February

Thursday, February 28, 2013 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT OUR NATION’S LEADERS

monarch artists take home gold

teammate or mate: TRIPLET EDITION

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The Howler Volume 14

Issue 6

A student publication of Monarch High School since 1998. 329 Campus Drive, Louisville, CO

Illustration by Aleiya Evison

Modern day vernacular decoded

by Katie Berohn Walking down the halls of Monarch, chances are you’ll hear plenty of words you never knew existed. You can either spend your Monarch experience wondering what all these words could mean, or you could study up now and impress all of your friends with your knowledge of the MoHi lingo.

Swerve [swurv] noun, swerve

Trill [tril] noun, adjective, trill

Used in place of swag, derived from the Kanye West song “Mercy”. Can also be used as a substitute for cool.

“I scored the greatest view at the last basketball game!”

“Swerve.”

An alternate word for chill, also used as a combination between true and real.

“Man that guy is so trill.”

Swag [swag] noun, verb, swagged, Bunk [buhngk] adswag·ging jective, bunk Having good appearance, style, or presentation. Can also be used in place of the word cool, or in agreement.

“That guy has some serious swag.

A word used to mean nonsense or to describe something bad.

“That AP test yesterday was bunk.”

Hashtag[hastag] noun, verb, hash·tag, hash·tagg·ing Originating from Twitter, a hashtag is a way to “tag” posts of a certain topic to make sure

more people see them. In conversation, hashtag is used before a phrase or word to emphasize it.

“My internet was down yesterday so I couldn’t watch Netflix when I got home.”

“Hashtag first world problems.”

Dope [dohp] adjective, dope Cool or awesome.

“That concert last night was dope!”

Hyphy [HIGH-fee] adjective, hyph·y Out of control, high energy, crazy.

“Let’s get hyphy!”

OPINIONS

in a galaxy far, far away...

“The first of the next trilogy movies, the seventh in the series, will be released in May of 2015. Naturally, the nerdiverse imploded, exploded, and somersaulted out of sheer ecstasy with these revelations that they, the devoted fans, will soon be able to yet again go to a galaxy far, far away.”

by Dalton Valette

trilogy have the main characters Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa return? he movie series that defined a gen- What are people’s feelings about J.J. Abrams, the director of eration (or two), rival space opspawned hundreds era films Star of bestselling science Trek and Star fiction novels, hundreds Trek: Into Darkof Hasbro action figures, ness, taking the dozens of TV shows, 25 reins? Will DisAcademy Award nominaney rejuvenate tions with ten wins, many the series like of the most well-known it did Marvel? movie quotes in cinema Is Disney gohistory, and grossed over ing to make the four billion dollars worldmovies more wide. child friendly?

The space opera film And the biggest series has always resided question of all... in the hearts and minds will these new of people across the movies live up globe with their recogto the already nizable, sometimes zany Himalayan characters, unusual and amount of hype fantastical weaponized that is being beams of light, and wild, presented, withaction packed, visually out even a full dazzling effects, but in Photo Credit: MCT Campus script written? recent months gossip Here are the about the series has exhard core facts ploded to astronomical that have been presented thus far. First off, proportions.

On October 30th of 2012, Disney bought J.J. Abrams is directing, after first denying any involvement, and will not direct the third Lucasfilm (the film company that produced all of the Star Wars films) for a jaw dropping four Star Trek film in order to direct Star Wars VII. Disney appears to not be “child proofing” their billion dollars and shortly after announced movies as of late (prime examples being all plans to release another sequel trilogy along with multiple spin off films focusing on indi- the Avenger universe movies along with Pividual characters like Yoda and Boba Fett. The rates of the Caribbean and the upcoming first of the next trilogy movies, the seventh in The Lone Ranger.) Michael Arndt, the Academy Award winning screenwriter for Little Miss the series, will be released in May of 2015.

Naturally, the nerdiverse imploded, exploded, Sunshine and Toy Story 3, will pen Star Wars VII while Lawrence Kasdan (Star Wars V and and somersaulted out of sheer ecstasy with these revelations that they, the devoted fans, VI) and Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes and X-Men: First Class) will write the screenplays will soon be able to yet again go to a galaxy for Star Wars Episodes VIII and IX. Recently, it far, far away. (And hopefully with more vigor, was revealed Harrison Ford has in fact signed dazzle, and plot than the prequel trilogy inthe on to reprise his role as Han Solo along with early 2000’s.)

Mark Hamill in strong talks to reprise his role.

But, with all this news and gossip spreading rampantly, dozens of questions Carrie Fisher is likely to return as well, while Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson have popped into the minds of many 2 also shown an interest in wielding a blue or Wars fans, like me. What will the new trilogy focus on? Will the new purple lightsaber again. Finally, Lucasfilm will

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launch spin off movies and hope to possibly release a movie every year in the near future. That’s about it for hard core facts.

Screenwriter Michael Arndt is keeping his lips sealed about the plot and any real aspects of the script for the upcoming Star Wars adventure. “As a fan, I wouldn’t want to know too much,” he said in an interview with IGN. “I know that’s impossible because it’s not the ’70s or ’80s anymore, but part of what was so exciting about A New Hope for me was I was entering into a universe I didn’t know. I’d rather [fans] have something left to discover when they go in.”

So with all of the news a-blazing about the upcoming films, what about some nostalgia?

Star Wars (before it was called Episode IV: A New Hope) opened in 1977 on budget of just eleven million dollars. The third film directed

by George Lucas received critical acclaim for its unbelievable visuals, unique characters, and compelling narrative. Star Wars shattered box office records and was the highest grossing film of all time from 1979-1983. The beloved film won six Academy Awards and was nominated in the fields of Best Picture and Best Director.

A sequel was made for a higher budget ($32 million) and at the time only received mildly positive reviews and was nominated for two Academy Awards and won for Best Sound. As the years have progressed, The Empire Strikes Back has been hailed by many as an improvement over its predecessor. Some argue that this is one of the rare times the sequel was better than the first one. (I happen to agree with this.)

The final chapter in the original series, The Return of the Jedi, which was made for the same amount as The Empire Strikes Back, received largely positive reviews from fans and critics and was nominated for four Academy Awards, and walked out empty handed. To this day, most would agree this is the weakest film of the original trilogy in large part to the added childish elements of this movie such as the annoying and stupid Ewoks, fuzzy little creatures I think were added to better improve sales of cute toys.

For years after, Star Wars remained in the back of people’s minds as many wondered what had transformed Anakin Skywalker from a noble Jedi into the evil Sith Darth Vader.

(Sorry for the spoiler, but who doesn’t know

at this point?) All these questions were going to be answered in 1999, over twenty years after the release of Star Wars, when George Lucas released The Phantom Menace, the first in a new prequel trilogy that would follow Anakin’s rise and fall. Well, The Phantom Menace was a dud critically (thanks a lot, Jar Jar Binks) but financially, it grossed well over one billion dollars. Three years later, Attack of the Clones was released to better critical reception than that of The Phantom Menace but didn’t gross nearly as much at the box office. To conclude the prequel trilogy, Lucas released his “final” Star Wars film The Revenge of the Sith. This is the only Star Wars film to receive a PG-13 rating, but that didn’t seem to hurt it. The film was a critical and financial success and marked an overall satisfying (although I still would have liked to see Jar Jar Binks killed, just saying) conclusion of the film series. UNTIL 2015!

Now, fans are drooling at every last bit of information that they can get their hands on, which is understandable. The series is one of the best film series in cinematic history (we can always just gloss over the disappointing prequel trilogy, too) and what a lot of people don’t realize is just how culturally significant Star Wars is to our society. The characters are plastered everywhere, lines such as “No, I am your father,” and “the force will be with you, always” are common vernacular, while merchandise (parodied excellently in Spaceballs) sells by the thousands. Who didn’t have a few lightsabers at their house? I know I had (okay, have, present tense) at least two.

Star Wars is forever in our lives and in our minds, though one may not fully know it. In its core, Star Wars is a triumphant story of good defeating evil and that maybe, despite all the horrible atrocities that happen such as invading ice planets of Hoth and blowing up planets with the Death Star, there is hope that out there in the vast never regions of Earth and space, a new hope will rise.

dont pass on taking tests Why standardized tests are important for students today

by Natalie Forman

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magine getting a driver’s license without taking a test.

Consider what would happen if medical students did not have to take an entrance exam to begin their education. Without tests, both of these situations would result in individuals being a danger to the public as well as to themselves. While many students groan about having to take standardized tests, they are, in fact, a pivotal part of assessing individuals in all aspects of life.

Standardized tests are a way to give students feedback on their current knowledge.

Tests can highlight individual strengths as well as weaknesses. Rather than wondering if they are below average in reading analysis, students can see how they compare to others in their grade level. Instead of just being able to see how individuals are doing in their class, standardized tests allow students to see how they are doing at the state level as well as national level.

It is impossible to remove the bias that teachers have when grading student work, which often skews student results and rankings. Standardized tests allow students to be ranked in a way that is not skewed like grades so often are. There are even concerns over “social promotion” which is when students are allowed to graduate from each grade level de-

spite being unable to meet certain benchmarks and standards.

Without these tests, policy makers would have to rely on individual school tests and would have to somehow compare these scores with others to get a good idea of the level each student is at. By having an unbiased test, schools can easily identify which students are in need of additional help or tutoring in specific subjects.

All students should be able to meet standards, regardless of their financial status or a possible disability if adequate resources are available. These tests set the expectation that students are supposed to strive to meet certain standards and try to acquire skills that are above the minimum requirements. Rather than assume that students are getting the education they need, standardized tests allow students and their parents to see how they are doing with basic ideas and also shows them the rewards of hard work and studying. Along with this, by taking the similar tests over an extended period of time, parents and students can see their growth and progress throughout their education.

Joel Klein, JD, former New York City Schools Chancellor, stated in a May 28, 2008 talk posted at BigThink.com, “...[I]f you don’t test whether people are getting it, then you can live under the illusion that they got it without the proof that they’re getting it. And so to me the challenge is to make sure the tests are rigorous, that they test the full range of things, but don’t walk away from assessment.”

There is a right place and time for standardized testing. No one can be perfectly summarized by data points from a test, but they can learn valuable information about themselves and their knowledge through these evaluations. While firing a teacher or principal due to score results may seem extreme, teachers do need to be accountable for their students’ education. Teaching to the test is not what students need; they need solid foundations and mechanics which teachers should be capable of teaching.

