Issue 1

Thursday, October 10, 2013

www.mhshowler.com

Fall Fashion Dos and don’ts

The facts on edward snowden

FLOOD COVERAGE

Page 10

PAGE 3

PAGES 5, 6, 8, 9

THE HOWLER A student publication of Monarch High School since 1998 Volume 15

Issue 1

“My jaw dropped upon seeing the massive amounts of water everywhere.” -Mark Haxton “We

had been watching the news for the past two days and pictures of Armageddon on our TV screens and imagining that our kids were in the middle of that.”-Jenifer Farrell “I didn’t expect

houses to be gone. dles everywhere.”

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I expected little pud-Shannon Blanco

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Opinions

Time to end sexist double standards The VMAs, society and high school

Flawed senior nationalism

Why do seniors get all the fun? byArika Rooney ver since freshmen year I have looked forward to being a senior--the infamous year that some adults still qualify as their favorite. Senior year is awesome. By the time you get to be a senior you know how pretty much everything at Monarch works. Which lane is faster to get into the parking lot, which teacher you should get for math and which grade, no matter what, will get the upside of every perk of being a high school student. We rule the school. We “deserve” this year, because three years of age really makes that much of a difference. The seniors must continuously be better at everything, otherwise how would they win every eating challenge and relay year after year? If the seniors win every pep assembly game by cheating-- why should the other grades even participate, just to be humiliated and lose? Maybe the reason the underclassmen never stand up is because they get booed. At the last assembly more sophomores booed the freshmen than seniors and juniors combined. Just a few months ago those same sophomores were the ones on the other side of the booing. I will admit this year has been better than in the past. Maybe that’s because I am a senior and I’m not on the other end, or perhaps because what administrators and the heads of Student Council have been trying to do at assemblies has finally started to work. I remember standing at a football game in the front row last year. My friends and I had gotten there early, only to have a group of senior girls tell us to get behind them because they were seniors. We had arrived before them, but because they were born six months before us, they deserved it. Last week my senior friends and I got to the football game first, and we got the front row because of the timeliness in which we had arrived. Halfway through the game a group of senior boys thought that it was alright to kick the group of sophomore boys who had been standing behind us out of the way. This is

not okay. I don’t think it’s a rite of passage, or at least not a good one. There are some things that should be governed by how old you are-- like driving and getting married, but where you’re allowed to stand in B-hall should not be one of them. I have heard stories of underclassmen who got pushed off the boxes at Club Mo. I’ve even heard sophomores starting to joke about how “freshmen are stupid” or how they “don’t know how to walk in the hallway”, these same insults were said about them less than four months ago. The problem is you can’t group everyone from one grade into an entire category. When the seniors begin to pick on the freshmen, the other grades follow because they are the role models. To get ready for their senior year, the rest of the school begins to practice. Senior entitlement is a flawed, vicious cycle. At soccer practice it takes around four freshmen boys to carry one jug, when it only takes one or maybe two seniors. But the freshmen have to do it because thats what the seniors had to do when they were freshmen and “it’s only fair.” The thing is, it’s not fair. The waterballoon and car keying fiasco from last year could have been avoided if both the class of ‘13 and ‘14 had realized that they weren’t any better than the other because of the year they were graduating. Each class passing through Monarch has a lot more in common than what makes us different. We go from a second period assembly of yelling and competing to prove that seniors are best, to a math classroom with three different grade levels, where the sophomores can solve the function a lot faster than the seniors. This should not contribute to your overall worth. Other than separate parking lots and numbers on our tassels, the treatment of classes should be the same. BVSD got rid of class rank and now it is time for Monarch to get rid of its flawed senior nationalism. And just like many other things, it can start with the class of 2014. Having a distinction between classes is important but not when it divides people, or makes a “class” feel inferior. Three years is a long time to wait to finally feel like you belong, and that you have a right to be somewhere. But there are broader implications here, like a society which stratifies and poses people against one another because of conditions they have no ultimate control over--like gender, race, and, yes, even social “class.” Social entitlement is prevalent in corporations, our government, and how we interact with each other socially--and we have an opportunity in our school to make a difference.

“It’s not easy being a freshman, when it feels like you’re in “Lord of the Flies.” (Cartoon by Jack Howard)

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“Billy loves his Miley” - (Cartoon by Terran Fox)

by The Howler Staff

fter the dancing stopped and the music silenced, slack jawed expressions were on most viewer’s faces after witnessing Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke’s controversial performance at the Video Music Awards on August 25th. As rapidly as wildfire, the slack- jawed faces of shock turned to anger and backlash, nearly all directed at former Disney sweetheart Miley Cyrus. Social media exploded over the now infamous performance with notable celebrities bashing Cyrus’ twerk infused performance. Why is that? Sure, many (if not most) feel that Cyrus’ dancing and singing were unexpected and shocking, but does she deserve all the hate while her co-singer Thicke walks away scot free? Why does this feel less like an isolated incident and more of a cultural, for lack of a better word, ideology? Simply, sexism. We at The Howler feel that Cyrus is being too harshly bashed and that the reason behind the backlash, besides her performance simply being downright bad, is at it’s core a result of sexist emotions. In the media, women are more harshly criticized than men, and seeing “divas” and “pop stars” crumble generates more money than a woman doing charity or leading a country. For his performance, Thicke has received few negative remarks while Cyrus is being torn into for every detail: her singing, her dancing, her clothes, her foam finger, and her tongue. And this is not the first, and certainly not the last, time a woman expressing herself will be lambasted more than a man doing the same. For decades, centuries even, women have been seen as inferior to men in every aspect. Men look at their female counterparts and tend to think two things: one, they are an object used for sexual dominance, or two: a perfect goddess of innocence and naivety who should not be corrupted and those two viewpoints are polar opposites that collide frequently and create pandemonium, and better gossip stories. Men tend to, in the back of their minds, sort women into these two categories and are appalled when a woman crosses the boundaries into the other category. If a woman tries to voice her opinion or express herself through any media, she has to hurdle many more obstacles than men to get their voice heard thanks to this sexist identity formula. Today when a woman tries to express who she is, she is heckled for being too sexual or domineering, which is not allowed in a typically male dominated world. Look back at history and try to think of all the vocal women throughout time. Most don’t appear until the nineteenth century and still compared to all the

notable men one can name, women are a minuscule fraction. And the outspoken women in time, Cleopatra to Hillary Clinton, have been unfairly vexed for speaking out. During parliament, an opposing politician hollered out to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, “Methinks the lady does screech too much!” Women deal with that even in their youth. Younger girls don’t have it any easier, high school girls tend to have it rougher than guys when it comes to framing their identity. The dress code at school is almost entirely devoted to girls and what they should or shouldn’t wear, and pays little notice to guys. If a guy reveals too much skin, shows off a bit more leg and flashes parts of his stomach, people laugh and clap their hands. If a girl does the same, she could get called a slut or worse. At Club Mo or other dances, it is socially acceptable for a guy to run around and get more than friendly with as many girls as he can, but a girl cannot do that without getting taken aside and asked to refrain from sexual advances or being branded as a whore by other students. At an early age, girls are taught to act like a lady. They are always striving to be more mature than boys, who dribble around in boogers and engage in throwing punches like orangutans at an early age, though some boys never seem to grow up, they just get older. And as a girl grows older, she has to respect the ape like behavior of male testosterone because it is the proper lady like thing to do. If a girl raises her voice or speaks her mind, she is punished for being stubborn and uncaring. Miley Cyrus’ performance at the VMA’s is just another all too frequent story about a woman being unfairly judged based on gender stereotypes. Sure, many can argue that the backlash is just about the performance being terrible, but would continuous backlash and backlash about the initial reactions last well over a month with a similar male performance? That seems highly doubtful. How can this socially but not morally acceptable sexist behavior continue and how can we stop it? It’s simple, we as The Howler believe. All we need to do is view each gender, male and female, as equals. No one should be born more privileged than someone based on something as random as gender. Look onto your opposite gender and cast away preconceived notions about them based on anatomy. All men, and women, are created equal, and until we as a society realize that with open minds, we cannot hope to progress as a species if half of us are being squandered in the dark. Miley Cyrus has made more than $70 million since her performance and release of her music video “Wrecking Ball,” despite the harsh reactions. For women it seems that until the day comes when we look onto others as equals, bad press is better than no press.

