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.

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.”

Photo by Rebecca Holt

Senior Ben Makovsky is an AP scholar, Computer Magnet student, member of National Honor Society, an accomplished athlete, and has been named an Outstanding Senior in TJ’s Aristocrat Yearbook, so it is no surprise that he has been nominated for Student of the Week by TJ faculty.

Currently, Makovsky is working on an NHS project, wherein he visits with a senior citizen to help her out with tasks she has trouble with, and also to simply spend some time with her. At the end of this project he will write a biography on her and present it to her as a gift. “I’ve been in NHS since sophomore year. At first, I joined NHS because I wanted to be able to put it on a college application, but over the past couple years I discovered that I actually really liked to volunteer. And with this current project, I feel like I am making a real impact in this woman’s life,” said Makovsky.

Makovsky was also a participant in the school’s annual Mr. TJ competition and earned second runner up, so he is clearly well–liked throughout TJ. According to Ben, his athleticism from TJ sports throughout the year aided him in his talent performance at the show, which won the crowd over. “Flipping over five people is not something anyone can do, which is why, I think, I got as far as I did in Mr. TJ. I would say the fact that I am an athlete that practices jumping high and far all the time is what made me able to do my talent,” said Makovsky.

Makovsky runs cross-country and pole-vaults for the track team. “Even though I practice with the TJ track team, TJ doesn’t have pole vaulting equipment, so I have to go to Boulder to practice that. They have really good coaches up there that help push me really hard,” said Makovsky.

Ben’s teammate from the track team, Jared Lewis, said, “It has been an honor to have Ben as a teammate. He is a multifaceted athlete and has done great things for the team.”

Not only does Ben participate in sports here at TJ, but he has also has competed in various snowboarding competitions. He is a talented park rider and hopes to keep snowboarding as a hobby long in the future.

Ben has an older brother, Sam who goes to college at CU Boulder. “We get along really well; he challenges me a lot with athletics because we’re just really competitive like that,” said Makovsky.

Although Makovsky has a passion for his sports, his true interest that he wants to carry with him in the future are the skills he has learned from being in the Computer Magnet program. He plans to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins next year and wants to go into either video production or TV broadcasting. Ben feels that his training from his Radio and TV Broadcasting and Video Intern classes really boosted his confidence for when he goes on to college. He stated,  “Spamp [Teacher, Matt Spampinato] has really taught me a lot about video production and I feel like because of everything I have learned, I will be ahead of the game at CSU. Being in Computer Magnet is a really good way to learn computer skills when it comes to any kind of media.”

“Ben is one of those rare talents. He sits down in front of the computer and can instantly make magic happen. He understands the way video works: he is ready to take it to the next level,” said Video Intern Teacher, Matt Spampinato. Clearly Ben has an enormous amount of support from his peers, teachers, and families to do great things with his life.

Photo by Mia Nogueira

Ajani Brown, a sophomore at TJ who is a part of the Multi-Intensive Special Education Program, is well known for his compassion and kindness to others through the volunteer work he does outside of school, as well as for being on honor roll every semester.

“Being a part of the Multi-Intensive Special Education Program is great and very helpful to me.  My teachers, Kerry Black and Michelle Lockhart, help me pass my classes and complete my school work,” said Brown.

“Ajani is a great student who is friendly, outgoing, polite, and easy to get along with.  He is very helpful in the classroom and he always completes his work with a hundred percent effort.  Ajani is the type of student who is always wiling to learn, is open, and is cooperative with everything in class,” said Black.  “I am most proud of Ajani’s dedication to his school work.  He is currently taking a Spanish class, and I know it is a rigorous course, but he is sticking through it.  Every Wednesday during Excel time he is always getting the extra help so that he can complete his assignments.  I am proud of Ajani for his hard work and dedication to what he does.”

Brown has been on the honor roll every semester since elementary school.  “It’s a great feeling to me because it makes me feel like I am achieving something important.  I am thankful for my teachers, because without their support I don’t think I would be as successful as I am,” said Brown.

