Patriot Post Spring 2024

Posted May 30, 2024

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From the Desk of Dr. Davis

Dear Patriot Family –

As we see the 2023-2024 school year draw to a close, it’s remarkable to reflect on our students’ achievements. Our Class of 2024 seniors are setting off on absolutely amazing adventures, be it college, apprenticeships, military service, or entering the workforce. We are confident they are well-equipped for all that the future holds, and we take immense pride in our Class of 2024 Patriots!

Each conclusion of a school year also prompts us to look forward. In August, we will be welcoming our Class of 2028 Patriots. We eagerly anticipate watching them tap into the wealth of opportunities our school offers, from academics and athletics to arts, extracurricular activities, and more.

Please join me in celebrating the Class of 2024, and extending a warm welcome to our newest Patriots soon!

In Partnership,

Dackri Davis, Ph.D.
Principal | George Washington High School

IB Learner Profile Trait: Principled

With each issue of the Patriot Post, we highlight an attribute from the International Baccalaureate (IB) Learner Profile. The Learner Profile describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. Each characteristic implies a commitment to help all members of the GWHS community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them.

To be principled, we act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Spring Sports Overview

Join us in celebrating the exceptional accomplishments of our student-athletes, which reflect the dedication, talent and growth within our school’s diverse athletic programs:

Unified Soccer
Our Unified Soccer Team achieved a remarkable victory, placing first at the Special Olympics Unified Sports tournament.

Girl’s Tennis
The Girl’s Tennis team had an exceptional season, reaching the quarterfinals of the state tournament and finishing in the top eight statewide! Highlights include:

Three singles players placed third at state.
All top three singles players (one, two and three) qualified for state, went undefeated in the regular season and were regional champions.
Four doubles placed third at regionals.
The team enjoyed its highest finish since 1980.
Girl’s tennis were 2024 DPS League Champions!

Girl’s Golf
The Girl’s Golf team experienced significant growth and numerous firsts for many competitors. The JV team performed admirably, setting a strong foundation for future success. Several players received All-League nominations.

Boy’s Swim and Dive
Our Boy’s Swim and Dive team had an impressive season with eight athletes qualifying for the state championships. Notable achievements include:

400 Free Relay: Twelfth place (Ben Walczak, Alek Walczak, Keegan Merson and Edgardo Garcia-Escobar).
200 Medley Relay: Seventeenth place (Luke Fountain, Jacob Reimer, Edgardo Garcia-Escobar and Ben Walczak).
Individual performances: Luke Fountain (twentieth in 500 Free), Keegan Merson (nineteenth in 200 IM & 500 Free), Ben Walczak (sixteenth in 200 Free, thirteenth in 500 Free), Edgardo Garcia-Escobar (sixth in 200 IM, seventh in 100 Breaststroke).
Divers: Mac (twentieth overall), Ben Parsons (twenty-fifth overall).

Girl’s Soccer
The Girl’s Soccer team had a strong season with an overall record of 8-4, and a 5-3 league record. Standout players included:

First Team All-City: Brooke Hunter, MaiLei Garcia.
Second Team All-City: Lucy Olsen, Olivia Gillard.
Honorable Mention All-City: Mackenzie Ehlert, Olivia Chomiak, Sally Blas Carmona.

Boy’s Volleyball
In its second year as a sanctioned sport, the Boy’s Volleyball team achieved an overall record of 6-17. Notable players receiving All-League nominations included:

Second Team All-League: Travis Nguyen.
Honorable Mention: Abdullah Hamid, Phillip Abad, Jhoan Salas-Tapia.

Track and Field
The Track and Field team excelled in various events, with notable performances including:

Madisyn Honeycutt: Second in 100m dash, fourth in 200m dash at the 2024 State Championships.
Luke Nortman: Second in 3200m.
800 Sprint Medley: Fifth place (NyKira Barnett, Sophia Singh, Kaleah Wallace, Olivia Gillard).
100m: Second place (Madisyn Honeycutt), eighth place (Quiyara Williams).
4×200 relay: Seventh place (Quiyara Williams, Myles Shaw, Kaleah Wallace, Jordan LaGasse).
4×100 relay: Third place (Quiyara Williams, Jada McConnell, Myles Shaw, Madisyn Honeycutt).
Boy’s 200m: Fifth place (Kingston Findlater).
Girl’s 800m: Eighth place (Tessa Olsen).

Baseball
The Boy’s Baseball team concluded their season with an 11-11 overall record and a 6-6 league record. Key players receiving All-League nominations included:

First Team: Luke Wiederholt (#23 P/1B).
Second Team: Tony Tantillo (#18 C/P/OF).
Honorable Mentions: Ty Cler (#17 INF/OF), Garrett Walden (#27 OF), Henry Kuntner (#34 C/INF).

