Latest news with #EastHighSchool
Gulf Today
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Trump wants to eradicate DEI in higher education
Elizabeth Hernandez, Tribune News Service The Trump administration has already disrupted Darius McGregor's academic journey. The 18-year-old graduate of Denver's East High School interned earlier this year at a laboratory on the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus, where he and his peers evaluated whether bio-fortified maize could help hungry Guatemalan children. The potentially life-saving research was funded by the US Agency for International Development, the federal agency that humanitarian aid programnes relied on to finance their work. The Trump administration dismantled USAID this spring, putting millions of lives at risk worldwide, according to a study published in the medical journal The Lancet. McGregor's project lost funding. He nearly lost his internship position, too, but the university found an alternative source to pay for it. As McGregor prepares to attend Brown University this fall with aspirations of becoming a doctor, he said he's bracing for more federal interference with his education. 'I'm concerned with what my college experience may look like, especially with funding cuts like I've already seen firsthand,' he said. 'It's discouraging for people of color, but we will not stop.' Three Black students who received scholarships from the Sachs Foundation — a Colorado-based nonprofit supporting Black communities — told The Denver Post about their experiences entering college as the Trump administration works to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs intended to give them equal footing to thrive in college. Leaders of the foundation, unlike companies scaling back DEI initiatives amid federal pressure, say they're not deterred from continuing their mission. McGregor said he was alarmed to see the president of the United States threatening to slash funding or investigate colleges and schools in an effort to eradicate the sorts of DEI programs that helped him and other students of color find parity with their white peers so that they had the same opportunities to succeed. 'It has motivated me to prove myself and serve as an example,' McGregor said. 'Even when you take DEI away, we will still figure out a way to excel.' The Trump administration took aim at DEI in schools and colleges shortly after the inauguration in January, threatening to withhold federal funding from institutions unless they eliminated initiatives supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. Directives from the US Department of Education in February said any programs that treat students differently on the basis of race to achieve 'nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice or equity' were illegal under Supreme Court precedent. In April, a federal judge blocked the government from enforcing these directives after a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union accused the Trump administration of providing 'unconstitutionally vague' guidance and violating teachers' First Amendment rights. Regardless, Colorado universities acknowledged changing their diversity initiatives to avoid losing federal funding. The University of Colorado's Colorado Springs campus was among more than 50 universities under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination under Trump's directives. Meanwhile, researchers have found that the disparities in the number of Black and Latino students admitted to elite colleges and universities have widened over the last 40 years, according to a University of California, Berkeley study released in 2024. The study found that, despite more students from all races going to college, Black and Latino students were increasingly less likely to attend top-tier, four-year colleges. The disparity remained significant, even when factoring in family income and parents' education, the study found. Between 2012 and 2022, college enrollment for Black students in the United States declined 22%, from 2.96 million students to 2.32 million, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute. 'This suggests that the underlying issue of racial inequality in college attendance goes beyond socioeconomic measures, such as family income and parents' education, and is intrinsically linked to race itself,' the study concluded. 'It points to a systemic issue within the fabric of American education and society.' It's these systemic barriers that fuel Ben Ralston, CEO of the Sachs Foundation, to continue his work. The 94-year-old organisation that provides support to Black Coloradoans was founded at a time when the Ku Klux Klan ruled Denver, Ralston said, and its leaders do not plan on backing down. 'There's a lot of trepidation right now,' Sachs said. 'We wanted to make sure that everyone in our community of scholars recognised that none of the work we do is going to change any time soon. When we look at what's happening at the federal level in reference to DEI, there is no political moment that changes our mission. There has been a historic structure put in place to exclude Black Americans and Black Coloradans from opportunities that have never been rectified. We're not going to change that mission.' Sarah Mohamed Ali's academic journey in Denver has been dotted with scholarly achievements alongside adversity. Mohamed Ali, a 2025 graduate of DSST: Cedar High School, served as an intern at Denver Health and worked as a dietary aid at an assisted living facility. The daughter of Sudanese immigrants said she was also bullied out of wearing her hijab to school in middle school. She was selected to attend New York University's Simons Science Exploration Program and the Yale Young Global Scholars summer program. After enduring pandemic learning and the COVID-19 lockdown, Mohamed Ali desired to reconnect with her authentic self and started wearing her hijab to school again. The 18-year-old was accepted to Bowdoin College in Maine to study health care, but her higher education pursuits have been executed under the cloud of a federal administration targeting DEI. 'I worked really hard throughout school, and hearing about everything that was going on months into applying for college was very scary and shocking,' she said. 'But I think in spite of everything that might be going on politically, there are still organizations you know you can rely on. You can still pursue your dreams.' The Sachs Foundation chose 53 Black scholars in Colorado this year to receive more than $1.9 million in scholarships. The foundation's undergraduate and graduate scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, financial need and character, Ralston said. The organisation also provides student mentorship, youth college and career development, and educator-focused initiatives. 