Photo by Heather Larson

“Teaching becomes a part of you, almost; it gets into your heart a little,” says Thomas Jefferson English Teacher Robert Gagnon, for whom TJ has been a second home for three years.  He says it has been an adventure that he can now check off of his list of accomplishments. However, after May 28, Gagnon is retiring, and will be striving to achieve his new goal of fulfilling his life outside of teaching, which he says he has been looking forward to for many years.

Within the past 31 years, Gagnon has been successfully teaching students the ways of the English language, and making teaching not just his job, but one of his hobbies, as well. At the beginning, he had only planned on making this a part of his life for a relatively short period of time. “I went into teaching thinking that I was only going to be doing so for about ten years. I had planned to go do something else and something new after those ten years, but before I knew it 31 years had gone by, and I guess now it’s finally time to go experience new and different things.”

Before embarking on the journey of enriching the minds of students, Gagnon had already earned the status of being an American Hero, as he served in the Vietnam War for one year, and he says that was one of the longest years of his life. “I remember twelve days before I was supposed to return home, I was driving through a city which was off limits to US Personnel after 5 p.m., and of course we got stuck in rush hour and were still in that city. We were trying to make our way out of there, but we started getting shot at. We had to do something, so I started driving down the sidewalks just to get away! After that, I was completely ready to come home, and one of the best moments of my life was making my way safely back onto U.S. soil.”

Gagnon says that one of the positives of being in Vietnam was when he took his R&R (Rest and Recuperation) from the war, and he had the opportunity to visit Sydney, Australia for a week. As Gagnon puts it, “That was one of the best ways to get away, and it was an absolutely great contrast to the war.” He says that one of the best parts was the people, and how friendly and welcoming everyone was towards him and his fellow soldiers.

As Gagnon began teaching at TJ, he was very eager to let the Spartan community get to know him as a person, and tell the stories of where he came from and why he is who he is. “The other teachers and staff at TJ are all very wonderful, caring, and amazing people. I have learned more here about how to be a great teacher within the past three years than I had in the 28 years before that.”

Gagnon has high hopes for every single one of his students and believes every one of them can succeed. “They all have their little quirks, and you just have to figure out who they are and work with them.” The biggest teaching accomplishment in Gagnon’s eyes is making it as a teacher for 31 years. “Every single day is a challenge and an accomplishment when we have all made it through another day.” As for the most challenging parts of his teaching career, he says it is the pressure of making sure the students are properly informed of everything they need to be, and being sure that at the end of the year, they are walking out of the classroom with the head full of knowledge that is needed to complete the class successfully. “It is a very stressful job. I always want to make sure the kids are properly educated.”

Once Gagnon has completed his time at TJ, he has big plans to spend much more time with his family and friends, and doing all the hobbies that he wishes he had more time for now. He has been married to his wife for 21 years, and he has two grown kids, and one of the things he is looking forward to the most within the next year is for his first grandchild to be born. “My oldest, Jenny, is expecting in December, and I am thrilled and excited beyond belief. I’m going to be watching the baby a few days a week, and I am just so eager for that time to come.”

Gagnon has many hobbies that he is greatly looking forward to being able to spend more time enjoying. One of his absolutely favorite things in life is his small fishing boat, which he takes out to Eleven Mile reservoir in Colorado Springs, Cherry Creek Reservoir or Chatfield Reservoir, and just spends the say out on the lake, fishing and enjoying his life. Gagnon considers his most relaxing activities to be fishing and golfing, and ways that he just gets his mind of off the everyday stress of life. ”My boat really is one of my most prized possessions. I love it,” Gagnon said

Other than fishing and golfing, Gagnon spends a lot of his time over the summers – and over any free time that he can get ahold of – traveling throughout the world and experiencing not just what this planet has to offer, but also his heritage. “One place that I really want to go see and experience is where my roots lead me. My ancestors came to Quebec, Canada in 1640 and colonized it. I would absolutely love to go see where my history practically began, and just visit somewhere that beautiful.” While Gagnon has high hopes to go see Canada and his ancestry, he already has many bragging rights about where he has been and what he has seen, as he often takes many trips to Mexico, the Bahamas, Florida, and many other tropical paradises. Gagnon says, however, that of all the places he has been, the Bahamas has definitely been one of his favorites. “It’s just so beautiful there.”

