Sierra Gallup, a sophomore at Arvada West High School, hasn’t had the traditional high school experience. 

She’s never gotten to go to a spring dance, she didn’t get to attend homecoming this year and there have been little to no fans at her high school basketball games. All because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But on Saturday as Gallup, who was accompanied by her mother, sat in the cafeteria of DSST Green Valley Ranch High School, she could barely hold back her excitement to “finally” get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I’m just so excited,” Gallup said. “I’ve been really safe during the whole pandemic and I just can’t wait to be able to hang out with my friends again, and and enjoy the little things like going to football games.” 

Gallup was one of 500 people, primarily high school students, who received the Pfizer vaccine at a pop-up clinic hosted by Denver Health and the Denver Public School District. 

DPS partners with local health care providers to offer vaccines to all eligible students

By the time the sun sets on Sunday, around 1,000 people will have received a vaccine from the clinic. It is the first of six clinics being hosted by Denver Health and DPS and they hope to vaccinate at least 6,000 of the 22,000 eligible students by May 23. 

“For some of the kids this is going to be a game changer for them and they’re going to be more comfortable going back to in-person learning, and participating in sports like they did before the pandemic,” said Sonja O’Leary, the medical director of the Denver school-based health centers. 

“Kids not being in school is one of the most detrimental things that you could do to a child, so this is our way to get them back in.”

Leslie Cabriales, a 10th grader at STRIVE Prep High School echoed O’Leary and said the transition to virtual learning was challenging.

“I don’t get the personal interaction from my teachers that I need to succeed,” she said. “Although it’s gotten easier, I can’t wait to be back in-person full-time.”

Green Valley Ranch High School’s School Director Corrie Napier says clinics such as these bring schools a little bit closer to normal.

“We’re one step closer to our school community feeling like an actual community again, and breaking down some of the barriers to the in-person education that we really want to offer to kids,” Napier said.

“We want to make sure our students, our families, our communities are safe and their health is prioritized. But today is a really exciting day because it’ll hopefully help us get back to a regular school year.”

The vaccination clinic will continue on Sunday. Although there are 500 available doses, only 400 people are currently signed up. However, this was expected, said O’Leary.

“Every time we’ve opened to a new phase its almost like there is a tentativeness, and when people realize that their arms won’t fall off, or anything like that, more people sign up,” O’Leary. 

“So we’re expecting and hoping that we’ll increase as we continue to host more events.”

As more and more students start getting their vaccinations, Lauren Baughman, a junior at Cherry Creek High School, says it couldn’t happen at a better time.

“Next year is going to be my senior year, so I really want something normal,” Baughman.

“Senior year is supposed to be the most fun and I think by people getting the vaccine, will allow us to have a normal year where we are all back together every day in-person.

“I can’t wait”