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Found: Custodian Arthur Ellsworth pulls corn snake Bella from her ledge perch on Sept. 10.
Rocky Mountain
Highlighter The student voice of Rocky Mountain High School 1300 W. Swallow Rd. Fort Collins, CO 80526 .
e h t e Sav Rock Stop!!
Volume 37, No. 2
Smooth dome mperer
b u l C t n a w We Lunches!!!
Store closing. The words don’t really surprise anyone anymore, but it may be a shock to everyone that this sign may be appearing in Rocky’s very own commons at the popular Rock Stop. The Rock Stop has been the school store since 2005, and was specifically created by the Front Alternative Cooperation Education Special (ACE) program for special needs students in order to aid them in gaining experience in the business world. However, this colorful part of the school’s culture may be forced to an abrupt end in order for the school to comply with The National School Lunch Program’s (NSLP) standards. The NSLP is responsible for giving financial support to Rocky so that the school can serve its breakfast and lunch at extremely low prices. In addition, approximately 20 percent of Rocky students are on the free and reduced lunch program, which requires a large amount of money on its own. The school relies on this money so it can continue to sell breakfast priced at $1 and lunch at $2.25. Jump to ROCK STOP, page A2
NSLP cuts prices, causes concerns by ZONYA DAWSON reporter
Hard economic times call for hard economic measures. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public, non-profit, private schools and residential child care facilities, providing nutritious, low-cost lunches to school children everyday. At Rocky, lunch usually costs $2.25 for regular lunch, one dollar for reduced, and nothing for those who qualify. This is made possible because of NSLP. “Subsidies are for all student lunches (regular, reduced, free),” said principal Tom Lopez. “Without it, lunches would cost at least four dollars,” But there is no such thing as a free lunch. NSLP states if a school wants lunch subsidies, they must follow certain guidelines. Jump to NSLP, page A2
Speaker sparks cultural controversy by TAYLOR WRIGHT Viewpoint editor
What was initially intended to be a motivational speech geared toward student-athletes, parents and coaches, instead resulted in widespread controversy and even outrage. On Aug. 27, Del Hessel, the former head coach of CSU’s Division I track and field program, made a speech at the fall athletics meeting for student-athletes, parents and coaches that included offensive ethnic and socio-economic insinua-
►The football team players shave their heads in honor of offensive tackle Garrett Karp’s battle with lymphoma cancer.
Sports
page A8
Health care anyone?
Mary Wilson
by TESS HALAC Center Section editor
Fear not. Bella, the corn snake, has been found. After being loose in the school for nearly two months, evening custodian Arthur Ellsworth (left) discovered Bella (also left) on Sept. 10 on a ledge above art hallway double doors leading out to the courtyard. Science teacher Carol Seemueller was thrilled to have her science room snake found and said she appears to be in good health. “I’m really excited and relieved to have her (Bella) back,” Seemueller said.
Sept. 18, 2009
Colton Kle
Rock Stop fights to stay in business
Bella the snake found
tions. According to reports, the 40-minute long speech focused primarily on sportsmanship, the importance of education and what college recruiters seek in student-athletes. To conclude the speech, however, Hessel described a particular instance in which he was attempting to recruit a young man of Hispanic decent to become a part of CSU’s track program. The young man initially refused the offer because no one in his family had ever attended college before, and he
was uncertain about whether or not he wanted to do so. In his speech, Hessel claimed that he told the young man that if he didn’t accept the offer, he would turn out just like every other Mexican, impregnating a 13-year-old Latina girl and spending the rest of his life living in poverty. “When he (Hessel) made derogatory comments about people of Hispanic decent, everyone in the room was ofJump to SPEAKER, page A3
►And the debate rages on. We’ll tell you the specifics, and how they apply to you.
Fighting the crowds
►The halls may be crowded but the school is staying positive on the situation.
Opinion page A5
The British Invasion ►The new Beatles Rockband has hit stores, and we have the inside scoop about what is like and why you should buy it.
Limelight page B8
And you can quote me ► “My first priority is my students. I am fighting these laws because I do not think they were intended to clash with the special needs laws.” Principal Tom Lopez on trying to keep the Rock Stop open despite federal laws
News
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September 18, 2009
Confounding contracts
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New attendance policy baffles, enforces fewer absences by CONNER DRAKE reporter
Key points to the attendance policy action steps:
The new attendance policy has many students confused. Administrators finalized the new policy a week before the start of school. An attendance policy info-sheet was sent home with all students on check-in days where four “Action Steps” were laid out explaining the new policy. “Almost nothing has changed,” Assistant Principal Brett Larsen said. “Only layers have been added to the previous attendance policy.” Still, the info-sheet explaining the new policy bewildered
1. The parent/guardian must call the attendance office within 5 school days of the last absence date to change an absence from unexcused to excused. 2. After 3 absences (excused or unexcused), an attendance contract will be automati-
many students. The single-spaced, one-sided yellow sheet detailed the absence reporting procedure and then outlined the action steps with multiple bullet points under each. “I don’t understand the new policy, because last year’s seemed fine,” said senior Sam Winters. “I don’t get why they changed it.”
cally initiated by the administration. 3. After 5+ absences, administrators and teachers will review the student attendance record for the level of concern. 4. Further school attendance concerns equate to Code of Conduct insubordination.
“I didn’t even read it because it looked way too long and the print was really small,” senior Dillon McNamee said. Some of the new features to this year’s policy include students receiving an attendance contract after three excused or unexcused absences instead of the previous policy’s five absences. With fewer
Rock Stop
NSLP
tendance numbers during the past few years, and to adhere to federal and state laws regarding attendance. Rocky has never met the 95 percent goal of attendance set by the state of Colorado. Additionally, federal laws state that school attendance policies need to be put into retention steps, thus Rocky’s new five-step attendance policy. The government also sent out to school districts a pyramid of what a school’s attendance policy should look like. The new policy matches this pyramid, according to Larsen. “I never even knew it changed,” said senior Travis Honn.
from page A1
from page A1 The NSLP has always had guidelines on what a school’s food service can and cannot serve, but with current hard economic times, the program is looking for ways to cut its budget. Currently, the district is sending out auditors to enforce these guidelines. If a school is found to be in violation of the policy, it will be forced to fix the situation immediately, or they will not receive funding from the NSLP. Part of these guidelines is nutritional-based, which require the school to refrain from selling candy. Unfortunately, this is a major part of The Rock Stop’s product inventory, Despite warnings of these auditors coming in to enforce the NSLP’s policy, Lopez has chosen to ignore this federal law and let The Rock Stop continue to operate. “My first priority is my students,” Lopez said. “I am fighting these laws because I do not think they were intended to clash with the special needs laws.” If auditors were to report that Rocky was not complying with the nutritional standards, the Rock Stop would most likely be terminated. However, Greg Brigham, a Rock Stop coordina-
absences before an attendance contract is issued, students should be less inclined to miss class, according to Larsen Another change or layer to this year’s policy includes a hearing between students, parents and administrators when five-plus absences have occurred. Larsen views the hearing as a way of helping students because it will help administrators figure out possible issues behind the absences. “They miss (school) for a reason,” Larsen said. Larsen said the changes were prompted because of sagging at-
Mary Wilson
Gimme a break: Everybody loves that sugary stuff.
tor, says they are determined to not let this happen. Instead, Brigham said they will change their products to healthier foods so it will suit the policy. “We will adapt,” Brigham said. “It’s not about the money, it’s about the experience.” Students are also up in arms about the possible closure. “(If the Rock Stop is closed), it will make the lunchroom more crowded,” junior Kiersten Eden said. “It’s a great opportunity to get food, and it gives an opportunity for the special needs kids to be involved in the school. It’s just a great thing.” Not only is The Rock Stop providing extra funding for the ACE program, it also helps give the student employees an extra surge of confidence. “We notice a total change
(in our employees), especially our cashiers,” Brigham said. “It increases their confidence level; they become more competitive in the job world, and it increases their independence. Students earn about $12.50 a week, so it’s enough that they can go to the football game and get a snack with money that they earned.” Brigham said he is “thrilled with the support” that Rocky is giving to its home store. However, rules are rules, and if Rocky is discovered to be in violation of the NSLP policy, Lopez will have to shut the store down. “Anyone can choose not to follow a policy,” Assistant Principal Brett Larson said. “But in order to feed students (at the current prices), we have to follow it; we just can’t afford it on our own.”
“Nutritional quotas and sodas are a no-no, and (there can be) no school base sales (during school hours),” Assistant Principal Brett Larsen said. According to Larsen, the rule has always been there, but because of “tight economic times,” the federal government is being more aware of where its money is being spent. For Rocky to get the government subsidies, it must follow all guidelines. One of the most important, according to Lopez, is that no food can be sold in the perimeter of the serving area, and anyone looking to sell food at lunch has to find somewhere else. Another guideline offered by the NSLP is that all lunches need to adhere to the four food groups and offer plenty of vegetables. The school’s food service needs to follow this guideline or else the subsidy is taken away. The intention is great, but not all students will find it necessary. “Never once have I eaten at school,” senior Emily Normandin said. Many students leave campus to purchase lunch. Whether it is freshmen packing in the gas station or long senior lines at the mall’s Chick-Fil-A, students all have a personal decision to make regarding their food, and regulations won’t will be able to
Michael Hoppal
Taking care of business: Janeth Saucedo sells snacks at the Rock Stop during lunch.
influence their decisions. That’s where the problem lies. “To be fully reimbursable, the federal government counts the lunches,” Lopez said. Because of this, the school will only be paid for the amount of food it sells. With an open campus rule, the number of students buying school lunches is slowly but surely decreasing. “Upperclassmen are able to leave. Food doesn’t keep them here, clubs do,” senior Carson Wray said. Most students who remain at school during lunch usually have their own food, or their club provides it. “I can’t get that price (of school lunch) anywhere else,” Wray said. “I just feel that (school food) doesn’t feel like good wholesome food.” NSLP is helping the school lower cost, but with lower cost comes challenges. If any guideline is disrupted, the option of free, reduced, or affordable lunch might not be plausible at Rocky.
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September 18, 2009
Fowl intentions Mallards face malicious mortality rates by Taylor Wright Opinion Editor
With the arrival of nine newborn ducks in the courtyard this past month, concern for their survival has spread among both students and staff. Ever since the courtyard duck pond was constructed in 2000 by members of Math, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA), the duckling mortality rate each season has been astoundingly high. The blame for this, in part, are the crows and other predators that hang out in and around the courtyard. “Crows find the ducklings very tasty and easy prey,” said science teacher Carol Seemueller, whose science room overlooks the courtyard and the duck pond. Being natural predators of ducks, it Zonya Dawson is understandable why the crows would target the newborn, vulnerable ducklings; Bird is the Word: The mallard of the courtyard stands protectively with her ducklings. they are too young to fly and are essenling that was stuck in the filter system, but conduct was of concern. Both Seemueller tially defenseless. However, crows aren’t by the time I got there, it was too late,” and Espinoza have reported seeing stuthe only ones who pose a threat to the said head custodian, William Espinoza, dents mistreat the ducklings in the past. ducklings. Uncontrollable factors and who confirmed that the duckling was “We have had students chase them behavioral interaction issues with students sucked into the system. with insect nets or just try to run them also cause duckling mortality. Initially, With the eight ducklings remaining, down and try to pick them up,” Seemuelthere were nine ducklings in the courtit is crucial that students uphold their ler said. yard, but after an unfortunate incident responsibility as mature citizens for the “I can say that I have seen a few kids involving the duck pond filter system, ducklings’ survival. Although mos t stugo out and chase them around, but for the only eight remain. dents care about the ducklings and treat most part, I think the majority of students “Unfortunately, I got a call from the the man-made ecosystem with respect, respect the mother and her ducklings,” main office asking me to check on a duck- there have been cases in which student Espinoza said. Leading the way: Seniors Jordan House, Craig Buchanan and Zac Chuvala lead the “Lobo,” Chucho, onto the field in front of the football team in its seasonopener. Greg Lewis
‘Lobo’ bites student’s hand The “Lobo” dog, which led the football team onto the field at home games since 2006, was cut from the roster after biting a student at the season-opening football game against Horizon High School on Sept. 3. The “Lobo,” actually a Giant Alaskan MalaIn mute, bit senior Brief Sarah Pittman. According to Pittman, she and her friend asked the handlers if they could pet the dog, and the handlers agreed, explaining that the dog is calm and gentle. She was petting his ear and pulled away to leave when the dog bit her arm and hand. The trainers immediately subdued the dog while Pittman was taken to the on-site paramedics. Although Pittman didn’t receive stitches when she visited the doctor, she is taking antibiotics for possible infection. The school agreed to pay for Pittman’s medical needs associated with the bite. Because of the incident, PSD Risk Management urged the school to discontinue using the dog as a mascot at the football games, which it did. He was not at the team’s second home game, against Fairview High School on Sept. 11.
