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Lime Scooters parked in front of Union Station Students and faculty around East are all too familiar with the obnoxiously neon green scooters and bikes that go by the name of Lime . Especially around Denver, more specifically around East and on Colfax, these fast driven transportation machines that operate with little to no traffic laws traumatize people of all ages. It is terrifying to see someone on a neon green blur driving at 17 miles per hour, but they are also scary because normally the people riding them just don’t care, and if they hit someone, what can they do about it? Quinlan Jamieson, an East junior, described Lime Scooters as cheap. “You can get places fast, faster than walking; 30 minutes costs $3.” Through a guided tour of the app, Quinlan explained how it’s easy to find the scooters nearby, and how it’s simple to invest in a set series of prepaid rides. Lime Micromobility, who carries and distributes the bikes and scooters in 280 cities, 30 countries, and five continents was founded in January of 2017, where the mobility devices were first launched at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Normally, college freshmen can’t have a car on campus, and scooters and bikes were a quick alternative to turn too, and very accessible, some of the minimal plus sides.  However, the scooters and bikes quickly spread around; not to other campuses, but to large cities like Seattle, and San Francisco, which is very concerning for multiple reasons. Scooters and bikes seem reasonable for college campuses consisting mostly of pedestrians, but introducing these   transportation machines to   large cities with lots of drivers and no helmets proved to be dangerous, with over 115,713 scooter related injuries in 2024 alone. Even if the driver of the Lime Scooter does everything right and is perfectly safe, it doesn’t guarantee a safe ride. Cars aren’t always aware, or just are clueless on what to do when it comes to passing scooters and avoiding them, but scooter riders should not always be seen as victims; plenty of pedestrians have been hit by them. Silas Everhart, a freshman who was walking to the student lot after school, and was run into with a Lime scooter described his experience as, “...Quite frightful, violent, and surprising. I get frustrated that people on lime scooters are reckless and not responsible. They also have no regard for the safety of others or even themselves.”  Junior Hope Skinner, who has a younger brother, saw her brother and his friend on a Lime Bike going at least 16 miles per hour down Colfax during the lunch rush. She expressed concern: “It scared me and my brother insisted it was fine, but it’s so dangerous and unsafe. It made me really worried for his safety, as it was so dangerous to do that on a street with a bunch of cars.” When asked if she was worried about hitting people on bikes and scooters herself, she said “When I drive, I feel like I am always close to hitting them because they are so unpredictable.” Lime scooters and bikes raise concern for so many serious injuries, such as head trauma, fractures, road burn, teeth trauma, and many others. Brian Fun, the nurse at Denver East High school explained, “Chances of the injury being serious are about 80%. When I worked at Denver Health, we had a lot of scooter injuries coming into the ER. Most of them result in concussions, shoulder dislocation, broken wrists, broken arms, and injured knees. Anytime you have a TBI, or a head injury, and you hit your head, you can have internal bleeding, and it could be fatal. There should be a law that if you are on a Lime scooter, you wear a helmet, it should be considered a moving vehicle. Many injuries occur on sidewalks, pedestrians can get bruised and banged up, which is why Lime Scooters should be prohibited from sidewalks.” Between 2018 and 2022, there were 600 E-bike or E-scooter related deaths in Denver, and even though Denver has implemented accessible safety features for scooters, such as adding 137 miles of bike and scooter lanes around the city, it doesn’t fix the issue of people riding in the road and getting hit by cars, or riding on the sidewalk, hitting pedestrians.  Not only is this becoming a bigger issue in Denver, but it’s becoming a bigger issue all over the world, and it’s targeting youth. There have been deaths recently regarding people under 18, and the numbers are still increasing. Denver specifically has had a few instances of children getting injured, or even killed on electric scooters. Back in August, a 16 year old was hit and killed by a distracted driver in Aurora, even though he was in the bike lane. Another incident includes a 12 year old boy who was hit and killed by another distracted driver back in July, while he was riding his scooter across a marked cross walk.  What can we do to fix this? Bike lanes have proved to be somewhat ineffective, possibly leading to more harm than benefit because of irresponsible drivers. However, sidewalks and streets aren’t functional for anyone, so where do we put them? Is the only option to get rid of Lime Scooters completely?

