It's a thought that regularly runs through 14-year-old Ja'sah Banks' mind when the eighth grader sits inside his classroom in northeast Denver.

• "I just don't want to be a part of a list of deaths in a mass shooting," Banks tells Esteban.

Driving the news: Denver has seen a spike in teen violence this year, including a fatal shooting near East High School last month.

Why it matters: The violence is taking a toll on innocent young people, who already face challenges lingering from the COVID pandemic, including higher levels of stress and anxiety.

By the numbers: Five people aged 13 to 19 have been homicide victims since the start of the year — nearly a third of the 18 homicides in Denver so far this year, according to police.

Zoom in: Esteban spoke to four eighth-grade students at DSST: Elevate Northeast Middle School in the city's Montbello neighborhood.

• More than 70% of students in the district are students of color, according to DSST communications manager Daniela Di Napoli.

What they're saying: The school is near the Denver Police District 5 station — something Dae Denzmore, 13, says doesn't give her much comfort, since she worries officers are too busy.

• Banks feels scared some threats will be treated as a joke.
• Sincere Williams, 13, says he wants the school to ramp up safety measures, including searching students more thoroughly when they're in school.

Between the lines

With a lengthy list of hopefuls running in the Denver mayor's race, the idea of adopting ranked choice voting (RCV) appears to be gaining momentum in the Mile High City.

Why it matters: Some Denverites are feeling discouraged about voting in the April 4 election because they feel their voice will be lost on such a crowded ballot.

• Supporters of RCV say the process could push more people to the polls by better reflecting voters' preferences, ensuring their second and third choices are taken into account if their first-choice candidate can't win.
• Denver's electoral system requires a mayoral candidate to receive 50% of the vote to win. But with 16 candidates on the ballot — and not a single one polling above 10% — a runoff election in June is inevitable.

Driving the news: At a 9News debate earlier this month, many of the heavy hitters in Denver's mayoral race said — with a show of hands — that, if elected, they would pursue RCV or approval voting instead of the current runoff system.

• Meanwhile, Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López, who is running for reelection unchallenged, tells Alayna he still thinks RCV is a "viable option" for the city since he first proposed the idea to council members in 2021.

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A week after becoming the most successful ski racer in Alpine World Cup history, Colorado's Mikaela Shiffrin extended her lead, capping her record-setting season on Sunday with career win No. 88, Axios Sports' Kendall Baker writes.

Between the lines: Every all-time great has a superpower. For Shiffrin, it's her ability to stay healthy — something virtually every other prominent ski racer this century has failed to do.

• Her secret? Caution.

What they're saying: "Avoiding injuries is at least 80% skill," two-time gold medalist Ted Ligety told the New York Times. "[Shiffrin] doesn't put herself in risky positions and when she makes a rare mistake she's so good technically she escapes without a bad fall."

• "I never want to be surprised on skis," said Shiffrin, whose only serious injury in her 13-year career has been a torn MCL in 2015 that cost her two months.

Go deeper: Mikaela Shiffrin's winning ways

😳 A mountain lion clawed at the head of a man who was hot-tubbing in a backyard near Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort on Saturday. He suffered minor injuries. (Colorado Sun)

🚨 An Aurora dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wife searched "how to make poison" online, purchased arsenic and cyanide before she was killed and was having an affair, his arrest affidavit says. (Denver Post)

🚗 Uber is launching a new safety feature in Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins that lets riders and drivers record audio to document incidents as they happen. (9News)

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The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is launching a film series today at the Holiday Theater commemorating the venue's history.

Driving the news: The weekly series, called Cinema Azteca, will feature Mexican and Latin American films to pay homage to the theater being the first in Denver to feature Spanish-language movies.

Details: The new series will feature movies every Tuesday night, and will premiere with a selection of surrealist films by Mexican directors Gerardo Naranjo, María Novaro and Arturo Ripstein.

Big picture: The series is one of multiple programs scheduled at the Holiday Theater running through the summer.

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Casa Bonita's fountain is filled and flowing again.

Why it matters: The return of the iconic Lakewood landmark, which was extracted last June amid extensive renovations, marks the latest step toward reopening the revamped restaurant.

• Coloradans have been eagerly awaiting the big day since the famed institution was bought in late 2021 by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Of note: The restaurant is holding a job fair today, and also booking requests for events starting in July.

What's next: Parker, Stone and executive chef Dana Rodriguez announced the pink palace will open in May with its signature waterfalls, cliff divers and gorillas. (Meet you there. 😎)