The Black Student Excellence Award recognizes Black high school students across the Denver metro area who are making an impact both inside and outside the classroom.

Now in its third year, the award celebrates students who have maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher while also giving back through community service. Over the past two years, 185 students have been recognized, with more than $20,000 in gifts awarded.

Among this year’s honorees is 16-year-old Connor Lambe, a volunteer at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.

The museum is home to historic aircraft, space vehicles, and aviation artifacts, and volunteers like Connor help keep operations running smoothly.

“I was in Civil Air Patrol for the last three years,” Connor said. “I worked at the squadron where I volunteered at the museum and held meetings at the museum.”

Connor is among a small group of high-achieving cadets. He says he currently has a 4.2 GPA, is taking five AP classes and earned the rank of Cadet Second Lieutenant, an accomplishment only a small percentage of cadets achieve.

Those achievements helped earn him a Black Student Excellence Award presented by State Sen. James Coleman, who created the program to spotlight academic success among Black students.

“A lot of times our kids get acknowledged for athletic awards, but not academic achievement,” Coleman said.

The senator says the mission behind the award is to encourage and uplift the next generation of leaders.

“I thought how important it was as elected officials to acknowledge our young people,” Coleman said. “Pay it back, but pay it forward.”

For Connor, the recognition is about more than just personal achievement.

“It makes me feel good because it’s not only just me, but other kids that get this recognition,” he said. “Having the opportunity for other people to see the work we put in, it’s great to see.”