"I want to find a cure for cancer," says 4th grade Freedom Elementary student, Jalen Thompson. This desire is not so surprising considering what he is going through. For over a year, Jalen has battled leukemia. Jalen’s work as an ambassador for Children’s Hospital, his courageous journey, and his hopeful, positive attitude which inspires others, demonstrate the best qualities in our youth.  His teachers are proud to share the incredibly positive impact he makes in the classroom each and every day. 

Today, that positive attitude and desire to help others was rewarded when Jalen received the Junior Division of the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) Youth Impact Award for 2019. This award, formerly known as the Distinguished Student Award, is designed to recognize children ages 7-18, who have made a positive, meaningful, and beneficial impact on others in their classroom, school and community.

Jalen’s teachers agree, his outlook on life shines through in both his words and actions. “If someone is hurt, he will be the one to help them.”  Someday, Jalen would like to find a cure for cancer, but his explanation behind this wish says so much about who he is. “Because of my chemo treatments, I will be OK.  But there are a lot of people out there who won’t live very long because of the type of cancer they have.  I am the lucky one.” Jalen's dad, Chad Thompson, is so proud of his son and says, "When other people recognize how special your kid is and how hard that he's worked, there's just no words to express what that means."

Congratulations to Jalen Thompson! He is an inspiration to us all.

Jalen's Reaction to the Award

Jalen's Dad, Chad Thomson's Reaction

Announcement of Award at Freedom