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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

East High School (Denver, Colorado)
East High School is a historical public high school located in the City Park neighborhood on the east side of Denver, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Denver Public Schools system, and is one of four original high schools in Denver. The other three are West, North, and South.

History

East High opened in 1875 and was the first high school in Denver. The first graduating class was in 1877. In 1889, it moved to 19th and Stout Street because of the need for more room. This location is now referred to as "Old East," and could accommodate 700 students.

The architect for the current facility was Denver native George H. Williamson, himself an 1893 graduate of "Old East" High. Williamson won national recognition for his design of the "new" East, which has a 162-foot (49 m) high clock tower modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

In early 1991, the East High building was declared an official Denver Historic Landmark by the Denver Landmark Commission and the Denver City Council.

In July 2005, a music video for the song "Over My Head (Cable Car)", by The Fray was filmed in East High.

East High has been repeatedly honored as one of America's top high schools. It was honored in 1957 as one of the country's top high schools and subsequently selected in 1968 as one of America's Top Ten Schools. In 2000 Newsweek recognized East as one of America's top hundred public high schools. In 2008, Newsweek again recognized East in its annual list of the country's "Top High Schools". It is ranked 23rd out of Colorado high schools and 974th nationally by U.S. News "Best High Schools".

The 2022–2023 school year saw three shootings at or near East High School. In September 2022, a male student was shot outside a recreation center next to campus. A 16-year-old student, Luis Garcia, was fatally shot near campus on 13 February 2023. On 22 March 2023, two male administrators were shot on campus by a student and transported to the hospital; the student was later found dead of what a coroner found to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In response, district superintendent Alex Marrero said that the school would have two armed police officers for the rest of the school year, and for the following 2023-2024 school year.

Demographics

As of the 2022–2023 school year, East High School has a total enrollment of 2,501 students in grades nine through twelve.

  • White: 52.4%
  • Hispanic/Latino: 22%
  • African American/Black: 14%
  • Multiple Races: 8%
  • Asian/Pacific Islander: 3%
  • American Indian/Alaskan: <1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Other: <1%

Athletics

East High is ranked 3rd in the State of Colorado for greatest amount of State Championships with the Angels holding 99 total state championships; 91 in boys teams and 8 in girls teams. Additionally, teams representing Denver East outside of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) as club teams have accumulated 11 combined state championships bringing the high school's count to 110 1st-place finishes since the early 1900s.

In 2007, the boys' basketball team was named the top-ranked team in the state by RISE Magazine and Sports Illustrated, and finished the season with another 5A state championship win, topping a season with a 22–3 record.

Denver East Angels Athletic State Championships- Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Sports
Season Sport Number of Championships Year
Fall Cross Country, Boys 5 1967, 1964, 1963, 1959, 1958
Golf, Boys 4 1952, 1951, 1949, 1947
Tennis, Boys 18 1968, 1967, 1965, 1964, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1951, 1949, 1943, 1939, 1938, 1936, 1934, 1933, 1931
Soccer, Boys 4 2022, 2011, 2008, 1994
Gymnastics, Boys 20
Football, Boys 2 1962, 1949
Winter Basketball, Boys 12 2023, 2014, 2008, 2007, 2004, 1999, 1996, 1965, 1964, 1952, 1951, 1943
Basketball, Girls 1 2010
Hockey, Boys 1 2022
Swimming, Girls 2 1994, 1992
Wrestling, Boys 1 1937
Spring Lacrosse, Boys 1 2000
Baseball, Boys 2 1994, 1951
Swimming, Boys 2 1960, 1959
Track and Field, Boys 20 1966, 1965, 1964, 1960, 1953, 1948, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1942, 1941, 1939, 1937, 1936, 1907, 1906, 1905, 1904, 1903, 1902
Track and Field, Girls 3 1992, 1985, 1984
Soccer, Girls 1 1983
Total 99
Denver East Angels Athletic State Championships- Club Sports
Season Sport Number of Championships Year
Spring Ultimate Frisbee, Boys 2 2019, 2018
Rugby, Boys 10 2021-15's & 2021-7's, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2009, 2004, 2002, 1997, 1988
Total 11

Academics and activities

Constitutional Law

Constitutional Law, or "Con-Law" as most Angels refer to it, is a large part of the academic extracurricular setting at East. The team, usually composed of 11th and 12th graders, has continuously traveled to Washington D.C. to compete in the Center for Civic Education's national "We the People: The Citizens and the Constitution" competition. This competition involves on average 54 other teams who have qualified by winning their state's competition and totals to around 300 students. The team has won 5 national titles with the most recent being in April 2019. Other national titles include 2009, 2008, 2007, and 1992.

Model United Nations

Model United Nations has been an active club at Denver East since the early 1980s. In recent years they have traveled to many conferences ranging from ones in Colorado, to ones at the national and international level. In February 2019, the team took 11 students to Birkerød, Denmark to compete against 400 other students, returning two 1st place or Best Delegate international recognitions. As well in 2019, East's Model U.N. team hosted a conference at Denver East High School that brought in over 200 competitors from 29 schools. In 2020, East traveled to Mexico City, Mexico for their 2nd international competition fielding 13 students and returning 5 international recognitions.

Notable alumni