September

Friday, September 28, 2012

www.mhshowler.com

WORLD LANGUAGE GAINS FOUR NEW TEACHERS

MONARCH BANDS FEEL THE PRESSURE

U.S. SOCCER LEGEND COACHES BOYS’ SOCCER

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The Howler Volume 14

Issue 1

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

Gerrish has been working in the Monarch library for the last seven years. (Photo credit: Tyler Debord)

GERRISH WINS LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR “I

t feels surreal because you don’t expect to win something like this,” said Monarch librarian Beatrice Gerrish.

This fall, Gerrish won Colorado Librarian of the Year for the 2011-2012 school year.

Gerrish credits the students and teachers of Monarch High School. “I could be a phenomenal librarian, but it wouldn’t matter if you guys didn’t use the library,” said Gerrish.

Gerrish is entering her fifth year as a Colorado Power Librarian, designated by the Highly Effective School Program of Colorado.. A factor that contributed to her success was a project called the Monarch Reading Challenge, which she worked on with Mystayn Barnes and Deann Bucher.The

goal of this project was to inspire students to read at least 25 books outside of class each year. Gerrish told Becky Russell, a representative from the Colorado Association of Libraries, about the project. After their conversation Gerrish said that Russell,“put me in for Colorado Librarian of the Year. I was going against university librarians and public librarians, so I didn’t tell anyone [about the nomination].”

This statewide award is Monarch’s second in the past year. Science teacher Kristin Donley won Teacher of the Year last spring and Gerrish said, “To have both of us in the same place, it says that Monarch is on an upswing.”

She added, “It’s a nice nod to Dr. Anderson

and the climate she’s creating. This kind of thing wouldn’t be happening if good things weren’t going on here.”

Gerrish likes the direction Monarch is headed, and credits the school’s environment for her award saying, “The award came now because I’m in a school that’s pushing forward.”

The qualities that Gerrish possesses also had a lot to do with winning the award. “I think I have a lot of energy,” Gerrish said. “ I’m not afraid to get messy and get overwhelmed.”

A school librarian many duties to fulfill (i.e. helping students checkout books and shelving) but Gerrish said, “my whole job is

to support you and the teachers. It’s my seventh year, so I really feel like I get what the teachers are looking for from me.” She added, “If you can go that extra step for people it really pays off because if they need help with anything else, they’ll come and ask you.”

Gerrish is appreciative of all of the recognition she has received. “It’s a nice pat on the back for all the hard work and time I put into it,” she said. “I think we’re adapting to the wants of our students today.” She will receive her award for Colorado Librarian of the Year on October 19th, 2012 at the annual conference of Colorado state librarians.

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OPINIONS

COLLEGE: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? THE BENEFITS OF CHALLENGING THE ATTENDING COLLEGE INSTITUTION OF A HIGHER EDUCATION T here is a lot of talk about whether getting a college degree is really necessary, and if it’s a good investment because of how expensive college is these days. College helps prepare you for the rest of your life. Also, college can help you decide what you want to do or what career you want to go into. It can give you the base you need to get started. Overall college is full of positive experiences. I believe that everyone should go to college despite the expense, because it’s a good investment for your life, and it’s worth it!

College is a learning experience beyond the classroom that can help prepare you for the rest of your life. Since most people live in their college dorm their freshman year, this prepares people for living on their own.

Before this you have your parents watching out for you; in college, no one is worrying about you--you have to worry about yourself.

College students have a lot of freedom and it is practice for the real deal. This freedom involves living away from home, and learning to balance work and fun. Going on to get a higher education, is also a time that can help you develop the skill of independence, and is a time where a lot of people mature.

If you want a great base for your career, going to college can help you get started with everything and open yourself to many possibilities. Many jobs require you to have a college degree, so by earning your degree you are making yourself more marketable for jobs. Desirable jobs requiring a degree include a Petroleum Engineer, Statistician, Information Systems Managers, Civil Engineer, Nurse, and Healthcare Administrator.

As well, the more skills you learn in college, the better chance you have of getting picked for the job you are trying to get. For example, if the job is between you and someone who doesn’t have as many skills or as much as an education as you do, it could be the deciding factor for getting a job. College is the key to earning an income and getting a job.

Although it’s very expensive to go to college, in the end if you stick with it the investment is worth it. A 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center, found that 86% of college grads say college was a good investment for them. This is because college gives you the skills you

by David Andrews

M

any teenagers in the United States have been told their whole lives that college is essential for success. Their educational paths have been laid out before them by mislead parents that believe college is the only path to success. Few give any thought to the alternatives to college. College costs are skyrocketing and the crippling debt that students experience at graduation now greatly outweigh the limited benefits that college provides.

need to get a job and in the end a job can “pay you back” for the expenses for most people. In 2010, people who earned a Bachelor’s degree made an average of $72,020 a year, while people who have a high school diploma earned an average of $39,988 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall people who end of going to college make more money and have more opportunities as well.

In addition, college is not an experience you would want to miss out on.

Many people consider college to be one of the most exciting times in their lives. You get to meet a lot of new people and connect with people who share common interests. You get to “start over” in a way, which can be scary as well as thrilling. Going to an institution of higher education is a new start to the rest of your life and is fun and not all work. To miss out on something as exciting as college would be a bummer.

Even with the cost, college is worth your time and money. Proceeding to college is a great way to start your future. Also when you advance to college, it gives you the skills you need, the education for a job, the reality of what life away from your parents is like, and is a really fun time in your life! If you’re deciding whether or not you want to go to college, think of all the possibilities it could lead to. College is the way to go.

The debt that students are saddled with upon graduation greatly limits their post-graduation exploits. Instead of widening their understanding of the world and traveling, these youths are forced to enter the workforce immediately.

Travelling and experiencing other cultures can help young adults figure out what they want to do with their lives and give them new perspective on their lives.

ters of taking tests and eeking out grades.

In the workforce today, companies don’t have the money or resources to teach employees specific skills once on the job. Corporations would much rather employ someone with the specific skills needed for the job already intact.

These specific skills can be learned at much less expensive institutions than

Students need to reevaluate the basic premises of college and why they want to attend.

The most intelligent and motivated students are attending prestigious colleges as a result For my parents, they had few student loans to of the selective entry process. People then pay off and were free to travel. While on their automatically assume that entry into these respective trips to Boulder, Colorado they hap- universities will make them successful and pened to meet. If they were burdened by the the quality of the education will be extremely student debt of today both of them would have beneficial. been forced to enter the workforce immediately in a job they were overqualified for and The truth is that top notch universities accept begin the arduous process of paying off their the most highly motivated students and loans. churn them out relatively the same. Are the prestigious universities of America really Especially with today’s technology, four year improving these students? To me, it seems degrees have become obsolete. According to like these colleges are self-fulfilling propheJennifer Derrick of SavingAdvice.com, employ- cies; if they are accepting the best students in ers would much rather take students out of a the world then of course they are producing 2 year college or occupational school that are successful people in the professional world. ready to start the job immediately, rather than These students are destined for success even a student attending a traditional college that without the hundreds of thousands of dollars has to wait at least four years before entering they are spending on college. the workforce.

Vocational schools are a viable alternative to a four year university. Vocational schools provide applicable skills to students. Often, students that attend a four-year college hone their skills in the ability to be taught.These students spend endless hours in lecture halls listening to professors without learning any practical real-world skills. These students become mas-

It is imperative that we challenge the commonly held belief that college is essential to success. While I understand that college is the right choice for some, it is not for everyone. The cost of college is ballooning and in our new, tech-centered job market expensive four year institutions are not the best option for many.

THE ROAD TO COLLEGE: PREPARATION

The “Step-By-Step” Trancript Process, posted in the Post-Grad Center for seniors looking at colleges. Photo by Will Petersen

Seniors Alana Chen and Will Minter discussing their work in the Post-Grad center. Photo by Dalton Vallete

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THE CHICKFIL-A QUANDARY

by Dalton Valette

B

eing an out and proud gay teenager has its perks, but it also yields some challenges.

