Rocky Mountain High School January 27, 2012 Volume 39, No. 5
In the background, junior Maria Elliott is prepared to donate her blood. Fifty-seven students and staff members donated their blood at the blood drive hosted by the Garth Englund Blood Center at Rocky. See story, page A3
the rocky mountain
hiGhliGhter
Alex Creighton
the
Side SHOW HIGH SCHOOL HIJINKS
Figtree High School in Australia has banned hugging between students. The ban has parents outraged that hugging could send their children to detention.
HOT TEA THROWN A teacher from a high school in Hasting, Mich., is facing scrutiny after she threw hot tea on two students in order to break up a fight. Some parents want the teacher fired, while others claim the situation isn’t as dramatic as it’s being made to sound. The teacher is on paid administrative leave until the school reaches a decision on any punishment.
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE “If you research it, every single day there is a new police impersonation case in the country. I did it for two years straight after Lacy died and everyday there were several. I think the reason it happens is because it works. We are trained to stop for police officers and they know that. Perpetrators and criminals know that. It’s a really easy trick for them to use.” - Wendy Cohen about her daughter and 2001 Rocky graduate, Lacy Miller
s e i t i r o h t u a e h t g n i undermin Police impersonations threaten the safety of citizens and undermine the authority of legitimate officers trying to protect the community from danger.
Photo Illustration by Cassa Niedringhaus
Police impersonation: a troubling crime by Brennan O’Grady Reporter
A simple traffic stop. You roll down the window. You were going too fast. A ticket. However, this stop is not simple. This is no law enforcement officer. Across the nation, police impersonation occurs, whether documented or not. However, it wasn’t until recently that this issue hit home once again as a woman claimed that a man dressed as a police officer pulled her over and sexually assaulted her. Determined to be falsified, this case still brings into question the ease of police impersonation and its potential for drastic outcomes. Jump to PSYCH, page A2
Education, awareness key to preserving safety by Cassa Niedringhaus Editor-in-Chief
Each time she learns of a new police impersonation crime, Wendy Cohen said she feels a knife in her heart. Cohen’s daughter, Lacy Miller, Rocky graduate in 2001, was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and brutally murdered on Jan. 17, 2003. Jason Clausen, who was convicted of the crime, impersonated a police officer in order to lure Miller from her car. Miller was just 20 years old. She was studying to become a teacher. On Jan. 5, 2012, a woman in Loveland accused a police impersonator of pulling her over and sexually assaulting her. Though the allegations were eventually proved to be false, Cohen said that the issue of police impersonation is still a prevalent problem in the country.
“If you research it, every single day there is a new police impersonation case in the country,” Cohen said. “I did it for two years straight after Lacy died and everyday there were several. I think the reason it happens is because it works. We are trained to stop for police officers and they know that. Perpetrators and criminals know that. It’s a really easy trick for them to use.” Since her daughter’s tragic murder, Cohen has gone on to found 2 Hearts: The Lacy Jo Miller Foundation and the Police Impersonation Prevention Initiative. Both organizations are aimed towards educating the community. According to its website, www.2hearts4lacy.org, “2 Hearts: The Lacy Jo Miller Foundation believes Jump to CRIME, page A2
Mill Levy gets laptops for freshman
Fresh finish: Principal Tom Lopez cuts the ribbon and freshman Konnor Schmidt watches on while at a ceremony on Jan. 18 in the Media Center to dedicate the new laptops purchased for freshman. The laptops were purchased using money from the Mill Levy.
by Meleena O’Neill Reporter
Meleena O’Neill
The money’s been paid by the taxpayers, the ribbon cut, the laptops handed out to the freshmen. Now the hard part begins. With part of the $6.1 million from the 2010 Mill Levy designated for the 20112012 school year used to buy personal computers for all freshmen, teachers and administrators are preparing to handle the kinks brought on by 500 laptops now in the halls and classrooms at school. “We know it will be difficult,” Assistant
Principal Karen Bennett said. “We are going to take it slow and work together.” Bennett also said the district researched several options for this money provided for technology advancements in the district but laptops were seen as the most engaging and helped to improve student achievement. Dell has priced this model, the E5420, at $1,203 for the base model. The base specifications are an Intel I-5 Core, 2GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive and Microsoft Office Starter.
