Eagle Eye Issue 1, October 5, 2015 by Mark Newton

we are united. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pink Week: a time for students to come together.

Vol. 15 Issue 1 10.5.15

eagleeye.

Mountain Vista High School | 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

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@vista_now

vistanow.org bringing you all of the freshest news of the MVHS community

mvm staff.

editors.

Conner Davis Reagan Fitzke Amy Huang Regan Lavallee Zac McClenathan Kit Miller

Tara O’Gorman Kelsey Pharis Katie Pickrell Gannon Rushall Austin Sack Maleah Siegfried Lexi Weingardt

Gabe Barnard Tyler Felske Aly Hofmann Christian Holton Savanah Howard Haley Kolseth Lauren Lippert

Jordan MacArthur Hayley Mustin Mikayla Olave Charlie Penvari Staci Prevato Tamara Sorg Erica Venable Kenzie Winlsow

staff.

contents. 4

policy.

Eagle Eye, a legally recognized public forum for student expression, is published six 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.

feature.

14 CASH FAMILY

the support the Cash family has gotten through the year. by Reagan Fitzke, Regan Lavallee and Lexi Weingardt

16 JILL LAMB FOUNDATION how Jill Lamb’s legacy lives on through her foundation. by Hayley Mustin

18 LEADERS OF DECA

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 Unsigned letters will not be published.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 Adviser—Mark Newton: mark.newton@dcsdk12.org Editors: EagleEyeEditors@dcsdk12.org

distribution.

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, will be prosecuted.

open forum content.

the two presidents of DECA and their long friendship. by Haley Kolseth

briefing.

06 WE ARE VISTA 07 POLITICAL CANCER 08 BREAST AWARENESS

why the student body gives character to our school.

DCSD board candidate profiles for this November’s election.

why raising breast cancer awareness is important.

09 PINK FUNDRAISERS 10 WHOSE LIVES MATTER? 13 EDITORIAL different fundrasiers held for the Cash family.

differing views of race relations in the United States.

how Mountain Vista comes together as a school.

20 CLUBS AT VISTA 22 TOGETHER IN STYLE 24 UNIFIED SPORTS clubs and how they unite.

by Gabe Barnard and Staci Prevato

how style unites seniors. by Kenzie Winslow

Unified soccer’s impact on the students at Mountain Vista.

by Jordan MacArthur

culture.

27 PINK WEEK FACTS 28 HOMECOMING: A RECAP

the top 10 things to know about Pink Week.

staff member Charlie Penvari gives his opinion on the venue; plus homecoming proposals.

30 SPORTS BRIEFING

different events and statistics about Mountain Vista fall sports. cover photo illustration by Reagan Fitzke

junior Parker Patierno.

senior Kat Cash. Reagan Fitzke

Kelsey Pharis

senior Morgan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor. senior manleaders. Jordan MacArthur

junior Evan Place. Katie Pickrell

Kit Miller

senior Taylor Love. Amy Huang

jump around.

Senior Matt Yockey jumps on top of senior Coby Petau after winning the Homecoming dodgeball game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having a lot of people there supporting the event and cheering you on is fun,â&#x20AC;? Petau said.

seniors Matt Yockey, Coby Petau and Nick Capocelli.

Lauren Lippert

we are vista. student body. over 2,200 students, but still UNITED.

commentary. austin sack photo. austin sack

ountain Vista has is doing a really good job on many diffferent checking out everything that’s qualities that makes going on,” Jaffe said. Vista unlike any other high To Jaffe, high school is all school. about having fun and stepping “We can’t rave at Red Rocks out of your comfort zone. every day, but we can have fun “If you just sit down and at a basketball game,” teacher don’t do anything all four Lindsey Jaffe Miller said. years of high school, you are Red Rocks is a popular probably going to hate it, so venue for people across just put yourself out there and Colorado. It provides for get involved,” Jaffe said. “Other a unique experience — a schools tend to pay attention different kind of venue for to what we are doing as a many concerts, Electronic school, but one of the coolest Dance Music (EDM) events and things that we do as a school is other occasions. that we just do our own thing, Our student body unites which I love about Vista. We in such a way that makes our school unique and entertaining, like Red Rocks As students we all have our own clubs and sports and are separated by our grade levels, but we all come together and support the football team, cheer on the Unifed team or even come together as a school and raise money for a foundation like Make-A-Wish. “We are starting to appreciate what other kids are doing. I believe that before, kids were just focused on what they were doing. Now Vista

“

don’t care about what other schools are doing. We just do us,” Jaffe said. Vista has an amazing student leadership that helps us all stay united as a student body. StudLe is constantly coming up with new opportunities to liven up the year, such as new spirit days, and new ideas for homecoming. “Our spirit and diversity is a big part of what makes our school united and I think that even though we have a lot of sports and other things going on in our own lives, we are still

We can’t rave at Red Rocks every day, but we can have fun at a basketball game.

”

lindsey jaffe-miller

united as a school,” sophomore Janey Galligan said. Everybody is involved in their own sports, clubs and other activities, but as a school we are able to acknowledge every club, sport and the many amazing things that our students do. “We are very accepting and very involved. I think our school spirit [unites us] and our support from one another in every aspect, whether it be in varsity sports or clubs or to simple core classes,” senior and student body president Morgan O’Connor said. “We are all there for each other, which makes it amazing.” O’Connor said the students have a special relationship and as a result she believes that we are all friends. “A lot of high schools say that they’re one big family, but I think that is especially true to Vista,” O’Connor said. If one thing were to make Mountain Vista truly unique, it would be the student body’s unity. We really are one big family. We are Vista.

BOE candidate forum. a look into the candidates for the Douglas County School District Board of Education election coming November 3. story. tara o’gorman

Craig Richardson

Wendy Vogel

Kevin Larsen

about: Richardson, 54, has lived in Highlands Ranch since 1993. He is an attorney in a private practice with a large international firm. Before his legal career, he worked at the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Japan, the Pentagon and retired as a Navy Commander in 2009. He was appointed to fill vacancy in the Douglas County School Board in 2010. He was elected to the seat in 2011. his plans: Richardson plans to build on what Douglas County already has accomplished. He wants to bring more discipline to the way capital needs are approached.

about: Vogel, 45, has two children in DCSD schools. Vogel is a small business owner and a member of the Douglas County Long Range Planning Committee where she was involved in identifying $250 million in capital needs. Vogel used to work in federal prisons as a psychology intern, substance abuse educator and case manager. her plans: She wants people to regain trust in the school board. She plans on prioritizing funding so most resources are in the classroom without money being put into administrative and ineffective programs. Vogel hopes to support teachers with adequate resources and quality professional development.

about: Larsen, 52, has lived in Highlands Ranch since 1989. Larsen is an assistant vice president and actuary for Hannover Life Reassurance Company of America. He has three daughters who go to school in Douglas County. He currently is president of Douglas County School Board and was elected in 2011. his plans: He believes the district is currently running well and plans on keeping the policies how they currently are.