Another special aspect of Gagnon’s life is his spirituality. “One of my most prized possessions is my relationship with God,” said Gagnon, who added that his relationship with God is one that is very personal and that it is what gives him strength to be who he is and live his life every single day. “I know that God has always had a special plan for me, so I know not to worry too much because I am in good hands.” Faith is the number one importance in his life, followed by caring for and about his family, and then just working hard trying to make his life a good one, he said

Gagnon is hoping that the future will be just as much of a journey as it was getting to today. The life ahead for Gagnon is one that is bright. He says that his life here at TJ has been one that nothing else can compare to or replace the memories, and Gagnon is very positive and okay about all of that. “Currently my spot at TJ has not been filled, and I like to look at that as I’m irreplaceable,” Gagnon said with a smile.

TJ's first Avid class set for graduation. Artwork by Anna Becker

On Senior Awards night, in front of proud parents and seniors alike, TJ Math Teacher Aimee Witulski stood at the podium to announce her selection for outstanding senior from her AVID class. Before her speech began, she proudly announced that this was the first AVID class graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, and she was answered back by elated applause.

The thirteen seniors in Witulski’s AVID class worked extremely hard this year, visiting college campuses, writing and re-writing college essays, and worked on college applications and scholarships, all united in one goal: a brighter future. Along with college preparation, the students studied hard for AP (Advanced Placement) exams as well as everyday class studies.

For students within this AVID class, all of the feedback they have given and the words they have said have all been nothing but positive praise for the program. According to 2010 graduate Demetrius Allen, it will help him throughout his future. “Being in AVID for four years has improved my time management skills and organization as a student,” he said. Allen has not just been a part of this TJ history making AVID class, but he also has received Witulski’s Outstanding Senior Award. “Winning the Outstanding Senior was the highlight of my year. I never could have done it without the guidance of Ms. Witulski.”

As for all of the other seniors within this class, they are all very excited to be a part of this changing moment at TJ. Other seniors who have taken part in this class for four years include: Lemlem Ahmed, Andrew Brown, Jennifer Brown, Shanae Brown, Michael Craig, Conner Kleberger, Tino Lamorie, Lisa Lerner, Keirra Levier, Ashanee Moore, Shane Oliver, and Anthony Sanchez-Guevara. “I am surprised at how much they have grown,” said Witulski. “They were willing to take on many challenges and really supported each other.” Like a proud parent, Witulski beamed when she announced that all of her seniors had applied to four-year schools and were going to continue their educations into college. “They managed to not cave in to senioritis,” Witulski said jokingly.

Witulski said she will always treasure her students and is looking forward to seeing them walk across the stage on graduation day. “It’s our first graduating AVID class and they have initiated some great traditions,” said Witulski, who fondly remembers the many celebrations, pool parties, games of kick ball, and group movies that they have all shared.

Photo courtesy Matt Nicolo.

At Thomas Jefferson, a big attraction to the school is the DECA marketing program that has been a tradition at TJ for forty-one years. With the end of the year comes the annual DECA breakfast, a very professional and classy occasion in which the outgoing officers say farewell, and the new incoming officers are given a big welcome.

On April 13, this annual event was held at the Mount Vernon Country Club located in Golden on Lookout Mountain. With more than seventy-five students in attendance, it promises next year’s DECA program to be just as great as every other year, if not better, as every student was in fine form. DECA sponsor Matt Nicolo always believes the breakfast to be a giant success, as well as a huge weight off his shoulders. “Throughout the year, everyone is stressed out about the state conferences and competitions, and after the breakfast it seems to be that last bridge that needs to be crossed before making our way to the end of the year. The breakfast is a time to take recognition of our current officers, why they have the role in DECA that they do, and to celebrate their accomplishments throughout the year, as well as looking at the incoming officers and showing them what they’re getting into next year.”