Jump to LAPTOP, page A3
A2 January 27, 2012
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Dance changes location, rules by Cammie Palomino Reporter
The rumors swirling around the school that grinding has been banned from all dances are, to an extent, false. Grinding has not been fully banned. Instead, the Dance Etiquette Committee comprised of students and faculty has examined how to reduce the inappropriate nature of dancing. The only changes to Sadie’s and future dances will be that Sadie’s the type Sock Hop: of grinding which ►Feb. 4 involves ►8 p.m.bending 11 p.m. over is now ►Tickets: completely singles, $10; banned. doubles, $15. Many students have stated that if grinding were banned, they would not attend. However, Sophomore Class Treasurer Kristeena Kropp said she believes that this change will affect the attendance of future dances at first, but that she believes people will adapt to the change and they will attend more. “We are going to talk about that (the new rules) in home-
Psych from page A1
As technology and internet sales continue to increase, so does the availability of police paraphernalia, such as badges and lights imitating those used by police departments nationwide. Student Resource Officer Jerrod Hardy views this as a result of the United States being a capitalist nation. “We are a capitalist nation,” he said. “People will sell anything to make money. It’s easy to buy buadges and put lights on your car.” The 10 News investigations team in San Diego learned of one place that law enforcement, nationally, go: California Uniforms. One of many similar stores nationwide, anyone—not just public officials—are capable of buying uniforms. For instance, anyone could buy exactly what a highway patrol officer wears. The store, however, does have some stipulation as to not sell badges or patches to the “ordinary” customer. A quick Google-search quickly counteracts this, immediately putting police equipment, like badges and patches, into the hands of police departments, and, unfortunately, those who purchase this equipment for unjust purposes. The availability of such equipment isn’t the only issue at hand; police officers themselves have contributed to this, according to USA Today. Several years ago, there were two cases, one in New York and one in New Jersey, where licensed police officers offered various three-day courses to the public teaching them how to use pepper spray effectively, restrain people and to use handcuffs. In this three-day class alone, potential perpetrators could have learned three skills that could be used to successfully detain and kidnap victims. Following the aftermath and prosecution of officers offering these classes, it was determined that 80 of the taught students were convicted felons. Closer to home, the Fort Collins Police Department (FCPD) offers two programs: Explorer and Auxiliary. In both of these programs those interested in law enforcement careers receive trainings, assist with traffic control, provide security to crime scenes and other aspects. Although these programs do not make them licensed officers, they definitely provide participants with a feel of the law enforcement world. In the Lacy Miller case from 2003, Jason Clausen suc-
rooms before Sadie’s,” Assistant Principal and member of the grinding committee Tyler Nickel said. “We are going to clarify a few things that are definitely against the rules.” She made it clear that there will be no bending over, period. Nickel also stated clearly that faculty and chaperones will trust the students during this new change. Senior Class President and head of the Dance Committee Jessica Davidson added that a PowerPoint is being made that will be presented to homerooms to clarify the difference between safe and unsafe behavior at dances. This year’s Sadie’s will be the first dance to put this new rule into action. The Sadie’s theme for this year is a classic sock hop. “We want to make it look almost as if it was a high school sock hop,” Davidson said. “We are going very classic with the theme.” Davidson added that the change of the location of the dance, from the Rocks to the auxiliary gym, is going to be a challenge since the event has never been in this new location. They are planning on including the archetypical sock hop items
cessfully impersonated a police officer to kidnap and kill Miller. A key aspect to Clausen’s profile was that he was a participant in the FCPD Explorers program. Although not a cause, the immersion Clausen experienced can be seen as a contributing factor behind his motives. At the same time, Dr. Naftali Berrill, psychologist of the New York Center for Neuropsychology and Forensic Behavioral Science, said in a USA Today article in 2008 that he believes impersonators “feel . . . powerless, (and) fantasize they’d have power . . . if they were a cop.” Hardy added, “(Impersonators) are fascinated with the authority associated with being a police officer. They feel inadequate about their own relationships. Simply, it’s a power-seeking act.” Impersonators use this power to commit crimes, such as home invasions and robberies. Drug dealers have also been found to take on the look of law enforcement to steal from other “dealers.” “It is something very predatory,” Hardy said. “(Police impersonators) target specific areas, age groups and times of the day.” Recently, in Loveland, the police impersonation report stated that it occurred at nighttime and was targeted towards a woman in her younger 20s. Although these allegations were false, they are representative of similar cases. “(A person) needs nerves of steel to pull this off, the average person couldn’t . . .” Berrill said. With the Lacy Miller case, Clausen pulled Miller over right outside of a neighborhood: something atypical to other crimes, yet nothing abnormal to police impersonators. These people usually have strong mentalities, Hardy said, performing acts that are very premeditated. When considering various instances of impersonation, psychologists report a very complex criminal profile, where many are very manipulative, and some are delusional. On top of that, most are characterized with having hero complexes, referring to a phenomenon that affects people who seek recognition. To accomplish this, they create desperate situations which they can resolve. “There is no benefit (to anyone),” Hardy said. “Impersonation undermines trust, clouds perception and creates doubt.” Police impersonation: a troubling crime, a battle for all.
Cammie Palomino
Chix Pick: Sophomore officers Mary Muffly (left) and Natalie Graves (right) hang an enormous banner of a yellow chicken stating: “Chix Pick” over the Rocks in the Commons. The banner is to both promote this year’s “Sock Hop” Sadie’s and to remind the female students that it is traditional for girls to ask their dates to Sadie’s.
such as record players, pastel colored objects, steamers and fake, old-school cars. There will be additional decorations in the multipurpose room, including a milkshake bar. Swing dancing classes will be a new addition to Sadie’s to coordinate with the theme.
