The Park - Vol. 22, Issue 4 by The Mix - The Student Voice of Monarch High School

the pack The Student Voice of Monarch High School

sequins

& surgeries Beauchamp battles with hip dysplasia

329 Campus Dr.│Louisville, Colorado│ 80027 Volume 22 Issue 4 February 2020

the pack The Student Voice of Monarch High School

Editor-in-Chief India Turner

Managing Editor Haley Breit

Team Editors Evie Cuffaro Lia Farrell Lindsay Haight Amelia Krueger

Social Media Editor Kate Muldoon

Staff Writers Jacqueline Campbell Ruby Cervantes Kathrin Houston Logan Lair Minh Anh Le Maya Matus Ben McCorrison Lincoln Roch Maria Ruscitto Sam K. Saliba

Cartoonist Akasia Zamastil

Adviser Ben Reed

Our Policies:

Opinions or expressions made by students in this publication are not expressions of Boulder Valley School District Board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students. The Pack is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Monarch High School. The Pack is willing to accept and publish any appropriate articles submitted by students of MHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to mohimediapublications@gmail.com

@mohimix

Foreword

Every day I hear a chorus of seniors saying, “Ugh. I can’t wait to get out of here.” Seniors twirling their pencils and wishing to be anywhere but between these four walls. I can’t even tell you how many posts I’ve seen on Instagram of senior pictures captioned, “only 100 days...,” “only 99 days...,” “only 98 days...,” until freedom. I am not one of those people. Now, it’s not that I’m not excited for college. Of course I am. It represents freedom and growing up and promises lifelong friends and eating ice cream at midnight. But I also appreciate the time that I have now. I appreciate high school and the friends I see every day. I appreciate my parents and free home-cooked meals. I appreciate this magazine and all of the opportunities that it gives me. It seems like such a waste to wish away four months of an amazing life because of excitement over incredible things to come. It’s easy for us to take high school for granted. I know that I take my own health for granted. I don’t mean after you’re sick when you say, “I am so thankful to breathe normally again, I will never take it for granted,” and then immediately forget a week later. I mean the fact that my body is healthy and can function in the ways I want. Even that is not a guarantee. Gillian Beauchamp ‘20 was perfectly healthy, dancing 30 hours a week and chasing her dream of being a professional ballet dancer. But then she heard a pop. After fighting through the pain for a couple of years, she had to have six surgeries that lasted over a year. She went from dancing 30 hours a week to only 5. She took classes for seven and eight year olds. She had to regain her strength. While Gillian was lucky enough to be able to return to dance, this was not guaranteed. Sometimes life hits us in the place we least expect, when we least expect it. We do not know how much time we have. I don’t just mean on this planet. We don’t know if we’ll have the physical ability, money, time, even access to the things that we love to do now. Do not wish away beautiful moments because more beautiful moments are on the horizon. There are things worth appreciating right now. - India Turner, Editor-in-Chief

photo by Karen Pring

I M X MOHI

Monarch High School. MOHI students set trends across Boulder Valley. What we wear, what we say. Everyone wants to be a Coyote. Here are nine things that set us apart in the pack. 4 the pack

X 1

Your vote = your voice Everything you need to know about voting in the primaries By MinhAnh Le and Maya Matus What are the primaries?

The Primary Elections are the process by which voters can indicate their preference for their political party of choice’s presidential candidate in an upcoming election. This March 3, both the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries will be held in Colorado.

What is a caucus?

A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. You must be affiliated with a party to participate in a caucus. Colorado’s caucus will also be held March 3.

Who can vote in the Colorado primaries 2020?

Voters need to be at least 17 years old to be able to vote in the Colorado Primaries. To vote in the primaries, you must be a resident of the state of Colorado by Feb. 11. Voters affiliated with a major party may cast a ballot for candidates of the party they are affiliated with. Major parties are required to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in a primary. Voters affiliated with a minor party may cast a ballot for those candidates if there is a minor party contest for those affiliated with that minor party. Minor parties may refuse to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their primary.

How exactly do you cast your vote?

For the upcoming 2020 Presidential Primaries, county clerks will mail ballots to all registered voters 22 days before Election Day. Registered members of the Democratic and Republican parties will receive one ballot in the mail that exclusively contains their party’s list of presidential candidates. For the first time in the state of Colorado, unaffiliated voters also have the option of participating in the presidential nominating process. These voters will receive both ballots, but are only able to return one of the ballots. If both are returned, neither counts. Votes remain confidential. However, whichever party’s ballot you return will be part of a public record. Place your completed ballot back in the mail. It must be received by your county clerk before polls close on Election Day. Bring your completed ballot to any one of your county’s drop-off sites up until 7:00 P.M. on Election Day. Cast your ballot in person at any polling station in your county between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. on March 3. To vote early in person, select voting centers will be open on Feb. 24.

