Search Results

What is the true equitable grading model? Each teacher and student has their own idea. Striving for equity in our society has extended into our education system. However, equity means creating an even playing field for each person’s individual circumstance. Which is why we see so many different variations of what people think is an equitable model. Everyone has their own reality that would make certain grading practices harder or easier for them. How can a widespread equitable grading system be established if there is no widespread solution to accommodate everyone? Joe Feldman, professor and author of “ Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms ” explains the three main criteria for an equitable grading system are, “accuracy, bias-resistance, and intrinsic motivation” (Harvard.edu). Feldman claims grading with these in mind is the best way to evaluate the academic standing and success of a student. Megan Leich teacher and guest on “Grading for Equity” by Modern Classrooms Project Podcast explains how she began to evaluate her standard grading system. She began seeing grades from her students either being inflated or worse than she noticed in the actual knowledge and competence of her students. She began to change her grading system to meet the standards of this three-pillar system. To improve accuracy, Leich recommends only putting grades in that reflect actual student knowledge and therefore stopping grading things such as attendance, participation, and homework. These grades do not reflect actual knowledge of the content or skill. However, this does mean all grades will come from tests and classwork. Those who tend to have test anxiety or don't do well on tests could be negatively impacted by such a grading system. To help remedy this, retakes and corrections have to be made available. These measures could help create a grade that accurately represents a student's knowledge. To help limit the impact of bias when grading Leich suggested making students’ electronically submitted work anonymous while grading it, so if teachers had any negative - or even positive— interactions with students that could not affect bias while grading. To foster intrinsic motivation Leich argues for a flexibly paced work course. Intrinsic motivation is motivation through actual interest, not seeking external reward. More intrinsically motivated people are proven to have more long-term success and are less prone to burnout. Which is why trying to promote intrinsic motivation in schools is important. It's impossible to make students genuinely interested in all of their coursework, however, there are ways through grading practices that can help tailor learning to students needs and interests through a flexibly paced schedule. Leich explains how she understands the parameters in which things must be learned but offers different activities to practice and learn. If learning different concepts takes different times for everyone, they are given some flexibility to figure out what they need. One thing we find teachers doing sometimes is telling students that grades don't matter. Megan Leich explains how this is damaging because it loses students trust in their teacher. In the society we live in today grades are important. If a student is trying to get into college it's a fact that grades matter, if they are trying to get a job, grades impact their chances. Another mistake teachers can make in their grading policy is not setting clear standards on how grading is done. For example some teachers may accept late work until a specific date, but that date must be specified and clear or saying it depends when regarding late work is also confusing for students. A student may think it is fine then see a deflated grade due to late work. Or a student can ask for an extension but the amount of time till the next strict deadline is not explicit and clear. Much of this confusion may not even be because of a specific teacher but just the difference in grading systems between each teacher. For example if a student has six teachers that means they have to now memorize six different grading systems. It is important to remember when on this journey to improve our grading systems to not blame possible inequitable practices on teachers. Thinking teachers should adjust some of their criteria to fit one's idea of equity is naive when there are many others who would disagree if it's even equitable or realistic. Remember, equitable grading doesn't just mean easier it means fair and just. Using this three-pillar approach, teachers can try to align their grading system to be more equitable, Leich recommends teachers find a community to discuss grade reform. As an East community we could begin to implement these standards by creating an equitable grading conversation that includes teachers as well as students. It’s important to remember that creating an equitable system takes time and effort but we can begin to reform our education system. However this equitable grading model using the three pillar system and Leich’s modifications only works if the purpose of school is just to teach content. Is the goal of school to also teach and assess participation, effort, and attendance? Is equitable grading not sufficient in preparing students for reality after high school? Or is equitable grading even possible because everyone has such a different circumstance? If teachers want to teach these skills to students then assigning a grade for these skills may be the only way to motivate students to improve upon them. In order to create an equitable grading model the goals of what is being graded for must be established. After highschool effort, participation, and work at home can be important skills to have, but is Math or English the best place to learn these skills? Maybe, but to even begin creating equity in grading there must be clear standards on what skills are even being assessed.

