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We all know how difficult it can be to juggle being a full-time student with working a part-time job, but as the school year ends and our schedules free up…it might be time to start pursuing potential job opportunities! A season full of last-minute trips, favorite concerts, and a new summer wardrobe requires at least a little bit of funding, so what’s the best way to guarantee a steady cash flow? Though the process may feel daunting, it’s important to remember that it has been done before. Whether it be friends, siblings, or classmates; plenty of teenagers are hired and working for the summer. Many East students stay local and work at small businesses and establishments within the community (Syrup, Lik’s, The Botanic Gardens, etc.), while others join chain corporations scattered across the city (Target, AMC, True Food, etc). Senior Skye Vacanti, who’s been working at the same restaurant since last August, recommends finding and utilizing the connections you have. She found her current job through a classmate and close friend, which made the application/hiring process much less intimidating. She explains how “knowing that the job might be a good fit through people who have insider knowledge is also very helpful.”  Though the already employed students seem to have their ducks in a row, it’s important to hear from students who are currently on the lookout and know the job-hunting scene. According to a recent poll of the East student body, roughly 83 percent of students are on the hunt for a summer job, so you’re not alone.  Senior Zoe Burke has recently started the application process and she describes it as fairly easy, considering that she’s been eyeing potential places she’d like to work over the past couple of months. Her biggest tip is to “use the places you already know and love as inspiration for where you might like to apply.” This might include restaurants, gift shops, clothing stores, cafes and more.   On the other hand, Senior Sophie Stearman notes that it can be difficult to start the application process “if you don’t have prior experience with making a resume or finding references.” Her biggest piece of advice would be to create a resume that you’re able to resume from one application to the next, instead of manually filling forms out each time. An easily accessible resource to utilize for this while school’s still in session is the East High School counseling office! There are plenty of staff members who are willing to aid and assist in perfecting and cleaning up potential resumes.  The overall consensus is that applying for jobs can be a very tedious and testing process, especially considering that there's no guarantee that you’re safe from rejection. It’s important to persevere through potential frustration and not lose hope. With these resources, the summer job hunt should feel slightly less intimidating, but even so, remember that there are jobs to be found and the value of working during your summer vacation.

Every Friday at lunch, East High School’s Queer Student Alliance (QSA) meets in room 319. As bills attacking LGBTQ+ Rights nationwide continue to rise, with over 478 bills already proposed in 2024, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the QSA provides East’s queer students with community. As Emily Webb, one of the club’s presidents said, “It’s just a place where the queer community of East can come together and not have to worry about judgment that they might get talking in another space”. Clubs such as the QSA have existed nationally since the early 90s. Often referred to as Gay-Straight Alliances, (GSAs), studies have shown that they have several beneficial effects for queer students. According to the American Psychological Association, queer students from schools with GSA’s were far more likely to respond positively about their social, academic, and familial experiences in high school, and were less likely to report alcohol use, psychological distress, or feeling unsafe during their time in high school. Despite this, GSA’s have long been, and remain, subjected to stigmatization, and continue to face challenges from efforts to remove them.  According to Webb, “When we originally started we were started as Halo, which was the first GSA in the state. It had always been a GSA but had the name Halo because it was still not legal or widely accepted so it was passed off as an academic excellence club.” Today, 43.7% of high schools nationwide now have GSAs according to the CDC’s School Health Profile, and several court rulings have since protected the right of students to establish GSA’s under the first amendment.         At East, QSA remains an important space for many students. “I joined this club towards the end of sophomore year and I really enjoyed coming in and doing all the different activities every week”, says Madelyn Arnold, another member of the club’s leadership team, “I really wanted to help plan those events and make it more accessible to other people. Besides providing a safe space for many students, the QSA also gets involved with East and Denver Public Schools as a whole, collaborating with the district in a variety of ways, such as youth summits, queer proms, and other events. Currently, the club is participating in this year’s queer prom, which will be hosted by South High School on April 13th.  The club’s role in the East community is an important one, given its benefits for queer students, particularly as students still face discrimination at school. “A lot of students like to think that there’s no homophobia or stuff like that at East”, remarks Webb, “but I feel like both students and teachers can do a better job at stopping that behavior when they see it”. Both Webb and Arnold also mentioned that gender neutral bathrooms were difficult to access, with Arnold arguing ,  “you shouldn’t have to go from the third floor to the first floor and all around just trying to find a restroom where someone isn’t already in it or its locked for whatever reason or there’s someone in their doing something they’re not supposed to be doing.” Though East’s queer students continue to struggle with these issues at East, having the QSA at East is an important part in making the school a welcoming environment for all students by strengthening the East community as a whole.