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Opinions

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snowden An outsiders take on the NSA and Edward Snowden

Supports of Edward Snowden gathered in Berlin while President Barack Obama adressed the crowd in June. (Top left) Some of the signs displayed said, “Private communication is being spied on,” and “For the freedom of the critical press.” (Above) Protestors in support of Edward Snowden adorn his face while looking on to Obama speaking. (Bottm left) A protester wears a Guy Fawkes mask, the symbol of the hacker group Anonymous. - (Photo Credit Shelly Schoeneshoefer)

by Adrien Schoeneshoefer

aybe you have heard of Edward Snowden from the news. He worked for the CIA and the National Security Association (NSA). He published secret files, including the programs Tempora, PRISM and Xkeyscore in May 2013. These programs were not meant to be seen by outside entities, and now he is a national enemy of the USA. I’m from Germany. I also have American citizenship and German citizenship, so I can see both sides. As an exchange student I came to the United States. My perspective is that Obama and the USA have betrayed the Germans. It makes no sense to Germans because we have been allies for such a long time and now we have learned that the USA was spying on us. Who wants to be an ally with the USA if you know they will spy on you? In Germany privacy rules are very strict. The copyright rules are much stricter than here as an example. After World War II the Germans tried to avoid the mistakes that were made in that time, such as a government trying the citizen’s behavior and thinking. is wrong, eventually somebody with the courage would have published the files. After that terrible catastrophe the German “Bundestag” decided to make very strict privacy rules to protect from another dictatorship. It was a shock to everyone that the NSA would violate our privacy and spy on us. Germans were very mad about the NSA because we don’t want any government to intrude upon our privacy rules. That’s why there were demonstrations in

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“When people say [that] Edward Snowden betrayed his country, they are wrong.” Berlin when Barack Obama visited in June. At this point in more than 40 German cities people were demonstration to support Snowden. Thousands of demonstrators where near the Brandenburg Gate. There were actually more demonstrators then people watching Obama’s speech. As a result, there were demonstrations in Berlin when President Obama visited Germany. At that meeting, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel asked him to explain why the US government was spying on Germany but he changed the subject. She also said the USA should stop spying on Germans. Since then Obama When people say Edward Snowden betrayed his country, they are wrong; because he didn’t think what the USA was doing was right, so he took action. It took a lot of courage publishing the NSA documents. He left his whole life behind him just to show that the USA was spying on European countries. Edward Snowden is considered a hero to Germans, at least to this one.

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Opinions

License to kill?

Do video games really promote violence? by: Dalton Valette

am not a gamer, unless one counts The Sims and Sudoku as legitimate games but for this purpose I will just say that no, I do not play video games. I’ve never found the appeal in them personally, something that’s about as rare as a unicorn when it comes to teenage boys. I do know many, MANY boys and girls who play video games, some that are extremely violent and peppered with foul language to boot. And gamers everywhere are talking about the new ultra-violent game Grand Theft Auto V released just a while ago, and some seem to speculate that the release of this game, which has made well over one billion dollars so far, will promote some to go out into the real world and kill people. But does the adrenaline, the rush that is felt when playing a video game correlate to real life violence? In recent years, mass shootings have become sadly and horrifyingly common. From the beginning of the year through September, there have been sixteen mass shootings. Seventy eight people have died this year

alone from mass shootings, and this doesn’t include all those who have been injured or the ones who were killed during the Boston Marathon bombing. People call out for gun reform and that never seems to come into fruition. What does come from mass shootings is pointing the finger at violent video games. Everyone jumps onto teenage and young adult boys playing video games and the violence in the games promotes them to go out and inflict harm onto others. I disagree with this flawed logic. There have been no conclusive studies that have backed up the claims that violent video games promote violence in real life. “Well children play these violent games and they become desensitized to the violence and are corrupted,” some argue. Here’s a fun fact, in the corner of every game, right on the front in bold black and white, clear as day, there is a rating. E, E +10, T, and M standing for everyone, everyone ten and up, teen, and mature. So if little children are playing M rated games that are meant for adults only with have excessive amounts of violence and “corruptible material,” that is not the games fault, it is the parents fault.

“People just use

video games ﬁlled with violence as a scape goat, to bring purpose out of madness.”

Parents should have the foresight to view the rating and warning that is on the cover. Violent video games do not heighten the risk of video games, and they never will. People just use video games ﬁlled with violence as a scape goat, to bring purpose out of madness. If a parent doesn’t want their kid to become “corrupted” by these games, then don’t buy the game for them! It’s actually not that hard. And if people want to blame video games for the reason behind spikes in gun related violence in this country instead of looking at the fact that it’s easier than ever to purchase a gun than ever before, that’s ﬁne, but next time, perhaps think about the logistical facts instead of using an excuse like violence in video games. And here’s wild thought. Maybe if being able to buy a gun is easier than getting ones hand s on the new iPhone gold, it’s not that strange that violence in real life is becoming more common. Grand Theft Auto V cover photo

Ups and downs for october by: Katie Behron Icons by: Dalton Valette and Natalie Forman If you’re a witch, October is your month! Witches usually have to hide most of the year due to their green skin tone, warty noses, and wicked nature, but during the month of Halloween, they are able to emerge from hiding. The abundance of people dressing up as witches allows witches to go outside and soak up some Vitamin D.

October is a bad month for pumpkins. Every year, millions of pumpkins meet their end by the gruesome holiday of Halloween. The holiday is usually celebrated with candy, haunted houses, and of course, carved pumpkins. These pumpkins are displayed in front of houses, and some people even have contests to see who can carve the best pumpkin… Which, to a pumpkin, is just plain horrifying.

It’s a good month to be a typical high school girl. With fall in the air, it means pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks are back. High school girls can enjoy these warm autumn drinks while wearing their favorite clothes--Uggs and yoga pants. What a way to start the season!

If you’re a Breaking Bad fan, this is not the best month for you. Breaking Bad fans may be suffering from withdrawal and may experience random bouts of crying. The season finale left fans feeling satisfied, but unfortunately, there will no longer be anything to occupy their Sunday nights. Curling up with Ben and Jerry’s and rewatching the first season is kind of the same thing, right?

It’s a good month to be a Congressman. With the government shutdown, the United States Congress gets to take a vacation of sorts. Congress doesn’t have to work during this period, so they might as well take advantage of it.

It’s not a great month to be an avid outdoorsman. Due to the ﬂooding, many trails and golf courses are closed in Colorado. The government shutdown has closed all national parks, so if you were looking forward to enjoying autumn on a sunny gold course or a trail, Colorado is not the place to be.

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News

Descent from Cal-wood

Fireside Fifth-Graders Airlifted out of Outdoor Education Camp by Anna Blanco and Daisy Fuchs

ecently 79 fifth graders, ten parent chaperones, and three teachers from Fireside Elementary School departed on what was supposed to be a two night, three day field trip to Cal-Wood Education Center located above Jamestown, Colorado. Due to flooding, the road needed to come back home was destroyed, and deemed unsafe. Chaperones, teachers, and two Cal-Wood staff members kept students busy while awaiting orders on evacuation. On the third day at Cal-Wood, parents and teachers were told they would be evacuated by military helicopters thanks to President Obama declaring a state of emergency in Colorado. One Blackhawk and four Chinook helicopters flew to Cal-Wood around noon on Saturday. Friends and family greeted their return as they stepped off the four buses at Fireside Saturday afternoon.

Shannon Blanco-Fifth Grader on the trip

espite the fact that Shannon Blanco and her classmates were stranded at Cal-Wood, she said, “Everything was fun there because I am a kid so I have to have fun.” This attitude helped her get through a trying few days. “There were a couple of times where I just wanted to go back to the lodge and cry because it was all a little overwhelming,” said Blanco. Like her mother, Blanco said that the only time that she got nervous was when there was a suggestion of walking down and being put on a pulley across the mass of water. “I just didn’t want to walk four miles, but the lake seemed okay,” Blanco said. When they had to stay extra time at Cal-Wood, Blanco recalled, “I kinda enjoyed it.” She noted that the food tasted good and that she was able to bond

with her friends over their shared experience. Even with her positive outlook, Blanco still was tired of the rain and many difficulties. “[The rain] felt kind of nice sometimes. but sometimes I wished it would have stopped so that I wasn’t always soaking wet.” The helicopter ride did not frighten Blanco. She saw the helicopter ride as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. When welcomed back home to Fireside, Blanco said, “I was just like, wow, [the parents and siblings] care that much about us.” On the flight home to Boulder she saw the destruction of the flood for the first time. “I didn’t expect houses to be gone. I expected little puddles everywhere.” The first group of 5th graders and their teachers load into the back of the Chinook helicopter on Saturday, September 14th. (Photo credit: Annie Fowle).

