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Allen GoldenAllen Golden, an American History teacher and student counselor at Cedaredge High School, has been awarded the High School Teacher of the Year honor by the Veterans of Foreign Wars District #11.

The district includes some 10 VFW Post and Auxiliary units on the Western Slope.

Golden was sponsored by the Grand Mesa VFW Post #9221 and Ladies Auxiliary of Cedaredge.

Golden has taught at CHS for three years and prior to that he was on the teaching staff at Paonia High School.

In his nominating letter for the honor, CHS Principal Kevin Gardner said, "Mr. Golden is a gifted teacher committed to teaching American ideals to all students who enter his classroom. He is innovative and creative. Mr. Golden doesn't simply stand in front of his students and lecture about the virtues of the American story. He brings history alive for his students by expecting them to investigate our history, our Constitution and our national experience through higher-level thinking activities and creative assignments.

"One assignment that promotes those outcomes takes place when Mr. Golden asks his students to write their own personal 'Declarations of Independence.' As part of the assignment he expects students to establish the setting through a preamble, state their grievances, identify rights they think are important and conclude with a plan of action.

"In another activity that was submitted to the VFW's Voice of Democracy contest, Mr. Golden asks his students, 'Why the constitution is relevant to you?' The critical thinking and personal reflection is very powerful. The strategy requires all of his students to present from a personal level their understanding of the rights, responsibilities and protections that we all enjoy as Americans. Through these activities Mr. Golden promotes citizenship and expects all of his students to be contributing members of our society and of our nation."

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