Crime from page A1
that through education, awareness and prevention, we can stop the violence in our culture and promote understanding and healing on both sides of violent crimes through restorative practices, cooperation, education, compassion and proactive programming that addresses the needs of those most likely to commit violent crimes.” The Police Impersonation Prevention Initiative is also aimed at gathering information about police impersonators and prevent further police impersonations. An important step to reducing the number of police impersonations is by increasing the legal punishments. Due to strong campaigning that Cohen did, with help from the police and sheriff’s departments and select lawmakers, Lacy’s Law was signed by Governor Bill Owens in 2004. It increased the penalty of police impersonation from a Class One misdemeanor to a Class Six felony. Cohen said that her new goal is to make police impersonation illegal throughout the country by the 10th anniversary of Miller’s death, which is next year. “We are getting police departments, sheriff’s departments, DA’s offices and all that to take a pledge to do their part, and citizens too, to prevent police impersonation,” she said. “And then we are going to work with legislators to see if we can get it to be illegal. And it’s pretty tricky because all the states enforce their laws differently, so it’s kind of tricky. So we’re trying to figure that out.” Student Resource Officer Jerrod Hardy said that education is also a key to reducing such crimes. “The best way to stop these impersonators is to have a very educated public,” Hardy said. “If they know the people in Fort Collins are educated about what to do and will take safety precautions they are far less likely to come here.” He said that if a person is pulled
“People can show up and learn how to do the dance,” Davidson said. “They don’t have to be afraid of not knowing how to swing dance at this dance. We took a lot of time to select a nice combination of music from this (sock hop) time period and ours. There will be songs from
the top 40 chart but also stuff you would hear at a classic sock hop.” Davidson said she hopes that the changes will not impact attendance because she said that people who do not attend will miss out on a fun opportunity to learn a new dance and have fun. However, junior Mackayla Schadegg expressed that the change in location of the dance and the new restrictions will be detrimental to attendance. She said that the freshmen and sophomores’ inappropriate dancing at the Make-A-Wish Dance on Nov. 11 was to blame “The idea of having it in the gym is going to make a student not go,” Schadegg said. The new change to some might be a challenge; however, to others it will be a relief that they do not have to see actions that make them feel uncomfortable. “Basically, we don’t necessarily want to make huge deal about grinding,” Davidson said. “We want to take it slowly because it’s a culture issue. But if anybody is doing anything to make dances unsafe, including unsafe grinding or other unsafe behavior, they will be at the discretion of administration.”
If a suspicious vehicle pulls you over:
► Legitimate light system
► Leave the car in drive ► Do not get out of the car ► Call 911 to verify the identity of the officer ► Turn on your emergency flashers and drive to a well-lit area ► Do not get out of the car ► Open the window just a crack
over by an unmarked police car, there are numerous safety measures that can be taken. The driver can click on her emergency flashers and drive to a welllit, populated parking lot. Additionally, she can call 911 to immediately verify the identity of the officer making the traffic stop. If she does pull over, she can lock the doors and open the window just a crack so that the officer cannot reach into the car and request that a marked police car be sent as backup. He also cautioned that a legitimate police officer would state his name and position at the police department immediately. The officer should also be expected to have a three-digit badge number. Cohen offered similar advice, and was especially emphatic that the driver should never get out of the car. Nick Christensen, the Executive Officer of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, stated that such police impersonations undermine the credibility of those legitimate officers working to keep the community safe. “I think that shows that authority is being misused and it makes people question when they do see those lights or an officer with identification whether it’s the real deal,” he said. “And that’s unfortunate that we have created that second guessing. But as a result, the officers typically are willing to provide additional reassurance as long as it’s not an exigent circumstance. If somebody is robbing a bank and is contacted by an officer, it’s not going to work to suggest that they don’t think it’s the real deal. But if somebody’s pulled
over in a vulnerable location and they themselves feel vulnerable, certainly it’s understandable to take action.” Though these impersonations may take place in a car, Cohen cautioned that police impersonators might also approach people in stores or at their homes. She said people, especially women, should not travel alone and should always be aware of their surroundings. They should always avoid texting, listening to music and other distractions when walking. Another key for women is being strong and advocating for their safety. “As girls we’re not taught to have a voice and tell people to leave us alone and get out of our space,” Cohen said. “It’s okay to be nasty and mean to people that aren’t appropriate. You know, scare them off. Perpetrators profile their victims. They have a certain person they are looking for. They are looking for someone who doesn’t have good posture, who doesn’t seem like they would fight back, who doesn’t seem like they would cause trouble, or yell or anything. They want an easy target . . . And that’s one of the things my daughter didn’t know how to do.” Science teacher Carol Seemueller remembers Miller as a kind, sweet and trusting girl. “It’s really sad, even now, for me to think back and see her here and know that in part it was probably because she was so trusting,” Seemueller said. “She would never suspect that someone would be there to do harm. She always, I think, just saw the good in people.”
Looking Glass raffle to reward submissions Calling all writers, artists and musicians. Students have the opportunity to submit original pieces to the award-winning Looking Glass literary in magazine. This publication just recently won rief a Best of Show award at the fall National Scholastic Press Association contest. The deadline for all submissions is Feb. 17. To submit, students can go to the Looking Glass drop folder and save
B
original creations in this location. All work must be saved with a title, including the author’s last name, first name and a title of the piece, if applicable. Any pieces submitted to the folder by Feb. 1 will be entered into a raffle for $20 gift cards to Qdoba. - Michelle Kennedy
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
January 27, 2012
Gift of life
A3
Students, staff crowd blood drive in effort to save lives by Alex Creighton Reporter
On Jan. 18 students and staff were given the opportunity to save up to three lives each, in less than 15 minutes. The average human body has between 10 and 12 pints of blood; in a donation a unit of blood, one pint, is taken from the body. Students competed with other Poudre School District high schools in a blood drive hosted by Garth Englund Blood Center to see which high school was able to donate the greatest amount of blood. Rocky was first to donate with the other high schools hosting their blood drives later this year. Rocky donated 57 units of blood, enough to save up to 171 lives. Students donated for many different reasons, for junior Maria Elliott it was a personal donation. “I wanted to put others before myself,” Elliott said. “My mom had a blood transfusion when she had cancer, I was thankful that someone had donated for her health.” Elliot said she was nervous, as it was her first time donating blood, but it was on her list of life goals. “I almost died yesterday,” she said. “When the needle went in, I got really hot and slightly nauseated. But I realized that it was mind over matter; I just thought about other things.”