The lives of Columbine students Steven Curnow, John Tomlin, and Kelly Flemming were not enough and neither were the 338,000 students in the U.S. who have experienced gun violence at their schools. Now, in February 2023, that number is now 340,579 students because of East High School. On Monday, February 13th, a student was shot outside East High School. While it technically wasn’t Denver Public Schools’ property, it was only steps away. “I will never be able to unsee the student or unhear the gunshots,” Sadie Bercovitz, a senior at East says. Many students made their way to their cars between class periods when the shooting happened. Not only did students hear multiple gunshots, but some witnessed the victim shot in their car. Fear: “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.” School: “An institution for educating children.” According to Virtual College, the best learning environment is a positive one with minimal distractions. Side conversations and kids running in the hallway can always add distractions to a student's environment, but so can the sound of gunshots and the fear in your mind that someone could come in at any minute. “I have witnessed fights, COVID, bomb threats, and protestors, but never in my four years have I been afraid to go to school.” Says Ellie McGoldrick, a senior at East High School. Students continuously hear about it on the news and learn about it in their classes but as a student, you never expect to have something like that happen at your own school. The bubble you live in pops and the evil reality of gun violence spatters into your daily life. I posted a poll on my personal Instagram story asking students to reply honestly. The results revealed that 84 out of 119 students said they do not feel safe at school and 102 out of 118 students said they do not feel heard by their school's administration. The question is what are DPS and East administrations going to do to keep their students safe? They cannot change gun laws but they can help more students feel safe to walk into the school building. They canceled school and had us wear masks to keep us safe during the pandemic, but what is protecting us from this epidemic happening right outside our school? Junior Anna Boyle expresses, “They seem to make all these promises about safety and improving mental health, yet don’t follow through.” Where are the improvements in counseling that DPS promised we would receive after taking away the SROs that kept us safe?

Music has grown up alongside us. From the queen of pop Madonna in the 90s, to the crown being taken by Taylor Swift, music grows and changes each year. 2022 was full of artists' comebacks like Adele along with new artists like Noah Kahan taking the spotlight. Hundreds of artists and bands walked into the music studios this year ready to leave their mark. I chose the top twelve of the biggest albums of 2022 and let my fellow angels choose their top 5 favorites. Here are the ones that left their mark the most… 1. Midnights- Taylor Swift Midnights quickly took the highest record of Spotify streams in one day when it hit 186 million streams. The next day every tiktok was a song from the album and you could not escape it. Anti-Heros lyrics about self-hatred and criticism left a mark after the first listen and hit the number-one song on the album. 2. Stick Season- Noah Kahan 2022 was Noah Kahan's best year yet. Noah Kahan started his career a lot earlier than people would expect but the album that finally made his dreams come true was Stick Season. Noah wrote stick season about his hometown in Vermont and little did he know the song would hit home to over 60 million people and it would be one of the top songs in 2022. Sometimes the unexpected is the best. 3. Harrys House- Harry Styles Harry's House was a little bit more expected to come out. On May 20th the artist dropped his third album in his solo career. Unfortunately, this album did not pass his past album Fine Line but even if the album was not as strong as his others, excitement still flooded the world. 4. Gemini Rights- Steve Lacy As a newer artists, Steve Lacy has definitely shown the world what he is capable of. From his Apollo XXI album released in 2019 to his most recent album Gemini Rights, Steve has only been going up in his career. It seems that each album gives his audience a little bit more. His unique and funky voice finally got the attention it deserved this year. 5. Brightside- The Lumineers Although The Lumineers have many great albums Brightside has definitely left its mark. People believe that this has to be their greatest musical achievement so far. Even though they started as a smaller band that formed in Denver they have become one of the worlds favorite bands. Tickets for their recent tour sold out in thirty-seconds and left every crowd in tears. This is definitely a band hard to dislike.