Comprehensive Health class was added this year to the curriculum of the graduating class of 2027 and beyond. The Department of Education says that this semester-long course equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills for lifelong health. It focuses on teaching core functional skills such as goal setting, advocacy, interpersonal communication, analyzing influences, self-management, decision-making, and accessing comprehensive health information.Health education is either encouraged or required for all grades in all states' laws. Technically, the class is supposed to teach teenagers how to take care of themselves in most aspects of life. However, practically speaking, how much will it help them?  Student counselor Lindsey Vesceri says, “I do think that it is positive, that everyone is guaranteed the same information regardless of what school you attend or what resources are at that school”. However, Lisa Smith, teacher of the class stated, “The material they want us to teach them is a bit redundant and there might be a better way to teach it”. Credits-wise, Health class will give academic credits, which are also received in world languages and AVID. “As students move up in grades and become upperclassmen, a lot of students choose to take extra social studies or science and for graduation purposes that counts as an elective and colleges see that and think the student went above and beyond” says Lindsey Vesceri. However, colleges try to understand your personality through the classes you choose; because this class is mandatory, it unfortunately won’t help in that department.  Since the method of teaching Health Class is similar to the Drug Use education class American Addiction centers did in 2023 around the Midwest of the US. They did a survey for teens and young adults to understand what takeaways the students had. The results were surprising: only one in five students felt like they received a very comprehensive drug education, however 47% of students said that the program made them want to avoid drugs at all costs and only 19% of students said it didn’t affect them in any way. Those statistics tell us that education regarding substance abuse and general well being of students worked, and we can only expect that the results would be similar with the new health class.  Violete, a transfer student from Denver School of Arts that has already taken this class her freshman year gave some insight about it.  “I didn’t like it, but it was mainly just because we had a teacher that was, like, incompetent. It taught a little about nutrition which was helpful, but mainly it seemed to be promoting counting calories and teaching things I already knew (in terms of sex ed.)”.   At the end of the day students have to understand that this class was added to the curriculum for a reason. Many people dislike math or sciences but understand that those are necessary classes that they need to take to graduate. Students also need to understand that not everybody has had the same resources or has been taught these important topics at home, so it is only fair that everybody has the same access to said information.

Taking a look at the past, East High School has had several forms of after school tutoring for students. Each time it has been a different time and name, but they all have served the same purpose. In 2022, there were study tables from around 3:20 to 5. Last year there was a tutorial once a week from 3:30 to 4, and “office hours” everyday after school. Now we have “Enrichment”. Enrichment was first devised because East’s current bell schedule does not meet the Colorado Board of Educations required instructional minutes. Including Enrichment, and saying students are obligated to be there makes it so the time that enrichment runs can be attributed to that required amount of time. Students have been told to think about it as a part of the school day. A big concern about Enrichment is the spontaneity of it since it does not follow any schedule. Cameron Brown, athletic director at East High School explains, “Teachers can say that they need you to come to enrichment and you are expected to be there because it is part of the school day now. The difference from before is that I couldn't tell you to come in after school to do this thing because you might have other plans but here I could say, ‘yeah come to this’.” According to this, at any point in time we could have to go to enrichment because of its new label and purpose. This is concerning because enrichment will affect each student differently. Teachers have a lot of authority with this new form. By report of Mr. Brown, teachers are allowed to have students come in for various reasons, some being taking the BESS surveys and others being to make up for time when students are tardy to class. Last year, tutorial was used as purely tutoring; students could come in freely whenever they felt they needed help. This year, it is less at our disposal, and is more open to be enforced by teachers. On the contrary, Mr. Brown describes the positive ways that teachers can use Enrichment, “Teachers are able to use this to do intervention. Across the spectrum we need to target kids where they are and get them to grow and that happens through more targeted intervention. If we have students that are all in the same place we can push students to do this thing that they can't do in class to get students to grow.” This poses a good point. Enrichment can also be used to help students get the things that they are not getting in class. Students at all different academic levels should have the opportunity and resources to continue to grow in their education. Enrichment is a place outside of the busy classroom where this type of growth can be fostered. Unfortunately, most students have authority issues, naturally adolescents want to disobey older people or the people in charge of them. And lots of teachers have control issues. Psychology Today says, “Freedom of choice is the breath of adolescent life because it allows for more independent functioning and individual expression to develop.” In adolescence, freedom is important and valued because of how teens are building their identity, so this freedom craving leads them to often push authority figures. The two of these make for often hostile teacher-student relationships. Students feel like the teachers have it out for them, teachers feel overwhelmed by constant defiance. Either way this new power teachers have, opens up discipline in a new way that can possibly be targeted. Enrichment causes a butterfly effect that administration may not have seen. The idea of this is that a small event could have a huge impact in the bigger picture. This concept is based on the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings could potentially cause a tornado or typhoon. Enrichment will most likely not be causing any tornados, but it could have a large impact on students after school schedules. Academically driven students stay up until the AMs, grinding ridiculously strenuous classwork and studies. A small requirement like Enrichment is a blip in our go-go-go lives that can cause unnecessary stress. The unpredictability of enrichment takes away a student's sense of control and independence. It is crucial that students feel comfortable going to this extra school time, if not it defeats the purpose. Ms. Skarpol, AP Pre-Calc teacher, says, “On Wednesdays I've probably had 3-4 people. On Monday, Tuesday and Friday I have 1-2. I think there are some students not taking advantage of it that should. But since I haven't given a lot of assessments so far it hasn't pushed them to come to me yet.” This is proof that Enrichment is not being fully utilized yet but because it is still early in the year, it is too soon to tell.

