Rocky Mountain Highschool: 2014 may by Rocky Mountain Highlighter

Emily Anderson

May 21, 2014 Vol. 41, No. 9

Five more minutes: Student sleeps on desk during late start period. Next year, late start will be moved back another five minutes to accommodate district policy.

Rocky Mountain High School 1300 W. Swallow Rd.Fort Collins, Colo.

The Rocky Mountain

HTime turning

HIGHLIGHTER

the

side show High School Hijinks:

Administration alters late start time

As part of a senior prank at RaymorePeculiar High School in Kansas City, Mo. students displayed a camel on Wednesday, May 7, to commemorate their last “hump day.” The students used $100 to rent the camel from a local family, reported KMBC-TV. “We as seniors just like to go out with a big bang,” Tyler Wornell, a Raymore-Peculiar senior said. The camel, who was named Gabriella, was apparently “very bubbly” and seemed to enjoy her day. The students did not suffer any consequences from the prank.

There once was a time at Rocky that late start began at 9:30 a.m. For current students, this is only a dream. History goes to show a trend on a yearto-year basis of a small, however noticeable, decrease in the time allotted for late start. The 2014-2015 school year will be no different. Rocky’s administration has decided to begin class on Wednesdays at 8:40 a.m. versus the previous year in which that day began at 8:45 a.m. This alteration will allot students an extra 70 minutes for whatever alternative activities they please on Wednesday morning versus every other day that first period begins at 7:30 a.m. The decision was made by department leaders and the administration team in an attempt to properly accommodate the requisite 360-hour standard Colorado uses to allocate funding. “This hour count is done by calculating the exact amount of contact time in a student’s first semester schedule. Synergy does this very accurately, and when we ran our time schedule

Quote of the Issue:

“I am excited because I’ve never been out of the country before and I love music so this was the perfect way to explore the world, doing what I love.” -Anna Dworkin, junior

Inside: Senior Special: Pullout

by Noel Knostmanreporter

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When we ran our time schedule through it, we came up short. Brett Larsen Assistant Principal

through it, we came up short,” Brett Larsen, assistant principal, said. When making this decision, department leaders and the administration team considered several solutions and found that the best decision was to subtract five minutes from late start and no longer have the extra 15 minutes for homeroom on Wednesdays, overall giving students 20 more minutes for learning on a weekly

basis that weren’t previously there–20 minutes that will be broken into five minutes added to each period to help meet the standard. This solution was found to be more appealing than the alternatives. “One way would have been requesting that first semester end a week after winter break or even not allowing off periods for students,” Larsen said. For obvious reasons, the administration found these to be not fit solutions. Rocky was not the only school that has had to make this adjustment. Rocky, along with the three other high schools in the district, was given the current year as a grace period in order to organize before 2014-2015. If Rocky fails to comply from here on out, the school will lose funding. “One of the complicating factors to this time addition was the employee agreement section 11.8,” Larsen said. “This states that we cannot exceed 1300 (plus or minus 15) instructional minutes within a school week. This schedule is how we tackled the problem of adding minutes to kids’ schedules and not exceeding the minutes allowed.”

Pledge in Arabic controversy rekindled by Noah Fogelbergsports editor

In January of 2013, members of last year’s Cultural Arms Club recited the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic in an effort to promote diversity and acceptance of all walks of life. What they were met with was a hailstorm of criticism from various community members and rightwing media. Some even claimed that Cultural Arms Club was trying to push the Islamic Agenda upon the school. It seemed that the controversy had died down. Nevertheless, a few right wing bloggers recently wrote about the incident as if it had happened recently. This has rekindled the controversy and brought the idea of saying the pledge in another

language back into the realm of debate. Because of this, school administration has been contacted by angry citizens once again. “Most people are just angry that it happened at all. Some have called for people to lose their jobs or resign,” said Principal Craig Woodall. Many of the bloggers that wrote about the incident cited inaccurate information, making it seem that it occurred in April of 2014. “Last Monday, a member of (Rocky’s) Cultural Arms Club led the student body in an Arabic version of the pledge, replacing the words ‘under God’ with ‘under Allah,’ right-wing pundit Rick Wells wrote on April 28 on the website gopthedailydose.com.

This account of the story is inaccurate as the pledge was not recited in any language besides English this year. “I am frustrated that people did not take the time to research that this is an old story,” said Principal Craig Woodall. In his blog post about the incident, Wells criticized school administration, including former Principal Tom Lopez, for allowing the pledge to be spoken in other languages. “Given their youth, the high school students might understandably not recognize the problems with proclaiming America as ‘one nation under Allah.’ The grownups should and they ought to be controlling the activity,” Wells wrote.

Pledging Allegiance: Students pledge on a Monday. The controversy of saying the Pledge in Arabic last year has been rekindled by conservative news sources in the past few weeks.

While the original intent of saying the pledge was to make everyone feel welcome, regardless of cultural background, Wells, Jump to pledge on 2

Index:

Band goes to Europe: 6

The future teachers : 3

Noah Fogelberg

New coach takes stage: 8

News, 2 Features, 3 Opinion, 5 Limelight, 6 Sports, 7 Seniors, pullout

2 May 21, 2014

Rocky Rocky MountainMountain HIGHLIGHTER

N EWS

Speeding towards success

MAX transit busing has grand opening, makes travel easier

by Miriam Fieldsfeatures editor

A sleek green light rail on wheels zooms past, stopping all traffic in its way and hurtling toward its destination in record time. It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s the MAX bus. The new MAX Rapid Transit System, spearheaded by the City of Fort Collins’s Transfort bus service, premiered on May 10 with much celebration. At the premier, each MAX station hosted either a party with free food, entertainment, and activities, a welcome station with information about the new service, or both. Food tastings, cupcake decorating, live music, and more were offered as the twentieth route of the Transfort system went underway. All participants were allowed to ride the new MAX bus to as many of the stations as they wanted for free. Overall, the day was a success. With such a long-awaited and well-planned sendoff, many people wonder what the benefits for the new bus route will be. “Parking downtown is hard, and I think there’s going to be some efficiency gained there,” said science teacher Scott Kemp, who has used the Transfort system for

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Parking downtown is hard, and I think there’s going to be some efficiency gained there. Scott Kemp, science teacher

the past 12 years. “I think MAX will be good for simple trips where you can get out of your car and ease the traffic and parking. And I think it’s going to be cheaper (than driving).” The newly added route will do more than bring less traffic to the area; there are also a multitude of conveniences the newly built MAX stations will provide for the city. “It is convenient because you don’t have to step up on the bus,” Louis Louis, a Customer Service Representative of Transfort, said. “You just walk right on. There are stops all along the Mason

Corridor, and there is automatic ticketing so you don’t have to use cash on the bus. You’ll use a ticketing system at the machine outside the bus.” Registrar Debbie Aragon is also excited to ride the new bus route. “It stops right around the corner from my house and I can ride it downtown,” Aragon said. “It will be something fun and new to do. My granddaughter comes and spends the night once a weekend, and she is excited. She’s been watching the bus take practice runs, and she’s excited to ride the bus to Great Grandma’s house.” These improvements run through more than just the MAX system itself. Many changes are being made to the entire Transfort system, including the addition of several new routes for original city buses, more frequent stops, and more accessibility of route information through Twitter. Fortunately, the unveiling of these city-wide developments to Transfort buses will provide more flexible schedules for the MAX system. “The MAX will provide service from Downtown Fort Collins to our new South Transit Center, which is located south of Harmony Road,” Louis said. “It will have service approximately every ten minutes. The MAX will oper-

The entire RMHS community would like to thank the following donors for making After Prom possible: Altitude Running American Furniture Warehouse Aspen Dental Auto Dealers of Fort Collins Baabs Designer Portraits Beau Jo’s Pizza Bisetti Family Blumhardt Family Bohemian Foundation Bowden Family Brinkman Family Buchanan Family Butter Cream Cupcakery Cafe Mexicali Canino’s CB & Potts Chic-Fil-A China Wok Chipotle Chipper’s Lanes Cira City of Fort Collins Clayton Jenkins Photography Colorado Ice CSU Curiosities Dan Wells Donation DeMott Family Denver Museum of Nature & Science Domino’s Crane & Seager Orthodontics