This year’s event began with students and parents taking their seats in the festive dining room with Easter eggs filled with goodies on their tables, and then being served breakfast consisting of the classic breakfast cuisine and lots of fresh fruit, and as soon as everyone was finished feasting, Nicolo took the stand with Danny Showers to help accompany this year’s president, Tommy Moehlman, in commemorating the year.

In the front of the dining room sat the current DECA officers including Moehlman, Alex Clark (Vice President), Paige Milstein (Secretary), Paige Wilson (Treasurer), Alex Gustafson (Publicity Representative), Rhea Boyd (Publicity Representative), Colette Hernandez (Chapter Representative), Tino Lamorie (Chapter Representative), Jamee Veasley (School Store Reprenentative), and Mitch Mankoff (Travel Coordinater), many of whom are known throughout TJ as some of the best students in their classes.

There was a special guest in the house that morning as well, as Khalid Al-Shami, a student at Overland High School who is also the Vice President of District 13, was attending the breakfast and was given the honor of speaking to TJ and showing his gratitude towards them. He expressed throughout his speech that he finds TJ to be an amazing representative of what DECA is all about, and that Spartans show the true meaning of a well-run and well-established chapter.

A very entertaining portion of the morning was all thanks to Boyd and Lamorie, as they spent nearly twelve hours putting together the end of the year video, featuring current DECA members sharing some of their thoughts on the year. “We wanted the video to be an overview of the accomplishments of the year and also show the individual efforts that each DECA member puts into the chapter,” Boyd said.

To conclude this year’s breakfast, Moehlman was given the chance to put everyone’s anticipation to rest as he announced who was elected as officers for next year’s DECA chapter. The President will be is Mitch Mankoff, Vice President will be Dylan Jennings, and other officers are Daniela Cardona (Secretary), Hayden Johnson (Treasurer), Sarah Southard (Publicity Director), Robert McMacken (Chapter Representative), April Regas (School Store Representative), John Jones (Plans and Programs), and Christine Vlier (Travel Coordinator).  Moehlman was also able to share his words of wisdom with next year’s officers and president, saying that the best way to run a chapter is with four things: “Patience, because everyone has their own ways, and in order to get through you must be patient. Trust; you must trust your fellow students that they will get everything done well. Being open-minded; you have to stay open to opportunities and other ways of doing things, as it will not always be your way. And always, always keep a smile.” And with that, Moehlman hit the gavel one more time, and the breakfast came to an end, leaving the future of DECA in the hands of next years club officers.

Photo by Heather Larson.

For many students, whether they enjoy a class or not highly depends not just upon the subject matter, but upon the teacher, as well. For many high school graduates within the past 36 years, they will remember Robert Katz as one of their most memorable and favorite teachers. However, at the end of this year, new students will  have the pleasure of having Katz as a teacher, as he is retiring at the end of the school year.

Katz says that after transferring to TJ four years ago from Hamilton Middle School, it was a blessing to have the welcome and support of TJ to help the tough transition. “I had not been a special education teacher for such a long time that I was not used to the paperwork and responsibilities. The entire TJ faculty was unbelievably welcoming, supportive, and helpful. Rachael Almond definitely deserves a special recognition, though, because she took me under her wing and taught me how to do it right.”

Katz says that TJ has almost become a second home for him, as he is here so many hours each week. However, he said he also has a life outside of TJ that he enjoys taking full advantage of, such as spending time with his family, enjoying the great outdoors, and planning what his life is going to look like after he is not involved with high school every day. “I feel like once I leave TJ, I will finally have the time to do all the things I don’t have time for now, such as the little things in life. Something I want to do every single morning – but at this point I can’t because I have to be at school so early – is waking up late, getting a cup of coffee, and taking as much time as I want to read the newspaper. I am excited to have the time to read the paper.”