One of those challenges (Photo credit: Will Petersen) arose back in June and July of this year when the COO of the fast food restaurant Chick-Fil-A came forward and declared that Chick-Fil-A supports only “traditional marriage.”

I actually think I was eating a Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken sandwich when I found this out. At first, I wasn’t all that surprised by this announcement. Okay, so a predominantly Christian run fast food chain that is closed on Sundays announces that it stands by the Bible’s definition of marriage, and I’m supposed to have my jaw drop when they “come out” against same sex marriage.

Of course, when this announcement was made, I had a bunch of friends come up to me and ask for my thoughts on the issue, largely because I’m gay. I bet some of them were expecting me to whoop and holler and call for the banishment of all Chick-Fil-As in the United States. Sure, I was disappointed that this fast food chain has made, in my opinion, a stupid decision by coming out as solely in favor of “traditional marriage,” especially in this day and age when being gay is largely socially accepted, but I didn’t think it was a big deal. They were just stating their opinion. I may not agree with it, but it’s their opinion.

Then, the Huffington Post reported that Chick-Fil-A had “donated an estimated $5 million to anti-gay organizations and hate groups between 2003 and 2010.” Some of these organizations even try to abolish “the gay gene” out of people through the use of intensive therapy or prayer, such as the group Exodus International. Now that irritated me.

It’s one thing to say you support or oppose this one cause, but donating money to organizations that attempt to belittle and dehumanize hundreds of thousands of people based on their sexual orientation is just vile.

To discriminate against a large portion of the population solely based on a small part of their personal lives steps over the bounds of the first amendment.

Having an opinion allows us to express individuality and having one makes us human.

For example, Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney shared his opinion by saying so lovingly that “corporations are people, my friends,” in response to the passing of Citizens United in 2012 which allowed corporations to have the same rights as individuals in terms of donating to political causes. So with this, I guess that corporations can have opinions just like individuals.

I may not agree with these opinions, but that is solely for the “person” to have. And as long as a person can stand by their opinion, then that is just dandy. If you don’t agree with Chick-Fil-A’s stance on the issue of gay marriage, then don’t eat there. You have the choice of not eating there; no one is forcing you to buy their product. I sure as hell won’t be caught by a Chick-Fil-A anytime soon, but that’s what I feel, and it’s what I believe.

Great, have an opinion, but don’t try forcing your opinion onto others by means of ridding them of a piece of their individuality. Doing that…well that just makes you inhuman.

(Cartoon credit: Jack Howard)

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THE PACS’ ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY

by Malachi Dray

$

244,642,425. That’s two hundred twenty-two million, three hundred sixty-three thousand, one hundred seventy-eight dollars. It’s also a sum of money capable of paying for over 14,000 years of average tuition at a public college.

Disturbingly, according to the Federal Election Commission, that is also the amount of money spent by Super PACs on the 2012 elections as of yet.

But what is a Super PAC, (Photo credit: Will Petersen) and why would anyone be disturbed by it? What could be possibly be alarming about anything ‘super’?

For starters, a PAC is a Political Action Committee, which is the name given by U.S. law to any organization which campaigns for or against political candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation and handles more than $1,000. A Super PAC is the steroid-enhanced, dependent-expenditure only committee”, these new PACs are the result of the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court ruling, and can Not only may these organizations spend unlimited money, but, using a simple loophole, they can also avoid disclosing their donors’ identities. The result of this is a tidal wave of money, its

hours of TV, Internet, and radio ads. I don’t remember the last YouTube video I watched without an ad endorsing or bashing either Where is this money coming from? Certainly it would be wonderful if average citizens were using Super PACs to support their according to the experts at www.money.cnn.com , more than 80% of their funds come from a mere 100 individuals, representing only 3.7% of donors.

This tsunami of dollars shows no signs of subsiding, and the source is a shadowy group of multi-millionaires, who threaten

would they remain accountable to the people? cial contributions do? Now, consider for a minute that the 2012 presidential election is not being run by two men, but that there four of them? How about eight? The plain fact is that candidates

media.

A private media primarily composed of a few massive conglomerates coupled with hundreds of millions of dollars conspicuously delivered without a return address is a potent concoction for

American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations,” and his words ring true and relevant today.

An astonishing 87% of American voters support caps on camelections to be funded through devious means that are supported only by the smallest portion of the electorate? And as for the bite the hand that feeds them.

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ARABIC CLASS T DEBUTS AT MONARCH A Arabic level one added to course options S T E O F T

his year, for the first time ever, the Monarch world language department is offering an Arabic class to students.

The class is being taught by Spanish teacher Redouan Bouchta and is already a big hit.

Level one is the only level offered this year.

However, Bouchta is hoping to add a level two class next year, and continue building the program each year until a wide range of levels are offered.

“It was students from here, all Monarch students, who were really pushing me [to teach Arabic at Monarch],” said Bouchta.

Bouchta grew up speaking an Arabic dialect in Morocco, making him the man for the job.

Getting the class up and running began with asking the community of Monarch parents what they thought of the idea. Unfortunately, not all of the feedback was positive, “We had some very negative feedback, but I don’t blame the parents. The media plays a big role in this and people, they only hear from one side... And that is where they get all their information, which is wrong,” said Bouchta.

One of the driving forces behind the starting Arabic class was to inform students about Arabic culture, and reflect the Arabic people in a positive light, especially after the crude anti-Muslim graffiti that appeared in Monarch bathrooms last year. Kate O’Donnell, a junior and student in Arabic saw the tragedy as an opportunity to inform herself. “Some of my friends’ names were listed [in the graffiti], and I kinda thought that if I can maybe do something to counteract that, or learn a little bit... then maybe I can share some of that knowledge,” said O’Donnell.

Arabic is a language that is much different from English. It has its own alphabet that students must learn, and is read and written from right to left. However, the students in

Bouchta’s class are prepared to rise and meet the challenge.

The class is not only focused on the Arabic language, but also the culture. “We’ve tasted tea from that area, and that was really fun. We’ve seen pictures and we’re going to be cooking Arabic food ourselves. I like learning about these cultures,” said O’Donnell. Bouchta is aiming to inform students about the Arabic people in hopes to create a more tolerant environment. “[Arabic people] are just like us,” said Bouchta.

Besides the cultural factor, there are many other reasons for students to sign up for Arabic. “I’m really interested in political science for college, and I thought that since there’s a lot of foreign relations stuff in the Middle East maybe learning a little arabic could help me with that,” said Junior Brooke Hubbard.

The class, even though it is level one, is full of students with a wide range of skills.

“Most of the kids in the class have had experience living in a country that speaks Arabic. I’d say like half the class has lived in say, Saudi Arabia or Qatar. Some of them speak the language at home, but don’t know how to read or write it, so there are a lot of students there to learn about one section of the language,” said Hubbard.

Although the class is small and the language is difficult to learn, the students and Bouchta are excited for this year and the years to follow. “I have a lot of fun every day because the kids who are in that class are in it because they want to learn it,” said Bouchta. “They are not there to fill a language requirement, they are there because they want to learn the language and the culture. They’re wonderful kids. I’m very excited about this class. I love it and I’m having a lot of fun and we will see at the end of the year what the result is.”

M O N A R C H 5

DROWNING IN DRAMA

Surprise summer plumbing malfunction leads to B-Wing mess

by Tori Ganahl

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he school year started out like any other: new freshman searching the halls for their classes and seniors gathering in B-hall. Little did they know, during the first week of July, a pipe burst, causing a flood throughout parts of the theatre department, the two Language Art classrooms located in B-hall , the special education classroom and

the drumline room.

Business teacher Rudy Sumpter found the damage and contacted administration immediately. From there, administration contacted the district, who hired a professional company specializing in flood damage, to repair the damage.