Dr. Don Jorgensen Dr. Paul Sherick Dr. Robinson Ebert Orthodontics Elks (FC Lodge #804) Exponential Engineering Field Family Fort Collins Club Fort Fun Funke Family Garlic Knot Gilsdorf Garage Gojo Sports Granger Family Great Harvest Greiner Family Guitar Center Hair Tree Hart Family Hewlett Packard Huntington Learning Center Ihlenfeldt Family Inca Jason’s Deli Jim’s Wings Jimmy Johns Johnson Family Josephs’ Hardware & Home Center Julie Ulstrup Photography King Soopers King Weenie Krazy Karls

La Luz Little Caesars Pizza Ludens Family Lyric Cinema Macino’s Mama Roni’s Pizza Mary Patterson C n S Workshop McDonald Family Meldrum Family Men’s Wearhouse Nalezny Family Neergaard Family Newman Family Niedringhaus Family Noodles & Co Oglesby Family Old Firehouse Books Orthopedic Center of the Rockies OtterCares Owen Orthodontics Panda Express Pentico Photography Pizza Hut Plato’s Closet Pringle’s ProVelo Prudential RM Realtors PVH Qdoba Events Center Qdoba Mexican Grill Raintree Athletic Club

Also to the many volunteers...... Thank You!!!!!

Raising Cane’s RMHS PAC Sam’s Club Schaefer and Kaines Family Dentistry Schlotzky’s Screaming Peach SDI Skillman Photography Sonic Sport About Steak Out Saloon Subway Taps Taqueria Los Comales Target TCBY Texas Roadhouse The Chocolate Cafe The Melting Pot Therapeutic Massage Thomas R. Pixley, DDS Trios Tynan’s Wahoo’s Tacos Walmart Water World Westminster Ice Centre White Buffalo Whole Foods Wilbur’s Wright Life

Miriam Fields

Waiting for the bus: Leova and Jay Flora look at the bus schedule at the grand opening of the MAX transit. The new busing system will was spearheaded by the City of Fort Collins’s Transfort bus service.

ate Monday through Saturday. It begins as early as 5:10 in the morning and the last drop-off is 12:20 a.m. They’ll operate every day that Transfort buses are operating. The only days they won’t operate are pretty much Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day. But otherwise, there won’t be any unusual timing.” The MAX route will run at no charge throughout the summer, only requiring payment once the

school year begins in August. “The one-year annual cost is $154 for those who are not students, or you can purchase a monthly 31-day pass for $25,” Louis said. “A single ride would be $1.25.” Many teachers and staff members believe that students should take advantage of the free service. “I would have everybody use it if it was free,” Aragon said.

Pledge

from page 1

along with other various rightwing pundits, claimed that the Cultural Arms Club, along with Lopez, were attempting to push an Islamic agenda. Wells went on to criticize Ibrahim Hooper, Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who had defended the Cultural Arms Club. “It just might be that Americans recognize the Islamic agenda, Mr. Hooper, and are tired of having it forced upon them. Maybe we know what you are up to and people are pushing back,” Wells wrote in response to Hooper. Despite the loud-spoken outrage in response to a very old story, there are still many more people who support Cultural Arms Club in their actions. Mohammed Sahab, a former club member and current Rocky senior from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, voiced his support for the club. “I’m proud that people are still talking about it,” Sahab said. According to Sahab, if

people are still discussing this topic, it leaves open the possibility to promote acceptance. Sahab believes that the backlash against the pledge being spoken in Arabic is rooted in racism. Despite the backlash against the push for acceptance, Sahab says that he still has always felt welcome in the Rocky community. Even though the incident happened more than a year ago, the rekindling of the controversy has brought up the question: “Should the Pledge of Allegiance be spoken in other languages?” The Pledge of Allegiance was not published until 1892, when it was written by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy. The United States has no official language, and in fact, immigrants whose first language was not English are the ancestors to nearly everyone currently residing within American borders. Additionally, there is an explicit reference to the freedom of speech in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Despite this, the controversy will live on.

Masters of motivation: Business teacher Lynne Lyell encourages juniors Ryan McLean and Henry Powell in her sports and entertainment marketing class. Lyell is one of the many teachers who have inspired students to pursue teaching careers after graduating high school.

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

FEATURES

May 21, 2014

Fishing with Trout

Megan Troutman

Inspiring examples

I’m growing up to be a princess

O Aaron Yu

Teachers encourage, motivate students to pursue teaching careers after graduation by Jessi Brokopreporter

Teaching is not just a job; it is a way of life. Every day, teachers work hard to make sure their students learn everything they need to get them ready for the real world. They work extremely hard to teach and inspire students to be the best they possibly can be. Many hardworking teachers have even inspired some students to become teachers themselves. Senior Delaney Neal is planning on going to college to become a physical education teacher. She was not specifically inspired by any one teacher, though her favorite teacher she has had is Mike Dyer. “I had (Dyer) this year and last year, and I’ve really gotten to know him well,” Neal said. Neal’s parents have also been a huge inspiration for her. “I really like working with people; both my parents are teachers, and they tell me stories about how they help students through hard times and connect with certain students. It’s a good way to help people out,” she said. Junior Nathan Behr is also planning on becoming a teacher after college. He hopes to become a social studies instructor. Like Neal, Behr has been inspired by other teachers. Business teacher Lynne Lyell has influenced and encouraged Behr by the way she teaches. “Mrs. Lyell is one of the ones who inspired me to become a teacher just because she has so much experience outside of being a teacher… she decided to become a teacher, cutting her pay rate down a lot. Also because of her attitude, you see some teachers that you know don’t want to teach,” Behr said. “She always has that good attitude and I just really like her personality.” Behr plans on becoming a teacher after he joins the military, which will give him the skills he needs to be successful. “(Joining the military) will help with discipline and learning to deal with that, and also I might decide to

Features special

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To be a teacher in general, I think you have to really be committed to the job and you have to be willing to work with other people and be a team player and go above and beyond what’s expected of you.

do something else. It also helps with college.” Lyell, who has inspired Behr with her teaching methods, has not been a teacher forever. She worked in advertising for 14 years, but discovered she did not want to do it for the rest of her life. “It was also pretty stressful, very fast paced, especially when I was in California and San Francisco. I was just on the go all the time, so I kind of like it a little slower,” Lyell said. She has now been teaching for around 12 years, and has made a big difference in her students’ lives. “I had another student who wanted to become a teacher, and she said that I was the reason. She graduated a few years ago. She’s at UNC right now. I think you can inspire kids by making a connection with them and being a role model,” Lyell said. Junior Mariah Johnson has become inspired by her teachers as well. She plans on teaching band because of her teacher, Kenyon Scheurman. She is planning on teaching band and orchestra at the high school or college level. She is in orchestra herself, and has joined Jazz Band, which has inspired her to teach Jazz Band in the future. Johnson is planning on going into the military, just like Behr. She firmly believes that this will help improve her teaching skills. “(In the military) you learn a lot about life, and you learn about discipline, and you learn how to be a leader, and you learn how to take charge. I think those are all qualities of being a teacher, and those are qualities I think teachers could implement to have a successful class,” Johnson said. Johnson’s band teacher, Scheur-

Kenyon Scheurman, band teacher

man, has inspired her with his positive attitude and the way he treats his students. “He came in as a new teacher to the music department, which is a huge deal at Rocky, and he handled it incredibly well, and he’s made a huge impact and all the students love him,” Johnson said. “He’s just a really great teacher and he knows what he’s doing. I always joke and say I want to be like him when I grow up, if I get the chance, but I think he’s just a great teacher, and he genuinely cares about the students.” Scheurman just finishing his first year teaching at the school; he taught at Boltz Middle School before his arrival. “Mariah is a great kid. She works really hard and she has a lot of great leader’s qualities. I have no idea why I inspired her to say that,” Scheurman said about Johnson. “She’s a great kid, she’s done some really cool things in the Rocky Jazz Band and helped organize stuff for that group, and she’s been a great member in there. It’s great to have her there. It provided her the opportunity to be in Jazz Band, and she’s just with it. It’s been really great.” This is Schuerman’s seventh year of teaching, and he knows what it takes to be a good teacher. “To be a teacher in general, I think you have to really be committed to the job and you have to be willing to work with other people and be a team player and go above and beyond what’s expected of you,” Schuerman said. “That’s really what you have to do if you’re going to be successful as a teacher, and I look at all of the teachers here at Rocky, and that’s what they do. They go above and beyond what is really expected to be great.”

