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The subjects of The Jefferson Project
1/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
2/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Carrie Paulson is a teacher at Jefferson High School and has been for 18 years - longer than most of her students have been alive. She loves what she does, but back when she was in high school, she considered dropping out herself.
3/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Mason Ham is a senior at Jefferson Junior/Senior High School this year. He says this was the school he was told to stay away from because - he says - it's viewed as the "ghetto school." A lof his friends go to Wheat Ridge or Lakewood high school.
4/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Michael James is the principal at Jefferson High School and has been for six years. He goes out of his way to learn each student's name, which certainly can't be said for every principal.
5/24
Senior Ariadna Santos isn't just a good student - she's great. She takes AP classes and is looking forward to this year because she is excited to grow, even though this year being her last one in high school is surreal for her.
6/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Football player Joseph Martinez attends Jefferson, but school and sports aren't his only focus. When he leaves school, he has to go to work to support his family. "I work from like 7:30 to 10:30 because we get out of practice at 6:30," Martinez said.
7/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Jayline Lucero is a multi-tasker to the highest degree. She attends Jefferson, is on the drumline and works at Papa John's after class because she's essentially on her own even though she's just 17. Her mom is incarcerated and her dad is homeless.
8/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Mason Ham is the self-proclaimed class clown of Jefferson Jr/Sr High School in Edgewater.
9/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Mason plays basketball, runs track, is active in leadership, and is student body president
10/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
11/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
12/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
13/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Martinez works, goes to practice, goes to work, does homework, goes to bed, then does it all over again the next day.
14/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Martinez is on the Jefferson football team, which (for the first time in years) is winning games.
15/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Joseph Martinez wants to be the first in his family to go to college
16/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
"I don't wanna be a dropout and just get my GED," Lucero said.
17/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Lucero is on the drumline at Jefferson.
18/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Senior Jayline Lucero said she used to be a "mess up" when she first started high school until she realized she wanted more for herself.
19/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Paulson once donated her bike to a student because his was stolen and he had no other way to get to school.
20/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Paulson says her favorite thing about Jefferson is the students.
21/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Jefferson teacher Carrie Paulson has been teaching for 25 years.
22/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
On the weekend, you’ll find Ariadna either spending time with family or out with friends.
23/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
People would be surprised to know that Ariadna is actually a really loud person, but people don’t usually see that side of her.
24/24
Anne Herbst, KUSA
Ariadna Santos says her favorite thing about Jefferson is the sense of community.
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Anne Herbst, KUSA
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