Eagle Eye by Mark Newton

ee eagle eye

YOLO

Proves to be a bad excuse for kids to do stupid things. ANNA THEIS Page 13

STATE CHAMPS

Boys cross country wins Vista’s first male state title. Page 4

Mountain Vista High School • 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 • November 2, 2012 • Vol. 12 Issue 1

Eagle Eye 2

ADVERTISEMENTS

2012) ( BEGIN NOVEMBER

Football team EP!C photo

Donnie ‘Decadon’ Miller

“Football is a team thing, like family, so you gotta work hard for your family.” JACOB WOLF

The boys cross co untr team elaborates y on winning the 5A State Championship ti tle Oct. 27

DRIVER EDUCATION

Classroom plus 6 hours behindthe-wheel — $390

Thru May 2013

State driving tests — $35 (FREE with coupon below)

Golden Eagles Volleyball domination

An update Colorado’s pro sports teams

The Critique

Cross Country EP!C photo

Powderpuff cheerleaders EP!C photo

Sisters from Virginia support each other as they adjust to a new school and new state

DU hosts the first 2012 presidential debate

the

on the

THEME

WEB

FREE

($35 value) Valid for new enrollment only. 14 1/2-18 years old

The iPhone 5 sizes up to the competition

Jason Mraz and Christina Perri concert

Online Classroom lpsdriveredonline.net

State Driving Test

Staff Editorial with Joanie Lyons “Our efforts go unnoticed”

Stuff that ticks me off with Tyler Kraft

Photo by Taylor Blatchford

Scan the QR code with your smartphone for instant access to VistaNow.org Cover photo of Eric Steiner, 12, Noel Wagner, 12,Connor Weaver, 11, Stephen Geisler, 12, and Blake Graf, 11 and coach Jonathan Dalby by Taylor Blatchford

the

EAGLE EYE

NEWS 5 Eagle Eye

The Stairway to

Vista Nation XC sets a legacy after winning the boys state meet in Colorado Springs “When I realized the team had won, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. All of our hard work had finally paid off,” junior Blake Graf said.

“I want to make sure the whole team had made it to the finish and we were OK, then I finally realized I just finished my last high school meet and I started crying a little bit,” senior Eric Steiner said.

“I was grateful for all the support from all the parents, coaches and Vista Nation in general because when we won, everyone won with us that just how cross country does it,” senior Noel Wagner said.

“I was really proud of the guys and the way they ran. They ran awesome and you knew they couldn’t run much better than that,” Coach Dalby said.

Photos by Taylor Blatchford

FINAL TIMES Connor Weaver—17:06 Eric Steiner—17:11 Andrew Walton—17:12

Blake Graf—17:24 Noel Wagner—17:29 Stephen Geisler—17:31 Gap Time (1-7): 0:25

Take Your Creativity further Arapahoe Community College offers more than 85 degrees and certificates that include many that let your creativity soar. Here is just one example to jump-start your career in a creative field.

ConTemporarY JournaliSm

You love interviewing and hearing about experiences and events that have shaped people’s lives. You work on the school newspaper, literary magazine or the yearbook. You have a blog or your own website. If you are ready to seek the technical skills to create powerful websites, online publications or the writing skills to place you on the staff at a national newspaper or magazine, the ACC Associate Degree in Contemporary Journalism will get you there! You can complete your degree to start your career in journalism, or seamlessly transfer to a four-year college or university to complete your Bachelor of Arts degree. Visit arapahoe.edu/departments-and-programs for details on each of these programs. for information about ACC or to schedule a campus tour, contact Student recruitment and Outreach at 303.797.5637.

Your Community College

do MOre!

303.797.4222 | arapahoe.edu

HeY, ConCurrenT enrollmenT STudenTS!

If you’re enrolled in a year-long ACC Concurrent Enrollment course, you MUST return your registration form by November 16. If you are signed up for a Spring ACC Concurrent Enrollment college course, you MUST return your registration form by the end of January. Check with your counselor for more details.

Photos by Erin Kim

DU hosts Debatefest WES EDWARDS

or one night, Colorado became the stage for one of the biggest showdowns this political season. The first presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, held in University of Denver’s Magness Arena, marked a pivotal point in the race for the White House. The arrival of both candidates brought the energy and enthusiasm of the campaign trail to the DU campus where numerous students and activists were inspired to join in the fray. Debatefest, held on the Daniel’s School of Business on the DU campus, hosted a variety of events for such activists to get involved and spread their message. A portion of the campus was sectioned off for the groups and organizations to describe their position and woo others to their plight. This staging area was called “Issues

Alley” and it contained upwards of two-dozen booths each with its own unique perspective on the issues of the day. From abortion, to the environment, to even the corporatization of education in America, opinions were rich and plentiful, both of protesters and official Issues Alley participants. Local artists and food eateries brought refreshing doses of art and culture to the experience to serve the hundreds of DU students and other visitors of Debatefest. Also participating in Debatefest was lo cal Denver band, The Lumineers, who provided a soundtrack to pre-debate festivities. At the turn of 7 p.m., the grounds of the business college became quiet as the Presidential Debate began, less than one block away in the Magness Arena. Festivities and crowds dissipated quickly as only the dedicated remained outside, watching the debate live on the large screen on the grounds of the campus in plummeting temperatures.

6 NEWS

DECADON

Eagle Eye

EP!C PHOTO

Senior Donnie Miller pursues a music production career

7 Eagle Eye

Photo by Jessi Wood Alex Mara, Nick Barry, and Dalton Lewis, juniors, perform their junior male cheerleader dance during the homecoming football game. “We didn’t really prepare that much beforehand actually, but we had a ton of fun dancing,” Mara said. They took a risk and changed their dance slightly when performing during the school assembly. “If Mrs. Hitchens will let us, we would love to perform again next year as seniors.”

Photos by Riley McCloskey

on the WEB

For more information on Decadon and his music, visit facebook.com/decadon.

To listen to some of Decadon’s music, visit soundcloud.com.

SHANNON VAN DOK eats are bumping, lights are flashing and people are dancing in the club and senior Donnie Miller, performing, loves every second of it. “It’s an adrenaline rush when I’m playing my music,” he said. “People are having a good time and it’s just the best feeling in the world.” During his sophomore year, Miller decided to quit the band he performed with for a year and a half and begin creating his own music. “I couldn’t stand it when I was the only one who put in the effort, so I decided to do something where I could be successful on my own,” he said. Miller has been producing dubstep music for 10 months now and playing at shows and venues for five months. “My last show was at Cervantes. I did a quick opening set for a local DJ,” he said. “It was cool being able to play at Cervantes because there have been really awesome shows there.” Cervantes, a local Denver venue at 2637 Welton St., has been hosting upcoming artists for over 80 years. The new owners have recently renovated and remodeled the building to suit dubstep and electronic DJs. Miller said the most challenging obstacle he has face throughout his music career is creating music people will like.

“When people think is takes no talent to produce music it really upsets me. It’s harder than learning an instrument,” he said. “What most people don’t know is that all of the sounds I use, I make on my own.” A lot of major things are happening for Miller in the next year. Currently, Miller is working with The Maniac Agenda on a new song, which, he said, will be “very huge!” Techibeats, one of the biggest and most respected online electronic dance music magazines in the U.S., recently signed Miller. He also became an official business partner and talent scout for Collective Records, another online label that promotes upcoming artists. Through Collective Records, Miller released “Gotta Be Kidding,” which topped the Worldwide Top 100 at number 68. He is still holding the top two spots for sales for all of Collective Record’s releases. His new EP will be released through Collective Records in the next couple months. For 2013, Miller is looking forward to touring his music. “This summer I will be doing a West Coast tour,” he said, “I’ve already gotten a couple shows that have been solidified in the Santa Barbara area.” There was a moment in Miller’s career when he realized he wanted to produce music for the rest of his life. “Even if it’s not this, if the whole electronic scene dies out, which I don’t think it will, I would love to do this the rest of my life,”

Eagle Eye 8 ADVERTISEMENTS

COMMENTARY 9 Eagle Eye

2012 - 2013 DRIVER’S EDUCATION SCHEDULE

American Driving Academy Inc. The best choice for the most elite comprehensive driving school in Colorado!

Celebrating 13 Years of Business in Colorado!