East draws many students in for its rich history, stellar academics, lively school spirit and social scene, and most importantly, the food. Situated right in the middle of Colfax, East offers the best eating options for off-campus lunchers of any high school in Denver. And there are options for everyone! Including international cuisine, small businesses, and fast-food giants, anything is possible for our lunch hour. Whether you are a freshman wandering around Colfax for the first time this year or just have thirty minutes and a car, here are some top lunch spots for East students. (PSA: The Starbucks on Colfax & Milwaukee Street is closed permanently.) Chipotle on the corner of Colfax & Columbine. Photo: Reese Worrell #1 - Chipotle Mexican Grill 2500 E Colfax Ave The top spot for lunch at East is no secret. Chipotle is absolutely hopping at noon on a weekday, with shoulder-to-shoulder teenagers waiting for their go-to meal. Located just across from the Esplanade, it's about a three minute walk from the front doors. Your total trip could stretch up to thirty30 minutes, though, thanks to the line that forms by 12:02 pm. A standard order adds up to about $10, without sides or a drink, but the portions are on the larger side and are overall a good value for a healthy-ish and simple option.  Burrito bowl with lettuce, corn salsa, pico de gallo, white rice, and fajitas. Photo: Reese Worrell _____________________________________ Inside Wellness Sushi. Photo: Reese Worrell #2 - Wellness Sushi 2504 E Colfax Ave Next door to Chipotle is Wellness Sushi, a Japanese restaurant known for its wide range of vegan sushi and ramen options. It is about a four-minute walk from East, and inside offers a casual and cozy dining space. Wellness is a small business that fewer students frequent and can offer a less overwhelming social atmosphere for lunch. Just be prepared to wait: good things take time, and the delicious vegan sushi can certainly take some patience as it is made fresh. Budget your time (and money) wisely! Photo: Reese Worrell _____________________________________ Storefront of Jimmy John’s. Photo: Reese Worrell #3 - Jimmy John’s 2325 E Colfax Ave Jimmy John’s sits a few blocks west, about a six -minute walk. Though it is slightly further than other spots mentioned on this list, the sandwich shop is still extremely popular and accessible for a lunch option. The inside offers comfortable seating and very well done air conditioning, with cozier booths towards the back and sunlit tables in the entrance space. The gourmet subs can be paired with potato chips and fountain drinks. Depending on your order, you might want to spare a few extra dollars as full-sized subs cost around $12.89.  Little Jim #6 (Veggie). Photo: Reese Worrell _____________________________________ #4 - Illegal Pete’s 2001 E Colfax Ave Walking west down Colfax to Illegal Pete’s. Photo: Reese Worrell Illegal Pete’s sits on the corner of Colfax and Race Street, about five blocks west of Jimmy John’s. It's a ten -minute walk, with the better route being along 16th straight out the front doors of East. The trek is worth it though, and the local burrito joint is bustling with East kids every day of the week. The staff are friendly and all students get a free fountain drink and side of chips or tortilla with their meal.  Kids bowl with tortilla chips and a Diet Dr. Pepper. Photo: Reese Worrell Sprouts parking lot. Photo: Reese Worrell #5 - Sprouts 3625 E Colfax Ave The only non-restaurant on the list, Sprouts is slightly unconventional for a lunch spot. However, the grocery store is increasingly popular at a four -minute drive for upperclassmen. The parking lot is easy to navigate and the amount of options inside makes it a no-brainer for anything you're craving. On top of that, there is no wait time as it is self-serving. You just have to be okay with eating in your car, and do some mental math when picking out the ingredients for your lunch. (P.S. The sushi is $5 on Wednesdays!) Kid’s meal and Sprouts brand organic kombucha.  _______________________________________________________- Chick-fil-A storefront on Colfax. Credit: Chick-fil-A #6 - Chick-fil-A  3725 E Colfax Ave Last but not least, Chick-fil-A is an East classic, particularly for upperclassmen. The fast-food chain sits east of school on Colfax and is frequented by East kids. Unsurprisingly, the menu is mostly chicken. Chicken sandwiches are a main attraction, followed by chicken nuggets, chicken wraps, and chicken salads. But Chick-fil-A also serves macaroni and cheese, french fries, fruit, cookies, brownies, and ice cream. Their drink menu might be even better than their food selection: sodas, lemonade, coffee, milkshakes, and frozen lemonades are incredibly crave-worthy and keep students making the five-minute drive multiple times a week.  Small mac and cheese and medium fry. Starbucks coffee not included. Photo: Reese Worrell ___________________________________ These are just some of the many great restaurants within the mile (in any direction) from our front doors. The lunch scene at East is one of the best in Denver. Wherever you end up, Colfax has something for everyone at East. Happy lunching Angels!

Denver East Boys’ Rugby  (Peyton Freeman) has been an official sport since 1988, but has yet to be treated as one. With 9 state championships and having attended over 20 out-of-state tours they should be treated as school royalty, or at least with respect.  “We are an inclusive, player-centric organisation and we measure success through our growth. We treat our entire community with respect and we approach competition as an opportunity to improve. We embrace challenges and support each other. We are honest and hold ourselves accountable. We are grateful for the time we get to spend together. We prioritize player safety 100% of the time, both during practices and games. Our goal is to develop better players and people by fostering a sense of competition and respect, on and off the field. We want to build a love of rugby, both the game and the larger community.”  