She gave her one pint in 11 minutes and 26 seconds, an average time for a teenage female. “I felt accomplished, better about myself; I felt good,” she said. Students were not the only donors in the blood drive. Several teachers also donated, including history teacher Satini Liufau. Originally, Liufau was not planning on donating but caved under pressure from Student Council. “I am a wimp; I can’t handle pain,” Liufau said. “The needle thing freaks me out.” Liufau decided to give as a way of representing Rocky, to remain centered on other people and to support an activity that StuCo sponsored. He finished donating his unit in just over four minutes, a fast time compared to others. Strict regulations and rules deterred many students from being allowed to donate, including anyone who had a tattoo or piercing in the last year, those who had left the country or people who did not meet the 120 pound weight requirement. Adam Bonertz, a junior, attempted to give blood but was denied because of a cruise he took to Honduras in November 2011. To protect patients that receive blood transfusions, potential donors could be turned away if there was a risk of the donor having a disease.
Drive to help African students attend school by Regan Miller Reporter
One man’s trash is another man’s future. Soles4Souls is an organization which donates lightly used shoes to kids in different parts of the world. Rocky is hosting a donation drive, sponsored by Key Club, to support this organization and kids who could otherwise not afford shoes. An assembly on Jan. 27 will take place in order to give students another look at the importance and purpose. Donations will be accepted from homerooms from Jan. 30 to Feb. 10. Homerooms will compete to collect the most shoes and the winning rooms will be awarded prizes. The drive will extend beyond the school and involve the entire community. Any community member is encouraged to donate; additionally, there will be a community donation day on Feb. 4 from 9-12 a.m. “It‘s a shoe raiser [which gathers] gently used shoes,” said Assistant Principal Tyler Nickel. “[They] send shoes to people in Africa because African children can’t go to school without shoes.” The purpose of collecting the gently used shoes is to be able to provide the children with footwear to complete their school uniform. Without them they receive no education because they aren’t allowed into the establishment. The thought and idea came from Brian Williams, founder of ThinkKindness. This organization aims to empower students to incorporate kindness into their daily lives. At Key Club’s District Convention, Williams spoke to Key Club about Soles4Souls and how he has supported them in numerous projects. “We had heard Brian Williams
speak for Key Club,” said senior and Key Club member, Michael Kauzman. “He inspires youth to do better than their generations prior. We got ahold of him and it (the idea) just took off. I think it’s really cool to be sponsoring a drive that is more on a global level. It’s an easy way to do something globally.” Williams will speak at the assembly on Jan. 27 in order to get students enthusiastic and explain to them the importance of their donations. The shoes that are collected from the donation drive will then be shipped to Kenya and distributed to children there. “It’s making a bigger difference outside of here—outside of Rocky,” Kauzmann said. Similarly, senior club member Talee Reece believes that “(the world is) like the lake and if you throw in a rock it’s still going to ripple; it’s a change outside of Rocky.” Poudre sponsored this organization in a similar approach which gave the club members a foundation to build off of. “They (Poudre) got about 1,000 (pairs of shoes) and because of the Rocky community we expect to far exceed that,” Nickel said. “I do think it’s a great thing, because everyone has gently used shoes. There is no reason anyone around the world shouldn’t be able to have an education; I think it’s a simple solution.” All gently used shoes are accepted in the drive including tennis shoes, heels, flip flops. Most footwear can be formed to make a new pair. A small percentage of shoes are thrown away, but most can be manipulated into another use or they are recycled. Old shoes in the corner of a garage have the potential to change a future.
Alex Creighton
A gift from the heart: Seniors Michael Kauzman (left) and Meghan Loury (right) encourage each other as their arms are sanitized and prepared for donating to the Garth Englund Blood Center. They both donated a unit of blood, one pint, which is enough to save up to three lives.
“They thought I had malaria,” Bonertz said. “I was upset but they said I could give on Nov. 26 of this year. I just want to help some people that need it.” Instead of donating, Bonertz supported the effort by staying around and providing encouragement for those giving blood. “It was pretty sweet to see how many people were giving blood,” Bonertz said. Blood, unlike many other parts of the human body cannot be substituted for any artificial materials; the only source is the human body. A blood transfusion is needed in the
United States every 2 seconds and it is vital that donations continue to be received as an average of 38,000 units of blood is used every day. After the blood is collected, it is taken to a testing facility where every unit is scanned into the computer system using a unique barcode and then tested for blood types and infectious diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV and Syphilis. If the sample fails any tests the unit is discarded and the donor is notified of why it did not pass. Any usable blood is then separated into several different components. Red cells are stored in refrigerators for up
to 42 days, plasma is frozen and stored in a freezer for up to a year and platelets are stored at room temperature for five days. In case of a crisis the blood that is to be used has already been shelved before the emergency has occurred. Blood units are able to be shipped 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Up to 100 units of blood can be used on a single car accident victim. “I lived,” said Liufau, the only phrase that came to his mind after the event ended. Thanks to him and all the donors, many more will be able to say those words. A new generation of learning: Freshman Michael Lauderback and Mary Hasl, mentor coordinator for the district, discuss and explore the new Dell laptops given to the freshmen class. Teachers received special training to learn how to incorporate the new technology into their classrooms.