k, here it comes: another cliché graduation column. I’ve had the most wonderful time in high school but now it’s time for me to move on in my life. I will be moving to Neverland to pursue journalism and communications at Cinderella’s Castle, and then I will go to grad school to become a princess. I couldn’t be more excited for my future! Good. More sappy graduation stuff, blah blah blah, la la la, okay, good. Now what I really want to talk about are Disney princesses. Why, you may ask? Because Disney is pretty cool. I mean I know his head is supposedly in a block of ice, but I’m a fan of the movies. We grew up with the six main Disney princesses: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine; thin waists, fair skin, beautiful singing voices, the works. So naturally, after grad school when I become a princess, I will have long beautiful hair and woodland creatures will love me. Maybe I’ll even have an animal best friend. Probably a moose. I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine. And he shall be my Squishy. But seriously, have you noticed how almost every Disney princess has a best friend who is an animal? Maybe people should have animal best friends too. Pascal, Rajah, Meeko, Flounder, and Mushu are much more fun than real people. Take Pascal, for example. He plays hide and go seek, puzzles and darts and baking, papier mache, a bit of ballet, and chess. What a stand up friend. Rapunzel knows what’s up. I’m not sure how this happened, but Cinderella, Aurora, and Snow White all have this magical singing ability where animals will run to the forest’s clearing. Maybe this is how you’re supposed to pick up best friends. Next time I run away from a crazy lady and sing to birds in the forest (cough, Snow White’s a wimp, cough cough), I will definitely befriend the robins. But seriously, princesses just open their mouths and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, woodland creatures prance around doing stuff for them. Occasionally they’ll make dresses. Aurora even sang and an owl fell in her basket. No one questioned it. It just happened. So the plan for college is to sing out my dorm window and wait for little pink birds to swoop in and wash my clothes. Maybe they’ll bring me chocolate too. We’ll work on that. Hopefully I’ll learn this singing trick in grad school. As well as how to make my hair look good 24/7. I mean Pocahontas is outside every day in the wind and she even jumps off a cliff; yet there is not one split end on that girl’s head. Or Rapunzel has five miles worth of hair, but the little village children have no problem braiding it with flowers. I know her hair is magical and crap, but somehow this really isn’t fair. After finding my best friend Squishy the moose, learning how to get lobsters to bring me chocolate, and having the most beautiful hair in all the land, I will fall in love with a prince. Yep. A tall, handsome prince who will tell me anti-jokes as we walk into the sunset. Pretty excited about that. While I have a lot to learn, I’m so excited for what the future has in store for me. It’s been a blast writing columns, but it’s time for me to take on bigger things in the world. Well, it’s off to Neverland. Harmony available, Pebbly. Megan Troutman is a senior and editor-in-chief of the RM Highlighter.

4 May 21, 2014

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

Students will travel to France for summer trip by Madeline Zannopinion editor

Ten hours and one layover in Iceland later, six Rocky students will be landing in Paris, France, for the trip of a lifetime. Organized by the Association Strasbourg Amité USA, students from Rocky and Loveland high schools will be traveling to France for two weeks. The trip begins in Normandy, the site of the D-Day Invasion and other landmarks. The students will stay with host families in Strasbourg, a French city near the German border, for two weeks before travelling to Paris. Planning for the trip began when French teacher Kari Bridenbaugh announced to her classes last year that there were French students looking for host families. Multiple students, including seniors Kelsey Erickson, Jacob Munro, and Perri Peterson, and juniors Finnegan White, Cassandra Ungerman, and Katherine Walters, took Bridenbaugh up on her offer. Now, these students will be staying with the families of their host students this summer. “You get to know so much more about someone and a place and the language by hang-

ing out with someone from that place,” said junior Finnegan White about having an exchange student. “It was just a wonderful experience.” “I’m a little bummed because I don’t get to stay with the same family this summer,” Ungerman said. “But I’m excited to go back to France and see everything again.” The trip opens up opportunities not just for meeting new people, but learning about French culture and immersing oneself in the language. All of the students going on the trip have taken up to French 3, if not more, so they are hoping to be able to further improve their French skills. “I want to try and speak French as much as possible because that’s what I have the language for, is to use it,” Ungerman said, whose family does speak some English. “I don’t want to resort to English and not use French at all… then I’ll even learn more culture and dialect.” The trip itself is only two weeks, so the students are expecting it to go quickly, but to get a lot out of it. “It’s not really that long of a time,” White said. “But it’s enough to get your feet wet and... to experience a lot of things.”

FEATURES

Madeline Zann

Funding for France: Senior Kelsey Erickson and junior Finnegan White sell croissants to teachers Susan Chaffee and Bob Haddad to fund their trip to France. Students attending the trip will be staying with host families, which will give them opportunities to speak French and become immersed in French culture.

Leaving behind a legacy Potential Torch Bearers discuss ambitions, leadership Jocelyn Gentry Kyle Johnson

Q: Why were you nominated as Torch Bearer?

A: By really trying to show the lobo way, I get along with every one. (I am) a good student, and a good friend to everyone and I think that’s just what Rocky’s all about; it’s just being a part of the community and doing your best. Q: What do you think you're representing as a Torch Bearer nominee?

A: I think as Torch Bearer, you’re showing the community what its like to be a part of the pack, be a lobo and just be everything that the school stands for, so just being a good student and being kind to everyone.

Lucas Boland

Q: What do you think you're representing as a Torch Bearer nominee?

A: Well, I think that Rocky is one of the coolest schools out there and it’s a really special place, so I think whoever does represent that really has to be somebody that is up to the task because it’s such a diverse and great group of kids. How many other places you know have photo labs like this? How many other places do fund raisers every other week? It’s just an incredible student body, so I think all the people here are just incredible and that’s what you have to represent and everything that being a lobo is.

Q: Why were you nominated for Torch Bearer?

A: I was nominated probably because I’ve just been extremely involved in the school through sports. I’ve done four different sports throughout high school. I’m a peer and I’ve been really involved with that and mentoring younger kids and being a part of that program and doing sexual assault presentations... so probably that is another factor of involvement. And I'm in National Honor Society. Delaney Neal Q: Why do you think you were

nominated for Torch Bearer?

A: I do well in school. I'm not great but I do well enough; I get straight ‘A’s. I’m involved. Q: As a Torch Bearer nominee, what do you represent? A: (I’m) representing the lobo way, a person with good character and good integrity (who) is spirited and proud to be a lobo.

Ellen Field

Q: Why were you nominated for Torch Bearer?

A: Because I get along with a lot of people. Q: As a Torch Bearer nominee, what do you think you represent?

A: Rocky and all the kids at Rocky, also the lobo way.

Kelcey Bedard

Q: What do you think you're representing as a Torch Bearer nominee?

A: I guess I’m just representing Rocky as a whole because Rocky means being a part of a family and being a big pack. I guess you could say I’m just representing that part of Rocky. Compiled by Tia Clark

Year to think

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

magine this: A person goes through 18 years of life in Fort Collins, gets decent grades and is accepted to CSU. They’ve taken a trip to Mexico when they were 10, went to a resort and saw the glamorous side of tourism. But they’ve never been to Europe, and it’s been their lifelong dream. And the opportunity arises to go to Europe for a year before college, the student should take it. Colleges like seeing that students have taken the time to expose themselves to different cultures (if the student does go to a foreign country). And not only that, but not all learning

can be done in a classroom. So if the student does choose to go to Europe, or any other country, they’ll have experiences that can’t be explained unless they’re lived. Like finally being able to break down a language barrier with the street vendor, or navigating through a town that was impossible to navigate before. It’s reasons like this why it would be beneficial to take a year before college to find the person you are before embarking on what can be the most important four years of life. One thing that is always nagging at the back of a college student’s mind is money. College students are known

for buying mini fridges and raman, and saving every last penny to pay off their massive student debt. Even if the student didn’t choose to go to a foreign country and chose to work for a year, the benefits would still be enormous. Not only does the student get work experience and valuable practice with people skills, they get financial benefits as well, and a huge chunk of future debt is lifted off their shoulders. Whether the student is talking a year to backpack through the Swiss Alps, or just taking a year to work, the opportunity to take a gap year should not be overlooked. Reyna Thompson

