Olathe
Olathe, CO · Education
Yahoo!
Fruita Monument High starts construction
Fruita Monument High School held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday for a $24 million construction project. The improvements are funded by a mill levy bond approved by voters in 2024 and will bring modern facilities and a safer campus design to the school.The celebration marks the beginning of significant upgrades designed to prepare students for the future.Newt Klushmire, principal at Fruita Monument High School, stated the groundbreaking marks the start of the bond construction project. Last week, Central High School also held a groundbreaking for projects funded by the same bond.Principal Klushmire outlined several key improvements planned for Fruita Monument High School. These include modern science facilities, upgraded career and technical education areas and a safer building design. Additionally, a new courtyard will be added for student social time.Student Mia Metz spoke at the ceremony, sharing her deep connection to Fruita Monument High School. Metz told WesternSlopeNow that seven of her family members, including her grandfather and his siblings, previously attended the school. "It has always been like a huge part of my life," Metz said. "And this groundbreaking here not only means that I get to continue my education here, but also that I get to be a part of something bigger and be a part of the changes that are happening at Fruita constantly." Metz also expressed her feelings about the moment, stating, "It just is so cool that I not only get to be a part of their story with you, too. I also get to experience it myself and I know I just felt truly honored to stand up there."Klushmire emphasized the importance of community backing for the project. "We need to prepare our students for the world that they are going to be living in, which in this day and age is different than the one they go to school in," Klushmire said. "So, community support like this means that our community believes in our schools and at Fruita Monument especially. We're just so grateful for our community." He further highlighted this sentiment to WesternSlopeNow, stating, "great schools don't happen without community support."All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WesternSlopeNow.com. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WesternSlopeNow.com staff before being published.
kkco11news.com
Grand Junction High School graduate earns Emmy Foundation scholarship for documentary filmmaking
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -A Grand Junction High School graduate is leaving with more than a diploma after earning recognition from the Emmy Foundation for his documentary work. Cameron Kirkegaard received the Doug W. Mummert Scholarship, presented to a student pursuing a career in the television industry who has made...
kkco11news.com
Local shop sees 25% drop in business as CMU students leave for summer
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -Colorado Craft Coffee and Beer House is preparing for a quieter summer as Colorado Mesa University students leave town for break. The shop, a regular stop for CMU students and faculty, sees business drop 25% during the summer months, according to the owner. James Ferguson, co-owner...
kkco11news.com
Central High School celebrates groundbreaking for major renovation project
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -Renovation construction for District 51’s oldest school building officially broke ground. Grand Junction’s Central High School held a ceremony Thursday morning to celebrate the school’s newest milestone, which the school said will usher in renovations that will uphold a “safe, modern, and future-focused learning environment for students.”
shhsaccolade.com
GAME BALL: Swim co-captain commits to CMU after award-winning high school career
Senior Eveline Grannis’ introduction to swim began like most other children. Her mother, Sara Grannis, enrolled her in swimming lessons for one simple reason: safety. “We live in Southern California, so I felt it was important for her to learn how to swim so if she was ever at the beach or the pool, she wouldn’t drown,” Sara Grannis said. “I wanted to get her comfortable with the water, so she knew how to roll over, and from there she went into swim lessons.”
deltapawprint.com
The Inside Scoop on Prom Night
Prom typically is considered as the most important night in high school. Prom has been a tradition that has been happening for many years. Prom takes a lot of time, money, and effort. The theme of prom was announced by Mrs. Johnson during the “Mr. Panther Assembly”. The theme is...
oandbnews.com
Substance abuse: a growing problem at GJHS
Substance abuse among Grand Junction High School students, driven by peer pressure and stress, raises concerns about their health and future. Substance abuse among high school students at GJHS is a persistent issue with significant implications for their health, academic performance and future prospects. Recent studies, according to the American Psychological Association, indicate a concerning trend in the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco among adolescents.
deltapawprint.com
Delta High School sports injuries rise as athletes are overworked
Sports have always been a big part of Delta High School, especially for the athletes themselves. Lately, more and more student-athletes have been injured either during their training or on the fields, which can be a major setback for the team. According to John Hopkins Medical, more than 3.5 million...
oandbnews.com
OPINION: Bell to bell at GJHS
Cell phones are becoming more common in students’ lives, and their use during lunch and release periods is not currently a problem. It is reasonable for students to keep their phones in their backpacks or pockets during class, as long as they are not a distraction. Why change that now?
deltapawprint.com
DHS students and staff beginning to ignore phone policy
Does the school still care about phones? It seems like now teachers are confiscating phones less and less. At the beginning of the school year, just about every day teachers would take phones to the office, and kids would complain about how teachers would take their phones, but now nobody ever hears about phones anymore. Why? Does the school just not care about phones anymore, or are teachers becoming more lenient, and is that a good or a bad thing?
KREX
Hilltop provides D51 students with free JUCO game
GRAND JUNCTION Colo. (KREX)- With the JUCO World Series coming up this weekend, organizers and community partners are working to get local students excited for the tournament. For more than 20 years, Hilltop has partnered with JUCO tournament organizers to provide free game tickets to D51 students. On Monday, Mr. JUCO made a trip to […]
deltapawprint.com
From student to teacher; Gabe Fry’s high school journey
High school is a time of growth and change, especially for those trying to figure out who they are. For Gabe Fry, the support of teachers helped him not only with school, but also navigating life as a transgender student here at DHS. “My history classes were the most fun...
KJCT8
Local graduates step into Grand Junction job market
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) -Students at local high schools and Colorado Mesa University are walking across the stage for graduation this week. Over 1,400 CMU graduates are earning over 1,500 degrees this weekend. The university’s alumni and career center has resources for students looking for jobs in the area, from resume building to interview preparation.
9NEWS
kkco11news.com
Local High School Baseball Teams learn their playoff paths
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) released the 2026 baseball regional brackets Wednesday, with many local teams poised for potential deep tournament runs. Palisade High School earned the No. 1 overall seed in Class 4A and will host Region 1. The Bulldogs (21-2) open...
oandbnews.com
Same old, same old at GJHS
The new $144 million Grand Junction High School building is causing students and staff to continue to voice concerns. “I expect a building to have almost no issues,” said GJHS sophomore Ellie Hesch. However, for this school, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Mechanical, upkeep, and building...
KJCT8
Graduation week to bring extra traffic to one of Grand Junction’s most dangerous intersections
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Five intersections in Grand Junction have recorded the highest number of crashes in Mesa County. Mesa County data shows over 17,000 vehicle-related crashes were reported in Mesa County between 2018 and 2024. People died in 128 of those crashes. The number increases when crash data from 2025 is included.