Laptop from page A1
The current plan is to provide each incoming class with laptops for as long as this equipment provides an engaging environment to the student body. This means laptops could be replaced if a new or improved technology is seen to help students with work or interacting with others. “Kids will learn to use technology to access resources other than YouTube,” biology teacher Marion Annis said. “In college, kids are expected to use technology to access resources.” Freshmen will now have Google Docs, Blackboard, Pinnacle Internet Viewer and other sites on hand on a regular basis and teachers will be able to have more technologybased lessons without having to fight over the limited computer labs. “I will be able to do my projects better and more thoroughly,” freshman Konnor Schmidt said. “I’ll also be able to work on them longer.” But while this new development arrives, some of the challenges are increasingly becoming a reality. First, laptops are not connected to the printing network anywhere, causing freshman either to buy thumb drives or email themselves to transfer projects in order to
Cassa Niedringhaus
print. Freshmen are also pushed towards buying a skin for their laptop in order to personalize them (a cost of at least $30 from Skinit.com, the website suggested by the school). Second, while now all freshmen have access to computers, there still is the problem of connecting to the Internet. Wi-Fi is not always easy to get for families struggling with money and sometimes there isn’t transportation to a store or other hotspot with free internet. Teachers are also seeing a challenge in teaching classes with mixed grades because not everyone will have laptops to use. This cannot be solved with students bringing their own computers because there isn’t a guest server made for outside electronics to access the school network. But Bennett said the administration is leaving those
decisions up to the teachers. “We know that there are lots of kinks,” Bennett said. “We don’t want it to be a source of frustration.” And with only core teachers being trained for four days, some feel like they don’t have enough training. This comes even after the Mill Levy had called for $1 million in teacher training. “We haven’t been taught to handle a classroom with 32 laptops,” Annis said. But even with these obstacles, freshmen are excited to be receiving this gift from the community. “I can use it anytime,” freshman Andre Cruz said. “While my sister is using the computer at home, I can be using this so we can both do our homework. I’m really thankful for the community.”
January 27, 2012
editorial A4
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
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The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is published nine times during the school year by the newspaper staff of Rocky Mountain High School/ 1300 W. Swallow Rd./ Fort Collins, CO 80526. Contact Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff members at 970-4887090 or 970-488-7091 for advertising information. Also the Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff is in Room 528, during 4th period.
the rocky mountain
Making the Grade A- Blood Drive:
Participation from juniors, seniors and teachers leaves high hopes Rocky will beat neighboring schools once again in donations.
Editor-in-Chief Cassa Niedringhaus
B- Basketball
Advertising Manager Ben Bigler
Victory over Collins:
Editorial Editor Isaac Effner Sports Editor Lauren Binder Features Editor Christine Gravelle Center In-Depth Editor Fahey Zink Limelight Editor Cam Chorpenning Staff Alex Creighton Alex Frick Sarah Hatch Taylor Hitchings Ed Kennedy Michelle Kennedy Regan Miller Brennan O’Grady Meleena O’Neill Cammie Palomino Grant Rotman Conor Schrader Artists Amanda Kriss Reanna Nelson Adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt
RM Highlighter editorial policy
The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/ MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.
Fantastic job boys’ basketball team in the Jan. 11 defeat of rival Collins. Let’s not make it so close next time.
Reanna Nelson
Grinding a concern
T
he Make-a-Wish Dance was not remembered for the money raised for the Makea-Wish Foundation but rather for the inappropriate dancing of many Staff students. Editorial It is time for the ► The student body to grinding of step up and consome stu- trol their fellow dents can peers’ crude acpotentially tions at the school limit the dances. The probfreedom of lem is not with all students the students who participated in the typical side-to-side grinding but with the students who were practically having relations on the dance floor. It’s embarrassing that horny and out of control have become a part of the
Letter to the editor: Wrestling not superior
teenage stereotype. Students should realize that they are responsible for their fellow classmates’ actions as well as their own. It is easier to be a bystander to the foul play at school events than an enforcer of good judgment, but is it worth losing dances to avoid confrontation? The majority of those who attend school dances do behave more or less the way they are expected to, which is why it’s all the more frustrating that a few students can taint the image of our dances and jeopardize the freedom that we enjoy at these events. Already the tradition of dancing on the student center Rocks is in danger with the next dance
Dear Editor, In the December issue of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter I enjoyed the wrestling “family” article. However, both manager Meghan Loury and wrestler Alex Carson had quotes degrading other athletics. As a senior who dedicated
planned to take place in the gymnasium. The school staff does not have the power to stop all of the “dirty dancing” but they do have the right to strip us of our privileges if the student body cannot prevent further antics. Upperclassmen should become active role models for school’s population and if necessary reprimand those who choose to defy what is considered appropriate. Seniority should be considered a responsibility and not just a title. Responsibility can become a new trend at Rocky and as a student body we can repair our image, which has been tainted by the actions of a few bad apples.
four years of my life to football, I have a problem with that. Loury said wrestlers weren’t as cocky as basketball, baseball or especially football players. I am sure wrestlers are polite, but teachers have told me the only people to address them as sir or
ma’am are football players. Alex Carson said within the article that wrestling was tougher than football. From one athlete to another, I find it shameful that you would disrespect another sport knowing how hard it is. Football, basketball, and base-
C- Freshman Laptops:
A great idea gone horribly mediocre. Technology is the future, but don’t try to rush it.