Fraser Counseling, LLC

“Positive Changes for a Happier Life”

Start as early as 14½, get your permit at 15, and become eligible for your license on your 16th birthday! Program Description: Total 42 hours driver’s education, including 30 hours of classroom and 12

$95

Homestudy Course: Homestudy classroom plus driving instruction with American Driving

Beneﬁts: Our programs qualify students for hundreds of dollars in insurance reductions with most insurance companies. All testing can be done by our instructors and the student does not have to test at the DMV.

Turned 14½? Start Today! Saturday Class Times & Locations 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Aug. 18 - Sept. 22) (Sept. 29 - Oct. 27) (Nov. 3, 10, 17 Dec. 1, 8) (Jan. 12 - Feb. 9) (Feb. 16 - March 16) (April 6 - May 4)

Cost

$375

(Complete Classroom Instruction in only one week!) Fall Break

Christmas

New Year

October 15 - 19

December 26 - 29

January 2 - 5

March 25 - 29

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

I am pleased to announce the opening of my private practice!

Spring Break

303-623-1404 or online at

Barbara L. Fraser MA, MAT, CAES Registered Psychotherapist Licensed School Counselor

www.AmericanDrivingAcademy.com Payment is due the ﬁrst day of class.

visit us on

Our classes take place in leased district facilities and the activities are not supported by tax dollars, the board of education or the districts. Locations and times of classes may be subject to change.

6 Hours of Driving Lessons Only $300!

Private Adult / Teen Third Party State Driving Exams Only $40 (no waiting)

Driving Academy, Inc.

Driving Improvement Classes · Beginners to Advanced · Rehabilitation Training

Contact: 720-545-1876 barb@frasercounselingllc.com

See your

ad here • We can design the ad for you • Premium placement options • Viewed by 2,000+ students •Also offer web advertising

our security guards. What makes them any different At the beginning of the than the rest of us? We do school year, were you told not disrupt classrooms where you could and could and are kicked out of the not eat lunch? I was told, hallways for it while they as a sophomore, that I was eat their lunches next to a able to go off campus and three-dimensional printer eat in the school hallways if and computers. I was so inclined. The weather is also Obviously, I was not restricting our space to eat told the truth. I have been as the seasons turn from kicked out of the hallways summer to autumn. What almost everyday that I have happens when there is chosen to sit there. Not three feet of snow on the eat, just sit there. I do not disrupt classes. I just sit, talk ground or the temperature is below 20 degrees with my friends and do my Fahrenheit? They cannot homework. say “Sorry, go back inside I have fifth period off. that room with hundreds Where am I supposed of other people tryto go? The library is constantly “Having ing to make it as loud as humanly packed. The free time possible.” I don’t commons is overabout you, crowded and it is on an off know but that option starting to cool period does does not exactly off outside. Eventually we will not seem so sound appealing to me. all run out of I can see where free.” places to eat and the security guards the commons will and administration become an overare coming from: they do crowded pool of noise and not want us to make a mess. mess on the carpets with The new “policy” has not our food and they do not just affected me though. want us to disrupt classes When you have your lunch, in the pods. The upstairs try to go see one of your main hallway never has any teachers in either the 300s food left on it and there or 400s. You will be met are no classrooms that are with this response: “What directly connected to it. do you need to do? Sorry, please get back to the com- Still students are kicked out for doing nothing. mons or go outside.” What Lunch should be a time happens if you need to get where students can relax to a locker and grab a book and go wherever they want needed for homework? to. Students are allowed “Sorry, please go back to to go off campus to eat the commons or go outwherever they want to. At side.” the same time students There are exceptions to are not allowed to walk the the rule though. Members hallways. I was told during of the Technology Student my class meeting that for Association go and eat the first time in school their lunch in the tech lab history I would be able to are free to go in and out eat in the halls during my of the blockade set by

TYLER KRAFT

Academy, Inc. only $375).

Chaparral • Castle View • Denver Christian • Douglas County • Highlands Ranch Legend • Mountain Vista • Rock Canyon • Ponderosa • Thunderidge

TICKS ME OFF

hours of driving instruction (six hours driving and six hours observation); written permit test included and the driver’s license test available. We use dual-controlled cars and our instructors are approved and regulated by the Division of Motor Vehicles. Available as low as

STUFF THAT

Vote

the

WES EDWARDS Politics: one of the dirtiest words of this year. It’s the kind of topic you do not bring up in polite conversation unless you are looking for a fight, and be assured, you will find it. Unlike the smell of flowers and budding grass or the sound of crunchy leaves falling off of trees in the wind, the campaign season is marked by the abrupt arrival of endless advertisements, banners, yard-signs and, of course, those preaching their candidate’s gospel. You cannot avoid all of these signs of the political season, no matter how hard you try. Even those too young to vote are bombarded with opinions left and right telling them what to think, who to vote for, whom to hate and how terrible they are for feeling that way. It comes as no surprise then that everyone from blogosphere political junkies to the soccer mom at the end of the street are trying their hands at turning the living room into a CNN newsroom pundit debate, attacking opposing sides and clinging to any media related to the election as parasite would: fearful of death if they ever let go. Inevitably after all of this excitement and tension, there will come a point where a large portion of people will be fed up, tired of the baseless political ads, the endless mudslinging and, of course, the over-scrutinization of every single phrase or action. Or maybe it’s a simple as you just don’t care. Either way, trust me, there will be a time when you want to turn off your TV and hide under a rock to escape the racket. If you have not felt this already, just wait for the next gaff. As sick and disconcerting as this portion of the political landscape is, it is not a free pass to be aloof to the future of your country. That is the point of a democracy, right? To be able to change how your country is run and who leads it is the exact definition of a democracy. Ask the citizens of Syria what it would be like to have, mostly, free

Addison Ambrose and accurate elections. Then perhaps you would value the opportunity that is available to you, or will be in a few short years when you come of age. Having the ability, the right to vote and be involved in political discourse in this country should never be taken lightly. I don’t have to quote Uncle Ben, but you get the idea. Before we go any further, you are probably thinking, “One vote can’t make that big of a difference. It doesn’t really matter.” You would be correct. One vote among the millions that will be counted during this election will most likely not make a noticeable difference unless certain, almost impossible conditions are met. But how many more people out there that are just like you? How many people feel like their voice does not matter? Sorry, you are not the unique and special butterfly you thought you were. According to the United States Elections Project, only 58.6 percent of those eligible to vote actually casted a ballot in the 2008 presidential election. That’s nearly 100 million people, more than one-third of the country’s total population, who were overcome by apathy and indifference. Those who don’t vote are abstaining from having power and a say in not just their country, but the world. And if you’re too young to vote, still pay attention to events happening around you because the how this election is decided determines what mess you are trying to be cleaning up during the next election.

Eagle Eye

OPINION 11 Eagle Eye

10 EPIC PHOTO

VISTAj STAFF

Photo by Joanie Lyons

Photo by Gabi Capocelli TOP: Eric Steiner, senior, and Andrew Walton, junior, mentally prepare for a cross country race at the starting line. Each athlete has their own way of getting ready for a race. “There’s always a lot of adrenaline before the race mixed with nerves and anxiety,” Steiner said. “but once you’re on the line, it all goes away. People usually talk or listen to music to get rid of nerves.”

Co-Editors In Chief Bridget Cooper Joanie Lyons

Copy Editors Taylor Blatchford Gabi Capocelli

Photo Editors Bridget Cooper Jessi Wood

BOTTOM: Kirsten Dixon, senior, joins together for a group meeting before the first cross country meet at Arapahoe. “This meet is the first time we get to show how hard we’ve worked over the summer,” Dixon said. “It’s one of my favorites.” The cross country team later went on to win first in state for boys and fourth in state for girls.“I was thinking how awesome it would be if we won, and how awesome that was, for being my last race,” senior Stephen Geisler said. “The best moment was when we were on the podium with the trophy and we could see all of our family and friends going crazy in the stands,” junior Blake Graf said.

Photo by Gabi Capocelli

Content Editors Hannah Addison Wes Edwards

Social Media Editor

Riley McCloskey

Few fans watch the Chaparral game on Saturday Oct. 6 because of previous losses and the cold.

Unnoticed Efforts With the ambitious community around Mountain Vista, many strive to new heights but their achievements go to the wayside.