Gregory J. Cizek, PhD, Professor of Educational Measurement and Evaluation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, stated in a March, 2010 interview for The Economist, “The typical [statewide] tests administered today in every American state are far and away the most accurate, free-of-bias, dependable, and efficient tests that a student will encounter in his or her schooling. They routinely measure whether students have learned important knowledge and skills, and they provide high-quality, useful information to students, parents, educators, and policymakers about achievement in core subjects.”

In high school, standardized state tests become invaluable as they have helped students prepare for college entrance exams. By taking exams that are objective and focused on basic skills, students are able to take the SAT and

Photo Credit MCT Campus

ACT feeling better prepared. While standardized tests are not the answer to all concerns about education in the United States, they are a critical part of individual evaluation and assessment in lower education. Although kids will always complain when TCAP week comes around in the spring, they should remember that without standardized tests, any old quack off of the street could end up diagnosing them in the hospital.

Going Against the Standard Reform needed in ineffective standardized tests

by Mia Mulvahill

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lbert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Our country’s standardized testing system is essentially judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree, but instead of a fish, it is judging children on their ability to answer questions in a stressful situation.

Standardized tests such as the ACT, the SAT, and TCAPs are not a fair and accurate representation of a person’s intelligence, and need to be severely reformed or abolished.

It is unfair to base a person’s future (meaning the colleges they get accepted to, the jobs they will hold and the lifestyle they will lead due to that job) on a single multi-hour test.

In many cases, students may score poorly on these tests simply because they do not know or understand the material they’re being tested on. It is not the fault of a high school student if their teachers did a poor job teaching, or never taught them some of the subject matter on these standardized tests; students may not be being given the necessary tools to succeed on these tests, through no fault of their own. It is unfair to give a student a low score on these tests because of their teachers’ choice to leave out certain aspects of a curriculum.

I’ve known many highly-intelligent people who simply do not do well on tests. According to kidshealth.org, “Test anxiety is actually a type of performance anxiety — a feeling someone might have in a situation where performance really counts or when the pressure’s on to do well.” Test anxiety can cause anything from poor performance to tension headaches and nausea. In situations like this, a student may score poorly on a standardized test no matter how well they know the material or how hard they study, because they have no control over their anxiety. ACT and SAT scores are a large part of college admissions, putting a huge amount of pressure on the test-taker. One

Cartoon credit: Terran Fox

botched ACT score can seriously jeopardize a student’s college career, and ultimately a student’s entire future, and that is just too big a burden to expect a student to bear-especially one with test anxiety.

These standardized tests are not an accurate assessment of a person’s intelligence.

They are graded on cookie-cutter standards where there is only one right answer. One score on one test can not possibly properly evaluate a person’s intelligence. Being smart is a trait that goes beyond knowledge from books and memorized facts. Colleges should consider much more than an ACT score in a

prospective student. Knowledge is a combination of common sense, intuition, personal experience, creativity in addition to things learned in school. By giving students scores on these standardized tests for colleges to consider, the system is demeaning their intelligence down to one number- a number that can not tell a person’s social skills, common sense or any other skills that are infinitely more important in life than knowing about the boiling point of magnesium. Just because a kid isn’t good at science, the way a fish isn’t good at climbing trees, doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent. 3

You will read this Colie’s closet

by Malachi Dray

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can’t blame you. Really though, I cannot hold you at all accountable for this outcome. It’s not your fault that you’re reading on, intrigued. In fact, it’s not even my fault. I didn’t have any say in the matter. It would be easy to blame your parents, but they could just as easily blame their parents. Confused?

It couldn’t be helped. If you know where I’m going when I say I’m a hard determinist, good for you, but stop right there if you feel a scrap of pride about that. It wasn’t your choice to have a clue.

Let me explain myself. I ascribe to the philosophical view known as hard determinism.

In short, hard determinists believe that free will does not exist. At all. If you find yourself alarmed at this claim and unwilling to read onward to discover the justification, that’s fine.

It’s not as if you choose to instinctively reject ideas which challenge your preconceived notions, so feel “free” to chicken out now. As for the daring and open-minded, read on.

Free will is defined as the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate, or the ability to act at one’s own discretion. This concept is absolutely central to our modern society. Because we hold individuals accountable for their behavior, criminals are punished. For the same reason, we reward the behaviors we perceive to be desirable, such as hard work. If you win a gold medal, the assumption is that you strived, by your own accord, to achieve success. The moral philosophies which assert that free will exist are applied nearly universally in our culture, as evidenced by our use of payment, incarceration, praise, and criticism.

However, through the lens of logic, it can be discovered that this view of human behavior is in fact false. The foundation for this claim lies in what philosophers and scientists call determinism, which is the position that everything that happens is the direct and complete result of factors which came before it. This is a basic principle of science. For example, physics is deterministic. Given the variables, or conditions, of an object, a physicist can accurately and consistently predict the object’s location in the future. If you drop your cell phone, it will fall to the floor. The cell phone has no choice in the matter. In fact, it will fall to the floor in the exact same manner every single time you drop it from the same height. If you don’t believe me, you can conduct this experiment a couple hundred times. This is the basis for astronomy as well. Scientists can tell you exactly when and where the sun will rise tomorrow, precisely when massive asteroids will pass through the sky, and just how many billions of years it will take for the sun to fry Earth, all using the principle of determinism. They do not fail. By these grounds, a universe without life is entirely deterministic. If you imagine our solar system 4 billion years ago, there was no entity which could possibly have free will, only planets, their moons, and the daunting ball of hydrogen we call the sun.

The rise of life on Earth did nothing to change this. Certainly a single-celled bacteria lacks the ability to act independently, uncompelled by the forces of nature. Bacteria are simply biological machines, with DNA programmed by mutation over millions of years.

They respond to their environment in a scripted manner, with the whole guidebook for conduct found in their nuclei. I could hardly find justice in punishing a bacteria for its behavior, as it is simply a machine.

Intelligent life is no different. Yes, humans possess brains which process information.

These brains are much like a computer. Information from the environment comes in, and electrical impulses in your brain analyze it and produce a response, which you then carry out.

This is no different than the function of a calculator, except for the fact that it is somewhat more complex. You certainly would not bestow a death sentence upon a calculator for reporting that 5x5 is equal to 25, would you?

Another way I like to describe this absence of free will is perhaps easier to comprehend. Let’s say I put you 4 in a room with three buttons, one

red, one yellow, and one blue. I instruct you to push one of the buttons, any one you like.

Hypothetically, you obediently push the yellow button, given that yellow happens to be your favorite color. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had a pretty yellow parakeet as a child, or if your mom bought you a rad yellow sweater for your first day of kindergarten. Now, using the nonexistent remote control of life, we rewind twenty seconds to when you first entered the room. I direct you to push a button, any button you like. Which button will you choose? Obviously, you will choose the yellow button, given that yellow happens to be your favorite color.

The conditions and environment, namely the options and your brain, are exactly the same, and so the same outcome will result. This means that an individual can, and will, only come to one decision given a “choice”. This model disproves free will.

For those of you courageous enough to make it this far, I applaud you, and there is a moral. I do not recommend we dismantle our society and give up entirely on our conventions of good and evil. The course of action I advocate is the treatment of environmental conditions which result in undesirable behavior, so that we may limit it. What I do wish for you to personally take away from hard determinism, as I do, is empathy, as it is false to hold someone accountable for whatever acts they have committed or traits that they possess which you dislike. Nobody chooses to be a thief, a killer, a liar, a fiend. They were simply dealt a hand of cards which resulted in who they are. Because of this, my heart is entirely free of hate. For the people I find disagreeable, I feel only empathy. This has led my life to be far happier, as I do not waste it despising and blaming. I hope (although it has already been set in stone if you will) that you gain the same tranquility as I have.

by Joi Wu

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olie’s Closet is a peer education group made up of BVSD students. We talk to middle and high schools around the district aboutn the detection and prevention of suicide and depression. This is a very prominent issue where we live; the Rocky Mountain Region has the highest rate of suicide in the entire United States! Monarch High School is the only high school in BVSD Colie’s has not yet presented at! Please ask for your health teacher to contact us and request a presentation.

If you or someone you know has experienced feelings of sadness or hopelesness lasting for a period of two weeks or longer, please immediately talk to a trusted adult (counselor, teacher, coach, etc.), depression is 100% treatable. Colie’s Closet also fundraises for The Second Wind Fund of Boulder County, which provides scholarships to students for free therapy (see you counselor for more information).

Recent Upgrades in School Security: Oppressive and Ineffective

by Jack Howard

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n the wake of recent shootings that have occurred this past year, Monarch High School’s administration has decided to implement a number of upgrades to our security. According to Assistant Principal Mark Sibley:“During School hours anyone entering the building will need to do so through the main entrance because all other entries will be locked during the day. Visitors will need to sign in and be “buzzed” in by Mrs. Marn in the Front Office. The doors just inside the main entrance will be locked during the day with the exception of lunches. The door at the end of C-Wing leading out to the parking lot is being converted to an “Emergency Exit Only.” When the alarm is installed, no one will be able to enter the building through the C-Wing door.

There will be an alarm installed on it that will be triggered if the door is opened. We are also getting new security cameras installed so we will have complete coverage of the exterior of the building.”

These upgrades are expected to be completed within the next month. Such upgrades will give our school a cold and authoritarian atmosphere. Not only that, the idea that these upgrades would thwart individuals who may pose a threat to students’ safety also seems questionable. The mere motives behind these new upgrades don’t seem wholly logical.

The goal of these increases in school security is to identify and authorize every individual who enters the school premises. Personally, I do not want to live in a society where every

individual must identify his/her purpose in any establishment as a prerequisite to admittance.

Some people think the ends justify the means due to increased safety, but frankly, I don’t sympathise with such a position. Such a policy gives our school an immensely bleak environment, reminiscent of an archetypal dystopia, a society whose aspects are entirely unpleasant and authoritarian. The school’s administrators should not let paranoia about isolated incidents dictate the policy they make within our school. When such a doctrine is followed, the results speak for themselves in terms of their coldness and authoritarianism. Letting isolated incidents inspire a sense of fear of all humanity within oneself is not rational nor logical. Possessing such feelings while in a position of power is even worse. When one who has the authority to control the daily aspects of individuals lives adopts a doctrine so lacking in humanity, the results can only be bad for the individuals who remain under their control.

In addition to the general authoritarianism these upgrades entail, one must also question if they would even effectively impede potential threats to our school. As far as I’m concerned, the answer is no. The decision to implement these upgrades came out of fear incited by recent public shootings, most importantly, Sandy Hook. When we look at the tactics the shooter Adam Lanza took to execute his massacre, our school’s upgrades seem as if they would be largely ineffective. Lanza entered a

locked, secondary entrance (a mainly glass door) using his gun, during school hours. In reaction, our school has decided to lock all secondary entrances during school hours.