The past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for the East High School community. We lost an East student, Luis Garcia, after a horrific act of gun violence near the school, and in the same week, A student was found with a gun on campus. In our own school, we don't feel safe anymore. A place meant to be for learning has turned into a place full of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. Families and staff have to make the difficult decision of whether it's worth staying at a school where events like this are frighteningly common. Understandably, people are angry. There’s good reason to be. Amid everything the school has had to deal with after the shooting on February 13th, two of the events meant to address gun violence were canceled. DPS is once again ignoring the East community. After all, we've been through this before. Just six months earlier, after the school was swatted, administrators promised to fix the biggest failures of September 19th. During the safety meeting in September, the DPS head of security Michael Eaton said they would try to alert parents to a lockdown within five minutes of it happening. And yet, on the day Luis was shot, information was only sent out by email well after the school was placed on a secure perimeter. Instead of making the effort to implement changes that would’ve improved communication, like was promised, administrators quietly waited for anger and frustrations to die down, all without ever really doing anything. There is room for improvement in the responses to crises, both by the school and DPS, in communication, helping to return to a state of normalcy, and providing support. But at the end of the day, only so much can be done. Ultimately, it highlights a bigger issue in the country on a broader scale. Gun violence is an issue the United States struggles with at far higher than any other developed nation, with a rate of 4.12 firearm homicides per 100,000 people (see left graph). No matter what you stand for politically, we should all be able to agree that this is a problem that needs to be fixed. We shouldn't have to accept this. It needs to change. To bring about that change, we need to fight for it. Don't let legislators or DPS administration sit on their hands. The livelihoods of so many students, and so many people are at stake. You have the power to make a change, use it.

Vaping is a newer concept that has been around since 2003. It was created as an alternative to smoking cigarettes - but in reality, it is much worse than cigarettes. An average vape has the same amount of nicotine as 20 cigarettes - 2 packs, explains The National Institutes of Health. According to the FDA, 14.1% of high schoolers vape, which is about 2.14 million students across the world. In 2021, Cross River Therapy counted 55 million e-cigarette users worldwide. Vapes are marketed directly toward younger people such as teenagers. With the bright colors and fruity flavors like banana ice, strawberry, watermelon, candy, youth are more attracted to buying nicotine products. Zyn’s are also a problem in high schools; they are capsules of nicotine that are inserted between the lip and gum and they contain 6 milligrams of nicotine in a single pouch. Since there are 8 milligrams of nicotine in a single cigarette, as claimed by BioMed Central, putting one Zyn in your mouth is considered not as bad as smoking one cigarette. Although, since the capsule goes straight on the gum, people who use them have a higher susceptibility to gum disease. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the effects of vaping vary for adults and teenagers. In adults, vaping or ingesting nicotine in any form can cause an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to the heart, and a narrowing of the arteries. But in teenagers, nicotine harms the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. So the effects can differ depending on age, and teenagers are already more prone to addiction than adults due to the development of the brain, and addiction can impact the ability to focus. Vaping has become a significant issue among high schoolers in recent years. As explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, one out of four high school students reported using “e-cigarettes” in the past 30 days. Vaping can be particularly harmful to young people, as their brains are still developing and are more liable to the negative effects of nicotine. Some of the many negative effects of vaping include nicotine addiction, harmed brain development, respiratory problems, and the increased risk of using other drugs. I asked Mrs. Nichols, the drug and alcohol specialist in the clinic, some questions about e-cigarettes at East… What is the concequence of being caught vaping at East? Students get nicotine products taken away, and get their backpacks searched. Parents are called, you get a referral to an education program to learn about laws and effects of vaping for the first time being caught and for the second time being caught, a nicotine help group referral, if you comply the referrals come off your record, however, if you refuse then the referral stays on the record. - Do you think the consequence should be more or less strict? Or is the consequence now good enough? - I feel like we have a good system in place, less than 4% of students get caught a second time. - Why do you think students vape even though it is so harmful to a young brain? - Often times its because of natural curiosity, curiosity about flavors and it seeming to be fun, nicotine just being around them in their everyday lives. Other things you want students to know? Nicotine is an extermemly addictive and powerful drug. And if you want to quit vaping, or atleast try, you do not have to get in trouble to work in the health office with me.

