The Golden Trident

Lilly Phillips

Our beloved teacher, Ms. Allie Matsuo is saying goodbye to Golden. Ms. Matsuo has taught theater and English at Golden and all of her students love her. She’s worked here for a few  years now, but is now leaving to pursue her dream job in a historical Denver museum. Matsuo has had an interest in theater for years, which inspired her to teach theater at Golden. She expressed that she knew she wanted to go into acting or education, and luckily, she got to do both of her passions. She decided to go into education in college, where she started as a science teacher in a 5th grade classroom, then continued moving up into middle school, and eventually ended up working here at Golden in the after-school theater program in the spring of 2021. 

She ended up becoming a full time teacher at Golden after that. Teaching not only performing arts, but also the yearbook class, and English classes. Out of the subjects she’s taught, her favorite is yearbook because of the people in it, and the amount of teamwork in the class, and also her tech theater class because kids in this class get new opportunities that many high schoolers don’t get. In her years at Golden she has in fact given students new opportunities. Whether it’s in her classes in school, or performing arts after school, she’s helped students find their place here at GHS and find new passions. Not only does she teach acting, but has helped kids learn how to work in costumes, tech, or other parts of performing arts.

Matsuo with creative partner Sammy Meneses (above)

Since Matsuo has been at GHS, she’s helped the theater program a lot. When she first came here there were only two theater classes, but the program has grown so much that next year there will be five theater classes, along with the successful theater company, Stage Right Productions. Because of all the work she’s put into the theater program for students here, we can see Matsuo has a lot of love for performing arts. In fact, she states that she was in the performing arts program at Golden when she was a student. 

She loves performing arts because she states that “It’s a great place for everybody”, which is a sentiment that has been proven by many students who have made their way into theater at Golden, and have in fact, found their place there, found their home, and found their people, and Matsuo is a big factor in that sense of belonging. She says she’s very proud of all her students and excited to see where the program goes. “Theater is always an open door”, Matsuo says, and new doors are now opening for her as well. We’re so grateful to have had Matsuo as a teacher at our school, and wish her luck in her future endeavors.