Subjecting potentially threatening individuals to the exact same conditions a shooter who successfully murdered 26 people was faced with and who inspired such upgrades in the first place doesn’t exactly seem logical. School administrators need to realize that if someone is depraved enough to indiscriminately people, they are not going to be deterred by locked doors or alarms. Meanwhile, everyone else’s ability to freely enter and exit the school is severely limited.

One argument in support of paranoia induced policy that always seems to arise is: “Well what do you think we should do? Just let ourselves get killed?” And the answer is a resounding yes. I would gladly subject myself to the incredibly slim chance of being harmed in my school rather than passively accept this blatant restriction on my locomotion around and out of the school. Idly relinquishing your civil liberties out of cowardice of a statistical oddity is a deeply flawed way of thinking.

At this point, it’s safe to say that our recent security upgrades are immensely flawed and should be repealed immediately. Monarch should stop letting paranoia dictate policy in the school. Administrators should not impose a police-state like environment onto its students out of a knee jerk reaction to isolated incidents.

New Standardized Tests Spark Controversy in the State In fact, Colorado is now nationalizing its educational program.

The CSAP was a form of the Colorado educational program specifically written to test Colorado’s education standards . But the CDE, the Colorado Department of Education, has now decided to join the PARCC, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a national coalition. So this TCAP will actually not last long, as the new PARCC tests are going Photo courtesy of Anitta Charlson / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / MCT to be implemented in the 2014-2015 academic year. This test will also extend to juniors, but only starting in the

by Conner Lund 2014-2015 school year.

Also, the test will be substantially differhroughout high school, standardized tests have sparked hatred in the student ent. The PARCC tests have a couple of different sections, aimed at testing students in a wide body. The old test, the CSAP, has been issued for countless years, and now the Colo- variety of ways. These include two summative rado Department of Education has introduced required assessments. These sections are specifically designed to test readiness for a cathe TCAP, the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program. Yet a majority of the student reer or college, measure the full range of standards, and provide data to measure growth, body doesn’t actually know what the state of according to parcconline.org.

Colorado is transitioning to.

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Also included in these tests are two optional components, which are used to generate how a school board sets it’s curriculum and teachings. The last piece is simply a test on language and writing.

Although these changes won’t be too drastic for the student body nor the CDE, the real issue is how the new tests are administered. In fact, the PARCC tests are going to be administered all online, meaning that every student will need a computer to take them. “[This test] is a really good idea, but the issue is making it happen. How much money will this cost to implement, and where will that money come from?” says assistant principal Jennifer Barr. “Some schools aren’t as fortunate to have computers for every student, so it will be hard to implement.”

These new tests are in the near future for Monarch, and yet these tests are far from being suitable for many schools in the state of Colorado, as more than a handful of elementary and middle schools do not have enough computers, nor a stable wireless infrastructure to allow hundreds of students to take a test all at the same time.

This issue will be met with fierce controversy, as some believe technology is necessary in the classroom, while others believe the board should stick to pen and paper. Regardless, as students begin taking the TCAP this year, understand that this test will be soon extinct.

hot new breakfast spots Great local places to go and enjoy a morning meal limits with breakfast foods.Their popular dishes range from breakfast pot pie to sweet potato pancakes. Located on Pearl Street, this moderate to higher priced establishment strives for a sustainable planet. Snooze aims to recycle and compost over 90% of all waste from each store. They function free of reservations on a first come first serve basis. Snooze is a great place to step out of your culinary comfort zone while experiencing Boulder.

Photo courtesy of Snooze

by Joy Wineman Le Peep: Brand new to Louisville, this remodel is thriving in its new home KFC/A&W. It is a national chain, but that is not apparent in its friendly service and homey feel. Each restaurant is locally owned and operated, rather than being a part of a franchise. It is the kind of place you go and run into five people who you have been meaning to email for ages. Le Peep serves all the classics; pancakes, omelets, and crepes. “Le Cafe” is an in-house coffee shop also featured in Le Peep. The prices are moderate, and your food is well worth it.

Snooze: This new hipster mecca pushes the

fee sippers and bookworms alike. They stay open past brunch hours for lunch, dinner, and most importantly, afternoon tea. The building housing this restaurant dates back to 1854 when it was Louisville’s post office. Prices are slightly high, but the food and the experience is worth the money.

Rico’s Burritos: Rico’s took a short leave of absence from their Louisville location but is back and better than ever. As can be deduced, they specialize in breakfast burritos. Junior Joel Greenstein describes Rico’s as having “tons of different flavors of burritos, all for a very low price...and they get really fatty with the bacon.” Their burritos can be smothered in three different types of sauce and can be accompanied with fries.

Rico’s features a dollar off discount for students with a school I.D. and they have a delivery service. Greenstein’s overarching impression of Rico’s is that, “They’re pretty chill.”

Huckleberry: Locally run Three Leaf Farm owns Downtown Louisville’s timeless breakfast spot, The Huckleberry. This purple spectacle on Main Street has a classic menu and cozy feel.

There is even a fireplace for cof-

Inside tables at Snooze in Boulder. (Photo courtesy of Snooze)

Nutrition Class Comes to Monarch

Teacher Julie Olsen and Senior Wyatt Scott discuss and prepare food in sixth period catering class. (Photo credit:

Ellie Oliver)

by Ellie Oliver

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ver wanted to start a healthy cooking lifestyle? Thought about pursuing a culinary or nutrition career? Then Culinary Nutrition is the class to take! Starting in the fall, a new catering class is coming to Monarch, taught by Julie Olsen.

“I’m adding a new class called Culinary Nutrition. This is for Family and Consumer Sciences.” Olsen explained. “It is very similar to the popular catering class that kids take. It’s a semester long class; however, what I’m doing is the new concept where I’m teaming it up and making it a year long class.”

Olsen is combining the spring class Culinary Nutrition with a class in the fall called Teen Wellness. ”Teen Wellness is actually a health class and kids will get their health credits for it.”

Olsen explained that mostly sophomores would be looking forward to this class to receive their health credits. “[Culinary Nutrition is] not available to freshmen,” Olsen continued, “[the classes are] going to be put in their schedule as a year long class. They have to get special permission to do just a semester. So it’s actually a year long class where it’s Wellness and Culinary Nutrition.” The new catering class would fulfill a practical arts credit and Teen Wellness would complete health credits.

Junior Zach Piper-Poynter commented on the new fall class. “I’m in Catering right now so [I will] probably take the class.” When asked if this new class would improve his nutrition habits, he replied, “Most definitely.”

Don’t get bored with the same catering classes. Start living a healthy lifestyle today with these new classes coming next fall!

5

Monarch Hosts FBLA District II Monarch State Conference Security Upgraded N

by David Andrews

ineteen schools descended on Monarch High School on February 19th to participate in the Future Business Leaders of America District II State Conference. Students from across the county participated in focuses ranging from computer programming to public relations. Previously, the State Conference had been held at schools such as Strasburg High School, a 90 minute drive. These schools have been inconvenient for Monarch students to get to and according to High School of Business Teacher Rudy Sumpter, “We spent a pretty penny on buses getting students there.” Largely due to the work of FBLA Vice-President of the Monarch chapter, junior Amy Karlzen, this year’s conference was held at a much more convenient location, Monarch High School.

Karlzen is not new to the arena of FBLA, having been a national finalist for public speaking in 2012. Karlzen glowed when talking about FBLA, saying, “You get to show your knowledge of business and act in a professional manner. It’s a great organization.”

After attending the state conference at Strasburg High School last year Karlzen began tossing the idea around in her head about hosting the conference at Monarch. “Monarch has great facilities, a great building, and a great chapter, and I thought we could do it [at Monarch].” Bringing the event to Monarch was

a not an easy process. Karlzen had to procure where everyone gets to go to the keynote and approval from the school district, Monarch, then go to their competitions so everyone can and FBLA. Karlzen started this process in April enjoy that.It was hard to make that work this 2012. year with buses, because they have to leave The conference consisted of both compe- at a certain time, around one.” Senior Brian titions and workshops with business profesLarson was miffed that he didn’t get to see sionals. Professionals from the area including keynote speaker Monty Moran, “overall the Pamela Larson, VP of Corporate Security at conference was great but I was in competition Bank of the West, and Kelly Fowler of C.U.’s when Mr. Moran was speaking, so I was disapSchool of Business hosted workshops to in- pointed about that.” form students about future opportunities and Such hiccups are almost to be expected in expand student’s business knowledge. hosting a state conference for the first time.

While students enjoyed these speakers the Karlzen summed up the day she had been highlight of the day for many was Monty Moran, working so hard to bring to fruition by saying, Co-CEO of Chi“I’m so proud potle. Accordof Monarch and ing to Sumpter, “I was really happy we were able to everyone that having Moran helped put this at the confer- showcase the school and our FBLA on, I was really ence was due happy we were chapter, because both are great and to the work of able to showMonarch’s FBLA the district should know it.” case the school chapter presand our FBLA -Amy Karlzen chapter, ident, senior beKinsey Merlino. cause both are Moran “basicalgreat and the ly set up two Chipotle stores in the cafeteria,” district should know it.” according to Karlzen. Junior Eric Doci and nuThe FBLA community may be seeing more merous other competitors cited the food as of Karlzen in the future as she has plans to one of the best parts of the conference. run for state officer and become the second Hosting such a large event does not come state officer from Monarch ever, following in without its struggles. Sumpter explained what the footsteps of Erik Wislinsky, who graduated he would do differently next time. “I’d start in 2011.

Changes in security to increase student protection and safety at school

Photo credit: Anna Blanco

ups and downs of february

by Joy Wineman Icons by Natalie Forman France is expecting a dramatic increase in female britches wearers this month. Not surprisingly, this is due to the new legislation passed in Paris for women to now be permitted to wear pants as they please. According to The Atlantic, this reformed legislation dates back to 1799 when women were required to seek special permission from the police if they wished to wear pants. Now, Parisian women finally have the opportunity to put their pants on in the morning one leg at a time just like the rest of us.

Pope Benedict XVI has been experiencing a decrease in health as he increases in age. He stated that for these reasons he will be stepping down from his position in the Vatican at the end of the month. At the ripe old age of 85, even the leader of the Catholic church still manages to have a few surprises left in him. The reason his retirement is so unexpected is due to the fact that the last pope who retired did so over 600 years ago. Apparently pensions don’t kick in at 65 for popes, so they’re usually in it for the long run.

