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Starting off the new year, safety remains a key issue for East and the Denver Public Schools district. Compiled is all the safety information from the DPS Board final “Safety Draft” published after last school year, information from East High School’s Assistant Principal of Climate and Safety Brian Edwards, the district's director of Climate and Safety Greg Cazzell, and a district student safety and mental health coordinator Dr. Jane Lineman. Safety decisions in our district are made by the Board of Education of our elected members, then these decisions are interpreted and implemented by the Superintendent with insight and other ideas from subject matter experts like Chief Cazzell and Dr. Lineman. ****For this article I interviewed in-person Mr. Edward and Chief Cazzell. I also interviewed Dr. Lineman over Google Meet.  School/Building: SROs: Chief Cazzell gets a report of the tickets issued from SROs everyday to ensure punitive citations are not the first resort. He explains: “SRO's,they're in our buildings, they're part of our team, but we want to make sure that we're not criminalizing adolescent behavior.” He explains that Denver also started a program called “Alternative to Citation or A.C.T” to make sure that SROs are only issuing citations when necessary. Chief Cazzell gets a report of all citations issued by SROs everyday so he can monitor what behavior is being ticketed. Working Hours:  (Possibly title building hours) - why students are not allowed in the building before 8 am and after 4 pm.  Working hours for our building are new here at East, Edwards explains the need for them to ensure there are enough staff for the students in the building. Explaining how safety of students can’t be promised if there are not staff there to monitor the halls and building. Student IDs: Mr. Edwards describes the need for IDs saying district mandated IDs are color coded by grade to help see if a student should have an off period and should be wandering around or leaving, depending on grade level a student may or may not be able to have an off period. Chief Cazzell and Edwards both note the importance of knowing who is in the building and if they should be there. Safety Procedures : The DPS safety plan mentions the Emergency Operations Plan or EOP and the Standard Response Protocol as the student and staff training for emergencies; this is the standard lockdown or lock out information we practice. Chief Cazzell illustrates the value in these highly practiced routines, he says when a high stress event is taking place it’s like a scary movie when the guy is trying to put the key in the ignition but he is shaking too hard. These procedures are supposed to be so comfortable that we are prepared in those situations. The plan also outlines the safety audits of school buildings that are conducted every three years as part of the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design program. Further outlining the student search and arrest protocol along with the interrogation protocol in the JIH policy. Which states that if reasonable suspicion is demonstrated, it becomes  a safety risk that officials are allowed to investigate. This includes searching students' personal effects as well as asking questions about the incident. “Some students may be searched as part of the safety and support measures outlined in an Action and Intervention Plan.” The School Building: The Board’s safety plan outlines the possible use of weapons detection units. It explains “The determination of a weapon detection system at a school or district building will be a site-based decision with extensive community engagement” however, does not explain what any of these technologies are or when there will be discussions on whether they will be implemented. With cameras schools can be monitored and checked if there is a safety concern, Chief Cazzell explains “There's 5000 cameras that feed into the dispatch center. They can pull up any school.” Cazzell also explains that along with things like the duress buttons and cameras that he wants to make “sure that we’ve looked at our buildings, that there’s no vulnerabilities.” When there are older buildings he wants to ensure the technology for safety within them is up to date and working properly. East does have a system where doors held open for a while send a signal via email to Edwards in case of a safety risk, however, Edwards notes the challenge of chasing doors as a waste of resources when more productive actions could be happening. Community: Mr. Edwards explains the effect that the idea of community responsibility has on the safety of our school. He talks about group and community accountability