Congratulations to all our athletes and teams for their hard work and outstanding achievements this season! To our GWHS community, thank you for being tireless supporters of our student-athletes. Our fans cheering on our competitors, both on and off the field, are what make Patriot Pride so infectious!

Remember to follow us on Instagram (@gwhsdenver) or X (Twitter) (@gwhs_denver) for more athletic and academic content!

Class of 2024 Highlights

The Class of 2024 has worked diligently and passionately over the past four years to earn over $17.6 million in scholarship dollars, not including any need-based financial aid. This year’s graduating Patriots have been admitted to over 230 colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. In spite of the significant delays and errors with the new FAFSA that was rolled out in January, the DSF Future Center has successfully supported over 170 of our students and families to submit a financial aid application, one of the highest rates of completion across DPS. We are extremely proud of the college-going identity that our teachers, staff, administration, and students work hard to foster within our community and for the first time ever, we recognized our over 120 first-generation college students at the Class of 2024 Graduation Ceremony with a yellow honor cord.

Our 2024 graduates will be pursuing certificates and degrees in nearly every discipline imaginable at numerous in-state institutions (including Metropolitan State University of Denver, the University of Colorado system, the Colorado State University system, Regis University, Community College of Denver, Community College of Aurora, Pickens Technical College, Emily Griffith Technical College, Colorado College, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Western Colorado University, and the University of Denver), as well as at out-of-state schools (including University of California Berkeley [3], University of California Los Angeles [3], University of California Davis [2], University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Oregon [4], University of Washington [3], Scripps College, Pitzer College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, Dartmouth College [2], University of Pennsylvania [2], Virginia Tech, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, American University, Chapman University, Emory University, Tulane University [2], Vassar College, Purdue University [3], University of Michigan, Tufts University, Miami University [2], DePaul University [2]…the list goes on!).

GWHS Staff Member Named “Woman of the Year” in DPS Second Annual HERStory Awards

MaryRose Kohan, our incredibly talented Speech and Debate teacher, was named a “Woman of the Year” at the second annual DPS HERStory Awards in March 2024! This event highlights the achievements and contributions of the women who serve Denver Public Schools, and provides a forum for students to share their stories about the impact these women have had on their lives. A panel discussion, led by Dr. Carrie Olsen and Michelle Quattlebaum, offered an opportunity to honor the incredible efforts of those like Ms. Kohan.

Speech and Debate Headed to National Tournament

After winning their second CHSAA 5A State Championship in March (CHSAA has only held two Speech and Debate Championships, so GWHS has won both!), GWHS Speech and Debate attended the National Qualifying Tournament. Twenty-eight students ended up securing spots at the the National Tournament, to be held June 16 through 21 in Des Moines, Iowa. This will also be GWHS’s 50th appearance at the National Tournament!

Robotics 2023-2024 Season Wrap-up

This year, the GWHS robotics Team 1410 – The Kraken competed in the 2024 season game – ‘FIRST© Crescendo’. On January 7, The Kraken gathered at GWHS and got right to work as the new challenge was revealed. Over six weeks, they diligently completed designing, prototyping, constructing, and programming a 120 pound robot. With this robot, they double-qualified for the World Championship, through winning both the Utah Regional and the Impact Award at the Colorado Regional!

The Impact Award was given to “the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST. It was created to keep the central focus of the FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encourage more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders.” This is what the judges said when presenting the Award: “This team’s presentation blew the judges out of the water. Their engagement with other teams proves that collaboration amplifies impact. Their tentacled outreach approach serves and engages multiple marginalized communities in FIRST. They leverage intelligent design to make their outreach efforts transferrable and accessible for other teams. Their embodiment of diversity, equity, and inclusion ensures that everyone Under the Sea can realize their full potential.”

At the World Championships in Houston, Texas in April, The Kraken competed against 600 other teams over four days. This marks the first time since pre-Covid that the team qualified to attend this prestigious event, and the first time for the current student body so it was a first for all students on the 2023-2024 team. The team looks forward to building on this momentum, attracting new students, engaging GWHS and the local community and working hard again next year. The team always welcomes new and interested students of all backgrounds and financial ability to join the team. For more information, please visit FIRST Robotics Team 1410 – Release the Kraken! (frc1410.org) or email cmbenjamin08@gmail.com.