When going to a restaurant during the lunch rush of East, many places are full or have a line. Having all those people in line to eat at a restaurant seems beneficial to the business on the outside and seems like a great way to earn money right? But how big of an impact do students really make on these businesses? Is lunch rush something these businesses want or even need?  When thinking of these restaurants, their location right next to East High School seems like a beneficial place to earn good money and let the business thrive. But after talking to an employee at Mrs. Molly's Bakery (located on Colfax) that didn't seem to be the case.  Mrs. Molly’s Employee: “I will honestly tell you I thought the revenue from East students would be higher than it ended up being. If they were banned from going off campus it would have an impact on revenue, but it's not like we’d shut our doors because we, unlike the pizza place, don't fully rely on students.”  The bakery said that only about 5% of income comes from the students at East High, and believes it would be much higher if all the students who sat in the restaurant actually ordered a meal instead of bringing a lunch from somewhere else. Mrs. Molly’s Employee: “I   think there's a few things that are disrespectful and one of those things is bringing in outside food or when a large group comes in but only one person will order a small drink or a cookie and then then the other people in the group will pull out their lunch from somewhere else and sit their” Overall the impact of East students on Mrs. Molly's bakery has the potential to be much higher if all the students who sat there ate the bakery's food. Mrs. Molly’s estimated about 60 students coming in every day during the lunch rush but said only about 24 would actually order a full meal.  When interviewing Jimmy Johns it seemed to be a different story. Even though each restaurant estimated that about 60 students came in each day during lunch rush, Jimmy John’s seems to be more impacted by the students Jimmy John’s Employee: “They always pick up after themselves, when they move the chairs they put them back” The restaurant claimed to have 10% of their income come from East and that they make $600-1000 dollars every lunch rush. So why does Jimmy John’s rely so much more on the students? After talking to some students the reasoning seemed to be similar. 10th grader Sylvie Densen says “I would personally do Jimmy Johns just because Mrs. Mollys is a bakery and like if I forgot my lunch I would rather get a sandwich over a cookie.”  East students are appreciated among these businesses especially when it comes to cleaning up after themselves. Students have the potential to make a big impact on businesses around Colfax and the east campus during lunch. Jimmy John’s employee: “They’re respectful and should be proud of themselves.” By continuing to clean up after themselves and supporting these restaurants, students can maintain a healthy relationship with these businesses.

One of the many unique aspects of East is the vast diversity within its halls. Students, teachers, and staff come from immensely different backgrounds, yet all come together to create a vibrant community. To accommodate this diversity, East offers over 200 classes, including multiple options that  help students fulfill requirements to gain the Seal of Diversity. One of these classes, Queer Literature Honors, was first introduced in the 2022-23 school year.  Queer literature was originally introduced to DPS in 2016 at Denver South; however, East followed suit under the leadership of Gregg Velasquez. Mr. Velasquez took on the class, developing a full year's worth of curriculum for the first time. Other DPS schools quickly followed, offering full year classes at Denver North and Denver South.  Unfortunately, the class was later discontinued for the 2024-25 school year following intense scrutiny and setbacks from many individuals. “ From the get go when I would advertise for it people were ripping down all the posters,” Mr. Velasquez explained. He also faced criticism for the curriculum he created, which included Brokeback Mountain  as well as The Queer Bible , both of which were denounced by many. “Even from the choices like that, parents were calling in saying how dare he get to teach The Queer Bible  when they don't even get to teach the regular Bible?” Mr. Velasquez added. Despite the criticism, Mr. Velasquez hopes the class will make a return under new guidance. “ I think queer literature should be taught at East, I just don’t think I'm the right person to teach it because of my feelings of my past experiences setting up the class,” he explained. Mr. Velasquez encourages students to take Queer Lita:“ You need perspective from all people, all different types. If you close yourself off to any group of people, you're closing yourself off to a future of getting to know really cool people, learning new things, and learning new cultures.” However, many do not share the same views on Queer Lit or the Seal of Diversity. Led by Lori Gimelshteyn, The Colorado Parent Advocacy Program criticized both the program and the class, saying,  “ Our children deserve an education that prepares them for the real world, not one that pushes political agendas” (The Daily Signal).  The Advocacy program also mentioned DPS, with Gimelshteyn stating “Denver Public Schools are failing children by focusing on diversity instead of improving low reading and math scores.” She later explained that “the Seal of Diversity program undermines the essential academic foundation our children need and fosters division, rather than unity.” At the moment, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Program is seeking an investigation  into the content of the class and material used to grant students the Seal of Diversity. On their website, there is a petition directed at the Denver Board of Education, Superintendent Dr. Marrero, and East Principal Terita Walker, asking for the Seal of Diversity to be reviewed. In spite of the criticism, the Seal of Diversity remains in place, with East offering various classes for students to fulfill its requirements. While Queer Lit may not be available to students now, it has the potential to make a return with the hopes of providing students a new perspective on the world around them.