Brown says his favorite activities to do at TJ are recycling through the Multi-Intensive Special Education Program during first period, and attending his vocation class.   “I like to recycle because I like to stay organized and put things in the right places.  Doing this also teaches me what things I can and cannot recycle.  With vocations, I like that because it teaches me how to get a job, along with living on my own, writing checks, and many other important life activities as well,” said Brown.

Volunteering has been an important part of Brown’s life as he has volunteered at homeless shelters and other places, one of which includes Elderly at Rainbow Bridge (which is for people with terminal diseases), Habitat of Humanity, a homeless shelter, and the Women’s Bean Project, which is a place for women with cancer.  “I volunteer at these places because I love to help people, and I want to make sure that people are okay and satisfied.  While volunteering, I do a variety of things from serving food to cooking spaghetti, selling beans to raise money for a cure, or making art with sick people,” said Brown, who gets involved with the help from his mother, who makes a living by taking care of patients with disabilities.  Brown has been inspired with helping those in need.  “These have been great experiences for me, and it has made me decide that I want to help people for a living,” stated Brown.

When Brown is finished with high school, he wants to become a victim’s advocate.  “I really enjoy helping people and I want to ensure the safety of others.  I want to be a friend to everybody and let him or her know that I will be a true friend in his or her life.  I want to see people happy and enjoying their lives,” said Brown, who demonstrated his determination of helping people when he went over to a classmate’s house who was struggling with making friends.  Brown accompanied the student and let him know that he does have a friend at TJ, and that he is welcomed.  “I wanted him to know that I care about him and that people are here for him,” said Brown.

For the upcoming summer, Brown will be working his first job at the South Flower Market, where his duties will consist of bagging groceries, and returning carts to the store.  “I am very excited for this because I will have the opportunity to earn money and this will be a new experience for me.  I know that this experience is going to make my summer full of great memories that I will never forget,” said Brown.

The person who inspires Brown the most in his life is his mother.  “My mother is an organized person that does a great job at anything she does.  She works hard at everything, and has taught me almost everything that I know.  We have a very close mother-son relationship and she is my best friend.  I can tell her anything and she gives me great advice when I need it.  My mom has helped make me the person that I am today, and for that I am grateful,” stated Brown.

Spartan Jordan Hall poses with Denver Bronco André Davis for a billboard promo. Photo courtesy of Special Olympics.

The ball was served, and the return was an ace. Not even a national tennis competition was a too big of a match for TJ Junior, Jordan Hall, who traveled to Hilton Head, South Carolina for the Special Olympic Games this year.

“I’ve been playing sports with Special Olympics since I was eight years old. Basketball was the first sport I played and my favorite sport. It keeps me energized, and I like the adrenaline,” said Hall. “I play four sports a year with Special Olympics and Denver Parks and Recreation: Basketball, Tennis, Track and Bowling,” he said.

Jordan suffers from PDD NOS, a disorder that qualifies him to be a Special Olympic Athlete. PDD NOS, also know as an atypical autism, conflicts with Jordan’s ability to comprehend and respond to others’ emotions. “Jordan’s a true inspiration to us all. He never lets anyone get to him, and only does what makes him happy,” said proud mom, Charlotte Hall. “He’s a great young man; he’s motivated, and he never gives us any problems,” she said.

Living with PDD OS doesn’t discourage Jordan from taking part in different activities.  Along with participating in Special Olympic sports, Jordan also devotes personal time to his community. “Jordan volunteers with the Youth Fellowship at his church. He also volunteers with Denver Parks and Recreation, and once a month he cleans an elderly person’s yard,” said Charlotte. Jordan even enjoys picking up litter at parks, such as plastics and papers that are thrown on the ground. On top of all the volunteering, Jordan also helps pack boxes, which include personal needs like food and water, to be sent to Haiti. “I think we all need to help the people of Haiti who were affected by the earthquake,” said Jordan.

