3rd Place - Mabel West

3rd Place - Charis Busch

3rd Place - Kaden Braun

3rd Place - Devyn Boggs-Renner

3es Place - Evie Broderick

3rd Place - Annalie Warns

3rd Place - Kaylee Thompson

3rd Place - Lily Iannone

Honorable Mention - Eira Barber

Honorable Mention - Ava Goddard

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Dunstan Middle School

Wayne Carle Middle School

Eleventh Grade

1st Place - Ali Saling

2nd Place - Emma Dilley

3rd Place - David Le

Honorable Mention - Leo Ke

Bear Creek High School

ILR Winning Schools - Percentage of Winners vs Enrollment

1st Place - Green Gables Elementary

1st Place - Wayne Carle Middle School

2nd Place - Dunstan Middle School

3rd Place - Dennison Elementary School

Honorable Mention - Bear Creek High School

2025 ILR Slide Show 2025

About ENC

Education Nonprofit Corporation is a small grassroots organization formed in 2008 to advance education by providing additional funds for schools and educational programs. ENC programs include the Jeffco Writing Challenge and Read Connect Jeffco (RCJ).

ENC has donated over $362,900 directly to public schools since May of 2009.

Volunteers/ Current and Past:

Dr. Allen Golden - Director of Gifted Programming, Jeffco Schools

Dr. Deryck Ramey - Assistant Director of Gifted and Talented, Jeffco Schools

Willow Seely- Gifted and Talented Jeffco Teacher

Marcy Hoefner - Director, Co-Founder of ENC, retired Jeffco Principal

Linda Rediger - Director, Co-Founder ENC, President of B&BEA Publications

Barbara Banning- Director, Administrative and Games Manager

Jody Thomas - College Professor

Dr. Blanche Kapushion - Global Education Enterprise Educational Consultant

Roger Dowd - Retired Director of Jeffco Gifted Education

Cheryl Pendleton - Gifted and Talented Secretary

Paula Bonneau - Retired Gifted and Talented Jeffco Teacher

Mike Carrol - Shining Bear Art Studios, previous Jeffco Art Teacher

Mike Seely - Jeffco High School Teacher

Connie Brown - Retired Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher

Lorraine Bowen - Retired Jeffco Teacher

Ann O'Brien - Retired Jeffco Teacher

Susan Zinanti - College Counseling Adviser

Christopher Smith - ENC Volunteer/ Read Connect Jeffco Volunteer

Lalitha Chittoor - Read Connect Jeffco Volunteer

Rebecca Smith - ENC Volunteer

Joanne Kissler - ENC Volunteer

Thank you to all of our volunteers, past and present!

Join Our Cause

ENC- Dedicated to the Advancement of Education

Education is the gift that keeps on giving. It develops a person into a strong member of society. We strive to assist school programs that shape young lives. Education Nonprofit Corporation's goal is to raise money for schools to promote and advance education at all levels. There are two ways you can help.

Volunteer at ENC!

If you have a student, scout, or youth group member with a volunteering requirement to fulfill, we would love to hear from you! Everything we do is about bringing communities together to help public education. If you are interested, please contact us at 800-978-4290.

Donate to ENC and get Tax Deductions.

Donations to ENC are tax deductible. ENC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. If you've already donated, thank you! We appreciate your generosity. If you've been meaning to make a contribution, it's never been easier. Click here to make a secure donation through our website, or fill out, print, and mail the form below to ENC.

Yes, I want to help education in my community!

Here is my gift of:

____$5 ____$10 ____$20 ____$35 ____other amount

ENC

PO Box 688

Golden, CO 80402

Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Education Nonprofit Corporation

P.O. BOX 688

Golden, CO 80402

800-978-4290

educationnonprofitcorp@gmail.com

https://enceducate.homesteadcloud.com

Fall 2025

The 2025-26

Jeffco Writing Challenge

Prompt is Out!

﻿2025

Jeffco Writing Challenge

& I Love to Read Winners

We Love Hearing from Winners

2025

JEFFCO WRITING CHALLENGE

WINNERS

JWC Winning Schools - Percentage of Winners vs Enrollment

Congratulations Bear Creek High School 2025 Winners!

2025 "I LOVE TO READ" CONTEST

WINNERS

Happy Thanksgiving!

2025