Pro Con  Loss of motivation, knowledge caused by gap years

he weather is changing, finals are being taken, and beginning college next year appears to be overwhelming. Before taking a gap year before college, students should reconsider. Chances are, as most gap year plans go, students will be spending tons of money just before paying your way through an expensive university, and coming out much more in debt than planned. And if not, time will most likely be wasted while the rest of your friends are taking on the next step towards their careers or education. By the time you return to school after a gap year, if you have not

continued studying during the course of the year, your knowledge toward the subject which you study could deteriorate, causing confusion and failure in future college classes. This could cause frustration in your studies, setting you back even further in your classes or causing your college GPA to suffer. Time away from a classroom can lead to demotivation when none of the activities which you are participating in involve deadlines, homework, grades, or studying. A summer away from school is one thing, but an entire year can set you back academically. It could be hard to get back on track when the rest of

the people in your classes have been studying just a few months before and you show up after a year long break. Your transition into your career would also be delayed with taking a gap year. After years of waiting to enter into your field of study and graduate from school, you will be held back at least a year behind your original plans and behind the graduation of your friends. While taking a gap year appears to be an opportunity for a deserved break, what it results in is lost momentum and a delay on future plans and goals.

Kayla Brokop

photopoll

Would you take a gap year before college? 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

Probably not, I would forget a lot of info I learned in high school.

As beneficial as it would be, I feel like I would rather pursue my career sooner.

I’m not sure what I want to do yet, so it would give me time to plan

I would do it, it would be nice to have money before college.

Sydney Gainley, freshman

Lindi Hester, sophomore

Joeline Souine, sophomore

Austin Allison, junior

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.

The Rocky Mountain

HIGHLIGHTER

The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is published nine times during the school year by the newspaper staff of Rocky Mountain High School/1300 W. Swallow Road/ Fort Collins, CO 80526. Contact Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff members at 970-488-7090 or 970-488-7091 for advertising information. Also the Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff is in Room 528, during 4th period.

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; AllAmerican Hall of Fame Induction-2008; AllAmerican, 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.

OPINION

Gap years give students a needed break

May 21, 2014

TheEmily’s Rocky Mountain Embellishments HIGHLIGHTER

Emily Anderson

I hate you all

After much thought and much internal debate (AKA sitting in front of the computer for five minutes), I can confidently answer what my favorite part of high school has been. And the answer to that is The Highlighter. I know writing about your high school paper experience in your high school paper is pretty lame, but it’s my last column and I’ll do what I want. I’ve loved working on the Highlighter not because of the important work we do or the “journalistic power” we have. It isn’t because of the writing or the designing or the community we’ve built. The truth is simple: I adore the people on it. Life on the Highlighter is basically a sitcom–you have your white girls who just “can’t even,” your sarcastic cynics, your kinda ditzy best friend, your slightly overecstatic underclassman, and those two girls who are waaaayyyy too close. There’s your highly concerned adviser, an editor who most definitely always knows what’s going on, another editor who sings incessantly, and your scary ad manager. Every day is a new adventure, and every issue is a new assortment of funny, weird, and sometimes just horribly offensive moments. There are two things you don’t want to see being made: sausage and newspapers. If you knew the thought, debate, and conversations that went behind your monthly reading material (that is, if you’re generous enough to take the homeroom time to look through it), you would probably cry a little bit, just like we did every production week. But in the end, through the fits of anger while designing, the screams of anguish during brainstorming, and the wrath of over-tired editors, Highlighter has been one of the most rewarding adventures of my high school career. Sincerely, The Breakfast Club Emily Anderson is a senior and editor-inchief of the RM Highlighter.

Editors-in-Chief Emily Anderson news Megan Troutman limelight

Sports Editor Noah Fogelberg Features Editor Miriam Fields

Kayla Brokop Reyna Thompson Noel Knostman Trey Jouard Tia Clark

Ad Manager Tia Clark

Center Editor Aaron Yu

Contributor Jimmy Halderman

Staff Marissa Bonertz Jessi Brokop

Advisor Stephen Wahlfeldt

Opinion Editor Madeline Zann

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.

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.

l a s r i c s u e m v f i o n u ge a

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

May 21, 2014

What’s in the Limelight this summer? T o d ay: School: Scholarship Breakfast, 7:30 a.m.

M a y 2 2: School: Convocation, 8:10 a.m. School: Senior Picnic, 12 p.m. School: Baccalaureate, 7 p.m. M a y 2 3: School: Graduation, Moby Arena, 6:30 p.m. Concert: Hoodie Allen, Bluebird Theater M a y 2 8: Concert: One Republic and the Script, Red Rocks Concert: Cher, Pepsi Center

T lan he gu

LIMELIGHT

M a y 3 1: Concert: Bassnectar, Red Rocks J une 6: Concert: John Butler Trio, Red Rocks Concert: The Beach Boys, Budweiser Event Center Movie: The Fault in Our Stars J une 8: Concert: The Fray, Red Rocks J une 11 : Concert: Lionel Richie and Cee Lo Green, Red Rocks J une 13 : Concert: Tech N9ne, Aggie Theater Movie: 22 Jump Street Movie: How to Train Your Dragon 2 J une 14 : Concert: O.A.R and Phillip Phillips, Red Rocks J une 18 : Concert: Wacka Flocka Flame, Gothic Theater J une 20 : Concert: Skrillex, Red Rocks Movie Release: Jersey Boys J une 27 : Movie: Transformers 4: Age of Extinction J une 30 : Concert: Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson, Pikes Peak Center J uly 4 : Concert: Martina McBride, Greeley Stampede J uly 6 : Concert: Michael Franti and Spearhead, Red Rocks J uly 1 1: Concert: Andy Grammer, The Summit Music Hall Movie: Dawn of The Planet of the Apes J uly 1 8: Comedy: Brian Regan, Pikes Peak Theater Movie: The Purge: Anarchy J uly 2 2: Concert: The Voice Tour, Buell Theatre J uly 2 4: Concert: The Music of ABBA, Red Rocks A ugust 2: Concert: Sara Bareilles, Denver Botanic Gardens At Chatfield A ugust 6: Concert: Foster the People, Red Rocks Concert: Lady Gaga, Pepsi Center A ugust 7: Concert: Austin Mahone, 1stBank Center A ugust 8: Concert: Pretty Lights, Red Rocks A ugust 10: Concert: Train, Red Rocks A ugust 11: Concert: American Idol Live, 1stBank Center A ugust 15: Start of New West Fest A ugust 17: Concert: Bruno Mars, Fiddlers Green Amphitheater End of New West Fest

Colorado musicians to tour Europe

by Megan Troutmaneditor-in-chief

It’s not every day that you eat breakfast in Switzerland, lunch in Liechtenstein, and dinner in Austria; the Colorado Ambassadors Europe tour makes it possible. Built in 1970, the Colorado Ambassadors have sent young musicians across the world for the opportunity to experience different cultures through the lens of music. These musicians perform in various countries for the community, as well as tour the land in their spare time. Every two years, musicians from Colorado are selected to travel abroad and share their music. Now, 11 students are preparing for the trip of a lifetime to seven countries in Europe. “I am excited because I’ve never been out of the country before, and I love music, so this was the perfect way to explore the world doing what I love,” junior Anna Dworkin said. Dworkin is one of only two choir students to attend the Europe music trip, but is excited to go. “I think it’s actually a little bit intimidating, because band has their own little family, and choir has their own little family,” Dworkin said, “so it’s a little intimidating but I feel special in that way that there are only two choir people going.” Unlike band students, Dworkin does not have to worry about bringing an instrument across seas. Senior Emma Rieb, who attended the same trip two years ago, had to transport her Clarinet from place to place. “Being a clarinet player, you’re worried about the temperature and humidity on the whole trip so I couldn’t just throw it in the hold of the plane; I had to take it with me and carry it in my suitcase as well,” Rieb said. “It was actually fairly difficult.” Two years ago, Colorado Ambassadors traveled to England, France, Switzer-

Top Ten

Things not to pack for your summer vacation.

