Rocky Mountain Highschool: 2014 September by Rocky Mountain Highlighter

MARCO IN THE MAJORS

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Alumnus gets first starts as Major League baseball pitcher - page 14

Q&A • Fort Collins resident climbs world’s second highest mountain - page 5

Strike three: Rocky alumnus Marco Gonzales delivers a pitch while playing for the MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals. Gonzales is currently in the starting pitching rotation for the Cardinals.

News • Botched laptop release causes rocky start to year - page 7 Staff-Ed • Militarized police strips Ferguson residents of basic freedoms - page 10 Center • StuCo prepares for homecoming, students share perspective - page 8-9 Sports • Rocky kicker/ punter commits to University of Colorado - page 15

RMHighlighter.org Rocky Mountain High School

1300 W. Swallow Rd.

Fort Collins, Colo.

Vol. 42, No.1

Sept. 25, 2014

2 page letters

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sept. 25, 2014

A message from the editor This is a very exciting year for the Rocky Mountain Highlighter. We have a great new staff that has worked tirelessly to bring you this publication. Anyone who has read the RM Highlighter before is sure to notice some radical changes to the format, design, and overall concept. I understand that news media is changing and didn’t want the Highlighter to be left in the dust. The result of many hours of hard work by many people is this modernized news-magazine. I doubt many students in this building still read newspapers, as this is a dwindling form of journalism. A news magazine such as this allows for an increased emphasis on graphics, which is what I’m sure many students care about the most. Additionally, we recently launched our website, RMHighlighter.org. The website is designed to complement the print publication. While the print publication is intended as a quick and interesting read for students without much time, the website allows us to go much more in-depth. In addition to all the stories found in the print publication, the website will contain stories and information which is time sensitive. This will include scores from sports games, upcoming events,photo galleries and stories that will be outdated by the time we can print it. Many more features will be added to the website as it will be continuously

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A blunt conversation about pot laws

updated throughout the year. In addition to visiting our website, I encourage you to like us on Facebook for the latest updates on various news events. The RM Highlighter is a publication by the students for the students. There are only a handful of reporters and editors on staff, while there are two-thousand members of the student body. Obviously, the staff of the RM Highlighter cannot be aware of every single newsworthy event happening throughout the school. If you know of anything going on in the school that you think deserves coverage from the RM Highlighter, visit our website at RMHighlighter.org. There you will find an option to suggest a news tip. With your help, we can make sure that every newsworthy event at Rocky gets the coverage it deserves. I hope you enjoy the new design of the RM Highlighter, as well our new website and social media outlets. Despite the many hours of hard work that went into this publication, I believe there is always room for improvement. If you ever have any suggestions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to email me personally (10368@psdschools.org), leave your suggestion in the form of a news tip on our website or visit the Highlighter’s newsroom (room 528) during fourth hour. Noah Fogelberg, Editor-in-Chief

Dear Editor, Last year Colorado and Washington made history by legalizing recreational marijuana for persons over the age of 21. According to Joseph Chisarick a writer for Liberty Letter to the editor Voice, in the first three months of legalization, Colorado received $7.3 million in recreational taxes and another $12.6 million in medical taxes. With revenue like that the United States as a whole would benefit greatly by making marijuana legal to possess, consume, and grow if you are over the change of 21. Alcohol, one of the few legal drugs in the

United States, kills tons of people every year either through drunk driving, overdose, or just pure stupidity. Marijuana, on the other hand, hasn’t had any deaths linked to the substance until recently. In this writers opinion theses “deaths” are just the opposing team trying to look for proof that this plant is actually bad. It is amazing how a drug that has very little deaths linked to it that also brings in a lot of revenue for states simultaneously remains illegal at a federal level. I would like to see marijuana legal in the United States to see the impact it has on our debt and our crime rate. Logan Kamer, senior

2014-2015 Rocky Mountain Highlighter RM Highlighter editorial policy The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be

covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Center Editor

Opinion Editor

Noah Fogelberg

Avery Martin

Features Editor Michael Roley

Noah Fogelberg

Reyna Thompson

Sports Editor Jacob Nemitz

Web Editor Evan Malone Pacemaker Finalist-2014; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2014; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2013; Pacemaker Finalist-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2011; Pacemaker Winner-2010; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2010; Pacemaker Finalist-2009; All-American, 4 Mark of Distinction-2009; All-American Hall of Fame Induction-2008; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2008; Pacemaker Finalist-2007; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2007; Pacemaker Winner-2006; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2006; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2005; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2004; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2003; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2002; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2001; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2000; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-1999.

Your World Editor Natalie Pounds

Web Editor Evan Malone

Reporters

Samantha Baran Jessi Brokop

All-Colorado-2014; All-Colorado-2013; All-Colorado-2012; All-Colorado-2011; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2010; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2009; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2008; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2007; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2006; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2005; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2004; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2003; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2002; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2001; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1996; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1992; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1991; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1990; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1987.

Daniel Diderikson Matt Wood

Adviser

Stephen Wahlfeldt

Student Aide Julia Johnson

Contributors Rebecca Knaff

Gold Medalist-2014; Gold Medalist-2013; Gold Medalist-2012; Gold Medalist-2011; Gold Medalist-2010; Silver Crown-2009; Gold Medalist-2009; Silver Medalist-2008; Gold Medalist2007; Gold Medalist-2006; Gold Medalist-2005; Silver Crown-2005; Gold Medalist-2004; Silver Crown-2004; Gold Medalist-2003; Silver Crown-2003; Gold Medalist-2002; Gold Medalist-2001; Gold Medalist-2000; Gold Medalist-1999.

table of contents page 3

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sept. 25, 2014

All fired up: Football head coach Mark Brook talks with the team during a game. Football coverage,

Pay for play: As some colleges look to pay athletes beyond their scholarships, RM Highlighter staffers debate the possibility,

Page 15

Sam Baran

Evan Malone

Page 11.

That'll get you going: Junior Ashley Yeager shows off her school spirit at the Back-to-School Assembly as she leads her class in a Lobo Howl. See photo essay,

Page 16.

alanarnette.com

Climbing K2: Fort Collins resident Alan Arnette makes his way up K2, the world’s second highest mountain, in July. A full Q&A with Arnette can be viewed on Page 5.

Sam Baran

Page 4 • Your World

Page 10 • Opinion

how their connections to celebrities

Page 11 • Op-Ed

■Top Ten Things to NOT say to your Homecoming date ■High School Hi-jinx ■Degrees of separation - Students revel

Page 5 • Q&A

■Alan Arnette - Fort Collins resident climbs world’s second highest mountain

Page 6 •News

■Laptop issues plague start of year

Page 7 • News

■Student remains brave after taking fall during mountain hike. ■Column: Reigning wisdom

Page 8-9 • Center

■Student Council prepares for Homecoming events, students share perspectives.

