The Student Spotlight segment of each Board meeting celebrates a student or a group of students who are living out the Portrait of an LPS Graduate, which highlights the life skills each LPS graduate should have. Tomorrow’s workers will succeed by constantly adapting to the changing world around them, and today’s students must begin by learning and developing life skills - where every student should be well-adjusted, thriving, and balanced.
Additionally, students will develop skills in:
Communication
Global and Cultural Awareness
Character and Critical Thinking
Problem Solving and Adaptability
Creativity and Risk Taking
Resiliency and Collaboration
Self Advocacy
All surrounding Rigorous and Relevant Academic Skills
In LPS, we strive to implement opportunities to grow these skills at every level of education, and we recognize students of all ages.
At the regularly scheduled meeting on November 13, 2025, the Board of Education recognized students from Options Secondary Program and Runyon Elementary School.
Options Secondary Program
Chace Green was nominated to represent Options Middle School at the Heritage High School Eighth Grade Leadership Conference this fall, and he showed tremendous CHARACTER and RISK-TAKING at the conference. With that many students, it would have been easy to blend in and be a passive participant, but Chace took advantage of the opportunity and jumped in with both feet. He volunteered to represent his group in the improv activity, and when given the opportunity to ask questions of Board members, he took the responsibility seriously and represented himself and Options well. Chace is a strong SELF-ADVOCATE, recognizing his own strengths and speaking his truth. He is always his most authentic self, which is a really admirable quality. We are very proud of his growth and positive outlook, and we are looking forward to what comes next for him.
Layla Welsh has embodied the spirit of ADAPTABILITY and RISK-TAKING. She was given the opportunity to represent Options at the Heritage High School 8th grade leadership conference and she rose to the challenge with an open mind. The opening session could have been overwhelming, because it was students from all middle schools across the district, and students were very eager to participate. Layla employed her Portrait of a Graduate traits to great effect: she took advantage of the situation to engage with the other students in an open, honest, and COLLABORATIVE way. Now in her third school year at Options, we are so proud of Layla's growth. She is a wonderful ambassador for Options, and we are continually impressed with her maturity. We are excited to see how she continues to develop her Portrait of a Graduate skills!
We are lucky to have Oliver Hill at Options! He TAKES RISKS and displays great CRITICAL THINKING through his involvement in SPEAK, which stands for Students Promoting Emotional Awareness and Kindness, and as a student representative on ETAC, our Educational Technology Advisory Committee. He adds strong value to the conversations. Oliver is also able to work COLLABORATIVELY in the classroom by respectfully honoring the experiences and opinions of other students, demonstrating GLOBAL AND CULTURAL AWARENESS. He is funny, a joy to work with, and a positive presence in LPS!
M Dominguez is funny and creative. She TAKES RISKS by being honest and displays strong COMMUNICATION skills. She is ADAPTABLE and able to appropriately engage with a variety of students and adults throughout her day. M is an advocate for students and has a beautiful way of COLLABORATING with those in leadership to affect change. M embodies the Portrait of an LPS Graduate, and our district is a better place because she is a part of it.
Al Rivera is a bright, funny, and RESILIENT student who truly embodies the spirit of individuality and growth that defines Options. He stands out for his creativity, love of writing and drawing original works, and his confidence in SELF-ADVOCACY. Al’s quirky humor, insightful mind, and genuine personality make him a joy to be around and a role model for his peers. Al continually works through challenges with hope, positivity, and the courage to seek support when needed. Al serves as a leader on the LPS SPEAK team, advocating for youth mental health across the district, as well as on our Student Leadership group at Options, where he helps create positive opportunities for others. Al’s CRITICAL THINKING skills, innovative PROBLEM-SOLVING, and dedication to his ACADEMICS -- earning straight As last quarter -- reflect his strong CHARACTER and commitment to excellence. He is wise beyond his years, and his voice, creativity, and authenticity make him an exceptional example of the Portrait of a Graduate.
Runyon Elementary School
Ellie Jeffries
Zola McCaulay
Audrey Theis
Felix Goodnight
Avery Bernier
Pepper Tuttle
These students have shown incredible creativity, teamwork, and care for others through their work on the development of the Runyon School Garden, Runyon Roots. Ellie, Zola, Audrey, Felix, Avery, and Pepper collectively recognized that some families in our community face food insecurity and wanted to make a difference by learning and growing together, demonstrating their GLOBAL AND CULTURAL AWARENESS. From brainstorming big ideas to researching costs, space, and maintenance, they worked hard to turn their vision into a realistic and meaningful plan. Along the way, they learned that not every idea makes it into the final project—but by staying flexible, listening to one another, and focusing on what’s best for everyone, they are bringing the spirit of community and innovation to life. We recognize various elements of an LPS Portrait of a Graduate in them, from COMMUNICATION and SELF-ADVOCACY, to COLLABORATION and CREATIVITY, to ADAPTABILITY and PROBLEM-SOLVING! We are in awe of your commitment to and your dedication towards improving the well-being of our students and the greater community!
Pepper Tuttle
Ellie Faldella
Sofia Gzym
Jasper Helms
Andi Knudsen
Elsa Krasin
Harper Rembold
Myla Rodman
Cora Thunder
This group of fifth graders represents the leaders of our newest Belonging Builders group! These Belonging Builders are bringing creativity, kindness, and leadership to life at Runyon! They’ve started visiting classrooms to spark conversations about belonging and connection, and they’re learning how to make every lesson meaningful for students of all ages. This group is all about listening to each other’s ideas, celebrating what makes each person unique, and creating activities that help everyone feel included. The club continues to grow and evolve as students share their voices, make decisions together, and lead the way in shaping what belonging looks like at our school. Together, the Belonging Builders are showing that when we listen, include, and lift one another up, our whole community becomes stronger. They embody the LPS Portrait of Graduate through their COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, RISK-TAKING, ADAPTABILITY, and GLOBAL AND CULTURAL AWARENESS. Thank you, fifth graders, for being true leaders. We are honored to have you as part of our Runyon and LPS communities.