Courtesy of Suzie Nelson

Tunes in Paris: Colorado Ambassadors debut in Paris, France for the 2012 Europe music tour. This summer there will be eleven students from the music department participating in this two week trip.

land, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Italy, and with the extended trip, Greece. Ambassadors will be traveling down the same road to perform in five of the seven countries. “I’ve been involved with music for forever,” Dworkin said, “so I’m excited to see the different style and technique that can be brought from different parts of the world. The experience overall is going to be completely different than anything I’ve ever done.” Dworkin was selected to be part of this program by band director Scott Schlup, who organizes meetings and invites students to consider the opportunity. Selecting students is not an easy task and must take plenty of consideration. “It’s really about character and the way that people act on a daily basis,” Schlup said. “I just look for the kids who are stepping up and showing the lobo way.” In the past three Europe trips with the Colorado Ambassadors, Schlup’s favorite memory comes from Zermatt, Switzerland. “I think it’s always the same (memory) and that’s on the Matterhorn,” Schlup said. “The pictures and just the time relaxing with people is probably my favorite thing.” Likewise, Emma Rieb enjoyed her time in the Swiss Alps, and most memorably, the four course meal on the first night in

10. Crocs. 9. American flag speedo. 8. Sweet shades. 7. Your slippers. 6. Montezuma’s revenge.

Crans Montana, Switzerland. Rieb also enjoyed reminiscing the first night in England. “When we first got in London, we just got off the plane after this really long plane ride and we were all really tired,” Rieb said, “but then we went for this walk around London and we saw the Globe theater and all these landmarks, and it just kind of hit me like, ‘hey, I’m in Europe.’” While touring each destination is part of the trip, playing music in various countries is part of the job description. “It was great just to see the differences between the different (music) venues,” Rieb said. “In London and Switzerland they were really active (during our concert). Here, everyone sits very sedately, but there they were clapping along and cheering and singing. It was a lot of fun.” From June 21 to July 11, students will be playing music in breathtaking locations across the seas. “I think a lot of people are thinking about, ‘oh, we get to go on the London Eye’ or ‘we get to see a musical’ or ‘we get to go see the Matterhorn,’ but I think a lot of people don’t understand that we’re going to work as well,” Dworkin said. “So even though all the touristy stuff is there, I’m really excited to sing in all these phenomenal places. I’m really excited to explore all these new places with all these new sounds and all these new people.”

5. Smallpox infested blankets. 4. Coconut bra. 3. Your best Southern accent. 2. Your racist grandpa.

1. Donald Chen Marissa Bonertz, Trey Jouard, Miriam Fields, Madeline Zann, Emily Anderson, and Noah Fogelberg.

Rocky Mountain

HIGHLIGHTER

S PORTS

May 21, 2014

Baseball

from page 8

The Lobos now face Cherry Creek High School at noon on Friday at All-City Field in Denver. If the Lobos win that game, they eliminate Cherry Creek, which has already lost a game in the tournament, and advance to the final on Saturday where they only need to win one of two. If they happen to lose the game against Cherry Creek, they still advance to Saturday’s final but it is then a single winner-take-all game. The other two teams still alive in the tourney, Regis and Mountain Vista, play an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner of that game continues play into Saturday. “From this point on, it’s just going to be about the team that plays the best baseball,” Bullock said. “There’s a lot of talent in the state.”

Madeline Zann

Celebration: The Rocky baseball team crowds home plate to celebrate senior Nathan Elsheimer’s home run. Rocky won the game against Bear Creek, 11-0.

SPRING SPORTS WRAP-UPS

Another year is coming to a close; here’s how spring sports panned out

Track and field state competition, May 15-17

▶ Max McDonald

Jimmy Halderman

Power Kick: Senior Natalie Graves kicks the ball. Graves scored 1 goal in 14 games played.

Girls’ soccer

Record: 6-8-2 Stars: Mackenzie Garske, Natalie Graves What went well: Team unity and taking shots. Season highlight: The people on the team and getting to beat cross town rivals. Talk: “Soccer has allowed us to meet new people and fall more in love with the sport we play.” -Katherine Neff, junior State playoffs: Seeded 27, Lost 5-1 to No. 6 seed Arapahoe High School

Boys’ swimming and diving Stars: Tim Landau,Cody Prochazka, Tayler Scott, Parker Shimpa What went well: Two teammates qualified for state and it was a progressive season. Season highlight: Being allowed to try new dives. Talk: “My favorite part was the meet when I qualified for state, that was my goal for the season.” -Cody Prochazka, senior

After use

please recycle

 Junior Max McDonald won the state championship in both shot and discus. • “Well it’s a good feeling for sure. Having put in so much time and work after hours, it’s nice to have it pay off. Credit goes to Coach Mac (Mike Mackenzie), though. He’s been crazy dedicated this whole season, and without him, I wouldn’t be in this position.” -Max McDonald, junior

 Junior Carly Lester defended her 300-meter hurdles state title on May 17 and shattered the state record at the same time. Her winning time of 41.18 bested the previous record of 41.35 set by Twink Krainik of Highlands Ranch High School in 2000. Lester also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles earlier in the day. Lester already owned the school record in both the 300-meter and 100-meter hurdles prior to the meet.

▶ Carly Lester

Track and field Stars: Carly Lester, Max McDonald, Alivia Ayres Perry What went well: Teamwork and closeness. Season highlight: Track meets, bonding, practices, and all the fun along the way. Talk: “I like doing track because I can meet new people and improve my fitness.” -Mandy Arnold, junior

Girls’ tennis Record: 6-2 Stars: Kristen Brodeen, Nicole Garza, Hannah Manning What went well: Working well as a team and communicating. Season highlight: Going to tournaments and cheering on teammates. Talk: “I really enjoyed leading the team and teaching the freshmen this year.” -Kristen Brodeen, junior State Results: Tied for 14th

FREE GAME Bring this ad into any of our Centers for 1 free game Laser tag coming soon!

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

SPORTS

May 21, 2014 Mad Maddy

Madeline Zann

It’s been real, Rocky

f you’ve known me for long enough, you know that I love baseball. A lot. And if you’ve talked me at any point in the last week, you probably heard that my dad threw out the first pitch at a Rockies game. To put it briefly, it was freaking awesome. I got to watch Rockies’ batting practice while I was on the field, stay in a suite, go on the field to watch my dad–the whole nine yards, but that wasn’t necessarily the best part. One of the best things about the whole experience was that my dad was getting recognized for something he loved, and for all the work that he has put in for the last 28 years. Not only that, but it was a reminder that I was almost done; that I could make it past through these absolutely crazy last weeks of school. Between the research papers, AP tests, presentations, finals and all that good stuff, I’ve barely had anytime to savor my last days in the public school system, but sitting there in the suite overlooking home plate, I had time to realize that not only was it almost summer, but that I have enjoyed high school. Has every moment of every single day been great? Absolutely not. It would take more fingers than I have to count the amount of times I’ve been so stressed that I felt like I would not be able to get through the end of the year. But I made it. We all did. Somehow, someway, we made it through the senioritis and now we’re on the other side. So now we have a few months to relax and catch up on our sleep before we jump into the next absolutely insane four (or five or six or ten) years of our lives. It’s been real, Rocky. Madeline Zann is a senior and the opinion editor for the RM Highlighter

Baseball Bonanza

Madeline Zann

Ready to swing: Rocky baseball player and junior Garrett Hammer gets ready to swing during Rocky’s district game against Bear Creek High School. Rocky won the game 11-0 and Hammer had one hit.

Lobos only undefeated team left in state’s final 4 by Madeline Zannopinion editor

The Lobos are no strangers to playoff baseball. However, it has been a few years since the state title four-peat of the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons, but the Lobos are looking to make a comeback to that level of glory. After a bumpy start at the beginning of the season on the Arizona trip and in the opening of league play, the Lobos have won 16 straight games, including two on May 10 to win a district crown and the first three of the double-elimination state tournament last weekend to advance to Friday’s final four as the lone unbeaten 5A tourney team. “I think the guys coming together, and battling through that adversity created some toughness for them down the stretch, so looking back on it, I think it’s good thing [starting 3-5],” baseball coach Scott Bullock said. “I think part of it was we didn’t have our identity yet . . . I think once we really settled on one lineup, it created some comfort for the team.”