D- Girls’ Sports Support:
Get out and support the Lobo girls’ sports teams. Have respect for your fellow classmates.
F- Dancing
Etiquette Committee:
Who better to regulate a younger generation’s culture than the older generation, right? Leave the decisions in the students’ hands.
ball all put hundreds of hours of work in the off season. I know wrestlers work hard, but so does everyone else. I hope Meghan and Alex think about this before addressing other athletics. Jared Collins, senior
Funny how this column is utterly meaningless Maybe the only reason I signed up for a column is to give myself, and anyone who bothers to read this, a reality check. A columnist is supposed to focus on an issue, and write about fixing it. But honestly, there are too many world problems and it makes me tired. So on that note, let’s talk about Absurdism. Essentially, the philosopher Camus articulated that as humans, our most absurd condition is that we endlessly and futilely seek order, meaning, and reason in a world that is utter chaos. There is an intriguing analogy
Unlatch the Hatch Sarah Hatch that has always slapped me across the face with reality. It’s an analogy that should make people stop and consider who and what they live through this chaotic, possibly meaningless, life for. If a clock started at 12 a.m., representing the 4.56 billion years that have passed since the beginning
of earth’s existence, humans entered into the analogy in the last second of the last hour. So that’s your reality check. Do what you will with it. Camus’ reaction to this bleakness was to ask; if life is so meaningless, why do we bother living and gaining just to die in the end? Some turn to religion, they commit what Camus would call philosophical suicide. Others commit the conclusive, physical suicide. And finally that leaves the rest of us floating around in the vast, meaningless ocean that is our lives, in wonderment of the “what hap-
pens now” question. Camus once said, “It is life that possesses us and on occasion shuts our mouths.” So yeah, everything is rather without order, meaning or reason. And humans act like they are entitled and above the natural order. But there is beauty in how the kids will keep smoking their cigarettes, the money will keep changing hands, civilizations will rise and they will fall and it is all just absurd enough to accept and keep on keeping on. Sarah Hatch is a junior and a reporter for the RM Highlighter.
the editorial rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
January 27, 2012
A5
New ban causes drastic change Ban an important step Cell-phone ban Pro inefficient, inconvenient towards traffic safety R M Con
ultiple states have begun to ratify laws that limit or ban the use of cell phones in cars, in an attempt to decrease the amount of accidents caused by distracted drivers. As of last December, only seven states have not instated at least partial bans on texting, and the use of hand held phones is completely banned in 10 states. Additionally, cell phone usage while driving, including both calling and texting, has been banned by over 50 countries throughout Europe and Asia. This action is an important and progressive step to creating a safe and responsible environment on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,092 deaths are believed to be related to cell phone use. However, many others deaths are recorded as due to distracted driving, which may or may not be because of the use of cell phones or other electronic devices. Also according to the NHTSA, over half of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 admit to texting while driving, and 21 percent of fatal crashes are believed to be caused by texting teenagers. This statistic is expected to grow by four percent every year. These statistics show that teenagers are predisposed to be distracted on the road, and cell phones only contribute to making students distracted. There is very little chance that teenagers will make the right decision to stop using their cell phones on their own accord while driving, so it will require a combined effort of the law makers and law enforcement to ensure the removal of cell phones from all drivers, in the city or on the highway. These bans would be very effective, but unfortunately, it is believed that most teenagers ignore the laws due to lack of enforcement in many states, and relatively minor fines for anyone caught using a cell phone while driving. However, it is necessary for teens to understand the serious danger of texting while driving. By banning texting and cell phone usage while driving, these accidents would be drastically decreased, and our highways and cities would become safer. While these laws may cause a minor inconvenience, the safety of all drivers is more important than the phone call or text message of an irresponsible teenager. Isaac Effner
Multiple states have begun to ratify laws that limit or ban the use of cell phones in cars, in an attempt to decrease the number of accidents caused by distracted driving.
There are good causes, and there are better causes The Internet is changing the way we communicate. Pictures, text, videos and other content are shared nearly instantaneously from users around the world. With this constant communication comes the fear of copyrighted material being stolen and reproduced illegally, especially by people overseas. That’s why the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) was proposed by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in May 2011 to help protect online copyrights. Representative Lamar S. Smith (R-TX) introduced its counterpart, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), in October 2011. The proposed bill would help to protect online content and impose punishments on those who disobey the copyright laws. While the intent behind these proposed laws was worthy, the effects they would have as laws could be crippling to major websites and search engines that link to seemingly questionable online content. The potential ruining effects of these laws sparked major online protests that are, so far, unprecedented. On Jan. 18, website gi-
In the Haus Cassa Niedringhaus ants such as Reddit, Google, Wikipedia and thousands of other websites participated in an online blackout in which many sites went dark for the day or provided information about the proposed bills. Many encouraged users to express feedback to their representatives, and Congress received around 3 million emails from the protest. The protest was so widespread that the bills have quickly lost the support they had with lawmakers before the protest. Never before has an Internet protest been so effective in affecting leadership. However, I think it is interesting that few people knew much about SOPA and PIPA before the internet blackout day. Yet, as soon as people’s favorite websites were telling them that SOPA and PIPA were dangerous, the Internet absolutely
exploded with activity and criticism of the bills. This activity by users is commendable, but it worries me that people are so influenced by the things that their favorite websites tell them. The power that Internet companies hold over their users must be immense if a one-day blackout energizes millions of people, changes the minds of lawmakers and almost completely stops the progress of bills. We need to be careful and remember that just because a website tells us something does not mean that information is the only point of view on a subject. Additionally, there are other extremely important matters in this country and around the world that deserve the attention of our citizens and our government, beyond the ones that receive the most attention from websites who have an invested and monetary interest in them. Political activism should extend beyond the Internet and the opinions of the websites with the biggest followings. Cassa Niedringhaus is a senior and Editor-in-Chief for the RM Highlighter.
