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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.”

East High School has recently (over winter break) replaced the 2nd-floor girls’ bathroom with an all-gender bathroom. Controversy surrounds this new change; although it's important to make space for all groups, is it okay to take away from some to give to others?  East High School is an objectively inclusive school that actively works on giving students the recognition they deserve. It’s not perfect, but then again, nothing is. Gender-neutral bathrooms have been proposed to DPS in the past in hopes of allowing students to feel more comfortable and respected in their daily lives during school. In 2020, DPS mandated all-gender bathroom access in high schools. Regardless of the prior three all-gender single stall restrooms, one of the girls bathrooms has been converted into an all-inclusive bathroom.  Through accessing information given to staff, students, and parents regarding the all-gender bathroom it was noticeable that most of this information is very “because I said so.” This article isn't meant to attack, harm, or offend any group involved, truly, this article is intended to allow everyone to understand each other. The new change in our building has caused tension between students, parents, and the school. As a community we should work towards cooperating with others instead of being upset at them. Hopefully through doing this, we can find a solution that caters to everyone's needs. Before adding opinion pieces, I will provide the information behind the situation so you have the opportunity to formulate your opinion before being influenced into one. Currently, there are three all-gender, single-stall bathrooms; one multi-stall, all-gender bathroom; two all-girls’ bathrooms located on the north side of the first and third floors; and three all-boys bathrooms located on the west side of the first, second, and third floor. The girls' bathrooms are known for long wait times and lines out the door; in a social media post made by @denvereaststuco on Instagram, it was claimed the all-gender bathrooms “can also help reduce wait times since anyone can use them.” This reasoning seems flawed, as they removed a bathroom that previously had extensively long lines and replaced it with a bathroom open for anyone. Essentially, the boys have four bathrooms to their access while girls remain at a deficit with three. Opening a bathroom to anyone means opening it to everyone, which easily increases wait times. In addition, the girls bathrooms have been constantly monitored throughout this current school year. They have been fully closed, doors propped open, deans monitoring who's going in and out, and it even went so far that deans were placed at a desk inside of the girls bathroom. This prompts the question of whether or not the boys' bathrooms are receiving the same treatment. It has been discovered that girls' bathrooms have become a very common spot for many people to group together and often smoke and/or vape, which has caused fire drills to occur (false fire alarms were claimed to be the reason behind the closed bathroom, if this wasn't the reason then the school failed to communicate). However, this isn't only limited to the girls; the boys bathrooms are also well known to exhibit the same behavior. They have vandalized and destroyed their resources and space, so why has the school decided to give them more? Not to say the girls haven’t treated the bathrooms the same, vandalism is damaging them as well, but there are rarely any large, substantial damages. These are the cultural factors that contribute to the controversy surrounding this subject.  Now to talk about the scientific factors, the average person goes to the bathroom 6-7 times in a day, found on B&B community. Females at birth (FAB) are prone to experiencing “progesterone levels peaking during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and may cause the need to urinate more frequently,” National Library of Medicine. In addition, menstruation. Because of this, females often need more accessibility to bathrooms in order to most efficiently take care of their needs.  Total staff estimate: 188; 124 full-time teachers; and 2,505 students, US News . Therefore, the projected total of people who are in the building is 2,629, which means the all-gender bathroom is open to around more than two and a half thousand people. To put those numbers into better perspective, East High is the largest highschool in Denver Public Schools, according to 9News. To put it into context, DPS contains 203 schools and 87,883 students. Through these statistics it's found that the 6 main restrooms in our building are used roughly 9,707 times in a 7-hour period.  All of that time and space usage is spread across two girls bathrooms, four all-gender bathrooms (three single stalls), and three boys bathrooms. Easts enrollment statistics indicate that the student population is 50% FAB (female at birth) and 50% MAL (male at birth). Until recently, all three groups, composed of females, males, and non-gender conforming people, were given exclusive access to three restrooms. The only disadvantage was that the all-gender bathrooms were single stalls; however, they were located in less-populated areas as it would be more convenient for any student or staff member to go there instead of the front or main hallways of the school, so it wasn't intended to be smaller or singled out, but instead it was intended to be convenient and private. Females are at an access deficit. If a female student or staff member feels uncomfortable using the all-gender bathroom, they will have to either go upstairs, downstairs, or to the back hallways during class time and/or passing period. For students, this risks receiving consequences from deans as a result of being on a different level than their pass indicates they have access to, on top of taking a greater amount of time out of class for both staff and students. Finally, despite all of these reasons behind why I believe the all-gender bathroom was not well thought out. East’s reasoning behind this was conveyed through assistant principal Jackie Coppola sending out an email to students and staff (guardians excluded), proclaiming that “ after reviewing each restroom in our building and in collaboration with the district facilities team, the best option was selected based on the structural makeup of the second floor women’s restroom. More specifically, the men’s restroom has a wall and urinals that would have needed to be removed and would have pushed us outside of the construction budget for this project.” and “ t his choice was made for practical reasons only.” If this bathroom was made to give “the opportunity to foster a more inclusive environment at East” then why does this choice seem to be made out of convenience?  I am asking East, as a 15 year old female sophomore student, to hear me the same way they have heard whoever initiated this change. I am not opposed to accessibility for all, instead I am opposed to justice for some at the expense of injustice for others.