The fifth grade Fireside students participate in an activity called “Zipper” on Wednesday at Cal-Wood. Students had to wear rain gear throughout the week due to the constantly soggy weather. (Photo credit: Dustin Sagrillo).

“We were walking through water that was above our shoes” -Debbie Blanco DEBBIE BLANCO AND MARK HAXTON-PARENT CHAPERONEs ON THE TRIP

hen Debbie Blanco went on the Cal-Wood field trip as a chaperone with her daughter Shannon, she expected rain, but like everyone else, was not expecting a dramatic experience. On the first day it rained, but was pretty normal for the parents and students up at Cal-Wood. When Blanco woke the next morning, she learned that the road had been washed out and that the Cal-Wood staff was unable to return to the camp. Due to heavy rain on Thursday, September 12th, the students could not go outdoors. The teachers set up activity rotations in the lodge for the kids. The kids

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were still able to participate in educational activities, it just had to be indoors. The teachers and parents had to be working around the clock, cooking and planning activities to keep everyone busy. “There was no break,” said Blanco. “It was pretty exhausting.” When the rain finally slowed, another problem arose: “We needed to get the kids out of the cabin; they were going nuts,” said Blanco. The parents and teachers were able to take the kids on a mini hike. “We were walking through water that was above our shoes,” explained Blanco.

Blanco said that kids were more commonly upset due to homesickness rather than fear. However, “even the kids who were homesick had so much fun,” said Blanco. There were only 14 adults to take care of nearly 80 kids, but the students helped out when they could. “The kids were good at consoling each other,” said Blanco. The only time that Blanco was really nervous was when there was talk about how the group was going to be able to leave the camp . One scenario was to cross over the river that covered the road on a pulley system which she found frightening. The idea of having to ride down on buses on unstable roads also made Blanco nervous. Blanco found the eventual helicopter ride daunting. “For me it was a little nerve racking.” The kids were excited about the helicopter because it was a once in a lifetime experience. Blanco said that parents were very grateful to the camp director, Rafael Salgado, for how calm he remained and all that he did for the group. These parents want to return to the camp to help make repairs to the facilities. Another chaperone, Mark Haxton, is a 6th grade teacher at Aspen Creek K-8. His wife teaches at Fireside, and his son Aidan was a student on the trip. “At first we were told it could be five days before we would be evacuated,” said Haxton. He knew that they had enough food to last another three or four days, but he was not sure how long they would need to be supplied for. The teachers wanted to make sure that they were beyond ready when the helicopters came to pick them up. Students, parents, and teachers were only able to bring necessities back with them, and they had to leave half or their belongings in their cabins. They had arranged students into four different groups, and were packed and ready to go by 9:00. Adults were caught off guard after the last child had been handed their sandwich for lunch. The first helicopter had landed two hours earlier than expected.

“The groups the teachers had prepared were being broken up by the National Guard based on the types of helicopters that landed,” Haxton said. “I was on the last Chinook helicopter for the Fireside group, which made me feel more comfortable knowing that we were all out,” said Haxton. Haxton was seated in the last seat by the cargo lift, and was surprised when they opened the cargo lift to see out the back. With an excellent view out of the helicopter, Haxton was able to see all the destruction that was caused by the floods. “My jaw dropped upon seeing the massive amounts of water everywhere,” Haxton said.

STACY WINSBERG-fireside teacher

tacy Winsberg is a Fireside fifth grade teacher who went to Cal-Wood with her students. On Thursday morning, only two Cal-Wood staff members were on site, because the rest couldn’t get up to the camp on the washed out road. The teachers had to take over jobs that the staff would usually perform, such as cooking and planning activities to keep the kids busy. “I knew we would get down; I think the hard thing was, without having any staff there, we were doing everything,” Winsberg explained. “It was actually really fun. We had a great time in the kitchen,” Winsberg said. Winsberg cooked alongside her fellow teachers and the parent volunteers. Those working in the kitchen had to accommodate all the allergies, and special dietary needs such as meat free, gluten free, peanut free, soy free, dairy free, and sesame seed free. “That was a constant challenge,” explained Winsberg. “With the help of the parents, it really wasn’t a big deal. Meals were always done on time. The food was great,” she added. Winsberg will always remember stepping off the bus to see the “totally awesome Fireside community,” who were so supportive. “It was quite an adventure,” Winsberg said.

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News CAROLINE GRUNDY-CALWOOD STAFF MEMBER

aroline Grundy is an assistant instructor at Cal-Wood, and was one of two staff members on site during the Fireside field trip. Regardless of all the rain Cal-Wood had been receiving, Grundy never felt that they were in danger. She did not become any more concerned when she recieved the news that the Fireside group would not be returning when they had planned to. She knew they had what they needed to provide for everyone who was there. “We had a week’s supply of food. We have a well, so we had water. We have a generator, so even when the power went out we still had electricity,” said Grundy. Because the field trip lasted an extra day, Grundy and co-worker Amy added various activities, including hikes, a campfire, and learning stations, where the kids learned about information relevant to their situation, such as water and renewable resources. Due to all the extensive rain, everyone experienced some cabin fever. On the second day, they learned of more flooding in the area, and everyone was stuck inside for the day. “My favorite part of the whole experience was our second day. One of the parents put on their iPod during breakfast, and we had all the kids dance while they were in the food line. By the end of breakfast, there was this big conga line of fifth graders going around the whole dining hall,” said Grundy. It was very emotional for Grundy when she was told she would have to evacuate as well. “I was told I

could not stay at Cal-Wood, even though that’s where I live,” she said. Grundy accompanied the Fireside group back to the school on the second helicopter, which she found to be “surreal and hard to process what’s going on.” When Grundy stepped off the bus back at Fireside, she was surprised by the large crowd awaiting them with signs, applause, and hugs.

“...there was this big

conga line of fifth graders going around the whole dining hall...”-Caroline Grundy A member of the National Guard watches out of the back of one of the Chinook helicopters that took the 5th graders and their teachers back from Cal-Wood. The back door of the Chinooks were kept open over the duration of the entire flight. (Photo credit: Mary K. Smith).

for a little bit,” and was able to allow herself to get out and “be with people.” The airlift plan surprised her and she did not understand how it was going to work. She thought of all of the kids who could be terrified and said, “I wouldn’t have necessarily enjoyed it.” This was not the case; her brother liked going on the helicopter, even if he was tired. Burlew reunited with her brother when her parents brought him home from Fireside. She said, “I was very relieved [to see him again].” She wanted to take care of him in any way that she possibly could, asking him if there was anything that she could get for him and putting herself in a frenzy . For Burlew, she said,“It was that moment where you’re like, okay, I actually do really like having you as a sibling.”

JENIFER FARRELL-THE PARENT AT HOME

P Parent chaperone Debbie Blanco and 5th grader Annie Fowle are welcomed back to Fireside by Jenifer Farrell and Chris Fowle on Saturday, September 14th. There was a crowd of people waiting at Fireside to welcome the group of 79 kids and 14 adults back, after being stranded at Cal-Wood for four days. (Photo credit: Dustin Sagrillo).