ecently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has decided to target the cell phone. With the advent of texting, mobile games and applications, pocket assistants are out to kill us—or at least the NTSB thinks so. Monitoring upwards of 3,000 fatalities a year, the NTSB has determined mobile phones are an increasingly contributing factor and in late December recommended a ban. Although a nice recommendation, the complications associated with this being successfully implemented are huge. The Highway Loss Data Institute, a nonprofit funded by the auto-insurance industry, performed a study that failed to prove that communicating using a “hands-free” device is any less distracting than using a GPS device, or communicating with a passenger in the back seat. What’s next, a ban on over-protective parents being in the car because they are a distraction? Texting while driving, another huge concern, would also be included under this ban. Living in a community where there is a set curfew, teens constantly rush to be home on time. Yet, such a proposal also eliminates the ability for a teen to communicate with a parent in the car. These 30 second conversations, just to exchange the words “Be home in a minute,” can eliminate parental worry and punishment. Certainly, businesses would Reanna Nelson argue against such an idea as the NTSB suggests. With the vast number of exchanged conference Reanna Nelson calls on a daily basis, many of which occur during a commute, the mobile phone is vital to the country’s economy. By inhibiting a business person’s ability to make a sale or call to corporate because they are in the car, these bans would spur grave consequences to the financial success of our country. History has shown that heavy-handed approaches to enforcing laws, as would be required with the NTSB’s ban, are seldom successful. Although drinking is banned until the age of 21, that doesn’t mean everyone follows these laws. So why should it be expected that people would stop their cellular use behind the wheel? Laws have already been established in many states aiming to ban texting while driving, yet many don’t abide by them. In the end, consequences are unavoidable: fatalities will still occur with a ban and without. Ultimately, banning any phone-related use in the car is an impossible battle. Brennan O’Grady
Photo Poll
Do you believe the school should intervene and stop grinding? “No, because it’s just a style of dancing.”
Angelina Short, freshman
“It depends on the situation.”
Nate Bethke, junior
“Yes to a point. If you’re practically having sex on the dance floor then they should stop it.” Lauren Bancroft, junior
“Yes, it is important that we make the environment feel comfortable for all students.” Shannon Kummer, integrated services
A6 January 27, 2012
the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Local favorite
Alum Sabas follows his passion; now starts for CSU basketball team by Lauren binder Sports Editor
Tell him no; he dares you. Kaipo Sabas, 2008 graduate, heard plenty of “no’s” about his chances at playing Division I college basketball. He didn’t listen, though, and now he is a starting guard for the hometown team of Colorado State University, a team that is 13-5 overall this season. But the road wasn’t easy. He went from being a two-year starter and star for the Lobos to a basketball journey which included a stop at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne and then the precarious position of “walk-on” for the Rams. That usually means practice dummy, bench, little playing time and no respect. “Straight out of high school I was asking coach if there was any way that I could come over here (CSU) and play because it had always been on my mind to come over here,” Sabas said. “Instead, I went over to junior college and had a scholarship over there for two years. “I also had a lot of people tell me that I could come here and sit the bench for two years was what it would look like because we had such good guards. But I guess that I am kind of stubborn and hard-headed and what not, but also I am really determined and believed that I could do it. So I went for it. I just took a big risk.” That risk as paid off now in
Courtesy of CSU
Deja Vu: Colorado State University basketball starter and Rocky alum Kaipo Sabas wears the 15 jersey proudly from 2007, (above) and 2011 (left). Sabas is a local player, from the corner of Shields and Swallow.
Sabas’ senior year. After playing in only three games as a junior, he has started 10 of 16 games this season, is averaging 5.6 points per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field and 45 percent from behind the 3-point line. He has had a season-high effort of 15 points against the University of TexasSan Antonio and recently posted 13 points and 5 rebounds in a Mountain West Conference game against Boise State. His performance this year has also moved him from “walk-on” punching bad to scholarship
Two on One Trick
player. “Kaipo and I met last summer and he said, ‘Coach, I want to play next year.’ And I said, ‘Kaipo, I don’t think that’s true. It looks to me like you’re just happy to be on the team,’” CSU head coach Tim Miles said. “And we talked about a scholarship, and I said, ‘Show me you want to be here; show me you want to play.’ And he has. That is how he earned the scholarship. And I am very proud of him, and he set a goal. He knew that he wasn’t reaching it, and I knew that he wasn’t reaching it, and he found a way to get there and even to exceed that. He more than deserves a scholarship. He really played well and deserves as much playHighlighter Archive ing time as he can get.” Sabas has always had a close connection to CSU. His father, Barry Sabas, played for the Rams as did his uncle. Not only that, but Sabas grew up in Fort Collins in the neighborhood near the corner of Shields Street and West Swallow Road. His father Barry is a physical education teacher at Lopez Elementary and a long-
time assistant basketball coach for the Lobos. It was always on Kaipo’s mind to go to CSU, and he was going to do it, no matter what it took. “Yes, it has always been his thing; he always wanted to put on that ram jersey,” Barry said. “He set that in his head and look at him now. He wasn’t going to let it go.” Even though the school colors may be different, Kaipo has been able to wear the same jersey number as high school: No. 15. He also has bulked up some compared to high school. Kaipo’s roster height and weight is listed at 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds. “It’s... I’ll tell you what, I am just so proud, you know?” Barry said. “I just watch him play and say to myself, ‘Man, I am so proud of him.” Sabas said his passion and determination to play at the highest level kept him on a path to succeed, which is a lesson he is glad to share with others. “If you really want it, you just can’t give up no matter what,”
►Kaipo Sabas
Sabas said. “There is going to be a lot of ups and downs and no matter what you chose, you just really have to stick with it. “One of the biggest reasons why I did this is because if I had just done the detour route, I would be asking myself, ‘What if I did what I wanted to do?’ the rest of my life. I suggest that no one should ever give give up. That sounds so cliché but it is so true.”