The dog, named Chucho, is owned by Jimmy and Tracey Castaneda, whose son Nick Castaneda played football at Rocky and graduated in 2007. “You don’t want to see him hurt anybody,” said Tracey Castaneda, who supported the decision to cut the dog from the pre-game program. “It’s a shame. He’s really a loveable dog. The only thing I can figure is there was too much commotion and it freaked him out.” Taylor Wright
Hispanic Heritage events plannned A celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month continues through mid-October. With more students enrolled in Rocky this year, the diversity among the student body has grown immensely. All students, not just Hispanic, will appreciate the many contributions that Hispanics have made to society, such as literature, music, art, dance and food. Students from CSU’s El Centro led an Sept. 15 assembly, educating those in attendance about Hispanic contributions and encouraging pride of different heritages. There will be one assembly each week until Oct. 15. Shelby Brown
RM Highlighter wins awards The Rocky Mountain Highlighter was honored by the National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association in critiques for the 2008-09 newspapers. For NSPA, the RM Highligher earned an All-American rating, the 11th year in a row the paper has received the highest critique honor. The newspaper was inducted into the NSPA AllAmerican Hall of Fame in 2008. For CSPA, the newspaper was awarded a Gold Medalist citation, the highest critique honor for its annual critique service. NSPA and CSPA are the nation’s two largest scholastic press organizations. Conner Drake
Forensics top 60
Five members of the 2008-09 forensics team made it to nationals. The competition took place in Birmingham, Ala., in June. The members who went to nationals were Carson Wray, Tyler Janzen, Jill Petrie, Steven Sorensen and Devon Tivona. Sorensen and Tivona made it to the top 60. Conner Drake
In order to prevent cases of misconduct regarding the duckling population, signs have been posted on all of the doors leading into the courtyard discouraging inappropriate behavior. But to ensure the protection of the ducklings, students are encouraged to report unacceptable behavior. “Students talking to students will be the most effective way to keep the ducklings safe,” Seemueller said. “I doubt any other high schools in Colorado have a wild mallard population in their courtyard.” “We will continue to advocate for all students and staff to speak up and let someone know if anyone’s behavior is not aligned to our norms at Rocky in terms of treating everyone and everything with respect,” Assistant Principal Karen Bennett said. Espinoza also thinks that it would be wise to put up a plastic, orange fence around the pond and some of the grass area to deter students from abusing the ducklings, yet still allow for students and staff to observe them at a safe distance. The duck pond is a unique feature to the Rocky community that students and staff alike enjoy, and it is the responsibility of the student body to treat it as a privilege in order to keep it as a part of the school. “(The duck pond) represents a very comfortable home here at Rocky and is symbolic of the fact that we can grow, be safe and be responsible for a beautiful school,” Principal Tom Lopez said. “The courtyard is beautiful, and the students seem to really enjoy the wildlife.”
Speaker from page A1 fended,” said volleyball coach Glenn Gainley, who attended the meeting along with his team. “About a dozen people left the meeting after that and I’m embarrassed that I stayed. I had trouble sleeping that night because I was so offended by what was said.” Brooke Fenwick, a senior and volleyball player, attended the athletics meeting, as well, and was also offended by that portion of Hessel’s speech. “It was offensive to me because of the tone he used and the way he described the student’s ethnicity and background,” Fenwick said. “It could have been left out because it wasn’t necessary to the story.” When contacted by RM Highlighter, however, Hessel felt as though his speech went well, claiming that halfway through the speech he received an ovation and after the speech eight or 10 people came up to him to thank him for the presentation. According to Hessel, people may have been offended by the speech because of their selective hearing, taking only what they wanted to hear from the speech. “I have no idea why people were offended by my speech,” Hessel said. “Why would I make derogatory comments about Hispanics when my own son is Hispanic?” Through the CHaracter in Athletics- Make it a Priority (CHAMP) program, Wayne Moddelmog, athletic director, hired Hessel as the guest speaker for the fall athletics meeting. Moddelmog said he has worked with CHAMP for the past two years in finding speakers and up until this point, has never had any issues regarding their presentations. In fact, Moddelmog said he met with Hessel prior to the meeting to discuss what the content of the speech would be. It was specifically asked of the speaker to address
the concept of the Lobo Way, the respect that should be held for every facet of the game and the effort required to accomplish goals, both on and off of the playing field. Although Hessel did preach these lessons for the better part of his speech, Moddelmog said he feels as though he has learned a lesson from the incident. “I’m going to have to be more explicit and detailed in the future,” Moddelmog said. “I take full responsibility for what happened.” To apologize for the remarks made by the speaker, the athletic department immediately issued a memo to the student-athletes and sent out e-mails to the parents. Along with the formal apologies made by the school, several coaches, including Gainley and Daniel Ibanez, the boys’ soccer coach, discussed the speech and its repercussions with their players. “I made mention of it (the speech) during our parent meeting and spoke with my team about it at practice,” Ibanez said. “I am certain that the speaker was wellintentioned, and I know our school has done everything it can to make the situation right.” Following the speech, Moddelmog and Principal Tom Lopez arranged a meeting with the speaker, and, according to Moddelmog, Hessel was apologetic about his remarks. Despite his apology, many coaches, student athletes and parents still feel insulted by the speech. “I don’t think there was anything mean-spirited in his message,” Ibanez said. “Rather his words are an expression of the racism and prejudice that we, as a nation, have struggled with since the beginning. I have known many kind and gentle people who have had ‘blind spots’ to racism embedded deep within their culture. It is a problem evident locally in our school hallways and more broadly in the halls of Congress.”
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September 18, 2009
Underclassmen transitioning smoothly
Staff Editorial ►With the addition of the freshman class, Rocky is more crowded than ever, but the transition has been smooth .
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ith expectations of chaos with the addition of the freshman, the upperclassmen have been pleasantly surprised as these assumptions have mostly not materialized. Although the underclassmen have done an adequate job of transitioning into the high school environment, there is always room for improvement. The upperclassmen predicted severely packed hallways, overcrowded lunches and dangerous parking lots. While the halls are busy, they are possible to maneuver through. With so much congestion in the hallways, it would be beneficial for all students to be aware of their location while socializing. Many areas of the school are designed for interaction with peers, while still leaving enough room for people to walk around them, such
High Hopes Colton Klemperer
Wolves provide important balance
RM Highlighter feature legitimized cheating Dear Editor, Many thanks to the Rocky Mountain High School Highlighter newspaper staff for compiling a first-day issue over the summer months to welcome us all back to school. As an English teacher, I was further gratified by the promotion of the literary masterpieces we teach in our classes (the “Good (required) reads” feature). As said teacher, however, I must make the RM Highlighter panel aware that their recommendation to “skim” The Scarlet Letter is
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Viewpoint 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 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 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. In general, the Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The 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. 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 Highlighter staff member, Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the 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 Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the 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 Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The 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 complete RM Highlighter editorial policy is on file in Room 528.
Honk... Honk... Honk as the commons and courtyard. Another problem that exists is the abundance of public displays of affection (PDA). While showing some affection is acceptable, Rocky is a public place, and therefore excessive PDA should not occur. It was expected that the Commons would be overfilled during lunchtime and that the lunch period would be too
n nature, every ecosystem requires certain aspects to keep it balanced, and when this balance is disturbed, the results can be dire for the wellbeing of the region. In many parts of the Rocky Mountains, the gray wolf was once one of the top predators, and it’s almost sorrowful howl could be heard echoing across the peaks. However, this is now a very rare experience, as wolf numbers have been depleted to almost the point of extinction due to human encroachment. Recently, wolves have been taken off the endangered species lists, as many populations have managed to increase in northwestern states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Nonetheless, very few have been
short to serve everyone. However, with an open campus, it seems that some underclassmen have been going out to lunch instead of eating at school. While this makes it quicker for those who decide to stay at school, it makes the parking lot even more crowded during lunch. The parking lot has always been hard to drive through, but with even more stu-
spotted anywhere in Colorado. On Aug. 20, Senators Mark Udall, D-Colorado, and John McCain, R-Arizona, visited Rocky Mountain National Park and held a formal hearing concerning the effect climate change has on our national parks. One question from conservationist Rob Edward asked for the senators to call for the “restoration of wolves to the region” of the park. Edward pointed to evidence showing that after the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the health and profusion of wetland vegetation improved dramatically. This is because the wolves kept the herds of elk in the park on the move, allowing aspen and willow trees to
dents in the parking lot, it’s almost impossible. If students were to walk on the sidewalks and cross only at the crosswalks, the parking lot would be safer for both pedestrians and drivers. Although there is room for improvement on making Rocky a better place, the underclassmen have shown their ability to transition into the Lobo Way.
recover along lakes and streams. When these plant communities are protected, species including beavers and young fish also endure better. The wolf reintroduction brought balance back to the park the way nature originally intended. According to Edward, the National Park Service already acknowledges that bringing wolves back to Rocky Mountain National Park is very necessary, especially during times when climate change continues to affect all of our natural areas. Predators provide a vital role in any ecosystem, and it’s time for the wolf to play its part in this area once again. Colton Klemperer is a senior and co-editor-in-chief of the Highlighter.
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The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is published 10 times during the school year by the newspaper staff Rocky Mountain of Rocky Highlighter Mountain High School/ 1300 W. Swallow Rd./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 the Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Co-editor-in-chief Colton Klemperer Greg Lewis Viewpoint Editor Taylor Wright Sports Editor Austin Adams Features Editor Elaina Trousil Center Editor Tess Halac Limelight Editor Michael Hoppal Online Editor Shelby Brown
Advertising Manager Ethan Farnsworth Staff Allie Daniels Zonya Dawson Conner Drake Chloe Evans Trevor Merrill Hunter Richmond Colten Sanders Mary Willson Artists Lukas Swartz Danae Lanigan Adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt
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Letters to the Editor undermining the education of students; reading a summary/review of a movie is, at best, a poor substitute for the viewing of the actual film, much less fast-forwarding through it; the same is true for books. And the recommendation to “Sparknote” Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (ironically the two shortest texts) is encouraging cheating. Yes, cheating. Consider: What would be the equivalent of “Spark-noting” a math assignment? Looking up the answers online? Certainly, not doing the work for yourself—which is cheating. Now, I’m not asserting that the feature will cause cheating, but it certainly legitimizes it, and
that is galling to us as teachers and adults who also want to teach good morals. For this, I do NOT thank you. My hope is that you—as ethical journalists—simply did not realize the implications of your rating system. I support the freedom of your press, but please do not use it to press others into even the most seemingly minor acts of wrongdoing. (And this isn’t minor.) Sara Cummings, Jennifer Adams, Ron Clark, Doug Cole, Connie Cushman, Paul De Maret, Laura Druse, James Glenn, Georgiana Jones, Monica Kauffman, Colleen Maline, Amy Otteman-Freeman, Shaun
Pettine, Julie Rickett, Joan Rubbery, Larissa Schendel, Tom Smailes, Mary Stalkner, Stephen Wahlfeldt, J.D. William, Angela Yamashita, language arts department
School apologies for fall athletics speaker appreciated Dear Editor, A couple of weeks ago, all the fall athletes had to go to a meeting with all their parents. A guest speaker came, spoke offending words and left. He left everybody appalled with what he said. I just want to thank all the
coaches and the athletic director for sending out apologies. This just shows how great of a school Rocky Mountain really is. When the coaches sent out the apology notes, it showed how even though it was a guest speaker talking, Rocky does not stand for racial remarks or foul language. I was truly impressed with how the coaches went through great lengths to display this to the students and parents. I would like to thank all the coaches who helped display this to all the athletes, and even though the man was a guest, he still had no right to speak like that to our school. Regan Miller, freshman
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September 18, 2009
Viewpoint
Who cares about health care? Universal health care Universal health care Pro not right solution protects human rights Con
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the inalienable rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence, but unfortunately the rights of more than 45 million Americans are being ignored because of the lax health care system currently in place. In order to protect the well-being of every citizen, the United States must establish a universal health care program. Every man is created equal, therefore every single person, no matter his or her economic status, ethnic background, religious affiliation, gender or sexual orientation should be given the opportunity to live a happy and healthy life. Health care in the United States is seen as more of a privilege than a necessity. How is it acceptable that something this vital is being treated like a material possession? Health care shouldn’t be seen as a luxury, like a car or computer, but as a guaranteed, right. Health care indisputable All other industrialized shouldn’t nations consider health care to be seen as be an entitlement, providing all citizens with some form of media luxury, like a car or cal coverage. If all other established countries ensure protection for their why shouldn’t we? Opponents of universal health care claim that computer, citizens, the citizens in these countries are unsatisfied with their health care coverbut as a age, but contrary to that belief, only eight percent of Canadians would guaranteed, trade their health care system for that of the United States according to yesmagazine.org. undispuChallengers also argue that providing national health care would cost table right. taxpayers astronomical amounts. However in the United States, those with health care actually spend more than twice as much as in Japan, Canada and much of Europe, all who provide national health care. Not only would costs be diminished, but the overall health of American citizens would improve dramatically. Because of a lack of finances and insurance, many citizens can’t even afford to receive basic medical care. According to Commonwealth Fund’s 2005 Biennial Health Insurance Survey, nearly 25 percent of American citizens didn’t fill prescriptions or visit a doctor because they lacked the funds to do so. How can the United States government disregard the fact that citizens are suffering because of their inaction and irresolution? American citizens shouldn’t have to experience the negative consequences just because the government hasn’t established a universal health care program. Even in our own school, students are struggling due to the fact that they don’t have health care. Thankfully, Poudre School District provides uninsured students with the coverage the government doesn’t provide. Via the school’s health technician, Barb Cynkar, students without health care are connected with services in the Fort Collins community. On various occasions students have visited dentists, doctors and optometrists in the community free of charge. Unfortunately for those outside of the Rocky community, access to services free of charge is unattainable. As the nation’s health care is formatted now, there are flaws that are detrimental to the well-being of citizens. In order to protect and ensure that all citizens have access to basic health needs, a universal health care program is an absolute necessity. Taylor Wright
Taylor Made Taylor Wright
Parental pressure takes toll on students
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arental pressure: Caring too much since the beginning of time. Whether it be the pressure to be an allstar athlete, straight-A student or avid Republican, I think it is fair to say that all of us can relate to this lovely, little thing called parental pressure. Unless you are as brilliant as Albert Einstein, as athletic as David Beckham, as funny as Dane Cook or as moral as Jesus, it is impossible to live up to parents’ standards. Did our parents grow up striving to be the epitome of perfection? I, for one, know that my parents did nothing of the sort. Their teenage years were more reminiscent of Woodstock than anything else.