East Rugby Coaching Foundations (Rugby Mission Statement). East Rugby is a club sport which differentiates it from CHSAA-sanctioned sports such as Cross Country, Soccer, Football, Golf, etc. Collectively, since 1988, East CHSAA sports have won 20 state championships according to CHSAA Data, Denver East's Championship History. Boys’ Rugby alone accounts for 45% of that total, with championship wins dating back to 1997 and concluding in 2025. Sports that are CHSAA-sanctioned get benefits that non-CHSAA sports do not, such as designated field space at their school or transportation to games and meets. But that doesn't hold Boys’ Rugby back. With amazing parent committees (caring for the fields, equipment, merchandising, tour planning, team booklets, website, photography, sponsorships, fund raising, end-of-season party, awards, and cheering of course), sponsors, and alumni (returning as coaches), they have been able to provide scholarships–only requiring you to come to practice–to play in season and participate in out-of-town tours for the past 25 years, most recently going to L.A. but regularly going on road trips to other rugby communities such as Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, and Kansas City. These tours are generally made up of four days consisting of two banquets, one on Friday night and one on Sunday night, six games, divided between Saturday and Sunday, and every academically eligible player–typically 60 players in the spring, divided into Varsity, J.V., and first-year students teams. “We don't cut anybody. So, if somebody comes out and wants to play, and they come to practice, they're going to get to play,” explained Bill Baer, now Senior Director of East Rugby and prior Head Coach and General Coach of 30 years–proclaimed “heart, mind and soul of East High Rugby.” Coach Bear is also inducted into the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union Hall of Fame, has been twice selected as "Coach of the Year" by Colorado Youth Rugby, and is Vice President of Rugby Colorado. In the 2024-2025 school year, Boys Rugby made for an astonishing season, setting new records: varsity won the 7s state championship in the spring and the Division I 15s state championship in the fall, followed by the J.V. team winning the Division III state championship–which any other team, CHSAA or not, has yet to accomplish.  East Rugby has also produced seven high school All-Americans–a student-athlete recognized by a national organization for exceptional achievement in their sport–ranging from representing the U.S. in the U-19 World Cup to competing in New Zealand, Australia, and Maccabean Games in Israel. Sam Golla and Link Wilfley, East graduates, became professional athletes, playing in England, MLR, and for the United States Eagles. East Rugby has been recognized for and honored by the State Sportsmanship award three times, consecutively, starting in 2003. This club, evidently sets kids up for high school victory and lifelong success–empowering them to achieve their highest potential, instilling discipline, community, and respect. Any and all are welcome, embracing all 8th-12th graders in the Denver area, Rugby is all inclusive, harboring diverse: backgrounds, abilities, extracurricular activities, other sports and undeniably other schools. So... give it a try! Keep an eye out for information pertaining to “a meeting down in the Commons lunchroom for parents and students that want to play.” What's your favorite thing about being a part of the team?   “You have guys from all over, all come together to play and I love how we do the best with what we have. I mean we play Valor and Regis, and they pay their coaches and all our coaches are volunteers… and we still find a way to beat them and outplay them,” and, “From your first practice, you can feel tradition.” Julian Rowse, senior, ten year player and varsity captain. What would you say to someone who's thinking about playing rugby?  “Oh, they should play. Everyone should play Rugby, ‘cause everyone can, it's good fun, good fitness, and gives you something to look forward to after school.” Ethan Conforti, junior, eight year competitor, and varsity player. As Angels we need to show more love to our highly decorated Rugby teams, luckily for us we have an exciting opportunity to do so on Saturday, October 25th for the 7s season final at Regis High School. Be there or be square. Denver East Girls’ Rugby - Claire Farrell In a sport that's fast paced, inclusive, and no-cut, East’s women's rugby team has a place for everyone–regardless of a students’ ability. With 70 minute gameplay and only a 10 minute break, it is a high intensity sport that not only builds strength and determination but also  community. The only question that persists is why rugby is considered a club rather than a sport at East, and why players should get the same credit as those involved in an official East sport. Founded in 2017, East women's rugby is a competitive club that requires determination and a willingness to try–no experience needed. Head Coach Mark Bullock, ex-football and rugby player, explained a little about the rugby community, “The key thing about rugby is we accept everybody; there is a position for everybody whether you're tall and lengthy or short and squatty, it doesn't matter because there's a position for you. It's a big community of people, we don't care if you've been in trouble or if you're the best person ever: we will accept you.” Although the sport welcomes inexperienced players, the strong momentum of the game makes it essential for players to train hard.  Coach Bullock spoke to this, “What matters is if you're willing to put in the work and training to develop yourself… if you're willing to step outside your comfort zone, you can explore something that's quite exciting.” Despite rugby being a club, it still demands every essential aspect a CHSAA sport at East would require such as: stamina, teamwork, and determination–which makes one think it would be on the East athletics page, or at least be recognized at East as official sports are. Coach Bullock talked about the lack of school recognition and praise players receive contrary to those whose sports qualify as a CHSAA sport, “I don't think at East it’s well advertised, it's difficult because we need people who are excited about it and outgoing to try it. It should be part of the website because it's a club sport–that may not necessarily be sponsored by the school but–kids of East play under the name of East Highschool.” He suggested a few ways East could assist in getting more attention drawn to it, including: announcing games and information on the loudspeaker, hanging flyers, and showcasing enthusiasm from players and students about Rugby. Taking partial accountability Coach Bullock claimed, “We could definitely do a better job advertising, part of it is having people who are excited about the sport. [Girls’ Rugby] should be on the East Athletics website so people can look at the school and say, "oh hey they have rugby, maybe I should join.” Rugby representation–on the athletics website, in pep rallies or announcements of any type–could spark interest amongst angels, whether current or future, allowing them the fair chance of participating in this beloved sport.      Regardless of if you're an experienced rugby player or someone new to the sport, rugby has a spot for everyone; not only providing a fun, competitive, sport (to get in shape) but it builds a strong community of girls’. Rugby is a fall and spring sport, whether you're a freshman or a senior, you'll always be welcomed with an open spot. Though the sport is a club and not as heavily promoted as other East athletics, it still offers lifelong skills gained through tireless effort and progression.