Around DPS, teachers work long hours in order to give students the best education they possibly can. Despite their efforts, the average salary of a Denver Public Schools teacher is $65,256 ( indeed.com ), which is far less than the estimated average needed to raise a family in the state of Colorado which comes in at $132,486. ( cnbc.com ) As the cost of living continues to increase across the state, teachers from around the district came to an agreement on how their salaries should be raised in order to reach the soaring prices through union bargaining. Teachers agreed to a raise of 5.2% to offset the cost of living in 2022, to which they have received a 2.06% cost of living raise. Such a little raise has sparked unrest among teachers, including those who walked out of school in September during contact time after the teaching day had concluded. Teachers feel they have held their end of the bargain, however the district has turned their back on teachers by not providing their side of the agreement. The district, however, has made it clear they have not provided teachers with the raise due to insufficient funding. Matters have only worsened with a recent raise given to other DPS staff. While the teachers were left without their full raise, DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero was given a bonus preposterous to many. Marrero joined the district in July of 2021, where he was given a starting salary of $276,000. He has since climbed to be the highest paid superintendent in all 178 Colorado school districts with an annual salary of $346,529. Over the course of his tenure as superintendent, he has received an increase of over $70,000, which trumps the starting salary for DPS teachers at $55,000 annually. To live comfortably in Colorado a single adult needs to make nearly double, with a figure of $103,293 (The Denver Gazette). Marrero’s raise includes a cost of living adjustment as well as a $17,326  he was awarded for “ meeting 75% of the goals set for him.” (The Denver Gazette) Marrero's raise for meeting his goals comes as a surprise, with very little increase in proficiency across all grade levels being demonstrated. On the PSAT, a decrease in proficiency from 33% to 31% was observed in math. (DPS Annual Report 2023-24) The raise also comes as a shock considering only 27% of DPS high school students are proficient in math and only 46% of DPS high school students are proficient in reading. With insufficient funding and unconvincing results demonstrated in the classroom, it is unclear as to why Dr. Alex Marrero was given a raise while the needs of teachers were neglected. Students around DPS have responded online, making their feelings clear about the injustices the teachers are enduring. Leaders of various DPS schools expressed their displeasure with the district on the instagram page under the username @students4cola citing the 8.7% cost of living increase in Denver and how students will ultimately suffer if teachers choose to leave the state in hopes for better pay. The instagram page features many leaders of East including Head Angels Ali Sittiseri and Darius McGregor, Senior class President Phoebe Davis, and others. They have encouraged many to take action by attending rallies, talking to board members, and even speaking to Dr. Marrero himself in order to ensure our teachers receive the raise that they deserve.

