We are Mountain Vista by Mark Newton

ee eagle eye

Mountain Vista High School 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 80126 Issue 1 | Vol. 11 | October 6, 2011 www.vistanow.org

We are Mountain Vista Senior Adam Scheuerman received a standing ovation from the school when he won the title of 2012 homecoming king.

Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nest: A new type of leadership

Transfer Remembering students take September 11 over Vista

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Taylor Blatchford

Ainsley Price Cody Enboden

page | 10 Erica Rasquinha

How much spirit do you have?

Anemia hits the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cross country team

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Gabi Capocelli

Shannon VanDok

BEGIN BEFORE WE

October 2011 What you need to know right here right now

THINGS

TO DO

AT VISTA

1 UNICEF CLUB BOOK CLUB 2 ’EM SOCK 3 ROCK ’EM SOCK DRIVE SOAR, L505

Second Thursday of every month

through Oct. 14, library

WATCH

10 MINUTES | Stop at

Yogurtini off of Wildcat Reserve and MacArthur Ranch Road (page 17).

ONE HOUR | Discover

new websites, music, humor and more on stumbleupon.com or tumblr.com.

ONE MORNING

Volunteer at Lifecare Center of Littleton or Habitat for Humanity in Denver.

ONE DAY | Visit one

of Denver’s 40 museums, like the Denver Art Museum.

ON VISTANOW.ORG |

AT VISTA

1 MEN’S SOCCER

Oct. 6 vs. Chaparral, 4:30 p.m. Oct. 11 vs. Regis, 4:30 p.m.

2 MUSIC CONCERTS ANNIE GET YOUR 3 GUN Oct. 11 and 13, 6:30 and 8 p.m.

Nov. 10-12, Nov. 17-19

Senior Mica Mallory takes the lead role in Annie Get Your Gun

Photo courtesy of Laura Mahoney

CONTENTS

IF YOU WANT FACEBOOK/ TWITTER

6 NEW SCHOOL CLUB BEGINS THE YEAR STRONG

Check out recent pictures and posts at facebook.com/ MVHSEagleEye.

Vista welcomes UNICEF to help give aid to people around the world.

VISTANOW. ORG

See that pixelated black-and-white box on this page? That’s a QR CODE. To access it, download a QR code-reading app to your phone, like RedLaser for iPhone, then use the app to snap a picture of it. It will take you directly to vistanow.org.

THINGS TO

IF YOU HAVE...

DO YOU HAVE EAGLE SPIRIT?

Mountain Vista students remember moments of school pride and unity, developing spirit as a central focus.

PRINCIPAL WEAVER’S FIRST TWO MONTHS

Michael Weaver reveals his goal for Mountain Vista as he takes on the role of principal.

SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT AT VISTA

Teacher Lori Schwendeman continues to transfrom the school through implementing new ways of conservation.

Photo by Trevor Zalkind

10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY: NEVER FORGET

A first-hand account on the horrors and tragedies we remember from Sept. 11, 2001.

STUDENTS’ SUCCESS IN COLLEGIATE SPORTS

Graduates Andy MillerBissel, Jenna Owens and Megan Chipman partake in Division I soccer and cross country.

october.6.2011 www.vistanow.org

Freeze Frames

1. Jake Hergett, senior, levitates his fellow senior cheerleaders during their halftime show at Powder Puff Sept. 14. The routine wowed the spectators, as their hard work paid off. “It took about a month (to practice),” said Hergett. 2. David Frasier, senior, pulls an unconventional dance move during the routine, pointing at senior Joe Santini’s abs. “All of us came up with dance moves by watching music videos,” said Frasier. 3. Ben Navin, senior, shows some attitude, crossing his arms with Jesse Boynton during the show. While the seniors had a team, the juniors failed to respond adequately. “(The juniors should have made) a team!” said Navin. 4. Jesse Boynton, senior, thrills the crowd with his Grease-styled dancing. Although the move was one of the less embarassing moves, he recalled a moment during practice. “Jake’s dad came down while we were doing an inappropriate move by (hiphop artist) Ciara,” said Boynton. Photos by Trevor Zalkind

eeHelping kids

word

22,000 10%

die around the world children every day from

The UNICEF club starts out the year with a clear purpose

preventable causes

2.6 billion

Photos by Taylor Atlas Cassie Meyers adresses the club at their Sept. 7 meeting with dates and plans for this semester. The meetings take place in L503 during SOAR. Erica | Rasquinha Last year during Cassie Meyers’ AP Human Geography class sophomore Bailey Parker and some other peers wanted to get more involved with helping other people around the world. After that day in her class, Meyers and Contemporary World Issues teacher, Robyn Mott, decided to start a UNICEF club at Vista. “I felt that it would be something kids would be really interested in,” said Mott. “Kids helping kids can be extremely powerful.” The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is a worldwide organization that supplies underprivileged children health care, emergency relief, education and nutritional sustenance. After Meyers and Mott contacted the United Nations and UNICEF about how the club at Vista could help, they continued

to make plans for this year. “We will have a meeting the first Wednesday of every month during SOAR in room L503. The meetings will include talking about plans that we are making for the upcoming events and the purpose of UNICEF,” Mott said. Meyers said there are still a lot of ideas floating around and that even though only a couple of meetings have taken place, people can join. Parker said she joined because it is fun, an interesting way to help the charity and she enjoys meeting other kids with similar interests as her. President Carly Landgrave said, “I joined UNICEF to help kids around the world.” Vice president Donnie Miller said he joined the club to make a difference in our (Highlands Ranch) community as well as

october.6.2011 www.vistanow.org

PROFILE

around the world. As for homecoming week, UNICEF club decorated part of the main hall outside of the L500s. The club also plans on participating in Trick or Treat Street at Vista as one of their fundraisers. In the spring, UNICEF Club plans to participate in the World Affairs Challenge at the University of Denver. Mott said that the financial goal for the first year is $5,000. While the UNICEF Club continues in its freshman year at Vista, Parker said, “I hope that the club is successful because we are raising money for kids who really need it.”

