Serving Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and beyond
WEEK OF APRIL 24, 2025
VOLUME 41 | ISSUE 38
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Watch out for explosives (and rattlesnakes) on Green Mountain in Lakewood Steer clear of pipes and other possible relics of the area’s military history BY KYLE HARRIS DENVERITE
Arvada West pharmacy technician students and their instructors gather for a group photo following a pharmacy education session led by CU graduate students. COURTESY OF LYNETTE JOHNSON
CU Pharmacy gives Arvada West students WESTMINSTER hands-on access to healthcare careers A new prescription for career exploration in the high school classroom
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
At 8:15 a.m. on a recent Friday, while most high school students were easing into their day, a group of Arvada West juniors and seniors rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on lesson in how medications dissolve inside the human body. The experiment took place inside Arvada West’s pharmacy technician class, where students learn real-world healthcare skills alongside University of Colorado mentors. It’s part of a new pilot partnership between Arvada West High School and the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, designed to introduce high school students to the field of pharmacy and inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals. The program, now in its second year, combines technical training, mentorship from
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graduate students and career exploration. “I didn’t even know about this path when I was in high school,” said Lynette Johnston, who created the program at Arvada West in 2023 and remains the only instructor in Jeffco Public Schools currently teaching it. “Pharmacy is often overlooked, but there’s a massive need for pharmacy technicians right now. This class helps fill that gap, and for some students, it opens a door they didn’t even know was there.” From tech to teacher
Johnston, a former pharmacy technician herself, left the profession to become a science teacher. But while completing her student teaching, she encountered a fellow educator who had previously taught a pharmacy technician class, and the idea clicked. Armed with industry experience and a desire to
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | CALENDAR: 13 | SPORTS: 14
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give back to the community, Johnston set out to create a program that blended Career and Technical Education standards with real-world relevance. “I realized this was a way to bring both of my passions together,” Johnston said. “Pharmacy technician is one of Colorado’s top 10 in-demand jobs, according to the state. So it made perfect sense to offer something that gave students a head start.” Johnston said her students learn more than just the basics of drug names and dosage forms. The curriculum includes topics such as sterile compounding, glucometer testing, the proper use of EpiPens and Narcan, and even soft skills like customer communication in a retail pharmacy setting. Johnston frequently supplements instruction with hands-on activities, some-
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As hiking season ramps up, the city of Lakewood is warning residents to steer clear of potential artillery shells in William F. Hayden Park on Green Mountain, which looms just west of Denver and its suburbs. The popular outdoor spot was once the site of the Camp George West Artillery Range, where pre-World War II military training rained artillery shells. The training took part on the north and east side of the park. “While no new munitions have been discovered recently, it’s important to stay alert,” the city recently cautioned on social media. If you stay on the trails, as rules require, you’ll probably be fine. But step off for a pee could be riskier.
times mixing body butter or practicing with chopsticks to simulate fine motor skills, other times using syringes to simulate sterile technique. “There’s something about getting their hands dirty that lights them up,” she said. “They walk away from those days feeling proud — like, ‘Look what I just did.’”
Partnership born from a networking moment
The collaboration with CU’s School of Pharmacy began somewhat by chance. At an annual gathering of students interested in health science careers, Johnston met CU pharmacy professor Dr. Kimberly Chandler, who was supervising graduate students providing skills demonstrations. That meeting led to follow-up conversations and, eventually, the idea for a formal classroom partnership. SEE CAREERS, P31
Authorities are looking for a fix
The state’s health department has been working with the National Guard to clean up the park. Historic Camp George West was used as an Army training ground between 1903 and 1939. The Hayden family leased the land to the military for training in small arms and artillery. Soldiers in training would shoot 75 mm shrapnel shells and high explosive projectiles at the mountain. It’s not clear exactly where the guns were fired from. City employees and members of the public have discovered leftover munitions in recent decades. Back in 2010, a resident found a 75 mm projectile on the park’s north side, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. In the years since the National Guard conducted a cleanup and found five more shells. Even after the cleanup, a city worker found another shell off trail. The Army’s cleanup has begun.
The Army National Guard agreed to SEE EXPLOSIVES, P9
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