The drywall had to be completely replaced, and two of the projector systems were damaged. In fact, Gwendolyn Lukas-Doctor said, “I still don’t have a projector, there’s a list of items that have still not been returned.” Lukas-Doctor was also disappointed about (Photo Credit: losing ceiling tiles that past students had painted.

From a thespian’s point of view, the flood was an inconvenience. Natalie Rudd, thespian president, said, “Chairs and desks and such, of course, were misplaced. And on the stage and in the wings, we had a lot of excess stuff to be put back into place.”

Luckily for the returning students, insurance covered the cost of the damage, minus a deductible paid by the district, and the professionals in charge of cleaning up the damage made sure there was no residue.

“I was amazingly shocked at how well the cleanup went,” said Lukas-Doctor. “There was no smell! In fact, when I walked into my classroom, I was excited about getting a new carpet but they had cleaned it so well, I didn’t have to get a new carpet!”

As a result of the flood, much of the classroom, drumline and theatre department’s property were shoved into the theatre’s tech room. In order to effectively clear that space to use for their first show, Lukas-Doctor used Facebook to call all students and thespians for “Clean Up Day” the week before school started.

“Now, everything is spit-spot-and-beautiful!” said Rudd regarding the result from Clean Up Day. Pipes bursting in the summertime is very unusual. According to Assistant Principal Eric Moroye, if the flood had not been caught earlier, the damage could have been long-term and could have had a bigger effect on our current school year. When asked if it could happen again, Moroye said, “Anything can happen!”

Even though the projector systems have yet to be replaced, the classrooms affected are not connected to the school system (the schoolwide digital clock and video announcements cannot be seen), and some property has yet to be returned, the show must go on!

HOWLER ENTERS AGE OF DIGITAL MEDIA

Newspaper joins digital movement by adding website and Twitter

by Katie Ciaglo

UPS AND DOWNS OF SEPTEMBER It’s a bad month to be British royalty. Raunchy pictures of Prince Harry were released from his vacation in Vegas and he was then promptly deployed to Afghanistan as he is a pilot in the British Army. Kate Middleton was also recently exposed in an unflattering light when a French tabloid released topless photos of her.

September has also been a bad month for Apple fans and employees. Apple has been engaged in multiple lawsuits against Samsung and Amazon. Apple ended up prevailing on both accounts, however negative press skewed against them was rampant. Following this, the release of the iPhone 5 was met with disappointment and frustration by many consumers.

It’s a good month to be Taylor Swift as her two new songs “Ronan” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” have been trading places between the number one and number two spots on iTunes. Also, according to Instagram, she’s been getting in a lot of quality time in with her cat, who was recently able to travel with her and even stay in her hotel room!

Tomato fans are in luck this September. Their favorite fruit, commonly misunderstood to be a vegetable, is in season! Recipes along the lines of soups, sauces and salads are prime for involving this succulent ingredient. Not to mention it’s the time to shine for everyone’s favorite Veggie Tale host, Bob the Tomato, as it is his 236th month of broadcasting.

It’s a good month for those in favor of colder weather. Even though the temperatures have still been unseasonably high, this summer’s 93-day streak of days-in-a-row with temperatures over 90 degrees (fahrenheit) ended. As of September 21st this month, summer is officially over, and it’s now fall’s time to shine.

It’s a bad month to be new to the PAC 12. The University of Colorado football team lost to long time rival, Colorado State University, and then again to Sacramento State and Fresno State. These were the games that sports analysts had projected CU to win. The teams they will be playing from here on out are predicted to be even more difficult than the three they have already lost to. It’s an upward climb from here for the Buffs, but who knows, fans may be in for a surprise.

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fter a year’s absence, The Howler started up again at Monarch during the 2011-2012 school year. This year, The Howler returns in full force, with a staff prepared to take on the challenge of entering the age of digital media.

“We have the ability to connect with Monarch students on a very convenient level,” said Sports Editor David Andrews.

As more and more focus is being put on online news sources, The Howler staff recognized the importance of keeping up with the changing times.

“Breaking into online media will be very important for our publication because it will allow us to reach our audience on more platforms, and it will also improve the education of our staff by helping us to learn how new journalism methods work,” said Online Editor in Chief Charlie Light.

Expanding into online news sources will keep the Monarch community connected to everything going on at the school in a timely and easily accessible manner. So how do you stay informed? It’s as easy as one, two, three.

1) Visit The Howler website at mhshowler. com. On the website you will find stories in all categories (sports, news, features, A&E, opinions), as well as videos, polls, staff bios, and easy links to important Monarch websites. Use the navigation bar at the top of the page to find your way around.

2) Follow us on Twitter, at @MHShowler and @howlersports, for the latest updates on Monarch, as well as timely scores and results for all Monarch sports teams, with live tweeting from the games.

3) Like ‘Monarch Howler’ on Facebook.

As a publication, The Howler strives to bring news to the Monarch community in the best and fastest way possible. Do your part by following these three simple steps to stay connected, and you won’t miss a beat.

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ADVICE FOR THE ANNOUNCERS DELIVER DAILY NEWS FRESHMEN

voice,” said Reed. All the pairs went through their sheets together, fter the first bell projecting their voices rings, students at as best as they could.

Monarch hus“It was hard, but it was tle to their first period worth it for me in the classrooms. Once they end,” Fransen said. are settled in and the Although each second bell has rung, a of these seniors are loud voice booms over broadcasting anthe intercom. “Good nouncements for morning, Monarch! If you different reasons, so wish, please stand for they agree that it has the Pledge of Allegiance.” been a fun experience The morning announceso far. “It has been ments follow, which are rewarding because voiced by four boisterous Casey Sloan makes seniors. my mornings enjoyTwo teams of seniors able,” said Meyer. “It’s were selected to become been a lot of fun doing the voices of Monarch. it with Ally Meyer,” The team on Mondays added Sloan. “It’s and Tuesdays is Ally Meyprobably one of the er and Casey Sloan, while best parts.” on Wednesdays and FriWhen you hear days, the team is Willow their voices over the Reed and Tyler Fransen. speakers, it may seem In addition, Sama Naqeeb that announcing and Parker Bilecky, Head comes naturally to Boy and Girl at Monarch, these four. However, read the announcements they all agreed that Seniors Ally Meyer and Casey Sloan, two of on Thursdays. they get nervous Meyer, Sloan, Reed and Monarch’s four students announcers, can be heard every morning before reading the annoucements on Monday and TuesFransen auditioned for they start announcing. day mornings. (Photo Credit: Olivia Coleman) Gwendolyn Lukas-Doctor, “I get nervous before I the teacher in charge of anperform in any scenouncements, at the end of last school year. nario, whether it be on stage or in front of At auditions, candidates were put into pairs the school,” said Fransen. What has helped to go through a series of different readings to Fransen out is that he cannot actually see test their announcing skills. “Doc had a sheet his audience. For Meyer, she is nervous for with a bunch of tongue twisters on it, and you different reasons. “My biggest fear is that I had to announce it in your best announcing will sneeze.”

by Olivia Coleman

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Is any of this information making you interested in doing the morning announcements? The current announcers have some tips for you! “Have fun with it,” said Reed, “don’t let it intimidate you.”

Fransen suggested “read before you speak. Go through each individual text that you have and slowly focus on it. If you don’t, mispronunciation will go all over the place.”

Meyer shared ways to stay motivated throughout the year. “Have a passion for information in the early hours of the morning.”

If you are planning to audition, make sure to keep these tips in mind.

Senior Willow Reed presents the morning an-

by Aleiya Evison

W

ell, you made it here. You are a high schooler, congratulations! The hallways of Monarch will be your reality for the next four years. Adjusting to high school can be challenging, but if you do the following, you’re going to make it out just fine: Don’t pretend that you are in your twenties. The harder you try to not be 15 years old, the easier it is for everyone on the face of the planet to tell that you are. In four years you will have adult responsibilities and tough decisions to make. Right now you don’t have to worry about those things, so take advantage of it by enjoying your youth instead of escaping from it.