February classically experiences a spike in spending, specifically on the 14th. For those of you who haven’t unplugged from your Xbox in a while, that is Valentine’s Day. According to statisticsbrain. com, the average observing consumer spends $116.21 on Valentines Day. That number multiplied by the estimated 61.8% of consumers who participate in the holiday festivities, adds up to a lot of dough. Dough, of the cookie variety, is actually much more commonly ingested by the other 38.2% who are not observing the holiday, whether this be by choice or by circumstance.

Federal spending on the U.S. Postal Service will go down as soon as the newly approved protocol goes into effect stating that, excluding packages, mail will not be delivered on Saturdays. This is all in an effort to cut costs. The projection is that by eliminating this service, two billion dollars will be saved annually. In this round of reforms for U.S.P.S., it seems that the issue of lengthening the uniform shorts was not discussed. So, while there will be an increase of mail each Monday, there will be just as much mid thigh as ever.

Groundhog appreciation has been steadily increasing ever since February 2nd, when the famed Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow at the summons of President Deeley, the president of Punxsutawney groundhog club, only to not see his shadow, therefore predicting an early spring arrival this year. The general populace has found this a relief, as winter this year has been particularly dreary. It is safe to say that if aliens ever do invade, traditions such as Groundhog Day should keep them thoroughly confused for long enough for us to be able to pass the new predicament onto our children.

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The Dave Clark Five has been severely depleted. The three surviving members of this British Invasion Movement band of the sixties were reduced to two earlier this month when bass player and co-founder Rich Huxley died of emphysema. For a moment The Dave Clark Five gave The Beatles a run for their money in competition for the top spot on Billboard’s lists. This band made more appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show than any other English act. The baby boomer generation has been most affected by the loss. Who now will they put on their record players in moments of mid-life crisis?

by Anna Blanco

H

ow strong is the safety at our school?

Changes and upgrades are currently being implemented to improve the protection of all people in the building.

There are four upgrades being put in place.

The front doors of the school have already been upgraded, and are the only doors that may be used for entry to the school during the school day, as all the other doors will be locked. The doors just inside the main entrance will be locked during the day with the exception of lunches, and any visitors will have to be buzzed in by office support assistant Susan Marn. Many keyless entries are being installed at several locations around the school.

These keyless entries will be accessible to only faculty and staff members.

Also, the “C doors” have been converted to “Emergency Exit Only” and an alarm is going to be installed that will go off if the doors are opened. Security cameras will be placed on the exterior of the building to allow full coverage of the exterior of the building.

“These upgrades won’t really have an effect on me. The only effect would be in the morning. I have Math, so instead of going in C doors, I have to go in by the student center,” explained senior Cole Watson, who usually used the “C doors” to enter the building in the morning, but now has to use the doors by the music hall.

Each upgrade serves a specific purpose when it comes to making Monarch the safest environment for both students and staff. The changes to the main entrance allow the staff to identify all individuals who enter the building and know the nature of their business. The keyless entries will limit the number of accessible entry points into the building, and allow the district to know who is inside, as a key fob is used to open doors with these locks.

The new exterior security cameras will allow for a view of the entire campus. And the change to the “C doors” provides greater safety for students and staff in the building, as it is the furthest entrance from the front office, and is harder to monitor.

The upgrades to the doors of the school were supposed to happen over a year ago, but were delayed. The administration is hoping that all upgrades will be completely finished within the next month.

Bringing To Life a Bunch of Old, Dead, White Guys

by Dalton Valette

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h, February, the month known for one holiday and one holiday alone, that holiday oh so many people look forward to.

That’s right President’s Day! Yes, President’s Day just passed, on the eighteenth to be exact, and so to honor our nation’s leaders, why not bring some life back to those old bags of bones? I know what people will think, “Ugh Presidents. History. Yawn!” Well, like all men of the world, these 43 men have a tale or two to tell, some more outrageous than others, but all fascinating. (And note, Barack Obama is not dead, so he does not count as an “old, dead, white guy.”)

Scandals and Love Life Most people today know about some of the larger scandals that have happened in and around the Oval Office; Bill Clinton with Monica Lewinski, Paula Jones, and nude model Gennifer Flowers, John F. Kennedy with Marilyn Monroe, Thomas Jefferson with his slave Sally Hemings. What most people don’t realize is that many, many more have had their shares of bouts with lust.

Take for instance Warren G. Harding. He was a failure as a President and he died mysteriously in 1923 from either a heart attack or a stroke. Harding was a bit of a womanizer, having four extramarital affairs while in office.

One of the women, Nan Britton, asserted that the President fathered her child after the two had sex in a White House closet. On more than one occasion, Secret Service agents reportedly had to stop Mrs. Florence Harding from breaking into the closet.

Unlike Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt (pictured below) is still revered as one of the greatest Presidents in our nation’s history, but that didn’t make him any less promiscuous.

Roosevelt’s wife, Eleanor, abstained from sex for most of their marriage, which may have pushed Franklin into having a nearly thirty year affair with his wife’s secretary, Lucy Mercer.

The affair was so deep that she was at his side when he died suddenly in 1945 at his Georgia home, while Eleanor was not.

After he passed, the Secret Service hurried Mercer out and cleared away evidence of her being there before Mrs. Roosevelt arrived.

Our 34th President and war hero Dwight D. Eisenhower also succumbed to temptation when he had an affair with Kay Summersby. Years later, Summersby wrote a book about her affair titled Past Forgetting and in it described how the brave war general turned President was impotent.

Now not all Presidents had affairs, as some of them stayed true to their spouses. Not many, but some were devoted and caring to their wives. William McKinley loved his wife Ida. He was so caring that when she would have an epileptic seizure out in public he would simply lay a handkerchief over her jittering face and walk away. What a great husband! And Gro-

ver Cleveland was the only President to marry while in office, a woman twenty years his junior who bore the child Baby Ruth. (Yes, the Baby Ruth.)

But perhaps one of the most overlooked love stories the Oval Office ever encountered was with James Buchanan, rated the absolute worst President in American history. Yes he did let the South secede from the Union and form the Confederate States of America and yes it is hard to be hailed as great when one’s successor is Abraham Lincoln, but that doesn’t mean the man didn’t have a heart! Buchanan had little luck with the ladies and he was engaged to a young woman who never showed up to their wedding. He is the only bachelor President. Well where’s the love? While he was in Washington D.C., he met and fell head over heels for William King, who would later be the Vice President. Yep, James Buchanan was our first gay President and William King was our first gay Vice President. The two lived in the same house together for over 15 years, becoming near inseparable. When King had to go work in France for a time in 1844, Buchanan wrote, “I am now solitary and alone, having no companion in the house with me. I have gone a wooing to several gentlemen, but have not succeeded with any one of them.”

Deaths and Attempts In the United States’ 236 years of being a country, eight Presidents have died in office, five at the hands of assassins, most notably Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy (pictured at left).

Many conspiracy theorists have noted the eerie similarities between the two most famous American assassinations. Both men had seven letters in their last name and both were shot on a Friday beside their wives. Both men were shot in Fords (Ford’s Theater for Lincoln, a Ford car for Kennedy.) Both of the assassins, John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald, had fifteen letters in their three names and while Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and was captured in a warehouse, Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and was captured in a theater. In addition, both men had Vice Presidents with the last name Johnson.

Another coincidence with death were the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

The pair, who were bitter rivals turned best friends, died on the same date, July 4, 1826. This was the fiftieth anniversary of America’s birth. While Adams lay dying in Massachusetts his last words were “Jefferson lives.” In fact his good pal Jefferson had died just a few hours ago. President James Monroe also died on July 4, but five years later.

The first assassination attempt on a President was in 1835 on Andrew Jackson by a Richard Lawrence. He approached Jackson, who was walking down the street, with two guns at the ready. He pulled out his first gun

and pulled the trigger but it misfired. Jackson, enraged, raised up his cane to attack Lawrence, who pulled out his second gun. Lawrence fired again and the second hand gun misfired as well. The odds of two guns misfiring are one in 125,000. Jackson promptly chased down Lawrence with his cane.

One of the more interesting deaths was that of general turned Whig politician Zachary Taylor.

During the July 4th parade in D.C., on a day that happened to be sweltering, Taylor left the parade early to go back to the White House. There, to cool himself down, he drank a large carton of iced milk. Unsatisfied, he indulged in a large bowl of cherries. A day later he became incredibly sick and four days after that he died. Doctors at the time claimed that he died from excessive diarrhea, but today many believe that our 12th President may have been poisoned.

Teddy Roosevelt, one of the last great Renaissance men, was delivering a speech in 1912, running for President for the third time under the banner of the “Bull Moose Party.” An unknown man stepped forward in the crowd and shot Roosevelt in the chest. Roosevelt’s aids wanted to take him to the hospital but the President refused and continued on with his speech, the bullet still lodged in his chest.

One can be tough, but one can never be T.R. tough.

The last near successful assassination attempt was in 1981 on newly elected President Ronald Reagan. After being shot by Coloradan John Hinckley Jr, Reagan was rushed to the hospital. When the President met the doctor, he said, “I hope you’re all republicans,” to which the doctor replied, “Mr. President, today we are all republicans.”

Those Kooky Guys Like us regular folk, the Presidents have their fair share of zany tales. George Washington was so poor when he was elected President that he couldn’t afford to attend his own Inaugural Party and had to borrow $600 from a friend. Thomas Jefferson was given two black bears by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and kept them as pets on the White House front lawn. President James Monroe, well known for parading around in his dusty military uniform, once chased his Secretary of State out of the White House with a pair of fire tongs.

John Quincy Adams, son of the second President John Adams, would wake up early in the morning to go skinny dipping in the pre-pol-

Dalton Valette shows off his collection of President action figures. Each figure comes with 25 unique catch phrases.

(Photo credit: Joy wineman)

luted Potomac River. Tenth President John Tyler abandoned the United States during the Civil War and joined the Confederate House of Representatives. At a campaign event Andrew Johnson compared himself to Jesus Christ.

President James A. Garfield was ambidextrous. To woo people, he would write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other.

Teddy Roosevelt, one of the coolest men out there, had parrots, lizards, cats, dogs, rabbits, ponies, a hippo, zebras, and lions as pets while he was President. Roosevelt’s successor, William Howard Taft, who was the largest President at 335 pounds, got stuck in the White House bathtub no less than four times.