So why is it that our formerly cool parents expect so much of us when, at our age, they did so little to succeed? Being the demonic people that they are, parents want us to have more opportunity than they had. They push us to do well so that we can potentially have a better life. We really are lucky to be given the chance to thrive in so many different areas, even if that translates into being involved in every single club, sport and activity all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Also, as cliché as it may be, our parentals don’t want us to repeat their same mistakes. By urging us to be our best, they somehow think they are going to prevent the inevitable, occasional (or frequent)
Everyone has heard the old saying that teenagers “think they’re immortal.” That is why most teens could care less about the health care situation at the moment, but what most teens do not realize is that it might affect their family positively or negatively. President Barack Obama has proposed a plan, modeled after Medicare; this plan is referred to as a government run health care system, created to compete with private health care and insurance organizations. The plan is for the government to be a health care provider, run by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to assure that all Americans have insurance. This application of government power over health care would have a profound impact on all Americans, especially members of the medical profession. Such government control, according to “Web Memo” published by the Heritage Foundation, would “reduce the quality Patients of care by limiting the abilare forced ity of physicians to invest in to accept advanced medical equipment that takes advantage of new technology.” Government run, universal what the health care offered in countries such as Canada and Britain, under government budget-conscious governments, rarely approve new technologies. decides is A survey conducted by teaching hospitals in Washington, Oregon the best and British Columbia found that “18 surgical diagnostic procedures commonly available to patients in America are not available to Cana- decision, dian patients.” not what Obamacare would limit access to care in the near future and actu- the doctors ally inhibit innovation and advanced treatment after that. In Canada, think is the the government has a policy called “price fixing.” This means that two best choice. companies agree on selling and buying a product at the same price, therefore making it cheaper or more expensive, to avoid competition. But with no private sector alternative, patients are forced to accept what the government decides is the best decision, not what the doctors think is the best choice. The result is that thousands of Canadians come south to America not only to buy medicinal drugs that can’t be bought back home, but to be put on medical waiting lists to receive care that would take several months to receive in Canada , just several hours in the United States. As “Web Memo” put it: “Reduce the rate of medical progress, because fewer talented people receiving medical training decreases the supply of talented medical researchers.” Many young, talented university graduates who now receive degrees in order to go into medical fields will start having second thoughts. What they thought might be a high paying career no longer will be because they would simply be government workers. There is no question that the American health care system is imperfect. The policy makers of our country need to address its weaknesses. However, any solution that makes the government the sole provider of health care should be considered unacceptable. Zonya Dawson
slip-ups. Yes, parents are still going to check Pinnacle a freakish number of times throughout the day. Yes, they will still nag us about doing our homework and studying for tests. Yes, parents will continue to do all of the annoying things that they are notorious for, but at least we know their hawk-like existence stems from love. Without their support, I, for one, would not be as motivated or as successful in my endeavors. For all the agony that parental pressure causes, I am actually grateful for their constant, nagging and somewhat exhausting presence. Taylor Wright is a junior and the Viewpoint Editor of the RM Highlighter.
RM Verbatim Do you think President Obama’s speech on education should have been shown in school? “No, I don’t support Obama.” Brad Davis, freshman
“Yes, our education is important, and it’s important to know what our President thinks about it.” Harley Bishop, junior “Absolutely, because he’s the President of the United States of America and when he talks, the people who elected him should give him the common courtesy and respect of a listen.” Kurt Knierum, teacher
“Yes, whether we like it or not, he’s the man leading our country and he’s talking about our education.” Craig Buchanan, senior
“Yes, but it should have been an option. It’s a free country and everyone has the right to watch it if they want to.” Taylor DeBord, sophomore
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Bringing the
RM Highlighter
September 18, 2009
Sports
by AUSTIN ADAMS Sports editor
heat
No. 1 singles player Casey MacMaster possesses a blazing fast serve. Clocked at 128 mph, it ranks as one of the fastest junior serves in the state and in the country and rivals the average speed of many pros.
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t is not often that there is a student walking around school who can hit a tennis ball 120 mph. Actually, Casey MacMaster, the defending state No. 1 singles champion, has been clocked as fast as 128 mph, which is just as fast, and in some cases faster, than some of the pros. This is also an astonishing feat considering the world record is 144 mph and
was set by pro Andy Roddick. So what makes his serve so fast? Boys’ tennis coach Bruce Malloy weighs in on the mechanics of MacMaster’s serve. “His upper body rotation and his wrist snap is what makes it fast,” Malloy said. “The timing of all comes together at the right time. The reason he has such an effective serve: A) he can place the ball wherever he wants, and B) his second serve, which is a kick serve, very few people can return
it consistently.” Another thing that makes MacMaster’s serve successful is his dedication to the weight room. His wrist and shoulder joints are strong which is important because the tennis serve is tough on the joints. Breaking down MacMaster’s tennis serve was not an easy task because the camera even had a hard time catching his movement. But if time were in slow motion, this is what one would see. Step six: While striking the ball, MacMaster reaches the top of his rotation as he is about to snap his wrist.
Step three: MacMaster bends his knees, and this enables him to generate more thrust against the ground, generating a more powerful jump into the air.
Step seven: MacMaster snaps his wrist as he initiates his follow through.
Step two: During the course of the toss, MacMaster’s weight is initially shifted from the front foot to the rear foot.
Step one: MacMaster maintains a relaxed body position and he initiates the action by straightening his back and lowering the racquet.
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Step four: MacMaster’s knees extend as he jumps and his left arm comes back down. Step five: As MacMaster is in the air, he can now apply massive force to the racquet prior to striking the ball because of his toss and his jump.
Step eight: MacMaster completes follow through and his opponent is left motionless.
Golf team’s future rests in hands of underclassmen
Lining it up: Junior Nick Whittenberg lines up his putt at a league golf match on Sept. 2 at SouthRidge Golf Course. Whittenberg recently shot 99 at the Longmont Invitational on Sept. 15.
by TREVOR MERRILL reporter
Zonya Dawson
1-800 CAN LEARN
140 E. Boardwalk Dr. Suite P; Fort Collins CO 80525
With a freshmen-dominated team, the boys’ golf team does not have high expectations for this season, but it’s working to improve for future years. “I have a young squad, and we are just working to improve,” said boys Ggolf coach Charlie Ross. “Improvement, consistency and good work on fundamentals is what is going to get us to improve slowly but surely.” With much pressure on the team for being inexperienced, as well as competing against cross town rival Collins, a very successful and skilled high school team, Ross is hoping to improve through the season. “Right now every team in the league is a big challenge for us,” Ross said. “We have freshman and sophomores competing on varsity; not every team can say that.” Nick Whittenberg, one of the few upperclassmen on the team, enjoys golfing for Rocky. Golfing for 10 years, Whittenberg enjoys playing because of the opportunity to play at nice golf courses around Colorado. Noticing the inexperience with many of the underclassmen, Whittenberg believes Ross’ coaching style is very beneficial to the team’s success. “There’s a lot of one on one coaching,” Whittenberg said.
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Right now, every team in the league is a big challenge for us. We have freshman and sophomores competing on varsity; not every team can say that. Charlie Ross, boys’ golf coach
“I think for the freshmen and sophomores, getting the one on one coaching with Ross has helped them improve their approach to golf.” With focus on the short game, much of the team’s practices consist of working on the chipping and putting. “I like to divide up the practice to work on the short game,” Ross said. “We spend about 80 percent of our practice on the short game. We have chipping and putting tournaments. Even practice is competitive.” Coaching a team with many underclassmen likely to return next year, respect is very important. Ross is respected among many players, keeping the team very disciplined. “He’s disciplined and you either follow the rules or you’re off the team,” said freshman Mitch Timm.
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September 18, 2009
Field hockey team seeing more Lobo participants this season by MICHEAL HOPPAL Limelight editor
Having only six Rocky athletes on a sports team seems pretty low, but for this year’s district field hockey team, it’s the highest its been in years. After only having three players last year, this year’s total from Rocky makes up about half the team, as there are 13 girls on the varsity squad. “It’s pretty cool that there is more from Rocky. Hopefully, more will play in the future,” senior forward Aubrey Hasvold said. “Last year I felt alone with my sport especially at assemblies when they asked for field hockey and you were pretty much were the only one that made noise or stood up.” It could be just a coincidence that more Rocky girls are playing, but both Hasvold and junior midfielder Meghan Braun both agree that this year there is strong team chemistry. And even Hasvold admitted that there was a great deal of drama last year and hopes that this year will be better.
“I can act more of myself around this year’s team compared to last year’s,” Braun said. “We are more together and will continue to come together.” Head coach Nick Morales said he believes that having players from all schools is a benefit to that strong team chemistry. “Having players from all four schools does not create a problem for team chemistry it bridges the gap that each high school creates,” Morales said. “Yet you do see them lightly pick on each other when the football teams play each other besides that they tend to have each other’s back on and off the field.” Although the team is close, they are inexperienced and have a large number of young players with half not having any varsity experience. Yet, according to Hasvold, they are learning really quick and are excited to be part of the team. “We have a lot of potential with a lot of younger raw talent,” Hasvold said. “Hopefully we can develop it and be a strong team.”
Trevor Merrill
Getting to the goal: Junior field hockey player Meghan Braun maneuvers through defenders against Colorado Academy. The PSD field hockey team is 1-2 on the season
Although inexperience is a weakness of the team, Morales has been working on other skills with the girls. These include things such as being in better condition as he has been running his team more then previous years.
“Coach Morales is a fun guy but he is taking this year more serious; he sees more potential,” Hasvold said. Hasvold along with Braun say they think if the team come together and works hard, they will go far. They have started the
Fall sports updates
Serving: Junior Kaitlind Bestgen (right) gets ready to serve in Sept. 8 match against Fort Collins High School.
Volleyball: Coach: Glenn Gainley Record: 1-1 as of 9/10/09 Key performers: Michie Johnson and Hannah Ney Coach speak: “We expected a rocky road at the start but we will be tough by October.”
Looking down field: Senior Jeff Westra (white jersey below) controls the ball against Palmer High School in a Sept. 5 match.
Boy’s Soccer: Coach: Daniel Ibanez Record: 1-0-1 9/8/09 Key performers: Jeff Westra and Phil Ackerson Coach speak: “We will be dangerous if we maintain a defensive discipline over the field.”