Stop watching so much TV and hanging out at Safeway. You are at a school that has an infinite number of activities to get involved in. DO SOMETHING! It doesn’t matter if you play football, get involved in a theatre production, sing in choir, or join the debate team. Freshman year is the perfect time to explore and discover what you love. You will meet cool people that have similar interests as you, and you won’t be bored all the time.

September 21st. (Photo Credit: Joy Wineman)

UNDERSTANDINg AUTISM

ILC builds stronger community for disabled students at Monarch greeting, and for students who are not verbal, there is usually a paraprofessional or teacher on hand n recent years, autism and to help with the communication Asperger’s have become a exchange,” she said. major topic of interest. With School social worker Mike controversy arising over the Davidoff points out that these causes of the disabilities as well students usually have certain as the increasing frequency with areas of interests. He recomwhich they are being diagnosed, mends that when communicating autism and Asperger’s are all with a person who has autism or over the media. There are even Asperger’s, “joining them on one characters in popular TV shows of their topics of interests,” is a such as Bones and The Big Bang great way to get a conversation Theory that have Asperger’s. But going. By showing that you can how much do we really know understand what they enjoy, it about these disorders and how encourages them to participate they impact us in our own comin the conversation. Using these munity? tips when communicating with the Autism is a developmental ILC students will provide a better Chris Miller talks with Occupational Therapist Tammy Garner during a discussion on how disability that affects a person’s social and learning community for to communicate with other students about sharing. This is a typical activity in the ILC that ability to interact and communithem. helps to enchance communication skills (Photo Credit: Anna Blanco) cate with others. Asperger’s is a One way the school is building these and other developmental and physical disorder that is a mild form of autism. This this community is through a new club called disabilities. In the ILC, students focus on the disorder does not affect one’s language and Circle of Friends, which promotes inclusion four domains of life skills: domestic, comintellectual development, only social interbetween students with disabilities and their munity, vocation and recreation/leisure. This action. People with autism have problems in non-disabled peers. The club meets every program also allows students with autism and Monday during first lunch in room B103. three core areas: socialization, communicaAsperger’s to be a part of a community with tion, and repetition of behaviors and interInterested students can drop by each week to other students needing to practice the same ests. People with Asperger’s have problems enjoy lunch, games, and other activities with skills. in two core areas: socialization and repetition fellow Monarch students.

Although reaching out to these students of behaviors and interests. These disabilities With all the challenges that students with may seem like a challenge, the Monarch cannot go away completely, but with help, autism and Asperger’s face, programs such counselors have some tips. Speech/language they may be improved and managed. as the ILC that provide extra support for them specialist Janet Glasser encourages everyone Monarch has a program called the The are ideal. With the help of other Monarch to say hello to these students. “Many of these Intensive Learning Center (ILC), which is destudents, these students can be a part of a students are verbal and can respond to the signed to provide extra help for students with larger, more inclusive school community.

by Anna Blanco

I

Be a good student, but not a grade monger. Graduation may seem far, far away from where you are right now, but getting bad grades when you’re a freshman is not going to help you out. As silly and cliché as it sounds, try your best. That doesn’t mean that you need to get a 5.0 GPA and stay up until three in the morning to get 100% on every single assignment. That’s stressful and will result in numerous nervous breakdowns.

What you can do is turn in all of your assignments, actually listen to what your teachers are saying, and study at least a little bit.

Stop telling yourself that everyone else’s lives are better than your own. Don’t compare yourself to other people and then wallow in sadness. Don’t tell yourself that if you had a girlfriend or a boyfriend or if you were skinnier or cooler that all your problems would be solved. Instead, be who you are, and see how that goes. If you are doing things that you love and finding friends who genuinely care about you, you’ll be okay. In fact, you are awesome. You’re figuring out who you are and who you aren’t. It can be overwhelming and rough, but it will be worth it.

(Graphics by Aleiya Evison)

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2

MEET THE CLASS OF 2016

by Natalie Forman and Joy Wineman

Y

ou may be wondering about the 424 new faces wandering the halls, clogging the stairways and getting lost.

They have traveled from far and wide to get here, from strange lands such as Westminster, Thornton and Erie. They are 424 new potential friends, dates, or teammates, so it might serve you well to get to know them.

Here are the stories of three standout freshmen.

Haley Bellon is an up and coming tumbler who is a member of the Mile High Tumblers. This tumbling group was founded by Ozell Williams, who Monarch students may know from the CU cheer team. Tumbling is a combination of gymnastics and parkour.

“I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was four,” said Bellon, who now performs with the Mile High Tumblers all over the country.

“People on our team perform at halftime at Broncos games, and [in] parades throughout Colorado and the United States,” said

Bellon. The team is sponsored by CU and GoPro, and they are currently trying to gain sponsorship from Nike and Oakley.

Zach Langer is one of the new members of the Monarch Coyotes boys’ soccer team. He is a defender on the varsity team coached by soccer star Marcelo Balboa. In his decision to come to Monarch, “Balboa was a factor,” said Langer.

As one of only a few freshmen on the team, Langer gets stuck with doing many undesired tasks. “Seniors always like to mess around; we always have to pick up stuff,” said Langer. However, the extra work didn’t seem to be affecting him negatively as he sported a smile whenever he talked about the sport.

As an avid soccer player, Langer also stays involved with the sport during the off season. When not playing for the school, Langer can be found playing for Real (pronounced Ree-al) in Littleton, an hour and forty five minutes away. The U-14 Real team was number one in the state last year.

There were rumors surrounding Sam

Krason that he could fit his entire fist in his mouth, but unfortunately they proved untrue. He has, however, played basketball for over nine years, and is looking to join the Monarch boys’ basketball team for the 20122012 season.

Sam Krason is a Monarch K-8 alum and the younger brother of senior Alex Krason. When discussing the benefits of having an older sibling at the same school, Krason said, “I know a lot more people because of it.”

Even though Krason’s older brother was able to pave some of the way, it isn’t all a smooth ride. “He’s not giving me rides because he has first off,” said Krason.

While it is tempting to “boo” the freshmen at pep assemblies or other school events, it may be worthwhile to get to know them first. You never know what story lies behind each of these fresh faces.

NOBLES BRINGS WINNING WAYS, EXPERIENCE TO MONARCH

by Charlie Light

S

Freshman Zach Langer makes a move during the Monarch Varsity soccer game against Cherokee Trail on September 6th. Langer plays right fullback for the Coyotes. (Photo credit: Dominic Yang)

WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHERS (Photo credit: Rebecca Allison)

by Mia Mulvahill

Ms. Allison

(Photo credit: Steven Dicesare)

Mr. DiCesare

(Photo credit: Connor Lund)

(Photo credit: Abbey Rosenwinkel)

Mrs. Farrell

Ms. Rosenwinkel

What language do you teach and at what levels?

“I teach German, levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and AP.”

“Sign language. Right now it’s levels 1 and 3.”

“I’m teaching Spanish, levels 3 and 4.”

“I teach Spanish, levels 2 and 3.”

What made you want to teach at Monarch?

“The reputation that Monarch has is incredible and to be part of something that great is definitely exciting.”

“I came here after teaching at New Vista, and I’m doing really well here.”

“Well, I’ve been at LMS and so I know a lot of students that go here now, but also I live in Louisville and so my kids will be coming here someday. I have a strong connection to Monarch.”

“I did my student teaching here last year, so I had a really good experience with the staff, and the student body had so much school spirit and it is such a fun school.”

How many years have you been speaking the language that you’re teaching?

“I started in high school, so I can empathize with all my students, but I’ve been speaking German since about 2000.”

“I started losing my hearing at age 10 and I started learning Sign Language in high school.”

“I have been speaking Spanish for 21 years.”

“Nine years.”

Where did you go to college?

“I received my Bachelor’s degree at Rider University with a double major in Elementary Education and German and a minor in Psychology, and received my Master’s degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder with a major in German Studies.

