What used to be an empty classroom at West High School is now Denver Public Schools’ new Native American Student Center.
More than 50 people attended the grand opening last Thursday. The opening ceremony started with a traditional song accompanied by a drum and speeches from DPS staff members. Navajo tacos made with juniper ash and blue corn, traditional Native American stews, and popcorn were served.
The new space is a part of DPS’s Native American Culture and Education program, which is directed by the newly-appointed Dr. Jennifer Wolf, 56, who also owns the Native consulting firm Project Mosaic. According to Wolf, about 700 of DPS’s roughly 90,000 students self-identify as Indigenous.