■Staff-ed - Ferguson, Mo. Police overstepping bounds ■Column: Noah’s Bark

■Pro/Con - Paying college athlewtes ■Column - Carving It Up

Page 12 • Features ■Rocky alumni return to teach ■New staff bios

Page 13 •Features ■Student sails historic ship ■Column: Mike’s Hard Facts

Page 14 • Sports

■Rocky alumnus starts for Major League Baseball’s St. Louis. Cardinals

Page 15 • Sports

■Rocky kicker/punter Alex Kinney commits to University of Colorado.

Courtesy of Andrea Justice

Sailing away: Senior Andrea Justice (left) spent part of her summer working on and sailing the wood ship, The Lady Washington. Her story on Page 13.

4 page your world sept. 25, 2014 What’s happening in your world?

Degrees of Separation

Sept. 26: School event Homecoming assembly, 9 p.m., large gym

Sept. 30: Concert - Katy Perry, Pepsi Center O ct . 2 : Co n c ert - Fortuna t e Yo u t h , The Aggie The at r e



 Dad

Sept. 27: School event Homecoming dance, 6 p.m., large gym

Sophomore Chris Cathcart Knew pro runner Pat Porter

Oct. 3: Movie - Left Behind O ct . 3 : Co n c ert - The Ko ffi n Kat s, T he Aggie The at r e O ct . 4 : Co n c ert - Switchfo o t , B u dw e ister Events Cen te r, Lo ve land

 Mom



Sophomore Brandon Hernandez

Oct. 14: School event Choir concert, 7 p.m., auditorium



Oct. 16: School event Finals, all day

5. Will you cover me in bread?

2. So, tell me about your sister...

 Dad

Oct. 15: School event Finals, all day

6. I’m a little bit racist.

3. You really fill out that dress well.

Met Brad Paisley

Oct. 10: Movie - I am ALI

Oct. 17: Movie - The Best of Me

8. I didn’t know you were pregnant.

4. Dinner’s on you, right?

Oct. 10: Movie - The Devil’s Hand

Oct. 16: School event Band concert, 7 p.m., auditorium

9. Oh... you’re wearing that?

7. Did you not have time to finish your makeup?

Oct. 7: School event Picture retake day, 7 a.m., Lobo hall

Oct. 10: Movie - Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Things NOT to say to your homecoming date: 10. I have a contagious disease… will you go to homecoming with me?

Oct. 3: Movie - Gone Girl

Oct. 7: School event Orchestra concert, 7 p.m., auditorium

TOP Ten

1. Did you know that Nick Fitzgerald has 11 toes? by Samantha Baran, Jessi Brokop, Noah Fogleberg Jacob Nemitz, Natalie Pounds, Michael Roley

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high ighter High School Hijinks: Stories of high school happenings in your world Dyer County High School senior Kendra Turner was suspended from her Tennessee school on Aug. 18 after breaking a class rule of saying “bless you” after a classmate sneezed. “Bless you,” along with words such as “dumb,” “stupid,” “my bad,” and “hang out” are listed on the classroom’s white board as banned words by the teacher. Turner claims it is her religious as well as her constitutional right to be able to utter that phrase in the classroom. The school’s assistant principal told Turner that she needed to respect the classroom rules of the teacher and that her behavior turned disruptive and became a distraction. Supportive schoolmates wore hand-made “bless you” t-shirts to school the next day.

Look-Alikes

Senior Kirsten Brodeen

Oct. 17: Movie - Felony O ct . 2 4: Co n cert - Flatbu s h Zo mbie s and the Un d e rac h ie vers, The Agg i e T h e at re

Driver’s

Worked with Maroon 5

license testing Private lessons Required 6 hours of training

www.choicedriverseducation.com

970-484-5229

1232-C6 W. Elizabeth ● Ft. Collins, CO 80521

Senior Connor DeMott looks like

Anthony Michael Hall, star of The Breakfast Club

rmhighlighter.org

q&a page 5 sept. 25, 2014

Climbing K2

Fort Collins resident Alan Arnette recently celebrated his 58th birthday in July by becoming the eighteenth American to summit K2. The mountain is the second highest in the world and is frequently regarded as the most difficult mountain to climb on the planet. Before summiting K2, Arnette managed to climb the tallest mountains on every continent in the world, a feat he accomplished in just 10 months.

Q: Why did you choose to climb K2? A: This is my fifth school. I was an ad I have worked hard since 2007 to raise awareness and funds for

research on the the disease the killed my mom and two aunts, Alzheimer’s. Yet in that time, we have yet to find a cure that impacts over twenty million individuals and caregivers just in the United States. So in an effort to advance the public’s awareness and raise money, I set out to climb the world’s hardest mountain, K2, on behalf of the world’s hardest disease, Alzheimer’s.

Q: What was your experience like while climbing K2? A: It was tough, K2 is a physical mountain that starts steep, ends steep and never lets up. It is mostly technical rock climbing interspersed with steep snow slopes.

Q: You have a mission to help end Alzheimer’s. How does your mountaineering tie into this effort? A: I use a ‘bait and switch’ strategy to get people interested in following my climbs (K2 was my 36th

major expedition and 9th on an 8000m peak) to get people’s attention then gently discuss Alzheimer’s. If I said I wanted to talk to you about Alzheimer’s you would probably find something else to do :) but If I suggested we talk about climbing Everest or K2, you might listen to me. I am not heavy handed or doom and gloom or begging anyone for money, just want a brief moment to help people understand the critical nature of this disease and the impact of individuals, families and caregivers and how they can help.

Q: How has Alzheimer’s affected you personally? A: My mom, Ida, entered the final stages of Alzheimer’s as my dad, Jim, passed away in 2006.

I took early retirement from a 30 year career with Hewlett-Packard to oversee her care the last three years of her life. I was devastated to see her lose life long memories and one day no longer recognize me or herself in pictures. I found my own, and the public’s, general knowledge of Alzheimer’s unacceptable. I felt a strong sense of helplessness as I watched the disease take her life thus educating the public and raising money for research became my life’s purpose in 2009.

Q: What are some of the highlights of your climbing career? A: Everest must be a highlight given I attempted it three times before successfully summiting in 2011. But

also climbing the 7 Summits in under 10 months in 2011 was very satisfying. Mt. Vinson in Antarctica was amazing. But two of my favorite climbs are not the highest or most well known: Ama Dablam in Nepal and Alpamayo in Peru as they are both steep technical snow and rock climbs that I never thought I could accomplish. Finally, summitting K2 on my 58th birthday making me the oldest and only the 18th American to summit was unbelievable.

Q: In your opinion, is it harder to climb Everest or K2? A: K2 is significantly harder given it is rock climbing at altitude with no breaks. Everest is

challenging with the altitude,and after all it is the world’s highest mountain, but there are sections that are easier than others whereas on K2, it is difficult from start to finish.