How many cute little succulents have you wasted money on because it seems like your green thumb isn’t so green? If you’re the kind of person that likes pretty, low maintenance, natural decor then this is a good read for you! Indoor plants don’t just look pretty in the window, plants turn CO2 into oxygen improving the air quality in the space. As well as induce positive changes in the brain’s electrical activity, muscle tension, and heart activity, according to The Green Hub . Fun fact, you talk positively around plants, they grow healthier and happier! 10- The Palms (Raphis + Areca) This indoor plant is good for the l ow maintenance people out there. This tropical plant derived from Madagascar, grows quite easily in low-light conditions, and doesn’t require natural sunlight! You can pop this miniature tree on your work desk, kitchen countertops, or even a dark nook that could use some color and the plant will happily grow! 9- The Lipstick Algonema This is a foliage plant from t he Araceae family that adds volume, texture, and a pop of color into any space. Despite being a foliage plant, this is a more slow-growing plant. Keeping this beautiful, leafy plant alive is as simple as just keeping the soil consistently moist. Meaning, you’ll only need to pay some attention to it every few days! 8- The Snake Plant The Snake Plant from Western Africa, is named after its long, slender, and deep green leaves, the Snake Plant really doesn’t require sunlight at all. It can survive a bit of neglect on your part while still thriving like it had a ll your attention. If you don’t have a balcony or live in a place with little natural light, maybe the SnakePlant is a good alternative for you to bring a lovely piece of nature into your home. 7- Spider Plants If you’d like to give a little to get a little, then this kill-proof plant is the one for you! As long as the sprawling plant is kept healthy by regularly watering it and kept in a pot accommodating to the size of the plant itself, it will give back to you by improving the air quality in the space! 6- Bamboo As versatile as it gets when it comes to indoor plants, the Bamboo plant from Asia, can grow in virtually any environment: water, soil, low light conditions, dry climates etc. This aesthetically pleasing little species has no demands of you, it’s extremely easy to grow and take care of while also bringing you an abundance of luck! 5- Aloe The plant that keeps on giving! Another species of plant where if you give it what it needs, it’ll soothe you in your most irritable moments. These gorgeous, pine like plants can be grown in an array of environments like subtropical regions and your window sill. They also look good potted with other plants! When an Aloe plant is healthy, you can utilize its pulp to help ease the irritation of sunburn, and minor insect bites. 4- Norfolk Island Pine Does the idea of your own miniature Evergreen Forest intrigue you? Then a small collection of these pine plants are just the selection for you! Discovered on an uninhabited island close to Australia, these plants will slowly grow into small trees with moistened soil. Want a unique Christmas tree? Hang origami, homemade ornaments, and popcorn chains on them to decorate your home-grown, unique, Christmas Tree! 3- Christmas Cactus Grown in the coastal mountains of South-Eastern Brazil, these beautiful, seasonal cacti are a perfect alternative for someone looking to bring some color into their home during the cloudy, winter months. The bright pink of the petals contrasts nicely with the bright white of the snow or the gloomy grayness of the clouds. You can almost forget about watering them. Christmas Cacti are happiest in dry soil making it one of the best plants for us who pay no mind to taking care of plants, but want a touch of scenic greenery. 2- The Pancake Plant The Pancake Plant is named for its rounded leaves protruding off of long, skinny stems. The Pancake Plant, coming from the Urticaceae plant family, can help to add a modern touch into any room! In Chinese culture, these plants are considered lucky and are thought to give prosperity and wealth to the owner! These plants can survive in a range of room temperatures and climates while only needing to be watered every couple of days! This low-maintenance, flowy plant is perfect for a sunny room that’s in need of some cha racter. 1- The ZZ Plant A classic for the lazy plant parents out there! This plant from Kenya, only requires water every few weeks, and can survive in any sunlight conditions. If you would like to put up some pretty decor and be able to forget about it, then the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia plant is the perfect pick for you! This species can add a relaxed aesthetic to your space that can help add an easy-going feel. Growing anywhere from 2 to 4 feet high, this is a great way to bring some life into any space!