“In Albany, New York and in Greeley at UNC [University of Northern Colorado].”

“I went to CU and I started Spanish as a freshman. It’s funny, I was accidentally put into a Spanish class, I never actually signed up for Spanish.”

“I went to the university of Colorado in Boulder.”

What are you looking forward to/ hoping to accomplish this year?

“I am hoping to give levels 3,4, and 5 the individualized instruction that they need, and I’m excited to have two native speakers in my AP level class.”

“I’m looking forward to my students shutting their mouths (laughing) and starting to use the language.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing how much the kids learn and progress.”

“I’m hoping to show the students ways to apply the Spanish they already know and they’re going to learn, and show them practical ways that those [opportunities] will exist, because that’s when Spanish will really come handy.”

What do you like to do outside of school?

“I’m a big climber. [I like to climb] Boulder Canyon mostly.”

“Rock climb and snowboard. And playing Legos.”

“I’m obsessed with knitting and I do all sorts of crafts. I also like to mountain bike a lot.”

“Outside of school I like to be active. I enjoy biking, climbing, & playing frisbee golf. I also love to cook and bake.”

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

“I’m very OCD so when things aren’t organized it’s very frustrating.”

“I have to sleep with the windows open in the winter.”

“My biggest pet peeve is trash left on my classroom floor.”

“I don’t really have one. Maybe people that are passive aggressive.”

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ports have always been a big part of Lani Nobles’ life. Winning in sports, in particular, has been a big part of her life. At Thomas Jefferson High School, she had basketball, baseball, and football teams that went deep into the state playoffs multiple times. “I have that competitiveness and that desire to win to be successful, to have our teams really be successful,” Nobles said.

Behind her desire to win is an even stronger will to teach. “I like seeing the results of showing someone how to do something, and then them doing it and being successful.”

In high school, Nobles played basketball, softball and volleyball. The University of Southern Mississippi offered Nobles a scholarship to play softball and volleyball while she participated in their national athletic training program. After her freshman year, Nobles transferred to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

She stopped playing sports in college once UNC couldn’t offer her a scholarship, and she found her true calling after that. “I actually got into the teaching program [at UNC] and then decided that I liked being a teacher,” said Nobles. “I wanted to be a teacher and a coach so that was kind of my destiny at that point.”

In her subsequent 14 years of coaching, Nobles experienced varied levels of success in many sports. In 1986, she was an assistant coach for Gail Hook for the Centaurus girls’ basketball team that won just one game. She then coached volleyball at Brighton High School, her alma mater, and didn’t lose a regular season game in three years. “That was the kind of winning I was used to,” Nobles said.

In the early part of Nobles’ career, she taught middle school science but coached at high schools, including Brighton and Centaurus. “I decided it was more important to teach and coach in the same building,” she said about her decision to take a job at Denver South, teaching and also coaching

volleyball, basketball, and golf (for which her team won a state title).

“Maturation kicks in and I decided to help these kids in Denver grow.”

After 11 years at Denver South, Nobles said, “somebody tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘hey you’d be a really good athletic director or assistant principal.’ I really didn’t want to do it, I wanted to stay teaching and coaching, but I went ahead.”

Her first athletic director job was as the assistant athletic director for Denver Public Schools. “I thought I’d just try it for a year or two, and if I didn’t like it I would go back to teaching and coaching. That was about 14 years ago, so obviously I liked it.”

When asked why she stuck with it, Nobles replied, “You end up seeing that you have a lot of impact on the coaches who have more impact on the kids, and I was able to win those elusive state titles [later in her career at Thomas Jefferson].”

When the district athletic director was looking to retire, Nobles felt she wasn’t ready to take over the head job that she was in line for. “I really didn’t feel like I could do that because I hadn’t been the athletic director for a school and I thought ‘are the policies we make really making sense to kids?’” Nobles declined the district job and instead took a position at Thomas Jefferson High School as the athletic director so she could “see what really works.”

After 11 years at Thomas Jefferson, Nobles decided to continue Monarch’s new athletic director Lani Nobles (left) talks to Dean of Students her career at a high school by taking Linda Hubbard and her son Noah during Monarch’s home football game against the Monarch athletic director job this Kennedy High School on Friday September 21st. (Photo credit: Charlie Light) summer. She said that she may return to the district level someday, but “right initially.” now I am very happy to be at Monarch, I feel However, she still misses “that direct contact very blessed, I feel very fortunate.” with kids all the time because that’s really what got Nobles said she enjoys being an athletime into this business.” But her desire to make a director because “it allows me to have that difference in the lives of students is why she enjoys impact to help inspire coaches and inspire being an athletic director. “You’ll have that one reteachers that in turn can have hundreds and ally good principal or that one really good athletic hundreds of times more impact than I could director that really inspires you. I want to be that for our students and teachers.”

Nobles was offered the job at Monarch this summer, but only two days before she started, Monarch athletic secretary Elizabeth Stocksdale underwent emergency back surgery. “This is probably the biggest challenge I’ve ever had in my career,” Nobles said of trying to keep track of administrative details, such as scheduling referees and fields for every game.

Nobles does not have any major changes in mind for the school’s athletics. “Mr. Sibley has done an outstanding job as an athletic director.

I don’t want to come in and fix something that’s not broken,” she said. “I want to come in and be thoughtful and really talk to people…see what we could make better and then provide the leadership in that area.”

Nobles does have one ambitious goal for the school’s teams. “I’m hoping to see state playoffs for 50% of our teams or more. I’m going to be figuring out how to pay for hardware, but it’s a good problem to have.”

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artsANDentertainment

WHAT WILL YOU WEAR TO THE END OF THE WORLD? A style guide for homecoming

by Tori Ganahl

H Juniors Donato Ruscitti and Bryce Slavick balance homeowrk and music in the Student Center. (Photo credit: Arika Rooney)

IS STRESS THE YOKO ONO OF HIGH SCHOOL BANDS? The hardships of maintaining a band in high school

by Arika Rooney

Y

ou come home from school, you’re tired and stressed.

You memorize your algebra, scarf down some mac and cheese, argue with your parents about borrowing the car and then head over to a friend’s house for a four-hour jam session.

If maintaining good grades for college, controlling hormones, and staying out of trouble aren’t challenging enough in high school-- try being in a rock band.

Tynan The Great was created by Monarch juniors Bryce Slavick, Davis Conklin and Taylor Friesth in early 2011.

Tynan writes and performs all their own songs, which consist of a wide variety of rock. The influence of their favorite genres; Jazz, Reggae, Punk, Blues, Alternative, Progressive and Metal, are within each. They have played at the Waterloo, Taste of Louisville and even the Fox Theatre. Their music is available to download on their facebook page.

Despite all of their great success Tynan has had to overcome some obstacles in their year of playing together.

Sixteen year olds don’t have the resources to have a band without any parent involvement. Parents have to buy them

WHAT’S MONARCH EXCITED FOR?

equipment and drive them around to their different gigs.

Not exactly the level of independence that the average teenager desires.

“Parents [are] your biggest fan…they try too hard to be involved and live through their kids,” said Slavick.

Then again, high school bands are admired by peers and get the attention they deserve. They get “a school wide audience and word-of-mouth,” said Will Searight, from Monarch’s 6-month-old Youth Spring.

Youth Spring also consists of Derek Aiello and Ryan Chen. All three alternate on guitar, drums and bass. “We’ve had trouble with past members. Some didn’t practice, and it takes a lot of work to produce songs that we don’t hate,” said Aiello. Despite this, Youth Spring has been able to collaborate and create some great tunes.

“It’s hard to form a band when you’re younger-- everyone is changing… its hard to find people that share your same interests that you connect with,” Conklin said.

However, just like any other challenge in high school, once you find a way to get past the obstacles, you have found not only the possibility of fame and a Grammy award, but more importantly, friends for life.