Jordan’s hard work with the community and his devotion to Special Olympics earned him a spot on the Special Olympics Billboards posted across Denver (pictured above), which featured local Special Olympic athletes posing with several Broncos players. “We were looking for local athletes that played different sports with the Special Olympic program. Jordan and his brother, Julian Hall’s, names were the first to be brought up. Jordan and Julian are well thought of in the organization and it was a unanimous decision by our staff,” said Kathy Muffenbier, Director of Marketing and Communications of Special Olympics Denver. “It was a huge honor for them. There are about 10,000 athletes with Special Olympics in Colorado, and for them to represent the program was very special,” she said.

Special it was, since Jordan was thrilled to be a part of the campaign. “It was really fun. I liked seeing the billboards all over the city, and I liked that the billboards had different ethnicites,” said Jordan. “I also really enjoyed meeting the Broncos players; they were really nice to all of the athletes.”

Aside from athletics, Jordan enjoys coming to class at TJ. “My favorite teachers are Ms. Loretta Gonzalez and Mrs. Kimberly Holtman. They are always very nice to me,” said Jordan.

“Jordan is a very friendly student. He works hard and he loves to socialize with his friends,” said Gonzalez, Special Education teacher.

“Jordan is a sweetheart, he’s very kind-hearted, and he always stays positive. It was a pleasure having him as a student,” said teacher Kim Holtman.

Friendships are one of Jordan’s favorite aspects about going to school at TJ. “My closest friends would have to be my cousins,” said Jordan. “They are family so they are nice to me all the time,” he said. Jordan is also fond of surfing the web during his free time. “I watch TV and get on the computer on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It’s fun! I like Facebook, because I can talk to my friends on the chat,” said Jordan.

In the future, Jordan aspires to become a ghost tourist guide, like the ones seen in the Travel Channel show, Ghost Adventures. “If I could say something to everyone I would say, ‘Hi I’m Jordan Hall. I’m a two-time bronze medalist in South Carolina Special Olympic Competition, and I just want to get to know you better,’” said Jordan.

Photo by Rebecca Holt

Born in Torrance, California, Jordan Shelton will soon be returning to his home state, this time to attend Stanford University, one of the most prestigious higher education institutes in the nation.

Shelton found himself at Thomas Jefferson because of the Computer Magnet Program. ”I thought the program had a good academic structure as opposed to the IB program and all their homework at schools like George Washington,” said Shelton. By coming to TJ, Shelton found himself in many of the 3-D design classes and enjoys working on many of the projects as a hobby.

A busy student, Shelton is involved with a multitude activities. He runs track and cross-country during the school year and spends many of his summers tutoring elementary and middle school children from the Denver-Metro area. “I began to do this through CABPES, the Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists. It is basically a summer program that students sign up for and receive help with math,” said Shelton. CABPES concentrates on helping students who want to pursue careers in engineering and science by helping represent minority students in these fields of work, something Shelton might see himself doing in the future. “Jordan is an incredibly bright guy. I’m sure the work he will do will change the world someday,” said Nelson Vore, Shelton’s physics teacher for the past two years.

When it came time to apply for college, Jordan knew exactly were he wanted to go. “I’ve wanted to go to Stanford since I was ten. It’s just a great school and I love California as well,” said Shelton. Glad to finally be done with high school, Jordan is looking forward to the freedoms of a college student. “Sleeping in, the great campus, the open space and location of the school are all things I am excited about,” he said. Being only forty-five minutes from San Francisco, the upcoming years look to be some of the most exciting for Jordan.

Shelton is in no hurry to decide what he wants to study. “I am thinking of either engineering or physics, but I don’t have to decide until the end of my sophomore year,” he said. Challenging himself in math and science during the past three years, Shelton now feels ready to move on to more challenging classes. For this school year two of his favorite and most challenging classes are AP calculus and AP physics. “The best thing I will remember Jordan for was his awesome scrambler in honors physics,” said Vore. The scrambler project consisted of getting a cart and an egg to move more than ten meters and reach a certain marked spot using only momentum and energy created by the vehicle.