Along with the privilege of being able to sleep in late, comes a long day just awaiting the demands of Katz and what he feels appropriately fits the day’s agenda. Number one on that list: spend more time with the family. Katz has a wife and two high school kids and is very eager to get to spend more time with them. “I remember the first year I began teaching here at TJ, I took my kids with me to the homecoming game, and I had a blast. It was so fun for my kids and I, and I already knew so many students attending the game, so it was probably one of the best experiences that TJ has provided me with.”

As far as getting away from everything in his everyday life, Katz says he is absolutely ecstatic that he is now going to have the opportunity to travel more often and for more extended periods of time. Katz has spent time traveling all throughout the U.S. and the world, and he is now ready to get out and continue his journeys throughout. As of today, Katz has declared some of his favorite places to be are the Florida Keys and the beach in California. “I remember one week for spring break I went to California and I decided, ‘Let’s go surfing!’ and sure enough by the end of the week I was up on a surf board, surfing. Now, I won’t say I was good, but I could ride a full wave into shore!”

Another favorite memory that Katz has from his traveling experiences is one which he believes everyone should see. There is a ferry that runs between New Jersey and New York and goes right past the Statue of Liberty. Not only was this experience something Katz greatly enjoyed, but he got to experience it at night when the whole city was lit up and glittered as he cruised by. “It was life changing,” Katz said.

Katz says his future travel plans are endless. His goal is to see an infinite list of places with his wife, many of which have reasons behind them – as to their choice as a vacation spot – and Katz is ready to experience as much as he can. “I want to see everywhere in the U.S. This is my country and I want to know it. But outside of America I dream of seeing Israel and Venice, Italy. Israel has a lot of religious importance behind it to me, and Italy and Venice look beautiful, and the musical inspiration within them is outstanding.”

Katz knows that much of his time will be spent traveling and spending time with family, but what will he be doing on a daily basis while his wife is at work and his kids are at school? As he calls himself, he is a “putzer.” He enjoys tinkering around the house and fixing anything that needs to be repaired. “It’s all those little jobs that never get done because there is never the time, that are now going to take up my free time; that and being outdoors and driving my car.” Katz has a ’69 Camaro convertible that, when he has the free time, he is greatly looking forward to driving around town with the top down and the wind blowing through his hair. Also, as far as being outdoors, Katz thoroughly enjoys everything about it. He said he does pretty much anything that involves going outside and being active. “I love to fly fish, I bike everywhere, I’ve surfed, snorkeled, sky dived, scuba dived…pretty much anything: you name it, and I’ve done it.”

Throughout his many years of teaching, Katz explains that he has loved every minute of it. Before teaching at TJ, Katz taught middle school and said he enjoyed the experience very much. A 2007 TJ graduate, Paden Cooper, says that Katz was a “hoot” to have as a teacher. “My favorite memory of Mr. Katz was the ‘finger pistol’ lesson, teaching us about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and he ran around the entire room reenacting the event. It sounds crazy, but obviously if I remember it, it was taught well and helped me learn.”

Katz proclaims that he has many thoughts on how the students should be properly taught and he has his views on assisting the students. “Most teachers guide their students along the way, helping them get through the year day by day. I try to learn about the students’ strengths and help them use them to their advantage, and get them prepared for the future in that way.” According to current TJ Sophomore Alyssa Williams, who has Katz as her teacher for her Resource Study Skills, Katz most certainly lives up to his own set expectations of his classroom. “He is my support system almost; I know I can go to him for any help I need, and he really is the most helpful teacher I have ever had.”

As Katz’s time at TJ is slowly winding down, he is only keeping his thoughts positive and his head held high. “I want to go out on a positive note. I want to teach just how I always have up until the very last day, and I want to be happy as I leave knowing that I have helped the students succeed. As a teacher you can’t ask for more than to just see students accomplish their goals, get good grades, and graduate. That is the real reason for being a teacher: to help others succeed.”