Ever thought about what life would be like in the future? If the human race eventually goes extinct and whether animals will evolve then also die out? Or maybe the idea of technology advancing to the point where people are useless and no longer needed for anything? Whatever happens to the world and the state of it all boils down to two words: climate change.  Since the mid 1800s, global warming has been on the rise mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels. Trapping greenhouse gases and creating a blanket of warmth around the atmosphere mostly originates from the industrial revolution and mass manufacturing that have carried on to the present. Human activities like these will continue to heat up the Earth in the future with average temperatures fluctuating between one and two degrees Fahrenheit according to NASA. While small numbers like these may seem unimportant, anything over these digits will have catastrophic and devastating consequences in the future. The United Nations estimates that around 90% of all disasters worldwide are being classified as weather or climate related. Many of these include wildfires, droughts, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and more, causing poverty, economical damage, health related issues and even death. Avi Garbow, a former senior counselor for the Obama administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked tirelessly to “figure out the best ways under the law to address the climate crisis,” stating his concern for the “political volatility or change” the country was going through. Political tensions are getting increasingly high but important issues like climate change are where people need to meet in the middle to find a solution, and fast. While firefighters may be able to stop a fire and doctors can help people recover from an floodwater induced infection, environmental ruin can be stemmed from many of these natural disasters causing horrific economic damage. People rely on infrastructure to support their lives so being unprepared for their houses to be wiped out from hurricanes, their work office tumbling to the ground from an earthquake, or their entire lives being upended can be terrifying and unexpected. Science department teacher Jennifer Kresse explains that regardless of how serious the problem is, “It’s our nature not to want to face really hard problems, and it’s easier to excuse it away rather than actually try to come up with a solution, especially if it feels hopeless.” Despite these countless events showcasing the severity of the situation, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that in 2023, the U.S. racked up more than $165 billion dollars to pay for climate destruction, which also placed the year as being ‘the third most costly on record.’ Not only is the infrastructure being taxed, but so are we. Although warnings can be issued before disaster strikes, there’s no telling what could happen as this issue continues to worsen.  Relying on years of experience, Garbow worries that history could repeat itself in the next four years of the upcoming presidency. “All of the things in the world addressing the climate crisis” that he worked on in the Obama administration “were either halted, slowed down, or reversed in the Trump administration.” However, large-scale actions have been taken by countries around the world with multiple governments contributing towards the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Increasing the amount of electric vehicle use is also being taken into account and sales are projected to triple in the next couple of years. (U.S. Department of State) It’s not just vehicles that are being improved but airplanes as well. CO2 emissions have been limited and set to a certain level by the International Civil Aviation Organization and more work is being done to create and release electric aircrafts in the near future. It’s been a worldwide team effort to help prevent the increasing damage of the issue in order to secure a livable environment for generations to come. Still, even governments can’t do everything by themselves, measures can be taken on a smaller level by citizens across the globe in an effort to reduce global warming. It might seem impractical and a bit of a hassle but start using LED light bulbs, consuming less meat, being mindful of how much money is being spent on a daily basis, and speaking up about the issue are a few ways to start the journey towards a better future. Sophomore, Jane Biever, hopes she can help the Earth by “Reducing any sorts of pollution or trash, and keep being on the lower side of gas use. It’s always about trying to reduce the intake of those things, so whenever you can, be mindful and know that whatever you’re doing could be impacting the environment.” Mother Nature can be beautiful and lush however it’s still untamed, wild and destructive. It may seem cliché, but it’s a force to be reckoned with and should not be taken lightly if the human race wants to survive.

Does the term western culture ring a bell? The expression is very broad and can have many meanings to it, so there’s no set definition. It’s thought of as the U.S. lifestyle and how large of a role it plays in shaping other societies, or as BBC defines it: “ We think of western culture and values as being characterised by democracy, liberalism, enlightenment, scientific progress and individualism.”  Whether or not it’s beneficial for the world is under debate but it’s important to note that many cultures have had significant effects on U.S. society, and the same can be said with our impact on other countries. However, it appears to be getting too influential and overbearing. Because of this, other cultures could be wiped out and our society might be taking away from their unique customs and traditions. In many aspects, the U.S. holds significant dominance in power, wealth, military and other cultural points which is why our way of life has rapidly spread to countless parts of the world through a process called westernization. This phenomenon happens when a culture partially or fully abandons their heritage, embracing things that are more American. It can include adopting U.S. clothing styles, accepting Christianity as their religion, or using English as a native language instead of their own, all of which contributes to the loss of traditions, practices and culture as a whole. According to a study conducted by The Pew Research Center, “ There have been serious concerns about ‘Americanization.’ Among the countries surveyed, a median of 70% say it is bad that U.S. culture is spreading to their country.” Social Studies teacher Jeff Lacy also worries that, “For better or worse, western culture is spreading around the world like wildfire. Mainly because of the speed with which things spread via the internet, television, apps and everything in between.”  So, why is it still so influential? Our effect on other countries is so large to the point where many American fast food restaurants have been popping up around the globe. CNBC comments on how popular KFC is saying, “KFC China recently celebrated the opening of its 10,000th store in the city of Hangzhou, about an hour outside of Shanghai. By comparison the U.S. has a little over 4,300 KFC locations.” It’s shocking how the chain restaurant has a lot fewer establishments in its home country than China and not only is KFC rising in popularity but McDonald’s as well. CNN included examples of how different the international McDonald’s menu is with options varying from “McGyros in Greece to McBaguettes in France and McSpaghetti in the Philippines.” But it’s not just food that is being shared, it’s media as well. It’s known that Hollywood is the biggest provider of entertainment in the film and TV show industry, in the U.S. and worldwide. However, issues surrounding the inclusion and depiction of different races in Hollywood have always been big topics of discussion. “ In 2019, according to a study conducted by the Social Sciences department of UCLA, only 2 out of 10 lead actors in broadcasted scripted television were People of Color.” (Medium) Involvement of diversity has improved over the years but films can still incorporate harmful categorization of different races. These can range from the low income Latino immigrant, the sketchy drug-dealing Black kid, the smart and nerdy Asian that always knows martial arts, and more. These standards are often overused and sometimes those characters can be played by white people, further misguiding society on how people from different backgrounds look and sound. While the sharing of culture provides insight to different ways of living, clothing styles, and unique food, it can also be a huge factor in spreading misinformation about other societies, unrealistic standards and harsh stereotypes.  Although it may be absurd to think about, it seems like the U.S. doesn’t exactly have a culture itself but is pretty much entirely made up of others and yet we still force it upon other countries. Sophomore, Nadia Debick reflects on western ways of living saying “The problem is that it dictates how every other country does anything. It’s not fair to other countries to have our culture overrun it.” Similar in opinion, Nia Lofton, a Junior at East comments on the whole ordeal saying that “It’s disturbing, we’re trying to make people like us. It’s a culture attack and almost like cultural colonization.” Taking away and influencing things that define other cultures removes any sense of diversity in the world and reasons to appreciate elements of them. Hopefully in the future, more people can understand that cultures are distinct and unique in their own way and that the U.S. wouldn’t be the same without the many different contributions other countries have made for us.