“One of my favorite memories here is the cardboard boat races in AP physics. We got to work on something out of the ordinary and play in the pool until all the cardboard boats had sunk,” said Jordan. On top of enjoying being in his physics and calculus classes, Shelton mostly enjoys spending time with his friends and listening to music. “I listen to everything, but mostly R&B and hip hop,” said Shelton.

With a cumulative GPA of 4.3 and recognition in both Track and Cross Country, Shelton has been able to accomplish his dream of going to Stanford for the 2010-2011 school year.

Photo by Rebecca Holt

Sarahi Flores is a freshman at TJ who achieves good grades, remains in good standing with her teachers, is president of her youth group, and still manages to get her homework done.  This Spartan always strives to do her best, and is proud of who she is and what she does.

As a freshman, Flores had to deal the transition from middle school to high school.  “High school is different from middle school.  The work is harder and there’s more homework.  But what I do like is the freedom and how there’s less restrictions as to what students can and cannot do,” said Flores, who recalled her first day of high school.  “I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know what to expect as a freshman in a new environment.  What got me through that day was seeing my friends at the same school as me.  I didn’t expect to see any of them at TJ, and it was a little shocking to me,” said Flores.

Like many freshmen, Flores isn’t sure of what college she wants to go to, but she is certain that she wants to major in either cosmetology or psychiatry.  “I want to major in cosmetology because I am good with hair and make up, and it’s something that I love.  I would like to do psychiatry because I like to help the needy.  Whenever I help somebody who is in need, to see that person happy just brings a joy to my heart,” said Flores.

At TJ, Flores’ favorite class is Geography with Jon Poole.  “I like the class because Mr. Poole makes it fun and easy.  He is very knowledgeable with the subject, so he knows how to explain things well to us.  He is funny and nice by letting us work together with friends, which makes the class easy,” said Flores, who also said that Poole is her favorite teacher at TJ.

Coming from Poole, Flores is a good student with a lot of potential.  “She is a bright girl.  She is funny and mostly quiet, but is still sociable. When she puts her mind to it, she can do anything she wants to.  What makes her a good student is her patience, independence, and her ability to pick up on things quicker than most students.  I believe that she will be successful at whatever she decides to do with her life, but it’s all up to her,” said Poole.

Flores has never participated in any sport, but plans to play on the girls’ soccer team next year.  “I’m going to play soccer next year, and I’m nervous because it’s my first time and I don’t know what to expect,” said Flores, who said she was inspired to play soccer by watching the World Cup.

Outside of school, Flores is the president of her youth group at her church, Seventh Day Adventist of Aurora.  She was elected president because she’s reliable, hard working, and is committed to what she does.  As president, Flores’ job is to lead the group every Saturday morning, keep the group members on track by helping coordinate and plan activities, such as bible readings, singing in the church choir, fundraising, and camping trips.  “I am proud of myself for being the president because it shows that people trust me, and that they are willing to rely on me for important tasks,” said Flores, who also helps out at home by baby sitting her younger siblings, and helping to keep her house clean by vacuuming, washing dishes, and dusting.

Flores says her biggest inspirations in her life are her parents.  “My parents are always telling me to do my best, and I live by that and it has been great for me.  I’m doing well in school and staying out of trouble through that saying.  My parents are always supporting me whether it’s my homework or a personal issue that I’m dealing with.  My parents aren’t  people who are rich, but they keep our family together, and I respect them for that,” said Flores.

With Flores being a freshman, there are a lot of different things she’ll be looking forward to as she continues her high school career.  But the thing Flores is looking forward to the most is graduation.  “I just can’t wait to get out of high school and start my life.  Academics and finishing school is what my parents have instilled into my head, so it is very important to me that I do,” said Flores.