Anne-Marie Lemieux

about: Lemieux, 48, has lived in Highlands Ranch since 2004 with her husband and two children. She is a former elementary school teacher with two students who went to Douglas County, one currently. Lemieux helped develop the High School Academic Booster Club in Douglas County. her plans: She is dedicated to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely on maintenance and school properties to meet the growing student population. Lemieux wants to move the district forward with healthy and attainable goals. She says she will work diligently to meet the needs of the students and community.

Richard Robbins

about: Robbins, 45, and his wife live in Elbert County with four children. He is a operations supervisor with UPS freight. Robbins previously was a contractor to the Department of Energy for Northrop Grumman and was in retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of service. his plans: He plans to work with state legislators to improve school funding and to keep taxpayer money in Douglas County.

David Ray

about: Ray, 54, has lived in Parker since 1990. He has two children who were students in Douglas County schools. Ray was a principal for 23 years in DCSD, helped open three elementary schools and helped lead a fourth to become the first school in Douglas County to national recognition as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. his plans: Ray wishes to ensure a culture where students and teachers can thrive.

mountain vista media’s plan: Mountain Vista Media is planning to hold a forum for school board candidates to address the many issues facing the Douglas County School District. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. in the main auditorium at Mountain Vista High School. Broadcast students will livestream the event to allow for public access and media

students will live blog and tweet the event on VistaNow. org and social media. Parents, teachers and students are encouraged to watch and participate in the forum before the board election November 3. Questions for the candidates may be submitted via Twitter, though time constraints will only allow for a maximum of ten questions

to go to all of the candidates. All board member candidates have promised to attend the forum. For more details and updates, visit VistaNow.org. Questions can be emailed to editor Katie Pickrell at pickrellkl@s.dcsdk12.org or editor Tara O’Gorman at ogormanta@s.dcsdk12.org.

schedule:

7 p.m.: The forum will begin will opening statements. 7:30 p.m.: The question-and-answer period will begin. 8:30 p.m.: Questioning will wrap up and board members will present closing statements. 9 p.m.: The forum will conclude.

the statistics.

the stages.

this year, one in eight

women will be diagnosed

Cancer cells in the breast start invading normal surrounding tissue.

with breast cancer. 231,840 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year.

there will be an estimated

A tumor slowly appears and can grow as large as 5cm.

40,290 deaths

just in the year 2015 due to breast cancer.

breast cancer awareness. commentary. tamara sorg

round one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to Breastcancer.org, meaning around 231,840 women will be diagnosed this year alone. Over 231,000 people have families, friends and colleagues who are affected by breast cancer. Out of the 231,840 women who have been diagnosed, 40,290 are not expected to survive. Breast cancer has the second highest cancer death rate in the U.S for women. Although the death rate is high, it has decreased since 1989 due to earlier detection. Some people know breast cancer personally, some know it by name and some have little knowledge of it. It is important to realize and understand the

impacts it reaps onto society, specifically onto the Mountain Vista High School community. Last April, Susan Cash, Coach Ric Cash’s wife, developed breast cancer. “We are fighting our fight and all of our resources are going into our fight,” he said. Breast cancer is an awful disease. It causes a great deal of physical and emotional pain to some women. Due to all of these facts, I believe it’s very important to have knowledge about breast cancer. Women with breast cancer need a great deal of support from family and friends. It would be very hard to go through any of this without any support. My grandma, Gwen, was diagnosed last year with breast cancer. However, she was lucky and only had stage-one breas-

cancer. During her ﬁght against the cancer she had to undergo 30 days of radiation before she would go to work every morning. After the 30 days of radiation she had a lumpectomy which, she said, was extremely painful. “Going through everything I did, the emotional and physical pain, was a very big eye opener for me and taught me to never take anything for granted,” Gwen said. Watching my grandma go through all the pain she did was hard for my family because none of us could quite relate to what she was going through. Breast cancer awareness is important, especially because it can impact anyone — anyone like Susan and Gwen.

If a tumor grows over 5 cm, the cancer spreads to the chest wall and the cancer has 10 or more axillary lymph nodes.

The cancer spread to other organs including the lungs, skin, liver or brain.

pink week fundraisers. stories. regan lavallee and lexi weingardt photos. regan lavallee and lexi weingardt

pretty in pink. T

he former women’s tennis coach, Susan Cash, has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. To show support, the men’s and women’s tennis programs sold pink apparel. Together, the teams raised close to $1,000. “A couple sports teams created pink uniforms and we wanted ours to represent

tennis,” senior Kendra Lavallee said. “We wanted to have Susan Cash identiﬁed on the shirts, so we put her initials on the sleeve.” Along with t-shirts, the tennis teams sold pink socks. During both seasons, the tennis teams will dedicate a home match to Cash by wearing their pink apparel.

football funding.

he Mountain Vista football program began holding fundraisers to support the Ric and Susan Cash family this summer. A GoFundMe page was established, as well as a meal train. The football players also hosted fundraisers such as a car wash and a meal at Chickﬁl-a. “We had a lot of fun while doing it [the car wash],” senior Nick Capocelli said. The car wash alone raised over $1,200 for the Cash family. It took place at Ace Hardware July 7 for three hours. A Chick-ﬁl-A fundraiser took place July 16. About $300 was raised at the fundraiser. “I liked how our football team — and more importantly our school and community — came together to raise money for Mrs. Cash,” senior Jordan Faraci said. The football players think of Coach Cash as more than a

coach, he is part of the team The players have collectively raised over $1,500 for him and plan to continue to be there for Coach Cash, Susan Cash and their family while they battle the cancer.

he said/she said

judd erickson, 11

amy zhong, 12

The football team has become involved with hosting fundraisers for the Cash family. Out of the two fundraisers, junior Judd Erickson said he had the most fun at the car wash. “All of the football players came together just for one day and used their free time to help support Coach Cash and everything he has gone through.” “I’m really excited [for the pink out game] because it is really good to support everybody who has had someone go through breast cancer, and it is really helping us support Coach Cash,” Erickson, a varsity football player, said.