Sports special

Baseball Record: 19-5 (including state playoff games) Stars: Carl Stajduhar, Tyler Stevens What went well: Finished the season strong. Season highlight: Going undefeated for the last part of the season. Talk: “There are a handful of teams in our state that could win the state championship, and from this point on, it’s just going to be about the team that plays the best baseball.” -Scott Bullock, coach

But clicking in the dugout is not the only reason the Lobos have started doing so well. This season, the Lobos have scored on average a little over 8 runs per game and combined that with almost lights out pitching. Seniors Tyler Stevens, Marc Bachman and Carl Stajduhar have carried the starting pitching staff with a combined ERA of 2.28. In the May 10 district playoffs, the host Lobos beat Bear Creek High School, 11-0, with a 5-inning no-hitter from Stajduhar and then Grandview High School, 11-1, later that same day, securing their place in the eight-team state tournament. “I feel like pitching is the strength of our team,” Bullock said. “Those three guys are capable of beating anybody everyday, and they’re consistent. They

rarely have a bad day.” However, pitching has not been the only factor for the Lobos. “I feel like we have a real tight-knit bunch. These guys really truly are a family and they love to play with each other and that gives me some comfort going into the state tournament,” Bullock said. Stevens, Stajduhar and Bachman got the three pitching starts to kick off the state tournament on May 16 and 17. With key relief help from senior Cory Richer in two games, the No. 7-seeded Lobos dispatched Regis High School, 2-1, in the state opener, defending 5A champion ThunderRidge High School, 5-4, in the second game, and Mountain Vista High School, 17-7, in the team’s third state game.

Jump to Baseball on 7

Coaching change coming to boys’ basketball team by Trey Jouardreporter

Back-to-back semifinal appearances in the state tournament. Conference champions. A perennial powerhouse. These are among the accolades new boys’ head basketball coach Brian Tafel associates with Rocky’s basketball program. A graduate from Longmont High School, Tafel remembers facing Rocky in the 5A Northern Conference while playing for his alma mater during the early 2000s. Under former coach Ken Shaw, the Lobos boys’ basketball team was an overall 431158, and a year-in, year-out contender for the state title. After being hired as head coach for the 2014-15 season, Tafel has aspirations of turning the program in the right direction, and recreating the supremacy of Rocky basketball, as he remembers it. “I want to bring Rocky basketball back to its status of excellence as one of the top tier programs in the state of Colorado,” Tafel said. “I graduated in 2002 and in my years of playing high school basketball, there weren’t many teams in our conference better than Rocky.” With two years of head coaching experience at Palisade High School and an overall

record there of 32-16, Tafel said he believes the position at Rocky presents a challenge, but also an opportunity for him as a young coach. “I’ve always wanted an opportunity to coach at the highest level in Colorado,” Tafel said. “To go from Palisade, a 4A school, to a big 5A school, I think will be a good challenge for me and also an opportunity to coach higher level talent, at a bigger school with larger stakes and better competition.” On April 28, Tafel was announced as the new head coach after a thorough selection process involving multiple stakeholders in the program. Applicants answered questions for a panel of parents, talked with the administration and athletic coaches, and lead a 30-minute practice with returning players. After this three-pronged approach, athletic director Wayne Moddelmog welcomed Tafel as the new boys’ basketball coach. “He’s very at ease and confident, and also very passionate about the game of basketball and coaching,” Moddelmog said. “Looking at his resume and talking to references, [you can tell] he’s very thorough about everything he does; [including] the teaching aspect of his life.” Tafel attributes his defense-oriented

under Boyle when Boyle was the head coach at the University of Northern Colorado. “We’re going to be a great defensive team at Rocky Mountain High School,” Tafel said. “Our basketball team is going to be known for our toughness and our ability to guard people. And that was certainly something that was preached at the high school program I was in, as well as the college program I was a part of with coach Boyle.” Juniors Wynne Wilson, Olivia Barrows Cameron Erickson and Riley Coaching at Palisade: Brian Tafel speaks with one of the bas- Neal, as well as sophomore ketball players for Palisade High School. Tafel will take over the Benji Williams, are among the reigns of as head coach of the boys’ basketball team for Rocky players Tafel will have in his next year. arsenal for the 2014-15 season. coaching style to two major influences: With a new coach and summer workouts longtime Longmont High School coach Jeff starting in June, Wilson hopes to have a Kloster and Tad Boyle, the head coach at successful senior season. the University of Colorado. After graduat“I want to win games, but I also don’t ing Longmont High School, Tafel played want to have a bunch of problems like both collegiate soccer and basketball at we’ve had the last two years,” Wilson said. Colorado College while getting his under“I just want to have fun, and I think we can graduate degree in sports pedagogy. Tafel do that if everyone buys into what [coach then served as an graduate assistant coach Tafel] says.”

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

Senior Special May 21, 2014

“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” - Albus Dumbledore

2014e Congratulations Class of 2014! Abrams-Snider, Adams, Aiello, Al Agha, Alberts, Alberts, Aldern, Andales, Anderson, Anderson, Anderson, Anderson, Andrews, Antu, Ao, Ao, Archuleta, Armstrong, Arreguin, Atencio, Avens, Avila, Ayres-Perry, Bachman, Badalamenti, Baker, Bartholomew, Bartzen, Bearden, Beck, Becker, Bedard, Beers, Beers, Bell, Bell, Benavides, Bender, Benham, Bergquist, Berry, Betts, Billington, Bindel, Bjorklund, Blinne, Block, Bloom, Bloomer, Blumenshine, Blythe, Boland, Bolander, Boldt, Boler, Bonertz, Bowen, Box, Boyles, Boyton, Bradley, Braley, Brandt, Bray, Brenner, Brewer, Brooks, Brooks, Brown, Brown, Bruntz, Burgher, Burke, Caballero, Carpenter, Carreon, Casanova, Cava, Champ, Chen, Christensen, Christenson, Cipriani, Ciraula, Cismoski, Clark, Connolly, Cook, Cordova, Cordova, Costanza-Chavez, Cotier, Cotten, Couch, Cowell, Craver, Crawford, Creech, Cristofaro, Critchfield, Croft, Cruz, Culp, Curran, Dalton, Dankowski, Davidson, Debord, Decrescenzo, DeHerrera, Diaz, Dicke, Dielman, Dixon, Dotson, Dotson, Douglas, Dudley, Dupuis, Durkin, Durnil, Eckery, Elsheimer, Engstrom, Erickson, Erickson, Erickson, Erickson, Ernst, Ernst, Ernst, Farmer, Fels, Fichter, Field, Fitzgerald, Flynn, Force, Forest, Fraaken, Franklin, Franklin, Fuller, Funke, Fusco, Gaboda, Garbani, Garcia, Garske, Garza, Garza, Gefroh, Geilert, Gentry, George, Giesenhagen, Giesenhagen, Gines, Glenn, Glenn, Goggin, Gonzalez, Goodwin, Gourd, Grant, Gravelle, Graves, Griffin, Grimm, Gueller, Guerrero, Gunter, Gustafson, Hahn, Hahr, Haise, Haldeman, Hale, Hall, Hall, Hammond, Hannan, Hanson, Harders, Harris, Harton, Hawkins, Haynes, Hayward, Heaberlin, Healy, Heck, Heer, Henderson, Henderson, Hersch, Heter, Hill, Hines, Hoefs-Hutter, Hoeye, Hofer, Hofer, Holland, Holst, Horne, House, Hoy, Huggins, Hughes, Hummel, Hurt, Hutchinson, Huxell, Iron Cloud, James, Jennings, Jennings, Jensen, Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, Jones, Jones, Kamer, Kaufman, Kechter, Kehmeier, Keller, Kelley, Kesterson, Kierstead, Kilburn, Kile, Kilgore, Kinney, Kiraly, Klaer, Knauer, Knoll, Knostman, Knowski, Kordeliski, Krbec, Krehbiel, Kreul, Kropp, Lachelt, Langfield, Lankford, Lasco, Lavelle, Lawson, Leidholt, Lemay, Lettner, Lewis, Lewis, Lilly, Linder, Lipe, Liu, Llamas, Lobato, Lopez, Loucks, Loughrey, Lucero, Ludens, Lynch, Lynch, Macoubrie, Magnuson, Malmquist, Manning, Mares, Marin, Marquez, Martinez, Martinez, Martinez-Luera, Mascio, Mason, Maxwell, McCarthy, McCrary, McElwain, McGee, McIntosh, McKillip, McNeil, Meadows, Meehan, Mendez, Messerli, Mitchell, Mojahed, Montgomery, Moon, Moore, Moore, Morgan, Moske, Muffly, Munro, Murphy, Murphy, Nagel, Neal, Neergaard, Nelson, Nelson, Newman, Newman, Ngo, Nguyen, Noeldner, Normandin, Novotny, Nye, Obenchain, O’Brien, O’Connor, O’Grady, Oh, Oldham, Olivas, Oqueli, Ornelas, Osterberg, Osterlund, Ozog, Padia, Palomino, Pansire, Paratore, Parish, Perez, Perske, Petenes, Peterson, Peterson, Pettinger,