In light of recent educational suppression, East Assistant principal Cameron Browne was, “Sadly, Not surprised” by Florida's recent attempts to shroud educational courses from their students. Most recently, a ban on AP African American history in Florida public schools. The words uttered by Mr. Browne seem to be spoken more often than usual. Florida's recent attempts at obscuring content from its residents have been the cause of national outcry among education leaders, Including Denver East. In August of 2022, College Board, the non-profit organization that oversees Advanced Placement classes nationwide, announced the frameworks for a new A.P. African American Studies course. Following the consultation of professors from over 200 universities, the class was completed in December and has since been piloted in 60 different schools across the country with the plan to release the course for the 2024-25 school year. While East was initially primed to be a pilot school, the decision was ultimately made to forgo the course until the 24/25 school year, after minimal information was released surrounding the course. On January 12, Florida’s Department of Education vowed to ban the class, claiming it, “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value”(CNN). More recently, on February 14th Desantis enlightened the idea of removing all ties with the college board, including AP courses and the SAT. This comes as no surprise, following Ron Desantis’s signing of the Stop Woke act, in April, which severely limited schools' ability to teach or discuss sensitive topics such as race, gender, and critical race theory. The actions of Florida's Department of Education sparked outrage around the country, including from Florida's very own Fentrice Driskell. The Democratic leader from Florida's House of Representatives stated, “He [Ron Desantis] wants to control what our kids can learn based on politics, and not sound policy. He repeatedly attacks the first amendment rights of Floridians with books being banned from libraries and classrooms and now throwing his weight against this AP African American History course”(Time.com). While Fentrice Driskell can express her displeasure to a national audience, many who coincide with her ideas do not have such a following. Among those disheartened by Desantis’s actions is East’s Assistant principal, Cameron Browne. Mr. Browne finds the actions of Ron Desantis and Florida's educational board to be based on a “misguided idea” about the effect certain content may have on students, and in the, “best interest of a particular set of students.” Despite the harsh nature of the situation, Mr. Browne views it as a great learning opportunity for students, who he encourages to, “figure out how to be intentional in these moments and think about how can you be a social justice advocate in ways that are impactful”. At the moment, it is still being determined how East, along with many other schools, will respond meaningfully. Any real action taken against the College Board could truly harm the education of students around the country, so finding an appropriate response will be critical. With no clear response to preserve and prevent attacks on our educational rights, the ability for change again falls to the students. Mr. Browne encourages students to constantly learn about the world around them, and advocate for the greater good. “Being a constant learner, educating yourself, advocating, being critical,” stated Mr. Browne, “I think the true impact and change will not come from something immediate, it will be built over time and hopefully from a mass of people who speak and vote in elections because politics have an impact on a lot of spaces that you may not realize.”

The Deion ‘Primetime’ Sanders era at CU Boulder is officially underway and expectations for the Buffaloes are at an all-time high. In just his first 5 days as the head coach of CU, Sanders made a plethora of moves. He hired Kent State head coach Sean Lewis to be his offensive coordinator and Charles Kelly as defensive coordinator. Kelly worked as the safety coach at Alabama and is known for being an elite recruiter. Although most are excited to see the success that Coach Prime can bring to CU, his decision to move on from his former head-coaching job at Jackson State has been heavily criticized. Journalist Bomani Jones was one of several people who spoke out against Sanders’ move. Jones, in an appearance on CNN, stated that Sanders “Sold a dream and then walked out on that dream.” Sanders, who helped lead Jackson State to its first winning season since 2013, doesn’t seem too upset by the criticism. He claimed that those who condemned his decision “Say things out of emotions and anger.” He hasn’t expressed any regret in his decision and seems excited for the next chapter of his coaching career. Despite leaving Jackson State in his past, Deion was followed to Colorado by six of his former players. Jackson State stars Travis Hunter and Shadeur Sanders, Deion’s son, are both following him to CU and headlined the Buffaloes’ 2022 transfer class. Hunter, who was the #1 ranked player in this year’s transfer portal, became the first five-star recruit to play with CU since 2008. As of now, 31 transfers have already committed to Colorado, with more likely to follow. Colorado’s class of transfers ranks #4 in the country, a massive improvement from last year’s class of transfers, which ranked just 78th in the country (247sports.com). Colorado isn’t only making noise in the transfer portal, however. The Buffs recently landed five-star recruit Cormani McClain, the number one cornerback of the 2023 recruiting class, as well as the twelfth-ranked overall prospect. McClain highlights Colorado’s 2023 recruits thus far, being one of 19 incoming freshmen to commit to playing for CU next year. The Buffs recruiting class this year ranks 29th nationally, a major leap from the 47th-ranked recruiting class they possessed last year. A year ago, prior to the Deion Sanders era, Colorado’s transfer class ranked just 79th nationally, eventually leading them to just a 1-11 overall record. It’s clear that players want to play for Coach Prime without even needing to be heavily recruited, and CU’s roster should continue to steadily improve as long as he’s in charge.