February 5

Stories behind

the wheel Owner:

Tom Warkins

Make:

Audi

Model:

Year:

2004

Age:

16 years

Color:

Red

Story:

“So a few years back my mom was like, ‘I want to get a convertible Mustang’ and then we went, and she saw the Mustang, and she said ‘That looks too much like a muscle car. I hate that.’ And we all said ‘that’s what a Mustang looks like.’ And then she said, ‘I don’t want a car like that.’ So instead we got an Audi convertible, and it got really old, so they gave it to me.”

Fun quirk: “ “The air conditioning just really smells like fart.” 6 the pack

Tune in

The best place to get your daily news

With the growth of Snapchat and the popular story feature, it was only a matter of time until Snapchat created a news source. Stay Tuned on Snapchat is one of the most trustworthy news sources on social media today. Run by NBC News, they are unbiased and stick to the facts, which makes them a great place to hear about the news. The three-person cast makes for a new and fun way to get the latest and hottest news.

Pure(ina) fear

“Cat food is my irrational fear. I hate it, which is not good considering I have two cats. Especially the wet kind. Oh my god, I hate it so much. Any time anyone rinses out an empty can to recycle it, I clean the sink.” -Devin Vahl ‘20

ColoRADo Your Centennial State playlist

SHUFFLE PLAY Stop and Stare OneRepublic

Dreaming Out Loud

Preacher Man The Driver Era

How to Save a Life The Fray How to Save a Life

Warning (feat. Patricia Lynn) Air Dubai Be Calm

Telepathic Rose Hill Drive

Americana

Ophelia The Lumineers Cleopatra

Bliss Pacific Nerve

Bliss

DONTTRUSTME 3OH!3 WANT

Somebody To Love OneRepublic

Somebody To Love

Ho Hey The Lumineers The Lumineers

February 7

OUR RATINGS OF THE BEST BOTTLED WATER Arrowhead Liquid heaven.

Core Liquid heaven #2. But a little less crisp than Fiji. That’s

Smart It’s an average water, but it has a metallic taste

Dasani

It tastes like nothing for a lot of money.

Mohi Fountain It wasn’t that bad, even though the filter light was red.

Fiji Inarguably the worst water brand. Period.

“I love the rain ,and it always rains in Oregon and it doesn’t snow that much. Colorado’s much colder, and it’s also a lot greener there than here.”

Sophie Taylor ‘22

monarch’s students hail from around the states

“What I miss most [from Seattle] is driving around and seeing plants and just the beautiful scenery.”

Ila McKenna ‘22 8 the pack

where in the world?

“The traffic is a huge difference and the people. Everyone is a lot nicer [here] than they are in California, especially while driving.”

Sophie Stern ‘20

ski

213 votes

34%

snowboard

the great debate

110 votes

MOHI’s Extreme Sports

66%

mohi’s position: ski or snowboard?

1 2 3

Sneaking lunch into class

You didn’t have time to eat your lunch so you have to smuggle it in. You try to be as silent as a mouse. You slither to your seat like a ninja, but they’ve already noticed. As you sit down and begin to enjoy your chicken nuggets in peace, your teacher makes a sarcastic comment, ruining your perfect meal.

Walking up from J-lot when you’re already late

“Why is lunch only 30 minutes?” you ask yourself as the wind blows the sweat off your face as you rush up the sidewalk towards the school. Cars come at you out of nowhere, just slowing you down. Maybe, just maybe, your teacher will be a little forgiving today.

Untangling headphones

As you take them out of your pocket, you see the tangled ball of white strands. You try to at least untie a couple knots, but it’s getting worse. You have to give up due to the stress of unraveling this sorry excuse for headphones. Just buy airpods already.

February 9

The

Prowl Diving head first into life Violet Clyker ‘23 juggles Academics and Multiple Sports By Jackie Campbell

3 Facts About Clyker

10 the pack

Clyker spins flag for the Winter Guard in their show “One More Day”

Clyker maintains good grades while juggling all of her activities

Clyker participates in Marching Band, Winter Guard, Swimming, and Volleyball

Violet Clyker ‘23 has a busy schedule. Participating in various activities such as spinning in Color Guard and Band, swimming frequently for Monarch, being fluent in music theory while playing the cello, picking up volleyball, and even more outside of school, when it comes to time management, Clyker is a master. “Even though I’m busy, keeping my grades up is very important to me, and my parents definitely keep me on track,” Clyker said. She likes all of her activities because they keep her busy and keep her going. “I started Color Guard this year, and I like it a lot because I love the people, and they make it very fun,” she said. According to Clyker, Color Guard is different than sports. “In sports, there’s a team aspect and in Color Guard, it’s all friends. Although I do like having a teamwork and friendship aspect,” Clyker said. She has a passion for all the activities she endeavors in, but she has love for more than just the activities. “The most memorable experiences are mostly the friends but also, the performances. I also like the competitions. I love the adrenaline,” she said Clyker played Volleyball her 8th grade year and this past year in the 2019 Fall season, but it was difficult with all the other activites on top. “I had to miss Volleyball so frequently because of other activities,” she said. “I put in a decent amount of hours. I also play the cello outside of school. I’ve played for about eight years, and I study music theory.” Her biggest focus out of all her activities is swimming. “We practice everyday at 6:30 in the morning, and competitions happen whenever we can get them in, so sometimes we leave school early. It’s all around Colorado,” she said. She enjoys all of her activities, despite being constantly busy, and plans to continue the craziness into her sophomore year. “I want to continue all of my music, and I like swimming and Color Guard,” she said.

