Partnership with Avs, Nuggets champions inclusion for all students in high school activities

‘You Can Play, Colorado!’ asks students to tell stories of acceptance and teamwork through videos; Avs captain and Olympian Landeskog takes center ice in new video

Aurora, CO – The Colorado High School Activities Association is joining with a host of luminaries—including the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock—to fight bullying and deliver messages of inclusion and acceptance for all students participating in high school activities such as sports, speech, music and student leadership.

It’s part of the “We Are CHSAA” positive leadership campaign, an educational experience—in partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance, You Can Play and the Gill Foundation’s Gay and Lesbian Fund—dedicated to ensuring that all students are encouraged to participate and be accepted for what they bring to a team or activity, and not excluded for what some might see as differences.

The Avs and captain Gabriel Landeskog are putting “You Can Play, Colorado!” at center ice with an exciting video featuring student athletes from Regis Jesuit and Mountain Vista. The video can be viewed here:

Attention will now focus on the “You Can Play, Colorado!” student videos. The contest, which runs through February, challenges students, teams and groups to explain how and why they welcome everyone based on heart, talent and commitment without excluding students because of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other perceived differences.

The top “You Can Play, Colorado!” videos will win cash prizes for the students’ school. And the winning videos will be shown at the State Basketball Championships on March 15. Denver East High School has already posted a video that demonstrates the power these visual messages can provide for a school.

To learn more about the “You Can Play, Colorado!” contest and to view student videos, please visit CHSAANow.com/leadership/youcanplay.

Stay tuned for upcoming “You Can Play Colorado!” videos from the Nuggets and Mayor Hancock, a former officer in the CHSAA’s student leadership program. CHSAA will also share many of the videos submitted by students across Colorado.