Homecoming Halloween Club Mo Fall Play Haunted Houses Other

omecoming: Spirit Week, the car smash, Lady Coyote Football, the tailgate before the big game, the boys of fall running through the giant inflatable helmet on our home field, queens and kings, princesses and princes, spending a whole day to get ready for one of the best nights of (Photo credit: Ellie Oliver) the year, then dancing the night away. Sounds pretty magical, doesn’t it?

Not without a beautiful dress to top it all off.

Trends are different every year, how are we supposed to keep up with them? From full out sequins, to plain jane.

From the classic “Little Black Dress”, to the full spectrum of the rainbow. What’s ACTUALLY in season this year?

We have the answers.

According to some of the fashion experts walking through the hallways at Monarch High School, color is very important this season. When asked what trends were big for Homecoming this year, junior Maddy Schopbach said, “Definitely colors!”

Senior Maddie Armijo, added, “Pretty pinks and greens, a lot of white.” And when looking for dresses, Armijo said she looked for coral and mint (expected to be the biggest colors of the seasons according to fashion magazines and style guides).

This season, the trends we see while wandering through the halls will be present in homecoming fashion. High-low, lace, sequins and tribal patterns are HUGE trends to keep your eye on when looking for dresses.

In fact, our fashion experts are following these trends themselves. Armijo said “I feel like a lot of girls are going to wear lace,” and said later that her dress is lace as well.

When asked what trends her dress followed, Schopbach said, “It’s a bright color, it’s pretty bright orange. And on the top it has stitching that is ‘tribal’.”

Well, now that we know what’s in... Where do we start?

If you’re worried about money, Forever 21 or the new H&M are always good choices.

If you want to go big, but not spend the money to go big, check out RentTheRunway.com, where you can find $100-$1000 dresses from 120 of the hottest designers for cheap. These dresses are only rentals, but that way you don’t have to worry about never using them again anyway!

Violette (located on Pearl Street), a suggestion from Armijo, department stores in the mall, and specialty stores like Fusion, get new styles for every season. Online stores, like PromGirl.com and TideBuy.com have hundreds and hundreds of great dresses to choose from.

Get ready to have the time of your life (literally!) and look stunning in your Homecoming dress at the same time!

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STICKISM: A SATIRE T

he artistic movement of Stickism has virtually flipped the art world on its heels. Artists, such as Leonard McCoy, David Gire and Don Hertzfeldt have had their stick figure art displayed in museums all around the world including The Louvre, The Uffizi Gallery and the Vatican Museums.

Their modern masterpieces push artistic boundaries and are not only designed to entertain but also to invoke deep thinking.

“It’s really no wonder that the public has responded so well to this revolutionary movement,” says leading stickist, Leonard McCoy. “While many traditional artwork shows high levels of technical mastery, many view it as indulgent, extravagant and pretentious, myself included. Our goal is to provide simple, stripped down, back to basics artwork which isn’t afraid to be controversial”.

Who knew artwork with typically no fewer than ten lines per page could be so provocative and boundary pushing? A simple stick man can speak out against bigotry and prejudice, question traditional gender roles, or provide solutions to pressing world issues. The possibilities are virtually endless.

Stickism pieces are usually done with

pencil or ballpoint pen on lined paper. “We don’t use any fancy-schmancy tools for our artwork,” says stickist David Gire. “I mean why would we want to? It contradicts the entire movement, and simple tools produce the best line anyway. And let’s not forget profit maximization (laughs).”

I spoke with McCoy about his piece “My Poetic Soul Cries Out for Love.” “It’s really a story about the intolerance, we boundary challenging artists face in the art world,” said McCoy. “I grew up constantly hearing things like, why don’t you challenge yourself further than those little stick drawings. Anyone can draw those. Little did they know, I was challenging myself to the furthest possible extent by defying traditional art styles. It brings tears to my eyes, thinking about our recent acceptance into the serious art world, but I‘m not to forget my past and with this piece (sobs), that’s exactly what I’ve done”.

While these simple yet highly disturbing and challenging pieces hang next to renaissance sculptures and paintings, one can clearly deduce that these tortured talents have finally achieved mainstream acceptance within the art world. And if that doesn’t bring a warm feeling to your heart, I don’t know what could.

“Who knew artwork with typically no fewer than ten lines per page could be so provocative and boundary pushing?”

COLD LIGHT OF DAY REVIEW T

he Cold Light of Day: PG-13, 93 Minutes Starring: Henry Cavill, Sigourney Weaver, Bruce Willis 1.5 /5 Stars Set in the backdrop of beautiful and sweeping Madrid, Will (Cavill), a workaholic and somewhat of a jerk, visits his family (including Willis as his dad) on their boat. After going to town for a few hours, Will returns to the boat and finds that his family is gone.

Soon, people are chasing him, shooting at him, demanding he turn over a briefcase of great value, and he finds out that his dad is a member of the CIA. Weaver plays a fellow CIA agent who was friends with Will’s dad but is now the story’s main antagonist.

Let me say what I thought was good about this movie, which wasn’t a whole lot.

The cinematography was actually very well done and gave a unique perspective on the scenes. There are a few good action scenes in the film, the majority of which involve car chases throughout the city with bullets nar-

parking garages, plazas, and shopping centers. These action scenes, however, do not compare to those in 2008’s Taken. Out of all the actors, Weaver gave the best performance, but that’s not saying much and I find it sad that most (if not all of the time) I was rooting for her to win, and she’s the bad guy.

The plot was way over the top and confusing, leaving the viewer with more unanswered questions then they would have expected with an action movie.

The acting is extremely stale and Cavill was by far the weakest link in the film. If his performance in this foreshadows things to come when he plays Superman in next year’s Man of Steel, I am deeply concerned. The dialogue is bland and almost comical in times of extreme angst, but the most egregious thing was the number of outrageous bloopers throughout.

The editing of this film was simply terrible.

In one scene, Cavill’s character is talking to a girl and then in the next shot after he walked away from her for less than a minute, she is wearing a completely different outfit. Her hair was even in a different style. The Cold Light of Day should be renamed The Cold Light of Boredom.

HOMECOMING HELP 1

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Asking your date. When you ask someone to Homecoming, make sure you ask in a creative way. “Be original,” said Jackson Armstrong. You also want to make sure you know the person you’re asking. “Just go for it and make sure you know them, don’t just ask someone random,” said Gigi Spector.

You may even want to check with their friends to make sure they will go with you. “Ask their friends first if they would be willing because everyone does it. Don’t be ashamed,” said Jon Ansell.

Rides. Have a ride planned in advance.

You don’t want to get stuck somewhere with no way of getting to the dance.

Most people drive themselves or have their parents drive them to Homecoming. Usually limos are more popular for Prom, but some people take limos to Homecoming. When asked how he usually gets to the dance, Armstrong said, “8 Limos and I’m in the last one!”

Dinner Reservations. Make sure you make dinner reservations in advance for your group. You want to go “somewhere nice where you can fit a lot of people like Spice China,” said Ansell. “The worst place would be fast food like McDonald’s unless your going for the hipster thing where you dress up and all go to McDonald’s,” said Ansell. Some of the best places include Chili’s, Spice China, or maybe even a nice place in

Your Outfit. According to Ansell the attire should be “a 7 or 8 on the fancy scale.” Look for a dress you really like, but try to steer clear of things that might fall down or you’ll constantly have to fix or worry about. As for heels, you don’t want to be taller than your date, and it’s best to be able to walk in them. You do take your shoes off at the the actual dance, but you should definitely try to find comfortable heels.

Pictures. Find a good place to take pictures, and plan your picture venue in advance. You also have to be wary because sometimes a bunch of homecoming groups all go to the same place and it could be crowded such as “Purple Park” according to Ansell. It’s cool to have a pretty background, but you also want to check the weather. “If it’s nice, outside in a field, and if it’s cold, a nice house with some stairs,” said Spector.

Have a Good Time. Overall you have to remember to have a good time.