MOHI

Hot Takes 5 Predictions for Winter Sports By Lindsay Haight and Logan Lair

Wrestling WinterGuard & Winter Percussion

With Winterguard’s show “One More Day” and Winter Percussion’s show, “Submerged”, they are looking to reach state titles this year.

Boys BASKETBALL

With the season playing out, the Coyotes are looking to get a couple more wins to secure a playoff spot. A close game against Fairview boosted the confidence of the players, propelling them to wins in the future.

With great returning seniors, the boys wrestling team is looking better than ever. Colorado’s top-ranked 126 lbs wrestler Vince Cornella hopes for a state title. The Coyotes are looking great heading into the playoffs and state.

Boys Rugby

The often overlooked rugby team is arguably one of the strongest, most consistent teams at Monarch. With a state title four years ago, the boys are looking to rekindle another run at a championship. With multiple seniors crafting their game, the Yotes skills are going to be unmatched.

Girls

Swimming

Girls Swim and Dive is looking at a promising state meet this year. With a multitude of seniors leading them headfirst, no one will rival the speed and skill of the Lady Yotes. With Amit James ‘20, Katey Lewicki ‘20, and Alison Cross ‘20 they will be unstoppable. February 11

“It made her more determined to do the things that she loved. It definitely changed her. when you go through something like this for a year and a half, you can’t do all the things that you love, and it changes your identity. “ - lisa beauchamp, Gillian’s Mom

“watching her determination was really inspiring. And I know that if people power themselves that way, they can start doing such amazing things. So, she is an inspiration.” - Julia Manley, Gillian’s Dance Coach

By India Turner, Lindsay Haight, Kate Muldoon, and Maya Matus

Gillian Beauchamp ‘20 Battles with hip dysplasia

surgeries

and

of sequins “I wouldn’t say her attitude has changed, but I know she’s become stronger and she’s still the bright bubbly girl I know, and I think that’s really respectable because what she went through is really hard. And she just came out of it smiling.” - Michael Ryterski ‘21

he squirmed in her itchy dress as she looked up at the stage before her, floodlit from the sides and adorned with Christmas decor. Baubles and bells. Trees and tinsel. The lights dimmed and the world seemed to narrow in on the stage as the Tchaikovsky music began. Beautiful ballerinas in tutus and jewels twirled across the stage as Clara, the Nutcracker, and the Sugar Plum Fairy whirled in circles. Gillian Beauchamp ‘20 soon forgot about the uncomfortable lace in her fancy dress. All she could do was picture herself as one of the dancers before her. “I started dancing because of the Nutcracker,” Beauchamp said. “I can remember parts of the first time I saw it. I don’t remember the full story. I remember seeing the dancers on stage and just thinking, ‘Wow I want to do that.’” Ms. Lisa Beauchamp, Gillian’s mom, remembers her daughter perched on the edge of her lap, leaning over the seat in front of them, during the whole performance. “We went just because she was a student there and I never thought it would shape her life, but it did,” Ms. Beauchamp said. Soon after seeing the world’s most famous ballet, she became more serious about ballet.

14 the pack

She has now performed in the Nutcracker every year since she was seven. “I think it’s one of the shows that every company in the U.S. does,” Beauchamp said. “Which is why I think I love it. I dread it every single year. Like, those seven hour rehearsals on Saturdays? Kill me. But it’s so rewarding in the end that it’s worth it.” She spent the next twelve years learning and perfecting the art of pointe ballet. Until the unthinkable happened. One day at rehearsal, she heard a pop. Pain flared outwards like a spilled bottle of ink. It’s fine, she thought. Push through it. This is normal for dancers. There are always aches and pains. But a few months later, Beauchamp was told it was not normal. And it wasn’t something she could push through. She had hip dysplasia. The pain started freshman year. Two weeks before a show, rehearsing the ballet “Firebird.” Hip dysplasia is the medical term for a hip socket that doesn’t fully cover the ball portion of the upper thigh bone. Because of this, the hip joint can then become partially or completely dislocated. “I just danced through it for a while,” Beauchamp said. At first, “it felt like a

tendonitis sort of pain... but by the time I got surgery... it was painful to walk.” The Nutcracker, ripped from her grasp, continued on without her. In her junior year, she was forced to sit on the sidelines, watching the rest of her studio perform in the show that has been her passion ever since she saw that first ballet as a tiny toddler. “Last year, I didn’t get to do the Nutcracker because of my surgeries,” Beauchamp said. “I helped out with giving directions. I was the rehearsal assistant, but not being able to dance with my friends was extremely hard. Knowing that they’re doing what they love and I can’t put me into this really bad mind state where I wanted to stop dancing.” If Beauchamp had only suffered from hip dysplasia, her pain and treatment would have been minimal. But since she had continued to dance without treatment, she ended up with multiple labral tears in both hips. “I had anywhere from five to seven tears in my left hip and three to four in my right,” Beauchamp said. Labral tears are a result of a labrum injury, which is the soft tissue in the hip. “It wasn’t like dance caused it. My genetics caused it, but dance made it worse,” she said.