2022 reports from the Asian American Foundation  hghave found that Asian hate mostly relates back to the start of COVID, as many Asian kids have stated getting called names such as “Chinese virus” or “bat eater.” At the outset of the pandemic, Kaila Nghiem, a junior at Overland High School in Aurora, was roaming the aisles of a grocery store when another shopper coughed the phrase “bat eater” as she walked by. Her father told her to keep quiet because he didn’t want anything worse happening (The Colorado Sun, 2021). Asian discrimination can lead to negative effects on youth’s mental health, The Center for American Progression found that 2 in 5 Asian youth who also are a part of the LGBTQ community chose to skip school or choose online school instead. In Cal­i­for­nia, which is home to most of the Asian youth in the coun­try , Asian stu­dents are more like­ly to expe­ri­ence race-based bul­ly­ing at school than stu­dents of oth­er races or eth­nic­i­ties, accord­ing to the lat­est data from the Cal­i­for­nia Healthy Kids Sur­vey  (2017–2019). Another report from Breunlin (2021) noted that Asian American students in Colorado have long been the target of racism. They’ve been mocked for the shape of their eyes. They’ve been bullied about their skin color. They’ve been asked if they eat dogs. They’ve been verbally abused, called “chink” and “Jap.” This information represents national events of discrimination against AA and NHPI populations, but what is happening locally? Does such discrimination on this level exist across Colorado high school environments in Denver and other Colorado communities?     Erica Breunlin, an education writer for the Colorado Sun, focused on this question in 2021 while the pandemic was still prevalent.  She documented the experiences of Asian students in Denver and the Ft. Collins area and found that such discrimination does exist. She interviewed a total of 5 students from Denver DSST: College View, Overland, and Ft. Collins Fossil Ridge high schools. Breunin found multiple examples of how these students had experienced discrimination, racial slurs, bullying, threats, and feelings of fear due to being of Asian heritage.  For  example, Kaila, 17, said “it’s as though I live in a world that literally was created for me to not succeed.  And as a woman and a member of the LGBTQ community, in addition to being a minority, she said she faces even more barriers to success and to creating systemic change. Interviews with two Denver area Asian students– Jayden Lin, sophomore at East, and Preston Lee, sophomore at Regis Jesuit High School, both stated they noticed fewer incidents of bullying, discrimination and threats than the students in the Breunlin article.  Why do Lin and Lee think this?  Lee said, “Since Regis is located closer to a suburban white neighborhood, Asian students face less discrimination as Regis has fewer Asian students.”  He went on to say, “Asian discrimination is seen more as a challenge that you can overcome.”  Lin made similar observations about East, stating, “it is because the Asian community at East is smaller compared to other races at the school.”  Lin also thought the smaller Asian community could explain why Asian discrimination at East “goes unnoticed” or “has become normalized.”   However, both Lin and Lee agreed discrimination towards Asians has increased since the COVID pandemic. Lin said, “I have noticed how discrimination towards Asians has risen since COVID, since everyone wanted to blame Asians for causing the virus.”  Sadly, Lin noted, “since first being called out on a stereotype, I have gotten used to hearing words like “Chink” and “Bat Eater.” Seeing discrimination as a form of a joke can be a coping strategy: a way to discount the hurtful aspects of discrimination. During Lee's interview he stated “Most of the time I hear kids joking about it.”  Lin noted, “Most racial jokes are more normalized because of social media apps like Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok, and Instagram. ” Kelly, a junior at DSST: College View High School in 2021 remembered telling herself that making jokes about acts of discrimination had become her go-to coping mechanism.   A nother coping strategy is to not report events or pretend it didn’t happen. The 2021 Act To Change survey  (The Center for Public Integrity)  noted in their research, “ . . . the majority of bullied Asian students didn’t tell an adult about their experience. The reverse was true of bullied students from other racial groups.”  Therefore, Asian acts of bullying are less likely to be reported and recorded, making them appear less frequent than they actually are.  Lin stated that “East has less Asian students than other minorities, which is why discrimination towards Asians might go unnoticed.”   He also thought fewer Asian students at East could explain why Asian discrimination has become normalized. While there is little doubt Asian hate has increased since the COVID pandemic, students at East and Regis may be less likely targeted than others.  However, only two students were interviewed and other Asian students might have different experiences.