With 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter of the homecoming game, a 21-10 loss to Bear Creek High School, students made a mass exit from Shea Stadium. “This game is over, just look at the score.” Two weeks later at the Vista vs. Chaparral game, few showed up because of the homecoming loss. “We were all disappointed in ourselves after losing our homecoming game and the Arapahoe game,” running back Tanner Smith said. People had a reason to not want to support us, but I’m happy we got our revenge on Chaparral.” Playing a significant role on the field, Smith, junior, rushes an average of 142.6 yards per game and scores about 11 points. “We probably spend about 20-plus hours a week doing different things,” Smith said. “It’s like a full-time job.” To spend such a substantial amount of time on something and to have people leave what could be considered the biggest game of the year is upsetting. But this is just football. Imagine the amount of time people put into an art piece, other sports, a play, practicing for a DECA role play and how many people go unrecognized for these efforts. One prime example of this continually is the cross country team. From the ef-

forts of coach Jonathan Dalby, the team gets better consecutively every year. As 2011 5A State runner-up’s on the men’s side and third on the women’s, the runners work hard regardless of the season. Because of the efforts so far this season, the team did well in their 5A State meet. According to MileSplit.com, the boys varsity cross country team is projected to win the 5A State Championship title and they did just that-win. “I wish (more people) would come to more meets,” cross country runner Noel Wagner, senior, said. “I think I can understand why they don’t, but it’s a really cool sport so they should truly come and watch it.” It’s a shame that people have to try so hard and people may never know about how well they did at that competition or how well they did on that test even though they put all their efforts to be where they are today. At times, life may get busy. But if you have any free time, go see the next school play. Go to the Continental League Cheer Competition Nov. 7 or the Continental League Poms Competition Nov. 8. Go to a sport that no one usually goes to just to show you care. Being there for others in itself can make all the difference. Support your fellow students — a little can mean a lot.

Design Editors

Erin Kim Joanie Lyons

Advertising Manager Shannon VanDok

Adviser

Mark Newton, MJE

Staff Members Addison Ambrose Taylor Atlas Amani Brown Madeline Carlson Hannah Chatwin Caitlin Cobb Emma Cooper Gretchen Cope Cameron Cox Shelby Crumley Kenna Dougherty Amanda Ellingson Delaney Fitzsimmons Antonia Fornaro Dylan Freeman Libby Galligan Bailey Gambrell Scott Grimm Kenzie Haberkorn Alec Hewlett Dylan Ingram Jason Keller Tyler Kraft Taylor Krason Ana Krasuski Sammy Linares

Web Team

Peter Cleverdon Nicholas Lawrence

Emilie Love Kelsey Luke Mark Maggs Whitney Merrill Devon Miner Roxy Montero-Atencio Rachel Nunnelee Claire Oliver David Orser Anna Pippin Ashten Ritchko Gabe Rodriguez Cheyenne Secor Katie Simon Emma Singh Tori Soper Kara Stockton AJ Stowell Erica Tagliarino Anna Theis Shannon VanDok Cesco Viola Kelsey Warden Kyle Waters Taylor Yaw Kaitlin Zenoni

Eric Robinson Dylan Tran

Policy

Eagle Eye, a legally recognized public forum for student expression, is published six to nine times a year by the Journalism class for students at Mountain Vista High School. Expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of speech or freedom of press is not an expression of Douglas County school board policy. The views expressed in Eagle Eye do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, adviser, MVHS administration or the Douglas County School District administration. Board policy regarding student publications (JICEA and JI/JIA) are available in the journalism/ publications room (U328) or in the principal’s office.

Letters to the Editors Eagle Eye welcomes and encourages letters to the editors. This is a chance to express your viewpoint on important issues. Letters should be limited to 250 words. Letters will be edited for splace and legal considerations, but not for inaccuracies, grammar or spelling. Letters must contain information pertinent to the students of MVHS. The staff retains the right to not publish any letter not meeting these requirements. Unsigned letters will not be published. Please submit typed letters in person to Room U328 or via mail or e-mail.

Contact

Eagle Eye, Mountain Vista High School, 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126, Phone: 303-387-1500. Adviser email: mark.newton@dcsdk12.org. Publication email: EagleEyeNews@ dcsdk12.org

Cost

Single copies are free. Where available, additional copies of this paper are available for purchase for 50 cents each. Contact Eagle Eye for more information. Taking more than one copy of this paper is prohibited (C.R.S. 18-4-419). Violators, subject to prosecution and penalty under C.R.S. 13-21-123, will be prosecuted.

Open Forum Content

Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/ MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service and Creative Commons licensing. ©2012 Eagle Eye/Mountain Vista High School. All rights reserved.

School spirit days and pep assemblies are a lot of fun!

Douglas County School District is broke as a joke, and we’re paying

Except for the nohats rule, the dress code is not really enforced.

Mr. Weaver is the best thing to happen to MVHS.

We supporting our Unified sports teams and players!

We love coming into ACCESS and seeing all those Chick-fil-A coupons sitting on the table.

This is Highlands Ranch. We don’t have gangs.

Cussing is trashy and makes you look unintelligent.

Daniels Park is like a secret getaway.

Mountain Vista football is still the most fun team to support.

As the Eagle Eye staff sat down and brainstormed

our coverage for this issue, we tried to think of a topic that we thought would cater to the interests of all the students of Mountain Vista. We decided on “50 Things We Could All Agree On” as students and members of the Highlands Ranch community and the state of Colorado. Yes, some will disagree, but regardless of who you are or what your background is, you should be able to find quite a few things in the following pages to agree. Whether it’s delicious, meaningful, exciting or funny, there’s something in this issue for everyone.

We wouldn’t survive without Starbucks.

AP classes are a lot of work, and AP tests are terrify-

We love teacher in-service days. No school!

YOLO

is an excuse for teenagers to do stupid things.

YOLO

The Washington Post describes it as “the newest acronym you’ll love to hate.” Nowadays, YOLO — You Only Live Once — is overused with negative connotations. The feelings for YOLO seem to be mutual with the teens at Mountain Vista High School. “It’s stupid and way worn-out,” sophomore, Britta Andress said. “People use it in annoying ways. They should use it as something good but instead choose to make it pointless. What is it about YOLO that has caught on in pop culture? Is it just a way to make it look like you’re having fun and living life to the “fullest”? Principal Michael Weaver seems to think so. He sees it used for things that are made to seem as a joke. “I don’t like when it’s used as a stupid excuse. I think that it’s a way to act crazy all the time and tag onto random stuff,” Weaver said. Weaver said in the past some kids used it as a general attitude. Now it means something different. “It makes you sound so unintelligent,” senior Koby Adams said. Drake’s song, “The Motto,” has helped YOLO gain popularity. The song, which came out in 2011, connected YOLO with partying, taking drugs and ommitting illegal activities. YOLO shouldn’t be linked to bad things but to positive things. “It can be used to show others here’s what I find enjoyable,” Weaver said. “YOLOing out of your comfort zone is unconstructive.” “YOLO should be used to express living in good ways, for example, getting a job,” junior Madeline Eccher said. The good news? Weaver doesn’t think that students at Vista have been taking it “to the extreme” and it’s not a prevalent problem. YOLO has a meaning that is different for everyone, and each person has to create their own YOLO to express themselves. For some it’s a motivator to live a full life in a positive way, as it is to Kyle Hahn, a member of Class of 2010. “It makes me do things that I would have hesitated to do but do it anyway,” Hahn said. Like all slang, YOLO will probably die out. We just have to let it run its course until it’s back to where it started, as Weaver said, with “the people who purely use it as a way of living.” When tweeting “YOLO” or hashtag it, people need to think about the point they want to make. When people write their thoughts on the Internet, the thoughts should have meaning and purpose. Teens need to remember the consequences of one YOLO moment and how it could mess up their lives up.

WE LOVE

Don’t go through the 300s if you can avoid it.

The cafeteria cookies are the best.

our teachers.

No. 83

Honey Boo Boo is the BOMB

Lets be honest...