If you’ve ever spent time in the halls or hanging out by the ‘E’, chances are you’ve noticed a circle of students with a small beanbag, or hacky sack, being kicked around. It’s everywhere . Ever since the beginning of this school year, hacky sack circles seem to dominate any possible square footage on the East campus. Whether it's in the student parking lot or right outside the ‘E’, this classic pastime is being revived by our student body. Hacky sack, which is actually a brand name for a “footbag”, is a small, less than fist-sized cloth sack that is typically filled with pellets or sand. The objective of the game is to keep the sack off the ground using any part of your body other  than your hands and arms. According to Wham-O, a toy company that owns the rights to the Hacky Sack brand, the sacks were invented in 1972 as a tool to aid in co-inventor John Stalberger’s recent knee injury recovery process. Wham-O’s website explains that “[Stalberger and his friend] had become masters of the game. Everywhere they went, people stopped to watch. Curiosity turned into crowds. A sport was born.” The sport continued to grow as Stalberger introduced the game to schools and crowds all over Oregon. The game has such a deep rooted history in the state that Joshua Zurbrick, a schoolteacher from Oregon, has started a movement to recognize hacky sack as the Oregon state sport. In an NPR interview conducted in February 2025, Zurbrick explained, “...I just kind of discovered that Oregon doesn't have a state sport, and, you know, why not? It seems like an interesting opportunity to kind of remember a cool piece of Oregon history.” Throughout the interview, Zurbrick referred to the community aspect of the game and its ability to easily bring people together. This sentiment is shared by pioneers of the hacky sack resurgence at East, such as East Yard Games Club Co-President Finley Miller who says that hacky sack is “not something where you can limit the amount of people that are playing” and “it’s a good way to get people together to play yard games. It’s fun to get a group together to do it.” Miller feels that the rise in popularity of hacky sack is thanks in part to the inviting nature of the game, such as how “it’s inviting when you see a group playing and people get curious and want to join.”  Students playing hacky sack in the South Courtyard (Photo credit/Kyle Nguyen) The East Hacky Sack Club, co-presidented by Sam Milliken and Mac Shaw, is another club started at the beginning of this year that aims to spread hacky sack around the school. Milliken stated he originally got the idea to start a hacky sack club from some of his friends at another Denver high school, George Washington High School. Milliken says that he honestly doesn’t know why hacky sack exploded in popularity, but that he “[created] a space for everyone to come together and have fun,” and for “as many [students] as possible to be participating.” To a large extent, the visions shared by Miller and Milliken have come to fruition. No matter where you are in the East campus, you’re bound to run into a group playing the game. Unfortunately, as many of us have experienced, any kind of congregation in the middle of the hallway leads to disruptions, and groups of sackers are no exception to this scrutiny. Hacky sack circles often block parking lot lanes and fill up hallways, making it a chore for passers-by to avoid the flying footbags. Students also like to skip classes and step outside to get a hacky sack fix in. In fact, during my interview with Miller, a group of students playing down the hall were asked to go back into their classrooms. The club presidents don’t condone students skipping to play, with Milliken stating, “I think [skipping is] a bad thing because you shouldn't be sacrificing your education for a game.” Students playing hacky sack in the end of a hallway (Photo credit/Kyle Nguyen) Even though hacky sack is a pretty universal game, sackers in the school have to be careful and mindful of the spaces that they take up around them. However, no matter why hacky sack got so popular, it seems like the activity is here to stay for at least a little while. Miller says, "It's a great alternative to using your phone. It's bonding.”  East Hacky Sack Club meets every Friday during lunch on the South Lawn, and East Yard Games Club meets every Thursday during lunch in the Ceramics room.

East Theatre Company is made up of the students and staff who are responsible for our amazing theatrical productions every fall and spring. This year, East Theatre wrote their fall play from scratch in collaboration with members of the company, including Dave Medicus, Dasheill Brennan, Malena Lubbert, and many others.  Photos of Study No More Previews By Genesis Martinez The show they wrote, titled Study No More,  is based on the similarly titled interactive performance: Sleep No More,  which is based in New York and follows the story of Shakespeare's Macbeth . East's production takes the interactive aspect of this show and applies it to a story that showcases the 100-year history of East's current building. While simultaneously taking the audience through the building, with scenes in many different rooms of the school including the library, the museum, and an ending scene in the clocktower overlooking the city skyline. The idea for this show came to the director of the East Theatre Company Deborah Voss, last year. The show is a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the school which coincided with a project lead by Mr. Fulford where he digitized material from the bell tower museum.  Voss heard that the district wasn’t doing much to celebrate the schools anniversary and she felt that it was the theatre companies responsibility to celebrate the achievement. Writing the fall play from scratch comes with its own unique pros and cons. One good thing that comes out of writing the script is the collaboration that it allows between the actors and the writers; this collaboration leads to a stronger script that makes more sense when translated to the stage. Deborah Voss said, “I believe this has probably been one of the most collaborative processes as far as creating a piece of work. I feel like it's such a huge collaboration between the writers, the actors, the directors, and the stage craft,” when asked about the pros of writing the script in an interview. This collaboration is helpful for the writers and  actors to make sure the script makes sense when translated to the stage. Photos of Study No More Previews By Genesis Martinez On the other hand, writing the script caused a delay in the rehearsal process. The original plan was to have the creative writing students from last year write the script in small parts as an assignment. However, the company didn't get much material they could use, causing the writing process to surpass the summer deadline. This caused rehearsals to be delayed until later in the semester than they would usually start by about a month starting in late September, opposed to the usual schedule which would start in early September. Junior Penelope Strand had this to say about the delays, “It was a work-in-progress script and it had different variations, but overall it has become a very strong and powerful piece."   So would East do a production like this again? When asked in an interview Deborah Voss says that we would, and definitely will. Study No More isn’t the first student-written production to be put on at East. If you're a senior, you might remember the fall play in 2023, Red Ink was also student-written. This production, as well as original works which are written by creative writing students and performed by the level 3 Theatre students, and Senior Projects, which are based on existing material and edited down by the senior directors. So student written/edited productions happen every year, so this is nothing new for East Theatre company.  In an interview, Deborah Voss said, “My hope is that when the audience leaves the tower, they leave with a sense of the history that is East High School in its current building.”  So the goal of this project is to show the people who come to see it the East legacy, and nothing is more fitting to show that legacy then an East theatre production. Despite the delays the show and its actors have powered through to create a final product that there is no doubt will stun the audience.