Homecoming is meant to be enjoyed, so don’t worry too much about all the little details. The most fun part is “the dancing,” said Armstrong. “Just dressing up with your friends and going to dinner, you look classy and get respect,” said Ansell. You only get four Homecoming dances throughout high school, so make the most of them!

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HOMECOMING MAD LIB

THIS MONTH’S EVENTS Arts and Entertainment Events in Colorado

By Katie Berohn

by Olivia Coleman

H

ave you ever wondered what Homecoming should really be like? Ever thought you could do more to make it even better than it already is? Fill out each space below based on the given word and put them into the story.

Once you do that, read through and you’ll find out how to make this the best Homecoming yet!

(adjective) ____________________________________________ (article of clothing)______________________________________ (color)_______________________________________________ (color)_______________________________________________ (color)________________________________________________ (article of clothing)______________________________________ (number)_______________________________________________

MUSIC

September 28: Ed Sheeran at the Bluebird September 29: Big Gigantic at Red Rocks October 2: Owl City at the Ogden October 10: Aesop Rock with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz at the Fox October 10: New Order at the First Bank Center October 16: Two Door Cinema Club at the Ogden October 18: Madonna at the Pepsi Center October 23: The Script at the Ogden

(verb)_________________________________________________ (type of food)____________________________________________ (number)_________________________________________________ (place)_________________________________________________ (adjective)______________________________________________

“Asking a girl to Homecoming is the most terrifying thing in the world.”

-Marcus Schiff, grade 11 on why he isn’t excited for Homecoming

(restaurant)______________________________________________

(Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records)

MOHI

October 4-6: Fall Play (Merry Wives of Windsor) October 9: Choir Concert October 13: Homecoming

“I am really excited to see the fall play, I love Shakespeare and a few of my friends are in it.”

(type of food)________________________________________________ (form of transportation)_______________________________________ (a band)__________________________________________________ (someone in the room)__________________________________________

-Daisy Fuchs, grade 9

(verb)_________________________________________________________ (adjective)_____________________________________________________ (adjective)_____________________________________________________

1. To start off, you might consider asking a ____________ date. This is not required, (adjective) it is different for everyone.

2. Next, one should go shopping for a ___________________. The color is not im (article of clothing) portant, it can be ___________, ________________ or even _____________. (color) (color) (color) 3 Once you have your ___________________, you might decide to get ready with (article of clothing) ________ friends. You could ___________ your hair, and even eat ___________ with (number) (verb) (type of food) your friends.

4. Once everyone is all ready, a group of about ___________ will get together to (number) take pictures at ___________. The venue is your choice. (place) 5. After pictures are over, the group will usually go out to dinner at a _____________ (adjective) place like ____________. People may eat things like __________________. (restaurant) (type of food) 6. Once dinner is over, everyone should head over to the school in a ___________________. (form of transportation) 7. Once your group is at the school, you should all dance together to _______________. (a band) 8. After the dance is over, the group should go over to _______________’s house (someone in the room) and all ___________ for a while. (verb) If you follow all these ______________ steps, your homecoming experience should (adjective) be______________! (adjective)

(Photo credit: Katie Berohn)

HALLOWEEN September 24-October 30: Terror in the Corn at Anderson Farms September 28-October 31: Frightmare September 28-October 31: Zombieland/The Asylum October 1-31: Field of Corpses October 4-31: 13th Floor/ The Undead

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

OTHER

Ends October 7: Now Boarding Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum Ends October 14: Blue and White: A Ceramic Journey at the Denver Art Museum Ends October 13: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Denver Center of the Performing Arts Ends November 3: Avenue Q at the Boulder Dinner Theatre October 27-30: Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey: Dragons

(Photo credit: Boulder Dinner Theatre)

Is there an event coming up in November you would like to see on our next calendar?

Go to our Facebook page and let us know!

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CLUBS

Computer Science Club Board Games Club Bible Club Book Club Cadet Club Cancer Awareness Club Chess Club Climbing Club Coyote Bowling Club Fencing Club Film Club GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Hand Drum Club

Inline Hockey Club International Club Invisible Children Club Key Club Math Club Model United Nations Mountain Biking Club Photography Club Red Tent Club HOSA (Health Occupation Students of American) Russian Club Save The Dolphins

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Club Chaos Men’s Choir Color Guard DECA (Marketing) FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) FCCLA (Family, Career & Community Leader of America) FIRST Robotics Forensics (Speech & Debate) French Club G.A.P.P (German American Exchange Program)

German Club Japanese Exchange Program Mock Trial MoHi 360 Monarch Writers Guild N.O.T. (Not on Tobacco) National Honor Society Newspaper Science Fair Science Research Seminar Spanish Club Student Council

Technology Student Association Thespian Society (Drama) Yearbook Orchestra Snow Riders Club Socialist Club Arab Student Alliance Art Club Marching Band 13

Sports young golF StarS Storm the CourSe Sophomores Josh Hill and Cooper Taylor shine

by Tyler Debord

G

ood patience, and a steady mental approach are two skills that any successful golfer will have. For sophomores Josh Hill and Cooper Taylor, these must-haves are present in their games.

Hill began playing when he was in seventh grade and, “just stuck with it.” In regard to his sophomore season, Hill is critical of himself and said, “I played well one week, other than that it’s been a sophomore slump.”

Taylor started playing this summer and hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve been pretty consistent, just one bad round,” said Taylor.

All players have different strategies to be

able to compete well. However, the game of golf requires a different kind of edge, and being patient is the key. These young players believe that playing against each other is very beneficial. “Cooper [is my motivation], just trying to beat him everyday,” Hill said.

Taylor’s inspiration, in contrast, comes from Hill. These two golf stars push themselves to make each other better.

Planning ahead is a huge part of a practice plan, Taylor believes this and said, “It helps to play the course ahead of time to get a feel for it and to see where to hit the ball.” Hill added, “Visualize what suits your eye, if the course doesn’t fit you well, you won’t play well.”

The game of golf can be frustrating at times for these two stars, but Hill copes with

Sophomore Cooper Taylor lines up a putt on the Pebble Beach Golf Links on December 7, 2011. (Photo credit: John Taylor)

this fact saying, “I try not to think about my last round.”

Hill and Taylor have both had breakout

years, but with two more years of varsity golf left for the duo, there is much more left to accomplish.

Family on the Field the Stadium that Freshman Keoni Stout helps football team bond never waS

by Bridget Anthony

I

t is common knowledge that Monarch has a dominant football team. What is hidden behind that dominance is a group of guys who have learned that they can count on each other. After slamming each other to the ground every day at practice, they have created a special bond. This year, freshman Keoni Stout managed to get his whole team dancing and chanting.

Stout has brought his Polynesian culture to Monarch this year, namely the football team, and taught them the Haka dance. “It helps you get pumped up and helps release your nerves. It is supposed to intimidate your opponent or enemy,” said Stout.

Senior Austin Beswick exclaimed that it was a very funny experience, “but we weren’t very good at it, so we still need to practice.”

Sophomore Chad Sloan agreed, and said, “It was more like stomping. The hardest part is the words.” The haka is not just a matter of dancing; there is a chant that goes along with the movements, enhancing the fierce effect.

Stout open enrolled into Monarch High School to be a part of Monarch’s legendary football team. Phil Bravo, head football coach, coached Stout’s uncle, Jason Stout, and has always been close with his whole family. “Two days after he was born I held him. I told him he was going to be a very special boy,” said Bravo of Keoni Stout.

Jason Stout is on the Monarch coaching staff with Bravo, adding a family aspect to the team dynamics.

As a freshman on varsity, Stout said it was very intimidating at first, “but then, once I

got more involved, my nerves went away, and they made me feel like I was another one of those players.”

Bravo Freshman Keoni Stout smiles on the said that sideline during the 2nd quarter of their love for the football team’s 55-7 victory over each other Kennedy H.S. on September 21st. is palpable, even to the (Photo credit: Charlie Light) coaches.