people live without proper sanitation

of children under the age of 5 that die every three months in certain areas of Somalia

900 million people do not have access to clean water

4,000

children die each day from lack of clean water and unsafe sanitation facilities

What you can buy for... $15 $50 $272 4 local language story books

100 exercise books with pencils

All of the supplies go to children in areas supported by UNICEF

50 supply kits and 37 teacher aids Source: www.unicef.org

UNICEF Club | Sophomore Bailey Parker, vice president Donnie Miller, sponsor Robyn Mott, president Carly Landgrave, senior Kaeli Simonet, sponsor Cassie Meyers

PRINCIPAL MICHAEL WEAVER PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

E Macy | Morgan

Easily spotted amongst the hundreds of students during passing periods, new Mountain Vista principal Michael Weaver can be seen greeting students in every direction, reaching out to countless people on a daily basis. “One of my main goals this year is to get to know people and for me to know as much about what’s going on here as I possibly can,” he said. Fostered by his hometown and the character of his neighborhood, involvement and building relationships mark a main concentration for Weaver this school year. Weaver was born in Kansas but grew up in Edgewater, a small town northwest of Denver. “There were a lot of close-knit families, a lot of brothers and sisters and family connections… a lot of character to the neighborhood,” he said. Growing up with this involved background, relationships and connections are what high school is all about, he said. “We had a lot of respect for our school, we wanted to be a part of it…I loved high school,” said Weaver, who attended Jefferson High School and participated in football, baseball and Key Club, all significant pieces that, he said, contributed to his positive understanding of high school. Weaver’s own high school experiences featured involvement and familiarity, and he said he hopes to incorporate such an idea into Vista’s students. His background in education reveals Weaver’s dedication to model the pride and spirit of his high school days. He said he was the kind of guy who knew what he wanted to do. “My dad was a teacher and a coach and my mom was a principal’s secretary at a high school,” he said, revealing a predisposition to an interest in education. Growing up with the education system led Weaver to teach and coach track and football for 17 years at Cherry Creek, Grandview and Overland high schools.

3 things

YO U N E E D TO KNOW

Favorite movie?

Field of Dreams or Shawshank Redemption

First job?

I mowed lawns in high school.

First car? 1969 Ford Torino

Favorite book? They Call Me Coach by John Wooden

“The difference from year one (of teaching) to year 17 was incredible, and so were the connections with kids and seeing them not only enjoy class but also having success is all part of what is so cool about being back at this level,” he said, adding his involvement in coaching played an important role in his experience as well. Being a part of the lives of others as a teacher has led him to want to contribute more, and he began an internship at Summit View Elementary School during the summer of 2001, which later served as the means of transition to the role of principal. When the assistant principal of Summit View took on the role of principal in 2002, Weaver stepped up to the plate as assistant principal until in 2004, he became a principal himself at Bear Canyon Elementary School, one of the elementary schools feeding into Vista. “I’ve wanted to get back to the high school level at some point,” he said, and with Vista he said he had already developed the comfort level of transitioning to a feeder school. “It would only have been here (at MVHS),” he said. “It wouldn’t have been anywhere else.” With the most prominent leadership role changing hands, Weaver said he has decided to “listen and learn” before making serious decisions in terms of policies and rules. And this year at Vista, many students in clubs and activities like Eagles’ Nest have spoken for a revamp of school pride and spirit, and many clubs, teams and classes have acted on it. With the school in the midst of the spirit left by Homecoming week, Weaver said he seeks to model “the level of pride and enthusiasm and appreciation for every kid and every interest, and have that be something everybody tries to buy into...I hope people will be a positive part of what’s going on.” During this year of transition, Weaver is choosing to focus on enriching Vista’s bonds and connections amongst students and staff.

Favorite thing about MVHS?

Great kids, great staff. The people work very hard to be good at what we do.

What were you like in high school?

I think I was a pretty good kid. (I was) involved in a lot of things.

Photo by Sammy Linares

What do you look forward to most?

Who inspires you?

Having an impact on the overall experience for everybody. (I want to make this) a great place for professionals to work and a great place for students to learn.

5 things

Anyone who goes above and beyond for other people, whether it’s teachers or kids (who) really go out of the way for other people.

YO U WA N T TO KNOW

ee october.6.2011

www.vistanow.org

ee Eagles’ Nest Brings word

word

VISTA

School Together

New Mountain Vista organization aims to unite leaders of clubs and sports throughout the school Members of Eagles’ Nest discuss school pride and their activities at a meeting during lunch.

Emily Tagliarino Grade: 11 From: Ft. Worth, Texas Thoughts on Vista: “The people are nicer here, and more genuine.”

Photo courtesy of Sumaer Kamboj Kamboj stands with his family in front of the Taj Mahal in Delhi, India. While the Kamboj family visits many diverse places for vacation, they also chose to make some of them a place of temporary residency.

W Gabi | Capocelli

“We need to help kids understand that the whole of Mountain Vista is better than themselves,” Sheri Bryant, marketing teacher and DECA sponsor, said about top-level athletes and club leaders. Bryant is one of many sponsors, including Jeff Hoefs, Gary Klatt, Corrie Hitchens and Jeremy Goldson, of Eagles’ Nest, a new organization at Mountain Vista that focuses on bettering the school as a whole by teaching leadership skills to students. Eagles’ Nest is a nomination-only organization of about 70 seniors and leaders of clubs, sports and activities who come together to create a bond within activities to convey unity throughout the school. The program is designed to create studentleaders who embody a spirited sense of