Tess Halac
Kuts
Karp
through the whole tribulation, he admits that the cutting of his teammate’s hair has given him extra motivation to be strong and to keep a positive focus on getting better and getting back onto the football field. “It felt like I wasn’t alone, and it means a lot to know that they are there for me,” said Karp, who is 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. “They have always been there for me, and this is just another example of the great family feel that we have throughout the whole team.”
said, “It’s a tough thing to experience, but it will make me stronger, and I will learn life lessons in the end.” Younger brother Ethan Karp, who is a sophomore defensive end, was also taken aback with the diagnosis of his older brother. “I was shocked and upset because I knew he was looking forward to his senior football year,” said Ethan. Karp’s family and teammates have all stood beside him, and they have all supported him through the entire process. His family has taken care of all his medical needs,
from page A8
Recycle this newspaper after reading
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Trevor Merrill
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country: Coach: Matthew Scott Record: Boys, 6th at last meet, Girls 2nd at last
and some of his teammates have even shaved their heads in support of him. This has helped Karp keep positive, and if all goes well, Karp is expected to back in the starting lineup soon. “He has been very positive about it, and I have never seen him frustrated,” Ethan said. “He seems to be taking it all in strides.” Before Garrett Karp can return to the football field, he has to get off the blood thinners which reduce his cancer, and also get back into football shape by hitting the weight room. If he has the same determination when he gets back on the football field that he has had with dealing with the cancer, the opposition better watch out.
season 1-2. “I know this sounds cliché, but this team has a lot of heart and will fight,” Morales said. “Last year we made it to round one and the year prior to that the second round. I would like to surpass second round this year.”
meet Key performers: Boys--Ben Larson and Jeff Randall. Girls--Bri Catheart and Lizzie Schilling Coach speak: “Program as a whole is improving. If all goes well we will be contending for top ten in state.” Gymnastics: Coach: Kim Huffurd Record: 2-0 Key performers: Stephanie Pollard, Kelsey Gibbs Coach speak: “We are off to a promising start and should continue to improve in the next few weeks.” Softball: Coach: Mike Crockett Record: 2-4 Key performers: Liz Smith, Danielle Summers Coach speak: “It has been slow but we are steadily improving.”
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September 18, 2009
Starting QB decided after offseason battle by MICHEAL HOPPAL Limelight editor
Looking poised: Dropping back: Staring quarterback Brode McDonald looks to pass against Horizon High School.
Having 63 tackles last year as a sophomore and being the lead returning tackler for the team, junior Brode McDonald was supposed to be the backbone of the football team’s defense this year, but this is not the case. After being the starting outside linebacker a year ago McDonald gets to follow his dream in becoming the starting quarterback. Yet McDonald does hope to bring his experience from being a linebacker and use it for quarterback, that linebacker mentality. “I bring athleticism, physicality, and I’m a good decision maker,” McDonald said. “Yet if someone tries to come hit me I wouldn’t mind hitting back.” Recently Rocky Mountain quarterbacks have earned state recognition and carried their
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I bring athleticism, physicality, and I am a good decision maker. Brode McDonald, junior
teams to great success. After having the Gatorade player of the year last year, Brian Peters, and having a future division one player, Alex Kelly, the year before that, McDonald has some big shoes to fill. “I’m really excited to play this year,” McDonald said. “My dream has also been to play quarterback and I finally get to live my dream.” McDonald had an impressive first showing as he completed 9 for 14 passes for 200 yards and threw for two touchdowns and ran for one. The Lobos ended up beating
Teammates give up appearance for ailing friend
Clean cut: Senior offensive lineman Tyler Mogilefsky gets his head shaved in support of teammate Garrett Karp. Karp is battling lymphoma cancer.
Kuts
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for
arp
by ETHAN FARNSWORTH Advertising manager
cancer in his throat and his final football season as a senior seemed to disappear. Karp did not know at first how to handle the devastating news. “It was shocking at first and almost surreal,” Karp
With senior pictures taken, the starting offensive line was then able to put looks aside and support a fellow lineman, teammate and friend. Just recently senior student and football player Garrett Karp was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. It was found when Karp went in to get his wisdom teeth removed. Although Karp has been brave the whole time and took the whole thing really well, several people tried to do what they could to show their support. The whole starting offensive line decided to shave their heads in support of Karp. They shaved their heads first and they were soon followed by much more of the team, including Karp’s offensive line coach Derek Widmier. “He was always there for us,” said senior offensive guard Troy Armstead. “Hair will grow back, so this was our chance to show that we are always there for him.” Karp has been steadily recovering from chemotherapy and will return to the field as soon as his blood clot goes away. It has given a new focus to the whole team. “People aren’t taking anything for granted anymore because Garrett worked so hard and then just had it taken away,” said senior offensive tackle Dillon McNamee. “People are appreciating every single day.” Karp’s condition has improved every day and now is going into chemo once every two weeks. He is expected to be back for the Grand Junction Central game at the end of September. He has been strong through the whole process and taken everything in stride. Although Karp has been strong
Jump to KARP, page A7
Jump to KUTS, page A7
Michael Hoppal
Team Captain: Senior Garrett Karp (No. 78) leads his teammates out for the coin toss before a game against Horizon High School on Sept. 3. Karp, a 6-foot-5, 245 -pound offensive lineman is battling lymphoma cancer.
O lineman Karp showing different kind of toughness by AUSTIN ADAMS Sports editor
On the football field, mental toughness is just as important—if not more important—than physical toughness. In that case, Garrett Karp is one tough guy. One could see him
patrolling the practice field without a uniform and a baseball hat on to cover up his head, which thanks to chemotherapy he has no hair. Earlier in the summer Karp, who is a offensive tackle for the varsity team, was diagnosed with lymphoma
Horizon and are now 1-1 after losing to Fairveiw High School 35-14. “Brode is very passionate about it, he is going to do everything he can to be the very best quarterback he can be,” head coach Mark Brook said. McDonald was involved in a heated competition between him and senior Matt Knotec that lasted until the week before the first game. “It was an intense competition,” McDonald said. “We are both versatile, agile in the pocket, and we both have good arms but I think he was more suitable for running back.” Brook hopes that they as a team continue to improve week in and week out as the season progresses. “Our biggest focus is never to have an undefeated season, even last year,” Brook said. “Our goal has always been to get better at every position.”
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RM Highlighter
Sports
Laying It Out Ethan Farnsworth
Involvement in high school key to success Now that I have started the last year in my high school career, I have come to realize several new things. One is that I regret not getting involved in activities as much as I could have. I started football here as a freshman but I didn’t start track until my junior year. If I could change one thing, I would go back and start track as a freshman. I started this year with a friend and couldn’t be happier with my decision. It is one of the best choices I have made and kept me active in the offseason of my main sport, football. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that everyone should go out for track. It’s a great sport; it’s Don’t take just simply not a single for everyone. So day for my advice to all granted of you younger students is sim- because ple: Go out and soon it will be get involved gone and in something. we will be Whether it be a sport, a club, looking band or even back. just going to the sporting events dressed wild and crazy, I can guarantee you that you will meet a new friend and have a great time in the process. I myself met most of my friends through a new sport that I tried or an event at the school that I went to. To all of you older students, who like me, have missed out on several great opportunities, use the rest of your time wisely. Go to the games, try a new sport or join a club. Embrace your last years here at Rocky. Go to as many events that you can or go try a new sport. Even if it doesn’t work out, you will have had a good learning opportunity. Don’t take a single day for granted because soon it will be gone and we will be looking back. The choice will be up to you. Will you look back at the times you spent at basketball practice with your best friend or the time you spent sitting at home watching Mythbusters? The time you went to a Friday night football game or the time you went home and took a nap? The choice will be yours, and I hope that you won’t be lazy and that you will go try something new and exciting. Ethan Farnsworth is a senior and a member of the football and track teams as well as the advertising manager of the RM Highlighter.
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Section B
September 18, 2009
RM Highlighter
Features Hakuna Matata Greg Lewis
Educational speech judged before viewed My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by the events of Sept. 8, 2009. Many American children and young adults felt threatened as President Barack Obama attempted to hypnotize and brainwash our great, and apparently sometimes closeminded, nation during his address on education. As people do with most tragic occurrences, such as JFK’s assassination and the fall of the twin towers, I remember exactly where I was during our president’s speech. I was sitting in one of the many classes around the country where a teacher chose not to show the event due to either conflict of opinions or fear of public disapproval among students and parents. Considering the ever constant flow of complaints and speculation preceding Obama’s appearance, I chose to watch the speech afterwards on Youtube from the safe confines of my own home. So after 20 minutes of nail-biting suspense, in which I was fully prepped for the impact of our liberal government’s socialist hypnotism, I realized that Obama’s lecture on education was about nothing more than… education. Maybe the screen I was watching was too small to properly program my mind into supporting the proposed health care system that many overly fanatic conservatives thought that Obama would try to enforce on our youth. Or maybe our elected President really just wanted to vocalize the need for students to work hard, set personal goals and stay in school. The fact is America’s educational system seems to be slipping. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States ranks 18th in education out of the 36 countries examined last November. As a student, I like seeing that the leader of my country finds it important to encourage young people to pursue their education, especially in a time when the economy is faltering and the performance of future generations is so critical. I realize that there are many people who don’t agree with some of President Obama’s views in certain areas concerning health care, the stimulus package, the war in Iraq or whatever the conflict may be. However, those people need to also realize that he is the President of the United States, and when he has something to say to the country, it is polite to listen, process his words and then decide whether you support it. When parents and teachers fight to opt their children and students out of watching something as harmless as a speech about their own education, it shows a lack of faith in the decision-making skills of young Americans. A democracy should be run by the people, but if we are sheltered from hearing what important figures have to say, how can we formulate our own opinions? The adults in our lives should be encouraging us to become informed and involved in politics rather than fearing that we will be manipulated by politicians to support their views. If Obama’s plan really was to brainwash kids, then I hope it worked. Maybe then we will have a country full of kids working hard in school rather than cowering within the confines of their own stubborn delusions. Greg Lewis is a senior and coeditor-in-chief of the RM Highlighter.
PoPo: Problems or
Photo illustration by Elaina Trousil
pals for teens? Students' experiences reflect views on police by ELAINA TROUSIL Features editor
Three students. Three different stories. Kids and cops. When teenagers have interactions with police, they might walk away with any kind of impression –from negative to positive. Sometimes lessons are Features learned and teens take Special responsibility for actions. Others times, there might be feelings of unfair treatment. Regardless, opinions of the police are generated. If the experience was negative, teens might not like the police and blame them for the trouble they brought on. If it was positive, they most likely would have a better feeling of them. These three students have each had different encounters with police and, therefore, have different views of them. Junior Billy Smith, whose name has been changed upon request to protect his identity, had an experience with police which led to a less than favorable view of them. In 9th grade, Smith brought a butterfly knife onto a school bus and took it out to show friends. Smith’s incident was recorded on the bus’s security camera. Soon after, both the knife and security tape were confiscated by police. Because Smith’s incident was dangerous and also illegal, he was expelled from the school he attended and given probation. “People fabricate stories of what really happened,” said Smith. Jump to EXPERIENCES page B2
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40%
Students express opinion on police discrimination
of students have had negative experiences with the police
by SHELBY BROWN age Online editor
78% ◄
of students think police go easy on some people
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81%
of students think police profile certain people
71% ◄
of students think police intentionally target teens *343 students surveyed
when she was out driving with a group of friends one summer night and was pulled over by a police officer. Winters said the bottom of her registration tags were slightly covered by the license plate frame, but the numbers still remained exposed. “I think he pulled me over because a van full of teenagers at one in the morning on a summer night seemed sketchy to him, and then he had to think of some other reason for pulling me over because I hadn’t violated any traffic laws.” Winters received four points off her license for driving after curfew and having two many people in the vehicle. Dylan Schafer, a freshman, also feels like
“Oh, but officer…I am certain I didn’t run that red light…” For decades there have been famous police stereotypes A more famous one is that attractive women are less likely to be issued tickets than unattractive women. The scenario of a good looking woman being overly nice and seductive to an officer has been publicized for years by television shows, Hollywood movies, and the Internet. Whether police profile or not is a highly controversial issue in today’s society. Teenagers often feel they are targeted most by police. Sierra Winters, a senior, feels she was profiled because of her Jump to POLICE, page B2
A challenge to change the world
Columbine victim alters millions of lives for better by ALLIE DANIELS reporter
“I have this theory,” Rachel Scott wrote, “that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same.” Scott lived by this theory and strived to not only tell others about it, but to demonstrate it every day. Her life goal was to make an impact on the world and touch
people’s hearts. On Tuesday April 20, 1999, everything that Scott lived for abruptly ended. Scott was only 17 when she was fatally shot by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold while eating lunch on the front lawn of Columbine High School. At school, she frequently Jump to SPEAKER, page B2
“I have this theory,” Rachel Scott wrote, “that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same.” Scott lived by this theory and strived to not only tell others about it, but to demElaina Trousil
Speak up: Craig Scott, Rachel Scott's brother, speaks to students at Fossil Ridge High School about Rachel's Challenge. In the picture, Scott is showing his sister in comparison to her idol, Anne Frank.
