WEEK OF MAY 18, 2023
VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 13
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County changes fairgrounds policy after drag show backlash BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
supporting students after school in unified sports. Covak will continue her education at Colorado State University where she plans to pursue an undergraduate degree and a masters in occupational therapy. Mountain Vista school counselor Andy Labron became emotional while speaking on behalf of Kamila Skonieczny. Skonieczny was born to a Polish family in Highlands Ranch, however, when she was 6 years old, her family had to return to Poland. While in Poland, Skonieczny and her father became close as they found a shared love for karate. Unfortunately, Skonieczny lost her father unexpectedly in 2016. In 2022, as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion on Ukraine, Skonieczny and her family had to make a decision. “As tensions escalated,” said Labron. “Kamila certainly worked to convince her family to move back to America.”
It’s not every day that a Douglas County commissioners’ meeting includes a quote of Rihanna lyrics. Several area residents at the meeting expressed concern with last year’s drag show event at the county fairgrounds in Castle Rock, a topic that gave way to a broader discussion about a parent’s ability to choose what kinds of entertainment their kids can view. The meeting also heard accusations of indoctrination of children. Joy Overbeck, a Parker resident, referenced videos of performances she took issue with at the May 9 meeting. She referred to a performer “belting out” a song with the lyrics: “I may be bad, but I’m perfectly good at it. Sex is in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me.” Another performance, Overbeck claimed, involved young girls on stage performing in a drag dance contest, mimicking the dancers. “This can only be called recruitment — promoting sexualization and sexual confusion to children,” Overbeck told the county’s elected leaders. Douglas County PrideFest held its annual event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in August. During a drag show at the celebration, a performer’s breast plate and false nipple were temporarily exposed. Videos of the performance had circulated on social media, where some commenters expressed frustration with the exposure at an event not designated for adults only. Organizers had sent out an apology, saying it was not a planned part of the performance. But the backlash continues even months later, ahead of this year’s planned PrideFest event. “There are movies that have an
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Four of the five recipients of the 2023 Missy Martin Scholarship stand with Missy. From left: Kamila Skonieczny, Meghan Tesch, Missy Berg, Kendall Covak and Jacobi Keefe. Aloukika Patro is not pictured. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA
5 earn scholarships for overcoming adversity BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Five seniors from five Douglas County School District high schools were awarded a $2,000 Missy Martin Scholarship for a total of $10,000. Now going by the name Missy Berg, the former Castle View student has dedicated her time to give back to the same community that helped her through a tragic accident and to other students who have overcome challenges and have decided to continue their education. In 2002, Berg was a varsity cheerleader and peer mentor at Douglas County High School when she was hit by a train on the way to school. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for about five weeks. She went through nearly two years of hospitalization and extensive rehabilitation to learn how to function normally again. Berg decided she wanted to give back to other students, so with
the help of her father David, they created the nonprofit, Future Hope Foundation, to honor local youth who have worked to overcome adversity. “These people are amazing,” said Berg. “They just come and they have all these amazing stories and it is so good to help them go to college and to further their life.” Among the seniors to receive the scholarship this year was Kendall Covak from Chaparral. School counselor Holly Treiber had the opportunity to honor Covak and her accomplishments. Covak was diagnosed in eighth grade with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, otherwise known as POTS and has seen numerous specialists and tried multiple treatments. Despite her daily medical hardships, Covak has maintained a 3.8 GPA and has continued to give back to the Chaparral community. Not only did she compete in Chaparral volleyball for three years, Covak served as a peer mentor to others and was an integral part in
VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | SPORTS: 22
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