We spend too much time on homework. No.22

Photo by Libby Galligan

ANA KRASUSKI & LIBBY GALLIGAN

Photo by Riley McCloskey

Lindsey Jaffe, the varsity volleyball coach and Consumer Family Studies teacher is known for being loved by many students. Four volleyball players, junior Taylor Phillips, junior Amanda Waterman, sophomore Morgan McKean and freshman Morgan Knight, amplified how much Jaffe is loved amongst the students here. “She’s outgoing, pretty and a good listener. You can talk to her about anything. And she’s nice and caring,” sophomore Morgan McKean said. When talking about her volleyball players, Jaffe describes her relationship with the girls as mother-daughter like. “I think of them like my kids, and I want them to succeed,” Jaffe said. Junior Amanda Waterman describes how Jaffe acts during practice, and how grateful she is for a presence like Jaffe in her life. “I like how she always pushes us to be our best. It’s not just volleyball, it’s also making sure you turn out to be a good person,” Waterman said. Jaffe said the Golden Eagles volleyball team is very tight-knit. “We’re like a family. And we have so much fun together. We don’t just talk about volleyball, we talk about what’s going on in their lives,” she said, “Getting to know them on that level makes coaching easier because I know the things that are going on in our lives.” Junior Taylor Phillips has had Jaffe as a coach and a teacher. “You can have the coach aspect of it and then the personal, teacher aspect of it,” she said. “It was really nice to take that personal relationship into volleyball as well. On my off periods I’ll just go and hang out with her. She’s very personable so you can talk to her about whatever is going on, on the court or off the court.” “I like seeing the light bulb that says ‘I get this!’ I push them to be better than what they thought they could be,” Jaffe said about her students and players. Freshman Morgan Knight said, “She just gets really intense and shows her passion on the court.” Whether she’s in the classroom or on the court, Jaffe said she loves helping out, “I love watching them grow. I like watching someone start somewhere and how they grow in such a short amount of time. It’s kind of cool when you realize that you helped them discover that,” Jaffe said about all of her students and players. Jaffe wants her players to be the best they can be. “I’m always pushing them to be better than what they thought they could be,” she said. “I like having fun. We always have a good time.”

We can’t wait for snow days. GABE RODRIGUEZ

One Direction is for preteen girls.

CSAP, or TCAP, is a joke.

23 Are Scary

Photo Illustration by Gabe Rodriguez

Movie Theaters Sophomore Matt Kavorkian shares his views of “The Dark Knight Rises” and movie theaters

On July 16, the most anticipated movie of the summer, “The Dark Knight Rises,” turned into the primary reasons most people have not seen a movie in the movie theater since the movie’s release. During one of the midnight premieres for this movie at the Century Movie Theater in Aurora, a shooting occurred, ending with 12 dead and 59 injured moviegoers. Because of this shooting, many people still fear even entering a movie theater. Matt Kavorkian, a sophomore, has seen “The Dark Knight Rises” and was very aware of the shooting that occurred in a city close to home. “I was with my mother and father [when I watched the movie],” Kavorkian said. “My sister didn’t want to go see it. She was actually really paranoid for us.” Kavorkian’s sister wasn’t the only one worried about his safety. He was also worried, especially while in the movie. “I was really jittery the whole time,” Kavorkian said. “Whenever there were loud parts of the movie, I’d look at the exits, you know, to make sure there was no one shooting.” Although Kavorkian’s sister has not gone to a movie since the shooting, he has. However, he remains skeptical. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m scared, but I am more cautious,” Kavorkian said. “It’s not like I’m never going to go there again, but I’m more aware of my surroundings.” Kavorkian says that he will not overcome this fear that he has grown from the shooting for a couple years. “That was such a powerful thing that happened, and it won’t carry off for a long time, I think,” Kavorkian said. “It’s kind of like Columbine. In school, I’m not cautious or anything, but I still think, ‘What would I do?’”

Christian Bale is a true hero.

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

There aren’t enough hours in the day.

We just want to hang out with our friends all the time.

Facebook absorbs our lives.

Our parents just want us to stay home all the time.

ACT/SAT is not as big a deal as everyone makes it.

30 #

Hashtags aren’t for Facebook. Stop using them.

Applying for college is

28 stressful! 35

Photo by Riley McCloskey

Stop littering! It makes our school look trashy.

32 $ 33

Photo Jerilee Bennett/Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT

Peyton Manning:

The best thing that ever happened to the Broncos since Tim Tebow.

Gas is expensive.

Noodles and Company is delicious... any time of day.

Going out to lunch gets pricey.

KELSEY WARDEN

MARK MAGGS There are so many things that cause stress in student’s lives as they start preparing to leave high school, such as the fear of having good enough grades or the ability to have a decent job. But what is the number one thing that juniors and seniors can agree on being the most stressful? Applying for college. As the place that you will spend four more years of your life in education, college is obviously important to students. Before you apply you must first pick the college you want to go to. You can narrow down your choices by colleges that have you majors, are in your price range of tuition and even if you like the feel of the campus. It’s those intangibles that make each campus unique and sets them apart from one another. Once you decide, the hard part beings, applying. What makes this so difficult? “There are so many deadlines, it’s a process,” senior Althea Weeks said. When applying for college there are so many possibilities and as soon as the right option is found then the application process is just that, a “process.” The majority of colleges require intense applications which include essays and letters of recommendation which can be a lot to keep track of. “Start early and talk to your counselor,” senior Heena Jain said. Applying for college starts with preparation. Counselors are here to help with relieving stress and the end result is amazing. So, in the end most students can agree that applying for college is stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. The one piece of advice that will help in the journey is, start early and discover the many possibilities that are available in life.

Many people think the Broncos scored big time this season when they gained Peyton Manning for the low price of $5 million from the Indianapolis Colts. “He’s an older and wiser quarterback and has more experience. He can run the offense well and he gives young players a chance to get better,” junior Cameron Davis said. Most fans will agree with the talk about how Manning puts the Broncos back into the running for the Super Bowl. “He brings the skill and expertise that is needed to bring the Broncos to the Super Bowl,” junior Logan Schmidt said. How could fans not agree? He has received four most valuable player awards, was the MVP of Super Bowl XLI and was named Most Valuable Player of the NFL for the fourth time in 2009. It’s nice to have a familiar face replace the former Denver quarterback, Tim Tebow, because fans don’t have to worry so much about Manning’s playing ability. Manning has scored 404 touchdowns and accomplished 55,652 passing yards so far in his career. Even at the age of 36 many fans think Manning can still dominate; he knows how to play the game inside and out. The fact that Manning is the new quarterback brings hope and excitement to all his fans. Junior Austin Forge raves, “I’m pumped that he’s our quarterback, he actually gives us a chance to be a contender and win a lot more,” Overall, it’s apparent that people have high expectations for Manning and everyone is hoping that he can deliver a Super Bowl victory. “Manning is a good addition to the Broncos, because he is an experienced veteran in the game, and knows how to play the game well,” senior Gerry Lopez, said. People are also wondering if his previous injuries will pose as a serious problem. Manning had a serious neck injury that caused nerves in his arm to become weak. However, it’s not necessarily his neck that doctors worry about him injuring again, it’s his arm. To relieve pressure on his pinched nerve doctors operated on it by, “removing the troublesome soft disk tissue between two vertebrae and fusing the bones together,” Doctor Robert Watkins explains, according to an Associated Press article published by NFL.com.

Powder puff is rigged: “Powder puff is definitely rigged, let’s be honest.” Nicole Bills, 11

Restaurants shouldn’t be closed on Sunday. We’re talking about you,

I’m not paid enough at my job: “I only get paid minimum wage.” Sarah Marks, 11

Dances aren’t as fun as they used to be.

There’s always someone posting about the weather: “If it’s the first snow of the year, I’d post that.” Megan Woog, 11

There’s always someone commenting on the post about the weather: “I have a window.” Christian Winfrey, 10

4 Reasons

Why Colorado is the BEST state.

No. 43 Thirstbusters are the best 89 cents you’ll ever spend.

Twitter is the new Facebook. (It’s OK to a hashtag with Twitter!)

Pinterest is a time suck.

46 47

If you don’t have an iPhone, who even are you?

Teenagers still need snack breaks and naptime.

For 48 and 49, please visit VistaNow.org.

The weather is bipolar, one day it’s snowing and the next day it’s sunny and warm.

No. 42

PDA is an Epidemic Some couples at Mountain Vista need to gauge what kind of affections they should keep at home. We’ve all seen it before- public displays of affection. Couples line the halls of Mountain Vista in their own little worlds, unaware of awkward onlookers who might be getting an unwanted peepshow. What these couples don’t realize while in their little affectionate worlds is that there is a line between being cute and being overexposed. It might a natural instinct when you’re in love — couples might just want to share their happiness and awesome relationships with the world, but it can make a normal walk to English class an experience that can scar someone for life. “Some people cross the line and it’s gross. Sometimes it’s cute,” Chloe Brown, sophomore said. While not all forms of PDA are inappropriate or disruptive in any way, couples should be aware that there are certain things that should be left at home. “Personally, everytime I walk down the hall and I see someone kissing or making out, it’s like, ‘Go do it on your own time, I don’t wanna see that,’” junior Ryann Layhe said. The reactions often range from jealousy to discomfort from observing something that probably is best left private. “PDA depresses me. It reminds me that I’m single,” junior Marissa Orser said. The bottom line is that there aren’t all that many positive reactions to be elicited by onlookers of PDA. Keep it at home, kids.