Photo by Rebecca Holt

Senior Stephanie Warren is getting ready to receive her diploma this spring – an achievement many treasure – but graduating will be just one of the many things she has accomplished so far in her life. Stephanie has lived in exotic places, participated in sports, mastered musical instruments, and she performs community service and still manages to excel in school.

Living in another country is an aspiration many Americans have, but one that few fulfill in their lifetime. Stephanie has been lucky enough to live in another country and become fluent in that language. Her mother is from Spain and her parents decided to move from Westminster, Colorado to Spain in order for Staphanie and her twin brother, Keith Warren, to meet their mother’s family and experience life in Spain. The Warren’s lived in Alcala De Henares, Spain from 2000 to 2003.

“Going to school in Spain was a lot different than in the United States,” said Stephanie. “Elementary school was six grades instead of five like it is here, but in Spain kindergarten is counted as first grade.” Stephanie went to school at Aripreste De Hita for fourth grade and Francisco De Quevedo for fifth and sixth grade. “In Spain, we had a small lunch at noon and had a bigger lunch that was mandatory after school. We were served out of silver trays and ate things like delicious soup everyday, not like our school lunches here,” said Stephanie.

Not only were there differences in schooling, but Stephanie says there was a different kind of lifestyle in Spain. “In Spain, kids were allowed to stay out as late as they wanted in the summer, and we were more active after school, more social. Everyone, kids and parents and grandparents alike, would meet in the Plaza de Barro, playing soccer, eating or just talking. Everything was so close together; you didn’t need a car. Here in America, we are more work-oriented. I guess Spain was the best place to spend my childhood,” Stephanie reflected.

While living in Spain, Stephanie’s Spanish became second nature; she says she spoke Spanish, thought in Spanish, and even began to dream in Spanish. “Since I spoke Spanish fluently for a few years, my dreams gradually changed from English to Spanish, naturally,” recalls Stephanie

When the Warren family moved back to the United States, Stephanie said it was hard for her to adjust to the American lifestyle again. “I already knew English, since I was born in Denver, but after hearing nothing but Castilian for three years, English sounded strange and a little dorky to me,” said Stephanie, who had to adjust to going to a new school and meeting new people, but she said she overcame her shyness and made many new friends. “Coming to Hamilton was tough the first weeks because I had no one but Keith, and everyone else seemed to be best friends from elementary school; but by the end of middle school I had a great group or friends that I still have today,” said Stephanie.

In her spare time, Stephanie volunteers to bring together her community, which is something she learned from the tight knit society in Spain. She attends church every other Sunday at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church and participates in its youth group program occasionally. She is also a member of TJ’s National Honor Society (NHS) and is required to do 34 hours of service every year. This year NHS is doing a Senior Connections Project in which members meet senior citizens, get to know them, and write a small biography about their lives. Stephanie is participating in this project with her partner Freddi Gidan and enjoys learning about her senior citizen, Phen, by visiting him at his retirement home or going out to lunch with him.

“Phen is just about the greatest old guy I know. The more he spoke, the more I realized how much they experience in a single lifetime, and how he wouldn’t change his life for the world,” said Stephanie.

“After a couple of visits, Freddi and I are going to write a little scrap book about his life and present it to him at a potluck dinner. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see someone took the time to commemorate his life like that,” said Stephanie. The Senior Connections program allows Stephanie to connect with her community and do something special for a person who will appreciate it.

Warren and Gidan meet with their senior citizen once every two weeks. They have been doing it since the beginning of February and hope to write a biography on Phen soon.

When Stephanie is not doing community service or schoolwork, she is playing the violin, a hobby she has enjoyed since seventh grade. She first played under the direction of Glenn Nitta in the Hamilton Middle School Orchestra and has loved it ever since.  She has been a part of the Citywide Orchestra since seventh grade and has performed for the audiences at the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education. She enjoys playing the violin for the TJ Orchestra, which is directed by Robin Johnson. “It’s fun to play for crowds, whatever size, and the kids in the class are fun to be with everyday. Plus, Mrs. Johnson really cares for us and wants us to succeed,” said Stephanie, who hopes to continue her playing in the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Orchestra.