Calvin Coolidge, who was just a weird quiet guy, loved to have petroleum jelly rubbed on his head while he ate breakfast. Coolidge also slept at least ten hours a day, had a mechanical bull in his basement, and was so quiet he earned the nickname “Silent Cal.” Once, a woman told him “I have a bet that I can’t get you to say more than two words.” Coolidge turned towards the woman and quipped “you lose.”

Richard Nixon’s favorite food was cottage cheese, on which he poured ketchup. Gerald Ford became notorious among the Secret Service for farting. Apparently, while Ford was walking, he would stop moving, release some flatulence, and continue on his merry way. Nobel Prize winning President Jimmy Carter reported seeing a UFO at a party, and President George H. W. Bush vomited on the Japanese Prime Minister. After the incident, the Japanese added a new word to their language, “Bushusuru,” which literally means “to do the Bush thing.”

What seems to happen in America, and in many countries, is that the leader is so often viewed as an otherworldly, god-like figure that sits oh so far above us and is superior to everyone below him. However, they are really just like us. They are human, they die, they have goofy habits and embarrassing moments. They give in to temptation just like everyone else. The Presidents are just men (though hopefully women someday, too) who just happen to rule the nation.

And to fully commemorate President’s Day, I think it’s safe to end with a quote from former, very philosophical, President George W. Bush: “Rarely is the question asked: is our children learning?”

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People Who Can’t Steal from the Cookie Jar

Students with dietary restrictions and how society embraces them

by Natalie Forman

M

any people don’t think of being able to eat a peanut butter cookie or waffles as a privilege, but over six million Americans suffer from either a nut allergy or gluten intolerance. With this high number of people who have to adjust to a specific diet, allergy awareness and gluten-free diets have skyrocketed. With many kids having deathly allergies, schools have had to restrict foods from holiday parties and change meals in the lunchroom to exclude foods commonly associated with food allergies, like peanut butter sandwiches.

In the United States, eight foods cause 90% of the allergic reactions in the United States: milk, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts (e.g. walnuts, pecans), wheat, fish, soy, and shellfish. A food allergy occurs when the immune system attacks a food protein by mistake.

Along with food allergies, gluten-free diets are sweeping the nation, with even Oprah stepping on board in 2008. Gluten-free diets are voluntary for those hoping to boost energy, lose weight and treat regular headaches and other conditions, but for some people the diet is not a choice. Gluten intolerance, Celiac disease and wheat allergy are forms of a condition where the body has a negative reaction to gluten. Celiac disease is when the intestinal wall is damaged when gluten is consumed, while gluten intolerance is a negative immune system response to gluten. Both conditions call for a strict gluten-free diet, which means no bread, pretzels, gravy, certain candies, and many other foods.

For senior Andy Johnston, food allergies are

nothing new. “I’m allergic to peanuts and tree nuts… I have always been allergic so it’s not a big deal to me.”

When she eats peanuts, she goes into “anaphylactic shock, [so] basically my throat swells up. I used to get hives but I have grown out of that part of the allergy.” Johnston wishes she could eat Halloween candy the most, but can’t because so many of them have traces of nuts.

While it has become a part of her life, Johnston has tried to eliminate her allergy by participating in a program where she eats a certain amount of peanuts every day. “I was in this food study, that I just finished, which was three years long.” Johnston explained that they “tried to desensitize me from peanuts, to get rid of my allergy, but it didn’t work. It was working, but in the end it didn’t work out… I had to eat a certain amount of peanuts every day to try and build up my tolerance to them.

Then I would have food challenges to test if I was still allergic for three years. The main goal was to reteach your immune system to not be allergic. When I first started I couldn’t eat a quarter of a peanut, but at the end I passed the study where I ate the equivalent of 40 peanuts. [However]I didn’t pass out of the study…

But it definitely helped overall.”

Junior Audrey Van Oort learned that she was gluten intolerant when she was in eighth grade. When she eats gluten it makes her feel so sick that she has to strictly avoid it.

Senior Eric Walker is similar to Van Oort in that he needs to avoid gluten, but instead of an intolerance, he has Celiac disease. He found out about his allergy after his sister learned that she had the dietary restriction.

“I didn’t really notice that I was getting sick, I thought I was just really tired. After my sister got diagnosed, they said that rest of family should be tested so I got a blood test and it was positive.”

For Walker, the hardest thing about having Celiac disease is not having pizza.

“It’s really hard when people have pizza and share with everyone, and I can’t have a piece” said Walker.

In Boulder, the response to those with dietary restrictions tends to be very understanding and courteous. Although restaurants tend to be accepting, Walker has had run-ins where places are not willing to adjust to his needs.

“In Hawaii we went to this restaurant and asked if they had anything gluten-free. They were like we are going to have to ask you to eat somewhere else. We were at the door and they just kicked us out.”

Even though Van Oort has had to give up many common foods, like Oreos, she has also noticed that it has a few benefits. She said that she eats healthier because “Gluten-free foods are mostly sold in health foods stores so it is more organic.” Fortunately, for all of those with food allergies, awareness is rising, especially in Boulder County.

Speaking out against fast food

Wrestlers Cut the Dead Weight

by Ashley Litoff

lmost all athletes sacrifice something for their sport, whether it is time, money, or even their health. Wrestlers, competing in a sport where athletes are classified by weight, sacrifice in a major way through a process called “cutting weight.” Cutting weight is essentially rapid weight loss. Although this type of weight loss can cause anything from fatigue to passing out, many wrestlers believe the benefits out-weigh the pitfalls.

The intention of cutting weight is that wrestlers will lose enough weight that when it comes time to weigh in and determine their weight classes, wrestlers will be placed in a lower weight class than their actual weight, and will therefore be wrestling smaller guys.

Although bulking up--building weight and muscle mass to improve performance by eating lots of protein--is another technique used by wrestlers, cutting weight is much more common. Sophomore wrestler Ben Ferrera, “I cut weight because I’m not a very big guy, so when I cut down weight, I get to wrestle kids who are more my size and I do better in competitions.”

While some wrestlers may resort to starving and binging, most simply try to eat healthier, and less. Ferrera, who was cutting weight in the beginning of the season and now is just maintaining his weight, shares his strategy.

“I eat a lot of healthy foods, and I eat smaller portions. I eat a lot of foods that you can burn off easily so that I can lose more weight at practice.” Foods that wrestlers like Ferrera can burn off easily include many water-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Ferrera avoids fast food and soda, and drinks a lot of juice while cutting.

Junior wrestler Chad Ciciora said that there is another aspect to cutting beyond healthy eating and fat loss. “Most wrestlers usually go for trying to lose water weight, through sweat and spit and stuff,” said Ciciora. Wrestlers can

S

tudents have different eating habits; some eat frequently at fast food restaurants, while others rarely do so. Senior Ally Meyer is someone who rarely eats at fast food restaurants and is against the very idea of it.

I had an opportunity to speak with her about her reasons for being against fast food.

What are your eating habits like?

In general I eat a lot of vegetables, and no processed food or processed sugar.

Do you ever buy fast food and what’s the reason for either getting it or not?

No. The stuff that’s in the food is so processed that what is in the food is really fake. It’s artificial flavors. [Corporations] know the food is addicting and purposely make it like that. It’s a scam and they only care if they make more money.

the happiest healthiest people.

So would you say you’re against fast food?

Yeah.

Do you plan on eating like this for the rest of your life or just a certain time period?

I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.

When did your ideas on all of this begin?

And why?

I think food affects your mood a lot, and so everyone wants to have more energy and feel better and feel healthy, and I look to food more than drugs or medicine.

How long have you been eating like this?

I started being cautious of what I ate in 6th grade. I was passionate about it before, but last summer I went to Rwanda and they’re so happy but they need the nutrition because they have diseases and are starving. And here we have every opportunity to eat healthy, but we abuse things like food when we could be

Would you ever eat at a fast food place?

I would never eat a hamburger from McDonalds, but maybe a hamburger from Good Times if I had to. A burger from Good Times is still bad, but Mcdonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s are the worst.

Are you against the fast food industry in general or the effect of the food on your body? Which is a bigger reason why you don’t eat there?

I would say the fast food industry is a bigger reason. They just do it to earn money, and they trick children and people into getting addicted.

Did you ever used to eat a lot of fast food?

Growing up we had it probably one or two times a week and I always ate it after soccer practice. We would go to McDonalds.

Dash to dine Kids who eat off campus

by Olivia Coleman Kaleb Bryant-Jamison How often do you go off campus?

Emmy Gazaway

Jessica Taylor

Brady Mills

Jack Walker

Around four times a week

Probably half of the week

I go off like four times a week

Probably three or four times a week

Probably one to three times per week

Sonic and Chick-Fil-A

Starbucks

Chick-Fil-A

Costco

McDonalds or Noodles

A chili cheese bacon burger or a spicy chicken sandwich

Usually a Chai

The chicken sandwich

Usually a slice of pizza

About $6 for the burger and $4 for the chicken sandwich

Like four bucks

Around $5

Only $2

At McDonalds It’s only $5 or $6 but at Noodles it’s close to $10

How much do you usually spend per week?

Around $30 or $35

Maybe like ten bucks

Oh geez, probably $35 or $40

Probably like $10

Around $10 or $15 maybe

Are you ever late to class because of going off campus?

A couple of times, but not too much.

No not usually

Yeah sometimes

A couple minutes sometimes

No

Some is from my parents and some is from working.

From working

From work

From working

I get an allowance from my parents

Where is your favorite place to eat?

What do you usually get there?

How much does it cost?

Where do you get the money to go off campus?

At McDonalds I get a McGangBang [a McChicken sandwich inside of a double cheeseburger], and at Noodles I get mac and cheese with buttered noodle seasoning and chicken.

Monarch wrestlers discuss the process of cutting weight

by Mia Mulvahill

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Monarch wrestler Chad Ciciora pulls his opponent into a pin during a match this February. (Photo credit: Dominic Yang)

frequently be seen in the weight room riding the recumbent bike in a full sweat suit in an effort to sweat out the last bit of weight right before weigh-in.

While cutting weight may seem dangerous, if it is done right, wrestlers should stay healthy and perform just as well as those who are not cutting. When asked how cutting affects him, Ferrera said, “Sometimes it does affect my wrestling, like I feel tired, but once I make weight and get to just maintain I feel pretty strong.” Ciciora said that once wrestlers eat after weighing in, that food gives them an extra boost to push them through their wrestling matches. According to Livestrong. com, the side effects that can seriously affect a wrestler’s performance include dehydration,

loss of strength, and rhabdomyolosis, which is the cellular breakdown of skeletal muscle.