Photo by Trevor Zalkind community and school pride. It addresses the need for exemplary students to demonstrate leadership skills in a schoolwide effort to make the best choices and better school life for all students. Senior Jake Dodson, who participates in the club as a representative for theater, said Eagles’ Nest helps teach him to become motivated to be active. “I want to help change the school for the better,” he said. The program helps

expose leaders of clubs and sports to the leadership traits they possess. It also demonstrates the differences they can make by standing up for what is right, acting with integrity all the time and “creating full acceptance,” Dodson said. Dodson said he wants to use Eagles’ Nest to “break the barrier of stereotypes using leadership.” Bryant said the program will better help students understand that “the community is bigger than Photo by Trevor Zalkind

English teacher and Eagles’ Nest sponsor Jeff Hoefs watches intently during a lunchtime meeting.

www.vistanow.org sept.28.2011 october.6.2011 www.vistanow.org

themselves.” The advisers’ weekly lunchtime workshops will “finally make a difference,” senior Tailor Smith said as a representative for women’s soccer. Smith said the program will help contribute to an effort to “make Mountain Vista a better place to be by getting others involved.” By discussing character traits and ethics, the organization is making a difference not only in the school as a whole, but also in all of the athletic programs and clubs individually, Bryant said. Smith said she hopes having multiple soccer girls involved in Eagles’ Nest will help impact soccer by creating more enthusiasm and giving athletes a full perspective. Smith and Bryant said they want students to become servant leaders within the school. “Who you are as a

leader within your small organization is who you’ll be in a classroom, at assemblies, in the stands at games, in the hallways, in our community and in the world,” Bryant said. Eagles’ Nest members hope to link students, teachers and extracurricular activities to create a wave of change and, Dodson said, “make our school a better place.” “It’s all about inspiring the kids within my group to participate in other activities,” Dodson said, “and inspiring others to do the same.”

Samantha Hunt Grade: 9 From: home-schooled Thoughts on Vista: “It’s hard, but I’m adjusting and meeting new people.”

Jazmyn Mann Grade: 9 From: Highlands Ranch High School Thoughts on Vista: “I feel happier here and a lot less tension.”

To learn more about these students’ stories, visit www.vistanow.org

For more information regarding Eagles’ Nest meeting with Senator Johnston, check out vistanow.org.

Kamboj and transfer students share travels to Mountain Vista

Sumaer Kamboj’s travels started at an early age, moving to new countries and places where oil was abundant for his dad’s job with Shell. At birth, he shortly lived in the Arabic city of Muska, Oman. At six months old, his family moved to the small island Brunei in Indonesia. “Brunei is a simpler lifestyle as there wasn’t many places to go besides

a small theme park and spying on the wildlife of my backyard,” said Kamboj. “I could see toucans, spiders the size of your fist and snakes of all kinds.” At the age of 4, he moved to Arizona, then into Louisiana before turning 10. “My family experienced Hurricane Katrina, during the time of which I moved to Alabama where I missed an entire month of school,” he said. “Toward the end of Katrina, I remember my mom leaving to scavenge what she could of our house in Louisiana, and it turned out that the house was untouched besides a few windows breaking,” said Kamboj. From Alabama he moved to Texas where

his family dealt with yet another hurricane, Rita. “My mother decided we weren’t going to run from another hurricane, and luckily little harm came our way,” he said. After Rita they all moved back to Louisiana, where they began to live relatively quiet lives. “Our most recent move was because of a promotion my father received, where he is now his own boss and has most flexibility in his work,” said Kamboj. It was July 17 that Kamboj moved to Highlands Ranch, leaving three weeks to adjust to a new environment, before school started. “As a child it is much easier to constantly transition, but this was our first move where I am in high school; making it more of a

challenge to make friends,” said Kamboj. His biggest regret about having to move so often is leaving people behind, especially his friend Bennett in Louisiana. “Bennett and I would spend a lot of time in his backyard and it seemed that something crazy always happened,” said Kamboj. ”A few times squirrels attacked us or we were running from a swarm of bees.” His experiences in Louisiana contrast strongly to the steady flow of events that he experiences in Colorado. Kamboj said he tries to take the positive side and describes moving as just another new experience that life presents. “I’ll just go with what happens.”

Location: Middle East Population: 3,027,959 Thoughts: “I enjoy knowing about where I came from.”

Location: Southeastern Asia Population: 245,613,043 Thoughts: “It was exotic and very different.”

Location: United States Population: 24,752,302 Thoughts: “Everything seemed out of place.”

Location: United States Population: 4,492,076 Thoughts: “It felt the most like home.”

Cody | Enboden Ainsley | Price Editors’ Note: No matter where one moves from, transitioning to a new school takes a toll. This year, countless students began a new journey in a different school. Sophomore Sumaer Kamboj shared his story about moving to Mountain Vista.

SUMAER’S T R AV E L S Source: CIA Factbook, US Census Bureau 2009 Graphics by CIA Factbook and Hulteng and Alcott/MCT Campus Photos by Kyle Waters

october.6.2011

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vista

11 United We Stand Erica | Rasquinha

A little more than 10 years ago, the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists. This event changed lives and continues to live in peoples’ memories. While our Mountain Vista freshmen were around the age of five, not all of them may remember what they were doing on September 11, 2001. I, on the other hand, remember exactly how that day played out. As a second grader, I started another day at my elementary school in Dr. Phillips, Fla. at 8 a.m. It was a usual day for me until 8:45 a.m. when the North Tower of the World Trade Center fell. At 9:03 a.m. the South Tower followed. Since news coverage had started shortly after the first attack, my class was already watching the tragedy on television. I knew that something serious was obviously happening, but I was not sure what it was or that our country was going through serious security alerts. Promptly by 9:30, my mom was at the office of the school asking for my younger brother and I to be excused. At the time I did not understand the seriousness of the situation and definitely could not fathom the reason why I was pardoned from class that day. No one at age of seven would think that he or she could be mistaken or racially profiled as someone of not only Arabic descent, but also someone related to a radical terrorist group. Once my brother and I were safe at home away from anyone who could harass us, we watched as news reporters summarized the graphic scenes of the ash and debris. As those images flooded my sight, my thoughts only went to one individual, my uncle, who owns two Wendy’s in Manhattan. I completely shut down and started panicking because I kept imagining that he could have been driving on the West Side Highway, Liberty Street or Church Street, all places that we had been together in the city. My mom and I were not able to reach him on the phone for at least an hour because of people bombarding his cell phone with calls in panic. Every minute of that hour was agonizing and at the time no one could console me until I spoke with my uncle.