Stephanie is a very active person and keeps herself busy by playing soccer and softball at TJ. She has played soccer since the first grade and has been on the varsity soccer team at TJ for three years. “Soccer is the thing I most look forward to all year long. Not only is my team fun and talented, but I, myself, love the feeling of running outside in spring, and pushing the other teams around a bit,” said Stephanie.

Although soccer is her favorite sport at TJ, Stephanie has also played as an outfielder for the softball team since her sophomore year and has great memories from her experiences with it. “My most memorable moment for sports is going to Florida for softball spring break last year. It was great because no other coach besides Coach Jackson would take the time and money to fly us all out to Disney World and be willing to spend a week with us. It was fun because not only did we go to every theme park, but it was cool seeing all the teams from the different states and playing in the tournament,” reflects Stephanie.

Kyler Jackson, the softball coach at TJ comments on Warren’s funny personality that he has learned to love: “Stephanie is the one person I can say that has made me laugh more than anyone else on the team. She’s a character,” he said.

Not many students can juggle schoolwork, sports, community service, and a busy life, but Warren has managed to do it all. She has a GPA of 4.2 and takes AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP U.S. History, and AP Literature. Out of them all Stephanie says her favorite class is AP Physics taught by Nelson Vore. “Everyday in class is like a new discovery. The class is small and Mr. Vore really knows his stuff and we all like to make funny physics puns,” laughs Stephanie.  AP Physics has sparked Stephanie’s interest in majoring in environmental engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder next year. “Mr. Vore is the one that made me want to go into engineering,” said Stephanie.

“I’ve had Stephanie for two years in my class and she’s just fun; she makes people laugh a lot. I am confident she will make a wonderful environmental engineer one day,” commented Vore.

With her positive attitude and funny personality, Stephanie feels privileged to be chosen by Principal Sandra Just to present a speech at this year’s graduation. She is delivering her speech with her close friend Lauren Kelsch, who said, “It was a pain to write the speech, but we hope it will end our high school career with a bang.”

“We’re not trying to make it corny; were trying to stay away from that because corny makes people sad, and graduation is supposed to be a happy time,” said Stephanie, who is known for her humor. She was voted class clown by her peers and she hopes her humor will be shown in her speech.

Graduating from high school will be a highlight in Stephanie’s life, but she says she will move on to bigger and better things because she has learned to juggle her responsibilities with skill, and has achieved so much already. “I…uhh… don’t know what to say about high school ending, but hopefully college will be just as fun,” said Stephanie.

Photo by Rebecca Holt

Lispin Kuruvilla is one of Thomas Jefferson’s top shelf math teachers. She has a lot of enthusiasm for teaching, and grew up in a unique culture that places a high value on education.

Kuruvilla was born in India and came to Denver when she was three years old. Living in India is still a clear memory for her, where she says she played outside a lot and loved spending time with her family. “I climbed a lot of trees, and fell out of a lot of trees. My aunt always tells me that she had to rescue me from more trees that she could count when I was a kid.” Her father was a teacher, and the family lived close to the school. When her family left India, they lived in Chicago for a while with her father’s family. However, he had difficulty finding work, so they went to Denver, where her aunt lived. For a while, there wasn’t much of her family in Denver. They were nearly the first ones, and over time more relatives have come here. “Whenever we go back [to India], he always has students that come back and visit him, which I think is so amazing. So many years later that they still remember him, they still come back and want to see him. I remember when I was a younger kid I went back with him, and there was this one kid who came back to visit him; he was all grown up, you know? He was married, he had kids. I remember my dad looking at him and was so excited to see this young man all grown up. I remember thinking I wanted that. I wanted to see my students grow up, I wanted to see my students become great things. That kind of inspired me to become a teacher, seeing my father and his passion for it and his passion for his kids.”

