I was the new kid a lot growing up. Ft. Logan, Harder Rd., Sunset, Allen, Harrington, and Vivian—those were all the elementary schools I attended. Making friends and feeling like part of the school community? That was tough. Like most kids, I just wanted to belong, to be noticed.…
Traveling along I-70 through Denver is a bit of a sensory adventure. To the west, you’ve got the majesty of the Rockies; to the east, the sweeping openness of the Great Plains. The highway winds through a patchwork of neighborhoods—diverse, storied, and full of character, reflecting the deep history of the Denver metro area.…
Neighborhood used to mean something powerful in a lot of cultures. For a while in the late sixties, I lived near Harrington Elementary in Denver. There’s a new Harrington now, but back then it was this beautiful, three-story brick building at 38th and Steele Street.…
Last week was about lost youth but I think this week is the best description for students leaving us at the end of high school. It speaks about a loss of innocence and facing adulthood. Fore those of you who think it has drug references are wrong.…
I think we have a responsibility to give our students a sense of themselves and where they can go. High school is often the beginning for many students but it is their destination that is the most glorious. Theatre was a place for many students to find themselves.…
I am going to have to double up on some songs since I have so many. I have always loved folk music and so I have a couple that talks about the passing of time and youth. They are beautiful songs but mourn the loss of youth and I loved them when I was young but not I understand them.…
This is the second Billy Joel song. I heard him describe this song and he was adamant that it was not a political song but just a history of what has happened in his lifetime up until then. I also am amazed at the history I have witnessed and love to share it with my students.…
I want to take some time and do some stories from my years in theatre and performing arts. I mentioned very early in this blog that I got into the Theatre Department because the principal in my interview talked about the activities I did in high school.…
A sad look at nostalgia from Bruce Springsteen. I don’t visit Lakewood much but it has changed so much that I wouldn’t recognize it. It does remind me of something I said as we were planning the 30-year high school reunion.…