For teachers, the end of the school year marks the beginning of planning for next year’s classes. AP teachers use this time after the seniors have checked out – and classes are coming to an end – to meet with their incoming students who have signed up for the challenge of an AP class next year, and let them know what they are getting themselves into.

This week kicks off the long list of AP meetings for next year’s classes. A unanimous statement from all of the AP teachers is that these meetings are when all of the future students will be getting their summer workload, making the beginning of next year easier to hit the ground running and get off on the right foot with a bit of work in that subject under their belts. Another reason that these meeting are critical to attend is because they give the students a chance to meet the class instructor, and understand his or her personality and classroom and course expectations.

With AP classes being a very big deal at TJ, teachers are strongly advising the students to attend these meetings. AP Government Teacher Jon Poole says that not only will the students be getting their summer homework, but they will also be completing the process of enrolling in their AP classes. “We will be signing your contract for next year’s class. Also, I know that, personally, I will give you many tips to help you through my class and help you succeed so that maybe it will be a little bit easier. My first tip: do your homework!”

As for every other teacher, they recommend just about the same thing. AP Psychology Teacher Linda Estlund says that students will be receiving their summer assignments, needed materials, and syllabus. AP Literature Teacher Susan Stokley claims that she wants to make sure that the incoming students know how happy she is that they are taking her class. Physics Guru Nelson Vore stated that without the homework assignment that he will be distributing in his AP meeting, there is hardly any way a student can pass the first six weeks.

These dedicated AP teachers want to see the passion in the eyes of their incoming students, and can not stress enough how important these meetings are in order to be successful in their classes. If you can not attend the meetings for any reason, you must see the teachers as soon as possible. All meetings will be held at lunch in the teachers’ classrooms.

Tuesday May 18:
AP World History Rm 239

Wednesday May 19:
AP Psychology Rm 232

Thursday May 20:
AP Music Choir Room
AP U.S. History Rm 239
AP Language Rm 225

Friday May 21:
AP Chemistry Rm 219
AP Physics Rm 118

Tuesday May 25:
AP Government at 10:30 AM

TJ-DJ Wauneta Vann lays down the tracks she hopes will motivate students to be on time. Photo by Heather Larson.

Since Friday April 23, students and teachers have been jamming out to music pumping through the speakers during passing periods. This new addition to the typical Spartan school day is one which TJ Teacher Wauneta Vann – the brains behind the idea – believes will be a great asset to students, encouraging a speedy arrival to class and also creating a much more cheerful hallway ambiance. “Our hope is that this will create more of a flow to the passing periods and make it easier for the students to know when the five minutes is up. As the song ends, students should be in class or nearly there.”

Vann’s plan is to play popular music during passing periods – between the bells – to remind students that it’s time to head to class, rather than lingering in the hallways and arriving late, which causes a disruption to the education process for everyone involved.

As for this new TJ tradition, it seems to be getting very positive feedback from both students and teachers. Social Studies Teacher Cheryl Johnson says that she likes the music, but that it needs to be more upbeat.

Computer Magnet Teacher, and Spartan Alumni Grant Laman – a connoisseur of all things ’80s – says its the best idea since leg warmers.  “I love seeing people lip-sync as they walk to class.  I have definitely seen more smiles in the hallway.  Personally, I can’t wait to hear some New Edition!”

As for most students, they too like the idea and the concept of the music, they just believe it needs to be a bit more modern. Junior Richard VanZetten says that he believes it helps him get to class on time, but that the music needs to be more varied.  “I want to hear my music, some rock music,” he said.

Sophomore Logan Kimbrell couldn’t agree more, saying he wants to hear Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazytrain.

While some students want to hear more rock music being played, many others would really enjoy hearing some hip-hop and rap, saying that would motivate them to get to class before the bell. “The music just needs to be more modern…stuff that we all know,” said sophomore Becca Randall.

