What’s happening: Estes Park High School’s photography and publications programs are asking for community support through a digital camera drive and a DonorsChoose fundraiser.
- From Sept. 17–30, gently used point-and-shoot cameras can be dropped off at the EPHS front office.
- A DonorsChoose project hopes to raise $775 for a photo printer, ink, paper, and iPad styluses. About $200 remains unfunded before the Dec. 26 deadline.
Why it matters: Phones are off the table. Colorado House Bill 135 requires districts to restrict phone use. According to Angela Barberi, the EPHS art and publication educator, Estes Park students must keep their phones in their lockers during the school day. Yearbook staff can’t rely on phones to capture school events, making real cameras essential.
The impact:
- Cameras will let yearbook students capture high-quality images for the 2026 Whispering Pine yearbook.
- A printer and editing tools will allow photography students to produce finished prints, exhibit their work, and build portfolios.
- The program is designed to be sustainable, with the school art budget covering future supplies like ink and SD cards.
“It’s a privilege to see the passion and talent of our EPHS students,” Barberi. “Our goal is to provide them with the resources they need to bring their ideas to life and show our commitment to helping them tell our community’s story.”
How to help: Donate a digital camera at the EPHS office or contribute online through DonorsChoose. For more information, click here to email Barberi or call her at 850-549-6154.
We are exhausted from exorbitant school taxes and hand-outs. Taxpayers are already providing money to numerous 501-C3s to further subsidize the school district. Why can’t these students use their smartphones? Entire movies have been produced in Hollywood using smartphones. The Board spent tens of thousands on a useless Stadium upgrade. Where is the financial mismanagement occurring?