Although girls’ tennis is not having a pink out match of its own until spring, the players are excited to go watch the boys’ match sporting their pink out gear. “The fundraiser wasn’t just about bringing more awareness to and supporting those who have been affected by breast cancer, but also helping out someone who had been a part of girls’ tennis, Susan Cash,” senior Amy Zhong, varsity tennis player, said. “Selling the pink apparel had a personal aspect for us, especially for the girls who had Mrs. Cash as a coach or who know her personally, which I really like.”

all lives matter. look at the facts and then make a decision for yourself.

commentary. christian holton

What do the names Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Freddie Gray have in common? If you’ve been watching the news at all over the past year you’d probably say that these three men all died at the hands of police officers. Correct. Next question: What do the names Zachary Hammond, Mah-hi-vist Goodblanket, Antonio Zambrano-Montes and Gilbert Collar have in common? This question is a little harder and it’s likely that you have never heard of any of these names. The answer to this question is the same as the first. These four individuals also died at the hands of police officers. The only difference is these men weren’t black. Okay, final question: Why is it that the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Freddie Gray headline national news for weeks, as well as sparking nationwide protests and riots, but you’ve most likely never even heard of Zachary Hammond, Mah-hi-vist Goodblanket, Antonio Zambrano-Montes and Gilbert Collar? Now that’s a tougher question. Zachary Hammond, 19, was sitting in a Hardee’s parking lot in Seneca, S.C., on a date when he was shot by police during a minor drug sting. The police only recovered 10 grams of marijuana as a result of the sting. Mah-hi-visit Goodblanket, 18, was a Cheyenne and Arapaho youth who was shot by two sheriff deputies in Oklahoma. Goodblanket allegedly had a knife but his girlfriend who witnessed the shooting said he was unarmed. Antonio Zambrano-Montes was a Mexican migrant worker who was shot by police in Pasco, Wash. Zambrano-Montes was also unarmed. As for the Gilbert Collar incident, Collar, an 18-year-old white teen, was unarmed and shot by a black police officer in Alabama. Sounds a lot like Ferguson doesn’t it? Especially when you forget about skin color. Yet the reaction to Collar’s death was minuscule compared to the riots and protests that ensued in Ferguson. Hammond, Goodblanket, Zambrano-Montes and Collar all received minimal news attention, little (if any) protests and their deaths sure didn’t cause any unjustified riots. Still don’t believe that only the black victims receive recognition? Well then, maybe taking a look at President Obama’s reaction to these incidents will convince you. Obama issued statements after the deaths of Brown, Garner, and Gray, but failed to recognize the deaths of Hammond, Goodblanket, Zambrano-Montes, and Collar. Ironic. The hypocrisy of the public and Obama in response to these events is startling. According to PolitiFact, from 1999-2011 2,151 white people were killed by police compared to 1,130 black people. Now, one must also take into consideration that 63 percent of the male population in America is white and only 12 percent is black.

If you just consider these two statistics than black people are three-and-a-half times more likely to be killed by police, but that’s not the whole picture. One also has to take into account that black people are convicted of felonies at a rate of three times higher than white people and are 10 times more likely to be arrested than any other race. This means that it’s likely the black population has more interaction with police than any other race yet more white people are killed by police. Actually, you might be surprised to hear that statistically the racial group most likely to be killed by law enforcement is Native Americans (tell me the last time you saw the death of a Native American at the hands of a police ofﬁcer cause national riots and headline national news). The rate of police killings of black people has fallen by 70 percent over the last 40-50 years. So why is it that cities like Ferguson and Baltimore erupted in unwarranted riots over the deaths of Freddie Gray and Michael Brown?

“

Black individuals aren’t the only victims of police killings, yet they are the only victims that receive countrywide recognition when they are killed.

”

The overreaction to the deaths of Brown, Garner and Gray have caused unnecessary racial tension in America between cops and the black population, which, when you think about it, should be the last thing the black community wants. Police officers are the best defense black people have against their biggest threat: other black people. The leading cause of death for a black male from the ages of 15-34 is homicide. Ninety percent of black people killed in 2013 were killed by other black people. Why would the black population want tension between themselves and the organization who help prevent and arrest those who commit murders? It is irresponsible and detrimental to our societal well being to ignore the non-black victims and riot in support of the black ones. All lives matter. Black ones, white ones, Native American ones, Latino ones, Asian ones, ones in uniform (83 officers have died this year in the line of duty according to Officer Down Memorial webpage.) Black individuals aren’t the only victims of police killings, yet they are the only victims who receive countrywide recognition when they are killed. America needs to wake up and realize that cherry picking the incidents that we choose to notice nationally by race is ignorant and only causes further segregation.

This is my second year as a staff member for Mountain Vista Media. Like my colleague Katie, I also enjoy writing about controversial issues. I look forward to debating with Katie in the upcoming Eagle Eye issues. If you have any questions or comments about any of my articles don’t hesitate to email me: holtoncf@s. dcsdk12.org

black lives matter. statistics, numerical though they may be, can contain bias against minorities.

commentary. katie pickrell

I’ve been writing on staff for Mountain Vista Media since my sophomore year. Here and there, I’ve thrown in political editorials on the website but nothing to the extent of this work. Throughout this year’s run of the Eagle Eye, everyone can look forward to hearing more from me and my colleague Christian about some of the more controversial politcal happenings.

Who was Adamou Diallo? Before Black Lives Matter formed into what it is today, Diallo, an immigrant to the United States from New Guinea, was shot dead at 23 years old in 1999. His death was caused by 41 bullet wounds inflicted by four officers who mistook his identity. All officers faced no charges. Who was Sean Bell? In 2006, the night before his wedding, Bell was shot by five officers. He was 23 years old. Only three of the five officers went to trial, but all were acquitted of charges. Who was DeAunta Terrel Farrow? At 12 years old, he was shot by police while holding a toy gun. Claiming he didn’t know the weapon was fake, the officer faced no indictment. Despite these events, the years of 1999 and 2011 marked a time in which 2,151 white people were killed by police officers. In spite of the outrage seen through the media, only 1,130 black people faced the same death. The previous statement would make it seem as though there isn’t a race problem in the United States, or there may even be a case against white people. Looking deeper, it’s notable the 63 percent of the male population is white while only 12 percent is black. Considering the first statistic with a relative mindset, a black male is three-and-a-half times more likely to be shot by a cop. Among black men from ages 15 to 34 homicide is the leading cause of death, contributing to nearly 50 percent of deaths between 15 and 29 and 30 percent from 30 to 34. Ranked following health issues is legal intervention. One percent of deaths in the black population of young men can be accounted to law enforcement. Among the white male population, homicide rates have never risen above 8.5 percent. Legal intervention ranks only as the tenth leading cause of death at below .4 percent among individuals ages 20 to 24. Putting the obvious issue in the legal system aside, the biggest problem would seem to be civilian violent crime. Of all the black people killed by homicide, 90 percent fall at the hands of another black individual. It can’t be oversighted, though, that nearly 85 percent of white homicides are committed by white people. Many people know black people in the United States are ten times more likely to be arrested than white people are. Within those charges, black people face felony charges threeand-a-half times more than white people. The argument that black people simply commit more crimes, particularly violent ones, than white people could potentially hold up, just not ethically. Ethnic minorities, such as black people, make up the majority of urban communities, all of which are much more heavily policed than suburban or rural areas. This idea immediately creates a susceptibility for black people to be ar-

rested. For example, although white people and black people are said to use marijuana at fairly similar rates, black people are over four times more likely to face prison time for doing so. When speaking of increasing police brutality across race lines, it’s also hard to take only killings into account. It is hard to find accurate statistics of killings by police. Local law enforcement practices are not obliged to report killings in the line of duty. Federal reports may leave out any killings involving federal officers. If an officer shoots someone outside of his patrol area, the death doesn’t have to be counted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also reported virtually no killings in a few of the U.S.’s most populous states: New York, Florida and Illinois. The lack of statistical reports doesn’t discourage the newfound equality movements. Black Lives Matter is one of the most powerful movements of the past few years and has now picked up some speed and a large crowd since the increase of media attention towards cop killings of young black people.

