Ednium Homegrown Award winner Tashan Montgomery, a Denver Public Schools alum changing the game

A group of Denver Public Schools alumni was disappointed that -- time and again -- when they asked DPS grads how many people from their community had gone on to success. Few, if any, hands would go up.

The group Ednium: The Alumni Collective is on a mission to change that by showcasing the talents of DPS grads -- homegrown talent -- making meaningful contributions to Denver.

Tashan Montgomery is the recipient of Ednium's Game Giver Award.

"First of all Tashan's 'that' guy," said Ednium Executive Director TeRay Esquibel. "An educator that is number one not afraid of being who they are is not afraid to tell you that you can be everything you can be and that's to be celebrated."

"I feel really honored to have been able to receive it," said Montgomery.

The event had all the glitz and glamour of an awards night.

"People were looking good. They got me to wear a bowtie, which was crazy. Never happened before," said Esquibel.

DPS alums came out to champion their peers for the knowledge and wisdom they see up close.

Montgomery said, "There's so much talent that exists in our communities that goes unheard of unseen and sometimes that can cause a ripple effect where people start to believe, 'Oh, well, my community is not special. My community is not doing anything important.' So Ednium is saying, 'No, you are important, you are special, and we're going to invest into you.'"

And invest they do. In addition to awards, Ednium hosts a Leadership Launchpad where DPS alums build the skills to support personal and professional goals. Alums build careers in everything from education to business or medicine.

Trying to end what's long been known as the Colorado Paradox - where major employers here rely on imported talent rather than homegrown.

"We see ourselves as the bridge of developing talent and highlighting the folks that are coming up, grown up in our backyard," said Esquibel.

Montgomery is teaching a social studies course at high schools across the metro area to promote civic literacy and engagement.

"You learn from the youth as much as people expect the youth to be learning from you," he said.

Students say Montgomery exemplifies grace, empathy and respect.

And he concludes, "I just want to thank Ednium, again for paving the way for DPS alumni, and folks who exist both in Denver and Aurora to celebrate themselves and have a platform to create the change that they want to see."

Learn more about Ednium.