Serving Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and beyond
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 28, 2024
VOLUME 41 | ISSUE 17
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SPECIAL HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS EDITION New STEM lab at Wheat Ridge High School inspires Former VP Pence visits CCU students and expands career opportunities
as inaugural President’s Speaker Series lecturer
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
WESTMINSTER
For Wheat Ridge High School freshman Eleanor Smagala, choosing to attend her neighborhood school was about much more than proximity. It was a conscious decision driven by passion and potential. “I chose Wheat Ridge specifically for its STEM program,” she said as she worked on one of the many computers in the high school’s newly reimagined STEM lab. With dreams of pursuing a STEM-related career, Smagala exemplifies the kind of student this innovative space was de-
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signed to empower: curious, driven and ready to explore the frontiers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The new STEM lab, which officially opened after a ribboncutting ceremony this month, represents the culmination of years of a collaborative effort between Jeffco Public Schools, the Jeffco Schools Foundation and the Gill Foundation. Funded by a $350,000 grant from the Denver-based Gill Foundation, the lab is more than just a modern classroom. It is a state-of-the-art facility equipped with industry-standard tools and technology. Students here have access
to the largest 3D printer of its kind outside of an institutional setting in Colorado, a HoloLens 2 augmented reality headset, MetaQuest 3, and a range of robotics and electronics kits. They are also the first high school in the nation with the Apple Vision Pro, a headset that blends virtual and augmented reality. The investment allowed for the development of three career pathways at Wheat Ridge High School: Computer Systems and Security, Software Development, and Engineering and Manufacturing. According to Kat Yelenick, STEM coordinator for the district, each pathway prepares
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students for industry certifications and high-demand jobs. “The Gill Foundation has awarded the Jeffco Public Schools Foundation with multiple grants to build and sustain STEM labs and programs,” emphasizing “a comprehensive K-12 STEM experience that is vertically aligned across articulation areas,” Yelenick said. This comprehensive approach ensures that by the time students like Smagala reach high school, they are well-prepared to dive deep into complex topics and practical applications, she explained. SEE STEM LAB, P2
SEE PENSE, P4
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Wheat Ridge High School student Eleanor Smagala works on a modeling project in the updated STEM lab. BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Former Vice President Mike Pence paid a visit to Colorado Christian University for the institution’s inaugural President’s Speaker Series, where he participated in a luncheon, presented scholarships, gave a keynote lecture and fielded questions from CCU President Eric Hogue during a Q&A session. Pence’s visit on Nov. 15 saw the former vice president — along with Hogue and Centennial Institute (a conservative think tank operated out of CCU) Director Greg Schaller — discuss a number of issues, including the relationship between Christianity and conservativism, gay marriage, abortion and Pence’s political career. Serving as Vice President during Donald Trump’s first term, Pence notably played a central role in the Jan. 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack by refusing to acquiesce to demands that he reject Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential Election, all while rioters erected a gallows nearby and chanted to “Hang Mike Pence.” The former Governor of Indiana was not chosen as Trump’s running mate in this year’s election, where his place on the ballot was filled by Vice President-Elect J.D. Vance — a move largely speculated to be due to, in part, Pence’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021. “It’s worth the cost,” Pence said of his decision to certify the 2020 election results and the impact the events had on his political career. He added that he believes that “our calling” is “supporting, defending and upholding the constitution.” Nevertheless, Pence said he and his wife Karen “offered our most sincere congratulations to President Trump” after Trump’s victory in the 2024 Presidential Election. He then warned against populism
PHOTO BY SUZIE GLASSMAN
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