Q: Does living in a city like Fort Collins - with its high elevation and proximity to mountains - help in your training to climb impressive mountains like K2? A: Absolutely,I am quite fortunate and happy to live in Ft. Collins. I use Longs Peak as my primary training mountain. I have summitted Longs 35 times and been on it over 200. I like to climb it in January when the winds are harsh and the temperatures extremely cold. It is very similar to the high Himalayan peaks except for the attitude of course.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add? A: I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to climb

Everest, K2 and some of the world’s great mountains but more importantly is the opportunity to raise money to find a cure for Alzheimer’s and provide some glimmer of hope to those caregivers struggling on a daily basis with their loved ones. My mountaineering is about the cause not the climbs.

www.alanarnette.com

to view more photos visit rmhighlighter.org

6 page news sept. 25, 2014

Failure to launch

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Laptop problems cause rocky start to year by Evan Maloneweb editor

Shortly after the 2014-2015 school year started, laptops were issued to all students - but there was certainly no shortage of problems. Problems ranged from poor Internet connections and educational sites being blocked to basic problems such as broken chargers. Students who were issued laptops had varying issues, some common and some unique. “In a perfect world, it would be nice to start the school year with all the laptops ready to go,” Ben Johnson, media specialist, said. He explained that the issue of the laptops was in the imaging software, installed onto

“

In a perfect world, it would be nice to start the school year with all the laptops ready to go

Ben Johnson

media specialist

all laptops to prevent students and staff from viewing inappropriate websites. The software was believed to be the underlying problem for lack of connection to the Internet. “What students and staff should know is that all of that is done at the central office. For the most part, it is out of our hands,” Johnson said. “I’m disappointed that we are into the second week of the school year, and we find the laptops still aren’t functional in going onto the Internet.” I.T. personnel continue to look for perfect solutions to the problem within the

Noah Fogelberg

Bundles of frustration: Bundles of empty laptop boxes that contained new laptops for freshmen sit on pallets near the front entrance. Freshmen finally received their laptops on Sept. 9.

imaging software that is on every computer. Poudre School District received the laptops but there are other issues that remain when it comes to distribution. Freshmen were fortunately able to receive their laptops on Sept. 9, three weeks into the school year. Elementary and middle schools within PSD have standardized testing before high schools and are considered to be the highest priority, leaving high schools as a lower priority. “About 50 percent of my upperclassmen are having problems. Be it, they have a broken charger, or they can’t access anything,” science teacher Diana Bonilla said. Technical staff are working with the company, iBoss, to figure out a solution to filtering. iBoss is used to filter through inappropriate sites and YouTube videos to make sure all content is appropriate, although some students have found ways around the program. The fix for the computers has no set date and all is being done by school staff and technical staff. Johnson said that he expects the sure-fire fix to be soon, but the process of fixing it is, “trial and error.” As school rolled into the fourth week, computers and Internet connection issues seemed to improve. Upperclassmen gawk at the new generation of laptops that were distributed to freshmen, which removed the latch on the screen and added new positioned buttons. Yet this aesthetic appeal comes with a price. When directly compared, the freshmen’s laptops are actually slower when connecting to the internet and loading web-pages than the older versions. The month since the school year started has proven to be a frustrating one for PSD. Technology within the district is vital but seems to have common issues. However, it appears to be rolling better now as the weeks go by.

Unable to connect: This screen, signifying a lack of connectivity to the web, has become a familiar sight to students. I.T. personnel scrambled to find a solution when the year started and students’ laptops were failing to connect to the internet.

Noah Fogelberg

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sept. 25, 2014

Student falls on hike, airlifted to hospital by Matt Woodreporter

Hannah Schall, a Rocky junior, returned to school after falling sixty feet from Horsetooth Rock last month. The accident, which occurred on Aug. 18 during a morning hike with a group of friends, happened when Schall lost her footing while standing near a large crevice at the top of the rock. The ensuing rescue effort included 47 total people from the Larimer County Park Rangers, Poudre Fire Authority and paramedics from the Larimer County Search and Rescue. Schall sustained minor head injuries and several major injuries including a broken pelvis, a punctured lung, two fractured ribs, and various bruised bones. “I was in shock, going in and out of consciousness,” Schall said. “I wasn’t really sure what happened. I thought I was in a dream and I would wake up any minute, but I didn’t remember going to sleep or coming down the mountain. That’s when I realized that I had actually fallen.” The rescue effort took about 3 hours as Schall waited with her friends as responders set up climbing ropes

to reach her. She was eventually moved by gurney to a helicopter which took her to the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland to receive further care for her injuries. “It was really flawless,” she said. “I am more than grateful to everyone who played a part in my rescue.” After ten days, Schall was released from the hospital. Regarding her current condition, Schall says she is doing well, and is thankful for all the support she has received. She also cites her faith in helping during her recovery. “God has been very present throughout this whole ordeal. I’m so grateful to my friends who were with me on the hike, to my family, who all came to be with me no matter how far they had to travel, and to all those who have been praying for me.” Schall’s family issued a statement following the incident, thanking all the organizations involved as well as the compassion demonstrated by those in their community. “We are humbled by the outpouring of love and support from all our friends and family. It was a miracle that she survived the fall, and a miracle that none of her injuries are life threatening.”

Celebrity status no excuse in Adrian Peterson child abuse case

hild abuse: physical maltreatment of a child. Whether it’s a bruise or a scratch, if inflicted upon by an authority figure, it’s child abuse. Some people call it discipline, more namely, Adrian Peterson. To me, this is disturbing. When I was 4, the only discipline I received was no cookies after dinner, or no playdate my friend, and maybe some yelling. I most certainly did not receive multiple scratches on my upper thigh. Now don’t get me wrong, 4 year old children may be the most difficult kids to parent, out of any age group, and it might have seemed to Peterson that there was no other way of getting his message across. But to a child, there is always another way. A 4 year old might not even understand why he was being hit. He or she possibly wouldn’t even know what he did was wrong. Even to this day, my parents get mad at me for something that I didn’t even know was wrong. Peterson did apologize, saying, “I am sorry for the hurt I have

reynathompson Reigning Wisdom brought to my child.” He does not consider himself a child abuser. But that decision is not up to him, as he is scheduled to enter a plea on Oct. 8, and faces up to two years if found guilty. Oh and a $10 thousand fine. Definitely an afterthought for one of the more successful NFL players today. We all know the benefits of being an NFL player, one of which is a handsome salary which leads to a very good lawyer. He will most likely get off with probation, and most people will forget about this after a couple months. But is this the last time Peterson will ever “discipline” his son? Reyna Thompson is a junior and Opinion Editor for the RM Highlighter

Michael Roley

Overcoming obstacles: Hannah Schall, pictured above, wears a neck brace after a hiking incident. Schall fell from the top of a rock in to a crevice.