Pineda, Pollard, Pond, Pounds, Powers, Pringle, Prochazka, Prochazka, Quadrel, Quicke-Gutierrez, Racchini, Radtke, Radtke, Ramirez, Ramos, Randall, Rangel, Reece, Reese, Rempelos, Renn, Richer, Rickett, Rieb, Rieb, Rivas, Rivera-Lovato, Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Rogers, Rosholm-Davidson, Roupinian, Rumsey, Rush, Ryan, Saari, Sadar, Sadler, Sahab, Sanchez, Sauer, Sauser, Saxbury, Schmidt, Schneider, Schofield, Schultheiss, Schwab, Scott, Seidel, Sexton, Shaw, Shi, Shorrosh, Simental, Simmons, Simon, Skelton, Smith, Sohn, Sonnenberg, Sorensen, Spivack, Spotton, Stajduhar, Stanifer, Stanley, Stanton, Stechmeyer, Steininger, Stevens, Stevens, Stewart, Stockton, Sumearll, Summerhays, Surprenant, Sutherland, Sutton, Sutton, Sweatt, Tanner, Taulman, Taylor, Tepper-Fobes, Thomas, Thomas, Thompson, Thompson, Tibbetts-Pagan, Torres, Travers, Trimble, Trousil, Troutman, Tsekar, Turtscher, Tuttle, Udolf, Uzelac, Valdez, Vance, Vaniscak, Vanschooten, Vazquez, Von Carlowitz, Wang, Watterson, Weatherwax, Wellington, Wells, West, Westcott, Whitman, Wiens, Willard, Williams, Williams, Williams, Wilson, Wilson, Wimberger, Winterbottom, Woods, Wray, Wright, Young, Yu, Yuan, Zann, Zeidler, Zimmie

OH,the plac

2 May 21, 2014

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

University of Washington Lucas Boland Whitworth University Nathan Elsheimer

California State University Kimberly Saari (East Bay) Mohammed Sahab (Los Angeles)

Wyoming Tech Christian Jones Dixie State University Kristeena Kropp

California Institute of the Arts Tristan Grant

Azusa Pacific University Jocelyn Gentry San Diego State University Allison Fichter Kaitlyn Garbani Gabrylle Torres University of Southern California Brigette Normandin

CSU Jackson Aldern David Andales Chris Ao Nick Ao Marcos Atencio Kelcey Bedard Aryn Benavides Bailey Blythe Kara Boldt Isaac Bowen Benjamin Braley Alex Carpenter Richard Cava Madeline Champ Erica Cismoski Samuel Cotten David Crawford Douglas Ernst Nathanael Farmer McKenzie Fitzgerald Mackenzie Garske Nicole Garza, Pueblo Taylor Gefroh Elijah George Lydia Gonzales Aurora Healy Kaia Heer Cora Horne Libby Hoy Kyle Johnson Nicholas Kechter Zachary Kehmeier

Oglala Lakota College Osue Iron Cloud

Brigham Young University Lael Anderson Colorado School of Mines Logan Newman Marshall Boyton Ivy Gines Frankie Caballero Snow College Mark Dudley Kyla Box Catherine Giesenhagen Kylee Hoeye

Berkeley City College Eden Tepper-Fobes

Humboldt State University Jessica Gravelle

Black Hills State University Riley Couch

University of Nebraska Mary Muffly (Lincoln) Frances Noeldner (Kearney) Alexis Stockton (Kearney)

Northern Arizona University Savannah Boyles Megan Troutman

University of New Mexico Carl Stajduhar Tyler Stevens

Front Range Community College Mariam Al Agha Dryden Alberts Trevor Anderson Edward Andrews Genevieve Archuleta Tanner Avens Leanna Avila Jessica Beck Joshua Bindel Jacob Bruntz Jennifer Casanova Victoria Cowell Moriah Craver Avery Dicke Alec Dotson Alex Durnil Megan Geilert Trevor Glenn Adeline Hammond Amanda James David Johnson Joshua Johnson Alicia Keller Tyrney Lasco Megan Lipe Cecilia Nelson Desiree Obenchain Trenton Quicke-Gutierrez Jade Reese Noel Rodriguez Taylor Schneider

Judson University Emily Jensen

Heidleburg University Haley Uzelac

University of Kansas Sarah Critchfield Kansas State University Bethan Haldeman Rebecca Lynch Kansas Wesleyan University Kaela Blumenshine Independence Community College Grace Weatherwax

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Point Park University Elizabeth Knostman

Creighton University Patrice Quadrel

Dartmouth College Marc Bachman Emma Rieb

New York University Zella Christenson

Michigan State University Jack Culp Carl Erickson

Iowa State University Anna Ernst Matthew Ernst

Nebraska Wesleyan University Natalie Graves

Grand Canyon University Natalie House Kelly Pollard Arizona State University Andrew Benham Santa Fe University of Art and Design Jordan Williams Saskia Becker Connor Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Grady Laura Connolly Universal Technical Institute Aaron Armstrong

Andrew Kelley Luis Rodriguez Ryan Kile Trenton RosholmPaxton Kiraly Davidson Brody Knauer Courtney Sadar Jason Krbec Kaitlyn Saxbury Laurel Langfield Luana Schwab Jack Lavelle Jenna Scott Robert Lemay Austin Shaw Joshua Lewis David Simental Kailarae Lilly John Simon Ignacio Lobato-Roberts Gentry Sorenson Hannah Manning Dylan Spivack Daniel McGee Sini Summerhays Jake McKillip Laurel Thompson Dillon Meehan Veronica Travers Caitlin Montgomery Tanner Trimble Kyle Moore Adam Trousil Clayton Morgan Kunten Tsekar Ryan Murphy Jacqueline Vance Thomas Newman Daniel Williams Robert Nguyen Rachel WinterbotMarcus Padia tom Camila Palomino Aaron Yu Perri Peterson Michael Zeidler Andrew Pettinger Daniela Pineda-Soraca Hannah Powers Cody Prochazka Kassi Prochazka Nathanael Racchini Jaime Rangel Connor Renn Perez Rivas

May 21, 2014

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University of Montana Breann Watterson Caleb Douglas Montana State University Erik Ramirez

Portland State University Mackenzie Bartzen Jacob Munro Lewis and Clark College Carroll College Michael Paratore Ellen Field Erica Wiens Sarah Goodwin Boise State University Southern Oregon University Seth Bolander Alexis Holst Jason McCrary University of Wyoming Deyanaira Force Brigham Young University Andie Kinney Megan Eckery Hannah Linder University of California Aleksander Malmquist (Santa Cruz) Jacqueline Rickett Evelyn Ozog

John Paul the Great Catholic University Hannah Schmidt

S ENIOR SPECIAL

University of Rhode Island Sierra Bloomer

Worcester Tech Institute Linda Baker George Washington University Daniela Harton Virginia Tech Owen Erickson

Missouri State University Ashlin Wang

University of Louisville Kiara Loucks

Northern Virginia University Evan Bloom East Carolina University Ashton Mares

Dark Horse Institute Robert Hale

Oklahoma Baptist University Keith Fraaken

University of Alabama Marissa Bonertz Jerret McElwain

Abeline Christian University Zachary Bartholomew Delgado Community College Jared Hannan Jade Johnson

