10/17/04 - Recently, Sara sent a couple of boxes of Josh's things back home which his mother, his father, and I sorted through. This was the first truly healing moment for me in the nearly 5 years since his passing and I'll cherish it for the rest of my life.

In going through his things, the following teacher evaluation as he was applying to Colorado College touched me most deeply.

I have known Joshua Colglazier since September 1986 in the context of a teacher/student and friend relationship. The first words which come to mind are intense, analytical, questioning, and witty.

What a concise summary of his intellect. And yet, as proud as he would have been to be appreciated this way, the comments below about how he conducted himself in life would have set him aglow with that shy smirk when he received more unsolicited praise than he felt he was due.

The power of Joshua Colglazier lies in that he differentiates himself from the others "in a positive way" whenever possible. I have worked with many classes of high potential or gifted students and it was apparent to me immediately that Josh would be memorable as an individual. He is challenging, demanding, and rewarding to a teacher. He is a questioner, a seeker, and one who does "thirst for knowledge." Josh self-educates and he derives pleasure from the process. Presently, he is living at Bethel College as a full-time college student while officially a senior in high school. That is a result of his own initiative, independence, and stretching the limits of convention. Josh will journey on "the road less traveled."
His teacher went on to mark him as "One of the top few in my career" across the board including (but not limited to), "Creative, original thought", "Motivation", "Independence, initiative", "Intellectual ability", "Academic achievement", "Written expression of ideas", "Effective class discussion", "Disciplined work habits", "Potential for growth". While I'm willing to accept the reality of embellishment on a recommendation (I mean, who hasn't done that professional courtesy in their lifetime?), It's reassuring evidence that our high opinion of him was shared outside the family.