Our lineup of online events are open to all, as we aim to highlight the benefits of Waldorf education. For more on all happenings at The Denver Waldorf School, please refer to our school calendar.

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Virtual Alumni Panel

January 12, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Hear from DWS Graduates

Join us for an evening with alumni of The Denver Waldorf School! Ideal for those who want to learn more on college preparedness and how Waldorf education guides students to due incredible work when they step beyond our doors.

Date: Wednesday, January 12th

Time: 7pm MT

Location: Online via Zoom

Open to all! Please register to reserve a spot.

About Our Alumni Panelists

Sydney Rae Lewark (she/her/hers)

Sydney graduated from DWS in 2017. She then attended Hawaii Pacific University/University of Colorado Boulder, and graduated with an Environmental Science & Ecology Bachelor’s Degree. Sydney also attended The School for International Training, where she received a certificate in Comparative Ecology & Conservation. Currently working as a Scuba Schools International Freedive Instructor in Nicaragua, she teaches and trains freedivers in the Laguna de Apoyo crater lake. She teaches in both English and Spanish (and hopefully soon French!). Sydney also develops programs for the school and outside organizations, including work on environmental initiatives around the Laguna. Her education at DWS gave her an almost insatiable desire to keep learning. As an individual, this has filled her life with amazing hobbies, guided her to incredible adventures, and continues to push her to grow as a person and a global community member. In her professional life, she finds herself filling many niches, including working on ecological film projects, figuring out new ways to display biodiversity data, writing project proposals, and even teaching students how to hold their breath underwater. DWS shaped her ability to connect to people (no matter the community or the place!), taught her to always find creative solutions, and gave her the desire to never stop expanding her knowledge of the world. 

Matthew Douglas-May (he/him/his)

Matthew graduated from DWS in 2017. He graduated from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and minors in Latin American Studies and Business Management. DWS helped Matthew learn public speaking through theater, apply a creative eye to his work, and gave him the confidence and know-how to create a piece of work that is his own. Plus, Matthew continually uses what he learned about emotional intelligence at Waldorf in his daily life and work.

Tyler Franklin (he/him/his)

Tyler graduated from DWS in 2007. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is now Director of Health Information Management at Epic Systems, a healthcare software company, where he leads the Health Information Management and Identity support team. DWS most impacted Tyler by teaching him the importance of being well rounded and dedication to work hard at an endeavor even if it doesn’t come naturally. DWS also prepared him for STEM classes in college and technical skills in his work, while also giving him an advantage in liberal arts over his fellow Georgia Tech students. He attributes being well rounded for helping him to be a better manager. 

Nyasia Allen (she/her/hers)

Nyasia Allen went on from DWS to attend Pennsylvania State University. Nyasia now works at Chipotle training newcomers. DWS helped prepare her for the rigors of college by teaching her many lessons not only in the classroom, but in the outside world as well. Nyasia loved studying math and science, but she also had the chance to create art outside, experience Costa Rica, and so much more. She notes that although Waldorf isn’t a traditional type of education, its teaching style and supportive community are really beneficial to students of all backgrounds.

Taylor Cornelius (she/her/hers)

Taylor graduated from DWS in 2012 and went on to attend Kenyon College and New York University, where she graduated with a MFA in Poetry. She now works as a freelance copywriter. Her time at DWS encouraged her to pursue her passion for poetry, and instilled a lasting appreciation for creativity and collaboration. Regarding DWS she says, “It’s a great education—don’t worry about the reading age!” 

About The Denver Waldorf School

The Denver Waldorf School is an urban pre-K through 12 independent school in Colorado. Founded in 1974 on Rudolf Steiner’s humanitarian curriculum, DWS believes education should foster what it is to be human, cultivate lifelong curiosity, and inspire a love for the world. We are currently enrolling for in-person learning:

Want to learn more about us? Learn more about our in-person and virtual events, read our blog, or take a listen to our podcast.

Event Registration

 

 

Details

  • Date: January 12, 2022
  • Time:
    7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  • Event Category:
Every day, our first graders would arrive to discover a small change in Ms. Nelly’s chalk drawing that welcomes them into the classroom. A tiny detail. A moment of wonder. A symbol of growth. A cherishment of the season. An awakening before a morning of imagination, stories, and connection. 

And on the last day of school, just as they had on so many school days before, they enthusiastically pointed out the new detail. May we carry forward their delight to take notice of beauty, be curious, and find joy in all the little things. 

Watch until the end to see how the tree evolved over our school year. What a gift! ❤️
As we celebrated three distinct ceremonies to close out our school year - our golden knights (kindergarten) graduation, 8th grade continuation, and 12th grade graduation - it is always a beautiful reminder of the interconnectedness of our education. A holistic journey to becoming through goodness, beauty, and truth. 