Although the winter season may be a time of dietary restriction for many wrestlers, it is usually a temporary process. Ferrera and Ciciora both stated that they would eat a lot of food directly after a weigh in (Ferrera’s favorite post-weigh-in snack is rice balls) and Ferrera said, “During off-season, I eat normally, and a lot more than during the season.”

For wrestlers, cutting weight is simply a challenge that comes with competition. It’s just another sacrifice they need to make to perform at their peak, and although it may be a hardship, it brings the hope of victory.

artsANDentertainment

snare drums, bass drums, quads and symbols, and they march around the floor.”

Senior Zane Haertling is a member of the Battery, focusing on the rhythmic aspect of Drumline. “Freshman year I joined and I was the fifth bass drummer, which is the biggest one. The year after that I tried out and made fourth snare, the year after that I moved up to second snare, and this year I’m second snare [again],” he explained. He added,“I think the diversity and the complexity of the music really attracted me to [drumline].

You don’t hear much like it, and it’s really advanced material. I wanted to tackle it and see if I could learn [the music].”

Although Drumline consists of different sections, all members commit to an intense rehearsal schedule. “I try to practice one or two hours a day [individually],” said Davidson.

He added, “During [group] rehearsal we practice for three hours on Mondays and Wednesdays.”

Junior Sam Gefke, another snare player, added, “Every Saturday we go to the gym and for hours on end our instructor tells where to go for the moves.” Davidson said, “Then any day we don’t have school we rehearse eight hours. I probably play my instrument about 20 to 25 hours a week [total].” Haertling added, “It takes as much time and commitment and effort as any varsity sport. It’s pretty much a sport, and it’s as physical as any sport you could think of.”

Haertling explained Drumline’s schedule on competition days. “Usually the routine for a competition is [that] we rehearsefor two to three hours, load the truck with all our drums and instruments, and then drive to [the competition].” Davidson added that on the bus, “everyone’s either playing on a drum pad or running through the show in their head to make sure everything is pristine. It’s kind of intense.

It’s a feeling I’ve never had from anything else.”

Once the Drumline arrives at the competition venue Haertling said, “We compete and get a score and then see how well we did. We compete with drumlines around the state, and

A PASSION FOR RHYTHM Monarch drummers share insight on Drumline

Senior Zane Haertling and junior Sam Gefke have both been drumming since elementary school. (Photo coutesy of

Zane Haertling)

by Aleiya Evison

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or the members of Monarch’s defending state champion drumline, drumming is not just any ordinary extracurricular. Monarch’s drummers have committed to drumming as a lifestyle, and their passion is apparent.

“Music is the lens in which I see the world.

Whenever I’m playing music it really calms me down and makes me open up to myself and the people I’m around. That’s what I really love about Drumline. It’s putting a lot of really

beautiful music together to form something amazing,” said sophomore Julian Davidson.

Davidson’s passion for percussion began in elementary school. “I’ve been playing since I was in 5th grade, and [continued] all through middle school,” he explained. He plays marimba three and xylophone in the Pit, which he described as “the melodic part of drumline.”

Drumline consists of the Pit and Battery, split up by the melodic and rhythmic instruments. Davidson said,“We (the Pit) stand in front of the floor, and stand still most of thetime. The Battery is the drums. They have

PET PROFILES

Students open up about their love for pets

by Olivia Coleman

wyatt glick, 11

What kind of pet do you have? A Golden Retriever.

What is its name? Sadie.

How long have you had her? About two weeks now.

What do you love most about her? She’s soft and playful and I love her.

How much time do you spend with her? Well as soon as I get home and I soon as I get up.

Does she have any weird habits? Whenever she wants to go outside, she’ll walk up to the door. and start licking it until we let her out. Also, sometimes when I’m doing my homework she. comes up and starts biting my textbook and doesn’t stop until I play with her.

Does she know any tricks? So far, she can sit, lay down, shake, and roll over.

RACHEL VIDAK, 11

What kind of pet do you have? I have a cat.

What is its name? Tammy.

How long have you had her? Almost nine years.

What do you love most about her? I like her frisky behavior and super soft coat and the way she cuddles up with me and they way she rolls on her back when she wants to play.

How much time do you spend with her? So much time, she sleeps with me at night so probably like 10 hours a day.

Why do you love her so much? I’ve had her for a long time so I’ve grown up with her and she’s just fun to be around. She’s my best friend, and she’s almost like a psychiatrist except she’s free.

Does she have any weird quirks about her? She head butts my door until I let her in my room and she likes to run up and down the hall like a spaz late at night.

Does she ever get into trouble? Once she was walking on top of this shelf at Christmas and knocked off this really old ceramic, and my mom was so mad.

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All photos courtesy of the respective pet owners

usually come out as first. The score is based on the combined scores of three judges.”

Haertling said that during a competition performance, “it’s the best feeling in the world.

Hitting impacts and playing good rhythms in time... it’s a great feeling. And when you hear feedback from the audience and there’s huge rounds of applause and screams, there’s nothing like it.”

Davidson also explained what he experiences during competition. “I’m known to be the eccentric kid, [and] I really put myself out there. I make sure that for me, if I’m not as perfect as I can be in a show, it’s not good enough. Whenever I’m playing a show I get lost in the music and it feels like in the blink of an eye it’’s over,” he said.

Beyond the thrill of competitions, Gefke expressed the importance of Drumline as a community. “We’re the best group of friends and we hang out all the time,” he explained.

Haertling agreed, “The drumline community is a tight family, really. They’re my closest and some of my best friends. My high school experience has been heavily influenced by my drumline friends. They’ve just done so much for me, and they’re always there when you need them.”

Davidson further expressed how drumming affects him, “Drumline has become the biggest part of my life. It’s not really a commitment for me. It’s just like I’m going to do what I love to do. It’s become a part of me.” He added that Drumline has influenced his interest in music across the board. “I’m learning guitar right now, and I really want to take guitar class next year. After guitar I want to learn piano and bass. I just want to be one of those very musical people.”

Haertling agreed that Drumline has come to define much of who he is. He said, “High school would’ve been a lot worse [without drumline]. The person I’ve developed into today has all been a result of drumline. My confidence, my self motivation, and my self esteem have all come from drumline. It’s really done a lot for me.” After graduation Haertling said he will “definitely keep drumming, but probably won’t study it [as a major].” He continued, “It’s gonna be weird when the year ends and [drumline] is over. But hopefully it’ll be our fourth state championship!”

lauren willis, 11

What kind of pet do you have? I have a yellow lab.

What is its name? Duke.

How long have you had him? I’ve had him for eight years.

What do you love most about him? I love that we go on walks together and sometimes he sleeps on my bed and we also really like to eat yogurt together.

How much time do you spend with him? I usually take him on a walk every day and he usually sleeps on my bed every night.

Why do you love him so much? He’s my best friend and listens to all my problems and never gets annoyed with me.

Does he have any weird quirks about him? [Even though he’s big] he thinks he’s a lap dog.

Has he ever gotten into trouble? Once he accidentally shut himself in the bathroom and completely tore up the door.

ELIZA MILLER, 11 What kind of pet do you have? I have a cat.

What is his name? Mango.

How long have you had him? Just a year.

What do you love most about him? I just really love cats and [Mango] is really cool.

How much time do you spend with him? He likes to be with me when I study so he’s there a lot.

Why do you love him so much? I just love cats in general and he’s pretty ferocious and he looks funny because we shaved him.

Does he eat any weird food? He likes to eat whipped cream.

Does he have any weird habits? He thinks he’s a dog so he likes to play fetch.

MONARCH ARTISTS HONORed Several students recieve honorable mentions for their artwork in the Scholastic Art Contest

by Katie Berohn

E

veryone dreams to be recognized for their talents. The Scholastic Art Contest has allowed many students nationwide to showcase their talent and let people praise their artwork. This year, several students at Monarch earned honorable mentions for their artwork in this prestigious contest.

Emily Blair

Until last year, freshman Emily Blair was never a huge artist. Now, however, she has discovered that she has a love for art. She explained, “[My favorite part is] the joy it brings when you see the finished piece and you’re happy with how it looks.” Blair uses multiple styles of artwork, but she emphasized that she likes “white with black [with] dashes of color.”

The self portrait that was submitted into the Scholastic Contest reflects Blair as a person and was a hit with the judges. She flipped an image of herself and on the top, vibrant colors were used to convey what she considers to be good things about her personality. On the bottom, there were gloomier shades to highlight the bad, with words written in her hair. Blair said that entering more art contests is a possibility for Blair. “I think it would be fun.”

Jordan Monette

Senior Jordan Monette uses art as a creative outlet and a stress reliever. “I don’t really think when I do it. It kinda calms me down,” he disclosed. When asked about his art style, Monette said, “I usually copy stuff because it helps me learn the most. But what I enjoy the most is a cartoonish style.”

Like Blair, Monette earned an honorable mention for a self portrait that he created in art class. “[I’m proud of it] for the most part.I know I can do better, but for what it is, I think it was pretty good.”

Monette said, “I’d really like to get into art a little more than I have...draw a little more and get better at it.”

Kelsey Bennett

Zoe Burton

Junior Zoe Burton has a passion for all kinds of art, but her favorite is a unique blend of styles. “I really like mixed media, using painting and magazine articles and stuff like that to make a picture... [I like] that and graphic design,” Burton said.

The piece that received the honorable mention originated as a class project in her Digital Art and Design class. “We had to design a book cover, and we could only use three images from the Internet and the rest we had to take ourselves or create,” Burton explained. Her book cover, titled House of Green Pastures, was designed to be about recycling. Since it was just an assignment, Burton was caught off guard by her recognition. She laughed and said, “I was actually really surprised when my teacher told me...it’s not something I would have normally submitted to an art contest. But I’m glad she [submitted it].” Burton plans on entering more art contests throughout high school.

Art is second nature for senior Kelsey Bennett. “[I’ve been creating art] forever,” she laughed. Bennett loves that her art is able to “capture moments.” Her main passion is in photography. “I like manual [photography] better than automatic, it’s the best stuff ever,” she explained. “It’s actual art because you have to put it in different chemicals.”

As for her piece in the Scholastic Contest, she was able to capture a moment in front of the Brown Palace in Denver at a parade. “I’m definitely [proud of it]. It got mentioned honorably,” she quipped. Bennett plans on entering more art contests, and she has already received second place in a Boulder Open Space contest for another photograph.

frat cat cartoon: FANCY feline admittance

by Jack Howard

What happens when housecats rush a fraternity.