Within the next year, Beauchamp had six hip surgeries. “What they do is they break your pelvis,” Beauchamp said. “Well, they don’t break it they ‘cut it.’ So they cut your pelvis and then they rotate it over your femur head and then they screw it back in place.” “Before [the surgery], I was kind of freaked out,” Beauchamp said. “Hate needles, hate them... They put the IV in, and I was sitting there, and they gave me a bunch of pills to take before. I hate taking pills too. Perfect situation.” So while other girls rehearsed their grandjetes and pirouettes, Beauchamp was stuck in the hospital, folding paper cranes and waiting for her time offstage to be over. “When you go through something like this for basically a year and a half,” Ms. Beauchamp said, “you can’t do all the things that you love, and it changes your identity.” After the second and third surgery, the hospital walls became her home for a week. Due to her surgery in November of her junior year, Beauchamp was unable to return to school, and her grades were frozen at Thanksgiving Break. “I went from dancing thirty hours a week in August to five hours a week in May,”

Beauchamp said. “It was just too painful to dance.” In the summer before her senior year, Beauchamp began to ease herself into her old routine, but she still had to deal with the after effects of her surgeries. She had to take seven and eight year old classes to retrain. “It was really frustrating,” Beauchamp said. There were a few times where I was like why did I even do this? Why didn’t I just suck it up and dance through the pain?” Beauchamp had to be careful not to make her pain from surgery worse. “She would start back at a lower level and then slowly work her way up,” Ms. Julia Manley, Beauchamp’s dance teacher, said. However, after almost a year of hospital visits and six surgeries, Beauchamp was able to get back to dance. “She realized through the process that the doctor could fix her hips, but she had to do all of the work to get back to where she wants to be. Nobody is going to do that for her,” Ms. Beauchamp said. But Beauchamp wasn’t able to pick back up where she left off. It was a struggle. “The first few times were frustrating. My teacher was always like, ‘Light face, be happy that you’re back.’ But I was like, ‘It’s hard, I

can’t do anything.’ But I think, too, I was just grateful for the opportunity to dance again,” Beauchamp said. By December of 2019, however, Beauchamp was no longer held back by her surgeries. She was finally able to be in the Nutcracker again. And this time, in her dream role. “I got to be my dream role, which is Snow Queen. It was so magical, especially after everything that happened with my surgeries.” She danced her heart out. Twirling in sequins and sparkles again. “She was in a warmup class before the Nutcracker where she was Snow Queen, and all of a sudden I remembered this whole journey. Sometimes you are just so in the moment you forget all of the ups and downs that you’ve been through,” Ms. Manley said. “They all came flooding back to me, and we both just spontaneously started sobbing.” After such a long and exhausting journey, Gillian was finally back to her happy place. “I didn’t know if I would be able to perform after that. So doing my dream role after such a hard year, it was just so exciting and celebratory. I would say that was my favorite performance,” Beauchamp said.

February 15

park

the people of the denver skate park

By Evie Cuffaro, Sam Saliba, Jacqueline Campbell and India Turner 16 the pack

e arrived at the Denver Skate Park at 8:30 am, precisely. We stepped out of our cars and started making our way around the mostly vacant park. Two men in their early twenties skated, equipped with workout gear and gym bags, around their basecamp at the Gazebo in the center of the park against the backdrop of the Denver skyline touching infinity. After walking around for a bit, they paid no attention to us, and it felt as though we were encroaching on their space. Just a few minutes later, a man who

appeared to be homeless approached us. We noticed him sitting on a ledge in the far corner of the park, but like the others, he hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t acknowledged our presence when we first arrived. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can I borrow a lighter?â&#x20AC;? he said, his last cigarette dangling from his fingers. After reluctantly giving him a lighter from the pocket of my jacket, he returned back to his corner of the park without saying another word. Iced Caramel Macchiatos in hand and slightly dazed from our first interaction, we immediately felt out of place.

February 17

10:10 am zack

18 the pack

fter about an hour had passed, the park finally started to see some new faces, including Zack, a tall guy in his early-to-mid twenties, and a woman who might’ve been his mother. The woman was filming Zack doing different tricks around the park, and when we asked if we could take photos of them, Zack was kind enough to repeat the same trick ad nauseum until we

had the perfect shot. It turned out he wasn’t from around the city or anywhere near at all. From the looks of it, he was moving states, because he was just making a stop in Denver while driving a U-Haul from Nebraska to Arizona. I’ve seen [The Denver Skatepark] on Instagram, but I never knew the names of the individual skate parks around here. When I saw it, I knew I had to stop by,” he said.

