Nonprofit Ednium promotes Denver Public Schools alums as change makers with Homegrown Awards

A group of Denver Public Schools alumni is recognizing the city's homegrown talent. The alums formed the nonprofit Ednium: The Alumni Collective -- and they're hoping to grow their impact through Colorado Gives Day.

Eddie Chavez was recognized with an Ednium Homegrown Award in 2024 for his dedication to lifting up and celebrating Denver students.

Chavez is operations manager at Denver Justice High School. And during a recent visit by CBS Colorado, like every day, he is checking on how students are doing.

"My job is primarily to make sure that they're on track to graduate. And I support them every single day. They pop in randomly, or I schedule a meeting with them and we talk about their credits. I break it down to them in a way, in a form that they can understand, they can relate back to families," Chavez said.

Chavez is the recipient of the Ednium 2024 Game Giver award -- the educator of the year.

For Chavez, this recognition by peers was the strongest vote of confidence.

"I think the biggest thing is that it's confirmation that I'm on the right pathway myself currently, right now, I'm finishing my master's at the University of Denver, at the Morgridge College of Education, and I'm trying to be a school leader," said Chavez.

Chavez grew up in southwest Denver and studied in Denver Public Schools all the way through. His perspective is precisely the kind Ednium seeks to elevate.

"Ednium exists because there's untapped brilliance in our backyard, and we're not celebrating and reinvesting in our homegrown talent," said Ednium Executive Director Richard Maez.

Maez says Ednium has already been effective in making citywide and statewide changes by hearing directly from public school graduates about what needs to change. Ednium drove the effort to require financial literacy proficiency of all Colorado high school graduates.  Maez added, "And it's because we're listening to our young people who say, 'this is what was missing from my experience. How do you make it right for current and future generations?'"

Chavez says nothing fills his cup like seeing students make it to graduation.

"For me, it just brings back memories of when I graduated from high school. I'm the one that puts on graduation year to year. And just seeing a lot of those families celebrate their students being the first in their families to be celebrated," said Chavez.

By recognizing alums like Chavez, Ednium wants to catalyze public school grads to be the city's change makers.

CBS News Colorado's Michelle Griego - a DPS grad herself - will emcee the Ednium Homegrown Awards on Saturday December 6th.

You can support the work of Ednium through Colorado Gives Day. Donations are matched through Dec. 9. To learn more, visit: coloradogives.org/organization/Ednium