On March 2, Hollywood's most anticipated night of the year will premiere live on ABC and Hulu, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time, to celebrate the best movies of 2024.       The Oscars is an award ceremony to recognize the cinematic achievements of the most outstanding films. Since 1929, the award has not only been known to recognize cinematic achievements but to also cement a movie's legacy into history. This year, many successful movies have been nominated, but various scandals and struggles have resurfaced surrounding these movies which can leave audiences wondering if this could affect the outcome of the overall winner.      This year, the Academy Awards will be hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien. Oscar board members Bill Kramer (CEO of the academy) and President Janet Yang talked about how he “is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise." They also talked about how this year they want to take time during the ceremony to talk about the impact of the California fires. “We also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognizing those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts.” The Academy expressed how there will be no original song performance so the audience can focus more on the songwriter rather than the song.        Keeping with tradition, the awards will be presented by past winners like Emma Stone (Poor Things ), Cillian Murphy ( Oppenheime r), and Da'Vine Joy Randolph ( The Holdovers ). Sebastian Stan has earned a nomination for Best Actor along with Jeremy Strong who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in one movie that has been overlooked by Hollywood due to its political ties.  The Apprentice  tells the story of young Donald Trump in the 1970s and how he became a powerful businessman alongside an American lawyer, Roy Cohn. When the idea for the movie was introduced, the film couldn't find a distributor due to the fear of what Trump would do if he became the next president and the potential lawsuit they could face. The movie was quiet when first released due to Hollywood's liberal environment. Actor Jeremy Strong vocalized how “People have been afraid to touch this film, to be seen as complicit in the film, to support the film, to publicly endorse the film and certainly to show the film on a streaming platform.” Sebastian Stan talked about how “When it comes to artistry and creativity, we have to be able to protect free speech. It shouldn’t be selective free speech.” Donald Trump called the film “Classless and fake.” Despite the political controversy, the film was successful.          One of the biggest movies of 2024 was Emilia Perez  who has received 13 nominations, the most out of any movie nominated.  Karla Sofia Gascón is the first transgendered actress nominated for this category but has faced severe backlash over hateful tweets about Muslim Culture and George Floyd. In a CNN interview, she originally denied the claims saying “I cannot step down from an Oscar nomination because I have not committed any crime, nor have I harmed anyone.” On February 7 she released an apology. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.” She opened up in an interview with CNN on how she has been treated over the controversy. “I have been convicted and sacrificed and crucified and stoned without a trial and without the option to defend myself.” The director of the film, Jacques Audiard, expressed his disappointment with the actor and refused to speak to her.      Unfortunately, more films have been subjected to backlash which has left audiences wondering if it could affect the outcome of who receives the Oscar for Best Picture. In a time when it is unclear when or when not to use AI, The director of The Brutalist , Brady Corbet’s use of AI to enhance Adrien Brody’s and Felicity Jones’ Hungarian dialogue has sparked controversy for viewers. Corbet spoke out against the claims explaining how it was used for small edits. “Innovative Respeecher technology was used in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy…This was a manual process, done by our sound team and Respeecher in post-production.”        Anora  has racked up six Oscar nominations as it tells the story of a sex worker (Mikey Madison) who marries the son of a Russian Oligarch whose marriage is later threatened by his parents wanting to annul it. Madison has been nominated for best actress but has been criticized for not using an intimacy coordinator. Intimacy coordinators are often used to prevent sexual harassment. Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl) expressed concerns about Mikey Madison’s decision not to use an intimacy coordinator, and fans thought Madison rudely dismissed her concerns.       The film I'm Still Here , a true story about Eunice Paiva and her family's journey after her Husband's disappearance, has been nominated for multiple awards including Best Actor and Best Picture. Best Actress nominee Fernanda Torres’s history with black face has been resurfaced after she appeared in a 2008 Brazilian comic sketch. She released an apology expressing how “Racist history and symbolism of blackface hadn’t yet entered the mainstream public consciousness in Brazil. Thanks to better cultural understanding and important but incomplete achievements in this century, it’s very clear now in our country and everywhere that blackface is never acceptable.”          Each movie this year is extremely different with a wide variety of Genres and themes, each with a different, yet important message. Despite controversies, the Oscars is a night to celebrate the success and achievements of 2024 movies, some which will go down into cinematic history.

