UPDATED:   It is with a heavy heart that we let you know the District has decided NOT to say the boys’ names at graduation. The main reason they gave us was that they were being mindful of others and the trauma they have. They don’t want to take away the meaning of graduation by doing this. They also made it very clear that they will not change this decision in the future. We also found out (from a little birdie) that there were only a select few people who fought hard to ensure the boys’ names were not said. It is very unfortunate that these few people could have so much influence to stop such a powerful way to honor Jayden and Ryan. We want to say THANK YOU again to all that supported us! You have been a HUGE part of our journey in doing the right thing. In the end, it was beautiful to watch so many people come together and fight in what we believe in! In that respect, I think we succeeded! As we move forward, please know that you are all connected to our family now. We will be forever grateful to you and the time we spent working on this. It brought the BEST out in all of us!

WE LOVE YOU ALL!

Sincerely, THE ALVARADO FAMILY

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The following message was sent to the Cherry Creek School District Superintendent with no response. 

This was a challenging mental health year at Eaglecrest High School. Four of our students lost their lives too soon, and the entire student body was affected. Two students died by suicide, and two Seniors were killed in a tragic car accident, all within weeks of each other. Both Seniors had been in the Cherry Creek School District since Kindergarten, and this was to be the year to celebrate their hard work with all the friendships they had developed. Unfortunately, they will miss the biggest celebration of their lives by only months. As with any tragedy, the pain extends well beyond our children and onto the families. As parents, we feel that we have an obligation to help honor our children and their friends. 

The purpose for the petition is to express something we feel very passionate about. These boys deserve a seat at their graduation ceremy. Our hope is to save a seat for each Senior who passed during their final year and allow a family member to accept diplomas on their behalf. Although they were not able to finish the school year, they should be honored with their graduating class. 

One of the boys' mom has been communicating with EHS about this request. Unfortunately, the response she received was that this hasn't been done before, so it cannot happen this year. What is so disheartening is that she is the Emergency Fund Director for the Colorado Victim's Assistance. She fights every day to make others in her shoes get comfort during devastating times, and she is unable to get her one and only ask fulfilled. She is not only advocating for her own son, but for both boys. They were best friends in life and they left this world together.  

As one of CCSD's core values, "relationships" extends beyond school walls and into the community. We, as the community, hope that CCSD respects the relationships of our Seniors and their families. A simple act of kindness will go a long way to show the entire audience at the graduation ceremony that CCSD truly believes in this core value. In tough times, we adapt. During the pandemic, the district adapted. Our request is to change the ceremony policies during this truly challenging school year. 

Please join me in signing this petition out of respect for the ones we love. We hope to get the attention of CCSD leadership before it's too late. Thank you in advance.