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Apprentices challenged again

By Scott Stephen
ssteph19@mscd.edu

The Metro State Alumni Association teamed up with Denver’s Road Home for the Apprentice Homeless Challenge, the second installment in Metro’s quest to name its Apprentice.

The Apprentice teams, the 5280 Closers and the A-Team, were assigned the task of working with local grassroots organizations to help homeless families access affordable housing and other services to establish self-sufficiency.

Each group was given $500 to spend on the challenge. They generated food drives gathering food and personal care items for the Disability Center for Independent Living and El Centro, a nonprofit organization that promotes the rights and well-being of day laborers in Denver through education, job skills and leadership development.

Their goals are to develop a sense of community and self-sufficiency among workers and to promote worker ownership.

Feb. 28, the last day of the drive, marked the close of the competition. Although the 5280 Closers won the challenge, the nonprofit organizations involved benefited from the efforts of each Apprentice team’s projects.

The 5280 Closers had a small advantage. The alumni judges could see the team’s chemistry when the teams proposed their argument. Each member knew a great deal about the topics at hand.

The team not only successfully pitched solutions to the issues at hand, but more importantly, presented a more effective short-term plan for homelessness compared to the A Team.

Winning members received VIP passes to a Colorado Avalanche game and were given a behind-the-scenes look at the Altitude Sports and Entertainment studio.

“This second project really showed off the abilities that Metro State’s students have and what we can do when we are put to the task of helping the Denver community or any project for that matter,” said Noah Steingraeber of the 5280 Closers.

Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Commission to End Homelessness created Denver’s Road Home, a plan to end homelessness in the city and county of Denver.

“If we are to consider ourselves a truly great city, we must address all the issues that underlie homelessness,” Hickenlooper said.

There are more than 3,900 homeless people residing in Denver. Of this population, 60 percent of these are families with children.

“It truly opened my eyes. Personally, I think it is unfortunate because so many of these people that are blind or have other mental disabilities were once really successful but then they get in a car accident, and everything changes,” Steingraeber said.

“Working with the nonprofit organizations, DCIL and El Centro, within our communities has opened our hearts to the many people that need our skills and assistance.”

UMB Bank was the project sponsor for the Apprentice Homeless Challenge.

The Apprentice Challenge at Metro features four projects, one project each month, January through April.

The next event is The CH2M Dreamers Math and Science Challenge. Teams will develop science and math projects and offer career advice to middle school students. It began March 7.

“It’s cool how every need that is met goes back into the community and is a step closer to helping and equipping people to become more self-sufficient,” said Cindy Cervantes, member of the A-Team and business management major.