THE GAZEBO

he challenge we faced was one of intimidation, as most people seemed busy or unapproachable. After nearly two hours at the Denver Skatepark we had only talked to a few people, and we never talked for more than a few minutes. At the top of the list was a group of guys who had gathered under a Gazebo, right in the center of the park. Their dogs were playing together, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves as they laughed and smoked. After sitting on a nearby ledge and struggling to make a connection with anyone at the park for almost half an hour, they yelled in our general direction, asking us to come over. We introduced ourselves to Lee-the OG of Denver skateparkand his dog, Fever. Explaining that we were talking photos for Monarchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media, Lee told us that he was a photographer too. We met his crew and slowly became part of their group. Including us in their conversations made us feel integrated and accepted into the skatepark.

11: 42 am February 19

2:57 pm A

larry

s the temperature warmed up, so did we. The skatepark was now filled with people, and with our confidence sparked, we branched out to another skater, Larry. His whole life had been about skating and music, so he often found himself at the skatepark. Denver specifically, because of its location in the heart of downtown Denver, and for the vibes. “When you come down to DPark, it’s peace, love, and positivity,” Larry said. Denver skatepark was a place where everyone knows everyone, and he was able to point out eight different people that he was friends with. He embraced Wyatt, who had met Larry at the skatepark, along with many other good friends. Wyatt emphasized that DPark was a community, where everyone felt comfortable with each other. “When people first start skating, they are always scared to skate in front of everybody because a lot of good people come here, but honestly, everyone here is nice,” he said. It became clear that the Denver skatepark was about much more than skateboarding, it was about the bonds and friendships that were made there.

20 the pack

“You gotta watch out for the crackheads here and there, but otherwise you’re fine. everybody else is nice and kind, that’s just the culture, dawg. We’re down to help

anybody else.” -andrew

February 21

Playing through the Pain Monarchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough-as-nails choir and jazz band teacher balances a tumultuous Jazz career By Amelia Krueger, Logan Lair, Sam K. Saliba, and Maria Ruscitto

22 the pack

Who has Mrs. Church played with? Dizzy Gillespie Legendary American jazz trumpeter, songwriter, and singer, famous for songs such as “Oop Bob Sh’ Bam,” “Salt Peanuts,” and “A Night in Tunisia,” and for bringing new, unheard of harmonies to jazz. Aretha Franklin Musical icon known for singing about truth, justice, and soul. Some of her most famous songs are “Respect,” “Freeway of Love’’ and “I Say a Little Prayer.” She died of pancreatic cancer in 2018, but had been performing for 60 years. Doc Severinsen Famous pop jazz conductor, who led the band for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Audience across America respect Doc and his band because of his love of big band music.

yes closed. Music flowing through her veins as she plays in perfect harmony with her band. It looks as if she is possessed by the music just waiting to play the next note, as if the drumsticks are an extension of her hands. It’s instinct. Every beat perfectly timed, every moment hanging in the air right before it happens. Through sound she creates a thrilling chase scene in a movie, a 1950s New York mobster club, and a nice calm cafe fill the air as the band members feed off of each other’s energy. Monarch’s jazz band teacher Mrs. Clare Church has been a professional Jazz player throughout her entire teaching career. Dedicating her life to being the best she could be at the saxophone, Mrs. Church was given the opportunity to play with many of the greats. She played with music legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, and Doc Severinsen, who led the band for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. “I played at the Hollywood Bowl with Joe Henderson at the ‘Playboy Jazz Festival,” she said. Playing throughout most of her life, the saxophone was one of the most important things for her. However, she didn’t realize all of that was about to change. Seven years ago, Mrs. Church was diagnosed with Dystonia, a neurological disorder that causes a person’s muscles to contract uncontrollably. Dystonia affected her tongue and jaw, putting an end to her booming saxophone career. ”I was at the absolute peak of my playing, I was a really good player,” Church said. “It was a terrible blow. So, I kind of was just like, ‘My life is over.’” Through all of the devastation she experienced, Mrs. Church powered through it and uncovered a love for another instrument. “I had messed around with the drums my whole life and never really got serious with it but I knew I had