Acceptable Forms of PDA: 1. Holding Hands 2. Hugging 3. Quick Pecks

THE MOUNTAINS!

o. Colorado is the best state

Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa, Co.

Lake Isabelle near Nederland, Co.

We have the best sunsets.

We have lots of outdoor activities like hiking, biking and snowboarding.

Colorado native Pretty Lights plays the First Bank Center on New Year’s Eve last year.

SHELBY CRUMLEY Colorado is a state of many things. We have almost 300 days of sunshine and diverse scenery. “It has something for everyone, if you want to ski you can ski, if you want to hike you can hike, if you want to shop you can shop,” Ali Sutphin, junior, said. “The only thing Colorado is missing is a beach.” Denver is one of the most advanced cities in the country when it comes to the arts. There are so many different artists who have come from the Denver area and there are a plethora of schools around the state dedicated specifically to the arts. Not just the arts that involve a canvas, but the culinary and literary arts as well. Many of the head chefs of Denver’s restaurants are from Colorado and completed their education here. But music also makes Colorado great. Many of today’s top artists have come from Colorado, like The Fray, 3OH!3, One Republic and Pretty Lights. Colorado also has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. We are the only state in the country to have a completely natural amphitheater that not only provides excellent sound but also acts as a major tourist attraction. “Colorado is the best because it is so beautiful and the scenery can look different everyday,” Kelsey Chrissinger, junior, said. We also are one of the few states to have both plains and mountains. Our Rocky Mountains provide us with some of the most incredible hiking trails in the summer and transform in the winter to bring people from all over the world to enjoy our top-notch ski resorts. “Colorado is the best state due to the fact that it has great skiing close to home,” Brayden Babbitt, sophomore, said. But above all Colorado is most famous for its elevation. “We are also one of the only one’s who can say we’re a mile high,” Julie Dyrud, junior, said.

Eagle Eye 20 ADVERTISEMENTS

FEATURES 21 Eagle Eye

AnatomyoftheiPhone ra

The Maps app received a complete redesign from Apple in the latest update. Now voice navigation, 3D maps and a simpler interface comprise the app.

Compare

The FaceTime camera on the front of the iPhone now takes higher resolution photos (1.2MP) and has HD video recording capability (720p).

Maps

Came e c a F

Displa r e rg

To keep up with the massive screens of phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III, Apple increased the size of the screen by half an inch, allowing for another row of apps.

Contrast

iPhone 5 4-inch display 1136x640 pixels 8MP main camera 1.2MP front camera weighs 112g 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm

Student Leadership @MVHSLeaderBack to School tomorrow & back to our Mystery ship Restaurant Challenge. New Rules though PLEASE Direct Message us your answers! #GoodLuck

RILEY MCCLOSKEY

Two of the largest cellphone manufacturers in the world are currently engaged in a patent lawsuit battle. Apple sued Samsung for $2.5 billion in damages for infringing on seven patents. The jury decided that Samsung must fork over $1.05 billion to Apple, and Apple, who Samsung countersued for $422 million, will not have to pay any damages. Samsung was found guilty of infringing on six of the seven patents, and willfully

Student Leadership @MVHSLeadership Today is #Nationalcheeseburgerday so if you are still deciding where to go 4 lunch this narrows it down! #Bringusbacksomething Student Leadership @MVHSLeadership Photo Contest 3 Under the “C”: Take a picture under the letter C #Becreative #showuswhatyougot

@MVHSLeadership

4.8-inch display 1280x720 pixels 8MP main camera 1.9MP front camera weighs 133g 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm

infringing on five of those in the US. Some features that Samsung was guilty of copying include the pinch-to-zoom function, the way documents bounce when you scroll too far, the grid layout of apps, the tap-tozoom function and the exterior design of the iPhone 3GS and previous models. Samsung claimed that Apple infringed on its patents also, but judges in the US and Germany decided that Apple had not copied anything. Samsung was found not guilty of infringement in the UK Supreme Courts, and Apple posted an apology.

EvolutionoftheiPhone 2007 June 29

The first iPhone is released. Lines go around the block at Apple stores everywhere.

UPDATE : MOST IMPORTANT

2008

2009

2010 June 24

2011

2012

The iPhone 3G is released. Apple reaches their sales goal and sells 13 million iPhones by the end of 2008.

The iPhone 3GS is released. Apple releases iOS 3.0 along with the new iPhone.

The iPhone 4 is released. The phone’s newest redesign features a more modern exterior.

The iPhone 4S is released just nine days after Steve Jobs passes away.

October 14

September 21

Access to 3G Networks

Video Recording Capability

FaceTime and front camera

Siri

Access to 4G Networks

July 11

June 19

The iPhone 5 is released. Sales top five million in the first weekend after the release.

FEATURE 23 Eagle Ey

S sters for L fe

ourtesy of Erin and Kelly McMullan

Erin and Kelly McMullan make their bond even stronger as they move from Virginia to Highlands Ranch

Jason Mraz, To MVHS Transfer TAYLOR ATLAS

Freshmen

31 Sophomores

24 Juniors

24 Seniors

4 Foreign exchange students

Taylor Blatchford

acked into a maroon Ford Expedition with two Boston Terriers and their parents and younger sister, junior Kelly McMullan and sophomore Erin McMullan left behind their beach life in Virginia Beach, Va. and set out for the four-day drive to Highlands Ranch to, for the first time ever, begin life in a new state. “We were miserable,” Erin said with a laugh, speaking of the drive. “We didn’t come in with a very positive attitude toward the situation.” But having to leave behind their lifelong friends, their home and the only place and lifestyle they ever knew, it was hard to imagine staying positive through all of the sadness. And to make the move even harder, they had no house to look forward to once they got here. Instead they spent their first three weeks in Denver living in a hotel room. “It felt like we were on vacation and just staying in a hotel,” Kelly said. “It made it harder to process.” But Erin and Kelly helped out each other, with the drive and the move in general, as they have their entire life. Being one year apart, they have a special relationship that has grown even stronger through the move. “Erin is my best friend,” Kelly said. And now that they go to the same school, that friendship has grown even stronger. “In Virginia, we didn’t go to the same school,” Erin said. “I went to an academy and (Kelly) went to the normal public high school, so I think

being at the same school we are even closer now than we were then.” But before they arrived here, they had very different feelings about what they were getting into. Not only did they feel they were going to have to run away from mountain lions and coyotes, they had lots of nerves towards starting at a new school. “Walking into the school, I thought, ‘Wow, this is huge,’” Kelly said. But being so nervous, both Kelly and Erin were thankful for the company of one another as they walked through a sea of unfamiliar faces. “We didn’t leave each other’s side on the first day,” Erin said. “We were really happy to realize that our classes weren’t very far apart, so it was easy to meet up again,” Kelly added. And after finding out where the bathrooms were, and that there was a Subway in the school, Kelly admits she felt a lot better. “I like it a lot more now,” Kelly said. Sharing the common interest of running cross country, they are finally on the same team. They hang out with the same people from the team. And they both agree that the cross country team has made the move easier. “I have never felt so encouraged by a team,” Kelly said. “The people on it are really cool.” As for the state in general, they both agree that it is a lot better than they expected, but it is a little bit too cold for their liking. That is what both of them agreed that they learned from moving: to not

be so judgemental of something that they have never seen before. “I had my close group of friends who I would always hang out with,” Kelly explained. “And not having a beach is a big change.” No longer having their beloved beach has been one of the hardest parts about moving here. Kelly already misses it so much that she wants to go to college somewhere close to a beach so that it can once again be a part of her life. Even though technology cannot help with the beach situation, it has helped them with their friends that they left behind. “I miss my friends — Lauren, Becca and Savannah,” Erin said, “but we text like everyday, which helps a lot.” But the person Erin misses the most is not one of her friends, but rather her former cross country coach who she describes as “the best thing that happened” to her in Virginia. Moving to Highlands Ranch and Mountain Vista, Erin and Kelly have undergone many hardships. But through all of it, they realized how much they really needed each other as not only sisters, but as a best friend to lean on. “I probably lean on Kelly the most, because she is the older one,” Erin said. “But I definitely lean on Erin, too,” Kelly said. “She helps me out a lot.” From sharing clothes to sharing friends, Erin explains that many people first think that they are twins. And even though they are not, they can be seen daily walking through the halls of Mountain Vista, laughing with each other. Laughing

fireworks, dancers or stunts aren’t necessary to put on a great concert. At Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 25, all he needed was his guitar, some love and a crowd to share it with. TAYLOR BLATCHFORD

he natural outdoor amphitheatre fit perfectly with Mraz’s down-to-earth vibe. He dressed casually in a black long-sleeved t-shirt and gray jeans, and walked around the stage barefoot without a second thought. His shoulder-length hair was pulled back in a ponytail under his signature tan fedora. It rained lightly the entire evening, but that didn’t put a damper on the crowd’s enthusiasm. The setlist that lasted more than two hours was more than just a