East High School's very own DECA team is state-bound! DECA is a class that connects students to a variety of business-type projects. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and is part of the business curriculum at East. State for East DECA is from February 25th to the 27th at the Broadmoor Resort where they will face schools from all over Colorado. DECA inspires kids to follow their dreams of owning a business or being part of the business world.              The two DECA teachers are Kirsten Kahn and Logan Breen. Ms. Kahn has been teaching DECA at East for two years. Ms. Kahn remains one of the best business teachers here at East due to her enthusiasm and kind personality when working with students. Before Ms. Kahn became a teacher at East, she was a teacher in her 20s for four years then went into the private sector Elearning space and worked with a tech company launching a 20-year career. This led to two successful tech startups and two global media companies. Ms. Khan has two kids who have participated in DECA, Lulu Kahn and Alden Kahn who did entrepreneurship roleplay and financial literacy roleplay. DECA doesn't mean that you have to go into business, it is also helpful for presentations or in-class projects. When asked why she teaches DECA Ms. Kahn responded by saying "I appreciate being able to draw on business experience to make meaningful content and experiences for students. I wished I had this type of learning experience in high school. Something that is unique here at East is that I am able to work with them more than once, which is very unique. Many East students thrive on the competitive aspect of DECA and it's exciting to support their success."              Before coming to East Mr. Breen graduated from SMU with a marketing degree in 2018 and worked in marketing for one year for Greystar which is a property management company. However, he decided to change careers and started as a sub at East in 2021 and got his masters in curriculum and instruction from DU in the summer of 2022. Mr. Breen has been given multiple nicknames by the students like "Breen Dog" or "Breenster". Mr. Breen has been teaching DECA for two years, he's been considered one of the kindest teachers here at East due to his calm demeanor and being able to connect with students on a personal level. @MrBreentoks is the tiktok account Mr. Breen makes with students in order to further his bond with them, connecting with them in a modern way. Mr. Breen was asked why he continues to do DECA and he responded by saying "I wanted to be a teacher later in life but decided to do it now because of covid and there being a teacher shortage. It's also really fun working with younger people." Both of these teachers have done an excellent job with students and showing their love for business and their students' business projects, sending over 40 out of 109 kids to Nationals last year alone and after getting past both Districts and State.              So what does DECA mean to students? Holland Burkett is in 11th Grade and has been in DECA for two years and competes in a startup business plan. He is an exemplary student in DECA and finished 4th in the state his first year and went on to Nationals in Orlando Florida. When asked what DECA has done for him he said, "It has helped me with my leadership, presentation, and problem-solving skills.” When asked what his favorite thing about DECA is, he said “ I enjoy working together with my teammates and being creative with everything we can do with our business." Holland's start-up business plan includes a written document that outlines his financial, marketing, competitive advantage, and product overview. All of these are important pieces of evidence that he has to transform into a presentation that is given to the judges. While Holland carries the stress of such a large project, he has been a great role model for those who are just starting DECA, offering to help with presentation skills and practice sessions. Holland has continued to show over and over why he is one of the best Denver East DECA has to offer.          Gabriel Casteneda is a first-year DECA student who just transferred from South, and discussed coming into the program and its challenges for those interested in the class. Gabe commented, "I've never done a project this big before so the sheer amount of writing was a lot of work." Gabe was later asked "What have been some highlights of doing DECA your first year? He responded by saying "Going to districts and study groups with my friends. I'm also excited to go to state and show the results of my hard work." Gabe has done a great job in his written events attending workshops that have been hosted by Ms. Khan. Gabe has also sought help from others who are doing the same event. He hopes to place in the top five at state this year and go on to Nationals.       DECA at East High School is for everybody and even if you don't want to pursue a career in business you can still learn very important and valuable life skills. You learn about a community of people you can connect with and make new friends with while also picking up skills like how to present or how to talk to a large group of people. So the question remains will you do DECA next year?