Signs of a failed system crack through more and more, waiting for the eyes who have not suffered it as much to notice. The reminders are constant. Every tent on the streets, every palm held out, hoping for someone to feel generous enough to drop change into it, and now as Denver finds itself in the depths of winter, every snowflake falling from the sky. It's no secret that America has an increasing number of citizens afflicted by the unforgiving effects of homelessness, and yet it continues to get swept under the rug. Many chalk it up to an issue too big and overwhelming to be solved, and while losing hope is easy to do when staring down a problem so bleak, ignoring the problem entirely only makes it worse. According to Jennifer Brown of The Colorado Sun, Denver´s population experiencing homelessness doubled after the COVID 19 pandemic, and while the pandemic had a noticeable effect on this, it's been an issue that's been festering for years. The homeless mortality rate in the Denver metro area has spiked by 94% in the last five years with the last year´s tally coming in at 173 deaths. The main cause for these deaths being drug overdoses. While this may not shock many, it isn't any less of a problem. For many Denver residents, East High School students in particular, these people are nothing more than part of the scenery on the sidewalk, a slight blemish on the city they go about their lives within. However, this doesn´t mean it's not a problem among some of those same students. East High social worker Heather Gardiner explains that she is aware of a significant amount of students experiencing homelessness in the school, and yet she gets a surprisingly small amount of reports to her. In reference to students coming to her for resources she states that, ¨Unfortunately, I don't see or have the numbers that I¨ve had before.¨ With Denver's homeless population on the rise, it seems as though the stigma around it is too. ¨We just have to know,¨ she continues, ¨I think there is a stigma, and I think sometimes students have pride and they don't want to say to a teacher that they´re homeless.¨ She encourages students to not worry about the stigma or any shaming around it. She helps run the school´s Backpack program, which hands out food to students and families in need every Wednesday in the commons. These packages include some baseline necessities for families, including groceries and snacks. Denver residents are so used to seeing homeless people on the streets that it doesn't even register with them that they are indeed real people that have backstories and very real struggles that have led them to this point in their lives. This is by no means an attempt to invalidate the struggles that the more fortunate have had to deal with because at the end of the day, suffering is suffering, no matter the extent of it, but the inconvenience of the truth doesn't make it any less real. With this winter's temperatures dropping as low as twenty-four degrees below zero, some action has been taken to shield the people from the brutal winter conditions. Locations such as the Denver Coliseum were opened as temporary shelters from the weather, and while it's a step in the right direction, it is still ultimately a bandaid for the bigger issue. Ultimately, that's all that can be done at the moment. Until action is taken by those who have the power, bandaids will have to do. Dealing with systemic issues is exhausting and can break the spirit of the people, but losing hope is what lets the people who created the problem win. Below are a few sources to help: -Denver Rescue Mission: https://denverrescuemission.org/ -Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: https://www.coloradocoalition.org/ -Sacred Heart House of Denver: https://sacredhearthouse.com/

Thus far, the 2022-23 season has been as good as ever for the Denver Nuggets. They currently stand as the top seed in the Western Conference, which has been a rarity in the franchise’s past. After an injury-filled 2021-22 season, it felt like Denver did not live up to the hype as championship contenders that they should have. They finished as the 6th seed with a 48-34 record and lost to Golden State in a 5 game first round series. However, it was a common expectation that a healthy Nuggets squad would return to being an elite team, and they have done just that. A first place finish would be the highest ever for Denver. But a regular season finish is not what matters, it's all about the playoffs and the Nuggets are yet to reach the promised land. They are three seasons removed from a Western Conference finals appearance in 2020, but have never made it further. But with the back to back MVP leading their way and arguably the best team ever put around, this might just be their year. Nikola Jokic is yet again spearheading the Nuggets’ success. He is currently averaging 25.1 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and 9.9 assists per game, all while shooting an outstanding 62.6% from the field (ESPN). While putting up these numbers, Jokic is quickly becoming the favorite to win the MVP award this year which would make it three in a row. Having a superstar talent like Jokic has become essential to winning a championship in the modern NBA, which is good news for the top-seeded Nuggets. Denver is significantly better when Jokic is on the court, having a 120.1 offensive rating with him and a 110.9 without (statmuse). As long as this team has Jokic, they will be in the discussion to win a championship. Now that they finally have the right pieces around him, they are living up to their championship-favorite potential. Aside from Jokic, Denver has star power from both new additions and some familiar faces. Star players Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have returned to the lineup this season after missing the entirety of last year. Though he had a slow start returning from an ACL tear, Jamal Murray has been heating up recently, averaging 20.8 points and shooting 46.4% three point shooting in his last ten games (ESPN). Murray’s firepower was crucial in their miraculous 2020 playoff run, so having him back to form could potentially be the key to winning it all. As for Porter, he is a lethal three point shooter