“

The terms “black lives matter” and “all lives matter” are not separate, mutually exclusive things.

”

When one black individual kills another, the perpetrator goes to jail for life. In some circumstances, a white ofﬁcer can kill a black civilian with a dozen or so witnesses and face no more punishment than paid leave. The terms “black lives matter” and “all lives matter” are not seperate, mutually exclusive things. The only reason for the speciﬁcation of black lives is because society has shown it doesn’t agree. This isn’t a new thing. In the 1950s and ‘60s, the civil rights movement took off with marches of all sorts, peaceful, violent, large and small, with similar aims — full legal and societal equality. In the ‘70s, individuals of lower socioeconomic status and their sympathizers took to the streets to support equality in education. In the ‘80s, protesters were killed during race riots in Miami. In the ‘90s, quite a bit of Los Angeles lit up after the Rodney King beating. In the early 2000s, protestors marched, fought and sat against injustice in the legal system. Now, in the 2010s, history is repeating itself because the aim of the original has yet to be obtained. Black Lives Matter wasn’t big until recently. As a movement, it was not and is not instituted to insinuate white lives, Hispanic lives, Native American lives or cop lives don’t matter. The backing of the movement is that although all lives do matter, all aren’t treated as though they do.

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we are united.

basketball team, a national-title winning club and even an in-sync marching band are all examples of groups that work together to accomplish greatness in their ﬁelds. If they wish to be successful in their endeavors, they need to work as one team, one united organization. Mountain Vista ﬁts the bill for being united like those groups mentioned above. Our rivalry football and basketball games are two of the most heavily attended events in the school year. It is at these events that individuals come together as a student body and root for their school to be the best and to come out of the game victorious. It is kind of easy to notice our student body. In fact, we have been noticed in a big way and awarded for our impressive shows of spirit. The MV Unit was named the number one student section in Colorado, and we think this shows how we unite to represent our

editorial. conner davis

school better than anything else could. Vista strives and works to be the best in whatever we do. If we do not achieve the best, the MV Unit and more will still be at games or competitions cheering and supporting any group that sports and MV logo. Take Unified sports for example. The students on the Unified team are a core part of the Vista culture as their games are very popular and fans cheer them on for the entirety of their game. We would even say that students cheer just as loud for Unified basketball and soccer as they do for varsity basketball and soccer. Seeing a crowd cheer for kids with special needs, then seeing one just as large cheering just as loud for kids without is how you know Vista cares about each and every member of the student body. The cheering and spirit supports just that claim — we are a student BODY. Everyone at our school is part of this body and is

welcomed to cheer, support and jump in to be a part of Vista clubs and teams. Passion and dedication for is rooted deep within the Vista students who partake in the endless opportunities and experiences at our high school. The longing for success in their endeavours drives students to do exactly that. They succeed. There are state and national ﬁnishers in at least one of the many extracurricular activities each year, and it takes the help of everyone around these champions to help attain their titles. So in the end, it doesn’t get much better than Vista. We support one another each step of the way and are united as the Mountain Vista High School student body in everything we do.

change for cash.

the Cash family’s struggle with cancer, and the help they have received.

story. reagan fitzke, regan lavallee and lexi weingardt photos. reagan fitzke, courtesy of kat cash

n the spring of 2015, the lives of a family that has been a part of the Mountain Vista High School community since the school began changed forever. Head football coach Ric Cash and his family had a new kind of reality to deal with. Cash’s wife, Susan, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. “It was actually on my mom’s birthday when she went in for the initial appointment, on April 24. It was May 4 that my dad left school early and I didn’t know why. I had went out to the weight room to see if my dad was there and he wasn’t,” said senior Kat Cash, the Cash’s daughter. “His sub was one of the other teachers and he was asking, ‘Is your dad okay? Is your dad okay?’ and I was wondering what was wrong. I had no idea. He said, ‘Your dad left, and he was crying. He was really upset.’ My younger sister was a freshman at Vista and I was trying to figure out what she knew. I had a sister at the middle school, too, and I don’t think she knew either, so I tried to call my dad at lunch and he told me to get home as soon as I could after school, and to just get my sisters and get home.” After school the sisters came home and the Cash parents had their older brother on the phone. “They sat us all down and my mom was having a really hard time looking at us. We all kind of knew something was wrong. My dad was crying and my mom was trying to hold herself together. Then she looked at us and said, ‘So I went in on my birthday and I felt some pain in my left

breast for a while and didn’t know what it was. I thought it was maybe just getting old or whatever,’ and she told us that she had stage 3 breast cancer,” Kat said. The week following was hard for the family, but they knew it was important to start telling others about what was going on. “That whole week, the one thing my dad said was so

“

Senior Kat Cash sits with friends at the Chick-fil-A fundraiser last July. The fundraiser was created by alumni Matt Morris for the Cash family. fundraising night at Chick-fil-A and a car wash event this past summer. “Coach Cash has been such

I don’t doubt people. I don’t doubt the human spirit. I really do believe in people, but this has been way more than we ever expected.

coach ric cash

important was to get the word out and to try and tell people. We started telling people that whole week and ever since it’s been ridiculous,” Kat said. “We had people by the middle of May signed up to bring us meals four times a week until around August. People have just been really sincere about looking out for us.” Being so close to the school has gathered a lot of support for the family, both financially and emotionally. Mountain Vista alumni and former football player Matt Morris participated in initiating fundraisers as he set up a

”

an important figure in my life as my football coach (and) my teacher throughout the years, and a friend. When I heard about his wife, it really hurt me as well,” Morris said. “I saw there was a GoFundMe page created to raise money, but I thought that more could be done with a little effort and will, so I decided to work on how I could help the cause.” Morris is one of the many who has pitched in to help the family. Counselor Wendy Strait was the originator of the GoFundMe cause “Cancer Free By Christmas” for Susan. “We’ve had some people

that have just done really above and beyond, from Matt to Wendy Strait,” Ric said. “[Wendy] has been my person for a lot of group activities and different things, from the GoFundMe account to meal trains, where people have brought meals two-three days a week now for probably three or four months.” Strait and Morris both have done much to help the family and have inspired others to do the same. “So many people — from the football program and just from the Mountain Vista community in general — have just been amazing in the way that they’ve stepped up — the booster club, the parents of the players and the players themselves to coaching staff,” Ric said. “They’ve done everything they can to make it a lot more bearable. It’s been really remarkable. I don’t doubt people. I don’t doubt the human spirit. I really do believe in people, but this has been way more than we have ever expected” While the Cash family has been dealing with this difficult time, the support from Mountain Vista High School has helped them cope. One thing Kat and Ric want to say is “Thank you.” The Cash family is moving forward with hope and a newfound strength.