RM Highlighter named Pacemaker finalist The RM Highlighter continued its tradition of success after last year’s volume was named a National Pacemaker Award finalist. The National Pacemaker Award, given by the National Scholastic Press Association, is considered to be the most prestigious award in all of American scholastic journalism. The RM Highlighter has been a final-

ist for the award five times prior to this year and has won a Pacemaker twice, in 2010 and 2006. The RM Highlighter earned top honors in whole-newspaper critiques from NSPA (All-American), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (Gold Medalist) and the Colorado High School Press Association (All-Colorado).

Cans around the Oval

Student wins award

Cans Around the Oval is coming to rocky on Monday, Sept. 29. What is Cans Around the Oval you may ask? it was started in 1986 by senior Colorado State student, Sandy Bowden. The first year the event happened, the cans were only able to be placed one foot apart around the oval at CSU. In present time, the event has grow so much that the cans have to circle the oval at least 3-4 times. Rocky is glad to participate in this event and will hand out boxes for collection next week. Prizes will be involved.

Rocky tenth grader, Jessica Black, won an award hosted by projected.com. Black created a one minute video of her defining a word within a sentence in under a minute. Over 30 kids entered, and the results came back in July relieving that Black had won the contest and $1000. As well as her video, she is very talented at film making and editing. She will use the money made in the contest to return to the SXSW Film in march of 2015, hosted in Austin, Texas.

In brief

Evan Malone

Noah Fogelberg

Evan Malone

8 page center

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sept. 25, 2014

When asked if dances were becoming less popular, Senior Class President Russell Guinn replied with a very short answer: “No.” With Homecoming attendance growing each year, StuCo has no reason to believe dances are becoming less popular. Nick Fitzgerald, senior and student council president said, “Dances are evolving. I believe the nature of Homecoming itself draws people in.” Homecoming is an iconic dance, one known throughout the country as a well attended high school event. One of the things that makes up the dance is the theme. “The fact it is a Homecoming dance will draw people in. The theme would not make that much of a difference,” Fitzgerald said. Even though the theme makes a minimal impact, a lot of thought still goes into it. Student council holds multiple brainstorming sessions where each member is asked to give their input. “The hardest part is probably getting them approved and accepted. And

even things like ‘Merica Day will get turned down,” Guinn said. Another hard part of choosing the theme is getting the central idea of the theme straight. “Thirty high school kids together generally have differing opinions. So having a similar vision through everyone is hard to do,” said Guinn. This “similar vision” is also carried out not just by the dance, but through spirit week. The goal of spirit week is to create excitement about the dance, ending with the Homecoming football game. This game is essential in creating positive energy surrounding the dance. “As a football player, winning last year for the first time in four years it made it better, because the entire week is aimed at building up the game,” said Fitzgerald. Whether or not the game is won or lost doesn’t directly impact the dance, but it does affect the morale of the players. Creating positive energy is imperative to a good dance, and one of the ways that is achieved is by asking someone to the dance in

an elaborate way. Ways of asking can vary from a one worded text, or a trail of candles on a driveway. “I blew up 200 balloons last year for my friend to make his girlfriend’s bed look like it was floating in an ocean. It was really cool,” said Guinn. One could argue that the nature of asking determines whether a girl will say yes. But this puts pressure on the person asking to ask in such a big way. “I think that guys are getting lazier,” said Jackson Engstrom, junior and member of Student Council. “Guys are not asking at all, or handing them a note during class.” It may be stressful, but if the outcome is good, it will be something that will be remembered for a long time. Student Council is looked upon to create a memorable event, and this responsibility can be a lot to handle at times. “We enjoy seeing the way our events impact people,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s not just about setting it up, it’s about how people react to all the work you’ve gone through to put it on,” said Engstrom.

sept. 25, 2014

Are students ‘down to dance?’

StuCo works hard to prep for Homecoming event by Reyna ThompsonOpinion Editor

center page 9

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by Michael RoleyFeatures Editor

Gearing up for Homecoming 14: Stu-Co Audrey Guinn and Rylee Bundy create Homecoming window art.

On the evening of Sept. 26, students will get dressed up, take lots of pictures, then escort each other to the annual Homecoming Dance. The 2014 edition figures to have solid attendance. According to a RM Highlighter student survey, 68 percent of those polled are planning on attending the dance. And the buildup amongst students is well underway. “It’s got a lot of energy and it’s fun when there’s energy,” sophomore Hannah Patchen said. Due to Homecoming taking place in the fall, it’s typically the first dance freshmen attend in high school. And many of them now look to find out what Homecoming is about. “I don’t really know what it is yet. I think its going to be kind of like a middle school dance with high schoolers,” freshman Jacob Tibbs said. On the other end of the spectrum, seniors are going to be attending because they know it’s their final one. “I didn’t have too much interest (in going) last year. It’s my senior year, its going to be my last Homecoming dance,” senior Liza McKee said on her last Homecoming opportunity.

“

It’s got a lot Hannah of energy, Patchen, sophomore and it’s fun when there’s energy.

Additionally, some of the fireworks begin going off weeks before the dance as guys look to ask girls in the most elaborate of ways. This sometimes entails spelling out “Homecoming” in candles on someone’s driveway, or decorating their potential date’s car with sticky notes. Either way, it’s extremely popular as 85 percent of the student body believes that asking someone elaborately is the way to go, according to the survey. “I’d say a simple ‘would you go to Homecoming with me’ would suffice,” junior Adrian Veliz-Smith said. “I also think (asking elaborately) is pretty cool,” he added. Despite numbers suggesting that attendance will be high, others just don’t find the dance worth attending. And others believe Homecoming has become too mainstream. “The whole thing the last couple years has been avoiding stuff that’s mainstream; everybody wants to be a hipster,” Smith said. “It’s cool to not go.”

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Are students ‘down to dance?’

StuCo works hard to prep for Homecoming event by Reyna ThompsonOpinion Editor

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rocky mountain

by Michael RoleyFeatures Editor

Gearing up for Homecoming 14: Stu-Co Audrey Guinn and Rylee Bundy create Homecoming window art.

“

It’s got a lot Hannah of energy, Patchen, sophomore and it’s fun when there’s energy.