Kuruvilla says that family is a big part of  life. “Indians very much have taken on the philosophy, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ My aunts and uncles are always a big part of my life, and even my cousins. I grew up with them and learned a lot watching them and seeing how they went through school and life, and I learned about being respectful and being hardworking and all the traits that I value.  I learned by watching them, so I think who I am is in a large part due to them.”

In high school, Kuruvilla was active in an Indian association. She learned dances, taught younger kids how to dance, and performed. The association gets together a couple times each year to celebrate holidays. Most of her weekends were spent practicing dances or teaching them. Indian dances have a lot of brightly colored fabrics, and are done on special occasions like holidays and weddings. The first dance she performed was at TJ’s auditorium. She also took a lot of AP classes, and like many TJ Spartans know, they keep students busy. Kuruvilla also worked as a classroom aide in an elementary school while in high school, and tutored other high school students.

Kuruvilla attended college at the University of Northern Colorado. “It was fun. There was a lot more freedom. Having more responsibilities to deal with was something I liked,” said Kuruvilla who graduated from UNC with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Secondary Education. “I really love learning and education. To me it was always important to get a Master’s Degree. It was just something I had to do, something I really wanted to do.”

This is Kuruvilla’s second year teaching at Thomas Jefferson. During advisement and lunch hours, there are always students in her room getting help with Math. “My favorite thing is watching a student who’s been having difficulties solving a problem, finally get it. Just that moment of discovery they have.” Kuruvilla teaches several levels of Algebra to TJ students, and it’s clear that she has a real passion for teaching.

Photo by Mia Nogueira

It’s Brigade inspection day for all JROTC Cadets and there is a nervous buzz that fills the armory. Andrew Scherer, a senior at TJ and Cadet Captain, enters the room with a griddle, butter, eggs, and pancake batter. “I wanted to do something nice for everyone and try to calm all the nerves and make them as sharp as they could be before the inspections began,” said Scherer, who is also a Company Commander (a leader of the company who educates it about ranks, uniforms, and other required knowledge).

Scherer says that JROTC has molded him into a better person and has taught him to challenge himself to the fullest extent. “JROTC gave me the self motivation and self discipline I needed,” said Scherer, who will be joining the U.S. Army Reserve June of 2010, and will be enrolled in the basic and advanced training for the Reserve, spending eight months there. “After the Army Reserve I will be attending CSU in Fort Collins and will major in Mechanical Engineering,” said Scherer, who says he is captivated by how things operate and enjoys taking things apart and rebuilding them.

“I am sad to be leaving TJ, but I know I am leaving prepared with the knowledge I need to be all I can be,” said Scherer, who says one of his biggest motivators at TJ is head football coach and math teacher, Tim Owens. “Coach showed me that there is a bad side and a good side to everyone, and that once you saw the good side, the bad side didn’t seem too bad,” said Scherer, who has lettered in football all four years at TJ.

“My dad has always been a role model in my life. He taught me to always push to go the extra mile; he taught me everything I know,” said Scherer, who acquired his passion for engineering while putting together electronic kits with his dad as a child. “I want to create newer and better things for people to use, like classrooms and buildings,” said Scherer.

Scherer says that his favorite part of JROTC is drill team. “Drill builds a sense of teamwork and doing things orderly and properly,” said Scherer. He says he also enjoys seeing the cadets’ progression over time, and interacting with each other.

Brian Wyatt is the Master Sergeant for JROTC and has been able to witness Scherer’s leadership grow stronger throughout the year. “Andrew is someone who cares about his classmates. He takes the time to really explain things to them. He is very motivating and expects each cadet to be better than he is at a given task,” said Wyatt. One way Scherer motivates his peers is by competing against them in drills. “Andrew is a born leader who has many promising attributes. He is a friendly, responsible, and a tough guy,” said Wyatt.