Gov. Jared Polis Thursday kept tradition alive by recognizing six outstanding Colorado citizens whose leadership skills have improved their communities.

The Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medal has been awarded to leaders across the state since 2015. It honors six leaders each year who have uniquely served their communities, including one award for a corporation that had a significant role to support the community around them. Awards are given for work in government, social work and business through CiviCO — an organization that connects community leaders across the state to experiences, coaching and mentorship.

“Our honorees further a vision where Colorado is a place for everyone,” Polis said at the ceremony, held at History Colorado.

Agriculture-focused The STEAD school opens in Commerce City

Federico Peña received the Vanguard Legacy Medal, an award given to a business leader who has made significant contributions in shaping the community. Peña was Denver’s first Hispanic mayor in 1983 and held two federal cabinet positions as secretary of transportation and secretary of energy. Through his leadership, he started the spark for the growth of the city with transportation including Denver International Airport as well as infrastructure like the Cherry Creek Mall, Denver Public Library and Coors Field.

“It was a blessing to have the Governor recongize me because I’m older in age and I’m no longer in the public eye,” Peña said. “And so to have the opportunity to remember the things that I did when I was in public office is a real blessing.”

Peña said he hopes that the stories of those who have been awarded for their leadership brings inspiration to the next generation of leaders.

“I hope that these medals and the people who get them and their stories help inspire young people today because the young people today are facing their own challenges, just like my generation faced, and the challenges now are just as difficult if not more so,” Peña said. “Hopefully we can help guide them, inspire them, instruct them, on how they too can lead by getting involved, by engaging, by taking action.”

Mitchell Mauro received the Emerging Community Leader Medal, which is awarded to a high school leader who impacted the community. In this case, Mauro, who is currently an accounting freshman at the University of Colorado Denver, supported and served as a leader to his peers at Pueblo’s Central High School. He has been deeply involved in his community, serving in several organizations including the Mayor’s Youth Council, Student Council Class Treasurer, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), National Honor Society President, Branch Out Mental Health Club President and the Pueblo Health Department Youth Advisory Board.

“[This award] truly made a great impact on my life, so I hope that I can keep moving forward with the work that I’ve started,” Mauro said.

Governor's Citizenship Medal: Pueblo's Mitchell Mauro earns Emerging Community Leader award

Ed Perlmutter, who just finished his eighth and last term as U.S. representative for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District Jan. 3, was honored with the Growth and Innovation Award. That’s given to a business leader who has inspired and created pathways for others.

He has served as an elected leader in the state for 25 years, which began as state senator. He introduced 68 bills in his first seven terms.

“I love this place,” Perlmutter said about Colorado. “We all have a responsibility to give back, even through charity or civic duties or elected positions or whatever you can do to just keep it the wonderful Colorado that it is and make it even better.”

Amy Schwartz and Kelly Leid received the Public and Community Service Award together for their work in creating the STEAD School located in Commerce City on a 10-acre campus. This award honors their work in serving the public through innovation and vision. The name “STEAD” stands for science, technology, environment, agriculture and design, all of which students learn through alternative methods that prepares them for careers in agriculture.

“I was sitting here tonight dreaming about when one of our graduates might be a recipient of one of these awards,” Schwartz said. “That would just be a dream come true.”

“There’s nothing more powerful than watching kids and families that get to be a part of something that they never dreamed was possible,” Leid said.

This year’s Corporate Citizenship Award, which is given to a company that has had a significant impact in a community, went to the Ball Corp. This award was given to the corporation for its collective volunteer work and donations, especially for the Marshall Fire which affected a significant portion of the company’s employees. The Ball Corp. donated $1 million to the Community Foundation in Boulder County.

Clela Rorex was honored as a “Colorado Mountain Leader” posthumously. Rorex, who passed away June 19, 2022, issued marriage licenses to six couples of the same sex in 1975 as a Boulder County Clerk. This action propelled her work as a self-identifying feminist and an ally of the LGBTQ+ community as the news spread across the country and brought equal marriage rights into the national lens. Rorex volunteered with OUT Boulder, an LGBTQ+ non-profit. Mardi Moore, executive director of OUT Boulder County, accepted the award in her honor.

“It means a lot coming from a gay governor and from someone that Clela really admired,” Moore said. “When I look at the people who have received this award too before her, it really says something about the importance of Clela’s brave act in 1975.”

Governor's Citizenship Medal: Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña lands Vanguard Legacy award