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September 18, 2009
Features
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New to school Freshmen share views on adapting to new high school environment by CHLOE EVANS reporter
Elaina Trousil
Picture this: After Craig Scott’s presentation at Fossil Ridge, students sign a banner that was given to the school for students to pledge to follow Rachel’s Challenge. Fossil Ridge has been one of the 1500 schools around the country affected by Rachel’s Challenge
SPEAKER from page B1
reached out to her peers who were normally out-casted or picked on, including students with disabilities or others who were just having a hard time fitting in. “I used to be embarrassed of my sister, she was friends with all the un-cool kids,” said Craig Scott, Rachel’s brother. Before Rachel’s death, Craig’s main focus throughout his high school years was looking good and being popular. But Rachel didn’t care about what was ‘cool.’ She cared about looking for the best in people and proving her theory right. When Rachel died, Craig’s view on what was important changed drastically. “None of that matters now,” Craig said. “Now I feel a personal obligation to keep passing on what she started in her life.” Craig is now a part of an organization called Rachel’s Challenge that was started in her memory. Fifteen speakers, made up of her family and people who were close to her go around to schools and present her theory and everything she practiced in her short life. On Aug. 28, 2009, Craig introduced Rachel’s Challenge at Fossil Ridge High School. The entire student body and faculty attended, as well as a few guests from other schools. Officer Mark Larkin, Student resource officer at Rocky, attended this presentation and considered it highly impactful. “It’s a pretty powerful message for people to hear,” Larkin said. “It’s very appropriate for young people and it even made an impact on me.” The message that Rachel’s Challenge sends out includes five challenges that the speaker encourages students to take. The first challenge is to choose positive influences in your life. The second is to dream big, make goals, and write them down in a journal. The third challenge pushes random small acts of kindness and compassion. The fourth challenges people to look for the best in others in order to eliminate prejudice. And the final challenge simply asks students to start a chain reaction. According to Craig, Rachel’s Challenge reached over 1500 schools last year. But the reaction is always the same. “Kids want to change, apologize for their wrongs, and accept the challenges,” Craig said. Craig uses his own personal
“”
Kids want to change, apologize for their wrongs, and accept the challenges. Craig Scott, brother of a Columbine victim
account of what happened at Columbine to get the attention of his audience and hopefully persuade them to accept Rachel’s Challenge to prevent anything similar to Columbine from happening in the future. At the time of the shooting, Craig was in the library with his two close friends. A teacher ran in frantically telling the students to get under tables, there were two men with guns outside of the school. “I had no idea what she was saying,” Craig said. “It just didn’t register in my head.” Craig sat between his friends, Matt Kechter and Isaiah Shoels, underneath a table. When the gunmen entered the building, the first room they went to was the library. Eventually, Harris and Klebold approached Craig, Kechter and Shoels. They were yelling racial slurs at Shoels before they shot him in the head with a shotgun. They then proceeded to shoot and kill Kechter. Craig waited under the table, with ringing in his ears, until he thought the gunmen had left the room. He was the first to stand up, and he heard a girl crying out for help behind him. He looked around and saw a girl who had her shoulder blown off by a shotgun. “Let’s get out of here. I think they’re gone,” Craig yelled. Craig carried the injured girl, and led the rest of the people in the library out an emergency exit and stood behind a police car. Craig looked out onto the lawn of Columbine High School and saw his sister lying dead on the grass. On that tragic day, Craig lost his sister and his two best friends. Rachel Scott has touched the hearts of millions of people since her death. Her theory of starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion is living on in Rachel’s Challenge. “I am sure that my codes of life may be different from yours,” Rachel said in her journal. “But how do you know that trust, compassion and beauty will not make this world a better place to be in and this life a better one to live?”
Freshmen Makayla Bolen, Grace Miller and Richie Deckard weren’t really worried about high school despite the daunting rumors that they had heard about getting lost in mazes of hallways and being intimidated by the large numbers of sophomores and upperclassmen. In fact, now five weeks into the term, the freshmen have mostly melted into the school culture and adopted the Lobo Way. Although initially thought of as a chaotic idea, introducing a new grade into the school hasn’t been all that bad. Ninth graders seem to be adapting well to their new surroundings. “After the first week of school things definitely got better,” Bolen said. “But before then I was a
“”
little lost.” Despite the fact that upperclassmen initially rejected the idea of adding an extra 450+ kids to their already clogged hallways; most ninth graders haven’t noticed any particular objection toward them as individual students. “They [the upperclassmen] are all pretty nice and helpful,” Deckard said. “You just come across certain people who tell
you to move out of their way or are just having one of those crabby days.” The Lobo 101 class, designed to teach freshmen and sophomores how to follow the Lobo Way, has gotten a lot of criticism from new students who deemed it as a pointless course. However, some ninth graders understand the class is required, and therefore realize a positive outlook is important for surviving the course. “All of my friends from Fort Collins [high school] ask why we have a class that’s like based off of our mascot, but why not?” Miller said. “I don’t think that much of it; it’s a class on my schedule that I have to attend. It (Lobo 101) definitely makes you think; it opens you up to thinking about new and interesting things.”
The other times, I was really respectful, but they still kept yelling [at me] before giving the ticket. I was like, ‘I get it.’ But I think they’re good. They’re here to protect us; they can be too obsessed with power, though. Before, I had no issues. They were great. After, I think they abuse their power.” Although Green may have done some things wrong, he takes responsibility for what he did and realizes that the police were just doing their job in enforcing the laws; this may be the reason he accepts the police more. Junior Sally Stone, whose name has also been changed in order to protect her identity, had a bad experience and received good impressions of detectives in the department, but less with police officers. Despite emotional and stressful times following an at-
tempted sexual assault on her, Stone found comfort with the detectives. “The detective was really sensitive towards my emotions,” Stone said. “The other cops didn’t help as much. They just cared about legal stuff and getting the man who tried to assault me in trouble.” Stone also had an opinion on why teens might dislike police. “I think teens act like they all hate cops,” Stone said. “Teens don’t like police because of what they personally do wrong and they (the teens who don’t get in trouble) want to go along with it to be ‘cool.’” Even though Stone didn’t have a great connection with the police officers, she still had positive things to say about the police. “I feel like I know more about them,” she said. “They’re all different in different ways.”
After the first week of school, things definitely got better. Before then, I was a little lost. Makayla Bolen, freshman
EXPERIENCE from page B1
According to Smith, he didn’t mean any harm to students on the bus and only brought the knife on board with him with intentions of taking it to school to show a friend. “I don’t like cops,” Smith said. “They’re unfair. When I told them what really happened they would say that someone else said it was a different way. They didn’t believe anything I said.” Senior Daniel Green hasn’t had as rough of an experience with police. As a result, his opinion of them is more approving. Green has been pulled over by police for speeding three or four times. “I did a lot wrong the first time,” Green said. “They let me off and went easy on the ticket.
POLICE from page B1
he’s been profiled by the police. Schafer was out skateboarding by himself in the middle of the day, when an officer pulled over next to him. “He [the officer] said that supposedly some neighbors had called the police because I looked like I was up to no good,” Schafer said. “I wasn’t doing anything at all; it’s just such a stereotypical thing to do.” School Resource Officer Mark Larkin, believes that what some people think is profiling, is simply just officer discretion. “I stop someone because of a traffic violation, not because of characteristics like gender, race, and age.” Since Larkin works in schools and has a better relationship
Photo illustration by Elaina Trousil
with teenagers than other officers might, he admits he might go a little easier on teens than others. “If I have a relationship with that person, and I think I can have a positive influence on them without writing a ticket, then yes, sometimes I won’t. Whether I give them a verbal warning, a written warning, or a ticket, is officer discretion.”
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Cary Lenderts, a senior, has a different view of police profiling than other teenagers. Her dad was a patrol cop for seven years and is now a police detective. “I’m not going to tell you police profiling doesn’t happen; that’s not true. But people almost always get pulled over because they did something wrong, not for driving a fancy car.” Lenderts had learned a lot about the police field from her dad and knows how things work in this city, including what usually determines if someone gets a ticket or not. “Fort Collins is really short on cops; there simply aren’t enough of them to write tickets to everyone who should get them. The people who usually get off with warnings do so because they have a clean record and admit to speeding, blowing a stop sign etc.” “Instead of blaming the cops for pulling you over, it’s better to just own up and tell the officer that you made a mistake,” Lenderts said.
F
RM Highlighter
Page B3
September 18, 2009
Features
Fromer junior high teachers follow freshmen to big house by MARY WILSON reporter
The freshmen and sophomores aren’t the only new faces in the halls of school. There have been many changes due to the grade re-configuration. Most upperclassmen would agree—the halls feel like rush hour traffic and the average height of students has dramatically been lowered. Yet there’s one other change—several junior high teachers have migrated up along with the new classes. Why? More students here; more
Allie Daniels
Moving up: Social studies and World History teacher Andrew Shauer, teaches a class fourth period. Shauer is one of the new teachers at Rocky who have moved up from junior high school.
teachers needed. Although most high school students probably wouldn’t like to travel back to those pre-teen days of 7th and 8th grade, having junior high teachers move up has had positive effects. “They need familiar faces. It’s reassuring for them,” said language arts teacher Monica Kauffman, a former Blevins Junior High School teacher. “I didn’t know any of the teachers here, and we are comfortable with the ones we’ve had, so it was helpful,” former Blevins student and freshmen, Molly Reger said. However, some students transitioned into the Rocky culture smoothly and naturally without the help of former teachers. “I didn’t really notice or need them,” freshman Ellen Donnelly said. “Junior high teachers babied us, and here they’re definitely stricter focused,” Reger said. Although some were comfortable here from the start, others used familiar faces to their advantage. “They have developed their own personality here at Rocky,” said social studies teacher Andrew Shauer, a former Webber Junior High School teacher. “Yet for the first two days I think it was helpful for them. I mean at least they know me. “I really like seeing former students that have grown and developed into strong members of Rocky society.”
New teacher biographies Compiled by Chloe Evans Name: Connie Cushman
Age: 1,000,000 Position: Language Arts; World Lit; Speech Years of Experience: 10 Education/Schools: B.A. English/CSU Comments: “I am on your side.”
Name: Julie Rickett
Age: Hmmmm Position: English and Reading 9 Years of Experience: 18 Education/Schools: CSU Grand Canyon University Comments: “As a Rocky graduate, I’m thrilled to return to my high school! I’ve always been and always will be a Lobo!”
Name: Nikol Neff
Age: 34 Position: Media Assistant Years of Experience: 3 1/2 Education/Schools: B.S. Sociology►John Berg, Grand Canyon University special ed., Comments: “The students at Rocky math are great. I am impressed with their enthusiasm and great Lobo spirit!”
Name: Susan Chaffee
Age: 45 Position: Math Years of Experience: First year Education/Schools: B.S., M.S. CSU, (Teaching License and UNC) Comments: “I feel honored to be part of this great Rocky community, go Lobos!”
Name: Michelle “Bart” Bartholomew
Age: 43 Position: Science- Pre AP Bio; Biology
Years of Experience: 22 Education/Schools: Texas A&M (B.S. in biochemistry), U. of Phoenix (MAED) Comments: “When 9th grade teachers were told they had an option to teach at the high school level…we were supposed to put our top 3 choices…I only put one choice...Lobo pack was the only choice for me! I taught here in 1992-93 before Preston opened up, so I feel like I’m coming back home.”
Name: Andrew Schauer
Age: 36 Position: Social Studies; 9th Grade World History Years of Experience: 8th as teacher Education/Schools: Bachelor’s at Franklin and Marshall College, Master’s at CSU Comments: “I love teaching 9th graders and seeing them engage in the “Lobo Nation”. It is also nice seeing so many former students on a regular basis. During this time of great transition, it is nice to be in such a welcoming community.”
Name: J.D. Williams
Age: 27 Position: Language Arts Years of Experience: 3 Education/Schools: CSU masters and undergrad. Comments: “My ‘Lobo Way’: Work to better yourself everyday, and do it with a positive attitude.”
Name: Michael Mackenzie
Age: 31 Position: Physical Education; Health ►Jack Lamb, Years of Experience: 5th Mod. needs, para/ year of teaching
counselor
Education/Schools: Bachelor and masters at CSU- GO RAMS! Comments: “I am excited for the challenge of teaching at a school with such a high level of expectation and I look forward to developing relationships with my students that will help them reach their full potential.”
Name: Todd Matkin
Age: 32 Position: Social Studies; World History; Head Girl’s Basketball Coach Years of Experience: 8 Education/Schools: Chadron St. College and CSU Comments: “I love the school pride and spirit at Rocky. The school is full of bright and charismatic young men and women. I am truly honored to be back at my alma mater to teach and coach. Go Lobos!”