some affinity for it. I knew I had some talent,” she said. “I started taking lessons immediately the day of the diagnosis, I called the guy and said I got to start taking weekly lessons, just in case.” The diagnosis was tough, and while Mrs. Church may have overcome it, she did not do it without struggle and pain. She tried and tried and tried to hold onto the saxophone and gain her skills back but unfortunately, dystonia is incurable. “I tried retraining, I went to all kinds of lengths to try to retrain my brain to get my woodwind playing back but I couldn’t get it back, ultimately,” she said. Through it all, it was her love and passion for teaching that brought her back out of the depths. She continued teaching through her hardship, and continues to influence her students for the better every single day. “Mrs. Church is a truly inspiring teacher. So many kids have had her as a teacher, and learned to love music, as much as she does. She treats us like musicians rather than students, which allows us to grow beyond the classroom,” Colin Raulf ‘20 said. Fiona Cubius ‘21 feels similarly. “Ms. Church is the kind of teacher everyone wants to have, but nobody knows it,” she said. “She’s the sweetest teacher and always wants the best for her students. She’s a hard-working, motivated teacher who doesn’t get enough credit for all that she does.” The feeling is mutual between Mrs. Church and her students, and teaching was a blessing for her during her battle with dystonia. “The teaching became more important to me. All of a sudden that’s what I had for a while,” she said. “Teaching saved me for sure, because I love these guys [the students], no joke. I would take a bullet for them, and I think they would do the same for me.”

February 23

#pets of monarch

By Lia Farrell, Ruby Cervantes, Haley Breit and Minh Anh Le

24 the pack

From dogs to cats to horses, pets are the best part of any student's life. Here are some of Monarch's cutest!

February 25

games waste a good fifteen minutes of lunch with these fun games!

Down: 2. A place to let your dog play 3. An animal that meows 5. A yellow toy dogs love to fetch 6. Something cats love to chase

26 the pack

Across: 1. A young dog 4. A young cat 7. An animal that barks 8. Dry food for dogs 9. Something to keep your dog from running away 10. Something used to carry a petâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identification

crossword puzzle

word search C

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BEAGLE BOBTAIL CHIHUAHUA CORGI FETCH FLUFFY HAMSTER HEDGEHOG

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KIBBLE KITTEN PAWS POOCH PUPPY RABBITS TURTLES

February 27

Our monthly question...

What makes you put on a tin hat?

It is common knowledge that Carl Fredricksen from the Pixar movie Up equips his house to fly away to the South American wilderness. My theory is that Carl dies in his sleep the night before he would be taken to Shady Oaks. The whole movie is meant to show his journey to the afterlife so he can finally be with his wife, Ellie. He is guided by Russell, his guardian angel. This theory makes sense because at the end when Russell and Carl are eating ice cream, it is supposed to represent that he finally got to heaven. Just think about it.

Something just isn’t right with Denver International Airport. The place gives off genuinely terrifying vibes. The ominous, circus-like tents that just happen to protect from infrared scanning. The entrance, guarded by the deep blue, devilish horse that killed its own creator. The whole place is filled with threatening artwork. The mere fact that the space it occupies is larger than the entire island of Manhattan. What does it need all that for? Well, that’s obvious. They know something is coming, and they have a plan for when it does. So when the apocalypse arrives, you know where I’ll be.

Lia Farrel - DIA

Lindsay Haight - Up When was the last time you or your family went out and bought a mattress at Mattress Firm? I don’t think I’ve ever even stepped foot inside one before. So tell me, how are there so many all over the place? I once saw two on the same street, and there is no way there is THAT big of a demand for mattresses. Personally, I think it’s an undercover drug ring. Yes, I understand that’s a very bold assumption to make about such an innocent company, but how else are they staying open AND in such a high concentration? It just doesn’t make sense.

Ruby Cervantes - Matress Firm

Disney+. The on-demand service has made over $10 million since its release with over ten million subscribers. Perhaps the biggest source of that success are two appealing words: Baby Yoda. The Mandalorian, the very successful show on Disney+, has to have some success with Disney. I mean, it’s no fluke that Baby Yoda increased Disney’s earnings by 34% and became one of the largest blowups in social media history. It’s been over three months since the streaming service came out. Disney just added this platform to grow their monopoly, and it wouldn’t be shocking if they have more lovable and moneymaking schemes planned for the future.

Benjamin McCorrison - Baby Yoda 28 the pack

The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most mysterious places on earth. Over centuries, many ships and aircrafts have encountered strange incidents of disappearances. On December 22, 1967 Coast Guard received a call about a cabin cruiser named Witchcraft sailing to Miami. The ship had hit something but there was no damage. The Coast Guard reached its location within fifteen minutes, but nothing was there. There wasn’t a single ship within a 100 mile radius. This boat was virtually unsinkable, and it had vanished, and was never found. There are many rational and irrational explanations of the Bermuda Triangle, but like this one, most remain unsolved.

Jackie Campbell - Bermuda triangle The Berenstein Bears defined my childhood. Or so I thought because The Berenstein Bears aren’t The Berenstein Bears at all. They are The BerenSTAIN Bears. I feel like I have been living a lie, and I’m not the only one. After spending way too many hours on the internet, my mind has officially been blown. The Monopoly Man doesn’t have a monocle. Curious George doesn’t have a tail. Life isn’t like a box of chocolates; life was like a box of chocolates. There is no way so many people can have these “false” memories. There has to be another explanation, and the only one I can think of is that we live in a multiverse.