VIOLA BURLEW-WORRIED OLDER SISTER

o one realizes how much their siblings mean to them until they are in danger. This was very true for freshman Viola Burlew when her little brother, Flynn, was isolated at Cal-Wood during the flood. Burlew, being a person that does not personally enjoy the mountains, was initially nervous about her brother going to Cal-Wood and the weather stoked her anxiety. “When the road washed out I was very

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worried,” she said. Another factor that made Burlew feel separated from her brother was that she was only getting information from her parents, who were receiving e-mails from the school. “I was always asking if there was more [information] because I wasn’t getting it directly,” Burlew said. This even kept her home when her friends invited her out for coffee. “I told them ‘No, I’m waiting for news about my brother,’” said Burlew. After learning that the kids would have to be airlifted, she finally said “I need to just not think about this

arents woke up Thursday morning to find that schools were closed, Boulder was flooding and the road up to Jamestown, where their children were, had washed out. Even when her daughter, Lia, was stuck up at Cal-Wood, Monarch Spanish teacher Jenifer Farrell said, “We (Farrell and her husband, Social Studies teacher David Farrell) mostly felt like she was safe.” There were two times that she was worried: when they received the news that Jamestown was being evacuated on Thursday morning and when there was still talk of transporting the students down on buses. These worries were soon calmed after discovering that Cal-Wood was at higher altitude than the rest of Jamestown. Farrell felt that the students were lucky to have this experience, especially the ride in the helicopters. “Almost all of the kids really loved [riding in the helicopter],” Farrell said. “[The kids] were really psyched about it.” The helicopter transport was comforting,

because it was the “quickest and safest way” to retrieve the students from Cal-Wood. Another emotional time for Farrell, along with the rest of the parents, was when the students came home. Farrell said, “We had been watching the news for the past two days and pictures of Armageddon on our TV screens and imagining that our kids were in the middle of that.” Farrell felt fortunate that everything turned out okay and that her daughter was able to have a unique experience in such a trying time. Lia was even interviewed for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. “My big thought is how lucky we were to have such a great story in the midst of so many sad things that happened to other people,” said Farrell.

ith added exciting adventures, including a helicopter ride, all who went to Cal-Wood arrived home a day late. The staff living on site, as well as other staff, were able to return to Cal-wood on Tuesday, September 24th. As soon as they could, they began restoring the trails that had been washed away. The parents at Fireside are trying to arrange a time to go help repair trails at Cal-Wood. Although trails were washed away and the road was destroyed, the campers were glad to have returned home safely and to have this unique experience that they will remember for a lifetime.

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Life

L Student

The costS of public education What students really pay for a “free” education Athletic Fees

Will Thames

Taite Henderson

$1,850

Class Fees

Student Service Fees

Total

$280

$64

$392

$736

Orchestra

Biology, chemistry, physics, marine biology, Spanish

Swimming, cross -country, track

Ryan Good

by Emma Gooding-Lord

Music Fees

$110

Graduation, yearbook, parking pass

$452

$2,412

Biology, chemistry, Graduation, physics, pottery, yearbook, parking digital art & design, pass, activity pass Spanish

$200

Marching band, winter line

$75

Chemistry, physics, film production, living on your own, jazz band, German

$432 Graduation, yearbook, parking pass, activity pass

These numbers are estimates, not exact values.

STUDENTs PONDER price of future

Financial aspects of college applications by Terran Fox As students start to work on college applications, they will inevitably need to consider the costs and fees associated with the long journey that is the college application process. After hours spent filling out applications and drafts upon drafts of admissions essays, students still can’t connect with colleges until they pay the application fees that have become almost universal. The application fees range from approximately $50 to $100 and, in most cases, have to be paid prior to submission of the application. For some students, application fees limit the number of colleges to which they can apply because it’s unrealistic for their family to pay them. A student who might be exceptionally bright but unsure of where they want to go could end up paying as much as $600 to apply to eight colleges (the number Monarch counselors say is “reasonable”). This is an uncomfortable position to be in when college applications are already such a challenge. After seeing students struggle with fees, Monarch counselor Alexandra Cyr said “I really wish we could communicate to students that those can be waived or reduced.” Often times applicants who are high achieving and well qualified, or underprivileged and in need of financial assistance can get these fees waived entirely. As far as the actual price of college, the numbers students see in pamphlets and on college websites are “rack rate” tuitions before financial aid is applied and includes estimated additional expenses that are based on an undisclosed demographic that may or may not represent the student’s situation. Brooke Hubbard, a student whose family is

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contributing to her college fund, said, “I feel like [because of my financial situation] I’m able to consider more prestigious schools that cost more and don’t offer as many scholarships.” Logan Bragdon, a senior paying for at least half of his college education out of his own pocket, has come to a very different conclusion saying, “No, I just can’t pay $50,000 a year for school, so I don’t really consider those schools.” Another issue is that students who might not be certain they can afford a school simply don’t feel they have a reason to put effort into the application. Bragdon said, “I want to say I’ll take it seriously, but I might not. I don’t want to try really hard for a no.” Students should keep in mind the sources they look at and that there are always possibilities for deeper research. Schools often provide financial aid calculators and information about their respective endowments which can provide a better picture of prospective financial aid for that school. Counselors and credible college search engines (such as those found on Naviance or the College Board website) can also provide more personalized information.

Additional resources for information: -How to Pay for College Without Going Broke, The Princeton Review -The Everything Paying for College Book, Nathan Brown

$707

While public education is free in theory, by the time most Monarch seniors graduate from high school, they have racked up some serious fees. From the cost of playing sports to the cost of materials and books for classes, the fees begin to add up. But what about the students who can’t afford these fees? While there is a way to waive class fees for families who can’t afford them, a lot of the time families who would qualify do not fill out the form. The form qualifies families with low income to reduced lunch prices and class fee waivers. But this doesn’t include fees for extra costs like a yearbook or parking. Taking a look at the break down of several seniors’ fees over four years of attendance at Monarch, it is clear that free public education isn’t exactly free.

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From Macbooks to Textbooks

The One to One program three years later by Claire Green Laptops and tablets, the slick new replacements for paper and pencil. All over the building, Monarch students can be seen reading their e-books instead of textbooks. Monarch’s One to One computer program is entering its third year, keeping the school on the cutting edge of the integration of technology into education. With sites like Schoology and Turnitin, more and more of schooling is being conducted with the help of computers. Monarch’s One to One program is a system that allows students to complete large amounts of their schooling via laptops. It requires all students who are freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to bring a laptop which they can buy or rent, to all classes. Since it’s start three years ago, the program has undergone many changes. “Freshman year, at the beginning of the year, they [the teachers] were really big on technology for the first two weeks, but after that, we didn’t really use it,” said junior Marion Steiblen. “Sophomore year, we barely used our computers in any of my classes, but this year, they’re really big on technology, Schoology in every class, teachers always want us to have our laptops.” For Steiblen, the program has its ups and downs. “I think it’s really good when we’re doing research, but most of the time it’s a big distraction,” said Steiblen. For teachers, the One to One program has been a useful way to engage students, and help them become more interested in their learning. “It’s become much more student centered,” said science teacher Kristin Donley. “Using technology allows a lot more collaboration among students as well as on projects, lab activities, and

other activities we do in the classroom.” Physics teacher Kevin Lowe said his favorite ways to use technology in the classroom include data collection, graphing using spreadsheets, electronic quizzes, and electronic submission of labs. Donley has noticed that with the growing use of technology, students are more willing to participate. “It’s really important to learn these skills because of our global economy. Right now, most jobs are based on being able to use a computer in some fashion, whether you are going to be making presentations or need to analyze data using Excel spreadsheets,” Donley said. The One to One program is not just creating more enthusiastic students. Staff members have invested much of their time in training to effectively use this new technology for teaching. According to Lowe, these trainings help teachers learn how to use the technology, as well as how to integrate it into their teaching. “Many of the teachers have asked for time and funds to do more training that’s going to help the teachers, because that’s not something that’s easy, learning how to use and incorporate it,” said Donley. Another new aspect of the program that has had a significant impact on the classroom is the use of Learning Management Systems. These are sites like Schoology and Edmodo that allow for assignments and assessments to be completed via a laptop or computer. “These have actually been shown to increase student participation and achievement because they have access 24/7 to their resources,” said Donley. With the new improvements to the program, One to One is forging ahead with a new effectiveness, bringing Monarch’s methods of learning into the 21st century.