Susan Cash poses with her kids during a family photo . The family was gifted photos before Susanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chemotherapy.

Lauren Lamb and mom, Jill Lamb, on Halloween in 2000.

Lamb and her mom on a class field trip to the zoo in 2005.

“

It’s just a really nice way to remember my mom. She was always the lady to make someone dinner or do carpools to help someone out and the foundation is kind of our way of carrying out who my mom was as a person.

senior lauren lamb

leaving an impact.

”

lauren lamb’s family and the Jill Lamb Foundation. story. hayley mustin photos. courtesy of lauren lamb

ack in 2008, tragedy struck for the lamb family. Senior Lauren Lamb’s mother passed away after months of fighting the ongoing battle of breast cancer. After the passing of her mom, a close family friend, Stephanie Cegielski, came to Lamb’s dad, Brian, and said she wanted to help. Since then the Lamb family with the help of Cegielski have been able to take the tragedy and turn it into something amazing— the Jill Lamb Foundation. The foundation is a tangible way to support families dealing with breast cancer. This can include anything from providing services around the house, meal preparation, running errands, transportation, grocery shopping and other simple tasks. The foundation also provides financial support for families having trouble paying the expensive dues of cancer treatment and medical bills.

“No one understands how much small things can mean to a family like that,” Lamb said. “Babysitting kids so the parents can have a night out, paying to have their house cleaned and even making sure everything is okay goes a long way for a family that isn’t quite sure about how much time they have left together.” The organization has also been a great way for the Lamb family to remember their mother. The foundation honors Jill Lamb’s spirit while also making a huge impact on others. “For my family it’s just a really nice way to remember my mom,” Lamb said. “She was always the lady to make someone dinner or do carpools to help someone out and the foundation is kind of our way of carrying out who my mom was as a person.” The foundation is a nonprofit organization run on donations.

“By going to jilllambfoundation.org people can donate money and also buy t-shirts and support different families who are struggling with cancer. Every donation counts and is greatly appreciated,” Lamb said. During Pink Week, all of the money raised will go through the Jill Lamb Foundation and directly to the Ric and Susan Cash family, another Mountain Vista family struggling with breast cancer. Lamb says the foundation has been an “amazing” way for the family to recover from the loss of a member and continue Jill’s legacy. “The Jill Lamb Foundation has helped my family to remember my mom in the best way possible,” Lamb said. “Through my mom, this organization has allowed to impact more people’s lives and has a chance to do some good in the world. It has helped us spread the love.”

1 1. Olson and Solnet traveled to the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs for the 2015 state competition last February. Solnet competed in Apparel and Accessories and Olson competed in Marketing Management. Both did well enough in their rounds to be able to continue on to the national tournament in Orlando, Fla. 2. For nationals 2014, Olson and Solnet traveled with Mountain Vista DECA to Orlando, Fla. During their stay, the students were able to experience Walt Disney World. This is the second time the two have gone on to a national tournament for DECA.

better together.

seniors Sarah Olson and Sarah Solnet have been best friends since birth, and for their senior year they are co-presidents of the MVHS DECA chapter. Seniors Sarah Olson and Sarah Solnet spend time together at Lake Dillon in Frisco when they were five-years-old.

t takes a lot to be able to be a leader and to unite a large group of people. A lot of responsibilities go along with a position of this much power, especially in a club with over 100 kids actively participating. Mountain Vista’s Distributive Education Club of America (DECA) co-presidents Sarah Solnet and Sarah Olson, seniors, have the unique opportunity to share the title and all those responsibilities as best friends. Olson and Solnet said sharing the presidency with somebody they grew up with is an exciting experience. “We have worked together on a lot of things so we know each other’s work ethic. We just work really well together,” Solnet said. Being leaders together is something the two excel at as shown by their other shared title of co-president for the Interact Club. Olson said as leaders, they help to unify the chapter as well as the club members. They also organize events, the officer team and help the advisers plan events. DECA is a co-curricular program, which adds to the challenge of being able to successfully unite the members of the club. Cocurricular refers to when a club directly complements what students are learning in the classroom. During the 2014-15 school year there were an estimated 280 students enrolled in a marketing class, and an estimated 150 students actively competed in DECA. The advisers expect those numbers to increase this year

after the success of the team last season. “We try to make the DECA chapter feel more united and like a team rather than individuals competing, which is hard with such a large group. However, we want to try to make it work out well,” Olson said about her plans for uniting the chapter. The two joined DECA as freshmen after Solnet’s older sister urged them to join. They knew it was something that they wanted to stick with. “DECA is about taking the information that you learn in class and being able to apply it to real world scenarios,” Olson said. “It is really fun and a great way to see all that you have learned in class come to life.” The pair live next door to each other, which contributes to better collaboration abilities.

“

story. haley kolseth photos. courtesy of sarah olson and sarah solnet “We can communicate a lot easier if we need to work on something together. I just have to walk outside and even sometimes I just show up outside her back door and she lets me in,” Olson said. The two Sarahs met through their moms who were both involved in an aerobics class for pregnant mothers. Their friendship has lasted 18 years, and the two have been able to do a variety of activities together, such as going on vacations and to national outof-state DECA tournaments. “It all becomes so much more fun when you have somebody to share all of these experiences with,” Solnet said. The two have gone through much of their lives together and both girls see serving as co-presidents as just another opportunity to do it again. “We are definitely united when it comes to our

We try to make the DECA chapter feel more united and like a team rather than individuals competing.