“Everybody sticks up for everybody. If I get on someone’s butt, everybody backs up everybody and encourages them. It’s a fun team,” he said.

With Stout playing varsity, he has closed the age gap that usually takes place between the freshmen team and varsity. “Everybody grows around each other; I think those who are involved with Keoni personally see that he is just a beautifully natured young boy,” said Bravo.

The Monarch football team is group of strong players, but that will only get a team so far. There must be team chemistry in addition to talent to create success. This season, the team dynamics have improved greatly with the help of Keoni Stout’s infectious attitude.

“We consider each other as brothers,” said Stout, “It is more about who you play with, and becoming a family. My football team is my second family.”

Multi-use stadium in original plans

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uses two buses and has about two more hours added to their pregame routine as a result of playing at Centaurus High School. The issue of having a home stadium has been shown to be a matter of money; money that Monarch does not currently have.

“Down to the penny, we knew how much it would cost to build a stadium,” said Mark Sibley, former athletic director.

The administration has known this figure since 1998; the only issue was how to fund this massive project.

On the other hand, Coach Bravo and the football team have no issue with playing at Centaurus. “We have now grown into the system, and that’s where we play our home games, ” said Bravo. “The uniqueness is that we have a facility for expansion. A lot of teams, like Fairview, share a field, and have no room for expansion.”

by Conner Lund fter 14 years of the school being open, the Monarch football team still doesn’t have a stadium on campus. Yet in the early years of Monarch High School, there were plans to build a football stadium at the school.

“The reality is, we would only need to build a press box and one side of bleachers. Even the bleachers will cost $30-35,000. We would need to cut into the side of the hill and lay concrete, and that’s where it would cost a lot of money” said Sibley.

The administration, although making no significant push right now, still has their sights set on building a stadium in the future. Sibley expanded, “We have accepted this situation, but we haven’t abandoned hope. Our kids have never known what it’s like to play at our home.

Hopefully, sometime it can happen.”

In terms of the current stadium situation, Sibley said, “There is no benefit for playing at Centaurus.” The football team

The orignal plans featured elevated bleachers built into (Photo credit: Design Concepts)

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Monarch Soccer PlanS to Score With BalBoa Former professional player to lead Coyotes in ‘12 campaign

by Ellie Oliver

F

rom the sweat pouring down their backs to the sun burning the freckles on their faces, the boys’ varsity soccer team is not new to diligence. Ever since new head coach, Marcelo Balboa, filled the cleats of the previous coach, Jason Cook, the boys have done nothing but work hard.

Senior soccer manager Jimena Mohedas said, “Being around the team is a lot of fun. They definitely keep my afternoons lively.” When asked if she had seen the team improve since Balboa came to coach, Mohedas said, “Yes, the boys’ soccer team has improved alot since last year. They play as a team and not as individual players, and that’s a big point of Balboa’s coaching strategy.

One deciding factor in who would be the

new coach was former Athletic Director Mark Sibley. “I did first offer the position to coach Balboa about a year ago and he was just starting a position with Trebol Soccer. Then I had to offer [the job] to another candidate and he also turned it down. Fortunately, later, Balboa was able to work his schedule and he felt confident that he could do this job. That’s what made me most certain that we had the right guy, because he didn’t want to take the job if he couldn’t do it 100%.”

Sibley made a point to mention how cautious Monarch is when choosing a new soccer coach after the dealings with former coach Dave Stansbury. Extensive background and reference checks are protocol. “I think that had such an impact on our soccer team that I knew I needed someone huge to come in,” said Sibley.

Marcelo Balboa was just the man to step in. From playing on the Men’s USA Soccer Team in 1988 to leading the Rapids to victory. Balboa answered the ongoing question: why Monarch? Balboa saw coaching at Monarch as a great opportunity to get involved with his local high school where his son, Nick, plays on the freshman football team.

When asked how his coaching skills would improve the team, Balboa answered, “You know what, it’s not my coaching skills it’s just a matter of the experience that I have [from] being fortunate enough to play at a higher level with the national team and the Rapids and bring a little bit of the right mentality back to the program.”

teaMMate or Mate?

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f the name Ethan Marks is familiar to you it’s probably because the 3 year varsity starter has been a rushing powerhouse so far this season, averaging over 9.5 yards per carry. Will his girlfriend Elizabeth Rather and buddy Harrison Leachman have as much luck plowing through these questions as Marks does through defensive backs?

Favorite reStaurant?

Favorite Movie?

Favorite college FootBal teaM?

BiggeSt Pet Peeve?

Boys’ varsity head soccer coach Marcelo Balboa looks on as his team takes on Fairview High School at Monarch on September 20, 2012. Monarch lost the game 1-0. (Photo credit: Ellie Oliver)

career tiMeline Marcelo Balboa’s road to Monarch

by Will Petersen

1985: Graduated High School in Cerritos, California.

1987: Played with U.S.A youth soccer team.

ETHAN MARKS ‘14/Football RB Rio Grande

Star Wars

ELIZABETH RATHER ‘14/Girlfriend Buffalo Wild Wings

0

HARRISON LEACHMAN ‘14/Football RB

Qdoba

0

Friday Night Lights

Star Wars

0

5

C.U.

C.U.

Terrible drivers

People with weird laughs

Rebelution

Lil Wayne

Favorite MuScial grouP/artiSt

5

1990: Played with U.S.A National team in World Cup

1996-2001: Played defender in M.L.S with Colorado Rapids

1994: Anchored U.S.A defense in 1994 World Cup.

2005: Voted into U.S.A Soccer Hall of Fame

By the nuMBerS A strictly statistical look at Monarch sports by David Andrews

Stanford

0

Slow drivers

16:23 2.5

0

0

Bassnectar

Time in minutes and seconds ran by Junior Parker Sitton at Liberty Bell Cross Country meet on September 14th.

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77 Score shot by Junior Jackson Elliott at the Regional State Qualifying Tournament at Marianna Buttes Golf Club on September 21st.

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315 Total

1995-1996: Played with Mexican League club Leon

2.5

Ethan’s answers prove deceptive for Elizabeth and Harrison to pin down but Elizabeth pulls out the victory with her superior knowledge of No. 7.

Pounds that RT/DT Josh Hurst is able to bench press.

1 Amount of games lost by the Boy’s Tennis team against a shorthanded Horizon H.S team in three matches.

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Howler Staff 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 Behron Sports David Andrews Copy Mia Mulvahill Business Tyler Debord Advisor Bonnie Katzive Reporters Anna Blanco Olivia Coleman Tori Ganahl Jack Howard Conner Lund Ellie Oliver Christina Rodie Arika Rooney Dalton Valette Joy Wineman 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.

period. (Photo credit: Conner Lund)

STUDENT STORE: CREATION OF A HOMEMADE DELICACY

by Connor Lund

T

he student store has now introduced a brand new recipe for burritos. Yet the student body is still asking, “Where do they come from?”

These new burritos are in fact created right here, in the catering classroom, taught by Mrs. Olsen. The Catering 2 students now have a big plate on their hands.

Almost every day during class, these hard-working students must make as many burritos as possible-usually about 25 a day. After

manufacturing, they then take them to the student store to be sold by student managers in DECA. “This way, we can stick to what we’re good at,” said Mrs. Olsen.

This could be just the first step in a profitable partnership. Catering 2 is now trying to create a recipe for healthy muffins to be sold in the store, but this process might take longer than students would imagine. In the district, the nutritional codes are putting a damper on future plans. “It took about a week to create the burrito

recipe. The hardest part was working around the nutritional codes. We are pushing right up against [the laws] with our burrito recipe,” says Cedric Leedy, a senior at Monarch.

Leedy is one of the six students making the burritos. “We need to get the word out about our new burritos,” said Hosna Satar, a student store manager during 1st period. The egg burritos cost two dollars and fifty cents, and the chicken burritos cost three dollars, and are on sale now.

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