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COLORADO’S “ONe HUNDRED YEAr flood” by Kirsten Cramblett, Mia Mulvahill with contributions from Sophia Cox-Wright, Sidney Trimm, and Katie Berohn

Colorado flood by the numbers

Colorado was struck by a devastating flood the week of September 9th, spreading over 17 counties, creating millions of dollars’ worth of damage, and forcing evacuations for thousands of Colorado residents. The flood was declared a national emergency by President Barack Obama Thursday September 12th. School districts across the state were closed, including Boulder Valley School District. Although the Louisville/Superior area escaped the worst of it, many regions around the state were rocked by the devastating effects of the flood. Colorado received assistance from Red Cross, The National Guard, The Salvation Army and countless firefighters, police officers, and volunteers in an effort to keep residents safe. Here’s an in-depth look at the damage from the flood.

“My neighbors’ driveways were sinkholes.” -Gwendolyn Lukas-Doctor, Language Arts teacher

At the intersection of 55th and Cypress in Boulder, the road has been completely demolished by the ﬂood. Damaged roads in Boulder County have created delays and inconveniences. (Photo by Bonnie Katzive)

8 fatalities $500 million in road and bridge damage $2 billion in property damage 16,101 homes damaged 1,882 homes destroyed 5,958 people evacuated 30 state bridges destroyed 1,533 square miles affected 17,855 homes applying for FEMA aid $25.5 million in FEMA contributions 19 aircrafts used in rescue operations at its peak “As we tried to turn into a side street leading back into the neighborhood, I realized at the last moment that something was terribly wrong with the road. A peaceful corner was now a roiling rush of water and I illegally backed out onto the un-waterlogged part of 55th Street to escape. The creek had overﬂowed its banks; I would later learn that the chunk of street I had tried to enter was crumbling away inside the violent water. If I continued home, would I be trapped in my neighborhood, unable to get back out?” -Bonnie Katzive, Language Arts teacher 8 mhshowler.com

“We’re still bracing. There are many, many homes that have been destroyed, and we haven’t been in them yet,” -Governor John Hickenlooper, September 15, 2013

Colorado National Guardsmen respond to ﬂoods in Boulder County. (Photo Credit: United States Department of Defense)

The St. Vrain’s banks have been overﬂowed to such an extent that the path of the river has been completely reoriented. Software engineer Derek Brower saw this beached dumpster and thought, “This was in motion at some point. That is intense.” (Photo Credit: Derek Brower)

Jamestown--The small mountain town of 300 has been cut oﬀ because of Boulder County ﬂood. FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams deployed to the state to help in Search and Rescue operations. (Photo Credit: FEMA)

Coal Creek Golf Course brieﬂy became a rushing river. The course is closed until next year, leaving golfers feeling upset. (Photo Credit: Ian Davis)

Next to the dog park in Louisville, the road commonly known as “Hidden Road”, formally called County Road, collapsed. Many Louisville residents use this road to commute from place to place, and have had to ﬁnd other arrangements. (Photo Credit: Ian Davis, former Monarch Parent)

“We came home to make sure that our dogs were okay and when my dad went downstairs to go to his ofﬁce he saw water coming under the door. We lost all of our family photos that my mother put into scrapbooks.” -Jessica Dyess, junior mhshowler.com 9

Arts and Entertainment

The Newest Fall Fashion

Two students share their insight about this season’s ‘in’ looks by Claire Green

ith school getting underway, everyone wants to dress to impress. Two of the senior class’s most fashionable students, Emily Gross and Brooke Hubbard are up to date with the latest fall looks. Here are some of their tips on looking hot as as the the weather gets cold.

Accessories: Lots of Layers! Mixing oversized jewelry with smaller pieces is the newest look.

Bottoms: Keeping with the Fall theme, darker colors and looser garments are showing up more.

Brooke: “Mixing silver and gold jew-

Emily: “Distressed jeans, darker washes. High-low

Colors: This season’s colors match the natural fall hues seen this time of year.

elry is big. You can mix and match.”

Emily: “Earth tones are really in right now.” Brooke: “Ox-blood has been pretty popular lately.”

skirts are out, more maxi-skirts are in.” Brooke: “Dresses with cut-outs.” Emily: “Masculine cuts with girly colors are becoming popular.” Brooke: “A-line skater skirts are also getting popular.” Emily: “High-Waisted skirts that flow out are really cute.”

Emily: “Layering necklaces and brace-

lets with statement watches, and having oversized jewelry.” Brooke: “Having less girly watches, less bling, more toned-down.” Emily: “Big statement necklaces. Something really dramatic paired with a plain top.” Brooke: “No more long, stringy necklaces.” Emily: “Lots of rings.”

Tops: Prim and perfected, loose and relaxed, tops don’t have a singular trend this season.

Shoes: Boots take the crown for the most popular footwear this fall. Emily: “Equestrian boots, tall ones, not

Boots are always perfect in the fall. (Photo by Claire Green)

short ones.” Brooke: “Yes! High heeled booties are cute. I’ve been seeing a lot of high, laced combat boots too.”

With tips and tricks like these, the holidays will be a breeze! You’ll be rocking the season this year with these new, hot fall looks.

Brooke: “Shirts with cut-out de-

signs in the back are getting big.” Emily: “Peter Pan collars.” Brooke: “Chiffon, sheer, lacey. I always love the chunky sweaters.” Emily: “Yes, chunky, holey sweaters. Also peplum tops.” Brooke: “They work on any figure.”

Bangles and watches are the perfect way to make a big statement this fall. (Photo by Claire Green)

Movies to See Before You Die Movie ‘musts’ throughout the years

Dark red is making an appearance this fall. (Photo by Ellie Oliver)

Image Credits: Blue Valentine photo: The Weinstein Company The Shawshank Redemption photo: Columbia Pictures Sixteen Candles photo: Universal Pictures Goodfellas photo: Warner Bros.

by Brody Coronelli n the history of cinema, some films stand above others when it comes to their effect on audiences and the timelessness that can often follow. Below are four films that have achieved riveting financial and emotional success among audiences over their wide range of release dates.

Goodfellas Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese’s best film, showcases itself as such throughout this turbulent, linear mobster flick. Released in 1990, it still remains one of the finest, most memorable presentations of crime drama. Ray Liotta’s intense, often psychotic portrayal of the rags to riches protagonist Henry Hill radiates along with timeless performances from Robert De Niro as James Conway and Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito. The film, starting during Henry Hill’s teen years, tells the story from the roots of the rise and downfall of he and his friend’s epic crime empire. Pushed with stylized violence, romance, and power struggles, Goodfellas does what crime films often fail to do: removes the guilt from crime and all its repercussions, characterizing it in slick glamour and gritty aftermaths.

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The Shawshank Redemption One of the most successful film adaptations of revered writer Stephen King is The Shawshank Redemption. An undeniably marvelous testimony to human spirit, Frank Darabont’s drama brings heart to men behind bars and their often inevitable, entirely rewarding escape. Tim Robbin’s character, Andy is falsely accused of a murder and sent to the notorious, deemed inescapable prison Shawshank, where he meets Red, portrayed by Morgan Freeman. It is here where they and the other inmates form an unbreakable bond, in which Andy then changes Shawshank history forever with a bold plan. An uplifting tale of friendship and the ties that bind it, Frank Darabont’s drama will never lose it’s absorbing outcome.

Blue Valentine

A microscopic before and after view of a couple, Blue Valentine examines the rough realities beyond the term “happily ever after.” Ryan Gosling portrays Dean, a young, bearded, ukulele playing romantic in New York City who falls for Cindy, played by Michelle Williams. A student he met carrying a fateful factor that would bring them together. this thoughtfully romantic flick builds as a memoir to time’s effect, holding just enough heart and realism to make Derek Cianfrance’s big screen debut nostalgic and lip biting through all the loss through all it’s romance. Blue Valentine has the power to hit home among audiences. ever see - Just don’t go mistaking it for a happy, go lucky date movie.

Sixteen Candles John Hughes’ coming of age classic Sixteen Candles has translated among audiences as a youthful, comedic, and sentimental ode to growing up. Following Samantha, played by 80’s gem Molly Ringwald, and her forgotten birthday among the commotion of her sister’s wedding and a far fetched crush on heartthrob Jake Ryan, John Hughes directorial debut surrounds itself upon the worries, affections, and quirks surrounding the teen years. Coming from the late John Hughes, a man who knew teenagers perhaps better than we know ourselves, Sixteen Candles stands high among teen movies as a cinematic right of passage.