Nathan Sonnenberg Erica Stanton Braedon Stewart Emily Sutton Andrew Sweatt Evan Udolf Jose Valdez Olivia Wilson Ananda Wimberger Jacob Adams Laura Arreguin Alexander Block Monica Gueller Isiah Hines Alexander Klaer William Zimmie Michael Jacob Dakota Marin Jared Moore Chance Moske Mikdalia Oh Brendan Oldham Tyler Peterson Alicia Randall Cody Rempelos Tyler Rieb Phat Ngo Tanner Leidholt

UNC

Alivia Ayres-Perry Alexis Badalamenti Kaleigh Berry Alexander Betts Edgar Diaz Alyssa Franklin Lydia Funke Evan Hummel Stephanie Hurt Mason Kaufman Haleigh Knoll Joshua Knowski Rachel Lachelt Dean Lawson Lia Neergaard Cierra Osterlund

Luiz Perez Cory Richer Jovan RiveraLovato Caleb Sexton Natalie Tanner Kirstin Bell Diamond Lucero Sarah Ryan Bailey Stevens

CU Boulder Emily Anderson Deidre Bergquist Erica Bradley Donald Chen Andrew Ciraula Gabriel Costanza-Chavez Madison Debord Kelsey Erickson Mark Franklin Annika Gustafson Luke Hanson Justin Hayward Derek Holland Leina Hutchinson Joanne Liu Meredith Radtke Dennis Shi Katherine Spotton Mark Steininger Rylee Thomas Selyne Tibbits-Pagan Selena Wellington Katie Yuan Riley Forest Mei Stechmeyer

University of Tampa Madison Creech Edison State College Darla Billington Florida State University Trevor Thomas

In-state Connor Alberts (IBMC) Chloe Brewer (Western State Colorado University) Piper Brown (University of Denver) Tia Clark (Hair Dynamics) Scott Dalton (Colorado Mountain College) Sydney Durkin (Western State Colorado University) Jacob Fuller (UC, Colorado Springs) Rebecca Fusco (UC, Colorado Springs) Ann Giesenhagen (Regis University) Thomas Goggin (Lincoln College) Allyson Guerrero (Fort Lewis College) Zachary Hahn (Metropolitan State University) Christopher Hawkins (Aims Community College) Lucas Heter (Regis University) Alex Krehbiel (Western State Colorado University) Christian Martinez-Luera (Aims Community College) Marissa Mascio (Aveda Institute, Denver) David Messerli (Western State Colorado University) Shelby Mojahed (University of Denver) Delaney Neal (Colorado Mesa University) Juan Ornelas (Aims Community College) Arianna Roupinian (Colorado Mountain College) Alexander Williams (Aims Community College) Madeline Zann (University of Denver)

Military Navy: Dakota Harris Brent Mason Dakota McIntosh Army: Anthony Hofer Gabriel Loughrey Christopher Moon Air Force: Samantha Thompson Marines: Matthew McNeil

Undecided/Other Jack Aiello Victoria Bray Kasey Brooks Abigail Burke Chase Christensen Jesse Cristofaro Unique Cruz Cheyenne Dankowski Nicholas Davidson Maxwell Dielman Madison Engstrom Lexi Fels Kathryn Flynn Noah Grimm Cali Hall Marcus Harders GeorgeAnn Heck Christopher Hofer Alexander Jennings Zachary Jennings Mark Kesterson Austin Kierstead Blake Kilburn Jassmine Kilgore Kylie Lankford Gracie Ludens Kiva Maxwell Tiffany Mitchell Kendra Novotny

OH,the plac

2 May 21, 2014

Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER

University of Washington Lucas Boland Whitworth University Nathan Elsheimer

California State University Kimberly Saari (East Bay) Mohammed Sahab (Los Angeles)

Wyoming Tech Christian Jones Dixie State University Kristeena Kropp

California Institute of the Arts Tristan Grant

Azusa Pacific University Jocelyn Gentry San Diego State University Allison Fichter Kaitlyn Garbani Gabrylle Torres University of Southern California Brigette Normandin

Oglala Lakota College Osue Iron Cloud

Brigham Young University Lael Anderson Colorado School of Mines Logan Newman Marshall Boyton Ivy Gines Frankie Caballero Snow College Mark Dudley Kyla Box Catherine Giesenhagen Kylee Hoeye

Berkeley City College Eden Tepper-Fobes

Humboldt State University Jessica Gravelle

Black Hills State University Riley Couch

University of Nebraska Mary Muffly (Lincoln) Frances Noeldner (Kearney) Alexis Stockton (Kearney)

Northern Arizona University Savannah Boyles Megan Troutman

University of New Mexico Carl Stajduhar Tyler Stevens

Judson University Emily Jensen

Heidleburg University Haley Uzelac

University of Kansas Sarah Critchfield Kansas State University Bethan Haldeman Rebecca Lynch Kansas Wesleyan University Kaela Blumenshine Independence Community College Grace Weatherwax

! o g

Point Park University Elizabeth Knostman

Creighton University Patrice Quadrel

Dartmouth College Marc Bachman Emma Rieb

New York University Zella Christenson

Michigan State University Jack Culp Carl Erickson

Iowa State University Anna Ernst Matthew Ernst

Nebraska Wesleyan University Natalie Graves

May 21, 2014

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University of Montana Breann Watterson Caleb Douglas Montana State University Erik Ramirez

John Paul the Great Catholic University Hannah Schmidt

S ENIOR SPECIAL

University of Rhode Island Sierra Bloomer

Worcester Tech Institute Linda Baker George Washington University Daniela Harton Virginia Tech Owen Erickson

Missouri State University Ashlin Wang

University of Louisville Kiara Loucks

Northern Virginia University Evan Bloom East Carolina University Ashton Mares

Dark Horse Institute Robert Hale

Oklahoma Baptist University Keith Fraaken

University of Alabama Marissa Bonertz Jerret McElwain

Abeline Christian University Zachary Bartholomew Delgado Community College Jared Hannan Jade Johnson

UNC

Luiz Perez Cory Richer Jovan RiveraLovato Caleb Sexton Natalie Tanner Kirstin Bell Diamond Lucero Sarah Ryan Bailey Stevens

University of Tampa Madison Creech Edison State College Darla Billington Florida State University Trevor Thomas

Military Navy: Dakota Harris Brent Mason Dakota McIntosh Army: Anthony Hofer Gabriel Loughrey Christopher Moon Air Force: Samantha Thompson Marines: Matthew McNeil

Rocky Mountain

HIGHLIGHTER

SENIOR SPECIAL

May 21, 2014

Top Fourteen

Ways to spend your last summer before college: 14. Become the next top model.

9. (Don’t) visit Greeley.

3. Make millions off of a lemonade stand, lose it all due to not possessing the proper permits.

8. Take a trip to awe-striking Iowa

13. A cross-country road trip.

7. Do a term in juvie.

12. Experiment.

2. Try a brief stint in cannibalism.

6. Wear less clothing.

11. Surfing... channels.

1. Involve Drizzle Chenizzle in any of the above.

5. Swim with the fishies...

10. Have a romantic fling with a Cuban poolboy.

4. Drink. Soda, that is.

Highlighter Staff

Ways to shape up for the Senior Run:

Things not to bring to your dorm room:

14. Run from the cops.

14. Your mother.

13. Try to be friendly with junkyard dogs.

13. Your good friend Mary Jane.

12. Take up pole dancing.

12. Fuzzy handcuffs.

11. Survive any zombie apocalypse of your choice.

11. High school.

10. Eye of the Tiger montage.

10. Intestine-related complications.

9. Jog in place during Convocation.

9. A Confederate flag.

8. Call up Richard Simmons.

8. Anything that can record video.

7. Yell “Parkour!” as you jump into empty refrigerator boxes. 6. Wear yoga pants and hope it helps.

7. Your ferret.

5. Master the art of running in-between rain drops.

5. A child.

4. Learn to manipulate the Matrix.

4. Your personal bubble.

3. Split a waterfall. Four ways.

3. Your security blanket.

2. Follow the example of the butterflies and bees.

2. Innocence.

1. Benchpress D-Chen.

1. Donald Chen. Highlighter Staff

Photo courtesy of Carl Juste/Miami Herald/MCT

6. Crocs.

Highlighter Staff