Photos by Taylor Blatchford regurgitation of Mraz’s latest charttopping album, “Love is a Four Letter Word.” Along with covers, he mixed in some of his older, lesser-known songs such as “Up,” “Plane” and “Details in the Fabric.” Spontaneous moments such as Mraz cartwheeling across the stage between songs or telling the audience to spin around during “Living in the Moment” kept things interesting and showed that the performers were there to have fun. Opening act Christina Perri warmed up the crowd both literally and figuratively, playing a 45-minute set that

included her radio hits “A Thousand Years,” “Jar of Hearts” and “Arms.” She and her band returned during the encore to perform “Distance” with Mraz and his band and received a standing ovation. With her mouth often wide open in an expression of pure enjoyment and excitement, percussionist Mona Tavakoli added a one-of-a-kind energy to the band, playing on her specially designed “MT Box,” patented after her own initials. She sported blue and white paint on her arm that matched that on Mraz’s cheek, showing the bond in the self-titled “Duo Decibel System.” In fact, the entire band’s relationship seemed undeniably close. Mraz didn’t wait until the end of the show to showcase each member’s talents — he did so during the second song of the set, “The Remedy.” He also dueted with violinist Merritt Lear in both “Be Honest” and “Lucky.” During “I’m Coming Over,” the band truly appeared to be a family as they all clustered around a seated Mraz to perform as one. Before closing with his most recent hit “I Won’t Give Up,” he thanked the crowd for sticking with him through the cold and rain and said, “This song means more now than ever.” That one song captured the essence of the entire concert — even though the weather didn’t cooperate, thousands of fans didn’t give up on Mraz and embraced the circumstances. With 7 phone calls, 23 emails and a whole lot of persistence, I was able to get an official photo pass to the concert thanks to Atlantic Records, Mraz’s label. Being able to shoot photos with a professional-quality camera from the seventh row of Red Rocks and learn from experienced professional photographers was an experience I will never forget. Mraz brings peace and tranquility to a world where much of music is centered around partying, sex and drugs. It was clear from Mraz’s final statement that it was all about the love: “Thanks for being love to the world, you guys.” I would doubt that there was a person in that amphitheatre who left feeling sad about anything that night — except that the show was over. Even if only for a few hours, the show provided an opportunity for people to relax and share the love: love of Mraz and Perri, love of music, love of the people they came to the concert with, love of Red Rocks and Colorado.

Setlist for Red Rocks, Sept.

Everything is Soun The Remedy Make it Mine Live High Only Human Be Honest Lucky Up The Woman I Love 93 Million Miles In Your Hands Collapsible Plans Plane Details in the Fabr Living in the Mome Frank D. Fixer You Fckn Did It Love Looks Like I’m Coming Over Butterfly Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Your (cover) I’m Yours Three Little Birds (cover) Encore: Who’s Thinking About You Now Distance I Won’t Give Up

For more pictures from the concert, visit VistaNow.org.

EPIC PHOTO 25 Eagle Eye 1. Coach Ric Cash offers words of encouragement from the sidelines to the football team. “I feel engaged and invested on the sidelines,” Cash said. “When I’m there, I feel motivated to do the best I can to help the boys do the best they can.” The team has been improving this year and beat Chaparral High School in early October, a major achievement. “That game was one of the biggest victories in our history,” Cash said. “It was an indication that our hard work pays off.” The Golden Eagles play Pomona High School tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Arvada in the first round of the 5A state playoffs.

Photo by Bridget Cooper

2. Anthony Frydrychowski, sophomore, cheers on the crowd during the homecoming football game. Frydrychowski is preparing to be part of an all-American cheer team in London this December through New Year’s Day. “It’s exciting to be able to represent Mountain Vista and the whole nation in London, especially since I am one of the only male cheerleaders at our school,” Frydrychowski said. “I love doing cheer, especially when the crowd gets excited. It just makes me want to tumble more.” 3. Austin Butler, junior, takes a water break during a football game. Butler has high hopes for the team as it moves into the state playoffs. “We started out a little rough, but we have been coming together as a team and pulling out some big upsets. We’re peaking just in time to give us momentum going into the playoffs,” Butler said. Photo by Mark Maggs

Photo by Jessi Wood

Photo by Mark Maggs

Dylan Formby, junior, runs the ball down the field during a play at a football game Sept. 7. “It’s always an amazing experience,” Formby said. “I love getting to play under the lights on the field and seeing all the fans that are there for us.” Formby has been playing since freshmen year and said he plans to continue playing next year.

Eagle Eye 26 FEATURE

The Critique

UPDATES

Reporter Whitney Merrill reviews some of the latest school events and pop culture topics.

AJ STOWELL

Photo Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/MCT

The Nuggets

Props & Flops PROPS to the football team for beating the #1 team Chaparral 38-34. PROPS to having the Friday before fall break off of school. PROPS to the first presidential debate being held at The University of Denver. FLOPS to teachers having more classes and less time to spend with students. FLOPS to people leaving sporting events early. FLOPS to the Rockies for having 98 losses this season.

Hallway Talk “I just feel like YOLO is the answer to everything.” “It’s snowing, put pants on!”

“He’s like three times my size, plus a small dog.”

SPORTS

SPORTS 27 Eagle Eye

and the Year Ahead

A Powder Puff Photo by Jessi Wood • Romney Photo Robert Duyos/Sun Sentinel/MCT • Obama Photo by Chris Kleponis/CNP/MCT

1 Powder Puff

QQ A legendary event at Mountain Vista is the powder puff game where the senior girls play the junior girls. This event during homecoming week was definitely anticipated just like every other year, but did it live up to expectations? Well, with the score 48-14 the seniors dominated, which wasn’t exactly the battle that was expected. Of course it’s expected that the seniors will win, but isn’t there supposed to be a major rivalry? I thought that the score would at least be close. There was not enough action to keep me on my seat interested in who would win.

2 Eight-Period Schedule

QQQQ Starting this year Vista has been using the “block day” schedule with eight periods in order to deal with budget cuts. While it is different than what I have been used to, there is definitely an advantage to having only four classes a day. The homework load isn’t as big since you can stagger how much homework you have each night. This is definitely a plus for students who work or have sports that run late. Another plus is having longer off periods. A lot more can be done in 1 ½ hours than in the 45 minutes that we had last year. This new schedule is in favor of the student.

3 Hashtag Epidemic

QQQ Since being launched publicly in 2006, Twitter has gained 175 million users. This has caused a new piece of slang to be incorporated into the average teenager’s vocabulary: the hashtag. While it’s great to have it while on Twitter, it should not be used in normal conversation.

When you say “hashtag: awkward” it just doesn’t sound like you have a clue on how to speak correct English. You aren’t impressing anyone when you rely on a hashtag to get your point across. Make your English teacher proud and drop the hashtag.

fter a successful 2011-12 season, the Nuggets will attempt this season to reach the NBA playoffs for the tenth consecutive year. The offseason for the Nuggets

improved the team, particularly the acquisition of Olympic gold medalist Andre Iguodala in the huge blockbuster trade that sent Dwight Howard to the L.A. Lakers. The Nuggets gained a defensive star and ceded two players, Al Harrington and Arron Afflalo, to Philadelphia. In the draft, the team added two youngsters sure to play big roles: forward Evan Fournier and guard Quincy Miller. Yet, what can you expect of the Nuggets for the 2012-13 season? To be sure, another season of fast-paced offense and solid defensive play. With Iguoldala, one of the top defensive players in the league, Denver can now match up to top teams in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Lakers. The Nuggets season started Oct. 31 in Philadelphia against the 76ers. It was the first of a three-game road trip, that includes the Orlando Magic tonight and the defending champions Miami Heat tomorrow.