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Arts and Entertainment

Lucas Yang and Bryce Slavick show off their scars (Photo by Andrew Rodriguez)

Senior Sage Hundsdorfer Zombie-fied (photo by Emma Hundsdorfer)

Caitlin Quiat as the Undead (photo by Kate O’Donnell)

Garret’s Declassified Zombie Survival Guide Are you ready? by Garret Bryant

he Zombie Apocalypse is on everybody’s mind. From movies to books to video games, you can’t help but be a little excited for the end of the world. You have probably fought off thousands upon thousands of the undead online, but are you prepared for the ever impending actual zombie apocalypse? Whether you answered yes or no, here are a few tips that could earn you a few more sweet days or maybe even pull you through the dawn of the dead. First thing’s first- you need some sort of refuge that would not be easily accessible to a horde of shambling zombies. Always choose some place you would enjoy hiding in, like how Shaun from Shaun of the Dead chose his local pub, or how Tallahassee from Zombieland chose to live at Bill Murray’s house. Then again, you could always go for a place that’s more secure and easier to defend, like the prison in The Walking Dead (I would make sure you don’t have any psychopathic neighbors before you decide to make that move, though.) Next up, you need a source of food and water.

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Unless you’re a doomsday prepper, you probably only have enough food in your house to last you a couple of days, or a week or two at best. I’ve seen enough zombie movies to know that as soon as the Apocalypse hits, any sort of laws and structure are thrown to the birds and it becomes every man for himself, I would suggest immediately raiding your nearest food source. Hopefully you’ve been working on your cardio because everyone around you will have the same idea, and you’ll need to act fast! You’ve chosen your ideal location, you have a good amount of supplies, what now? Well, let’s put it this way I’m sure the line at the movie theater or amusement park will be significantly shorter. High amounts of stress can be harmful to your overall health so you should find ways to enjoy yourself, whether that’s forming a zombie game show, having a zombie kill of the week, or just relaxing with a zombified best friend. You can pretty much do whatever you want! Sure, it’ll be slightly more dangerous, but there’s a whole damaged, decaying world out there for you to see! If life as we know it is going to end, you might as well make the best of the Apocalypse.

Alexandra Fox (Photo by Kristiana Fox)

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Arts and Entertainment

Sophomore Shows Hidden Talent Jacob Larson shares his love for music by Kellie Beswick

ophomore Jacob Larson has a secret talent. He is an accomplished singer and sings in ‘The Jacob Larson Band’. Larson has had many years of practice, starting when he was 8 years old. Larson is a stage-loving performer. “I never get nervous,” Larson said. With a lot of dedication, he practices an hour and a half a day with his voice lessons. Along with singing, Larson also plays the piano, participates in jazz band, and recently started writing his own music. Since his new love of music, Larson is no longer to continue baseball because is too time consuming. However, he still has time for friends. Brandon Glandt a sophomore, one of Larson’s friends said, “Jacob is talented, and a unique kid.” Along with Isabel Gefke, also a sophomore, said “He’s really nice and fun to be around, and he doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.” Larson’s father, John Larson, is his manager/ booking agent who find gigs for him. This means he self-advertises and can book important events such as school events or jazz performances. Larson normally plays in the Boulder and Denver area. Most of the time at restaurants like CB Potts, The Dickens Opera House, Nissis, Coors Field, Old Town Lafayette . The Jacob Larson band formed after he hired the musicians and recorded his first CD consisting of blues funk and soul music. Larson was asked if he wanted to pursue in being a professional singer as he got older, and what he told us was shocking. “No, that is a hard thing to get into” said Larson. With a giant smile on Larson’s face he says “Being up on stage is really fun and is probably my favorite part about it.” With the confidence it takes to be up in front of many people, there is no doubt that Larson loves what he does.

(Photos by, Delmy Gooch. Jacob Larson and the band members performing at The Dickens Opera House, on June 1st 2013.)

Want to hear Larson sing? Check out his videos on the web!

November 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. Scorpio: (October 23-November 21) This month, Scorpio, is all about candy and dressing up and haunted houses. Usually, halloween is your favorite holiday and you absolutely love celebrating it! It seems that this year might be different, you’re finally deciding that you’re too old to have any fun on this holiday. That’s okay though, you can make some new traditions. Sagittarius: (November 22-December 21) The sun and moon are aligning in some way to give you that extra motivation to do everything you’re supposed to. All your homework will be in on time and you’ll be prepared for every test that’s thrown your way. Hopefully this is something you can make a habit out of and you’ll be able to breeze through all your work. Capricorn: (December 22-January 19) You’ve had your eye on someone for quite a while and maybe haven’t felt quite confident enough to talk to them. Well that’ll change this month. On the 17th, you’ll burst with confidence and finally get the guts to talk to them! Confidence is key, so stick with it and many good things may come your way.

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Aquarius: (January 20-February 18) This month, you will have incredible luck. Walking down the street, you might just find a $20 bill, or you might just find the winning lotto ticket. Enjoy it while you can because as they say, with good luck always comes… well, bad luck. Pisces: (February 19-March 20) This month, Pisces, you will radiate kindness. You’ll go out to volunteer at a homeless shelter, maybe help an elderly woman cross the street. You’ll do great thing this month and people will surely recognize your kindness.

Aries: (March 21-April 19) The weather patterns this month may not be all you’ve expected. You’ll come to school in shorts as it’s snowing and in a ski jacket as the temperature reaches a scalding 100 degrees. Hopefully you’ll be able to pick up on it by the end of the month, but until then, try to adjust.

Taurus: (April 20-May 20) You for confusing be will November. You’ll start writing essays backwards, wearing clothes backwards and possibly even walking everywhere backwards. This will probably just be a phase, and next month you’ll be back to normal.

Gemini: (May 21-June 20) This month you’ll feel the need to be extra hygienic. It’s not that you’re dirtier than any other month, but you’ll be carrying around a toothbrush and toothpaste with you wherever you go. Although this is not something that you’ll be able to control, at least try to stick to no more than three showers a day. Cancer: (June 21-July 22) You will absolutely start to grasp the concept of fall. You’ll start wearing sweaters every day, take Instagram pictures of the tree leaves changing, and even enjoying a nice Starbucks coffee here and there. Autumn doesn’t last too long, so enjoy it!

Virgo: (August 23-September 22) Either this month, your brain shifts or your ears change because everything you hear this month will be in Japanese. It might get frustrating as people will not be able to understand you either, but take this as an opportunity to learn a new language. Leo: (July 23-August 22) : As the full moon occurs, you might also notice some changes within yourself. Maybe a little extra back hair, some sharper teeth and the desire to howl at the moon. That’s right Leo, this month you’ll be turning into a werewolf. Try to be prepared as this is only temporary. Libra: (September 23 -October 22) Watch your wallet Libra. This month you’ll be tempted to buy everything you see. One or two items may be worth it, but when you come home with a new flat screen and a new puppy, you should realize it’s time to save some of your money.

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Sports

Don’t Pay College Athletes: Education SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE

Free school through athletic scholarships should be enough for college athletes by Will Petersen

here has been talk recently about whether the deal NCAA athletes get from their scholarship is enough. Some say that they deserve to be paid while others like myself believe that NCAA athletes should go through college with a scholarship, focusing on school as well as their sport. The argument posed by those who support athlete compensation in the NCAA believe these players deserve the money they help to bring to their university. Pay-For-Play supporters think that some star NCAA athletes such as football quarterbacks and basketball power forwards who bring the most publicity and/ or most money to a university should receive some of that income. These people believe that star NCAA athletes should get the same treatment that profession-

al athletes do in that they are allowed to receive a salary for what they do for their university. NCAA athletes should not be paid for playing sports at their school. Remember when a university was a place for people to learn? Sports are and always will be a large part of college pride, whether you’re an athlete or not. However, people sometimes forget that while these athletes are at their school because they are recognized for greatness in their sport, the main purpose of a university is for students to learn so that they can mature and gain knowledge that they can use for the rest of their lives. If these athletes are skilled enough, they may have the chance to play in the pros, and with both a college education and skills in a sport, you are given the decision. There is nothing wrong with talented players pur-

suing their lifelong dreams of making it to the pros. I simply believe that these athletes should also take advantage of their time in college and they should gain as much knowledge as possible.

