The Gilpin County School District hosted an open house on April 26, 2023. The event included displays in the lobby and school displays throughout the building.

In the auditorium, students in ninth through twelfth grades were rehearsing a play, The Diary of Anne Frank. The play was presented at the high school on April 27 and 29 at 7 p.m., and on April 29 at noon. Hannah Raynes was the director, with technical director Ryan Raynes.

The director said that when she first saw The Diary of Anne Frank she was 13. She loved it so much that she and her husband went to The Netherlands to see The Frank house there.

Raynes took over the Gilpin Theater program about a year ago. “I selected this show knowing I’d be working with a new cast, many of whom never acted before. This group of talented students took an incredible challenge and adapted beautifully to life on stage. I owe this positive experience to this group of students who breathed life into this production, ” Raynes said.

The cast includes narrator Jiselle Osteboe, Anne Frank as Lilly Litner, Peter Van Daan as Justin Johnson, Otto Frank as Patrik Bagwell, Mrs. Frank as Teddi Vaughan-Tomlinson, Mrs. Van Daan as Lynda Icenogle, Mr. Van Daan as Aiden Zeilbeck, Margot Frank as Madeline Lane, Miep as Kari Hanson, Mr. Kraler as Ella Lindenthaler, and Mr. Dussel as Leo Simpson.

At the Open House, the Peak to Peak Rotary set up a display in the lobby. The Rotary is proud to be a sponsor of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free high-quality books to children from birth to age five. The Rotary also sponsors the Mountain Back program to keep kids full and focused throughout the school year. Every Thursday, enrolled children pick up a backpack filled with breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the weekend from either the Gilpin School, the Gilpin Community Center, or the Holistic Homestead. There are no pre-qualifications to enroll in the program.

Another table included information about health and a book named Robbie’s Hope. This is an adult handbook written by teens about how parents should talk to their teens about mental health.

Two Gilpin County students had a table in the lobby for Warren Tech. Jamison Lane attends Building Trades and has won a national competition in team building. Garet Adler is in the Automotive Customization program. Lane and Adler attend Gilpin County Schools in the morning and then attend Warren Tech in the afternoon.

A display on the screen near the lobby showed names and descriptions of teachers and staff. There were displays of Spanish, English, mathematics, and science classes. The Fine Arts held down the cafeteria with a table including a tower of found items on a sculpture.

Four students read in the lobby from a play, I Hate Shakespeare, which will be performed on May 22 at 5:30 p.m., with the Fine Art Awards to be presented at 6:30 p.m. The students were Amelia Bushey, Cadi Willis, Annalise Hernandez, and Kenny Williams.

Gilpin Schools, District RE 1 are located at 10595 Highway 119, Black Hawk.

To find out more information go to: www.gilpin.k12.co.us.