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FROM BOOK TO NOOK TO BACK Changes in publication leave readers with mixed feelings

by Anna Blanco

A

s reading material and research resources have become accessible with new technologies, the way that people are reading and researching has changed. Electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and e-readers now allow people to access various reading material wherever they are, whether it be a novel for pleasure reading, or a source for research.

The Monarch library currently has fifteen Nooks, a type of e-reader, and 22 iPods that

are available to students. The Nooks have the electronic form of books, and the iPods hold audio versions. The Nooks and iPods are stocked with novels from the year’s curriculum, and have other books added when needed. Because some students find it easier to listen to the book as they read along, the iPods are checked out more often than the Nooks.

Head Librarian Beatrice Gerrish thinks that there are many positives to books and other materials being available in different forms.

“We have a lot more choices for people who don’t like reading,” explained Gerrish.

“[E-readers] help struggling readers tremendously,” she added. Gerrish also points out that for kids with visual issues, e-readers and other devices allow them to zoom in on the text so they can see it better.

Books are not the only academic resources that are now available electronically. When Monarch started the One-to-One program last year, many teachers put class materials online and gave students login information to an online textbook. By providing students the chance to perform various academic activities on a computer, backpacks can have fewer

things in them. “I hate how heavy textbooks are, and laptops are lighter,” said sophomore Dana O’Brien, who carries her laptop around throughout the school day. “Most of my textbooks are online. It’s helpful because I almost always have internet access on my phone or computer or Ipod, which makes them accessible,” added O’Brien.

Even though books and other materials are now available on electronic devices, many people still prefer to read a physical book. “I prefer books, I just like the feel of a new book, like holding it, and reading it rather than reading off a piece of technology,” explained junior Annalise Dorr, who is an avid reader.

These days students like O’Brien and Dorr can have their choice with academic resources available in both traditional and digital forms. With the technology available today, it’s become easy for students to get what they want in the form that they prefer.

Annalise Dorr and Dana O’Brien show that there is more than on way to enjoy reading. (Photo credit: Anna Blanco)

MARCH HOROSCOPES Astrologist in residence: Narcissa Luna After waking up one day, I, Narcissa, felt that I had obtained all the knowledge of the stars that I could ever need, despite the fact that I have never read a single book or taken a single class on anything space-related. My calculations are taken simply through observation, intuition and a small bit of guessing. Enjoy.

Pisces: (February 19-March 20) Be ready to face some challenging obstacles this month, Pisces. You’re already up to your neck in stress and it isn’t going to get much better. Towards the beginning of the month, all you’re going to be faced with is more stress and more work; you will literally feel a weight on your shoulders.

It will probably weigh roughly between 20 and 30 pounds, but don’t worry, you will be relieved come April.

Aries: (March 21-April 19) Feeling the love, Aries? Well, maybe not so much, but good thing you’re extremely good looking. This month, more and more people will start to notice your shining beauty and soon you’ll be bombarded with admirers.

Now, this could be a good thing or not such a good thing, but by the end of the month, you’ll know.

Taurus: (April 20-May 20) You’re beginning to feel overwhelmed, Taurus. There are a lot of new opportunities coming up this month and you’re going to want to try them all. But keep your pants on! There is only so much time. If you’ve ever daydreamed about riding into the sunset atop a sturdy elephant, this is the best month to do so. Or perhaps you’ve wanted to wrestle a wild Wildebeest on the great African plains. March is your month, Taurus.

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Gemini: (May 21-June 20) Noticing any changes lately? As you read this, Gemini, you may start to feel your shoes get a little smaller, or your belt getting a little tighter. Not to worry!

You’re just getting bigger, and it’s only going on through the month of March. As the month keeps going, you’ll keep growing! However, once March is over, you’ll shrink down to your normal size and you needn’t worry about this event ever happening again!

Virgo: (August 23-September 22) It’s the month of colors for you, Virgo! As the month progresses, colors are going to become brighter and you’re going to notice things you never have before. You know that favorite sweater of yours? It’s actually royal blue instead of just a dark purple! And the crayon ‘macaroni orange’ is actually closer to yellow than it is to macaroni!

Unfortunately, these perceptive senses will slowly disappear when the month does, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Sagittarius:(November 22-December 21) This is a wonderful month for you, Sagittarius! People are going to want to be with you all the time! Seriously, all the time.

Don’t be surprised if you have a few sleepovers on school nights. No one will be able to get enough of you!

This can be a bad thing or a good thing depending on how you look at it. Just think, you won’t be friendless for a whole month! But once April hits, you’ll go back to being your enjoyable self.

Cancer: (June 21-July 22) Something wicked this way comes, Cancer. Towards the middle of the month, strange things will be occurring all around you. Unexplainable events will start to pop up everywhere you turn! If you look left, you may see a man walking his pet ferret. To your right, an alligator getting a piggy-back ride on a hippo. Just watch your back until this month comes to an end, Cancer.

Libra: (September 23 -October 22) This is not your month, Libra.

One bad event after another is going to bring you to your last straw; all your haystacks will be gone! You’re blood is going to boil, so you might get some hot flashes now and then. But don’t worry! All of your bad moments will lead up to one wonderful moment in the end, so all of this March nonsense will be worth it.

Capricorn:(December 22-January 19) Your worries have finally began to peak at the end of February, Capricorn. You’ll be so worried you’ll start to notice wrinkles appearing on your forehead, cheeks and elbows! These worry lines will stay for the entire month, making you age a bit through March. But once March comes to an end, so will your worries, and your youth will return to you by April.

Leo: (July 23-August 22) Love is in the air, Leo! It isn’t necessarily between you and that certain boy or girl. However, you might find a new found love with a lost hobby you once treasured. But this is no ordinary love. This is an obsessive, burning, passionate love. When it hits, you won’t be able to stop obsessing over this hobby until the month is over. You could end up crocheting a million wash rags, or learning to ride a unicycle for the rest of March.

Scorpio: (October 23-November 21) It looks like you’re going to have to be careful with what you say. If you start saying bad things about another person, bad things will be coming out of your mouth. . . literally! That frog in your throat is going to hop on right out of your mouth with every negative phrase said in the month of March. You may even spit out a toad from time to time.

Aquarius: (January 20-February 18) This is a month of luck for you, Aquarius. If you keep your eye out, you may spot a little man running around large, grassy hills. It’s your job to catch this little Leprechaun. If you do, your luck will increase and you’ll be luckier than ever! But if you don’t try to catch this Irish creature, your luck will run out sooner than you hope.

Sports Schmidt Looks to Bring Consistency to Girls’ Soccer Schmidt is third coach in four years for Coyotes

by Will Petersen

T

he girls’ soccer program has had an inconsistent coaching history in the past few years: there have been four new coaches in the the past four years. This year, experienced soccer player and coach Eric Schmidt is going to “give these girls one-hundred percent every day,” and hopes to build a better program for the girls and for the future of soccer at Monarch.

Senior defender Roni Burgener has been in the Monarch soccer program all throughout high school, and she feels that Schmidt can make a difference this year.

“He seems more committed

to the team,” said Burgener.

The girls have been doing a large amount of preseason work this year, and Burgener noted, “This is the most preseason work we’ve done here at Monarch.” Burgener feels that “last season was OK,” when they went 7-8, and that this season “we’ll do better.”

Sophomore defender Renae Deiter loves the personality she sees in Schmidt this year, and said, “He’s very intense, but has a good humor.” “He’s shown he can make an impact on us all,” said Deiter. “Preseason training has gotten us all into good shape, and it should give us a good start to the season,” stated Deiter, who is appreciative of the extra work

Schmidt has put in.

“He’s dedicated to building a program for the future,” said Junior midfielder Kayla Sehnert. Sehnert has had a new coach every year she has played at Monarch, and is ready for another change.

“We’ve never had much of a preseason, we always get a late start,” Sehnert remarked.

“This year,” she said, “we’ll have more preparation so that there is a better formation for the first game.”

“The focus of this season is to make these girls all around better,” said Schmidt in terms of his hopes for the girl’s program. “The girls program deserves a good coach because a lot of these girls have skill in and out of soccer.” “I see

a lot of these girls becoming good people through soccer,” said Schmidt on the topic of potential in the girls team.

Schmidt proved that he has the experience to coach and improve these girls. “I’ve coached for Trebol, played for FC Boulder, Boulder High School, and also a small amount at CU.” It is obvious that Schmidt is committed to creating an improved girls’ soccer program, and his team is anxious to get this season started. Schmidt is ready to make a difference on these girls by making them good people in and out of soccer.

New girls’s soccer head coach Eric Schmidt poses in the Monarch High School weight room on Thursday, February 14th. Schmidt has been conducting preseason training with the team. The first regular season game for the team will be on March 13th at Cherry Creek High School. (Photo credit: Will

Petersen)

Successful on the Field, in the Stands Fans help spur teams to victory

by Charlie Light

B

ehind nearly every successful sports team there is a loud and loyal fan base. Monarch, whose teams have combined for five state titles this year, consistently brings some of the largest crowds to games, and the cheering has undoubtedly helped some of Monarch’s successful teams this year.

“We always had a very raucous crowd, home or away,”

said senior linebacker Colin Hart about Monarch’s student section at football games. “[At the championship game,] our student section looked colossal compared to Denver South’s.”

The Coyotes’ fans have been so spirited this year that athletes attribute some of their success to the student sections.

“I think our student section played a role,” said basketball center Drew Weaver

about Monarch’s two-point win over rival Fairview on January 18th. “If no one was there it definitely would have been a different game.”

Caleb Fenn, a dedicated Monarch basketball fan who wears his gold-man spandex suit to nearly every game and mixed the warm-up song for the girls’ team, agrees that the fans were truly a sixth man for that game. “I think we definitely had an impact.

Rushing the court after the

game was the best feeling. I felt like we made an impact on the game and it wasn’t just a bunch of fans watching a game.”

Weaver say the student section also helps him channel his energy towards playing better. “If there’s a bad call and the students go crazy it definitely fires me up and I can play better. Also, I don’t feel as much of a need to argue with the call then.”

“It’s awesome as an athlete

to look up in the stands and know everyone’s behind you,” said Hart, who said he drew off the crowd’s energy for the championship game.

Besides inspiration, fans can also provide some comic relief for players, according to Weaver. “I notice the funny chants a little bit. I don’t laugh at them while I’m playing, but after the game the team will joke about them.

Sometimes when we’re on the bench we’ll comment to

each other about the cheers, but never when we’re on the floor,” said Weaver.