Name: Nicole Wilgenbusch
Age: 30 Position: Counselor-College and Career Center Years of Experience: 8 Education/Schools: Iowa State University-Bachelor’s, Adams State College-Master’s Comments: “I’m so excited to be at Rocky and get to help all students make plans for after high school success!”
Name: Martha Moore
Age: 58 Position: Family and Consumer Studies Years of Experience: 20 Education/Schools: BS Texas Tech Comments: “Teaching at Rocky is the best!! The students keep me feeling young and their humor and spirit keeps me laughing!”
Name: Jun Yasui
Age: 39 Position: Integrated Services Para Years of Experience: 4 years, plus 5 years teaching in Japan Education/Schools: Gifu City Women’s Junior College in Japan Comments: “I am happy to be at Rocky!! The students are friendly and seem to care about school and community.”
Name: Michelle Frounfelker
Age: 41 Position: Teacher of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students Years of Experience: 3 Education/Schools: Bachelor’s (Education)California State University- Chico; Master’s (Special Ed)- UNC Comments: “I am honored to be part of a school with such positive and motivated students, teachers and staff! It is truly a pleasure for me to come work everyday and see all of you. Thank You!”
Name: Joshua Ring
Age: 31 Position: Spanish Years of Experience: 7 Education/Schools: Montana State UniversityBillings; CSU Comments: “I am really excited to be a new team member of a school and staff with such a good reputation. I look forward to a great year with the amazing students in this wonderful high school.”
Name: Martha Marvin
Age: 46 Position: Science; Biology Years of Experience: Science-6 years; K-12 as a sub-11 years Education/Schools: BA University of Virginia Comments: “I have a long history with Rocky, having taught here for five years when I was “fresh out of college”, from 1985-1990. I’ve also been a “Rocky parent” for five years and a “Rocky sub” for ten years. After a 19-year hiatus from “regular” teaching, it’s great to have my own classroom again!”
Name: Laura Hogan Age: 22 Position: Geometry; Algebra 2
Years of Experience: First year Education/Schools: CSU Comments: “I never dreamed I would get to work at such a wonderful school! Go Lobos!”
Name: Peter Moore
Age: 24 Position: Paraprofessional ILS Years of Experience: Brand new to Special Education Education/Schools: CSU- History Comments: “High school is a fun time of life and it’s great to see how students adapt and enjoy everything it has to offer. Rocky is great! GO LOBOS!”
Name: Jack Lamb
Age: OLD Position: Mod Needs Para/ Counselor Years of Experience: 35+ Education/Schools: Florida State Comments: “Kids are the reason to be here. They keep me young!”
Name: Katie Volkmann
Age: 26 Position: P.E; Health Years of Experience: First year teacher Education/Schools: CSU Comments: “I have volunteered in the weight room and did my student teaching here at Rocky and can’t even tell you how excited I am to still be a part of such a wonderful group of people. Couldn’t find a better combination of students and staff. Go Lobos!”
►Katie Volkmann,
Name: Stephanie Rentel
P.E. and Health
Age: 23 Position: Math Years of Experience: 1 Education/Schools: Wheaton College/CSU Comments: “I am so grateful to be part of the Rocky community! The culture here helps me to grow as a person.”
Name: Candy Iverson
Age: 50 Position: Manager for cafeteria Years of Experience: 17 Education/Schools: Graduated from Plant HS in Tampa, FL; 1 year at CSU Comments: “I am excited to be here Rocky- Lobos rock!”
Name: Diana Fremaint
Age: 47 Position: Biology Teacher (Secondary Science) Years of Experience: 13 Education/Schools: Bachelor’s in General Science, minor in Biology; Master’s in Education in Instructional Leadership Comments: “I have been a parent at Rocky and I am honored to be party of a great Science Department, staff, administrators, and community. Students and staff at Rocky are the best and I am proud to be part of the Pack!”
Name: Brad Hargreaves
Age: 37 Position: Special Education; Moderate Needs; Wrestling Coach Years of Experience: 4 Education/Schools: B.A. Adams State College; currently attending Western State College Comments: “Started my teaching career at RMHS 10 years ago and after six years away from teaching, couldn’t be happier to be back! GO LOBOS!”
Name: John Berg
Age: 42 Position: Special Education; Math Years of Experience: 12 Education/Schools: Indiana University; UNC Comments: “Live the Lobo Way!”
Mary Wilson
Poster perfect: Senior, and Student Body President, Tyler Janzen,
works to put up a poster by the Rock Stop.
The voice of Rocky
Student Body Prez Janzen set for big year by TESS HALAC Center Editor
Senior Tyler Janzen knows what it’s like to be in charge. Janzen has been involved in student leadership teams since fourth grade, and last year he was elected as Rocky’s Student Body President for the 2009-2010 school year. “I’ve just always had a passion for leadership, and (Student Council) was the perfect outlet for me to express that passion,” Janzen said. Janzen is setting high goals for himself as well as for the student body. One of these goals is to have the majority of students involved in something. Janzen is certainly leading by example in this field; he is largely involved in Forensics, and went to Birmingham, Alabama, to compete on a national level. Additionally, Janzen has participated in some of Rocky’s theatre performances,
most recently in the spring play Of Mice and Men. Another goal of his is to have “a culture of companionship to be established at Rocky.” “(Grade levels) are unimportant,” Janzen Student said. “We are Feature all Lobos and should uphold one another.” StuCo advisor and language arts teacher Jennifer Adams is happy with the progress that Janzen has made so far during his presidency. “Tyler brings a great sense of fun, but he is also focused and sticks with things, and sees them all the way through,” Adams said. Senior and Student Body Secretary Rachel Wagener agrees. “He is a lead-by-example kind of guy,” Wagener said. “He is very outgoing, nice, caring and friendly. StuCo just wouldn’t be StuCo without Tyler.”
Page B4
September 18, 2009
Q: A year after your presentation, do you have the same amount of concern on the behavior of teens on social networking sites? A: I do still have the same amount of concern for the safety of teens on social networking websites now as I did a year ago during my presentation in Windsor. However, my concern is for all teens, Q: Were you surprised at the reactions to your presentation? A: I was not very surprised by some of the reactions to my presentation from the students. Teens of today are making decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. The biggest surprise to me was the reaction of the parents whose children’s web pages I used in the presentation. Everyone was so quick to hire a lawyer, form a concerned parents group and threaten a lawsuit.
Q: Did you feel like it was fair of officer John Gay to show the school your MySpace page? A: I don’t think that it was fair, whatsoever for him to exploit me the way he did. Showing my personal MySpace page is one thing, but the fact that he portrayed a picture that was meant to be innocent, as “slutty” and that “I was just asking to be raped” is taking things a little bit too far. It’s one thing to voice your opinion respectfully, and another to verbally harass someone in front of an entire school without any consent from anyone. Q: Do you think it was in the lines of “protecting” for him to do that or was it out of line? A: As a police officer, this man is supposed to be preventing things like verbal harassment, and in this situation he was the one that instigated it. I’m totally for being safe on the Internet, and I completely agree with what Mr. Gay was trying to accomplish. But the way he went about it was just absurd. Q: What was your view of policemen before, and how has it changed after the incident? A: My view on policemen now is the same. I did not lose respect or begin to hate policemen just because of Mr. Gay. I lost respect for one man, but I don’t believe that he represents every policeman.
Center Section
by GREG LEWIS Co-editor-in-chief
John Gay, Cheyenne police officer
Shaylah Nordic, Windsor High School junior
Page B5
RM Highlighter
Social networking sites limit interaction, relationships
A year ago, Cheyenne police officer John Gay spoke to students at Windsor High School on the dangers of posting personal information on social networking websites. His talk became controversial when he targeted Windsor High School student Shaylah Nordic, and others, displaying her profile for the entire school to see and commenting on what he saw. Recently, The RM Highlighter talked with both.
Q: In your opinion, what needs to be done to make the social networking environment better and safer? A: I don’t think anything can be done to make the social networking environment safer. We cannot rely on MySpace, Facebook or any other site to provide a solution to dangers created by using their sites. It would seem our only hope is to teach responsible Internet usage.
C
On an island with the whole world By permission of Dave Coverly and Creators Syndicate, Inc.
We live in a strange world. A computer nerd named Tom has more friends than anyone on Earth; teenagers cling to three inch pieces of plastic like a third lung; and within just a few moments, anyone can share every little thing they do with 400 of their closest strangers. Given the ever expanding popularity of MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, texting, and more recently, Twitter, there is no wonder why the kids of this century have become labeled the “look-at-me generation.” Both MySpace and Facebook have more than 100 million members each, and if that wasn’t enough to feed the cyberaddiction, Twitter brings status updates straight to members’ cell phones. The fact is that the 21st century loves the world that technology provides. Between cell phones and the Internet, we can contact anyone, anywhere and know whatever we want about them with the click of a mouse or a push of a key, instantly feeding our need for gossip and social interaction. However, given this plethora of new trends of communication, has traditional face-to-face contact been lost in the shuffle? “Nowadays, no one ever really goes to see someone if they want to talk to them, they just text them,” said senior Jamie
by MARY WILLSON reporter
The world has become a lot smaller. At this very moment, teenagers around the world are probaly glued to a computer screen watching hysterically as American high school students makes a fool of themselves on the internet. You can listen to bands across the world with one click of a button and instantly communicate with anyone, no matter the distance. Social networking sites have exploded since 2004. MySpace, created by the infamous Tom Anderson has 230,000 new users daily, and has surpassed Google in internet traffic. Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard grad student. The site has over 57 million users in the US and more than 175 million users worldwide. A few other things have also exploded on the internet as well; the online music scene, the online video world, instant communication, and the spread of information. Although some say this new world of social networking sites, cell phones attached to our hands, and eyeballs glued to the computer screen is corrupting our generation, in some ways it is enhancing our generation. “I think [the internet] is positive because it ups the efficiency for everything, you can find a how-to video, or log onto
Mullen, a self-proclaimed Facebook addict. “I’m just sort of used to it.” Being able to hunch over a screen that has seemingly endless access to anyone has become a convenience to a great deal of American society. In today’s day and age, it seems that many people find it easier to hide behind the protective shell of a computer screen than actually voicing their opinions out loud. “People say a lot of things online or through texting that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face,” senior Katie Painter said. “It just is easier to say things through text.” Though parents and teachers often growl about the “stone age” before the worries of cell phone inflicted car wrecks or the humiliation of not making someone’s “top eight friends” page, it seems that some kids have developed a literal dependency on technology. “I use (my phone) about as much as the average teenager, but I can handle my life without it,” Painter said. “I think the older you get, the more attached you become to your phone. The average teenager could survive without their phone but it might be a struggle. It becomes such a societal norm, and people check their phones and Facebook accounts so much that they might not know what to do if they were taken away.” For senior Graham Hallett, this vision of a less technologically dependent world became a reality when he voluntarily gave
up his cell phone this past May. “I didn’t like how attached we have become,” Hallett said. “We think the only way to strengthen relationships is through instant communication. I think our culture slowly dies when you tell stories of experiences through three letter words.” Though the horror of spending more than a few days locked to a landline may seem daunting to some, Hallett finds comfort in the simplicity he enjoys without a cell phone in his pocket. “For thousands of years before written language, we passed along stories through communal storytelling,” Hallett said. “When we spend our time browsing someone’s page, reading their surface level interests and activities, we don’t learn anything about them or the world around us.” However, not all people share Hallett’s enthusiasm towards technology abstinence. “A lot of things are easier with texting, but people feel compelled to check their phones and Facebook accounts all the time,” Painter said. “If your computer or phone breaks, a lot of people stress out. Some people are just fine without phones, but for some people, it’s a life support when they have to text every second in class.” Although Hallett has turned off his cell phone indefinitely and deleted his old MySpace account, he remains a member of Facebook.