”

senior Sarah Olson

friendship because we’ve known each other our entire lives. By now we have been able to figure out how to collaborate with each other,” said Olson. “On practice nights we, along with other experienced members of the club, work together to help new students learn the ropes of how to approach the events,” Olson said. “We are also there for anyone that has questions about the club as a whole.” “Sarah and Sarah make a great team,” said adviser Neathery Manucci. “They both carry their share of responsibility and complete every task with excellency and follow through. They know how to balance hard work with humor. I admire them and am very grateful to have their support with leading DECA.” The duo try their best to be welcoming to anybody who comes around, which makes DECA that much more united. “The Sarahs are both so smart. They have so much marketing knowledge and they are both extraordinary leaders,” junior DECA officer Maria Nenova said. “They’re so funny to be around and they always have fresh ideas to bring to the table.” Through uniting themselves and uniting their DECA chapter, Solnet and Olsen lean on each other to make this season a successful one. “We’re both excited to cheer for each other and our friends and unite our chapter at the competitions,” Solnet said.

clubs joining forces.

how Mountain Vista clubs unite the student body.

story. gabe barnard and staci prevato photos. gabe barnard, staci prevato, mikayla olave, amy huang and kenzie winslow

here are 22 clubs in session at Mountain Vista High School this year. Clubs meet in hopes of bringing the student body together based on their shared interests and beliefs. Through the clubs, students from all grades and backgrounds can come together to be a part of something bigger than themselves. This is just one way clubs play an important role in the school. “It’s the different clubs that make up the school,” senior Sarah Solnet, officer of Interact Club, said. Clubs and their members are united through

a goal of leaving a legacy at Mountain Vista. “I want to be able to make the best possible impact at Mountain Vista through this club and beyond,” senior Kat Cash, officer of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, said. By influencing the students and staff of Mountain Vista, the clubs create a place where students feel free to be themselves and make a big difference. “We have all sorts of people from all different grades and different sorts of backgrounds come to Key Club,” Amy Zhou, officer, said.

bridging the gap.

united in prayer. ellowship of Christian

united in the lines.

serving one another.

ender Sexuality Alliance, is on a quest to unite students of all genders together in a safe zone no matter what their background is. “We don’t need to unite our members. We are united by principle,” senior Kira Amels said. “We all have a common goal to make the world a more accepting place, and work together like a team to achieve it. Our purpose is to bridge the gap between gay and straight. We’re trying to wipe away the labels and all unite under the label human.”

ook Club unites its members through their interest in reading and literature. They meet the second Thursday of every month in the library. “[We are united] mainly by the love of books,” junior Akshira Weiser said, “Even if you haven’t read that one book yet, they can relate to the story.” The club provides its members with the opportunity to discuss books any of the members of the club have read.

Athletes meets Mondays to discuss their faith in Christianity. “Our club becomes so strong because of the variety of ages that are able to relate to each other by faith,” senior Kat Cash said. “It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one believing and doing things in a school as big as ours.” FCA also plays a role in uniting the school by being kind to other students. “The goal behind being a Christian to me is just showing love to people,” Cash said.

ey Club has a mission to help students get their required community service hours for graduation every year by doing activities like “Trick or Treat Street” with their friends and peers in order to more enjoy helping the community. “When you’re in the club, you are not just part of the club any more, you are part of Vista. We try to encourage [members] to go to events we have at the school so they can be involved through the Vista community,” senior Amy Zhou said.

“

We don’t need to unite our members. We are united by principle.

senior kira amels

”

interacting together.

nteract Club gives busy students the opportunity to still volunteer. “A lot of our members are involved in different clubs so we work with them,” senior Sarah Solnet, an officer said. “Some of our members are involved in Unified so we will do a project that goes towards Unified. It’s the different clubs that make up the school.” Senior Sarah Olson, another officer, added that all the clubs do service activities together. “It makes us more unified as Mountain Vista,” she said.

united by individuality.

senior girls’ overalls have been a tradition at Mountain Vista for over seven years.

commentary. kenzie winslow photos. amy huang and courtesy of zoë blandon

e identify ourselves by how we act, speak and dress. People make their first judgements of others based on how they look, whether we like it or not. The senior girls have made it a tradition to make overalls for game days. These overalls identify girls as seniors and the rest of the student body has the chance to make their first impressions of the girls based on their individual styles. This year was no different. The girls came together on a Saturday afternoon to decorate their own white overalls. The only requirement? The overalls had to be white. If you take the time to look around the hallways you’ll see green splatter, yellow daisies, black stripes or gold numbers, but even with all the different styles you know exactly who the seniors are. Mountain Vista is one of the only schools that allows all senior girls to participate in the Game Day overalls tradition. Most girls who are now seniors have waited for

their own chance to participate in this rite of passage. Now their time is here and the whole school gets the chance to see how a simple pair of overalls unites the senior girls. “I feel that the overalls this year have united the senior girls because even if we are in different friend groups, and involved in different things, we are able to come together and truly just be friends,” senior Morgan O’Connor said. “Rather than separating just one friend group that gets to wear overalls, by opening the invitation to everyone, every senior girl has the opportunity to be involved and feel a part of something special that is unique to the Class of 2016.” As individuals, every girl has the chance to show the world how she sees herself. With the overalls they also have the chance to show the school how they can come together. The girls who choose to wear overalls are not only showing they are committed to being seen as a whole with the rest of the senior girls, but

The senior girls group together for a picture at Shea Stadium for the homecoming game. The girls helped to lead cheers and pump up the team.

“

I thought it was cool how everyone was included. bethany grusing

they are also showing the rest of the student body they can unite with their classmates to do something awesome. The tradition of making overalls began over seven years ago. That means that more than 350 girls have one shared experience. It’s crazy how something as simple as painting overalls could bring students together, but that’s what makes traditions within our school so important Traditions give students

”

across Mountain Vista the chance to take part in something that spans their entire class. Instead of only uniting with 30 people in their club or 70 people in their sport, they are taking part in something that spans hundreds of students. “Just being able to be a part of the tradition of making overalls made me feel closer to the school and the rest of the senior girls. It is a fun way to show off school spirit,” senior

Seniors Peyton Reeves and Zoe Blandon wear their overalls on game day. Some girls made their overalls at home, while others made them on the soccer field.

Maeve McCloskey said. “We were able to all do the overalls together and no one had to feel left out.” It’s the small things that bring people together. In this case, it’s the black, gold and green paint. Not all the girls take part in this tradition, but the ones who do wear their overalls proudly. It makes them feel even more a part of the school. Unity is defined as being something that brings together a group of people to form a whole. Individually we have the power to do small things, but the girls who made overalls have formed a bond that is deeper than just painting clothes together. “The tradition of making overalls has allowed me to connect with the other girls because it was so open to everyone — not just the ‘popular’ girls — that it allowed me to see and talk to other girls,” senior Morgan Knight said. The senior girls have created memories to last a lifetime. It is the unity that they will remember, not the Saturday they spent painting the overalls or the football games they wear them at. In 50 years they will remember the feeling of being a part of something bigger and that makes this tradition so special. Each girl’s individual style is exemplified through their overalls, but together everyone is united through this Mountain Vista tradition.