Our Rose Ceremony brings all three milestones together, with reflection for our students on where they have come from and where they are going. It is a celebration of growth, connection, and community - one we do not take for granted as a K-12 school! 

Though each chapter of the journey is unique, they are all woven together in this path of becoming - to foster what it is to be human, cultivate lifelong curiosity, and inspire love for the world. 
Not a farewell, but a “see you later” to our school founder, Ina Jaehnig. As we closed the year with our Rose Ceremony, it was only fitting to present one last rose to Ina to mark this new stage in her journey as she retires from DWS.

Ina opened the doors of The Denver Waldorf School on Michaelmas in 1974. For over 50 years, she has exemplified what our Waldorf education is all about with her steady presence, love for children, and unwavering care for our community. She has guided our vision, inspired countless students, and gifted us with her humour and wisdom. 

While we will miss seeing her regularly in our halls and classrooms, her guiding light lives on in the heart of our school and in the generations of students, families, and teachers whose lives she has touched. With deep gratitude for all she has given, we send Ina into this next chapter with all the love of our DWS community!
With a passing of a rose from our first graders to both their 8th grade buddies and our graduating seniors, we closed out our 2025-26 school year with the Rose Ceremony. The Rose Ceremony is always how we begin and end our years - it is an event that marks the transition from one stage of life to another. With much celebration especially for our 1st, 8th, and 12th graders, we come full circle at the end of the year with connection, reflection, and a marking of this passage of time and growth within each student. We are filled with gratitude as we celebrate these significant moments as a community and cherish the closing of another school year together! 💫🌹
This weekend, we celebrated these 18 incredible and unique students. As a class, they are artists, scientists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, historians, athletes, coders, designers, musicians, writers, and thinkers. They are each full of curiosity, and have a remarkable capacity to recognize the humanity in one another - and to always come from love. 

As we listened to our teachers share about who each of them has become, our gratitude for the privilege of sharing this journey with these wonderful students sat deeply within us. Their indelible presence within our community will be deeply missed. 

DWS Class of 2026 - you are ready for the world beyond, and how lucky that world is to receive your contributions! Congratulations 🎓🌹🌟!!
“May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide your way on.” 

We know that our brave golden knights (the oldest children in our kindergarten, now rising first graders!) are ready to do what is good and right! We celebrated this morning with a cherished ceremony to honor their wonderful growth and our shared journey together. With song, story, reflection, and many watering eyes, we savored these moments with full hearts as they crossed the bridge to the world beyond our early childhood classrooms! Golden knights, we’re ready for you to lead the way with your light 🌟
Before we break for summer, our rising 3rd graders worked their hands and hearts to bring our school garden to life! They planted tomatoes, onions, corn, beans, squash, and more. Over the summer, along with their families and the help of our community, they will lovingly tend and water the garden. When we return in the fall, the students will continue this work as part of their farming block - and get to experience the joy of the harvest season and the fruits of their labor! 
 
Connecting to the natural world around us is an integral part of our curriculum and culture. We celebrate the seasons. We foster a sense of wonder and reverence for the earth and its many gifts. We stay curious and cultivate care. We believe that our work and commitment together can make a difference! 🌿
This morning our graduating seniors took their “Walk Through the Grades” - a tradition that carries them back through the full arc of their Waldorf journey. The seniors visited each grades classroom and were presented with a small remembrance from their younger days in our community - whether it be a song, morning verse, recorder melody, poem, or nostalgic pillar of our curriculum. 

Through the watering eyes, warm embraces, and laughter shared- the morning was a reflection of how deeply this journey lives within each of our students. We are holding onto their presence as we near their graduation at the end of this week! 

May our graduating Class of 2026 cherish the many lessons through their days at DWS as they embark on their journey into the world that awaits 🌟.
The DWS Class of 2026 continues to impress us as they commit to colleges and prepare for the next chapter of their journeys. Together, these 18 students have earned an incredible $7,769,240 in merit scholarships for college- an average of about $430,000 per student- a remarkable reflection of years of dedication, creativity, and hard work.

The Denver Waldorf School has proudly maintained a 100% college acceptance rate, and year after year admissions offices share how excited they are to see a Waldorf application come across their desk. Our students stand out as thoughtful contributors, collaborative classmates, courageous learners, and creative problem solvers- prepared not only for college, but for meaningful and purposeful lives beyond it. We are deeply proud of the Class of 2026 and grateful to celebrate both their individual achievements and the community that helped nurture them along the way. Congratulations, seniors- you inspire all of us. We can’t wait to soak in these last few days with you back on campus this week!

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The Denver Waldorf School

2100 S. Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80210
p) 303-777-0531
f) 303-744-1216
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