Photo by Miami Herald/MCT

june.16.2011 eeoctober.6.2011 1016ee

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I can vividly remember sobbing and yelling at my mom, asking her why we did not know anything, and about all kinds of “what if ” situations. “What if his restaurant was damaged? What if he had dropped his cell phone while dealing with the mass hysterics? What if he was lying under a piece of building struggling to hold on to his life.” Even when he called to say that he was all right and that my other friends and family were not injured, I could barely catch a breath to say that I love him and to continue being safe. When I think about the people I could have lost on 9/11, I still cringe a little bit and thank God that the ones I love are safe. As for how I have dealt with being an Indian woman, and not letting how others perceive me get in the way of being who I am, it has not always been easy. There have been a few terrorist jokes and even some people confusing me for an Arab, but my mom always says no matter where people are from, people are just people, it’s the radical ones who ruin it for their own cultures. Seeing all of the 10-year anniversary coverage on the memory of 9/11, made me realize that in a decade our country has definitely taken some giant steps forward while suffering little falls along the way. I am proud to be a part of a country that took a foreign attack and grew from the ashes while supporting those affected. I am proud to be a part of a country that elected an African American president despite his ethnicity. After Sept. 11, 2001 I was completely shaken about who I was, and how to incorporate my heritage with the person I wanted to become. Now, ten years later I am completely comfortable in my own skin, and I know that everything about me from my race to my height is a blessing. As we move forward, September 11 should not completely be a sad day of remembrance, but a day where we can take pride of who we are as individuals and how unified our country has become.

vista

STAFF

EDITORIAL

WE ARE

VISTA

Mountain Vista has displayed excellence in nearly all aspects of high school, from clubs and sports to academics to students and faculty. Now let us embrace it.

WHY TO EMBRACE BEING AN EAGLE

Two months ago, we celebrated the girls’ soccer team at the first assembly of the year to recognize them as state champions, and teacher Lindsey Jaffe called it the most spirit our school has ever seen. To be in the midst of around 2,000 people singing the fight song for the one thing that holds us all together was the first revelation of what our school should be and could be. That one thing happens to Mountain Vista — “We Are Vista.” To say we go to Vista is to say we are the 2010 state champions in men’s swimming, the 2010 champs in field hockey, the 2008, 2009 and the 2010 champions for poms, the 2011 champs for women’s soccer, the 2009 runnersup in baseball, the 2010 runners-up in men’s soccer, the 2010 second runnersup in men’s cross country and the Southern League football champions in 2009. To say we go to Vista is to say we have the highest average composite on the state ACT in the district, the highest CSAP scores in four of the seven areas tested, and an AP testing pass rate of 76 percent compared to the national 60 percent. We display outstanding performance on both national and state assessments and feature national and state award-

winning programs through art, business, journalism, music, physical education and theater. We are one of the best schools in the state of Colorado. Mountain Vista is who we are, so let us embrace the talents and successes of our peers and faculty, for we all are what makes Mountain Vista great — each and every one of us. Take advantage of every opportunity to support each other and feel the pride of wearing the golden eagle on our chests. Be proud to be a part of every success, both small and large, as each individual’s dedication to improving themselves is dedication to improving our school. What we do here speaks louder than words, and so should our pride in representing that. With all the perseverance and hard work demonstrated in our school, we need to recognize what it is that we stand for and how we stand for it. We are teenagers, yet we are capable of the most incredible things as students here — but oftentimes we miss out on the eminence of our peers because we simply are not there to support them. When we are all a part of the same school and representing the same name, to demonstrate our pride and spirit through

the support of others is to celebrate the greatness of our school. We must embrace it, because there are few other schools that can say they’ve done what we’ve done. So next week, go to the football game with the utmost heart and spirit, because that is us playing Regis on the green turf of Shea Stadium after months of preparation. Attend a tennis match, because that is us working up the ladder every day to play at our finest. Watch a cross country race, because that is us training every single day to push our bodies to the limit. See the play, because that is us rehearsing nonstop to put on the perfect show. Participate in Key Club, because that is us reaching out to the community and making the world better. Join the Movement, because that is us supporting others and raising awareness. Recognize what we do, because that is what makes us who we are. And be proud to be a Golden Eagle, because, although we only attend Vista for a mere four years, it will be these years on which we look back and remember our classmates, our friends, our teachers, our administrators and our school Mountain Photo by— Trevor ZalkindVista

CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Joanie Lyons Macy Morgan Erica Rasquinha EDITORS Taylor Blatchford Riley McCloskey Jack Reeves Pamela Shapiro Caleb Williams PHOTO EDITOR Trevor Zalkind ADVERTISING Jordan Laeyendecker REPORTERS Gabi Capocelli Michael Collins Marilyn Cosson

Wes Edwards Cody Enboden Zane Johnson Ainsley Price Lyndsey Trujillo Shannon VanDok PHOTOJOURNALISTS Taylor Atlas Sammy Linares Gerad Lopez Tommy Ryan Jordan VanNote Kyle Waters GRAPHICJOURNALIST David Orser WEBMASTER Abhi Sharma

ADVISER | Mark Newton, MJE POLICY Eagle Eye, a legally recognized public forum for student expression, is published six to nine times a year by the Newspaper class for students of 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) is available in the journalism/ publications room (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 space 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. FAX: 303-387-1501. Adviser e-mail: mark.newton@dcsdk12.org. Publication e-mail: EagleEyeNews@dcsdk.12org

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 with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading this edition of the paper is prohibited (C.R.S. 18-4-419). Violators, subject to prosecution and penalty under C.R.S. 1321-123, 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. ©2011 Eagle Eye/Mountain Vista High School. All rights reserved.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

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SPIRIT MEMORIES

Photo by Cody Enboden The most spirited part of the crowd, composed mostly of juniors and seniors, throws up their hands to cheer for Mountain Vista. The Golden Eagles defeated Fairview High School, 24-20, at the homecoming game Sept. 16.