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PSD should take advice: Don’t fix unless broken

Ferguson an example of overzealous police

Sam Baran

staff editorial Cops are becoming more of a military force in a stressed out country.

he situation in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown seems disturbingly familiar. Really, how bad must things be when stories of racially charged violence and police brutality become a trend? Unfortunately, these issues have stayed relevant in this country for centuries, but in recent years, events like those in Ferguson portend an unsettling future concerning the militarization of our country’s police forces. Since the creation of the Drug Enforcement Agency in 1973, in the midst of the proverbial War on Drugs during the Nixon Administration, the Justice Department has started to play a bigger and more independent role with its executive power. The DEA began issuing assault rifles to their agents who they trained in carrying out tactical operations to combat drug trafficking. The government started supplying departments nationwide with military-grade hardware given through grants. In the decades after the start of the War on Drugs, these grants and tactics extended from a federal to local level. The problem with this is that these grants are doing more than just better equipping the police force, they’re outfitting officers with military-grade hardware to respond to riots as well as organized

peaceful protests. This equipment rivals most of what was used by the Army during the Desert Storm operation in the Middle East. Numerous videos from the Ferguson protests show policemen in camouflage (which doesn’t seem very practical in a suburban environment) using tear gas and carrying sniper and assault rifles. The icing on the cake was bringing in an MRAP, which stands for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. MRAPs are very large armored carriers, typically used in foreign war-torn cities, so it’s a little more than bizarre that you can find one in Ferguson, whose population is about 22,000. It seems reasonable to question what purpose all this hardware serves in overseeing peaceful protests in a small Midwestern town. Now, this wouldn’t be as serious if the police were properly trained in the use of military hardware, but they are not, and they shouldn’t need to be. They are police, whose duty is to “protect and serve” the community, though that motto doesn’t exactly reflect the image of police that many people have. We, at the RM Highlighter believe that the police need to keep power from getting to their head. Any activity that is not directly protecting or serving citizens is a gross over step of police duties. read extended staff-ed at rmhighlighter.org

f there’s one thing that Poudre School District does better than anybody else, it’s fixing things that were never broken. In an effort to keep our virgin eyes protected from the horrors of the world wide web, PSD decided that a reinvigorated web block was in order. After spending an immense amount of time and taxpayer dollars to train teachers on the incredibly delicate art of using a laptop, the Internet failed to operate on any of the laptops. In addition to that, any damaged laptops and all of the freshman laptops took weeks to be distributed to students. While the length of time it took to get laptops out to students was simply a logistical issue, the Internet not working was due to a complete mistake on behalf of the district. First off, there was no reason to change the filter from last year. It was already completely restrictive and there was no need to add restrictions. Second, I’d like to propose a radical idea to the

noahfogelberg Noah’s Bark district: Get rid of the web filter entirely. I understand that there will likely be an uptick in the number of students playing games in class. There will probably be a number of students using the laptops to look up certain things that really shouldn’t be looked up at school. However, the students that would be distracted by the completely open Internet in class are the exact same students who would space out in class regardless. Restricting the Internet on student laptops in fact does more harm than good. Certain students will always be distracted. Blocking parts of the Internet only keeps students with good intentions from doing what they are able to do.

Noah Fogelberg is a senior and Editor-in-Chief of the RM Highlighter.

Should college athletes be paid beyond photo their scholarships?booth “It depends on the skill level of the athlete and the school they are attending.”

Gabriella McDonald, 9

“It depends on the sport. More watched sports like football and baseball should pay their players, but sports like tennis should not.” Shelby Rois, 10

“No, because they are being paid with a scholarship.”

Jackson Engstrom, 11

“No, because they have the opportunity to pay less for an education many cannot afford.”

Alex Dressen-Shiley, 12

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sept. 25, 2014

To pay or not to pay: That is the question Hard work needs recognition

 pro

magine a movie production studio making millions off of a smash hit without ever paying the actors.This is exactly what is happening within Division I college athletics. Opponents of paying Division I athletes claim that this will add an unnecessary cost to universities. But when you crunch the numbers, it’s clear that college sports (football and basketball in particular) are cash cows. Money is not the problem. Many college football programs draw in upwards of 90,000 fans every Saturday to cheer on unpaid athletes. Additionally, the NCAA tournament in March generates millions of dollars in revenue for both the universities and the tournament’s organizers. In fact, most collegiate football programs are worth tens of millions of dollars. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently estimated that college football is a $10 billion industry. Powerhouse programs such as the University of Texas had football programs worth roughly $140 million. Even smaller schools such as Colorado State generate significant revenue. In 2012, when attendance was low and the team only won four games, CSU’s football program was estimated to be worth $28.2 million. To say that teams like these couldn’t afford payroll for players is preposterous. Many would argue that full-ride scholarships make up for a lack of income, but this is not true. College athletes may not have the burden of tuition, but they have absolutely no income. Because they play sports, many players are unable to get a job to pay for basic living expenses. Most cannot rely on their athletic capabilities to pay for their living expenses in the future. Without a job and with no source of income, how are these players to pay for their basic expenses? It’s time to start paying college athletes.

Sam Baran

Paying college athletes: The death of small school athletics

W con



Noah Fogelberg

hen people view the issue of whether or not college athletes should be paid, they see schools like Alabama and Ohio State raking in hundreds of millions of dollars. For big powerhouse schools, paying athletes may seem like a reasonable idea. The average person may think, “these kids give almost all their time to a sport, they should be paid for it.” However, smaller schools have no chance to stay afloat if forced to give their student athletes a stipend (along with giving them a scholarship). Smaller schools are hardly staying afloat in this extremely competitive world of college athletics and being forced to pay athletes would no doubt force these schools under. However, the idea of paying athletes goes much deeper than simply paying them a fixed

cash amount. Players argue that they should receive a percent of money that the school earned from the players’ “likeness.” This means that the players receive money for any jersey, television advertisement or video games with their name attached to it. Recently, in a case between a former college basketball player and the NCAA in the O’Bannon v. NCAA, the judge ruled against the NCAA stating that “the NCAA’s rules and bylaws operate as an unreasonable restraint of trade, in violation of antitrust law.” It has yet to be seen how this will change the college athletics landscape, but one thing is for certain: athletes should not be paid as if their sport is a job.

Daniel Dideriksen

Time to raise age for getting driver’s license I mattwood Carving It Up

have yet to meet a high school student who wasn’t eager about getting their driver’s license. Who wouldn’t be excited about that? To a teenager, getting a license is a rite of passage. It grants them a new sense of freedom and independence. So I can imagine there are very few young people who would advocate raising the age at which they can legally get a

license to 18. This isn’t exactly a new idea, and not one that generates a great amount of controversy, but recently there has been some debate going on in the country about whether or not this is a good idea. I think it would be. Now, I know I’m in the minority on this, but hear me out. There are a few things to consider when

deciding this. For some, raising the age might be inconvenient depending on the situation, but there are ways like carpooling or public transportation that can fix that. Matt Wood is a senior and reporter the RM Highlighter.

to view complete column, visit rmhighlighter.org

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Returning to Rocky

New teachers, staff members excited to start year Robert Laurie Age: 37 •Teaching field(s)/Position: English Language Arts, Foreign Language •Years of experience: 8 •Education/Schools(s): CSU – B.A. in English Education (Minor in Spanish), CSU – M.A. in Literature •Your path to Rocky: Student-taught at Rocky in 2005, taught in Ault, CO, finished grad school at CSU. •A personal comment about Rocky and/or teaching and/or the students: “The first time I entered Rocky, I could sense something exceptional. This is a positive and upbeat community guided by a skilled and dedicated staff and fueled by enthusiastic students. The Lobo Way is the way!”

rocky mountain

Justin Tate

•Age: 31 •Teaching field(s)/Position:9th grade counselor •Years of experience: 5 •Education/School(s): CSU for both undergrad and graduate school •Your path to Rocky: Middle School Counselor for the past five years at Highland Middle School in Ault, CO •A personal comment about Rocky and/or teaching and/or the students: “I’m very excited to be a part of RMHS and the Lobo Way!”