'In a moment where many institutions are retreating from their commitments to equity, we're proud to stay firm in ours,' Ralston said. 'The work we do is not just about scholarships — it's about ensuring access, opportunity and belonging for Black students who are too often excluded.' For 17-year-old Naima Criss, the Sachs Foundation offered community. This spring, the 2025 scholars met up at Colorado College to be celebrated. Renowned author and activist Ta-Nehisi Coates shared his story with students. Criss, a graduate of Denver's Regis Jesuit High School, basked in the Black joy of it all. 'There's this thing where if you're really smart and Black, people are surprised,' Criss said. 'I can just be a very chill person, and what I like is we're all amazing and we're all also just people hanging out and living their best lives. It's great to be in a space where you're celebrated but not the exception.' Criss' resume is lengthy already. In addition to being a Sachs scholar, she was named a Gates Scholarship winner — a prestigious award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Through Girls Inc. of Metro Denver's Leadership Out Loud program, Criss flew to the nation's capital and lobbied Congress for more comprehensive sex education in schools. She's also served on the Mayor's Youth Commission
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Local schools raise money for KCAU 9 morning director's cancer battle
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Two metro softball teams came together for a cause Tuesday night at East High School. East and Bishop Heelan participated in a strikeout cancer event organized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. T-shirts, stickers, as well as ice cream floats, were on sale with all proceeds going to help Zachary Malenosky who is currently battling brain cancer. Zach directs Good Day Siouxland here at KCAU 9. He continues his recovery after having a lemon-sized tumor removed from his brain. Zach graduated from Heelan and is the nephew of East's softball coach Bubba Malenosky. 'Just called and said, hey, you want to do this with us?' Josh 'Bubba' Malenosky said. 'Since Zach's a Heelan alumni, it's a fore sure yes. Lexie's always been great. ANd yeah, we just teamed up together and we're trying to just teach kids that there's more than just softball. And we're all part of this thing called life.' Story continues below Top Story: Sac County Sheriff: Man assaulted jail staff, attempted escape Lights & Sirens: Suspect shot at during pursuit in stolen vehicle, Dakota Co Sheriff says Sports: West Sioux boys soccer wins first-ever IHSAA State title with 2-1 OT win Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here Since starting the Stroke Out Cancer initiative, more than ten years ago, NFCA members have raised thousands of dollars used to help cancer organizations continue their efforts to prevent cancer, save lives, and diminish suffering from the disease through research, education, advocacy, and service. 'Looking at the jerseys, looking at the people in the stands, you know, it just puts info perspective that we're all fighting for one cause, which is to find that cure for any type of cancer and that so many of our family members, you know, friends are affected by this,' Heelan Softball Coach Lexie Stolen. 'We love finding ways to help the community and it being a Heelan alum that we're helping out made it even better. Happy that Bubba always reaches out to us in order to play this Strike Out Cancer Game, so I tell him, you know, every year, let's do it.' Before the doubleheader, Zach threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his cousin, East High 8th grader, Josie Malenosky. All the money raised from Monday's even is going to Zach for medical bills and other expenses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Serving those who served': VA clinic presents ‘VetFest'
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – An event for and all about local veterans is making its debut this coming weekend. Man pleads guilty in hit-and-run that injured teen in front of East High School VetFest 2025 is being held at the Carl Nunziato Youngstown VA Clinic on Belmont Avenue on Saturday. The event is an opportunity to introduce veterans to the clinic and its services. 'It's an opportunity for us to celebrate local veterans. What we want to do is we want to have veterans that currently are enrolled here at the facility, or veterans that have not yet enrolled in the facility, come out and see what we're about,' said Carl Schneider, who serves as the facility director at the Carl Nunziato Youngstown VA Clinic. 'Check out the services that we might have available that they're not aware of, or get them veterans that don't know about VA health care information, so they can get enrolled.' At VetFest 2025, veterans can learn about the many services offered by the clinic and ask as many questions as they want about what the clinic offers. Veterans who are not enrolled can even enroll with the clinic that day at the event. 'It starts with primary care. That's kind of the entry point to receiving care at the VA clinic. Once they get enrolled, there's so many we have so many services that veterans aren't aware of,' said Schneider. 'We have mental health, we have podiatry, optometry, we have a lab here, we have physical therapy. We're adding additional services with specialty care, so we continue to expand the services to accommodate veterans here locally.' VetFest 2025 is not just for veterans, but also for their families and kids. 'We want to make this a very fun event for families. We want to provide information. We want to connect veterans with local resources that they might not be aware of,' said Schneider. 'We're hoping the weather cooperates and we can have it outside. We're going to have it at the entrance of the clinic, and there's going to be tables. We're going to have activities for kids. We're going to have a live band here. We're going to serve food. It's going to be a great time. It's going to be a fun time for family, for kids, for everybody.' The Carl Nunziato Youngstown VA Clinic opened in 2021 and continues to expand its offerings and services for veterans. 'We're looking to add an infusion clinic within the next year. That's going to be a big service. A lot of times, veterans are traveling to receive some of these services, and so this is something they felt was necessary to support this area,' said Schneider. 