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel watches the action at the AT&T Cotton Bowl game in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January 24, 2013. Manziel reportedly autographed multiple pictures and had been paid for it, however there was no hard evidence of the money being paid to him. As a consequence, he was unable to play the ﬁrst half of Texas (Photo credit: Rodger Mallison, MCT Campus)

Tennis Gears up for End of Season Despite late season loss to Boulder, Coyotes look to make waves at end of season tournaments by David Andrews

hen Monarch Athletic Director Lani Nobles was looking for a new head coach for the boys’ Tennis program she decided upon J.V coach Christopher Turner to keep the relatively strong Monarch team of the past years on an upward trajectory. His given name is Christopher, but around the courts his players refer to him as “Coach C.T.” Coach C.T. has guided a young and somewhat inexperienced squad to a solid regular season. The Coyote’s lone match play losses of the season came against Boulder and Fairview. “I think our league is one of the toughest in the state and it’s always tough to have to play the likes of Fairview, Boulder, and Fossil Ridge.” This afternoon, in the last league match of the year the Coyotes struggled to ﬁnd their rhythm as a team and lost all but one match to the Panthers. Sophomore Derek Wright was the lone winner of the day at 3 doubles. Turner said, “Obviously the outcomes were

not what we wanted but I think today we put into practice a lot of what we have been talking about with the boys.” In terms of looking forward to the league tournament, which will take place tomorrow, Coach Turner said, “we just have to keep the spirits high.” Going in Turner has high hopes for the team, both at the league tournament and the regional tournament that follows, “I think we have a strong team and have a good shot at finishing in the top five teams at the league tournaments.” Due to rain the Coyotes were not able to play Fossil Ridge, one of the tougher teams in the Front Range league. As the Coyotes look to finishing strong during the tail end of their season they will need to cope with the taxing mental game that can develop within the sport. Turner said, “Tennis is absolutely tough, you’re either out there on the court alone or with one other person and it can be a battle, we try to help coach it in practice, but it is really a tough mental game.” Despite a less than ideal end to the Coyote’s league play season this afternoon the squad will look to rally tomorrow and produce positive results at the league tournament.

“I think we have a strong team and have a good shot at ﬁnishing in the top 5 teams at the league tournaments.”

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Juniors Jason Nguyen, foreground, and Derek Wright hit balls following their match against Boulder High School on Tuesday, September 24th. The Coyotes mustered one win in their last regular season league matchup against the Boulder Panthers (Photo by: David Andrews)

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Sports

Football: What’s the Big Deal Anyway? A breakdown of one of the biggest sports in America by Tyler DeBord

Cleveland Browns fans celebrate after defensive back Buster Skrine intercepts a fourth-quarter pass against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday, September 29, 2013. The Browns won, 17-6. (Photo Credit: Ed Suba Jr., MCT Campus)

ard hitting, incredible catches, heart stopping throws and game winning field goals. These are just some of the thrills that football offers, and it’s arguably the biggest American sport there is. Football, like other sports, has the die-hard fans that paint themselves on game day to watch their team in admiration. There are also those who don’t care for the sport as much others, and would rather be doing other activities, like reading a book, or catching a matinee movie (sportsgrid.com), instead of watching football on a given Saturday or Sunday. There are those that care about this game, and there are those that don’t. It’s as simple as that. Whether you care about it or not, you’ll hear about it. According to an anonymous blogger on isitnormal.com, “when it comes to the game of football, all I can say is: there is probably nothing everybody cares so much about that I couldn’t give less of a damn about (http://isitnormal. com/story/i-dont-care-about-football-39494/).” There is also a poll on the website that asks, “Is it normal for people to dislike football?” According to the vote, 87 percent of 618 people that voted agreed that it is normal to not care as much about football. Football advocates reading this might be saying, what in the world is this guy thinking? However, he goes on to say, “Why don’t they do something productive like learn another language or go help feed homeless people? Football just makes me want to spew vomit.” There is no denying the drama aspect of the game. There are constantly stories coming out about the NCAA coming down on programs who have broken

the rules in some way or another. Most recently, the Johnny Manziel controversy. The NCAA accused the star quarterback of signing autographs and getting profits off of those autographs. However, they couldn’t find any evidence on the issue, but the shear involvement of his name in this conversation earned him a half game suspension in Week 1. A good argument is made here. There is no denying that football causes mindless thinking, and sparks a conversation if there is nothing more to talk about. It’s exciting to some, but not all. With the naysayers come the fans that are very deeply involved with football. Some seem to live and die upon whether or not their team wins. According to sethgodin.typepad.com, Seth Godin said, “it (football) became as much of a social event as a sporting one, with alumni and students finding connection around a game.” This is absolutely, positively true. Sporting events, especially football, bring groups of people together from far and wide. It doesn’t matter if you know that person, if they happen to like the same team, they’re family. Always. Football just goes to show that we can come together and have a little fun, putting aside our differences for a while and watching some good ol’ American football. We have the pleasure of watching some of the best athletes out on the field during the fall of every year. So kick back, relax, and turn on the game.

Athletes Speak Out HOMECOMING SPIRIT Monarch comes together to celebrate Against Negative annual event Stereotypes Monarch students confront stereotypes associated with different sports by Elaina Funk

he community we have built has become mostly about stereotypes based on what you do or how you look. Whether it is teenagers are ‘rude’ and ‘up to no good’ or students who achieve good grades are nerds, there’s no escaping the stereotypes. One of the main stereotypes that we have in society is primarily with athletes and sports. Why might you ask? Sports are a huge topic with high schools around the country. Now that the seasons of sports are starting, the stereotypes are being put into action. Sophomore Jack Adams is used to being faced with stereotypes as a soccer player. “People think you’re weak, nerdy, feminine or less manly because it doesn’t have as much contact as something like football or rugby,” said Adams. “It’s unfair to think that all soccer players are weak or wimpy just because we play soccer. Soccer is by far the most popular sport in the world.” Freshman Angelina Yesaulov also faces stereotypes concerning the sport she plays: basketball.

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Yesaulov gets told all the time, “You’re tall, you must play ball.” But height is only one factor among many that can help build a basketball player. Angelina said, “You can still be short, and still be a good player. It depends on how hard a player works.” While most athletes disagree with the stereotypes applied to their sport, senior Gian Cervo, agrees with some of the stereotypes he has faced. As a hockey player, he believes that being rugged and fearless are the key to the sport. Of course, the macho factor is always associated with hockey, but there are always other things that may not be true about its reputation. “I wish people didn’t think it was only about killing people. It’s also a tremendous amount of talent and skill,” added Gian Cervo. This goes to show that not all stereotypes in sports are about always being tough or wimpy. It’s not about being too tall or too short. People always judge an athlete or a sport by the first thing they might see or hear. Sports are about the skill, not the previous judgments people have made about it.

Senior football players show team unity and march at the Homecoming pep assembly. From left to right: Jay Macintyre, Zach Hilliard, Hunter Barry, Peter Mitchell. (Photo by Howler Staff)

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Sports

Sophomore Soccer Squad Ready for the Future Defensive line prepares for future seasons

by Conner Lund

he Coyote soccer team is “building for the future,” said head soccer coach Marcelo Balboa. During the first two games of the league play, the Coyotes started seven sophomores a game, compared to the two or three sophomores the other teams play. The team has gone into the season with extreme positivity. After losing back-to-back against Fairview and Boulder, Balboa is not worried. “When you play the number one and number two teams, its all just a learning experience, and it’s just growing pains,” said Balboa. “I’m excited for the future. You look at our starting back line of sophomores, our goalie, and defensive midfield and attacking mid, and left sided midfield, all sophomores, and we’re going to have some valuable lessons this year and we’re going to grow from it.” With so much young talent on the team, players are pumped for the future. “We’re just a lot about development,” said starting defense Jason Elzinga. “We’re definitely improving and we still have a lot of time to go forward,

and Marcelo is going to keep us going and going until our senior year so we can reach our full potential.” Dan Bricker, another sophomore defenseman, has been playing club soccer for Balboa for five years now and has seen his own growth over the years. “I have been playing club with Balboa for five years, and since the first year I have gotten a lot better. Right now it’s a learning experience. Right now we’re just seeing what we can do and we’re going to develop and hopefully soon we can make playoffs and go forward from that.” The coach is also looking forward to the next two years. “Next year my expectations are much higher, we should be in the playoffs next year.” Even the seniors are anticipating the day when the soccer program succeeds without them. “It’s really cool to see all of the young talent on our team. I think that once these kids reach their potential, they will be able to compete in playoffs and maybe even farther,” said senior Christian Barr. “Even when we are gone in college, I still want to see this program succeed, and I definitely think these kids have it in them to go far in the league.”