For complete new staff bios, visit:rmhighlighter.org

Teachers back to school where it all started by Matt Woodreporter

For some people the last place they would want to end up working is at the same high school they graduated from, but for others it’s their dream job. This year, Rocky sees a large number of new staff members, some of whom are no strangers to these hallways. “I think in the time I’ve been here, just the administration, students, overall culture and environment, the alums want to come back,” new English teacher and football coach Derek Franz said. “I know that I had my twenty year high school reunion and a lot of them were excited that someone from our class was back, and they asked me questions about what it’s like.” For Franz, coming back to see familiar faces and old teachers is a strange experience: “I haven’t had that kind of social experience. There’s always a different kind of environment when things change,”Franz said. “I think you all experience that when you go back to your elementary schools or middle schools. They view you a little differently than when you were a student there and you kind of view them a little differently.” For Spanish teacher Jamie Quiros, who graduated in 1996, the perspective may have changed, but the experience has stayed with her. “When I went to the assembly I was taken back to being a student here because of the whole enthusiasm when they talk about the Lobo Way and what that means to people, all of that part of Rocky was there as a student as well,”Quiros said. “As a teacher, I see teachers differently than when I was a student. I think as a teacher you realize all that they do every single day and as a student you might not have a good grasp on what it takes to be a teacher and plan every day for an entire unit and to make it go smoothly.” It’s always challenging to adjust to a new work environment, even if it is in a familiar place, but new teachers remain optimistic. “I’m really happy here and I’m really glad I came. I’m so glad I got a job,” Quiros said.”I don’t see myself going anywhere. I will probably be here forever.”

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Voyage into the past

Aye Aye Matey: Senior Andrea Justice (left) works on the wood sailing ship The Lady Washington in an experiential learning trip this past summer. Justice said she did it partially to gain writing material.

Some people go above and beyond to find creativity, some people stay at sea level. Over the summer, senior Andrea Justice did exactly that. She went on a two-week-long trip on an 18th century ship, the Lady Washington. “I want to be a writer and so I’m looking for any experiences that I can put in my writing,” Justice said. The Lady Washington took off from Aberdeen, Washington and went along the coast to Anacortes, Washington. Those who go on this trip learn all about sailing as well as get to see sights along the coast of Washington. The brig sailing today was launched in March of 1989 by Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Society and is a full-scale reproduction of the original ship of the same name. The ship’s overall length is 112feet-long and the height is 89feet-high. According to the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport

michaelroley Mike’s Hard Facts

Courtesy of Andi Justice

Senior sails wood ship Lady Washington by Natalie PoundsYour World Editor

Just keep Homecoming-asking simple

Society website, the ship is equipped with everything from the original, including two three pounder guns and two swivels aft. The ship has a passenger capacity of 41 people. “It’s actually the flagship of Washington State. It is actually named after her,” [George Washington’s wife.] Justice said. The replica has appeared in various films and television shows such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Once Upon a Time, and the basis of the ship appeared in Disney’s Treasure Planet. The ship also appeared in Macklemore’s music video for “Can’t Hold Us.” Justice has been on the search not only for inspiration, but also information. “I like writing fantasy but I also like to make it somewhat historically accurate, like not just make it all up.” Justice said. Justice has already written a story for her creative writing class based on her experience on the Lady Washington.

is’ the season for Homecoming. Homecoming week officially began on Monday and this marked the beginning of spirit days, junior-senior wars and all the other hoopla that builds up to Friday’s assembly and football game, and then culminates with the dance on Saturday. However, one of the more interesting aspects of Homecoming is the unique, creative, and occasionally hilarious ways that guys ask girls to the dance. Unfortunately, they can sometimes go awry. And I’ve had my share of “Homecoming Proposal” mishaps and hope to share a few things I’ve learned so others can avoid them when asking someone to Homecoming. First of all, if the idea involves doing something on your potential date’s property, clear it with her parents first. Otherwise, this is a potential

misdemeanor and can lead to numerous uncomfortable situations- especially if there’s a neighborhood watch or an overprotective father involved. It’s best just to communicate with the parents beforehand. Trust me. Avoid the use of fire. As clever and cute as spelling out “Homecoming” on someone’s driveway can be, too many things can go wrong. Aside from the obvious risk of starting something on fire, the weather and other factors are often too risky and can make for a miserable experience. Also, I advise against the use of live animals, particularly non-domesticated ones. Hopefully these tips are found to be beneficial in any future Homecoming endeavors. To be honest, the best way to ask someone is to just keep it simple. Michael Roley is a senior and Feature Editor of the RM Highlighter.

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t 22 years old, Marco Gonzales has accomplished much more than the average. He pitched four straight state high school championship wins while playing for the Lobos from 2007-10. He got drafted into professional baseball out of high school but decided to attend Gonzaga University, a baseball powerhouse of the West Coast Conference, where he was the conference player and pitcher of the year and an All-American. Gonzales also won the John Olerud Award, an award which is given to the best two-way player in the country. He was drafted again after his junior year at Gonzaga, this time, in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals, where his contract featured a $1.85-million signing bonus. Gonzales earned his first MLB win on Aug. 30, 2014. He now has a 3-2 big league record with 27 strikeouts and a 4.34 earned run average (ERA). While playing in the minors for the Springfield Cardinals, he sported a 2.33 ERA. He also held the opponents’ batting average to an astonishing .220. In AAA, while playing for the Memphis Redbirds, he made 8 starts allowing 17 earned runs and had a 3.35 ERA. Gonzales made his MLB debut in his home state in front of a Coors Field crowd of his friends and family. “It was a blast. I was blessed to be around some of the fans here, and I was fortunate to get that opportunity for sure,” Gonzales said.

On the way to playoffs

The Cardinals have now taken a commanding 2.5-game lead in the NL Central behind some stellar pitching performances. Among the pitching staff of the Cardinals is Gonzales. After a rough start in the big leagues, he’s pulled it together and has now won three of his last four starts. “Man, it’s special,” he states. “You turn on the TV at night and you see some of the highlights of our games and some of the stuff we’re doing and to be on a team that’s in first place, doing well, it’s pretty cool.” However, pitching is not the only During his high school career, Marco Gonzales (shown on the mound in 2010) was a pitching and hitting star, leading the Lobos to four straight state titles. RM Highlighter archives

playoffs, and then he got a start in the district tournament and then two in the state tournament,” said Bullock. “So he won 5 games down the stretch as a starter and was really good.” Twenty percent of Gonzales’s wins as a freshman were state championship games. Sixty percent of his wins were in postseason play. Needless to say, Gonzales was primed and ready for the big time even after his first five starts in high school.