This new addition to the regular school day seems to be getting good feedback, and Vann is hoping this will become a real part of TJ, and she says she is willing to provide a great variety of music for the school to enjoy.  “Students can always come and request what they would like to hear. Just come talk to me in room five, and as long as it’s school appropriate I will be happy to play it.”

]]> http://www.tjjournal.com/2010/04/29/tj%e2%80%99s-got-that-funky-style/feed/ 0 http://www.tjjournal.com/2010/04/18/closing-that-gap/ http://www.tjjournal.com/2010/04/18/closing-that-gap/#comments Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:34:56 +0000 Heather Larson http://www.tjjournal.com/?p=10102 TJ’s senior bridge night aims to answer many questions.

Artwork by Heather Larson

As seniors reach the end of their high school journey, some do not know what to expect after graduation. Future Center Counselor Tabitha Rocha has organized an evening on Thursday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m.  in which TJ grads, college advisors, and admission officers will answer any questions current seniors may have about that transition, at TJ’s Senior Bridge Program.

Throughout the senior year experience, parents and faculty are frequently reminding students of their deadlines to turn in college applications, FASFA information and applications, and scholarship applications; students constantly need to apply themselves for their future. But the question still remains: what happens when those crucial steps for the future have been completed, the student has been accepted into college, and graduation is over?  “The whole point of this event is to be a very informational meeting on that difficult transition into college, what to expect over the summer, and what is awaiting you in the fall,” Rocha said about her planned evening. “I remember my transition into CSU was difficult. I had absolutely no idea what to expect, as I was the first in my family to go off to school. It would have been nice to have known what was ahead for me.”

With the idea of being able to make a smoother transition for the outgoing seniors, Rocha was able to persuade past TJ grads and college admission officers to come speak to students and inform them of the many must-know essentials for the upcoming fall, as well as answer even the smallest questions graduating seniors may have.

As many students have not sorted out all of their money difficulties and needs for financial aid, there will be financial aid workers at the Resource Fair occurring before the main event, as well as many other foundations just waiting to answer questions about a broad array of topics, including the US Bank, Student Housing, Study Abroad programs, Academic Support, and  College Invest. A representative from the Hispanic and Black Student Union will also be present.

One of the more anticipated parts of the evening is the fact that 2007 and 2009 TJ graduates will be coming back and giving their words of advice, having experienced that transition first hand. Student speakers include Savanna Rooney, Joey Scarlett, Krystal Joy Kelley, Ryan Wyckoff, Mariah McCrea, and Nicholas Kaufhold, who is also now a college representative and Key Ambassador at CSU.

Throughout the night the hope is for students and parents to just get a better understanding of how the process of the next five months works, and how it is all going to pan out. Rocha hopes this event will make that murky, unknown span of the upcoming months have a little more light and understanding behind it.

On April 22, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. the meetings will all begin in the auditorium at TJ, and the Resource Fair will begin at 5:30 right in front of the auditorium.

photo by Heather Larson

At Thomas Jefferson High School, there is a program of willing students ready to learn, and a fantastic staff that craves the satisfaction of helping kids. They are people who go out of their way to make every one of their students happy. One of those people is Prabin Risal, a staffer who has been adding his needed assistance to the TJ Special Education program for the past ten years.

TJ’s special education program is one that many in the district look upon highly. Within the rooms of this dedicated department, Risal spends all of his time connecting with the children and doing everything he can to help them. “A normal day for me is just working with the students, helping them study, and creating a better class,” said Risal, who is a special education paraprofessional at TJ. “I  focus mostly on helping the kids with their resumes, helping them figure out how to get a job, and realizing what their career interests are and how to achieve those goals.”

Throughout Risal’s daily activities, he strongly believes that if peers and students have an attitude that is positive, eager, and willing to learn, he will go that extra mile to help them accomplish whatever they need and want. Risal said that he has helped many students, just because he knew they would appreciate it, and he wanted them to know that someone is always there who cares about them. “Think positive. What you put out you will get back, and I’m willing to help give that back,” said Risal.