Students participate in various games for Unified soccer. “Unified gives kids the freedom to participate wih the school’s support behind it,” sophomore Gabby Brown said.

how unified unites us. unified games bring MVHS together.

very Wednesday evening, the soccer fields are packed with parents and students of all kinds. People of different ages come to the games, but why? And, why do they come every week? What is it about Unified soccer that brings people together? “Going to the Unified games makes me feel appreciative to be part of a school that comes together,” senior Brady Parker said. MVHS keeps kids in the loop every week about upcoming Unified activities, always keeping everyone involved. At least 20 people volunteer each week to help out the team and the kids during the

commentary. jordan macarthur photos. jordan macarthur, mikayla olave and amy huang

“

This team really brings people together.

”

sophomore brooke jessen

game. These students are from different groups of friends, involved in different things, all with different lives, but all of their paths seem to cross every Wednesday night. “I think it’s really cool to see the type of people that show up. There are football players, volunteers, parents, kids from different friend

groups. This team really brings people together,” sophomore Brooke Jessen said. What makes everyone come back each week? “The smiles on the kids faces is what keeps me coming back,” sophomore Stephanie Cleverdon said. “ I love the fact that they work their hardest and they are some of the most

fun people that I know.” The love the school has for a group of kids is truly amazing. The love of the kids is what brings people together. As you can tell, our school adores the team and it shows through the amount of people who come and how highly this team is talked about around the school. “I just love those kids,” Jessen said. The Unified team is a great example of how much a group can come to together to get a win or even just to have a good time. Mountain Vista is a great place and Unified is a great way to get involved. It can provide people with the oppurtunity to to come together and support the team.

see your experiences

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TOP10 PINKweek 1 8 2 5 3 9 4 10 things to know about

Pink Week is one week within the month of October when all of Mountain Vista comes together to support those who suffer or have lost someone to breast cancer. Coach Ric Cash and his family recently got the news that his wife had breast cancer. This is a very difficult time for them, but it will be their first Pink Week with the support of Vista. September 24 was the tennis pink game and September 30 was the softball teams pink game. Student Leadership also will be selling wrists bands for a dollar at each Pink Week event to raise money. By raising awareness, Vista uses this week to specifically support some families including, the Cash family and the Lamb family. Sports teams will dedicate their games to these families by wearing pink.

During Pink Week, all of the money raised will go through the Jill Lamb Foundation and then directly to the Cash family, another Mountain Vista family struggling with breast cancer.

The race for the cure is a way to raise awareness for breast cancer. Many Mountain Vista teams and clubs participated in the 22nd annual race including cheer, Key Club, freshman football and Student Leadership. “I loved knowing what we were doing could help people who have gone through so much,” senior Nick McDaniel said.

On Monday, Student Leadership had a bake sale after school to support the Cash family.

Oct. 8 there will be a pink out all day for all students and teachers. There also is a band and orchestra concert at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Coldstone Creamery is having a fundraiser for the Cash family.

Oct. 9, even though there may not be school, that does not mean you can’t support the cause. While out and about or while attending the college fair, wear pink to support those in need. At Shea Stadium on Oct. 10, varsity soccer play will at 4:30 p.m. and football plays at 7 p.m against Rock Canyon. Both MVHS and RCHS have their Pink Weeks and will be supporting breast cancer awareness at the games.

Volleyball Unified played Oct. is playing 6. “No one on the is afraid to soccer fields wear pink,” against junior Emma Mountain Vandenbark Range for said. its pink game today at 5:30 p.m.

6 7

homecoming. a recap. location.

why Sports Authority Field was awesome, despite its challenges.

commentary. charlie penvari The location of the 2015 homecoming dance was a rather refreshing change from the past 14 years of Mountain Vista’s history, where the dance has always been held in the gym. Sports Authority Field at Mile High is a homecoming location unique to all schools in Douglas County, as no other within the district will be holding their homecoming dance off-site. “We wanted Vista to be like no other school and for Vista to be their own,” said student body president and senior Morgan O’Connor. “It’s also a popular place engrained in our Colorado culture.” Students who attended the dance got the opportunity to walk through the same tunnel the Denver Broncos run out of on game day and stand or sit along the warning track. The dance itself was held right inside the tunnel. A unique location and experience such as Sports

Authority Field also came with challenges, such as money and logistics, for the school and leadership teams. Despite popular belief, transportation was not as much of a problem as there was a bus that took students from Vista to the dance. However, there was a challenge regarding safety for the students who chose to drive themselves and students who chose to be picked up by their parents after the dance at Sports Authority Field. The pick-up time for students was at 11:45 p.m, right after the dance wrapped up, which was a concern for tired parents who had to drive late at night. Combine that with students who drove themselves back and you had a trafﬁc nightmare. Despite the concerns with trafﬁc and transportation, the 2015 homecoming dance will still be remembered as one of the best in MV’s history.

poll results

Love it Could have been just as fun in the gym I am indifferent

What do you think about this year’s homecoming location?

Q A

with leadership adviser Lindsey Jaffe Miller

Q&A: Will this be Mountain Vista’s most memorable homecoming? Q&A: I hope so. I think that homecoming is what you make of it, so [whether] it’s in the gym or at another location, it’s kind of about how fun you are. Q&A: What was the biggest challenge that leadership faced for this year’s homecoming? Q&A: Kids don’t ask questions and often wait to see what others are doing instead of just going. Q&A: What do you think was the most successful part of homecoming? Q&A: We had more kids involved in every single event and the dance compared to any we’ve had at Mountain Vista before. Q&A: What kind of feedback have you been getting from teachers and students? Q&A: Everyone seemed to have a great time. Most people appreciated all of the work that went into it. It was a great time and I think most people really enjoyed it.

proposals.

some students went all out for their homecoming dates.

story. tyler felske and aly hoffmann photos. courtesy of aaron albury, nate wilson and ryan schmitt

Senior Aaron Albury pulled a John Cusack “Say Anything” move while asking fellow senior Taryn Bradley to homecoming. Holding up a boombox playing “I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith, he gave her a sign that said, “I don’t want to miss a thing at homecoming with you.” “I remember one time she said [that] was her favorite song,” Albury said. Albury said he was a little bit nervous asking Bradley. “I was not very nervous. I had a feeling she would say yes.” “I thought it was really sweet,” Bradley said. Everybody loves the classic tale of Rapunzel, but even more love comes for the newer tale of Tangled. For junior Maggie Fox, Rapunzel is a personal favorite. Junior Nate Wilson got Fox’s friends to dress her up like Rapunzel posing that it was for an English project. While Fox was waiting, Wilson, dressed as Flynn Rider, went to Fox’s backyard and said “Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Fox’s friends then had her go on a treasure hunt to ﬁnd a satchel. Inside there was a wanted poster with her picture on it. Wilson took the poster and read it to her. The poster read: “MAGGIE FOX has been indicted for the act of stealing Nate’s heart (as of August 29, 2015). She is now WANTED as his homecoming date. REWARD for her acceptance shall be a date, a dance and hopefully a good time.” The group effort was worth it in the end when Fox said yes to Wilson. Sophomore Ryan Schmitt asked sophomore Tiana Morris to homecoming by leaving a trail of chocolate kisses up the stairs up to her room to where he was holding a sign saying “Will you go to Homecoming with me?” He was waiting with ﬂowers to give to her as she walked in.

senior Paxton Boyer, volleyball dad Katie Pickrell

setting goals.

