Katy Morten, the high school technology teacher for Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, won Colorado's Top Tech Education Innovatoraward on June 5 th at the CSIA's Apex Awards ceremony.

This award is presented to the individual educator whose efforts are making a real and measurable impact on students and their understanding, passion for and use of technology. CSIA is Colorado's technology industry association, and the Apex Awards ceremony is an annual event celebrating the achievements of the technology business community throughout Colorado.

Ms. Morten was selected from an extraordinary group of nominees representing Adams 14 Schools, Adams City High School, American Academy Charter School, Arapahoe High School, Castle View High School, Denver School of Science & Technology, Front Range Community College, and the Thompson School District. Ms. Morten was nominated for her significant work building the computer department at the Early College. She has grown the department from a single elective to a comprehensive offering of six electives, including TechKnow, GIS, web development, and digital photography. She has pursued technology partnerships and written innumerable grant applications to bring technology into the hands of the students and teachers at the Early College.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College is a new DPS high school. The 6 th-8 th grade middle school is transforming into a 6 th-12 th grade early college. Ninth and tenth grades were added these past two years, and in the coming school year, the juniors will begin taking college-level courses through the Community College of Aurora. The first class will graduate in 2010.