Groups of teenagers shopping through one of the many different thrifting stores in Denver   In recent years, second hand stores have seen a new wave of young customers. Once considered outdated has now become one of Gen Z’s favorite ways to shop. Whether teens are looking for one of a kind pieces or trying to shop on a budget, thrifting has become a movement that celebrates sustainability, creativity, and individuality. For many, thrifting is about building personal style. Unlike fast fashion, which often pushes the same styles and trends on everyone, thrift stores give shoppers the chance to create a wardrobe that feels unique. Many also enjoy the creativity thrifting allows, from mixing unexpected styles together to upcycling pieces into something new. “I like thrifting because it gives me an opportunity to be creative and use my sewing skills.”- Solenne Hogdin, president of East high’s thrift club. In this way, personal style becomes more than just following fashion trends-it becomes a reflection of character, and self-expression. Thrifting is not just a fashion choice, it’s an environmentally conscious one. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. Every item bought secondhand reduces waste by keeping clothing out of landfills, where millions of clothes end up each year. Unlike fast fashion, which produces cheap, disposable clothes that quickly wear out, thrifting encourages reusing and extending the life of clothing. By giving old clothes a new home, shoppers help lower the demand for new production. When asked about why she thrifts, co-president of the thrift club, Irie Wall says, “I enjoy thrifting because it’s sustainable and good for the environment.” For Gen Z, many are highly aware of climate issues, thrifting has become a practical way to reduce their environmental footprint while still looking stylish.  One of the biggest draws of thrifting is the cost. With prices for new clothes constantly rising, thrift stores offer a way to shop without breaking the bank. For students who get paid minimum wage or anyone just trying to save money, thrifting offers clothes at an attainable price. Beyond savings, the lower cost encourages creativity, allowing shoppers to experiment with different styles without the pressure of spending too much. Thrifting has also grown into a social activity. Many teens spend weekends hunting for “hidden gems” with friends, turning shopping into a fun, shared experience. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram amplify this by popularizing “thrift hauls” and “upcycling” videos, where creators show off unique finds or transform old clothes into new pieces. However, thrifting isn’t only limited to in person stores anymore. Online platforms like Depop, Vinted, and Poshmark have made it easier than ever to buy and sell secondhand clothing. These apps turn thrifting into a global marketplace, where shoppers can hunt for unique items from the comfort of their own home and even sell their own pieces to others directly from their home. These platforms may take away from some of the social and environmental appeals of thrifting, but are still fun ways to shop secondhand. “I like thrifting in person because I get to see the items in store, however there are also less options. It is usually easier to find good pieces online, so I understand both.” -Lily Block, student at East. For Gen Z, thrifting represents a balance between affordability, environmental responsibility, and self-expression. It’s more than just a trend, it’s part of a larger movement  toward sustainable living and rejecting the culture of fast fashion. As thrift stores continue to fill with the energy of young shoppers, one thing is clear: secondhand is back in style, and it looks like it’s here to stay.

Last school year's controversial installment, the all-gender bathroom, is an ongoing fight between DPS and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). East High School announced the bathroom on the second floor, where the female-designated bathroom had been, on its official website on January 3, 2024. “These restrooms serve those who may feel uncomfortable in gender-specific facilities and align with our values of supporting every student” (“East High School » Introducing New All Gender Restrooms”). Soon after, on January 28, 2024, the Office for Civil Rights initiated a Title IX investigation (U.S. Department of Education). Originally, the female-designated bathroom was the only all-gender bathroom, leaving three male-designated bathrooms and only two female-designated bathrooms. The Trump Administration’s OCR found this bathroom in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX completely prohibits sex-discrimination in all educational spaces and programs (school, sports, etc.). In response to the investigation, East High School also converted the previously male-designated bathroom to an all-gender restroom in August 2025, when students returned to school. However, this change was not enough, and the OCR continued to claim Title-IX was being violated. Then, on August 28, the OCR released an ultimatum, giving Denver Public Schools 10 days, rather than the OCR Case Processing Manual’s typical 90 days, to conform to certain requirements, or “risk imminent enforcement action”. The requirements include the following: Convert all-gender restrooms back to “sex-designated” multi-stall restrooms. Remove policies that let students use “intimate facilities based on 'gender identity,' not biological sex”. Make an announcement to all DPS schools saying that schools “must provide intimate facilities that protect the privacy, dignity, and safety of its students and are comparably accessible to each sex”. “Adopt biology-based definitions for the words ‘male’ and ‘female’ in all policies and practices related to Title IX”. (“U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights Finds Denver Public Schools Violated Title IX”) Acting Assistant Secretary for the OCR stated, “Denver is free to endorse a self-defeating gender ideology, but it is not free to accept federal taxpayer funds and harm its students in violation of Title IX.” Alex Marrero, the Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, has made multiple statements regarding the issue. In his most recent letter, DPS Responds to OCR Regarding Alleged Title IX Violation , Marrero expresses DPS’s desire to “discuss resolutions”. So far, DPS is not backing down despite threats, and denies the claim that the restrooms are in violation of Title IX. “The decision to create all-gender restrooms was centered around feedback from students – including those who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who do not – seeking more private space with higher partitions and sealed sections between doors. Making this change at East served the needs and interests of many students in the East community. Students spoke up, and we listened. We will continue to stand with our students and for them against this onslaught of anti-LBGTQ+ sentiment,” Marrero asserts. Principal Walker also agreed that it was not exclusively one group reaching out that wanted the bathrooms. Students reportedly wanted bathrooms for many other reasons. Some reasons included privacy concerns, changing for sports, and long single-stall bathroom wait times. The only real change to the bathrooms is the stalls, which now reach 12 feet into the air, and gaps on the sides of the stalls being covered. “This is about what our kids, all of our kids, express. And there will be some kids who are not interested and that's fine too,” Walker notes, “I don't have any interest in telling people what is right or wrong. We teach kids to be critical thinkers and to think for themselves.” The conflict has yet to be resolved, as neither the Office of Civil Rights nor Denver Public Schools is conceding. East High School students have largely adapted to the changes, despite whether or not they agree with them. Still, the question remains: how far will either side go before yielding? Will the Office of Civil Rights be forced to back off of DPS, or will our school district surrender under the pressure of the so-called risk of “imminent enforcement action”? Only time will tell.