The foyer at the front of the school has served as an historic point of entry for students of many generations. Every day students have walked in through the foyer, bearing witness to the history at East. However, that may come to an end at the start of the 2025/26 school year. Following the shootings that took place in early 2023, it became clear that new safety measures were necessary. Within a little over a month, the students of East High school saw their classmate, as well as Deans involved in two horrible acts of gun violence. Nevertheless, the DPS board is willing to sell us short of actual safety measures. They plan to install a vestibule in the front hall of East High School, hoping that by pouring nearly $800,000 into a project, the students will experience an illusion of safety. The board is currently planning to install a vestibule, another layer of doors, in the foyer behind the incredible historic front entrance. A security desk would be added in the middle with the hopes of creating a protective barrier against threats that may try to enter the school. However, the vestibule has raised many concerns about the legitimacy of its ability to enhance student safety and the consequences the building may suffer as a result of the project. “The proposed vestibule of plex-glass will forever change the look and feel of East while also impacting the historic architecture that is found at no other school in the city or state.” Said the East High School Alumni/History Committee in an email written to school board directors Olson and Youngquist. “As East Alumni, we are concerned for the safety of students, teachers and staff but we do not believe this plexiglass vestibule makes East any safer based on what we now know.” One of the main concerns raised by the vestibule has been how the buffer zone would actually keep students safe. One of the main flaws in the design is the complete lack of regard for other entrances into the building. Between 600-700 students enter from the doors on Detroit street, which are not included in the new safety plans. (East High School Alumni/History Committee) The vestibule would also provide no real means of preventing threats from entering the building from the main entrance. The added layer of doors would only give administration mere seconds to identify threats by looks only. This provides no new way of preventing weapons from entering the school as they could easily slip right under the plexi glass, tucked away in someone's backpack.  There are 12 unmonitored doors that could be opened, and 160 windows 5 feet from the ground that could easily be used to enter the building. A vestibule would have no effect on any of these other entrances that a possible threat could be able to use to enter the building. The vestibule would simply be an $800,000 project that poses as protection when in reality it would only be a waste of taxpayers money. Along with its inability to increase student safety, the vestibule would ruin the look and feel of East High School. The building is set to celebrate its 100th birthday in the fall of 2025, yet the celebrations would not be the same without the historic foyer. The front hall is where students consistently come together to socialize, hold small events, and enjoy themselves. The installation of a vestibule would ruin the look and feel of a place students hold so close to themselves.  While the plan to throw away $800,000 is well underway with architectural plans being formed, the East community has had no say in what happens to the storied building.  The only meeting was held at Swansea Elementary School and did not include any East community or staff members. The district has made no communication to the public about the plans, and East administration has not been able to voice their opinions or concerns to the board. Our building's future is no longer in student and parent control with the school board working behind the communities back to ruin the foyer. So what is the actual point of the vestibule if it can’t prevent threats from entering the building? As the Director of Student Activities, Tee MacDonald, explained “Someone described it to me best as this isn’t the solution, it's an illusion, an illusion of safety that is not going to prevent weapons from coming in the school, it's simply a way for the district to cover themselves.” The school board is searching for a means to cover themselves would come as no surprise. As recently as December,  U.S. District Judge John Kane advanced the Kurt Dennis lawsuit against the district “ after he was fired following a March 2023 interview with 9News in which he raised concerns about DPS’s approach to school safety.” (The Colorado Sun) The vestibule would simply hinder the East community, more than it would help. It would tear years of history from within these storied walls, while providing no real protection to the students inside. It is also unclear why this is an appropriate response, considering the vestibule would not have prevented either of the shootings that occurred in the spring of 2023. Current plan for what the vestibule may look like ( All information is from Tee MacDonald, East High Student Council, The East High School Alumni/History Committee, and The Colorado Sun )