that perfectly fits next to Jokic. He is shooting 40.5% on three pointers (ESPN) this season, which goes along great with Jokic, who can set him up at will. His defensive play has been a question mark throughout his young career, but it has recently improved. In addition to Murray and Porter, Aaron Gordon is having the best season of his career. He can defend at an elite caliber and is also playing on the offensive side with incredible efficiency. As a guy who cuts to the rim and is aggressive on rebounds, AG perfectly compliments Denver’s other stars, forming one of the best starting lineups in the league. Another key factor to the Nugget’s success this year has been the high-level play from their role players. Trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason has proven to be a tremendous move. He shoots 47.4% from three (NBA.com), which is good enough for second in the league. Caldwell-Pope also plays high-level defense, which makes him the perfect “3&D” player in the starting lineup that Denver sought to acquire in the offseason. They also signed Bruce Brown to a team-friendly, 2 year $13.28 million contract this summer, which has brought much needed bench scoring. Brown is a reliable player that can play with both the starters and the bench. Another critical player coming off of the Nuggets’ bench is Bones Hyland. Hyland is a fan favorite that brings a spark to every game. His consistency is a bit of a concern, but when he is on top of his game, he is unstoppable. With everything finally coming together, this might just be the year for the Nuggets to take home their first ever NBA title. Surrounding the right amount of starpower and role players around arguably the best player in the league sets up for tremendous potential. A championship has never felt so close for the Nuggets, which should excite the fan base.

Millions of students across the nation have been part of Gifted and Talented (G/T) programs since they first became widespread during the 1960s. These programs are intended to provide students with more engaging and challenging work; however, they have received lots of criticism over how they operate, sparking debates in districts nationwide on how to fix them. The first glaring issue is the inequality in students enrolled in the program. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, in Colorado, white students make up 53.4% of the student population, but over 70% of students enrolled in G/T. While G/T programs across the country are criticized for the inequality in accepted students, there are significant differences in how they are addressed. Gifted programs aren’t regulated by federal law, meaning each state’s Department of Education creates its own requirements. Not only does this create inconsistency nationwide, but there are inconsistencies even within the districts that implement programs. The G/T program at East High School exemplifies this. According to East’s G/T coordinator Anna Armitage, “East is the only high school in Denver Public Schools that has a full time gifted person on campus, so it’s building a new role, there’s no example for me to follow.” This is East’s first year with a full-time G/T coordinator. Previously, various volunteers ran the program in addition to their primary responsibilities, which most other DPS high schools still do. East student Carter Dunn agreed that East’s program was far more helpful, referring to his Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), a survey where students set personal and academic goals each school year. “At my middle school, they did not read [my ALP] and it did not have any significance. As a joke, I made my goal for science to be to win the Nobel prize.” Dunn a freshman this year, had taken Algebra 2 the previous year but was initially not allowed to jump to pre-calculus. “I was like, my math class is Algebra 2 is very easy and I do not feel it is the correct math class for me, and [Dr. Armitage] responded, pulling me out of class one day and we discussed math classes and what I would like to move to, and it turned out that … I very much want to move to pre-calculus,” Though there have been significant changes at East, work is still needed to improve the program further. “It’s very clear the way that the G/T program targets people that are privileged and that it’s an opportunity that a lot of people aren’t given,” says Lydia Lee, a sophomore in the program who went to a magnet middle school. Lee also mentioned the widely spread misconception that “gifted” students are somehow better students. “The mindset behind it of being smarter than other people not only makes it worse for people who aren’t in the program, but people who are, having the pressure of being told that you’re smarter than everyone.” According to Lee, another vital area in the G/T program that can get overlooked is the community it creates. “[G/T] provides a more stable neurodivergent community [by]...being able to be surrounded by people who understand the way that your brain functions differently.” Armitage also talked about developing the community more as an area of improvement for the program. “That’s definitely a goal for me next year, I think at the beginning of the year, there was good momentum because I worked with students in groups to write their advanced learning plan goals, and I got a lot of positive feedback about that.” Among other improvements she hopes to bring, Dr. Armitage also mentioned needing more time to ensure G/T best meets the needs of students.“For next year we need a really strong programming plan of like what gifted programming should look like at a high school, and I’m working on building that.” The changes at East are part of a more significant movement nationwide to improve G/T programs. Many states have been changing the admissions process to eliminate bias in recruitment, to varying degrees of success. Recently, some districts have been considering replacing G/T entirely, including New York City and Seattle. While G/T programs can be a valuable resource for students, the problems associated with them are still very much present. However, the best way of solving these issues is still a debate going on in more and more districts in the United States.