and culture; will students prop open doors, let people in or say something if they notice something? He further explains that the sharing of information with those surrounding East like rec center. The Safety Plan explains that “High-crime neighborhoods may expose children to violence, which can cause lasting physical, mental, and emotional harm” in an effort to explain their dedication to supporting these students when at school. Chief Cazzell explains that a school does not run in isolation from its environment and outside safety concerns of a building in the surrounding neighborhood affect a school as well. Behavioral Procedure: The Safety plan talks about creating a safe and welcoming environment as well. Dr. Lineman points to the Discipline Matrix as well as the Discipline Ladder as the district standard for behavioral procedures. The matrix determines the level of offense (one through six) and recommended response for an action, whether expulsion is recommended, required or neither. The Ladder explains more specific procedures to do after type 1-6 of offense is determined. It outlines practices like restorative conversations and the documentation of such conversations. It also outlines options for suspension such as in-school or out-of-school suspension. Mr. Edwards explains next steps depend on if the student is ready to have a restorative conversation and “come to the table” or not. Suspensions are more likely to happen if the behavioral matrix/ladder recommends so for an incident and if students are willing to work through the problem or not. Mr. Edwards further explains the case by case basis each behavioral situation is taken. He says If there is any violence or weapons “it would trigger a threat appraisal process” which would involve teacher feedback, a teacher, administrator, discipline representative, parent, and social worker or psychologist who would facilitate the meeting. This would determine the risk level and intervention plan. These conversations are where intervention plans such as searches may come up dependent on scenario and situation. Expulsion is pursued, often referring back to the matrix to see if it is recommended, or mandatory. For example possession of a firearm on school grounds results in mandatory expulsion whereas first degree, second degree, and sexual assault falls under the “mandatory review” for expulsion category. Arson, child abuse, hazing, and more falls under “optional review” for expulsion. Chief Cazzelll explains his interest in bringing over a process he had when working for Aurora Public Schools called Teen Court. He explains the process, “The student, if eligible, goes to the teen court and you know the the attorneys are teens, the judge of the teen, the, the jury as a teen and it's evaluated in that environment prior to actually going to juvenile court.” He says he is “looking forward to trying to work with Denver and the University of Denver to maybe implement a teen court” on something with peer input and that is less serious than juvenile court. School Placement Options: Mr. Edwards explains “a lot of people would like to see schools be able to determine what the most appropriate setting is [for the student]... however, without agreement from the family, that transition cannot take place.” Mr. Edwards explains that certain things trigger expulsion but not all concerning behaviors do, the school of record means that often a school can recommend changing schools or educational setting but the family doesn’t always need to comply unless a student is expelled. The safety plan explains the district's effort for students to be in their optimal learning environment and to find alternatives to the juvenile justice system, however, doesn’t outline specifics to this. The juvenile justice system, a court mandated placement that DPS has no control over. Mental Health: The safety plan outlines the importance of mental health support for both students and teachers. It also explains that the BESS survey, made to determine the emotional state and wellbeing of students, helps DPS adjust teaching to “targeted and intensive social-emotional and mental health interventions to support our student needs.” Its purpose outlined in the Superintendent comments is to recognize risk or high risk behavior in students. The Superintendent was not available for clarification on what this meant. However, linked is a document with examples of low to higher risk BESS screener responses. Chief Cazzelll explains the desire to “strengthen wrap-around services, mental health support, food insecurities, [and] housing insecurities”, adding “Making sure students who have other challenges in their home life have options to get support.”