“One of the funnier chants was when one of the opposing parent sections started chanting ‘Martha Stewart’ for Marcus Stewart. He thought it was funny, too.”

Whether they’re providing motivation or just a few laughs for the players, those in the stands can impact the performance of those on the field or court.

Fans get rowdy after a Monarch touchdown during the 4A football State Championship game on December 1st, 2012 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Monarch defeated Denver South by a score of 17-14. (Photo credit: Charlie Light)

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Sweaty Solace

Crossfit provides platform for Mendenhall to overcome depression

by David Andrews

T

he air is crisp, almost uncomfortably so.

The Colorado Tech Center lays silent.

The sun peeks over the horizon and begins to rise, throwing dappled light across a mundane building in the back corner of the complex. There is nothing special about this building, just as brown as all the others. One can discern peeling black letters on a gray door. The letters read “Crossfit Julia.” A huge tire lays by the door, seemingly out of place in this office park. The silence is broken by a 1996 Geo Prizm rolling into the parking lot. The car is a hodgepodge of parts, a fading green paint job complemented by a stark white hood. Inside sits junior Andy Mendenhall. His six foot frame glides out of the car with the silent power of an athlete. Mendenhall’s breath curls into the air. The sun clings to his black tracksuit. Mendenhall unlocks the door and enters his sanctuary, Crossfit Julia.

Crossfit Julia focuses on fitness, not aesthetics. The gym is basically an empty warehouse with stacks of weights and medicine balls along the wall. This is typical of most Crossfit gyms, as the sport started out as a fitness regime for the likes of Navy Seals, firefighters, and special forces units. In recent years the sport has exploded in popularity. According to the Washington Post in 2005 there were 13 Crossfit gyms and today, nationwide there are over 4,300 independent gyms. The walls are sparse except for the gym’s slogan, “Train Hard. Recover Fast. Repeat.” and endless numbers and records written on dry erase boards that cover an entire wall.

Crossfit Julia is one of about five Crossfit gyms in Boulder County. The gym is run by Shawn Bandel, a former professional Crossfit competitor. Bandel speaks with the quiet confidence of an accomplished man. His physique pushes at the seams of his clothing, asking to be unleashed upon the countless weights in the gym. Bandel runs Crossfit Julia with his wife, Julia Bandel, the gym’s namesake.

The journey that Andy Mendenhall has taken to Crossfit Julia is much more complicated and difficult than the ten minute drive it has taken him today. Mendenhall has struggled with depression during his high school career.

On multiple occasions he has been admitted to suicide prevention units at the hospital following attempts at killing himself. While on vacation in Nice, France on summer vacation in 2012 Mendenhall discovered the sport of Crossfit. Mendenhall’s mom’s boyfriend Jay Irwin “woke me up really early in the morning and took me to do a workout at the gym. All they had was a barbell and a rowing machine, so while one person lifted, the other did 1,000 meters on the rowing machine. I threw up after three. It blew me away, because most workouts won’t destroy you like that.”

When asked what he like about Crossfit, Mendenhall replied with a sly smile, “When you go to the gym you might get stronger, bigger, but with Crossfit you never plateau and you’re always doing something different.” While the sport started out as just a way to get into shape Crossfit is now a full-time sport for Mendenhall. Crossfit has also provided an important outlet for Mendenhall. “Over the past two years I’ve struggled with serious depression and Crossfit has helped a ton.”

Mendenhall played basketball at Monarch on the freshman and sophomore teams. He describes basketball as “a place where I could be in my own little world.” Mendenhall has found the same sort of outlet in Crossfit, “I’m better emotionally, than I’ve ever been in my life,” and, he adds with a chuckle, “I’m in the best shape of my life.”

Mendenhall is a junior coach at Crossfit Julia and teaches two classes a week. The junior coaching program is unique to Crossfit Julia. When Irwin approached Bandel to inquire about getting Andy involved with the junior coaching program, Bandel initially balked, “I just don’t make deals 14 like that, it’s much more insightful

to watch someone put in the effort and see what kind of person they are.” However, with some hesitation he allowed Mendenhall into the gym. Mendenhall grew on Bandel rather quickly, “I started seeing some things I really liked, the passion, the work ethic. Normally I wait a long time to include someone in our junior coaching program, but with Andy there was just something there that made me want to give him a shot.” Looking back, Bandel is pleased with his decision.

“Honestly, he’s gone above and beyond anything I ever expected, he’s the best long shot I’ve ever taken.”

Bandel has a great reverence for the sport and the power it can hold for people.

“I’ve always said that the exercise is great and you can get in amazing shape, but the bigger thing is the mental toughness and ability to overcome challenges and obstacles with a never quit attitude.

Then there’s the teamwork and camaraderie; everyone here is here to support each other. The journey is much more rewarding when you take all your friends with you.”

Irwin concurred with Bandel, “I always come back to Crossfit because of the community feel you have at a gym.”

The transformation that Mendenhall underwent was not confined to the gym. Mendenhall’s mother, Chris Mendenhall, saw huge changes in both Mendenhall’s attitude and physique. “High school can be a hard time for a lot of different kids for a lot of different reasons, and Crossfit has given Andy a vision of life beyond high school.

Crossfit has inspired Andy to do better in school so he can get there.” When Mendenhall speaks about her son, her eyes twinkle and her body softens. Gone is the stress of helping her son overcome depression, and replacing it is the quiet pride she feels for her son and the changes he has engineered in his life.

“Crossfit has given him [Andy] a stronger sense of self and who he is, he comes home excited now, he’s the old Andy that I used to know.”

Irwin, a crossfit enthusiast himself, looks at the situation from a couple of different vantage points, “First of all, there’s the physical standpoint. He weighs a good 30 pounds more now compared to when he started, he’s benching more than he ever has in his life, even my daughter said the other day when he was heading down to the hot tub, ‘Wow dad, he is big’.” Irwin has seen changes in Andy in the gym setting as well. “When he first started as a junior coach he was much more tentative and reserved, but now he comes into the gym and he takes charge, takes leadership. He doesn’t need to look over at Shawn [Bandel] anymore and ask if he’s doing it right, he just does it.”

Recently, Bandel saw firsthand the effect that Crossfit has had on the life of Mendenhall.

“Just a couple of weeks ago Andy posted to our closed Facebook page about the struggles he’s been through and basically just opened up to us. This was one of the first times a lot of us learned about his experiences and what he had been through.”

Mendenhall poses with an exercise tire outside of Crossfit Julia. Mendenhall has been attending the gym since Christmans time of 2013. He is now a junior coach at the gym and integral member of its close-knit community. (Photo credit: David Andrews)

“His experience and what he’s gone through with us is the most important thing that has ever happened in this gym. When he joined the gym I really rolled out the red carpet for him, comped his membership, gave him entry into all of our challenges, stuff I normally don’t do unless you earn it. My wife asked me, ‘Why you doing that Shawn?’ and I said, ‘I really don’t know.’ I’m a faith based person and that’s a big part of who I am, so I call it divine intervention that he was brought to us.”

Mendenhall’s mother acknowledges that her son was given help by people such as Irwin, and Shawn and Julia Bandel but, “Andy himself deserves the most credit. Depression can be quite debilitating, and it is so hard to climb out of a place of such despair. It takes a huge amount of courage, strength, and determination to turn that around. CrossFit was the spark that gave Andy a whole new dose of willpower and purpose, but it took what he

already had inside to be open to it. I am extremely proud of him.”

Bandel is confident Mendenhall will stick with the sport that has pulled him out of some of the darkest times of his life and continue to improve, both physically and mentally. When asked what he sees in Mendenhall’s future, Bandel’s eyes light up, “I see him developing into a great young man, both through our junior coaching program and just in general. There’s more to life than chasing a dollar, because at the end of our lives it’s not about what you got, it’s what you gave, and I really see those beliefs growing in Andy.”

Teammate or Mate?

Triple Threat Edition

by Katie Ciaglo

D

rew Weaver comes alive on the basketball court.

The junior can be found almost everyday during the winter in the gym refining his game.

“Physical” is one word that sums up his game. Weaver is the alltime single season leader in charges taken. When a player is on the floor fighting for a ball during a game, chances are it’s Weaver. We pitted Drew’s triplet siblings Ally and Chay against his girlfriend Kendall Saunders to see who knew the hard-charging junior better, the siblings he’s lived with his whole life, or his girlfriend of four months.

Favorite basketball Player?

Favorite College Basketball Team?

Favorite Professional Basketball Team?

DREW WEAVER ‘14/Basketball F

Michael Jordan

University of Colorado (CU)

Boston Celtics

KENDALL SAUNDERS ‘14/Girlfriend

Probably some CU player

Denver Nuggets

Favorite Muscial Group/Artist?

Adventure Club

Adventure Club

Coke

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter

Inception

0

5

5

5

Coke

5

Twitter

5

S c o r e b o a r d

30

Boston Celtics

Butterfingers

J. Cole

Lord of the Rings

Coke

Twitter

ALLY WEAVER ‘14/Sister

LeBron James

0

CU

CU

Butterfingers

Coke or Pepsi?

0

5

5

5

Butterfingers

Inception

Paul Pierce 0

CU

Favorite Candy?

Favorite Movie?

CHAY WEAVER ‘14/Brother

Miami Heat

5

Mike and Ikes 5

0

0

I don’t know, some dubstep artist

0

0

0

Paranormal Activity

0

Coke

5

5

Twitter 5

25

5

20

The time Saunders has spent with Drew obviously paid off. Saunders pulled out the victory by a close margin over Drew’s siblings, Chay and Ally. Saunders might not have excelled in the sports-related questions but her knowledge of Drew’s favorite movie and band sealed her win.

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Monarch High School 329 Campus Drive Louisville, CO 80027

Howler Staff

Non Profit Organization US Postage Paid Louisville, Co 80027 Permit No. 31

Print Editor-in-Chief Aleiya Evison Online Editor-in-Chief Charlie Light Opinions Will Petersen News Bridget Anthony Features Katie Ciaglo Arts and Entertainment Katie Berohn Sports David Andrews Copy Mia Mulvahill Business Tyler Debord Reporters Anna Blanco Olivia Coleman Natalie Forman Jack Howard Ashley Litoff Conner Lund Ellie Oliver Christina Rodie Arika Rooney Grace Tallmon Dalton Valette Joy Wineman Advisor Bonnie Katzive The Howler strives to inform, educate, and entertain the student body of Monarch High School as a monthly student-produced newspaper and open forum for student free expression. The paper will also provide a forum for community opinions.

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