“We’re just a lot about development”

(From left to right) Austin Sehnert, Zac Langer, Dan Bricker and Jason Elzinga stand together as the four sophomore defensive line. (Photo by Conner Lund)

Out With The Old, In With The New Girls’ volleyball coaching staff in new hands by Grace Tallmon

s the students of Monarch High School move forward in their education so does their volleyball coach this year. When a sophomore volleyball player moves to the next level by moving up to the junior volleyball team, they usually leave their old coach behind and start with the next coach, but not this year. Madeline Donly is undoubtedly qualified to be the new sophomore coach as she has played volleyball for 14 Donly working with Marquez. (Photo Credit: Grace Tallmon) years, coached for six years, and also has four undefeated state championships under her belt. Donly started her coaching career as an assistant coach for U12 Moscow volleyball club in 2008. She coached numerous summer camps including University of Colorado, according to the Monarch volleyball website. Monarch’s past varsity volleyball coach left because of his inconvenient commute to school. Kate Erickson

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took his place as the head varsity coach and Donly was brought on board to coach sophomores. “We get along really well, she’s pretty young so she gets it, and she’s just really fun about it. She’s not too serious,” said sophomore Marquez. “She’s really improving us all,” said Micaela Marquez. The volleyball team is having a good year so far and it can only go up from there. Donly has freshmen and sophomores on her team, so it has been going a little slow because some of the girls have not played high school volleyball before. Erickson is the new head coach, and Mitchell Koike will be working alongside her as the new assistant coach. Both Erickson and Koike played volleyball in their college years. Koike currently coaches for club teamTCA 17’s Blue team and is also the Monarch’s head sophomore Basketball Coach. “I don’t know much about volleyball; the announcements never say when the games are,” Ryan Crist said about the amount of attention that the volleyball team gets. “I always know when the football games are, but I never know when the volleyball games are,” Sam Malott said about the way that news gets spread around school. One of the challenges that the volleyball teams have is a lack of consistent attention as there has been a couple games with a solid turn out although it varies with every game. The volleyball team has been working very hard with Donly to be the best they can be this year. The girls and Donly have been getting along very well. It seems like Donly has adjusted well to the school and to the girls and you can see that the girls respect her. Monarch High Schools volleyball team is in good hands.

Sophomore volleyball players bumping the ball to each other during practice. (Photo Credit: Grace Tallmon)

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Howler Staff Print Editor-in-Chief Katie Berohn Online Editor-in-Chief David Andrews Opinions Dalton Valette News Conner Lund Life Mia Mulvahill Arts and Entertainment Ellie Oliver Sports Olivia Coleman Will Petersen Copy Anna Blanco Emma Gooding-Lord Business Manager Tyler DeBord Ad Sales Manager Arika Rooney Subscription Manager Jack Howard Reporters Will Bangs Kellie Beswick Garret Bryant Brody Coronelli Sophia Cox Wright Kirstin Cramblett Charlotte Crist Terran Fox Daisy Fuchs Elaina Funk Emma Gooding-Lord Claire Green Tyler Lund Micaela Marquez Adrian Schoeneshoefer Alexis Tallmon Oliver Ullman Seth Widner Adviser 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 and community opinions.

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Demystifying the Flood

Climate and science experts help decode weather patterns by Oliver Ullman

torrent of water fell in September in a disastrous, unprecedented downpour that alone set the monthly record in Colorado for rainfall. Described as “biblical” by the National Weather Service, the ﬂood killed eight people and caused over eighteen thousand homes to be damaged, according to the Hufﬁngton

Post. Between the afternoon of September 9th, and midday September 13th, a record-setting 14.62 inches of rain fell in Boulder. Through all the terror and panic that this event caused, many people were curious about the ﬂood. What caused this to happen? Does climate change play a role? Can we expect more of this in the near future?

How often does an event like this happen?

Will a flood like this happen again?

This type of question is very hard to answer, partially due to a lack of data and because it is such a broad question. There are several ways this flood has been characterized. They mostly refer to a 1-1000 year system. If characterized as a 1000 year flood, that means the event has only a .1 chance of happening in a given year. There are many different analyses referring to the flood as a 1000, 100, 50 or 25 year event, and ironically not all of them are wrong, they just refer to different factors, such as rainfall by location, total damage, or CFS (cubic feet per second). Because of the complexity of the issue, many news outlets have had trouble correctly addressing the story. For example, Time magazine has falsely painted this as a 1000 year flood, which was widely repeated in the news world, and the science community has been trying correct this mistake by characterizing this as 1000 year rainfall. The duration of the event that Time referenced was too short to be considered a flood.

Currently, there’s not enough scientific data to give a steady prediction of when, so because of a lack of information no one in the science community can create a credible model to predict with accuracy. “Certainly, this is a rare set up - everything had to be in exactly the right place to react with each other causing the double flow of moisture and then no movement - and in over 30 years of broadcasting weather in this area, I have never seen it before. I know they are referring to it as ‘the 100 year flood’ and indeed, it may not happen for another century - but then again, with weather being so unpredictable at times, this set up could easily occur again next year. Possible? Yes. Plausible? Probably not,” said Ed Greene, meteorologist for CBS 4.

How can I prepare for destructive weather patterns in the future? It’s not crazy to expect natural disasters like floods to happen in the near future. Many warn of the dangers of being unprepared. “You should have [a safety kit] in your car, and you should have one at your work, and you should have one at your house,” said Kristin Donley, a teacher at Monarch and an adviser for the Center for Disease Control. The Red Cross recommends having a kit packed with a three day supply of food and water, rain gear, extra cash, and a flashlight. People who live in Boulder are especially at risk because of the many creeks, and the fact that many Boulder residents live near floodplains, areas of land adjacent to streams or rivers that experience flooding during periods of high rain.

What caused the flood? “The ﬂood resulted from an usual split in the jet stream. An unusually large-amplitude ridge of high pressure set up over Western Canada, and an upper-level low pressure system got trapped to the south of the ridge, over Utah,” said Jeff Masters, a meteorologist at Weather Underground.

How does this Flood event tie into the big picture of climate change? Climate change as well as the steady rising of the oceans has been thought of by many as one of the most important issues in the world today. “It’s not really climate change because its changed many, many times throughout the course of Earth’s history. It’s rapid climate change that we need to worry about,” said Rob Linnenberger, Monarch science teacher. To have more conﬁdence in predicting the far-reaching consequences of this issue, researchers would need more time to analyze the data, as well as more data to reference than they currently have. Right now there are many popular theories, many of which have evidence to support themselves, but nothing is known for certain. The evidence for climate change is overwhelming. And evidence as well as supporters are growing everyday. “The Greenhouse Effect is normal and natural; in fact if not for this effect, Earth would be about 60 degrees Fahrenheit colder — a lifeless ice planet. The problem we face is that the delicate balance of temperature may be upset by a change in atmospheric chemistry,” said Mike Nelsen Channel 7’s chief meteorologist. Now, for the ﬁrst time in the Earth’s history, there is evidence that the balance may be impacted by changes in the atmospheric chemistry — changes that are being caused by human activity.” “Climate is changing,” said Katharine Ellis, who teaches Chemistry and Physical Science at Monarch. “And we know that throughout geologic history climates have been changing….that’s okay. The problem right now is not climate change, it’s the rate of climate change, and species can’t adapt this quickly. There will be die offs, that’s a fact. Are we going to be one of them?”

A graph depicting the rainfall in inches per month for 1995, 1910, and 2013. The jump in rainfall on the yellow line depicts the rainfall during September, 2013. (Photo credit: Dennis Adams-Smith, Climate Central)

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