Social networking sites: The Evolution
Facebook and ask someone,” junior Connor McDonald said. “It’s cool that you can make anything you want and it can be seen all over the world.” Another aspect of social networking sites is music. “I believe that the Internet and social networking sites have completely transformed the music industry,” Rocky alum and lead singer for the widely successful band Rough Draft, Andrew Wittneaur,
said. “It has expanded opportunities for people to find and hear new bands. “No longer does the record label or the radio decide what is successful. Basically it has put the power back into the consumer’s hands on what will be liked and disliked when it comes to music.” When was the last time one drove to FYE, Best Buy, or Wal-Mart to
“It’s not worth deleting (my Facebook) in high school because in a year I will want to use it to keep in touch with friends across the country,” Hallett said. All the same, Hallett does frown at several aspects of the site. “You think you know someone before you meet them,” Hallett said. “Before you meet a person, you’ve judged them from things people have told you behind their backs or on the Internet.” Painter seems to hold a similar view. “If you use it not as personally, it’s fine, but some people update every little thing they do,” Painter said. “(Lack of privacy) is the person’s fault not the website’s.” Despite his firm views towards technology dependency, Hallett understands the possibilities that these services can provide. He merely frowns upon the reliance that seems to be growing between man and machine. “You don’t need to be a purest,” Hallett said. “It just comes down to making a suitable change in your own life. As we grow older, this is a time to see the world. When you’re behind a screen, you can’t enjoy the world around you.” However, in Hallett’s mind, the extremities of Twitter updates are an entirely different story. Ask Hallett what he thinks of the quickly growing service and he will simply respond, “If I want to hear about your trip to the bathroom, I’ll ask you about it.”
buy a CD to hear their favorite bands new single? Honestly, very few would anymore because when it’s only a click away, it’s not necessary. “Now people can easily search for new bands and new genres of music with just a click of a button,” Wittneaur said. “Anyone who knows anything about a computer can find ways to advertise themselves over the internet which simply draws more people to them.” Same goes for communication, and socializing. When one thinks of something to tell a friend, they will normally pull out a cell phone or log onto the computer. Just think of what people did when that wasn’t accessible. Would social relationships be fewer? “It’s making it so you don’t have to physically socialize,” junior Wyatt Temple said. “Yet, you can get a hold of people faster, so it makes physically socializing easier.” Facebook and MySpace have both surpassed Google on internet traffic; an artist’s success is now measured by top buys on iTunes. It’s possible to share pictures from a screen and tag someone on Facebook and communicate with anyone instantly. “It brings the world together,” McDonald said.
Page B4
September 18, 2009
Q: A year after your presentation, do you have the same amount of concern on the behavior of teens on social networking sites? A: I do still have the same amount of concern for the safety of teens on social networking websites now as I did a year ago during my presentation in Windsor. However, my concern is for all teens, Q: Were you surprised at the reactions to your presentation? A: I was not very surprised by some of the reactions to my presentation from the students. Teens of today are making decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. The biggest surprise to me was the reaction of the parents whose children’s web pages I used in the presentation. Everyone was so quick to hire a lawyer, form a concerned parents group and threaten a lawsuit.
Q: Did you feel like it was fair of officer John Gay to show the school your MySpace page? A: I don’t think that it was fair, whatsoever for him to exploit me the way he did. Showing my personal MySpace page is one thing, but the fact that he portrayed a picture that was meant to be innocent, as “slutty” and that “I was just asking to be raped” is taking things a little bit too far. It’s one thing to voice your opinion respectfully, and another to verbally harass someone in front of an entire school without any consent from anyone. Q: Do you think it was in the lines of “protecting” for him to do that or was it out of line? A: As a police officer, this man is supposed to be preventing things like verbal harassment, and in this situation he was the one that instigated it. I’m totally for being safe on the Internet, and I completely agree with what Mr. Gay was trying to accomplish. But the way he went about it was just absurd. Q: What was your view of policemen before, and how has it changed after the incident? A: My view on policemen now is the same. I did not lose respect or begin to hate policemen just because of Mr. Gay. I lost respect for one man, but I don’t believe that he represents every policeman.
Center Section
by GREG LEWIS Co-editor-in-chief
John Gay, Cheyenne police officer
Shaylah Nordic, Windsor High School junior
Page B5
RM Highlighter
Social networking sites limit interaction, relationships
A year ago, Cheyenne police officer John Gay spoke to students at Windsor High School on the dangers of posting personal information on social networking websites. His talk became controversial when he targeted Windsor High School student Shaylah Nordic, and others, displaying her profile for the entire school to see and commenting on what he saw. Recently, The RM Highlighter talked with both.
Q: In your opinion, what needs to be done to make the social networking environment better and safer? A: I don’t think anything can be done to make the social networking environment safer. We cannot rely on MySpace, Facebook or any other site to provide a solution to dangers created by using their sites. It would seem our only hope is to teach responsible Internet usage.
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On an island with the whole world By permission of Dave Coverly and Creators Syndicate, Inc.
We live in a strange world. A computer nerd named Tom has more friends than anyone on Earth; teenagers cling to three inch pieces of plastic like a third lung; and within just a few moments, anyone can share every little thing they do with 400 of their closest strangers. Given the ever expanding popularity of MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, texting, and more recently, Twitter, there is no wonder why the kids of this century have become labeled the “look-at-me generation.” Both MySpace and Facebook have more than 100 million members each, and if that wasn’t enough to feed the cyberaddiction, Twitter brings status updates straight to members’ cell phones. The fact is that the 21st century loves the world that technology provides. Between cell phones and the Internet, we can contact anyone, anywhere and know whatever we want about them with the click of a mouse or a push of a key, instantly feeding our need for gossip and social interaction. However, given this plethora of new trends of communication, has traditional face-to-face contact been lost in the shuffle? “Nowadays, no one ever really goes to see someone if they want to talk to them, they just text them,” said senior Jamie
by MARY WILLSON reporter
The world has become a lot smaller. At this very moment, teenagers around the world are probaly glued to a computer screen watching hysterically as American high school students makes a fool of themselves on the internet. You can listen to bands across the world with one click of a button and instantly communicate with anyone, no matter the distance. Social networking sites have exploded since 2004. MySpace, created by the infamous Tom Anderson has 230,000 new users daily, and has surpassed Google in internet traffic. Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard grad student. The site has over 57 million users in the US and more than 175 million users worldwide. A few other things have also exploded on the internet as well; the online music scene, the online video world, instant communication, and the spread of information. Although some say this new world of social networking sites, cell phones attached to our hands, and eyeballs glued to the computer screen is corrupting our generation, in some ways it is enhancing our generation. “I think [the internet] is positive because it ups the efficiency for everything, you can find a how-to video, or log onto
Mullen, a self-proclaimed Facebook addict. “I’m just sort of used to it.” Being able to hunch over a screen that has seemingly endless access to anyone has become a convenience to a great deal of American society. In today’s day and age, it seems that many people find it easier to hide behind the protective shell of a computer screen than actually voicing their opinions out loud. “People say a lot of things online or through texting that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face,” senior Katie Painter said. “It just is easier to say things through text.” Though parents and teachers often growl about the “stone age” before the worries of cell phone inflicted car wrecks or the humiliation of not making someone’s “top eight friends” page, it seems that some kids have developed a literal dependency on technology. “I use (my phone) about as much as the average teenager, but I can handle my life without it,” Painter said. “I think the older you get, the more attached you become to your phone. The average teenager could survive without their phone but it might be a struggle. It becomes such a societal norm, and people check their phones and Facebook accounts so much that they might not know what to do if they were taken away.” For senior Graham Hallett, this vision of a less technologically dependent world became a reality when he voluntarily gave
up his cell phone this past May. “I didn’t like how attached we have become,” Hallett said. “We think the only way to strengthen relationships is through instant communication. I think our culture slowly dies when you tell stories of experiences through three letter words.” Though the horror of spending more than a few days locked to a landline may seem daunting to some, Hallett finds comfort in the simplicity he enjoys without a cell phone in his pocket. “For thousands of years before written language, we passed along stories through communal storytelling,” Hallett said. “When we spend our time browsing someone’s page, reading their surface level interests and activities, we don’t learn anything about them or the world around us.” However, not all people share Hallett’s enthusiasm towards technology abstinence. “A lot of things are easier with texting, but people feel compelled to check their phones and Facebook accounts all the time,” Painter said. “If your computer or phone breaks, a lot of people stress out. Some people are just fine without phones, but for some people, it’s a life support when they have to text every second in class.” Although Hallett has turned off his cell phone indefinitely and deleted his old MySpace account, he remains a member of Facebook.
Social networking sites: The Evolution
Facebook and ask someone,” junior Connor McDonald said. “It’s cool that you can make anything you want and it can be seen all over the world.” Another aspect of social networking sites is music. “I believe that the Internet and social networking sites have completely transformed the music industry,” Rocky alum and lead singer for the widely successful band Rough Draft, Andrew Wittneaur,
said. “It has expanded opportunities for people to find and hear new bands. “No longer does the record label or the radio decide what is successful. Basically it has put the power back into the consumer’s hands on what will be liked and disliked when it comes to music.” When was the last time one drove to FYE, Best Buy, or Wal-Mart to
“It’s not worth deleting (my Facebook) in high school because in a year I will want to use it to keep in touch with friends across the country,” Hallett said. All the same, Hallett does frown at several aspects of the site. “You think you know someone before you meet them,” Hallett said. “Before you meet a person, you’ve judged them from things people have told you behind their backs or on the Internet.” Painter seems to hold a similar view. “If you use it not as personally, it’s fine, but some people update every little thing they do,” Painter said. “(Lack of privacy) is the person’s fault not the website’s.” Despite his firm views towards technology dependency, Hallett understands the possibilities that these services can provide. He merely frowns upon the reliance that seems to be growing between man and machine. “You don’t need to be a purest,” Hallett said. “It just comes down to making a suitable change in your own life. As we grow older, this is a time to see the world. When you’re behind a screen, you can’t enjoy the world around you.” However, in Hallett’s mind, the extremities of Twitter updates are an entirely different story. Ask Hallett what he thinks of the quickly growing service and he will simply respond, “If I want to hear about your trip to the bathroom, I’ll ask you about it.”
buy a CD to hear their favorite bands new single? Honestly, very few would anymore because when it’s only a click away, it’s not necessary. “Now people can easily search for new bands and new genres of music with just a click of a button,” Wittneaur said. “Anyone who knows anything about a computer can find ways to advertise themselves over the internet which simply draws more people to them.” Same goes for communication, and socializing. When one thinks of something to tell a friend, they will normally pull out a cell phone or log onto the computer. Just think of what people did when that wasn’t accessible. Would social relationships be fewer? “It’s making it so you don’t have to physically socialize,” junior Wyatt Temple said. “Yet, you can get a hold of people faster, so it makes physically socializing easier.” Facebook and MySpace have both surpassed Google on internet traffic; an artist’s success is now measured by top buys on iTunes. It’s possible to share pictures from a screen and tag someone on Facebook and communicate with anyone instantly. “It brings the world together,” McDonald said.
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RM Highlighter
September 18, 2009
Limelight
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Games and entertainment
Photo of the month
Shelby Brown
“Size matters not”: Principal Tom Lopez, dressed as Jedi Knight Yoda, fires up the crowd at the back-to-school assembly on Aug. 28. Lopez, or Yopez as he’s now known, entertained the packed house for approximately 10 minutes with stories of the Force, er, Lobo Way.
by Allie Daniels and Elaina Trousil
Name/Grade Susan Chaffe, teacher
One word to describe freshmen
Tyler Janzen reminds you of…
Energetic The Beach Boys
How many apples do you think America eats in one day?
Seeing Lopez as Yoda made me feel…
Not enough
Happy
Travis Honn , senior
Small
Who’s that?
A million
I didn’t go to the assembly
Colton Deeney, junior
Fuzzy
The Fonz
2 1/2
Excited with arms flailing
Stupid
Obama
A million
Like Laughing
Cole Bradley, sophomore
Top Ten
Worst first days of school
Classic rock from page B8 not mean different generations can not enjoy the music.” In 2005, an article in Rolling Stone stated that at least 9 percent of kids between the ages of 12 and 17 listen to classic rock radio. The article also interviewed Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, who was baffled by how much his fifteen-year-old son and his son’s friends loved classic rock like Led Zeppelin and Cream. Obviously, when you’re Steven Tyler’s son, you’re going to be exposed to classic rock. But how is it that the rest of us in that 9 percent are still enamored by these songs from so long ago? Junior Connor McDonald was a huge fan of Guitar Hero when it came out, and the game has had a colossal effect on his musical interests. He now listens to a lot of the music that he discovered on the game. “I didn’t know of any of those songs (before playing the game),” McDonald said. “A couple of them are my new favorite songs, especially because you often have to play them over and over again (to beat the song),” McDonald said.
10. You get your lunch money taken… by a freshman. 9. Fly out of a truck bed because the backpack didn’t work…RIP moron. 8. You have come of age and you are not a wizard. 7. The man you harassed all summer is your social studies teacher…and he is
Senior Lukas Swartz grew up listening to classic rock like The Who, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. He was introduced to these bands by his parents, and continues to listen to them because he feels a strong personal connection to this music. Swartz believes that many people from this generation are turning to classic rock because it has a greater ability to be more memorable and profound than a lot of popular music today. “(Classic rock) is so applicable to people these days because today’s music is more about the present,” Swartz said. “It doesn’t endure. Classic rock has more of a feeling of belonging.” The success of the movie Across the Universe, a love story with Beatles musical numbers, is proof that our generation still loves the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Van Tatenhove believes this is because the band was so good at combining simple music with imaginative, inspired ideas. “Their music is a great combination of simple pop and highly creative art,” Van Tatenhove said. “Their lyrics are often simple words gathered to create multiple layers of meaning. They also evolved enough throughout their career to
Answer posted on RM Highlighter bulletin board outside of Room 528
kind of a big deal. 6. Forgot Care Bear lunch box. 5. Realize that you are a freshman, and you have to take Lobo 101. 4. You are a sophomore and you still have to take Lobo 101. 3. Find out that the elevator passes are non-refundable.