Senior Matias Grossi dribbles the ball down ďŹ eld in a varsity soccer game against Highlands Ranch. Vista won 3-0.

freshman Teagan Haberkorn. Conner Davis

senior Matias Grossi. Kelsey Pharis

Anthony Algiene

Amy Huang

senior Brady Parker. Gabe Barnard

MVHS poms.

photoKatie by Pickrell

Tamarin Joubert Staci Prevato

playing with purpose. the connection the softball team shares with pink week’s cause.

“We’re close to the end of the chemo [therapy], so the next step is radiation and surgery to remove the tumor. Then, recovery time and reconstructive surgery,” Kat Cash said.

Q A

The varsity softball “pink” game is an annual tradition at Vista. It is one of the most important games of the season. The pink game originated several years ago when player Taylor Lamb’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. The team since then has raised money to donate to cancer research programs. One program is the Jill Lamb Foundation. Every year, the team they are playing also gets in on it and fundraises money and donates it to the same organization that Vista supports that year. The game is special to players such as senior Lauren Lamb. “It’s a way to spread aware-

ness about breast cancer. For the players it’s about playing for something that means a lot to you,” Lauren Lamb said. This year’s main focus is to raise money for the Cash family after Susan Cash, wife of head football coach Ric Cash and mother of Kat and Jess Cash, was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Thank you to anybody who’s involved,” Kat Cash said. “The one thing my mom keeps saying is that it’s overwhelming, all the support from everyone. She’s looking for a way to give back. [We’re] trying our best to send out a huge thank you to everybody.”

Howard and her teammates line up against Cherry Creek High School to defend a short corner shot.

with ﬁeld hockey player Molly Howard.

Q&A: What is your favorite part of the pink game for ﬁeld hockey? I like all the fundraising we do to buy the uniforms. All the extra money goes to a charity that we choose. It’s really cool because sometimes the charity has a direct corrolation with girls on the team so it hits close to home with them and makes us feel like we’re helping them. Q&A: Why do you like ﬁeld hockey? I like it because I get to meet so many different people from different schools.

men’s soccer Being 2-3 in league so far, the men’s soccer team is ready to fight for a spot in playoffs as the regular season comes to a close. “We didn’t start out too well in league but we’re making our way back,” senior Mikka Nguyen said. With playoffs closing in fast, the team has five regular season games remaining. “We still have Rock Canyon and ThunderRidge and those are pretty big games,” sophomore Brady Stevens said. The team’s next five games also include Chaparral, Legend and Ponderosa. “The last three games of the season [are] going to be big because they’re going to be the ones that decide whether or not we make the playoffs,” Stevens said.

women’s volleyball The varsity volleyball team is currently ranked second in league standings with a 5-0 regular season record. The volleyball team is ranked fourth in the state and 210th nationally. The Golden Eagles are on a ﬁve-game winning streak. With only ﬁve league games left in regular season, including one against ThunderRidge, the pressure is on. “We’re doing great and we can always improve,” senior Olivia Penna said. “We need to make sure we keep our energy up during each game.”

football Varsity football is now 4-1 on the season. Last Thursday, the Golden Eagles beat ThunderRidge High School, 34-14. Vista dominated homecoming week, defeating Douglas County High School, 47-14. “We’re just taking it one week at a time,” head coach Ric Cash said about the team’s success. Players and coaches say they are looking forward to the postseason, hoping to take the team further than last year. Vista has four regular season games left. The next game is a home game Saturday against Rock Canyon High School.

unified’s first game. story. mikayla olave and erica venable The Unified team had its first game August 26 against Douglas County High School. This year’s Unified team consists of 14 players and plenty volunteers. There was a great turnout for the game and many people showed their support. With many players scoring a goal, they were excited to start the season off on a positive note. “We are off to a great start for the season. (It’s) wonderful to see so many students supporting Unified!” coach Katie Byers said. The Unified team is an interactive way to bring together different types of people to support everyone playing. “I thought it was super fun and awesome to see all the kids smile,” sophomore Sophie

Senior Jessica Sorensen playing goalie for Unified’s first game of the season. She said she enjoys playing goalie for the team.

Davis said. “I am a peer intern and it means that I can help others.” Many students came to watch the game, including the JV and varsity football teams. “Unified in general bring people together for a cause bigger than ourselves,” senior Brady Parker, varsity football player, said.

woodbridge classic. kicking cancer. story. christian holton and hayley mustin On the weekend of September 16, the boys and girls cross country teams traveled to Irvine, Calif. to compete in the 35th annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic. Overall the teams had a strong performance with the boys placing fourth out of 27 teams and the girls placing sixth out of 26 teams.

“I thought it went great,” said senior Paxton Smith, who finished first for Vista’s boys team. “On the boy’s side we had everyone in the top 100. That’s a great place to be right now.” “It was a real positive experience for us,” said head coach Jonathan Dalby. “The kids ran really well and we got to go up against some of the best teams in the country.” Sophomore Allie Chipman won the sweepstakes race with a time of 16:31.10. “I had one of my best races,” Chipman said. “Getting a personal record is one of the best feelings runners get to enjoy.” Dalby called the race a preview for how the rest of the season will go for both the boys and girls teams. “I think it’s a good indication of the direction we are headed,” he said. “We haven’t put a ton of emphasis on trying to be extremely race-ready yet, so once those workouts come along, I think we will have a good chance at being competitive towards the end of the year.”

story. savanah howard and lauren lippert Pink Week is a week dedicated to the support and awareness of Breast Cancer. The men’s soccer team uses this week to unite as a team while supporting an important cause. “This year we are going to have a pink game against Rock Canyon,” junior Davis Auth said. The team plans to wear pink shirts during warm ups and around the school in support of breast cancer awareness. Their goal is to wear as much pink as possible to show their support. “[I think Pink Week is for] getting all of the facts out [there], making people aware what breast cancer is and how to prevent it,” Auth said. David Cozad, sophomore, is excited to use the support

of his team and raise money towards a great cause. “Our team is a part of Pink Week because, as a whole, I think a lot of groups need to support breast cancer and help to find a solution towards the cause,” Cozad said. With pride for his team, Cozad said he enjoys the involvement and support of the men’s soccer program to raise awareness for breast cancer. Sitting on the sidelines, varsity manager Jamie Gregorio relates to Pink Week on a more personal level. “I know a lot of people who have been diagnosed or know of someone who has breast cancer,” Gregorio said. As proud supporters of Pink Week, the players say they are excited to raise awareness and money for the disease.