58 out of 70 high school students say the first thing they do after they wake up in the morning is go on their phones. Jari Roomer, writing for Medium.com says that going on your phone in the first hour of your morning can increase your stress and anxiety, giving you no time and space to start your day calmly. Big media companies like Snapchat, Instagram, and Tik Tok target vulnerable times in high school students’ lives. On the weekends: posting videos of themselves with friends or at parties. On the weekdays: aimlessly scroll through Instagram or Tik Tok brainlessly. Social media can feel nearly impossible to escape, and many kids are unwilling and unable to push themselves to delete these apps or recognize the problems at hand. Technology as a whole is almost impossible to escape: school work, jobs, and college have now entered online platforms. Rates expanded after the pandemic: zoom meetings and video calls with friends increased the use of technology by 40% (says source Pew Research Center). As technology advances, so does our time on it. According to Social Media and Suicide , cyberbullying and social media increase suicidal thoughts by 14.5%, and suicide attempts by 8.7%. At times when we are vulnerable, self-conscious, and overstimulated, social media targets our growing adolescent minds. Teens who may be getting excluded from their friend group can see that plastered onto Instagram, while kids can screenshot chats and private pictures on Snapchat making them and others aware that the picture was saved. Even when entering college, social media and the internet can be very scary. Students who choose to post pictures of themselves saying racist slurs, harming others, or even holding substances of alcohol or nicotine, put their future in jeopardy as they can easily be rejected or dropped from colleges. The internet is forever, and for young teenagers whose brains are only just developing, it is hard to keep themselves in check. In March of 2021, a former student of the Loudoun County school district was recorded saying a racial slur. After the video went viral on social media, her future was in jeopardy. The college she had applied to and was prepared to possibly attend had received multiple emails and phone calls from alumni, and current students saying how she should not be allowed to attend. She eventually withdrew her application due to advice from admissions counselors. Because of the spread of the video and the choices she made, this student's future was hurt and extremely jeopardized. With this has the continued spread of toxicity throughout children’s phones only to permeate their brains and expose them to hatred, gossip, and anxiety. While we may think that companies are aware and want to help, we turn out to be wrong. Quoted from Social Media Victims Law Center, ”Social media sites allow people to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously, making it easier to be mean or hurtful.” Looking at this loudly, social media explicitly adds features to somewhat enhance anonymous cyberbullying. While some may think that social media can be very unhealthy for adolescents and a controlling factor in teen lives, others think teens should have the control to get off of it. When a teenager has a popular social media app, they can be faced with tough decisions. Deleting a social media app can mean missing out or not talking to friends as much. Because social media companies target visible vulnerable stages so heavily, it's easy for kids to dismiss feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Thus, kids don't understand the real effect that social media has on them and others. That's why it is the job of parents and teenagers to educate others and help them understand what they can do to ensure that social media is being controlled by us and not the companies. We should choose when we want to get off the apps. There are multiple sides to social media and all need to be recognized so kids can have a healthy experience going onto apps. To teach control within the new world of technology the battle every day is vital to strong success within adolescence moving forward, especially within high schools.