Toby Vigil,

Security

My favorite memory of school spirit in the four years that I’ve been here was when the girls soccer won the state championship last May a couple days prior to school ending. I thought that was a great accomplishment and all the support they got from parents and students was also great.

Brooke Burns,

I think our school is the most spirited during homecoming week because it’s kind of like all of us coming back together and it’s the beginning of the school year and everybody just goes all out. And throughout the week we have the different themes and as you walk through the halls you see a lot of people actually following the spirit and

the themes so that’s really cool. I think the ThunderRidge game last year was definitely the biggest memory I have. Everybody showed up and it was a really good game. It was back and forth and a lot of people just got into the cheers and I think our school was louder than ThunderRidge and we were at ThunderRidge so I thought that was really cool that we could show up to our rival and support our basketball team and we ended up winning.

Austin Bryan, 12 What I remember about school spirit is last year at a football game I believe it was Matt Ramaley who was streaking. He jumped out from the south end zone when the band was playing, did a little dance to their music, and then he started running off. And by that time everybody was laughing. I didn’t

know he was going to streak but I guess his friends did. And then he went towards the west fence and tried to jump it and obviously and got caught.

was hilarious. It was so funny! My other favorite memory was when one of our math teachers did the Will Farrell “Saturday Night Live” skit with the cheerleaders.

Claire Miller, 12 I was at a game junior year and when we won, all the football players, cheerleaders, fans, parents, poms and students screamed the fight song like it was the last thing they would ever say!

Jen Vidal,

Adventure Teacher

My favorite school spirit memory was a homecoming assembly and our dean of students Mr. Hill was pushing around our assistant principal Ron S. in a dumpster trashcan and he dumped the trashcan over and Mr. S. rolled out and it

Jenny Gogol, 11

My favorite school spirit memory was at freshman orientation just seeing all of the LINK crew getting so into it and helping out the freshman and the freshman seemed really into it. I loved when we all did the new fork in the garbage disposal cheer. And I think LINK crew had more fun doing it than the freshman and you just didn’t want the moment to end.

Uriel Carazco,

Probably my favorite memory would be the basketball rivalry

game against ThunderRidge because just the mentality and everything we have as a team just puts us in the zone and we just want to win and everything. Another one would be the Ranch football game. I remember one play my buddy just hit him in the head and everybody just started fighting each other.

Brooklyn Mascoto, 11

My first time cheering at the ThunderRidge vs. Vista football game was the most memorable for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many people dressed for a blackout. The crowd was amazing and so loud. We were all hyped up with adrenaline and everyone got so into the game. It was sick. My voice was definately gone by the end of the game. Photos by Gerad Lopez, Jordan VanNote, Taylor Atlas

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Underclassmen Spunk

Freshman Spirit Marilyn | Cosson Gabi | Capocelli

As the juniors and seniors settle into another year at Mountain Vista, the freshmen are learning what school spirit means and where they fit in. Even though they’ve only been in school for a couple of months, the freshmen can still tell us a thing or two about school spirit. Freshman Bailey Yorker compares her new experience at MVHS to her time in middle school. “There is a lot more spirit in high school than there was in

middle school,” Yorker said. “I love the pep rallies and assemblies. They create a lot of school pride. We should have more assemblies.” Freshman Mikaela Milhaupt said Vista does not have enough school spirit. “I think more competition between all the classes would create more school spirit,” she said. So far, Milhaupt said, the transition from middle school to high school has been exciting. “There is a lot more spirit here overall and a lot more interesting things to do,” she said. “Now people need to try new things and meet new people. Hopefully, this will increase our school spirit.”

“We don’t have enough school spirit.”

Sophomore and Junior Spirit

The freshmen are experiencing everything about MVHS for the first time, and seniors have three years of memories walking these halls, but what do sophomores and juniors think about the spirit at MVHS? Sophomore Madeleine Montiel said she feels more comfortable after going through it once before. Still, she said, she would like to see more people go to games and events.

Montiel said she doesn’t think the new requirement that all students attend CONNECT will make a difference in school spirit. “I don’t think CONNECT will create unity or school spirit.,” she said. “We don’t really do anything in CONNECT anyways.” Madeleine said the lack of school spirit is because of “too much learning.” “We get bored,” she said. “There aren’t enough fun things to do at school.” Junior Emily Schantz said she wishes that when asked about their school all

“There aren’t enough fun things to do at school.”

MVHS students would proudly say, “That’s my high school!” “The best way to have school spirit is to get involved and push to become better at everything you do,” she said. “I hope that one day we won’t care if people say ‘Oh, that’s Vista,’ because we’d reply, ‘Heck ya, that’s Vista!’” Schantz said examples of school spirit are the Lax Bros. “ Lacrosse players are proud to support their team and what they stand for, and this is something I hope that more students will put on the top of their list this new school year,” she said “We don’t show enough school spirit right now and I hope the Junior Class will show the rest of the students how it’s done.”

Senior Spirit: Top Dogs Seniors describe their spirit at Mountain Vista

Marilyn | Cosson Gabi | Capocelli If you were to ask around, the most often mentioned names, as far as spirit goes, are Claire Miller, senior and member of eight year-round afterschool activities and student leadership, and Johnathon Johnson, senior and varsity football player. Seniors said these two lead the way for Eagle pride. How do they do it? Miller’s appearance alone gives you the impression that she is a leader

by example. Her outgoing personality and bubbly spirit make her the perfect expert on Vista spirit. She says the first step to school pep is getting involved because if students aren’t then they are not creating a fun experience for themselves. “I know what it’s like when people come to my events,” she said. “and it feels amazing.” That’s why if looking around at any school event, play, music showcase, or game, Miller’s smiling face can usually be seen.