Jazz, blues, rock, soul, and hip-hop, all have one incredibly valuable aspect in common. From early to modern day, the influence of black artistry has shaped the evolution of American music and culture. Over time black music has inspired various new genres loved by many such as: Neo -soul, R&B, and pop. Black artistry is a gateway to expression and community often being used as a way to document history and experience. However, there are prevalent stereotypes and systemic racism in the music industry and culture. The lack of representation in media of artists of color in genres that are now dominated by white artists limits the expression and enforces harmful stereotypes that reinforce the idea that artists of color can only make music in specific genres.             In the 1950s radio shows and mainstream media were heavily segregated, however, white artists would frequently produce covers of music originally created by black artists which ultimately denied the original creator’s full credit and any financial benefit according to an article from Brainly and History.com . A study in 2022 by Brooke Bierman found that while 44% of talent ranked on musical charts such as the Billboard Hot 100, there are still 50.6% who are unrepresented from ethnic groups. These are just some of many artists who diminish the barriers of systemic racism and showed that black music can fit into any genre.  Doechii : American rapper and songwriter, Jaylah Ji’mya Hickman (Doechii)  was born on August 14th, 1998 in Tampa Florida. She first began her journey to stardom in 2016, releasing her debut single ‘Girls’ on SoundCloud under the name Iamdoechii. Later in 2020 Doechii  released her first EP “Oh the places you’ll go.” Which she self funded. By 2021 a song from her only EP “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” went viral on the infamous social media platform TikTok, a year after the ep was released. This lead to her being the first black  female artist to be signed by Top Dog Entertainment alongside Capitol Records. Later in 2023 Doechii’s single “What is it (block boy)featuring Kodak Black, lead her to her first entry in the Billboard Hot 100. This year at the 2025 67th Annual Grammy Awards,Doechii’s third mixtape “Alligator Bites Never Heal” released in 2024, won Best Rap Album, making her the third woman to win in the category. In an interview with radio show “The Breakfast Club”, Doechii says this about the album: “It’s about this never ending cycle of life, of you always have a series of truths that you have to constantly come to within yourself…over and over again. It’s about patterns essentially.” Ravyen Lanea : American alternative r&b and neo soul singer Ravyen Lanea was born January 22,1999 in Chicago Illinois. She self funded the production and release of her first single “ Greetings” in 2014 when she was just a sophomore in high school. By 2016 Ravyen was officially signed by Atlantic Records. In March of 2017, after touring with band Noname as a featured performer she released her second EP, “ Midnight Moonlight.” And was later named in Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 New Artist You Need to Know.” In 2012 she collaborated with indie alternative artist, Steve Lacey in a single called “Skin Tight.” Which would be featured as the first track on her debut album “ Hypnos.” In 2024 Ravyn released a new album, “Birds Eye” in which one song in particular (Love Me Not) would go viral on Tiktok in 2025 for its relatable lyrics and catchy melody. Blood Orange : English singer/songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer, Devonté Hynes also known as solo artist Blood Orange was born on December 23, 1985 in Essex, England. Devonté was also apart of less known bands ; “Test Icicles” 2004-2006 and “NRS Crew.” Afterwards in 2007 he went on to release two solo studio debut albums under the alias LightSpeed Champion which lead him to a series of collaborations and tours with bands such as Florence and the machine, Curive, and Tilly and the Wall. After two years of consistent touring Davontè suffered severe damage to his throat forcing him to undergo surgery as well as take a two year hiatus . He later in 2009 returned under the name “Blood Orange” perform on MTV. In January  of 2011 Devonté released his first debut album, “Dinner” as Blood Orange. An article from Pitchfork describes the album as “melodramatic but oddly realistic…painful breakups can make people say terrible stuff…there’s a breakup song behind that R&B thump.” Devonté later released five more albums 2008-2019.  Umi: American singer-songwriter Tierra Umi Wilson was born February 9, 1999. Tierra first began writing songs at 4 years old, heavily influenced by her pianist mother and drummer father. During high school through a discovery of YouTube beats she started creating tracks and would record her songs on her computer with a USB mic, which would later be uploaded to popular small music artist streaming app, SoundCloud as well as YouTube. In 2018, a year after releasing five singles and an EP, Tierra released her most streamed song, “Remember Me”,  a devastatingly heartbreaking tribute to the feeling of heartbreak and moving on as well as a corresponding equally heartbreaking music video which shined a spotlight on diversity in romantic relationships. In the music video, Tierra featured couples of different races, sexual orientation, and class. In an interview with Coup De Main  Magazine , Tierra said “I wanted to write about heartbreak from a different angle, one that was both sad and uplifting. I was trying to capture the nostalgia that comes from remembering a past relationship and the mixed feelings you get when you want someone to be happy, but know that it might not be with you.”