2. You are a senior and for some reason got put in Lobo 101. 1. You name is Tyler Janzen, you are the student body president, and the No. 1 spot is yours the whole year. by Ethan Farnsworth, Austin Adams, Greg Lewis, Colton Klemperer
Trying it out: Seniors Jimmy Wedding and Kevin Jackson play Beatles Rockband at BestBuy the day before it comes out.
Conner Drake
appeal to young teens and educated adults.” When it comes to discovering this music these days, however, it often comes from commercials using recognizable classic rock tunes to sell a product, especially when it comes to games like guitar hero and rock band. This often changes the way the message of the music really comes across to the listener. “Major corporations and marketing plans that use classic songs
to sell products are hijacking the familiarity a classic song provides and applying that familiarity to the product or service so a consumer who knows the song will feel they also know the product,” Van Tatenhove said. Swartz finds it ironic that so many past songs about breaking away from commercialism are now being used in ways the artists had not originally hoped for. “A lot of the ways we are ex-
posed to (classic rock) these days is contrary to what it was really made for,” Swartz said. Regardless of how this generation feels about classic rock songs, it’s still astonishing how attached so many teenagers today are to music that defined another very different culture at a very different point in time. No one had any idea how massive the effect of early rock would be, as it continues to influence countless lives today.
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RM Highlighter
Limelight
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September 18, 2009
Gamer entertaining Decent action film
by CHOLE EVANS reporter
Imagine if Gears of War or Call of Duty weren’t just video games, but the characters that you controlled were real people, fighting for their right to live. In the futuristic film Gamer, inventor, Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall), has Movie shaped the Review modern world of 2063 to look just like a video game with his implemented mind control technology. In his game Slayers, convicts on death row enter a realistic battle-zone with the promise of freedom if they complete all 30 levels. However, produced from video game fantasies, the weapons and violence are beyond intense and nearly impossible to beat. At the top of the gaming scoreboards is Kable (Gerard Butler), a prisoner taken away from his family who must survive the virtually undefeated game while controlled by 17-year-old player, Simon (Logan Lerman). Gamer comes from the explosive directors of fellow fast paced action flick Crank, and it definitely shows. Because the film is set in an intense, high-action setting of a realistic video game, explosions, blown off limbs and the rattling noises of machine guns are a redundant constant throughout the 95 minutes. In order to make the film seem like a true video game, cinematography takes on short, choppy film pans. This, in addition to a first person shooter viewpoint, makes
the audience dizzy and slightly confused as to what happened between shots. Muscular Butler, known for his role in 300, effortlessly stomps his way through the levels with is huge physique, making every scene look like a workout ad. Though girls definitely won’t complain about the emphasis on Butler’s muscles, there is no doubt that they, along with many others, will have some issues with other features of the movie. The film is rated R, for nasty violence, sexual content, nudity and language, and the makers of the movie definitely exploit every chance to use those characteristics. In Gamer, Castle creates another realistic-control video game, Society, which is based off of the real-life game Sims. Almost identical to reality, the movie portrays people of lower social status who act out their wildest and uncensored fantasies in Society through beautiful people in a perfect world. The social commentary that the film is trying to make is obvious: our society has become so consumed by technology that if we begin to act out the things we see on video games and TV, the result will be disastrous. Hall’s portrayal of the arrogant, young billionaire Castle is exceptional, partly due to the nature of his power hungry character. The audience cringes in disgust every time he opens his mouth, not because of a poor performance, but because of his
© 2009 Lakeshore Entertainment Group LLC and Lions Gate Films Inc.
Ready for action: Kable (Gerard Butler) preparing for combat.
rude mannerisms and egotistical actions. Meanwhile Kyra Sedgwick plays a fictional Oprah-type character with her own talk show that interviews Castle. Her portrayal of two sides provides an interesting twist; one personality is an honest reporter, whereas the other is an attention seeking busybody eager to do anything
for a good story and top reviews. The combination of sadistic character interpretations, a twistand-turn plot, and seriously unnecessary gruesome scenes makes Gamer a decent action flick for a moment, but ultimately forgettable.
Rewards from page B8
(and the title) seem to suggest a more solemn experience. It performs as one of the most accessible songs on the album. The dreamy, unwinding “I’m Melting!” follows, showcasing lead guitarist Oliver Mueller’s watered down guitar tone. The last two songs on the album prove to be some of the bands finest and most memorable. “Writing Letters to No One in a Little Red Notebook” features beautiful vocals from Riley Lamperes, and it is one of Mueller’s best performances as well. The last track of the album, “The Glass is So Sharp, You Don’t Feel It Until You See the Cut,” features strong performances from each band member, and is arguably the best song on the album. The guitar lines from Mueller and younger brother Jakob Mueller play off of each other well to produce an outstanding melody. Bush’s rhythm is more reserved, but consistent throughout. Vanilla is a solid album from one of the finest bands at this school. Although the band is still exhibiting their alternative rock influences from their favorite bands throughout the album, the diversity on Vanilla shows that they have the ability to break out and try different rock styles, something their fans will watch with great interest. The launch party for the CD will be held at the new Spotlight location on September 19, with music from Thrifty Astronaut. The album will be on iTunes.
Grade: B
All About Steve brings disappointment Movie just another romantic comedy
by ALLIE DANIELS reporter
All About Steve is a stereotypical romantic comedy, written by Kim Barker and directed by Phil Traill, about an eccentric girl who is looking for love. The film’s main character Mary (Sandra Bullock) is a crossword constructor whose parents set her up on a blind date with a CCN cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper). Steve blows Mary off after their date because of her quirky personality but Mary thinks that they are soul mates and decides to go after him. To prove her devotion, Mary follows Steve around the country to various jobs he is assigned to cover. To Steve’s surprise, she just keeps turning up wherever he goes thanks to Steve’s partner Hartman (Thomas Haden Church) who keeps leaving Mary hints as to where their next story is. This film was somewhat entertaining but also seems very cliché because of the plot line and Mary’s peculiar hunt for true love. Bullock did a good job of capturing her character, almost to the point of making the audience feel uncomfortable by her awkwardness. Her quirks
were a bit over-the-top. Mary’s obsession with Steve seems more like a miserable case of stalking rather than a pursuit for true love. However, the audience also has the urge to Movie cheer Mary on Review in her pursuit of Steve. Cooper’s performance was a bit of a let down after his role in The Hangover earlier this year. The audience was expecting to be laughing uncontrollably but instead his character was the least compelling on the cast. His character was unlikable, and was hard for the audience to relate to. By the end of the movie, the audience has trouble deciding whether to feel bad for Steve
since he is stuck being stalked by Mary, or hate him because of the way he treats her. The plot line continues placing Mary’s silly personality in very serious situations which just makes her character seem impractical and annoying. Even during distressing events, Mary continues being abnormal and it just does not seem like the right time for her jokes or clumsiness. This movie was just another romantic comedy that leaves the audience dissatisfied. The actors were a disappointment, and the plot line was conventional and boring though it was still mildly amusing on a superficial level.
Grade: B-
Suzanne Tenner/Fox/MCT
Chasing Steve: Mary (Sandra Bullock) trying to catch Steve (Bradley Cooper) off guard in the press tent.
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September 18, 2009
You say you want a
New generation discovers classic rock by COLTON KLEMPERER co-editor-in-chief
Neil Young said it best: “My, my, hey, hey, rock and roll is here to stay.” Even though rap and hip hop are likely the most popular genres of music in this decade and a surprisingly large amount of teens still turn Limelight to rock and roll as their Special favorite genre From this group, many look to the past to discover some of the brightest gems in the rock and roll world- often through games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Today, the so-called “classic rock” genre is overwhelmingly full of decades of talent. Most believe that it all began in the 60s when The Beatles broke from musical norms to create the most popular rock band of all time. From that point on, rock was turned into a cultural phenomenon as talents like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin made it their own. The 70s saw the rise of more incredible talents, especially notable British bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, and the 80s brought in hair metal bands like Van Halen and Guns N’ Roses, as well as punk rock bands like The Clash and The Sex Pistols. Some classic rock stations are now considering 90s grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana to be classic rock as well. Today, the internet allows us to discover and access music from countless genres. But apparently, there’s still something extraordinary about rock music from as much as 50 years ago. “Rock music can never mean the same to people from separate generations,” history of rock and roll teacher Scott Van Tatenhove said. “But that does
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Limelight
What’s in the Limelight?
Graphics, career mode make Beatles Rockband worth buying by CONNER DRAKE reporter
Follow Ringo, Paul, John and George as you rock out in the recently released game, The Beatles: Rockband, an enjoyable walk through the songs of one of the greatest rock bands ever to plug in an amplifier. Like previGame ous Rockband Review games, players are able to play songs with multiple “instruments”: drums, bass, guitar and vocals. An added feature to this new version of Rockband is that players can have up to three players producing vocals to a song instead of just one. Gamers can play numerous great Beatles’ songs in the game such as: “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Help,” “Yellow Submarine” and many more. Players can either choose to follow The Beatles in a “career” mode or play any song they want in “quick play.” Gamers also get the chance to play at famous Beatles venues such as The Ed Sullivan Show and Shea Stadium. Also, when playing a song like “Yellow Submarine,” players are immersed into a stunning-looking underwater world. For other songs, gamers are thrown into psychedelic dreamscapes related to The Beatles music and time period. The game play in The Beatles: Rockband is much like other Rockband games-fun and addicting. However, in this version of the game, players will actually feel like a world famous band. The graphics to this game are amazing. They look cartoonist but go well with The Beatles. This is a must own game for any Beatles fan.
Grade: B+
Jump to CLASSIC ROCK, page B6
Rewards prove their worth with Vanilla by COLTON KLEMPERER co-editor-in-chief
Creating and maintaining a rock band takes a different kind of persistence—one that requires each member to delve into the deepest part of their creative minds. With this in mind, Rocky band The Rewards channeled their creative strengths to create their first album, Vanilla. The Rewards have been one of the predominant bands at Battle of the Bands the past two years, and Vanilla proves that the band is continuing to take steps to improve their sound. On these tracks, the band builds off of influences including Arctic Monkeys, Taking Back Sunday, The Strokes, and
other alternative rock bands, while simultaneously carving out their own style. The album opens with “Tuesdays Never Seemed So Bad,” with a strong guiding bass line from CD bassist David Review Durgan. Drummer Tucker Bush displays rising power from his drum lines, which grow harsher in the choruses. Song 15, the second track, sounds heavily influenced by The Strokes, in guitar work as well as vocal melody. The lyrics are intriguing, especially with the reference to Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, but very difficult to decipher, which can be a blessing or a curse for any
Sept. 18 Movie: Jennifer’s Body Movie: The Informant! Movie: Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs Sept. 19 Concert: Jason Mraz at Red Rocks Sept. 22 CD release: Brand New- Daisy CD release: Pearl Jam- Backspacer CD release: Three Days Grace- Life Starts Now Game release: Halo 3:ODST Sept. 24 Concert: Social Distortion with The Strangers and Middle Class Rut at the Aggie Sept. 25 Movie: Fame Movie: Surrogates Sept. 26 Concert: Flogging Molly at Red Rocks Sept. 29 CD release: AFICrash Love CD release: Paramore- Brand New Eyes Concert: B-52’s at Fillmore Sept. 30 Concert: Pitbull at Ogden Oct. 1 Concert: Choir/Jazz at Rocky Oct. 2 Movie: Zombieland Movie: Shutter Island Oct. 3 Concert: Colbie Caillat with Howie Day at Fillmore Oct. 4 Concert: Paramore at Fillmore Oct. 6 CD release: Backstreet Boys- This is Us CD release: Switchfoot- Hello Huricane Concert: Secondhand Serenade at Gothic Oct. 8 Concert: Chamber and Collaboration at Rocky Concert: Brand New at Fillmore Oct. 9 Concert: Snow Patrol at Fillmore Movie: Couples Retreat
The Rewards: From to left to right, David Durgan, Oliver Mueller, Tucker Bush, and Jakob Mueller. The Rewards just put out their first CD, Vanilla.
band. The third track, “It’s Surprisingly Cold in California,” features poppy guitar lines that
suggest soaking up a warm summer day, but the lyrics Jump to REWARDS, page B7
Oct. 11 Concert: The Used at Fillmore Oct. 15-17 Fall musical: Barnum, auditorium