'We've recently added dermatology, so we're expanding our specialty care here so veterans do not have to travel far to receive the care that they deserve and need.' The event will also feature several community partners, such as the Veterans Service Commission and Youngstown State University. The clinic has also partnered with a local food bank for a food giveaway. 'This is just an opportunity for us to give back, to show our appreciation to the veterans, to the heroes that have made sacrifices. This connects them to the community, and that's what we're about,' said Schneider. 'Engaging the veterans, showing that Youngstown absolutely cares about their veterans. Serving those who served is what it's about, and we're very proud of this clinic and what we do and what we offer here.' VetFest 2025 is on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Carl Nunziato Youngstown VA Clinic, located at 1815 Belmont Avenue in Youngstown. For more information, call 330-740-9200 and visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DMPS dedicates Stop the Bleed program to Doug Richardson
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines Public School district is honoring its former public safety manager Doug Richardson, who died unexpectedly earlier this year. 'Though Doug is no longer with us, the lessons he taught and the memories we shared will remain etched in our hearts forever,' Melissa Abbott, health services manager at DMPS, said. 'I am proud to announce this is the first cabinet that has been hung at East High School, district-wide, in remembrance of Doug Richardson.' That first cabinet is part of the district's Stop the Bleed program. Richardson worked with Abbott to equip schools with Stop the Bleed kits in case of an emergency. He was also instrumental in adding Narcan and AEDs to the district's more than 60 buildings and vehicles. Julie Stauch announces run for Iowa governor Richardson's passion for public and school safety was evident throughout his career. Friends and family say Monday's dedication was a fitting tribute for him to forever be remembered at East High. 'East, I would say, was the biggest challenge to keep safe. And if there was one thing about him, he would never back down from a challenge,' Meegan Richardson, Doug's daughter, said. 'He always wanted to go straight into the problem and find a solution that benefited everyone.' East High School Principal Jill Versteeg said Richardson was always focused on the safety of students and staff. 'He would always take the chance to sit down and talk with staff members if they had concerns or they weren't sure why a policy was in place or why a system was in place,' Versteeg said. 'He was kind of my right hand to be able to do that and explain those after some pretty tragic events here.' A federal grant is helping the school district buy 184 kits to equip buildings and athletic facilities. Metro News: DMPS dedicates Stop the Bleed program to Doug Richardson Celebrated comedian bringing 2025 tour to Des Moines this fall Virtual reality arcade at Merle Hay Mall faces harsh reality How some DSM residents conserve water after CIWW reduction use request Riders share style and stories, Coolest Bike in Town show Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Final defendant sentenced in 2022 fatal shooting outside East High
DES MOINES, Iowa — A painful chapter in Des Moines' history is coming to a close with the sentencing of the final defendant in a deadly drive-by shooting outside East High School in 2022. The Polk County Attorney's Office said Nyang Mai Chamdual was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. Because of his age at the time of the shooting, 14, he will have the possibility of parole. He previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and has been held at the Boys State Training School in Eldora. He turns 18 next month. Previous stories: Deadly East High School shooting Chamdual was one of 10 teens charged in the March 7, 2022 shooting that killed 15-year-old Jose Lopez and injured Kemery Ortega and Jessica Lopez Torres. The three were outside of East High School when shots were fired from three passing vehicles. The Polk County Attorney's Office says Chamdual fired a .38 revolver from the back seat of a Ford F-150 truck in the incident. During sentencing, Chamdual's attorney Van Plumb argued for leniency for his client and said he had made 'tremendous leaps and bounds toward his rehabilitation,' and that 'He's a changed man.' Chamdual received his high school diploma while incarcerated. In the end, Chief Judge Michael Huppert sentenced Chamdual to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He applauded Chamdual's progress but said it did not balance the scales of his actions. Huppert did not set a mandatory minimum sentence, leaving the decision on when Chamdual is released up to the Board of Parole. Chamdual must also pay restitution of $150,000 to Jose Lopez's estate. The Polk County Attorney's Office provided a summary of the other defendants and their dispositions, along with their current age: Alex Santiago Perdomo, 18, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime. Romeo Perdomo, 20, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime. Octavio Lopez Sanchez Jr., 20, was sentenced to 70 years in prison in January 2024. He had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury. Daniel Hernandez, 21, was sentenced to 60 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing a serious injury. He was a juvenile at the time of the shooting. Henry David Valladares Amaya, 21, was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury. He was a juvenile at the time of the shooting. Manuel De Jesus Buezo, 20, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury. He was a juvenile at the time of the shooting. Braulio Damien Hernandez-Salas, 20, pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Kevin Isidro Martinez, 19, pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo, 21, was sentenced to a four-year suspended sentence. He had pleaded guilty to one count of accessory after the fact, one count of person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon, and one count of providing a pistol or revolver to a person under 21. Final defendant sentenced in 2022 fatal shooting outside East High DMPD seeks help to find missing teen with medical condition Superheroes coming to Iowa for Des Moines Con Golf greats aim at record lows while Principal Charity Classic hopes for record high in giving Supportive housing Monarch Apartments has positive impact in first few months after opening Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