Outside of the classroom, Risal is a man who is constantly surrounded by family and friends, loves to have fun, and truly enjoys traveling. “I hardly ever go a weekend without seeing my friends and my family. We are all really close.” Risal says that he absolutely loves to travel with his family, and those vacations are experiences he will never forget. “My two favorite vacation destinations are definitely San Diego, where I went for a family reunion, and The Philippines, where I visited with my brother for a week-long vacation, full of relaxation, a lot of food, and a big cliff house looking out over the beautiful ocean in SanDiego.” Although those are Risal’s favorite vacation settings, he has visited nearly all of the continents, including Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa, and of course North America.

Risal says he enjoys the little things in life. He says that some of his favorite things require very little thought or exertion, for he truly appreciates the calmness and relaxation of sleeping, eating, and golf. “When I am not here at TJ, I am doing one of those things, or being with family.” Risal also said that he enjoys seeing life as a man with little stress, which is one reason that he became a well-known helping hand within the TJ special education community.

Growing up, Risal did not have any aspiration of becoming a teacher or a paraprofessional. It was only when he lost a previous job that he was informed of a job here at TJ, assisting a group of students who needed some more teachers to successfully advance their learning. “A friend of mine told me that the school was looking for some extra assistance, so I decided ‘why not?’ However, after my first day being here, I vowed I would never come back because one of the students threw an ‘in-out’ folder at the actual teacher, and she ended up in the hospital getting ten stitches.” Risal said that he kept asking himself that afternoon what he had gotten himself into, but the next day he ended up coming back to the school, and for some reason, it stuck. Ten years later, and Risal is still giving his helping hand to the program. “I didn’t choose TJ, TJ chose me.”

artwork by Heather Larson

Thomas Jefferson High School Art Teacher Brook Stoyer has high hopes every year that a student of hers will be chosen to be one of the winning bookmark artists in a contest to create hand-designed bookmarks that encourages students to read.  This year, one of the winners just so happens to be Junior Tim Mahoney, who created his bookmark with the current theme “Making Waves,” very clearly represented. “I had hopes that Mahoney would win,” Stoyer said smiling.

For the past ten years, students of ages 8-18 within the Denver area have been encouraged to jump on the bandwagon to create these bookmarks. This contest is held annually by the Denver Public Library, and every year multiple winners are chosen. The winning bookmarks are then published and printed thousands of times in order to circulate them throughout Denver schools, and within the Denver Public Libraries.

This year marks the fifth consecutive year in which TJ students have been chosen as the winners, and Mahoney says he feels very honored to have been put onto this sort of pedestal. “I feel great that I won, and I am excited to see my bookmark show up within the Libraries I visit, and even within the school library.”

Although Mahoney’s bookmark creation won the contest, that is not the only thing that he draws. “My main inspiration and motivation when drawing is just knowing that my art can make the world a more beautiful place.” Mahoney is a dedicated artist who spends his eighth hour every day in Stoyer’s room drawing and letting his mind ponder the inspirations all around him, but he also spends time outside of class increasing his skill levels and becoming an even better artist by drawing and creating beautiful art. Mahoney admits that one of his goals in life is one that many don’t have the opportunity to achieve. “I would love to create one of the murals on the side of a building one day. It would be awesome.”

With the winner having been chosen, and Mahoney very excited about his accomplishment, everyone can now look forward to seeing not just his winning bookmark, but other students’ work, as well. Along with TJ, schools across the Denver area compete for these winning positions, and there are also many honorable mentions. “There are always so many winners, but all I wanted was for some of the students at TJ be recognized for their talents and abilities, and for them to get the recognition they deserve. This was a difficult year as well, because we were primarily competing against DSA,” Stoyer said.

