An education is about who you are, but most importantly about who you are becoming. 

Your potential. Your passion. Your strength. Your wisdom. To realize those things, you have to believe in them first. You have to know they’re there even when you can’t see or feel them. 

So it is with the dragon – an imaginary creature revered and respected for centuries in the East and West that comes alive when we see ourselves in its power and extraordinariness and devoted guardianship of treasure. Indeed, there is a dragon in everyone. 

Here at the Denver Center for International Studies at Montbello, we honor – and strive to see ourselves in – the strengths of the dragons of the ancient world. There are five distinct personalities of dragons, whose courage and might people have aspired to for centuries: 

• The Fire Dragon These extroverted and competitive dragons are leaders.
• The Earth Dragon These are guardians of the earth and nature. They understand the value of cooperating with others.  
• The Metal Dragon These dragons succeed because they refuse to accept failure. 
• The Water Dragon These creatures are excellent negotiators who possess the special knowledge required to rebuild. 
• The Wood Dragon These are creative, imaginative and outspoken innovators who are both thinkers and doers -- and fearless when challenged.

Just as generations of people the world over have strived to attain these qualities, so do we at DCIS at Montbello. Our golden dragon mascot, designed by Hero Design Studio in collaboration with our school’s staff, Community Partners, parents and students, boldly represents the potential and power of our school and its graduates and supporters.