Media giant Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest media enterprises in the United States, is purchasing Tegna Media for $6.2 billion as of August 19th. This is just one of many recent mergers and acquisitions in an unprecedented age of media consolidation. Nexstar, which already owns news stations Fox 31 in Denver, CBS affiliate KREX in Grand Junction, and Fox affiliate KXRM in Colorado Springs, has agreed to acquire Tegna who owns NBC affiliate 9News and KTVD in Denver. The deal is set to be finalized by the second half of 2026, pending shareholder and regulatory approval. This merger leaves Nexstar in control of two of Denver’s top three stations—9News, CBS 4, and Fox 31—as well as 3 other stations across Colorado. This violates the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation that one company can only own one of the top four stations in a local area. Further, according to Nexstar, after the merger, they will have a “combined audience reach of 80% of US TV households” across the US, well above the 39% national viewership cap put in place by the FCC. These violations are only possible due to the current administration's deregulation of broadcast rules in favor of media conglomerates.   The ramifications for local news coverage in Denver and across the US are yet to be seen; however, when media is consolidated, it is known that local news coverage decreases, diversity of viewpoints shrinks, and the media has weakened accountability. According to the Free Press, “When a handful of corporations own nearly all of our news media, owners of color are crowded out and people of color are either stereotyped or ignored in news coverage.” This leaves minorities with less control over how they’re portrayed, as well as less coverage of events in their communities.  Additionally, more media stations being owned by fewer corporations means consumers lose access to unbiased reporting, and see fewer perspectives. According to Stanford Business School, between 2010 and 2020, Nexstar Media, Sinclair Media, and Grey Television made more than 215 acquisitions, which put them in charge of 40% of all local news coverage and in over 80% of media markets. Furthermore, Joshua McCrain of the University of Utah and Gregory Martin, an associate professor of political economy at Stanford Graduate School of Business, stated, “...new ownership typically led to a de-emphasis on local news and more coverage of national politics [and] advertising increased during newscasts.” Having multiple sources of information ensures that you see all the important stories, because there are more stories than one outlet can cover.  Typically, an area will have numerous sources of news, from newspapers to TV stations and radios, to keep each other in check, confirming they report factual, unopinionated information and cover all the essential stories. Additionally, independent media (media not owned by a large corporation) have more freedom in what they report. A news station owned by a larger corporation is not going to be able to write and air a story that the company doesn’t approve of. If a large portion of news stations can’t report something, we are incapacitating the public's access to accurate information. According to the New York Times, in some cases, the owners impose editorial directions, as seen with Sinclair Media—who own 185 television stations—and have created editorials and news stories that they mandate be read on air by all their stations, rather than letting the local newsrooms decide.  Additionally, without multiple sources of information, it is known that corruption in our government increases. Steve Bass, the former president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting (a PBS affiliate with more than 25 radio and TV stations) stated, “Without journalists to observe and report (and sometimes push for access), governments tend to do things behind closed doors, which can be detrimental to everyday people. In many communities, there is a scarcity of journalists, and there is some evidence that public corruption is higher.” This point was further illustrated when Colombia Journalism Review stated, “All else being equal, the closure of a newspaper yielded a 6.9 percent increase in corruption charges..and a 7.4 percent increase in cases filed.” Factual, unbiased information is essential to keeping our government honest, and with media consolidation, we are further hampering access to factual news. Finally, there have been drastic changes in the ways that people consume media, shifting from newspapers and news stations to social media. When in the past it was easy to tell what was opinion rather than fact, now it is much harder to tell with sources broadcasting stories with “news” in the title when the majority is panels of pundits offering opinions. Social media has also made it increasingly challenging to distinguish between fact and opinion, because it feeds people content based on what they’ve already consumed and is "susceptible to manipulation by propagandists, malevolent foreign governments, and people profiting off division.” With many social media platforms owned by Google and Meta, which have tremendous market power, and far less regulation than traditional media, it takes a highly media-literate person to distinguish between what is fact, what is opinion, and what is entirely made up.