Haley Breit - Alternate dimensions There was a time when birds were peaceful, innocent creatures who roamed the earth. In 2020, however, they are all gone. You might think you see birds flying around, but I promise you, those aren’t birds. The CIA used chemtrails to exterminate all birds and replaced them with surveillance cameras. These inconspicuous spies are perfect for close up videos and overhead tracking. They have surveilled your friends. Your family. And you. Everywhere around you, they are recording every movement you make. The “birds” are always watching.

Evie Cuffaro - Birds aren’t real

The evolution of dating Two writers take sides on casual relaionships vs romantic relationships

Self love over anyone else By Jacqueline Campbell Casual relationships are better because they are more realistic. I believe that being overly romantic and involved with someone makes time management more difficult. It’s harder to find alone time or even time with friends or other people who aren’t the significant other. There is nothing wrong with relationships, but there is a limit. Being more casual and professional will allow you to be more focused on your priorities and be more realistic overall. As young adults, relationships are tough. High school is a time where growth is more prominent, mentally and physically. Casual dating makes relationships easier to maintain. There are fewer expectations, which means fewer problems in the long run. Priorities and goals are important to keep in mind, and relationships that are too romantic make focusing hard. Also, in young relationships, college is around the corner, and when high school is over, generally people go their separate ways. It is easier to move on with your future when you’re not seriously involved with someone. Even if you plan on doing long distance, casually is going to make that a lot easier. Feeling tied down to another person can prevent you from moving on and getting out there, even just for yourself. In the long run, keeping a relationship casual is best for both yourself and your partner. It makes it easier to have multiple activities in our lives, travel, and be comfortable on our own sometimes when it is necessary. Don’t give into pressure or create it in your relationship. Be committed in your relationships, but be more committed to yourself.

Old fashioned love By Maria Ruscitto You read books and see old vintage movies about it. You know, the classic asking a girl out face to face, the guy picking her up at her house and giving her flowers. They go to a drive-in movie or maybe go to a diner and get milkshakes and a burger. They would send each other notes and find them in their lockers. They had the courage to go up and ask them out. Getting dressed up for a date. The excitement, the rush, the experience, the fun of getting ready to go out and going out on a date with that one specific person. Why can’t we bring that back? This generation is completely different than how it was years ago. Nowadays, we just text, “Wanna go out?” or just ask for their Snapchat. You might be talking, but we’re not really communicating. Why did it suddenly change? Wanting to hook up with someone is not a “date.” I rarely see anyone go on dates in our generation. Relationships should have a more personal meaning than just casually hooking up. It should be about spending time together and caring for each other. Movies like “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Love Rosie” are perfect examples of what love should look like.They tell their crush they like them and go on cute dates. They will do anything just to be with the love of their life. Seeing the reaction when you tell someone that you are in love with them, and then seeing the smile appear on their faces, makes the whole thing worth it. Spending time with them makes it worth it. Planning and going out on dates makes all the effort worth it. Go and ask your crush out. Go ahead and plan that special date. I promise, it will definitely be worth it.

Romantic gestures or casual dates? Carmen Hintch ‘21 “You’ll remember it more and it will last longer if they tell you in person than over text... I probably would prefer someone to pick me up at my house and then we could go on a date or ask me out. Because I feel like it’s something a lot of people imagine, especially girls. And you have this whole moment when it’s just you guys.”

Maddy Bridge ‘20 “I think relationships can be casual depending on the situation. If both people are down for being more casual, I don’t see a problem. It really depends on how they feel about it.”

Linzee Hibbard ‘21

“Yeah, I prefer when the guys would show up at your doorstep and ask you to prom that way instead of texting. I feel like that’s how it’s supposed to be. I mean, obviously texting is communicating, but face to face is different.”

Jake Mayer ‘20

“I like it more casual but there are definitely times where being romantic is necessary. Although you are able to be more understanding and live your life when a relationship isn’t your main focus.”

Gavin Varner ‘21

“Money isn’t an object to me, it should be more about the sentiment behind the gift being given. So, yeah, I absolutely think more people should do romantic stuff. It’s more fun that way.”

Maggie nussbaum ‘21

Romantic gestures are nice, but it’s high school, so that doesn’t really happen. And to plan a whole big thing or to buy somebody flowers, that costs a lot of money.”