As a former varsity cheerleader, Miller says being a part of the squad got her excited for high school her freshman year, and if there’s anywhere students can look for spirit advice, it’s a cheerleader. Claire uses a music video made at Lakewood High School to help describe what spirit really is. The music video goes through every club, sport and organization the school has to offer, each showing their own zeal for the school. “That’s the goal,” she says, about what the

school is trying to achieve in this upcoming year as a community. “We want that much spirit out of every part of our school.” Johnson says it’s not hard to get spirited: “Just go to games!” The best way he knows how to be spirited is by yelling as loud as he can. He said the best way to get everyone involved at events is by “coming up with creative chants to cheer on your team.” A great way that Johnson is able to showcase his spirit is through the model that football coach Ric Cash sets

through the leadership and brotherly bond the football team has created. This connection, he said, allows players to be supportive, not only of each other, but of all other Golden Eagle teams as well. He said having students cheering at games for support makes playing more worthwhile and kicks it up a notch because “you don’t want to lose in front of 500 fans.” Student support, he said, makes sports, clubs and events all the better and helps teams perform better.

“We want that much spirit out of every part of our school.”

Photo by Trevor Zalkind

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Photos by Cody Enboden

THE CRITIQUE Yogurtini

(Top) Golden Eagle mascot (Bottom) Kristin Buff, 11

Senior Kiah Bradley shows her spirit for victorious Mountain Vista at the blackout game against Smoky Hill High School Sept. 1.

How much spirit do you have? 1. When the school comes together for an assembly are you... a. cheering the loudest of anybody in the whole gym? b. trying to get into the mood? c. sitting texting friends? d. driving to lunch early to beat the crowd? 2. How many MVHS sports games do you attend? a. Every game for every sport! b. All the big games (homecoming, championships). c. Maybe one a year if someone drags me to it. d. A football game? What is that anyway? 3. How many after-school activities do you participate in? a. Everything I can make it to from volleyball practice to debate! b. I have my one favorite club and I never miss an activity. c. Sometimes I’ll go with my friend to his/her club. d. I’m out of here as quickly as possible after school. 4. When spirit days roll around, you are... a. at Michaels purchasing $100 worth of t-shirts to decorate for all your friends. b. throwing together something to wear tomorrow from your mom’s closet. c. at home, doing homework. d. picking out your all black gear to boycott spirit days. 5. What gets you most excited about Mountain Vista? a. All of the events and ways to get involved. b. The cheers during assemblies but not many much extracurricular activities. c. My one and only sport or club. d. Learning.

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Mostly A’s: SPIRIT SPECIALIST

You bleed green and gold. You’re the one screaming and jumping up and down at assemblies, the person whose love for the school outshines everyone else’s. You are as involved as possible and spend all of your time at Mountain Vista year round. You love to be crazy and go all out on spirit days and you are quick to stand up for Mountain Vista, no matter where you are. Your spirit is past 100 percent and you make Mountain Vista a wonderful place to be and inspire others to be as proud as you are about school.

3 or more B’s: FUNKY FANATIC

Although you may not be the most spirited, you still take a lot of pride in school. You love to go to all the big events and cheer on most of the teams, but aren’t as involved as some people. You wish you could be as spirited as the select few who go all out, but sometimes you get caught up in yourself and don’t put spirit at the top of your list. You are pretty involved and love Mountain Vista, but you also love your time away from school. Don’t be afraid to step it up a notch and let all of your spunky spirit free!

3 or more C’s: LACKING LUNATIC

You do love school, but you aren’t crazy about it. You are still involved, but let friends and other commitments take you away from extracurricular activities and school pride. You enjoy school, but don’t show it. You are excited about a lot of things, but you don’t put a lot of energy into school. You’re too embarrassed to dress up for spirit days, even though you want to. AMP IT UP and show Vista what you got! Put school at the top of your list because that’s what makes it a better place to be.

3 or more D’S: SAD SPIRITER

Let’s be honest, you do not really like it here. You are not proud to go here and do not really care whether you participate or not. You are not involved and do not care to be. Other things are more important and you love to make a statement against school spirit. Be proud and show it, school spirit is what makes high school fun and without it you are only hurting yourself. Try going to more games and getting into more activities and you will see that it benefits you and the school in the end!

A-

After only been open for five weeks, Yougurtini on Wildcat and Fairview has got a ton of my business. Yogurtini, comparable to places like Yougurtland, has a variety of flavors and toppings and their prices are also similar to BTO and Yogurt Your Way at 39 cents an ounce. But there are many things that makes this new yogurt shop stand out from the crowd. Yogurtini is the closest to Mountain Vista, which makes it easily accessible. It also has set flavor and topping combinations that they call “Flavortinis,” so it makes decision making a lot easier. Plus, unlike Yogurtland, it has points cards and it gives 15 percent discounts to students during the week from 2-5 p.m. Overall, Yogurtini doesn’t seem to disappoint and goes a little bit above regular standards of what I would expect from a typical yogurt shop.

Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV

The much anticipated Tha Carter IV seemed to be a tad bit average for Lil’ Wayne. Of course, popular songs like “6 Foot 7 Foot f. Cory Gunz” and “How To Love” are constantly played on the radio, leaving kids wanting more, but after listening to the rest of the CD, it sounds very typical and nothing special. Besides the popular songs above, I thought that the songs “Nightmares of the Bottom,” “So Special featuring John Legend” and “President Carter” were among the few from the album that were actually OK. Otherwise, songs like “Abortion” come across as ordinary. Rather than buying the whole album before you hear it, make sure to listen to it before purchasing because it is definitely not Lil’ Wayne’s best.

