Arvada Press 033122

Page 1

FREE

Week of March 31, 2022

JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16

Pomona students walk out in protest of budget cuts to arts programs

Pomona arts students participating in the walkout gather for a group photo during an interview with the Arvada Press. PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

Beloved instrumental music teacher among cuts; four ensembles eliminated as well BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Students at Pomona High School walked out of class on March 29 in protest of the school’s budget cuts to their arts program, which were announced on March 17. The walkout is part of a larger studentled effort to preserve the cut programs and teach-

ers. A large group of students walked out of their classes before 10 a.m. on March 29 holding signs pleading with school administrators to reconsider the cuts. After receiving an email detailing the cuts, Pomona Senior Erin McGovern knew she had to do something. So she began organizing. “All I was thinking for that was, ‘What is the biggest statement we can make, what is the biggest thing we can do to make people realize that we’re here?’ And so it was like, ‘Well yes, we could protest, we could bring this to (school administration), but he’s clearly not listen-

ing, so how much noise can we make in what little time we have,’” McGovern said. The support was instantaneous. “I just kind of put it out there, and I got the section leaders to be like, ‘What if we walked out?’ and it was like, ‘Oh, this is a good idea,’” McGovern said. In a March 17 email to Pomona families, Principal Andy Giese—who is leaving the school at the end of the year—outlined the “challenges that we need to adapt to” for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year in light of Pomona’s declining enrollment. Giese said that electives are offered in accordance with student interest, and

20 22 SPECIAL SECTION

that since student interest was dropping in numbers in certain areas, cuts were necessitated. The email noted that full-time Instrumental Music Teacher Armando Solis’ position was cut, along with three other teachers and a dean. Giese noted that a math teacher, social studies teacher and a world languages teacher all have their next teaching jobs secured and said, “We’ll make sure the others get their next job, too.” A Change.org petition to ‘Preserve Instrumental Music at Pomona High School’ has gathered over 7,500 signatures and mentions that the school SEE WALK OUT, P2

VOLUME 17 | ISSUE 41

Arvada City Councilmember Lisa Smith heads to Poland to help with Ukrainian refugee crisis Smith working with Operation White Stork to provide medical supplies, transportation to Ukrainians BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Amid the ongoing war in the Ukraine, Arvada City Councilmember Lisa Smith has traveled to Poland, where she will spend two weeks collecting medical supplies and helping to transport refugees from Ukraine. Smith arrived in Poland on March 22. Smith said that as she heard stories from the war unfold, she felt called to help. Smith has experience working with refugees through her work as a social worker and with Team Rubicon, an international non-governmental organization specializing in disaster response. The Co-Founder of Team Rubicon, Will McNulty, organized an operation in Ukraine, called SEE POLAND, P3

PULL-OUT SECTION INSIDE!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.