4 Political Ads

QQ Fall TV this year is not just about the new shows. With the election going on, the campaigners are definitely taking advantage of the media. Every two seconds you see a commercial bashing one of the candidates. Yes, they have the right to campaign and make people aware of what they will do in office, but should they really be focusing on their opponents’ platform? All I know now is that whoever is elected is going to ruin my life. The basis of their commercials is that the middle class is going to be harmed or that the other person is clueless about how to help the economy. I want a president who isn’t going to tear others down and worry about something other than the big picture. They need to stop bugging everyone with why they shouldn’t vote for the other candidate and focus on what they would change.

5 Imagine Dragons

QQQQQ At spot number 42 on the Billboard 200, the band Imagine Dragons is making its presence known. Imagine Dragons has a similar style to Linkin Park, Of Monsters and Men and Young the Giant. Its music has been described as indie pop-rock. The song “It’s Time” is perfect for when you’re just driving home trying to jam out in your car. It’s a nice reprieve from the bubble-gum pop songs that always seem to be popular.

Photo Mark Reis/Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT

PEYTON MANNING HEATING UP

As the Broncos’ season progresses, Denver continues to get better and better

fter one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history in which the Denver Broncos overcame a 24-point deficit to take not only the win, but the first position in the division from the San Diego Chargers, the team was rewarded with a much-needed break. With the momentum of the win carrying them through the bye week, the Broncos had crucial time to rest up and prepare for their week seven matchup last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. This gave the opportunity for starting cornerback Tracy Porter to recover from illness. The week of rest also aided other key players who have been bruised up during the season. Demaryius Thomas (hip), Ryan Clady (hamstring) and Chris Kuper (forearm) all came back healthy for the win ofver the Saints. Against New Orleans, Peyton Manning delivered big time at another chance for redemption against Drew Brees, who decisively defeated his Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. This time though the outcome was much different, as the Broncos surging offense faced an ailing Saints defense. With a near perfect game, Manning decisively won the showdown between the two star quarterbacks, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos took the win, 34-14. With nine games remaining for the AFC West leaders, the team awaits a much easier schedule ahead, playing seven of the next nine games against teams with winning percentages below .500. Another key factor for Denver is that it finishes the season with two key home matchups. With plenty of action ahead, look for the Broncos to have much more success and make the NFL playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Photo Nhat V. Meyer/San Jose Mercury News/MCT

Rockies: Who’s Next?

fter the worst season in the Rockies existence (64-98), the club gets a chance to move on. With the resignation of Jim Tracy, the National League Coach of the Year in 2009, the team is left with a huge question mark at the managerial position. In the process for hiring the new manager, an ESPN senior baseball analyst reported there are two internal front-runners. Tom Runnells, the current Rockies bench coach, is one candidate. Throughout his career, he has managed the Montreal Expos and Cincinnati Reds for a short times. He also served as the minor league manager for the Colorado farm system. Runnells has the most managerial experience out of the two internal candidates. The other inside candidate is Stu Cole, a minor league manager in the Rockies farm system for three years. Cole played in the majors for a shy nine-game span for the Kansas City Royals. Two other candidates with Rockies connections are current player Jason Giambi and former shortstop and current Regis High School baseball head coach Walt Weiss. Though there are four coaches are from the organization, there has been speculation that the hiring process could branch out to others such as Cleveland Indians interim manager Sandy Alomar, Jr. and Ryne Sandberg of the Philadelphia Phillies. With the hiring of the new manager, the Rockies will attempt to pick the best candidate to get the team back on track for the next season.

SPORTS 29 Eagle Eye

Photos by Gabi Capocelli

FOOTBALL ISN’T JUST FOOTBALL Five freshman boys explain what football means to them and what it has taught them about working hard, finding purpose and growing Kyler Mills, #2 Reece Kiser, #3 Justin Le, #5 Wayne Carter, #6 Grant Novota, #7 Tristan Morrow, #8 Keegan Petau, #10 Nathan Peeples, #11 Landon Mills, #12 William Secor, #13 Nick Capocelli, #15 Keaton Ruskaup, #17 Adrian Griego, #20 John Harris, #21 Tyler Hildebrand, #22 Jaeson Juarez, #23 Chris Jordan, #24 Jesse Wright, #25 Noah Hammer, #27 Jackson Lines, #28 Daniel Korgie, #31 Jacob Wolf, #32 Ethan Jones, #33 Alexander Algiene, #34 Joshua Manis, #35 John Granado, #36 Logan Bonjean, #41 Coby Petau, #42 Mathew Nats, #43 Patrick Lau, #44 Kevin Anderson, #45 Ryan Paap, #46 Will Flynn, #49 David Waterman, #50 Sean Eisterer, #51 Daniel McFarlane, #52 Matt Yockey, #54 Nicholas Anderson, #55 Tynan Person, #56 Elijah Toomey, #57 Cole Miller, #58

the biggest hits, but he’s putting everything he can out there on the field. That’s kinda how I am. Nobody can be compared to Rudy, but I give everything I can out there.” His size has never stopped him from striving to tackle the biggest guy on the team during drills, even though he knows he’ll go down. And that’s what makes this underdog such a great player. “It’s not just about winning games it’s about how much you actually care about something and how much work you’re going to actually put in. I’m not gonna quit.”

It’s given me a lot more mental toughness. If I feel like I want to stop, I can push myself,” he said. When asked what football means to him, he answered with a usual, simple one word response, one that needed no explanation. “Life.”

THE UNDERDOG COLTON O’DONNELL, #88

The ball was darting at him, spiraling and spinning with incredible speed. He jumped up. It landed in the cradle of his arms. He stopped for a split second, taking it in. Then, he ran. He ran all the way to the thirty eight yard line. For the first time, he had done it. “I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think I was gonna catch the ball when it went up, considering there were two guys on me,” Colton O’Donnell, wide receiver for the freshman football, team said. “But, I came down and it was in my hand.” “Football isn’t just football,” O’Donnell said. For him, football started in the third grade, watching the sport on t.v. and playing flag on a recreation team. But, it became a whole different game when he started to tackle. “My grandpa always wanted me to play football, and then he passed away,” O’Donnell said. “Now, I just feel like I want to play.” O’Donnell stands at about 5 feet 8 inches and 120 pounds as a freshman, not your typical meathead jock. But, size has never stopped him. “I’m not the biggest guy on the team, it’s kinda like that movie, Rudy,” he said. “He’s not the biggest guy, he’s not making

THE MUSICIAN LANDON MILLS, #12 THE TEDDY BEAR TATE MCGOWAN, #79

“You get butterflies a lot, you get nervous. You get excited,” Tate McGowan, defensive tackle for the freshman team said about playing football. This teddy bear of a young man, towers over most other freshman boys. He seems intimidating. He’s a man of few words. Until he lights up, and his smile says everything. Life has given McGowan a lot of reasons not to smile and the absence of a father has been one of them. But, even when his father wasn’t, football was there. “Football is therapy,” McGowan said, “It helps a lot with getting feelings out.” This game has built McGowan into the person he is today. For him, it’s not about winning a game, but who it is making him. “(Football) has taught me never to quit.

When Landon Mills steps onto the football field, he has something to prove. “You’re not good enough” “You’ll get hurt” “All you can ever do is play music” These voices stare him in the face, just like the guy across from him on the other team, peering at him through bloodshot, menacing eyes before the play begins. “That’s what drives me: I think of somebody who thinks that I’m not good enough,” Landon Mills, freshman quarterback said. “I have to show them that I’m good enough.” It has been a short two years since Mills started playing on the turf and each day is a way to make him better. “I play because I have this kind of competitive spirit that’s in me that says ‘You have to win’ and football’s the best way to do it,” Mills said.

A strong Christian, Mills knows that his faith also plays a big part in football. When I stand on the field before the snap, I’m praying to God,” he said. “I’ll just be saying ‘Help me get to this guy, I know he’s faster than me, help me take a good angle or use good technique. Help me to have good vision running down the field. Help me make good cuts or break tackles well.’ It’s like a conversation with Him during the whole game.” But, there’s more to this athlete than meets the eye. He’s also an avid musician, a self-taught guitarist, pianist and percussionist. And for him, music and football don’t seem all that different; both serve as a much-needed escape. “When I’m playing football, it’s like nonstop work and then music is like an alter ego of mine, something entirely different,” Mills said. Mills uses football and music as an avenue to deal with the problems he faces, at home and school. “Whenever I struggle, I just think, ‘this is one more thing that is being taken away from me and I have to overcome that and be better than that.’” Football is how he will overcome.