Four years removed from Rocky, Gonzales is

Thriving

■.375 batting average ■ 4.34 ERA ■ 3-2 MLB record ■ 27 strikeouts ■ 29 innings pitched ■ .261 opponent average Big leaguer, Marco Gonzales of the St. Louis Cardinals, pitches against the San Francisco Giants on July 1 at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Gonzales, who graduated from Rocky in 2010, boasts a 3-2 record in his first full year of professional baseball, much of it spent with the major league club.

in the

Show thing Gonzales can do. He’s hitting .375 for the Cardinals with 2 doubles and only one strikeout. Gonzales hit .325 in the 2012 season at Gonzaga and had 49 hits and 29 RBI in that year, while only getting 151 at bats. In the minors he had a .400 average and even hit a home run in 2013. His first MLB hit was a double off of Yohan Flande of the Rockies. “Man, I don’t know. I would like to think that it (hitting) would help a bit, but that’s not my priority,” said Gonzales. While he is young for the MLB, Gonzales is far beyond his age. Scouts and coaches were impressed by how intelligent and mature he was when he came into the league. A lot of that he gives credit to his catcher Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina. Molina, a 10-year veteran, caught Gonzales’s first game. “He’s a class act, a soft spoken leader,” Gonzales said of Molina, “really great guy to be around especially for a rookie. He really keeps us on

rocky mountain

Story by Jacob Nemitz

track, and helped me out with the transition.”

Misses Fort Collins

While the transition seemed easy, Gonzales misses home. Gonzales is a Fort Collins native and played baseball here his whole life. “I think being around my friends and family is what I miss the most,” Gonzales said. “Man, Fort Collins was such a comfortable place to play; the environment and the town are great.” Fort Collins must have been very comfortable for him because after his first state championship win, Gonzales returned to Webber Junior High. “Back then, 9th graders were still in junior high,” said his former Rocky coach Scott Bullock. “He pitched in the state championship as a freshman and went back to junior high on Monday. That’s pretty amazing!” Although the Lobo coaching staff had some doubts about Gonzales early, he came through when needed. During the tryout process, they took

Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group/MCT

one look at Gonzales and saw something special. “We had a good team that year. We knew we had a good team. He’s pitching against Andy Burns (in the Blue Jays minor league system), Jordan Stouffer, Garrett Stone and some really good hitters–and they can’t touch him.” That’s the moment that Bullock and the rest of the coaching staff knew they had something special. Gonzales was originally in the bullpen as a freshman and helped with relief. He didn’t have great velocity at the time, but he had exquisite placement and location of his pitches. Later on in the year, the Lobos struggled with starting pitching and Bullock decided to try something new. “He had done a really good job out of the bullpen, and about game 10 maybe 11 of the season we decided to make him a starter,” Bullock said. What an impact that decision made on a season and on a program. “He took two starts before the

Talent seen early

With Gonzales’s quick rise to the majors, his former coaches know exactly why he’s made it so far. “He’s such an amazing competitor, and he’s unbelievably talented. But there’s a lot of guys that are that talented, but you have to have the right attitude, the right mentality: all those little things go into making it to the big leagues,” Bullock said. Many kids get caught up doing one thing and not another when trying to make it to the big leagues. Gonzales does not have that problem. “You know, my job is to get hitters out; my job is to be the best pitcher I can be, and that being my priority, I like to help the team when I can,” Gonzales said. Along with being an outstanding player on the field, he’s top notch off the field. “He’s a good character guy, integrity, the whole nine yards. I mean Marco is a good guy,” said Bullock. Gonzales was an Academic AllState senior at Rocky. He decided on Gonzaga after getting drafted by the Rockies out of high school in the 29th round. “It was an easy decision for Marco, honestly,” Bullock said. “The Rockies didn’t offer him anything worth it. For him it was easy.” Gonzaga gave him the opportunity to grow as a person and mature as well as mature as a baseball player. Now, Gonzales is in the thick of a pennant race and coach Bullock has the utmost confidence in him. “Twenty-two years old on Sunday (9/14), he pitches in front of a sold out crowd, in St.Louis, in the middle of a pennant race, and he goes out and pitches like he’s at Gabe Pando Park. Nothing bothers him,” he said.

Baseball family; love of game Gonzales was raised in baseball family. His father Frank Gonzales works for the Rockies as the pitching coach of the single A team. Frank also played baseball at CSU, and then went on to play in the minors. Gonzales was never short of coaching or encouragement. Regardless of poise, maturity and pennant races, Gonzales is doing what he loves every day.

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rmhighlighter.org Sports Roundup Boys’ tennis RECORD: 6-1 overall OF NOTE: No. 1 singles player Isaac Smith is 8-0, while the No. 2 doubles team of Neville Hyllegard and Johnny Titelbaum are 7-1. TALKING POINT: “There is a very strong team personality and a will to win. We expect to represent our team and our school in all upcoming tournaments. We will play with passion and hope to move on to the state tournament.” -Eric Ortolano, senior LOOK AHEAD: After playing in this conference tournament in Broomfield earlier this week, the team will be back in the city for the regional tournament, schedule for Friday and Saturday at Rolland Moore Park tennis courts. Those qualifying for state out of regionals will play in that event Oct. 9-11 at Gates Tennis Center in Denver.

Boys’ golf RECORD: 10th overall in FRL; 10th overall at regionals OF NOTE: Junior Antonio Campana aced the par-3 9th hole at the final FRL tournament Sept. 2 at Harmony Club. TALKING POINT: “The golf was a little disappointing results-wise, but it was a lot of fun improving my game with a great group of guys. It was a fun way to spend my senior year of golf, and I can’t wait to continue my relationships with everyone involved in the Rocky golf program.” -Henry Powell, senior LOOK AHEAD: No Lobo player qualified for the state tournament at the Sept. 15 regional tournament. Cameron Nagel was the team’s top regional finisher, carding an 80 to finish 19th.

Cross country RECORD: Boys placed 17th out of 23 teams, while the girls were 15th of 22 at the prestigious Liberty Bell Invitational on Sept. 12. OF NOTE: Junior Bryan Hird has placed in the top 10 in each of the Lobos’ meets, including a 9th place finish at Liberty with a season-best time of 15:45. TALKING POINT: “It’s going real well. Everyone on the team is doing well. Our top four girls are under 20 minutes, which means we are on track to go to state.” -Star Rasmussen, senior LOOK AHEAD: The conference meet is schedule for Oct. 10 at Broomfield Commons while regionals are Oct. 17 at Northglenn.