Bookmarks were not the only category in the competition, as there was also for a contest for the best poster, which is also trying to promote teen reading using the same theme as the bookmark. The winner of the poster contest was also TJ Spartan, Aspen Anderson. Honorable mentions for the poster contest were: Cassie Cherry, Daniel Mardirosian, and April Regas. Honorable mentions for the bookmarks include: Aspen Anderson, Maggie Barbour, Brandi Buscemi, Nico Camacho-Logan, Cassie Cherry, Katie Dehmlow, Lyndsey Gogue, Victor Hernandez, and Patricia Mrotel. The published bookmarks and posters should be released to all Denver Public Libraries within the next three months, and will be on display here: http://teens.denverlibrary.org/involved/view_links.html

Photo by Heather Larson

As we have reached the heart of the 2009-2010 school year, many students are needing more help achieving the spectacular grades that their parents expect from them, and with that comes the need for more help tutoring those students. The Thomas Jefferson AVID program has not only recruited more student tutors, they have also hired three more professional tutors, who are working at TJ as full-time jobs, one of whom is twenty-three year old Jennifer Martinez.

Graduating from DU in December after transferring from UNC in Greeley Colorado, Martinez has her education degree in social studies for secondary learning, sixth through twelfth grade, and has high hopes to not only become an educator to the students, but a very fun teacher. She said she hopes the students can approach her easily to talk, get help, or anything else they may need. “If they come talk to me, I will answer pretty much anything. Also, I will be sure to help them with any assistance that they need.”

Growing up, Martinez was surrounded by the desire for education, as her mom was a Para-professional, and on a regular basis would let Jennifer and her sister accompany her to work on their days off. Because her mom always worked in Denver Public Schools, Martinez has been able to see the system evolve and change her entire life, and she said she hopes to make it even better as a teacher herself in the system.

Although Martinez loves this job as a tutor, she knows that it will give her a boost in her career as a teacher. “I absolutely love the ‘urban’ education that schools such as TJ offer, as I grew up in more of a rural area, very secluded from everything. Looking back, my siblings and I all wish that we had had more of the urban aspects of things. Tutoring here at Thomas Jefferson is not my ultimate goal, as I would love to be a teacher; but I knew Ms. Buffington and Ms. Vann from before, so they helped me get this job, and so far I love it.”

Along with assisting here at TJ in the AVID program, Martinez enjoys life outdoors, exploring, and living life to the fullest. “My personal motto is ‘Be safe, but experience as much as possible.’” Some of Martinez’s favorite things are being outside, running, hiking and biking (normally in Morrison Colorado near Red Rocks, and within Dear Creek Canyon).

Martinez is also a big fan of art, including painting, reading, movies, and music. “I pretty much love anything with a beat. I love jazz, rock, progressive rock, anything like that. My favorite though, I’d have to say, is Radio Head. I mean, how can you not love them?!” Martinez said laughing. “I also love Indie movies, such as Sin Nombre and Amelie. I’m also a sucker for Jersey Shore, I gotta’ admit. Watching the, ‘Fabio’, ‘Italian Stallions’ strut around, it’s hilarious. I tape it every week.”

In addition to being very in touch with nature, and loving art, Martinez is also very close to her family. “I have a very large family, and we all live within Denver, so we are all very close.” Martinez describes her parents as outgoing and truly role models, as they are still married in a society where marriage fails nearly half of the time, and ends in divorce. “Its nice to see true love does still exist.”

Martinez says she wants to travel the world, and truly experience all the different cultures. “I’ve never been out of the US; however, some of my favorite places within America are San Francisco and Seattle, because they are so full of diversity, culture, and are beautiful. I especially love that in San Francisco they have the trolleys, because then you don’t have to drive everywhere.”

Martinez says that, as a student, she would have absolutely loved to have someone like herself there to help her with whatever she needed, and that is one of the reasons that she was influenced to become a teacher. “I am the second oldest, and I played such a big part in my sisters’ lives, and I always wished I had someone like myself to help me along the way, and get me going in the right direction, and so that’s what I’m trying to accomplish within this crazy world of teaching.”