Patriots Win DPS E-Sports Tournament

The Patriot E-Sports Varsity Smash team finished first and the JV Smash team finished second at the second annual DPS E-Sports Tournament. The final came down to the Varsity team versus the JV team, with Varsity winning it all. Also, the Varsity Mario Kart team came in second, losing by only four points to North High School. This caps off a very successful season for Patriot E-Sports after coming in as runners up at the CHSAA State E-Sports Finals in Super Smash Bros in the fall and being ranked top in the state for Smash in the spring season. We are now looking ahead to the 2024-2025 season where our newly build E-Sports PC Lab will allow us to play both Rocket League and Valorant at the state and national level!

GWHS Art Students Shine at Citywide Arts Show

Congratulations to all our GWHS art students whose art was selected for Denver Public Schools’ Citywide Art Show on April 17! GWHS celebrates our award many winnners: Mena Kolozs – first place (Drawing); Ed Holmes – second place (Digital Photography); Elijah Morgan – Poster Award; Moses Stiffarm – third place (Digital Illustration) and Lucy Hackley – Transformation Award.

GWHS JROTC Raider Team Competes at Rapid City, South Dakota

Members of the GWHS Raider Team traveled to Rapid City, South Dakota from April 25 through 28 to compete at the Black Hills Battalion Raider Challenge hosted by Rapid City Central High School. The students competed in orienteering (placing second), gauntlet (placing third), physical endurance course (placing third), rope bridge, cross country rescue and a 5K run. The team earned three guidon streamers for their achievements while competing against ten other high schools. Excellent work, Raider Team! While in Rapid City, the team was able to visit Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the historic town of Deadwood.

JROTC Students Help with Make-A-Wish Carnival

JROTC students helped set-up and manage a booth for the Make-A-Wish Carnival held at GWHS. The students set-up a physical fitness challenge course, and provided prizes for students that competed in the course. The U.S. National Guard recruiter provided t-shirts and other items for prizes for the event.

JROTC All-City Awards Ceremony

Select members of JROTC were recognized for their outstanding leadership and accomplishments throughout the school year at the JROTC All-City Awards Ceremony held at South High School’s auditorium on April 16. Students received individuals ribbons, medals, plaques or certificates for their hard work. School principals, parents, family members and friends were invited to the ceremony.

Thespian Celebration

Thespian Troupe 1621 celebrated the accomplishments and talents of our theatre students on Saturday, May 11. Dozens of awards were handed out at our festive banquet, including the Nancy Priest Award for theatre excellence to senior Alia Thorn and outstanding work in technical theatre to senior August Salbenblatt. Senior Zachary Lupo captured the prize for most earned Thespian points in the troupe throughout his illustrious career in theatre at GWHS. We celebrated work in both of our main stage productions, “She Kills Monsters” and “The Addams Family Musical.” We also inducted twenty-four new members to the troupe, while bidding a bittersweet farewell to all of our theatre seniors. In addition, theater students performed music and comedy in the annual “Friday Night Lights” event on May 10. It has been a wonderful year of drama!

Native American Homelessness (NAH)

Concurrent Enrollment Ethnic Studies senior Tewodros Embeale researched the issue of Native American homelessness. He discovered it is a big issue that people don’t tend to talk about. While the issue at large is constantly receiving attention, the fact that’s it’s been affecting specific groups mainly of Native Origin for years is never talked about. He created an infographic HERE to highlight the issue and potential solutions.

Beautiful New Apple Trellis in the GWHS Community Garden

If you haven’t seen it, make sure and stop by the GWHS Community Garden to check out the new espalier trellis. The trellis was designed and built by senior August Salbenblatt as his IB CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) project. August and his family donated all of the materials, plus their time and expertise to build a unique addition to the garden. The trellis will be used to train the apple trees to grow against the wall, saving space and producing more fruit for the cafeteria. A huge thank you to August and his family for leaving a lovely, lasting gift to the school.

Class of 2028 Welcome Fest

On Tuesday, April 9, current students, staff and parents welcomed our incoming freshmen students and their families to GWHS with performances by Robotics, Cheer, JROTC, Choir, Orchestra and Band, and booths to offer information about GWHS athletics, clubs and academics. We are so excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to our Patriot family!

Spring Break Food Basket Thank You

GWHS Food Pantry extends a very grateful thank you to our volunteers (Lakenda, Julie, Elizabeth and Susan) for delivering and assembling our Spring Break food baskets. More gratitude goes to all those who donated money, food and hygiene items to support our distribution. With the help of everyone, our GWHS Food Pantry was able to provide Spring Break food baskets to eighteen families.

The “Patriot Glow”

We are excited to announce our school newspaper is back! You can always find the most current issue of the “Patriot Glow” on our website, under the “Student Journalism” section of the “Students and Families” tab.