Boys’ soccer RECORD: 4-2 overall; 1-1 in FRL OF NOTE: The Lobos started the year 4-1 with 3 shutouts before suffering a difficult 1-0 setback against Monarch High School on Sept. 16. TALKING POINT: “No one expected us to be a playoff team this year. We have so far proven people wrong as our record stands at 4-2, and we are receiving votes to be a top 10 team in the state, and we consider ourselves a potential playoff contender.” -Jake Harper, senior LOOK AHEAD: After playing No. 2-ranked Boulder High School on Tuesday, the Lobos still have league powers Collins (Oct. 2), Broomfield High School (Oct. 7) and Fossil Ridge (Oct. 9) ahead. Of those teams, only the Collins game is a home match.

Gymnastics RECORD: 2nd at Palmer Ridge Invitational on Sept. 13; 6th at Loveland Invitational on Sept. 5. OF NOTE: Sophomore Autumn Bottke is ranked 7th in the state in the all-around and 3rd in floor exercise. Sophomore Sydney Gainley tied for 1st on vault at the Palmer Ridge Invite. TALKING POINT: “This year has included a lot of new, young gymnasts, who have helped contribute to our success.” -Autumn Bottke LOOK AHEAD: The Lobos play host to city rival Collins at 6 p.m. on Oct. 8. The FRL meet will be at Mountain Range High School on Oct. 15.

Softball RECORD: 8-4 overall; 3-0 FRL OF NOTE: Winners of 4 straight TALKING POINT: “We have a winning record. We’re better than ever, and we hope to keep the momentum going.” -Taylor Phebus, junior LOOK AHEAD: Saturday against city rival and No. 7-ranked Fossil Ridge. First pitch 10 a.m. at Lobo field.

Volleyball RECORD: 2-4 overall; 2-1 in FRL OF NOTE: The team didn’t play a home match until Sept. 16. However, the Lobos made the most of that home court opener, blanking FRL rival Monarch, 3-0. It was the team’s first shutout of the season. TALKING POINT: “We have a strong team and a lot of potential.” -Catherine Beard, junior LOOK AHEAD: The Lobos get league leader and city rival Fossil Ridge at home on Oct. 9. Start of the match is schedule for 6:30 p.m.

sept. 25, 2014

Kinney kicks way to CU by Michael Roleyfeatures editor

The Los Angeles Coliseum, Autzen Stadium and The Rose Bowl: all of these hallowed stadiums are places senior football player Alex Kinney will be visiting in the next few years. Kinney, a senior kicker and punter, gave his verbal commitment to the University of Colorado in July. Rated as a five star recruit, CU was the only school to officially offer Kinney. However, he was sought after by Tennessee, New Mexico State and hometown Colorado State. Ultimately, he decided on the Buffs. “It’s close to home but I can still get the college feel,” Kinney said regarding his decision. “They’re doing a huge renovation and getting an indoor field, which will look awesome.” Currently, Kinney handles all of the kicking duties for the football team. He was named a second team all-state kicker a season ago after making 11 of 15 field goal attempts with a long of 51 yards. He followed that up with a monster 57-yard field goal in the football team’s season-opener against Brighton High School on Aug. 29. “When you have a kicker and punter like Alex, often times field possession is going to be in our favor,” coach Mark Brook said. “With his field goal ability in the mix as well, it adds a different dimension that other teams don’t have. His impact can be huge.” However, Kinney will likely be primarily used as a punter for the Buffs. He figures to be in the mix next year with current punter Darragh O’Neill set to graduate after this year. Regardless, Kinney is

keeping an open mind about kicking down the road for the Buffs. “We’ll see. Maybe my junior or senior year I might kick,” Kinney said. Playing in a major college football conference such as the Pac-12 can be a rather intimidating experience, as CU plays powerhouses such as Oregon, USC and UCLA. “It’s pretty nerve-racking, but I think it’s going to be fun,” Kinney said. Brook has no doubt that his star kicker will thrive in Boulder. “I think it’s a fantastic fit. Alex will have the ability to play incredible football in the Pac-12 and obviously get an unbelievable education from CU,” Brook said. “I think its a great fit Alex all around.” Kinney Interestingly enough, Kinney grew up rooting for Nebraska, formerly a huge rival of CU when the two were in the same league. However, his allegiance has shifted to CU. ”I’ve come around to like CU a lot now. They’re my team now,” Kinney said.

Football team coming together Looking for running room behind blocking, junior running back Cade Hairgrove turned up field in a Sept. 4 game against Legend High School.

by Sam BaranReporter

Over the past three years, the football team has had its struggles at times with its new-old veer offense, installed prior to the 2012 season. But it seems that switch is all coming together this season. After a 31-6 rout of city rival Fossil Ridge on Friday, the team is 4-0 and sits atop the Front Range League with No. 4-ranked Fairview High School at 2-0. Following Friday’s homecoming matchup against 2-2 Horizon High School, where the Lobos have a chance to start 5-0 for the first time since 2008, the team travels to Fairview on Oct. 2 in a likely showdown between undefeated and league-leading teams. “The team is winning because we are tight, allowing us to work

Noah Fogelberg

well together and make the smart plays,” said junior defensive lineman Scott Creighton. The Fossil victory supported that statement. In that game, the Lobos earned scores from an interception return, a long field goal from University of Colorado-bound Alex Kinney and a touchdown pass from a backup quarterback (junior Tyler Hyland) who relieved an injured two-year starter (senior Tausolia Liufau) Prior to that, the entire defense

stepped up and held a Legacy High School offense to 6 points in a 10-6 victory. Statistically, running backs Josh Rhead (senior), Autry Baskin (junior) and Cade Hairgrove (junior) have shared the rushing load and all boast around 200 total yards. Senior Max McDonald is the team leader on defense. From his linebacker position, he recorded the interception return for a score against Fossil and averages better than 13 tackles per game.

16 page photo essay

rocky mountain

high ighter

sept. 25, 2014

With a Lobo yell, junior Ashley Yeager (left) fires up her class at the Back-to-School Assembly. Junior Dom Snyder (below) uses wind power to twirl a pin wheel at LoboFest, a first-week event which brought the school together for fun activities.

Worth a Yell Sam Baran

Sam Baran

Looking for an open teammate, senior Jordan Etl (right) controls the ball to pass in a boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; soccer game.

New school year packed with enthusiasm, optimism

Busting through, the football team (below), led by senior Max McDonald, (44) runs onto French Field for its home opener against Legend H.S.

Evan Malone

Natalie Pound

Performing the Peer dance in costume at the Back-to-School Assembly are seniors Kylee Conradson, Katherine Walter, Kourtney Conn, and Morgan Charbo, junior Erica Giesenhagen, and seniors Helen Robbins, Haley Takahashi, and Kira Pratt.

A capacity of 1,965 students jammed into the spaces of the school as the 2014-15 school year opened on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The 42nd year of Rocky Mountain High School began with great enthusiasm, which was demonstrated in a heart-pounding backto-school assembly at the end of the first week. Additionally, a 4-0 start by the football team has the entire school abuzz for things to come.

Noah Fogelberg