Mountain Vista’s School Spirit

This year Mountain Vista’s school spirit has sky rocketed. Not only is there more participation from the whole school in clubs, sports and activities, but I have never seen this many students in our assemblies in the three years I have been here. The school is filled with decorations that correlate with the homecoming theme ‘Fire and Ice’ and the school is actually starting to look like people actually care about their high school experience. Even after homecoming, there is more attendance at school events and it is not all seniors, like you would think.

soul

PROPS FLOPS

PROPS for bringing the Bonfire back, a “hot” tradition PROPS to Leadership for coming up with new innovative ideas for homecoming PROPS

to Mr. Weaver for requiring all students go to CONNECT

FLOPS to the football team’s matching dress-up ties FLOPS to kids who stand in the hallway during passing period and make the 300’s and 400’s packed FLOPS to kids who scream “home of the Eagles” during the national anthem

HALLWAY ”BROJA...What is that? Is that like a JALAPENO version of bro?” “How long were you guys TRAPPED in the ZOO? “No one goes near my STINKHOLE”

“You aren’t SUPPOSED to be here. I STOOD you UP.”

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Saving the Environment, One Classroom at a Time Teacher Lori Schwendeman and her students bring changes to make Mountain Vista more environmentally friendly

THE DO’S and Don’ts of RECYCLING

Thanks to the work of Lori Schwendeman and her AP Environmental Science students, hundreds of solar panels cover the roof of Mountain Vista.

Zane | Johnson From the solar panels installed on the roof last year to the recently implemented recycling program, teacher Lori Schwendeman and her loyal AP Environmental Science students and Environmental Club members are responsible for the changes making Mountain Vista more environmentally friendly. Schwendeman, also known as “Schwendy,” introduced the Energy Saving Initiative to the school, cutting much of the excessive energy use, specifically the air-conditioning running full time. In return, this initiative has allowed Mountain Vista to receive a portion of the money saved. “We got back $8,000 last year and we’re hoping to get more this year,” Schwendeman said. “We’ve also solved issues with the climate in the building.” Schwendeman said much more can be expected this year, including a plan to recycle wasted plastics in the building, mainly from lunches.

Photo by Kyle Waters “Recycling the plastics is just a matter of getting them out of the building in a timely fashion,” Schwendeman said. “They tend to get stinky. Our goal for this year is finding a plan for that.” Students also can expect a newly designed front entrance within the next few years, complete with flowers and various plants, to give the school a “greener” image that reflects the new environmental changes. As complicated as these changes to the school may seem, the majority of the support really comes from everyone in the MVHS community, she said. “The administration here has always been very supportive,” Schwendeman said. “They push the students to explain the reasons for the changes.” In fact, the majority of the changes that have been implemented have been done completely by students. The solar panels were an AP Environmental Science class project. “My AP class went crazy about solar,”

october.6.2011 www.vistanow.org

Schwendeman said. “On their own they found data and they found experts and crunched the numbers literally all by themselves.” Schwendeman modestly described the environmental projects as student driven. She said she merely coaches her students through the processes of developing the ideas and working out the finer details. The students generally have a common interest in the subject that allows them to “think on a higher level,” said senior Jack Suttman, an AP Environmental Science student. “We get to pick all of our projects and who we work with,” he said. “Schwendeman pushes us to be creative.” This higher level thinking combined with creativity and freedom has resulted in Mountain Vista’s transition to being more environmentally friendly. Despite all the hard work ahead for Schwendeman and her students, all Schwendy has to say is “Wham! And away we go.”

Do Recycle:

Don’t Recycle:

Paper: Newspaper Phone books Corrugated cardboard Cardboard boxes Office/computer paper Magazines, catalogs

Paper: Blueprints Carbon paper Tissue paper Toilet paper Paper plates Napkins Paper cups Paper towels Pizza boxes

Plastic: Plastic bottles coded 1-7 Beverage containers One or two liter bottles Plastic: Salad dressing bottles Styrofoam Milk/water jugs Detergent/cleaning bottles Cans/Metal/Aluminum: Hazardous aerosol cans Cans/Metal/Aluminum: Spray paint or bug spray Aluminum beverage cans Batteries Food/beverage cans Empty aerosol cans Glass: Clean aluminum foil Drinking glasses Foil food trays Ceramics Crystals Glass: Mirrors Juice/soda/water bottles Window glass Food jars Light bulbs

Source: City of Calabasas

Photo by Kyle Waters Lori Schwendeman oversees many environmental projects throughout the school, including maintaining the fish tank in the library.

eeSenior Aubrey Waechter pulse

overcomes her battle with

ANEMIA

Photo by Joanie Lyons Perservering through a creek at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational Sept. 2, Aubrey Waechter maintains her stamina since recovering from anemia and places fifth in the race.

All About Anemia

5.3

30% 9% 4,829 11% million of the world’s population is anemic

people died from anemia in 2010

of females between the age of 12 and 19 suffer from anemia

of females between the age of 20 and 49 suffer from anemia

people visit the hospital with a primary diagnosis of anemia

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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“Anemia stole my energy and hindered my abilities to succeed.”

Shannon | VanDok Cross country runners may look like the picture of health, but a hidden condition has affected a few teen runners at Mountain Vista. “I was always drained and found it difficult to do well in school and running because anemia stole my energy and hindered my abilities to succeed,” said cross country runner, Aubrey Waechter, senior. Anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood; in other words, the white blood cell count is lower than the red blood cell count. Dr. Meghan Macias of Aspen Family Care said there are many causes of anemia. “The most common cause in teens is nutritional deficiency, low iron and B12.” Females (especially teenagers) are more impacted by anemia. Females lack iron and B12 which makes it more difficult to maintain iron levels. The symptoms of anemia can be detected from fatigue, thinning of hair and skin, poor focus, reduced immune system functioning and strange cravings for things such as clay, dirt and ice “These cravings are the body working to find a substitute for iron and B12,” Macias said. “I had no energy and a cold for a solid three months and got strep on a regular basis,” Waechter said. Anemia may affect performance as well. “I didn’t beat my personal record from the previous year and since I had strep all the time I was a bad runner,” Waechter said. Anemia can be detected by a blood test done in a lab. Waechter had blood tests done in May and discovered her iron levels were 20. A normal person’s iron levels average around 40.

