1. Education
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Valley Courier Page 9
By MARGARET
SANDERSON
ALAMOSA — Trinidad
StateTaxHelpvolunteersthis
year prepared 270 returns in
the San Luis Valley, 66 more
than last year.
For the last five years Trini-
dadStatehasprovidedtheser-
viceforlowandmiddleincome
people.Thisyearthosemaking
less than $52,000 were able
to take advantage of the free
service. Known as Tax Help
Colorado,it’smadepossibleby
a partnership between Piton
Foundation and more than a
dozen Colorado colleges. This
year, thanks to the program,
$435,886 in federal and state
refunds came back to Valley
residents.
During the fall semester,
each of the volunteers took a
two-credit hour college course
to learn tax laws and the soft-
ware used by the IRS. After
preparing simulated returns
andpassingtheircertification
Free tax prep at TSJC helps 270 community members
exams, they were ready to as-
sist at the tax site during the
spring semester.
For the first time, Cen-
tauri High School students
joined the team to provide
tax preparation at the high
school in La Jara. Elizabeth
(Ellie) Anderson, Devon Bar-
rows, Nathan Tailleur, and
Mitchell Wilson worked with
Mike Creel, Centauri High
School business instructor,
who oversaw the site.
Ellie Anderson said, “I was
afraid at first, but after a
whilemyconfidencegrewand
I really enjoyed assisting our
community members.”
Some clients commented
that the students were so
youngandwonderedhowthey
could possibly be preparing
taxes, but the student volun-
teersreassuredthemthatthey
were IRS certified.
For the second consecutive
year Alamosa High School
studentsassistedwiththetax
preparation at the Trinidad
StatesiteinAlamosa.Seniors
Denisse Garcia, Alex Lopez,
Marisol Lucas and John Ow-
sley were great assets as they
assisted wherever needed.
“I loved the experience!”
said Lopez.
“It was excellent to meet so
many people and to expand
my knowledge. I was able to
gain a valuable skill, while
helping people from all over
Colorado!” Lucas said. “Tax
Help was a fun experience!
I felt very professional doing
taxes and it was nice helping
out everyone.”
“Tax Help Colorado was
such a rewarding experience.
I will be able to use the skills
I learned for the rest of my life
and being able to help others
inthecommunityisindescrib-
able!” said Owsley.
Another first was the cer-
tification of two Trinidad
Statefull-timestaffmembers.
Kicheal Langford, who works
in purchasing, said, “I didn’t
knowthereweresomanylaws
involved with doing taxes.
It was definitely a learning
experience.”
DebbieMartinez,whoworks
inaccounting,said,“TaxHelp
Coloradowasagreatlearning
experienceforme.Iwanttobe-
come a CPA in the future and
this is one way to get started.
Thisissomethingthatbenefits
our community and many are
grateful because of it.”
Business Management and
Accounting students Laura
Cordova, Katie Fransen and
Erin Guymon completed the
team.
Advisors included Site Co-
ordinator Genia Rasmussen,
Assistant Site Coordinator
ShawnCavalliandTSJCBusi-
ness Management Program
alumnus Lea Chavez who
volunteeredforthefourthyear
because she enjoys assisting
and recognizes the need for
this free service.
Alamosa High School student, Alex Lopez, is assisting Lucia Ruybal.
From left Trinidad State volunteers are student Erin Guymon, staff member Debbie
Martinez, student Katie Fransen and staff member Kicheal Langford.
Ellie (Elizabeth) Anderson, one of the Centauri students
who helped figure taxes, was frightened at first but soon
grew in confidence and enjoyed helping the community.
Courtesy photos by Margaret Sanderson
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