Illustration by Till Lauer - The New Yorker Ever had a crush on a robot? Didn’t think so.  Yet people are entering relationships with AI at unprecedented rates in the United States, with 1 in 5 American adults admitting to having “chatted” with a romantic AI simulation (PR Newswire). These human-AI couples do normal couple things together, such as sharing meals, playing games, and exploring new places. But this new reality is anything  other than normal.  The rise of artificial intelligence necessitated that we accept and expect it to enter many spheres of human life - but love? Not quite. Now, increasing numbers of young people are turning to AI as a “companion” for both romantic and sexual connections. As these relationships occur more and more frequently, so does a growing concern about what this means for the future of human relationships.  AI platforms are allowing users to create customizable romantic and/or sexual relationships with artificial intelligence. However, the emotional impacts and ethical considerations of such virtual connections are under researched and generally neglected by AI companies, government, and the public who are falling susceptible to such technological advancements. The first potentially obvious concern is social isolation and the erosion of relationships. A reliance on robot companions leads to less interaction with human companions, undermining the importance of human interaction and the values necessary to have healthy relationships with another person. These artificial relationships also objectify and dehumanize intimacy as simply a commodity, and begs the question of what the nature of connection truly is. Can an attachment to an AI bot truly be described as love? (The answer is no, guys.) An AI relationship fills a need that we as a society are no longer fulfilling for one another. When asked what he defined as an AI relationship, Mr. Marshall King, an AP Psychology teacher here at East said, “It's a means to an end for intimacy. Technology is getting easier, and people are getting lazier.”  He’s not wrong. In fact, he’s absolutely right. We as humans need to bond with someone, or something. We adore our stuffed animals as kids, hold hands with our friends in elementary school, date in middle and high school, and get married as adults. There is a substantial, long-term desire in human nature for connection. A computer is not connection. The program is falsifying that need for an emotional bond. The relationship’s goal is to always please the human partner, who is in complete control of the dynamic. That's just not how real life works, and for a good reason. Mr. King also voices his worry about confusion with mature, sexual concepts such as consent. “AI doesn’t consent, it will do what you want it to do… it's very dangerous,” King explains. “It feels wrong to say they're similar [to human relationships], because they're not real.” Users in AI relationships would disagree. The line between immersion and realism is extremely dangerous, and now there are imaginary friends who will not only talk to you but fulfill your most vulnerable needs both emotionally and in a way, physically. For example, Character AI is a platform that offers free and premium subscriptions in exchange for customizing personalities that, coupled with deep learning models and high image definition and generation capabilities, creates an eerily lifelike robot “partner.” These platforms act as psychosexual playgrounds that are technologically addicting.  Naturally, I asked Mr. King what his opinions were on the broader psychological impacts of AI love. King responded with something I hadn’t considered. “Anonymity, being anonymous… It's a very powerful tool. Social psychology shows us anonymity leads to emboldened behaviors and creates risk-taking. This idea of forcing these AI relationships to do certain things… it's confusing for consent.” Human sexuality has already changed dramatically with inventions such as the Internet. King emphasizes that AI relationships will likely, as they do already, create extremely skewed perceptions of what is appropriate personal behavior. Not only do the relationships often themselves turn toxic and even abusive, but they are teaching people to replicate the same behaviors in human spaces. The ethical violations of these companies are clear: Their products are able to mentally manipulate individuals and bring up dangerous debates around our free will when faced with the ultimate reward of love. Our generation is having a mental illness epidemic, for which the antidote is love and healthy human  relationships. But now there is a disgustingly easy alternative that will cause more harm than good.  Stay safe out there, guys.

East Angels winning the City League Invitational at city park golf course on Monday, Aug 25, 2025 (@denvereast_boysgolf) Denver East boys’ golf started off their season with some impressive rounds, leading them to be ranked first in the state (as of August 29, 2025). This was supported by stellar scores: Elijah Johnson shot a 64 (-7) and a 65 (-5), and Alex Kukreja shot a 68 (-2) and a 69 (-2) in City League tournaments held at City Park, Overland, and Wellshire golf courses (CHSAA). With two four-year varsity seniors, Alex Kukreja and Elijah Johnson, and one three-year varsity player, junior Murphy Rowen, the East Boys Golf team has a great chance to win state this year. This year, qualifying for state is even easier. Previously, Colorado golf had one regional round used to determine state qualifiers. This year, CHSAA changed the format so there are no regional tournaments. It depends on how you perform in State qualifying rounds (at least three 18-hole rounds), and the top 84 players in each district qualify for state. East head coach, Quinn Hornecker, believes this is an improvement. He states, “The old system came down to one day at regionals, to determine if you went to state, and the regular season didn’t mean much. Now, at least five tournaments in the regular season determine whether or not you go to state, so it adds value to the regular season.” This idea is shared by the golf team, leading to better preparation for state, since each round is significant instead of relying on one qualifying round. The adjustment also builds momentum and cohesion as it encourages players to deliver consistent performances throughout the season. This team is also one of the strongest East golf has ever seen, and many players are confident in their ability to contend for state this year. Alex Kukreja, team captain, believes the team can win state, emphasizing, “We are one of the best, if not the best, teams in the state, and I absolutely think we can win if we play well.” The whole team is confident based on previous performances, with Elijah Johnson, the other co-captain, agreeing, “I’m 100% confident that our team will make an impact at state this year, maybe even win the whole thing.” The two captains’ enthusiasm makes for an exciting season to come. Elijah Johnson finishing up a stellar round 65 (-5) at the Angels invitational at City Park golf course on Thursday, Aug 14, 2025 (@denvereast_boysgolf) East is a team with not only talent but character as well. Coach Hornecker, who has been East’s golf coach for 17 years and also played in college, says he has never seen a team like this. “I think this is probably my favorite team I’ve ever coached. And not only because it’s incredibly talented—obviously, that makes it fun— but just an awesome group of guys,” exclaims Coach Hornecker. The legacy built by East golf—not only through their success, but also their integrity—may provide powerful motivation to perform at the state tournament this year. State is about a month away, and the team is preparing as hard as possible. With the relief of qualifying for the top players, they can focus on putting their best game together for state. The tournament will be held over two days, October 6th–7th, at Bookcliff Golf Course in Grand Junction, Colorado. With long tee boxes and narrow fairways, the Angels are definitely up for the challenge.