THE ROOKIE JACOB WOLF, #32 The noise seems to swallow up the atmosphere; the pounding of cleats on the

turf, screaming fans, the coach’s shouting, the sounds of cameras snapping, the breathing of his opponents. Football is loud and Jacob Wolf hears it all. “I try to just listen and go as hard as I can,” he said. His quiet presence doesn’t go unnoticed. As one of the captains of the team, and kicker, punter and noseguard, freshman Jacob Wolf leads by example. This is his first year playing football and people are noticing his quick aptitude and passion for the game. The team captains usually speak in front of the entire team during practices and before games, but Wolf doesn’t say much, humbled by the experience of the boys around him who have played longer than he has. “When I do say something, it means a lot because I don’t say things just to say them,” Wolf said. For him, football is like a brotherhood where he can feel at home. It is a getaway. It’s always a learning experience and a way for him to get better. “Football is always teaching me that everything can’t be planned. In a game this season, we had a full game plan for the team and they ended up not doing what we had thought, so we had to change it during the game,” he said. “It’s teaching us that we have to be adaptive in what we do.” To Wolf, football isn’t about getting crazy, going in for a hard hit, the accomplishments or approval, it’s about the simple silence and bliss of flying. “Once you step on the field, all your problems go away and it’s just you and the other team. It’s a free environment where you can just fly around and not worry about anything.” he said. “For that two or three hours on the field, it’s pretty much heaven.”

THE VISIONARY JAESON JUAREZ, #23

Jaeson Juarez, one of the six team captains on the freshman team, is a purposeful leader, striving for excellence. For him, football is about the connection between community and a brotherhood. “It’s a big deal if you’re on a team like this to have a good relationship with your teammates,” Juarez, cornerback and fullback on the team, said. This sense of community is what motivates Juarez to push to the end of himself for his team. “Perseverance. I’ve learned to keep pushing,” he said. “You can’t give up when things get hard.” Statements like this one are only a fraction of Juarez’s hopes for his team. He is a purposeful team player who takes success seriously. In fact, he was one of the most vocal captains during a bonding practice after a losing streak that ended in frustration and tears. “I was just talking about how embarrassing it is when we hear people talking about how we did in the game when we know we didn’t do very well,” Juarez said. “I get frustrated when I hear that because I know we’re better than that. “Leaders need to be the ones that stand up for everyone. It’s a team effort and we need to focus on that,” he said.

GABI CAPOCELLI

Steven Babineau, #61 Braden Dougherty, #63 Nick McDaniel, #64 Brendan Archuleta, #68 Tug Watts, #70 Tyler Felske, #77 Todd Hampton, #78 Tate McGowan, #78 Taylor Love, #80 Jordan Faraci, #81 Brent Wester, #82 Ryan Bauch,#83 Grant Possehl, #84 Spencer Fairbairn, #85 Nathan Foster, #86 Colton O’Donnell, #88 Brandon Oxley, #89 Jake Maldonado, #92 Gib Smith, #97 Ethan Lentz, #98 Bearett Long, #99 Ryland Pharo, #40 Javier Hernandez, # 13

Eagle Eye 30 SPORTS

EPIC PHOTO 31 Eagle Eye

Creating a Team Beyond the Court

Photo by Jessi Wood

Volleyball creates a family-like atmosphere both on the court and off DYLAN INGRAM

“They really do an amazing job of showing that leadership and being the glue that binds us all together.” Jaffe

now, we’ve matured,” Wahleithner said. Waterman was also singled out for “It’s easier to communicate and conher contribution to the team’s cooperanect with each other.” tion and success. When asked about “I think they just finally figured it her role, she attributed her success to out,” Jaffe said. “Now they’re a year her admiration of other players. heir central challenge is simple: older, and so I think all the things that “I just like to look up to all the other Get the large white ball over the net we’ve been talking about are finally team players as well. You have to be a and onto the ground. But the Mounstarting to make sense.” team leader no matter what,” Waterman tain Vista High School varsity volleyball Tehven also attributed the current said. team has exceeded this basic task by team’s success to an increase in more The team’s bonding began over the creating a close-knit partnership both open communication. “We’ve gotten summer prior to the 2012-2013 school during and after games. along (in previous years), but (this year) year during the pre-season “summer The varsity players have stressed we’re really honest with each other,” she volleyball,” a series of competitions durtheir commitment to each other as a said. ing July and August, before fall tryouts. team. They take pride in their shared Players also said that they are friend- “Summer volleyball really helped kindness and support. ly in situations unrelated to volleyball. unite us all in the beginning,” Waterman “We have to pick each other up “We’re all best friends; we’re like family,” said. and reassure each other,” Gillian Waterman said. With six players on the floor at a Wahleithner, junior, said. time, no one mistakes volleyball for an The team’s current emphasis on sup- Wahleithner has also described the REGIONALS individual sport, but the Vista varsity port for others differs substantially from team as a family, and Tehven said three at Mountain Vista of her best friends are on the team. volleyball team has demonstrated how the approach which last year’s varsity “And those best friends have other best to bring this team-orientation to its team took, according to the players. Saturday, Nov. 3 friends that are on the team, so we logical extreme: a caring, supportive “In the past, (people would) yell at each 8 and 10 a.m. work really well off the court together subcommunity that prides itself on other when they got mad. Now, we as well,” Tehven said. shared kindness. calmly talk to each other, and it’s working really well,” said Madi Tehven, senior. The team also makes efforts to bond with each other outside of Most of the current team members formal practice and the required also played varsity volleyball last year. “[Volleyball is] team-building activities. Fewer than five players are new to the not all physical. It’s a “We have team bonding, team. Nevertheless, the players say the huge percent mental as but we’re all friends, and if nature of the team has greatly changed well because you have to be we see each other in the to become more team-oriented. really mentally tough because hall, we’ll talk to each other,” “(Coach Lindsey Jaffe) always says it’s a game of errors.” Megan Hahn, senior, said. we ride or die together, so win or Amanda Waterman, Additionally, on the night lose we’re always going to be a team,” junior of Oct. 3, Jaffe was unable to Amanda Waterman, junior, said. coordinate a formal practice due The team members attribute their to parent-teacher conferences. increased support of and more effec“Other teams just stopped practice, but tive communication with one another Photo by Gabi Capocelli we decided to go on a hike together to greater maturity. and then decorated our team water “Last year, we had a really young bottles,” Waterman said. “We just are team. This year, since we’re a lot older always trying and committing to each other as a team.” Leadership and coordination for the team has come from the team as a whole, as well as the seniors. “Our seniors have really done a “I “We have a lot of fantastic job of bringing everyone think the individual talent, together—Madi (Tehven), Kat Schneibiggest thing is that it but we’re always der and Megan Hahn. They really do an requires everyone to be there to support amazing job of showing that leadership humble. So, not to focus on each other.” and being the glue that binds us all themselves, not to only care Megan Hahn, together,” Jaffe said. “But to be honest about themselves, but to put senior they all do an amazing job.” others first, and they really Wahleithner agreed that each player do that.” contributes equally. “Overall, it’s not Lindsey Jaffe, Coach any one player. It’s all of us utilizing our Photo by Jessi Wood Photo by Jessi Wood talents.”

Pete Kilbane, senior, practices his swing during a late August golf match at Meadow Hills Golf Course. “The earlier matches are always more fun because there is less pressure to get a super-good score compared to later on in the season,” Kilbane said.

Eagle Eye 32 ADVERTISEMENTS

left OUT donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be

buy a yearbook 2013 AERIE

$67.50 until Dec. 20, 2012 $87.50 Feb. 1-April 30, 2013*

$77.50 Jan. 7-31, 2013 $97.50 after May 1, 2013*

Bring your payment to the MVHS bookkeeper across from the library. Or, add on DCSD Web Store on MountainVistaOnline.org.

*Jan. 31, 2013 is the last day to guarantee delivery of a yearbook. Beginning Feb. 1, 2013,all students purchasing a yearbook will be placed on an official wait list (payment will be rufunded if books are not availalble in May.)