Photo by Taylor Atlas “The most common complaint of untreated anemia is chronic fatigue,” Dr. Macias said. “I’d come home from practice and be really tired and wouldn’t want to do homework,” Waechter said. “I’d fall asleep during class because it was really hard to energize myself.” As constant runners, they must increase their diet of iron and B12 extremely. “A healthy diet consisting of these supplements should prevent anemia,” Macias said. She is currently on iron, multi-vitamin and other supplements to help her anemia. “I was able to regain my energy and go to school, then work and then the gym without being totally drained,” she said. Waechter is not the only woman cross country runner affected by anemia. Sophomore Brooke Smetanka, suffers as well. Tested earlier this year, Smetanka found out her iron levels were very low. She recalled the doctor saying her levels were a nine, and the normal levels should be 40. “I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to perform as well athletically this year and that I’d be constantly exhausted,” Smetanka said. “Anemia is a progress thing,” Eric Selle, a coach of the cross country team said. “If they get to a point where they aren’t improving, then we would be worried... other than that, we try to educate our girls on a healthy diet and maintaining iron levels.” Selle also said he believes Waechter is doing a great job at handling anemia. “With school, cross country and work, there is a lot of stress put on her,” he said, “but she does a great job at maintaining herself.”

pulse

Graduated Golden Eagle Athletes Still Soaring 121,869

Andy Miller-Bissell Graduating Year: 2011 Sport: Soccer Position: Forward and defense Where He Now Attends: U.S. Air Force Academy Major: Pre-Law or Systems Engineering Management

Last year,

of high school

180

Mountain Vista seniors out of about

who played

sports signed letters of intent indicating that they would play sports in college. This is which is far above the

Jenna Owens

Graphic by David Orser Photos courtesy of Megan Chipman, Jenna Owens and Andy Miller-Bissell

25% off first appointment 20% off

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3.4 percent

athletes in the United States go on to play college sports.

Graduating Year: 2009 Sport: Cross country and track Events: One Mile, 1,500 meter and 5 kilometer Where She Now Attends: Brigham Young University Major: Pre-Business

22 ee

high school students in Colorado played a sport in the

2009-2010 school year.

Megan Chipman

Graduating Year: 2011 Sport: Soccer Position: Forward and Center midfield Where She Now Attends: University of Georgia Major: Pre-Medicine

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association…

for all students

Former Mountain Vista athletes continue to play their sports at the Division I collegiate level Taylor | Blatchford

15.5 percent

of senior athletes,

national average.

Megan Chipman walks to the indoor track in Provo, Utah knowing this is the biggest tryout of her life. The next three miles she has to run will determine if she makes the track and cross country team at Brigham Young University. She has dreamed of this moment since she was ten years old, and worked for it throughout high school on the Mountain Vista cross country and track teams. It all comes down to this. Chipman, now a junior at BYU, was not recruited, but tried out for the track team the winter of her freshman year by contacting the coach and asking him what she needed to do. He told her she needed to run three intervals of one mile, each at a time of under 5 minutes, 50 seconds. She made the team, and later that year ran her personal best mile time of 4 minutes, 58 seconds. “I was ecstatic (when I found out I had made the team),” Chipman said. “It was one of the best days of my life.” Chipman ran for the

Cougars all of her freshman year, but then suffered from a stress fracture and a back injury at the beginning of her sophomore year. She was unable to run for a year, and has recently been able to start running again. She said she will try out for the team again this year. “The tryout was the scariest thing of my life, but I’m really glad I did it.” Chipman said. “I always wanted to compete at the college level. I loved the sport, and when I got to college I knew I still wanted to run. It’s a lot of fun because you see your greatest improvements.” Jenna Owens is a freshman at the University of Georgia who was recruited by its soccer team when she went to tournaments with her club team. “Soccer is my life and I never considered not playing in college,” Owens said. “College soccer is a much faster paced game and the girls are a lot bigger.” As a freshman at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Andy Miller-Bissell said he tried out for the soccer

team and was the only walk on player in the program this year. He said he hopes to be able to suit for the varsity team and play in a varsity game. “I love soccer and it’s defined me my whole life,” Miller-Bissell said. “It makes life here a whole lot easier. In college the speed of play, the camaraderie and the overall skill of everyone on our team and those we play is much higher.” All three student athletes said they have very busy training schedules, with practice every day and often traveling for games or competitions on the weekends. Chipman said she has classes in the mornings and does homework in the evening, and goes to bed early. Chipman said her favorite thing about collegiate sports is getting really close to her teammates and reaching her goals. She also said there is a great satisfaction in being a Division I athlete. Similarly, Miller-Bissell said his favorite part of

playing soccer for the Air Force Academy is representing his school at a national level, and the level of school pride at events. Owens said she enjoys the team camaraderie, playing soccer at the top level and getting a lot of free stuff. For aspiring college athletes, Chipman said her advice would be to never give up, always do their best, keep their options open and don’t be afraid to keep trying. “I would tell future college players to work out really hard in the summer so you can go into the season ready to go,” Owens said. Miller-Bissell said he would advise aspiring college athletes to work really hard and talk to possible coaches of schools they would want to attend. “If you want to play in college, you don’t have to make yourself known and be the greatest quarterback in the state or the highest goal scorer in soccer,” he said. “Mainly, do anything you can to get into the school you want to play at.”

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