On Thursday November 21, 2024, as students walked into East High School they were confronted by protesters outside. Three men with body cameras, flyers, and posters of fetuses were set up outside protesting abortion. As students arrived at school on the 21st they were confronted by these men. Teachers, deans, and SRO’s came outside and seemingly asked the men to leave, but to no avail. This sparked many questions among students, like, can they be here? Is this legal? Why do they have body cameras? What is allowing them to disrupt our education like this? Why are they here?  The divide between church and state prohibits the government from establishing or favoring any particular religion. This means public schools, which are government entities, cannot endorse, promote, or require participation in religious activities. Students are allowed to express their religious beliefs, through clubs, wearing religious clothing, or participating in voluntary prayer. However, this must occur outside of class time or in a way that does not disrupt the school environment. If students and teachers are held to these standards why aren't others, after all this is one of many reasons that parents send their children to public schools in the first place. Church and State is sacred and showing up outside with posters inflicting another belief seemingly takes it away.  It is all well and fine to express your opinion but there should be a certain amount of respect especially for students' education. We come to school to learn, and protests like what was exhibited on the 21st can be quite disruptive and can take away from students' learning.  The debate of whether or not abortions should be legal has been one that we have seen time and time again, nationwide and statewide. One of the great things about America is the right to freedom of speech.  As seen in the mock election, the student body and teachers at East tend to hold more left-leaning opinions and views with 91.2% of students voting to pass Amendment 79, the amendment that would preserve the right to have an abortion in Colorado, and that would lift the ban on using government money to pay for abortions. We are a liberal bubble, and that is exactly why these protestors have targeted East, as one of the protestors, Mark, stated, “People that don't have the same beliefs as me, we love them, that's one of the whole points we’re here because obviously everyone doesn't have the same beliefs as I do, if everyone had the same beliefs as I do we wouldn't be here. We want to encourage them and those who do have the same beliefs as we do to be bold.”  These protesters aren't going to protest abortion outside a right winged school, they are going to come to the people who they believe are misled. Later in an interview Mark was asked what he was hoping to get out of this protest and what was the point of all of this? He responded saying, “I am a Christian and the two strongest tenets of my faith is to love your God with all of your heart mind soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself, so living that out compels me to come here to young people, that aren't receiving truth in there, they are receiving many lies in schools, and try to combat that to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” It is his personal opinion that abortion is wrong, so in supporting the right to have an abortion we are incorrect in their eyes, and vice versa. Despite personal beliefs they are fighting for what they believe is right. That doesn't mean they are correct, nor incorrect in their beliefs or opinons, but at the end of the day they are entitled to them. This may be disrupting, but that is the point. No matter what you are fighting for, you'll never create change without disruption. As a student body … the best way to deal with these protesters is to simply ignore them, as hard as that may be. At the end of the day they won’t have a platform without an audience.

Coffee has been a savior of the sleep deprived, tired, and depressed students. All those who drink it have a shrine in which they receive the brown water from the heavens. For some that shrine is a manufactured chain coffee shop of sugar and ok coffee like Starbucks. For those of us, however, that require only the best and most local coffee experience, our place of choice must be one of the five best Denver coffee shops near East High. St. Mark’s is the most conveniently located on this list to East. Additionally, having great hours, open from 6:30am to 10:00pm every day. These hours attract not only the morning people but also the notably under-represented night person. However, this joint is a paradoxical addition to this list, because their coffee and other drinks are mediocre. Their espresso is prepared with an imperceptibly shoddy technique, and their drip is notorious for being sour and muddy. The place also struggles to make a good chai or any other freshly made teas. What St Mark’s struggles with in drink quality they make up for it in unbeatable ambiance. A homage to Michelangelo paints a halo on the ceiling above the register, and the disjunct assortment of marbled tables and blueberry blue benches create a totally unique environment. Whether that be in the morning or dead of night, St. Mark’s vibe is unmatched. When someone tells you about a small coffee shop in their quaint little town you should be thinking about Café Miriam. As soon as you approach, you get a feeling few other coffee shops elicit. Most local places struggle to capture both style and vibe. The art, the mediterranean styling, and the inviting staff. The only thing that might not be homegrown about Miriam’s is the drinks. But even the coffee and tea options still somehow manage to elicit that wonderful feeling while still being great. Miriam's continues to impress by having a great outdoor patio set up, making it feel a part of the neighborhood. More than any other coffee shop in Denver, Café Miriam feels like home. Great coffee, Solid food, and a convenient location. Only one place on our list checks all the boxes of a great local coffee shop. The main gimmick about Hooked is its great vibe and dual basements. As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by great music, fun decorations, and the beautiful natural light. On the other hand,their east basement offers an eerie and totally unique victorian design. Hooked as a whole has been a bastion of my time at East and is most deserving of the top spot on this list.