What once used to be a funny and slightly okay, maybe not slightly cringy app where people can express themselves is now an online store. While scrolling aimlessly through TikTok might not be the best for our brains, it lets us relax by seeing funny relatable things. But now almost every video is promoting an item on the Tik Tok Shop. From fake Stanley Cups to half percent off deals for a Chamoy Pickle Kit, TikTok has lost its “funny” value and is pushing people to watch Instagram reels.  Many people, even famous Tiktokers, are tired of the app and seeing the same content over and over again. Since Tik Tok Shop has become a thing, it seems that once one product goes half off then everyone in the world needs to buy it. Almost every video that has the “Sponsored” tag underneath, people skip, and skipping every other two videos dilutes the mindless scroll.  Even the reason TikTok is as popular as it is left. Universal Music Group, almost all of TikTok trending sounds were removed on January 31st. Millions of TikToks were muted and people were stuck using copyright-free music. ( Forbes.com ) People made videos asking for the return of the Musically star Flight House to bring back the sped-up version of music. The main reason UMG has removed their music is because TikTok isn’t paying them adequately. In their letter addressing the removal they s tated,  “Today, as an indication of how little TikTok compensates artists and songwriters, despite its massive and growing user base, rapidly rising advertising revenue and increasing reliance on music-based content, TikTok accounts for only about 1% of our total revenue.” ( Universalmusic. com )  TikTok being cheap might have cost them more than they know. Without music what even is TikTok?  Longing for a new app, people thought Threads would be the next X (Twitter) since Elon Musk was changing so many attributes about X after taking over, but Threads only lasted for a week. With nothing new coming along people have resorted to Instagram Reels. Before Tik Tok had massive issues, people would make fun of you for watching Reels over Tik Tok but now,  almost half of East students prefer Reels over Tik Tok. We all hate and make fun of Reels because they’re kind of ridiculous and just reuploaded TikToks but somehow funnier. Being able to see if your friends or someone you forgot you were following on Instagram has liked something cringy brings another funnier factor making people enjoy the stupidness of Reels.  People always joke that TikTok will be done in a year or actually get banned but with these recent changes, it might become a reality. I believe we should just bring back Musically. No drama, no “people are stealing my content”, and no copyright issues, just people lip-syncing and moving their phones to the beat and having a nice time.

Abortion is a tricky topic. The phenomenon is potent, with the ability to change a person’s perspective by circumstance; one answer feels right in this case, but wrong in that. The dichotomy over women’s reproductive rights bleeds into a battle of morality. All around, people approach the issue with heavy emotion. A person can try and fathom a personal stance, but with a change in day or wind’s direction, a person can confuse themselves over what is most right. In recent weeks, state legislatures have taken advantage of Roe v. Wade’s overturning. Lawmakers have enacted policy with defiance, limiting abortion access more than it has been in over 40 years. We the people, contemplate our own stance on the topic, while state legislatures claim to know it all.  The Supreme Court ruled that abortion is not protected by the Fourteenth Amendment’s implied right to privacy, and that decision alone is unsurprising. What is more striking, however, is states’ eagerness to restrict abortion, and consequently, women’s access to healthcare.   Florida has sought to crush abortion rates since 2022, with most recently on May 1st, 2024, women are legally barred from accessing abortion once six weeks into pregnancy. While rare circumstances, like pregnancy complications, can exempt a woman from this six week deadline, a number of women will likely be unaware of their situation before this timestamp. Governor DeSantis boasted of Florida’s initiative to defend life and protect the American family: it takes six weeks for a fetus to develop a heartbeat. So where should a line be drawn, restricting abortion when the fetus seems human enough? Besides the physical development of a fetus, there is no difference, from conception to birth, of an unborn baby’s genetic code. A zygote is encrypted with DNA. Thus, no matter what time in the pregnancy, life is life, a two-day old fetus is the same source of life as one of seven months.  Another argument, where anyone with humanity can agree, is that abortion should be restricted once an unborn child can feel pain. According to the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, it takes 24-25 weeks of gestation before a fetus can feel physical pain. However, before that time, whether someone takes a plan B the day after conception, or 8 weeks into pregnancy, it is technically killing a potential human baby. Plan B is legal in Texas, a state that has outlawed abortion completely. There is a misalignment of abortion policy.  Nevertheless, Florida’s new abortion policy does not end with its six week limit. The state, like many others, is also instituting a 24-hour waiting period. Meaning, a woman must wait 24 hours after a consultation before having a procedure. Ideally, a day-long time restriction ensures that every individual is guaranteed time to review and make a more self-assured decision in the most severe decision they will ever make. A 24-hour waiting period is crucial in giving time for a broader perspective to prevail, as abortion is the unideal option.  Believable enough, Florida policy is mild when it comes to the 14 states of Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia have banned abortion completely, except in rare circumstances. For many, the spread of abortion bans feels like the United States is regressing, going back in time, and for others, the bans feel justified for a long time waiting.  Colorado is one out of six states, and Washington D.C., with no abortion term limit. Which brings to concern, how many abortions are happening after that 20 weeks. According to the Center for Disease and Control, 93% of abortions were performed at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy, 6% between 14 and 20 weeks, and 1% were at or after 21 weeks. However, what we are seeing is that women are being redirected from states like Florida to states like North Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey for abortion operations. Abortion policy is messy, and yes the Supreme Court ruled that this subject be regulated by the states and not the federal government. Abortion does not need to have a standard form of business across the country, however, states ought to institute policy that is to the benefit of both new life, and half of the American population: women.  East senior, Anna Boyle, expresses, “People need to realize that women’s bodily autonomy should not be put on the back burner.” Anna concludes, “It’s a person.” Anna expresses the sentiments of many women and men who feel gender equality must include reproductive health rights. Similarly, East senior Sofia Saavedra expresses her concern for new state abortion laws. She explains, “It's a safety issue, limiting the right to medical care, means dangerous pregnancies can happen.” It feels as though state legislatures are abandoning women, and their reproductive health. East senior, Sasha Bull, responds that abortion bans feel like, “A limit on personal freedom.” From an ordinary person’s standpoint, the government cannot and should not overstep the personal life of its constituents. As of today, the government is doing exactly that, pushing legislation with a political agenda, and not to the benefit of its inhabitants. Not to the benefit of a 17-year-old girl who cannot even vote.