Our esteemed principal, Ms. Terita Walker, has worked tirelessly guiding East through numerous victories and challenges that have ultimately led our community to its 150th anniversary. Throughout the years Ms. Walker’s pride and support has been the face of East High School as she shows up and out at every event, from homecoming, to soccer games, to out of state competitions! Principal Walker gets her news from Wall Street Journal , The New York Times , and also more local sources like the Denver Post.  When asked about her best piece of advice for student journalists she shared, “Don't forget to share stories that bring people joy…I think on the other side of any challenge we’ve had, there is a story of resilience or there’s a story of people coming together in unity.” This year there have been multiple district wide changes in curriculum that have become controversial throughout East High School. Most notably English and Science classes have had changes to both curriculum style and requirements. Ms. Walker gives insight about the changes from her time as an English teacher stating, “Our teachers are so many amazing things, and they want to share that with students…and some of this curriculum doesn't allow them to be them and support you guys.”  Throughout the 2025-2026 school year Ms. Walker is primarily focused on fostering trust within the community and improving attendance rates. Despite East’s attendance being relatively strong in comparison to previous years, Walker is looking to reengage members of our community who may have been lost due to a lack of trust. Principal Walker believes that, “Not everything needs to be changed and every day is just about being better than you were yesterday”, using this philosophy Ms. Walker is looking to grow from previous challenges.   East has been under fire as a result of its relatively recent installment of two gender neutral bathrooms on the second floor. In response, Ms. Walker wanted to emphasize how much work was put into bathrooms before they were installed claiming, “This is about what our kids, all of our kids, have expressed and there will be some kids who are not interested” adding, “We just encourage people to do exactly what we did: take the time to listen, understand why, and do as much as we can to protect all of the students, as we possibly can”. Since she became the principal at East, Walker has become a micro-celebrity to our enormous community. Like many celebrities, Principal Walker says a challenge for her is,“I can't go to the grocery store in my pajamas!...I’m a human too and I think people forget that sometimes.” East has around 2,500 students and 125 teachers, who all rely on and look to Principal Walker in times of need. Ms. Walker says, “This is like a small town, and I am not like a mayor… But you get pressed into those spaces.” She describes the weight that comes with her job, but divulges how she overcomes this challenge, “I refuse to forget what it was like to be 15 or 16 so I try to make sure you guys know that. I don’t expect perfection… but I do want you to be smart and safe and sometimes listen to those of us who had to learn the hard way so that you don't have to.”

The sheer mass that is the climate crisis can often be existentially overwhelming to the average person. To many, it’s beyond the scope of one’s daily life. This is a subject that’s discussed over and over again, yet still seems way over our heads. Many feel apathetic to the problem or unmotivated to take any action. Being primarily urbanites, students of East included can often feel a disconnect from nature in their lives (Greater Good Science Center). Many of us live with a concrete curtain separating us from the Rocky Mountains to the West. Charlotte Goldstein, president of East High School’s sustainability club, has been attempting to garner support in climate activism since her freshman year when she joined the club. However, getting and keeping people motivated with an issue to the scale of the climate crisis has been a consistent challenge. “One of the main struggles is getting people involved,” she mentioned.  In many ways, the natural disconnect is exactly what senior Olivia Beasley hopes to help remedy with her plans to construct a garden on East High School’s south lawn courtyard. The plan consists of setting up six garden boxes on the south lawn, chosen because of its seclusion from street access and ideal shade conditions. “We want to turn the east side of the south courtyard [...] into a usable vegetable garden for students,” says Beasley. The garden project acts as a collaboration between Olivia’s four-person SLUG (South Lawn Urban Garden) team, sustainability club, and garden club. “It's just a lot of different clubs working on a really beautiful project,” according to Charlotte. So far, the project has received the necessary permissions from Principal Walker, logistic support from East groundskeeper Raymond Leyba, and funding from Denver Public Schools’ office of sustainability. In a joint effort with the woodshop, the group has fully constructed the wooden boxes, which students may have spotted on the south lawn. As of April 25, dirt has been added to the boxes, and planting is expected to commence soon. The project is made possible by the SLUG group’s winning of the DPS Climate Champions grant, which awarded them with $18,308 out of a $225,000 pool. The grant acts as the district’s way to fund various climate activism projects across Denver as a part of DPS’ Climate Action Plan (CAP), which was created with DPS Students for Climate Action, a district-wide student activist group. The CAP sets climate standards for the district and aims to reduce carbon emissions. Activism and proposal for communal difference is the ethos of this project, as well as the people and groups that make it up. Beyond the garden, all members are deeply involved in environmentalism. Sustainability club has plans for various events that also aim to create community action. ‘Treeplenish’ is a particularly important event, where students will get together to plant trees around the city.  People with interest regarding the garden are encouraged to visit sustainability club every Monday in room 407 or garden club in 211 every other Monday.