February 29

Embrace your accent

If english isn’t your first language, or you have an accent, it can be hard to feel accepted in a new culture

By Minh Anh Le

Accents are common all over the world

14.4

percent of people in the United States are migrants from another country

percent of the world population can speak more than one language

percent of people in the United States can’t speak English, or speak very limited English 30 the pack

“Oh, where are you from?” or “Your accent is so interesting!” I can’t count how many times I’ve been told this. And I’m not the only one who faces this problem. I moved to the United States two years ago, and English has never been easy for me, and social discrimination against foreign accents just makes me feel even more insecure. I didn’t even know what an accent was until more and more people told me about it. I started to feel there was something wrong with my Vietnamese accent. I was told by someone to improve my accent so it’s more “native” because people usually believe certain regional accents seem inferior in some ways. In the beginning, I thought it was just a minority opinion, but the more I research, there are dozens of “accent reduction classes.” It made me believe that my accent is different. It isn’t welcome. I sat in my room for hours, recording my own voice, hating it, and wishing it would be “better.” I hated my voice and put myself down because of what people said. Deep down, I felt lost with a constant noise in my head telling me I’m not good enough. I’m not the only victim of this social discrimination. There are people who are afraid to speak up because they are scared that when they talk, others will see something wrong about them. And they feel anxiety. The older I get, the more I realize it’s totally pointless to base your self-worth on a person’s opinion who barely knows who you are. Most of the time, people only think they are making a joke and forget it right after they say it, but it could hurt a person’s feelings and stays longer than they thought it would. What

people thought was just a joke makes me feel insecure, and I wish that I was someone else every time I think about it. People assume so many things based on where someone comes from and their accent. They believe a certain accent is superior, and the rest are inferior. It lowers people’s self-esteem, and some people are underrated because of their regional accent. People keep chasing for a standard accent because they believe otherwise they will face disadvantages in opportunities in life. This instilled idea needs to stop because it’s the person’s choice about whether to reduce their accent or keep it as how it is. When I first set foot in the US, the little English that I knew was barely enough to communicate with others. I felt a mixed feeling of fear, nervousness, and embarrassment. Imagine having to speak in a different language rather than your own and move across the world to a place you’ve never been. It’s never easy, and it takes a great deal of effort. So, others, who have no idea about the struggles that foreigners are facing, should stop making judgments and putting even more pressure on them. People should feel more sympathy for others because it takes one second to make a judgment, but it stays with the other person for the rest of their life. Accents don’t define a person, but it’s a unique thing about someone and there’s no standard for which accent is better than which. Everyone has their own different voice, and that is what makes our world diverse. We should appreciate that instead of criticizing or making judgments.

I moved to the United States two years ago and English has never been easy for me, and social discrimination against foreign accents just makes me feel even more insecure.

Votes are like ripples. A single stone doesn’t make much of a difference, except for the fact that it disturbs the water around it. It ripples outwards, affecting everything it touches. Votes are like ripples. Yes, a single stone, a single vote, once cast into the water, drops like a rock, quickly forgotten underneath the blue depths. The stone itself is lost in a vast expanse of water. The vote goes unseen among the votes of millions. So, based on that logic, the stone doesn’t matter. Except for the fact that it creates a ripple. It affects its surroundings, and although the stone itself may be lost beneath the surface, the water is changed. Votes are like ripples. We fall into the trap that a single vote doesn’t matter, because we’re a fraction of a fraction of a percent. We are just a single stone in a very big sea. And to a certain extent, that is true. The vote is not so close that your absence would sway the tide. But the power in voting is that by choosing to vote and advertising it, shouting at the top of our lungs that we care and we haven’t given up and that we are still here, it sends a ripple. Everything that we do ripples outwards. Kindness, anger, compassion. Voting is the same. Because people change people. We are shaped by the people around us every day, their emotions and thoughts influence our mood, our outlook, our beliefs. Our chance for change is not in some far distant future, but now. The 2020 Colorado Primaries are Tuesday, March 3. And this is the first election any of us can vote in. If we miss our chance to make a ripple, we cannot get it back. Young voters never show up to vote. It’s

aren’t able make our voice heard about anything. So make sure that your voice is heard. The 2020 Colorado Primaries are on Tuesday, March 3. Here are the requirements. You need to have been a resident of Colorado for 22 days. You need to be 17 years old and turn 18 before the general election. The form is unbelievably simple. A two minute task. Driver’s license identification number or social security number. First name, last name. Date of birth. Address. The ballot even shows up at your front doorstep. Search “USA Gov Register to Vote,” pick Colorado as your state of residence, and register to vote online in less time than it takes to make breakfast. That’s all it takes to make a ripple. Five minutes and a few filled out bubbles to make your voice matter. When you don’t vote, you are saying the status quo is fine Opinion of the staff editorial board with you. That nothing needs to change. It doesn’t matter what party, what agenda, or even what candidate you vote for. What matters is that you vote. Because it takes ripple upon ripple upon just a fact. In polls across the United States, ripple to create a wave. young voters time and time again say they Votes are like ripples. Nothing changes are going to vote, only to vanish when the unless you throw the stone. actual vote takes place. And yet we are the ones calling for action. We are the ones protesting and posting for change. We are the ones complaining about the system and demanding for better. But if we don’t vote, we have no right to complain about the system that we are complacent in not changing. Voting is the simplest way to make your voice heard. And if our generation can’t do that, then we

Votes are like ripples

Nothing will change if young people don’t use thier voice

Go to

vote.gov

to register to vote! February 31

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