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?

College Board is a not-for-profit organization responsible for administering PSAT and SAT Tests, running AP Classes, and providing educational resources to high schools, making the organization a significant presence in high school student’s lives. However, the organization has been criticized for exploiting students rather than helping them, with high test costs and additional fees, as well as the amount of stress they give students.  One of the biggest complaints about the organization is the amount of money it makes. Despite being classified as a non-profit organization, College Board made over $140 million in 2022, and CEO David Coleman made $2 million. The issue students have with the large profit College Board makes is that it charges a large amount for their tests. Currently, College Board charges $98 for most AP tests, and $60 for the SAT. Students also complain about how much influence the College Board has over education. Junior Beckett Nelson Gardner felt that, “they’re not very heavily regulated as far as I know and they have a whole lot of reach [which] means that they kind of hold almost too much power.” Another complaint is that the College Board only worsens the competition surrounding college admissions. Cora Smith, another Junior, felt that, “more people are taking [AP Classes] regularly instead of taking honors or normal class options, it's putting unnecessary academic pressure and expectations on students to be taking these difficult classes that are supposed to be seen as an additional challenge” In addition to issues with AP classes, critics argue that the SAT unfairly disadvantages low-income students, since they aren’t able to take expensive SAT prep courses, or take the test multiple times. These factors are among many reasons that College Board remains so poorly perceived among students, having only a “C” ranking from the Better Business Bureau. However, despite these criticisms, there are several reasons people list when defending The College Board as well. For AP classes, one benefit according to Smith was, “The opportunity to get college credit as a way to save money when I do actually go to college and making it so colleges are more likely to accept me or offer scholarships.” The College Board also offers multiple scholarships to students, and partners with multiple other organizations to award scholarships, totaling 1.5 billion per year. Additionally, though the SAT is criticized for the racial and economic gaps in test scores, defenders of the SAT point out that these differences are the result of academic inequality, rather than the test itself. Plus, according to the New York Times, though many colleges have dropped SAT requirements in recent years, the SAT is often a better indicator of how successful a student will be on a college campus than other factors, in part due to grade inflation making it harder for high achieving students to stand out. Additionally, the SAT may be more equitable than other activities considered in college admissions, since scoring well on the SAT is easier to achieve than participating in multiple expensive extracurriculars, receiving higher quality letters of recommendation from private school teachers with far less students, or receiving extra help in editing college essays, all of which are much easier for students from wealthier families. The continuing fight over The College Board’s role in education leaves students confused. Smith complained that with regards to the SAT, colleges, “Either should require it or not have it at all anymore because having it be different for different colleges that you apply to makes it a difficult choice whether to take the SAT or not.” A 2022 survey by College Board reported that one in three US high school graduates say they’ve taken at least one AP exam. Considering College Board’s largely growing role in education, it becomes increasingly important to ensure the success of high school students.

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.