Martinez tough to beat in matches by Alex Frick Reporter
Fahey Zink
Juking Jason: Senior Jason Tran (No. 21) tries to keep a handle on the ball and get past a trap defense of Fairview High School. The Lobos lost the Jan. 20 home contest, 72-53, against the league leaders from Boulder.
If it wasn’t for wrestling, junior Tony Martinez would be lost. Discipline and motivation have pushed him to be the greatest. Heavyweight wrestler Martinez has been wrestling since he was 4 and hopes to become the state’s heavyweight champion. “It’s been impacting because it helps me choose the right decisions, and if I’m standing alone, I have enough courage to be more of a man,” Martinez said. In fact, his whole family has wrestled so he has grown up around the sport. His brother and freshman Roman Ortiz has been wrestling since he was 3 and has been positively impacted by Martinez. “He’s a big influence; he wants me to wrestle more,” Ortiz said. “I didn’t really want to wrestle but then it started to grow on me, since my brother wres-
►Tony Martinez
Lauren Binder
Wrestler Wrath: Junior Tony Martinez attempts to flip over his Collins opponent to get a pin and win the match on Jan. 12. In the end, he got the pin and celebrated with his teammates.
tled I decided to try out.” So far in Martinez’s wrestling year, he has built a record of 21 wins, one loss and 16 pins. He claims that working with smaller guys helps him excel in wrestling because it makes him quicker on his feet. “It’s very cool being able to see him progress because he overcomes hard obstacles, like being a heavyweight,” junior and wrestler Lukas Short said. “It’s a different kind of competition. I’ve never seen such an athletic heavyweight.” Many of his fellow wrestlers and family are proud of his accomplishments and attitude about his rank as heavyweight. He is ranked third in the state in the big-school 5A division. He even managed to achieve the Lobo of the Month award. This year, Martinez has built his record on solid performances in several tournaments. He placed second at the 32-team Classic and won the prestigious Arvada West Tournament. Additionally, this past
Wrestling Record: 14- 0 Stars:All of the Varsity team including:
Ben Drysdale, Zack Duckworth, Aaron Beckman, Colton Hankins and others. Ahead: FR conference tomorrow and regionals on February 10, 11. Talk: “We are doing well, put we need to start wrestling not just parts of our match, all of it” - Danny Murphy
weekend, he made the finals of The Top of the Rockies tournament at Centaurus High School. He was the only Lobo to reach a title match. “One of his strongest qualities is keeping everyone together,” Short said. “His relationship with his brother is like his relationship with everyone on the team. He is that one guy to keep it positive.” Added wrestling coach Ken Taylor, “Tony is an awesome person, very humble and compassionate, yet also a strong leader and forceful when he needs to be. He is a great role model for his younger brother, Roman. He has improved much since freshman year.”
the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Varsity from page A8
ship several years ago, the school made no mention of the big win. Similarly, the team receives limited coverage in the Coloradoan. Senior Brian Newsom, a goalie for the team, said that it makes the team feel excluded. He feels that it is unfair that his sport isn’t recognized. “It’s really good that we have the support of the fans and the fan turnout at games,” he said. “But it’s just not the same. The school doesn’t take responsibility for us.” Varsity coach Dante Conti echoed Newsom’s views. Conti, whose sons have played for the team in the past, would like to see acknowledgment of the team’s accomplishments. He said that parents sometimes buy space in the Coloradoan to publicize the accomplishments of the team because they receive little other recognition. He said that the players have to accept a second class stature in comparison to high school sports such as basketball that consistently make the front page of the sports section. Conti added that he would be appreciate of even small allowances from the school and the district, such as permitting the team’s schedule to be posted on the school website, placing their state championship trophy in the trophy case at school and allowing the varsity players to receive letters. Marsha Petrun, the team’s manager and mother of senior Luke Petrun, would also like to see a banner in the gymnasium for the team. She said that she thinks eventually the team will become school-sponsored, but would also like to see recognition in the meantime. Newsom also said that the team’s coaches have been corresponding with District Athletic Director Kelly Dwyer to at least allow the players to letter in their sport. He said that she is supportive of their cause and is making efforts to give them more recognition. However, Dwyer stated that allowing a club to letter, if it became a school club, would be a conflict because then all clubs would begin asking for the same privileges, even business clubs or knitting clubs. Moddelmog added, “It is not recognized as a school-sponsored club and the district will not sanction it. If we were to accept a club like ice hockey as a schoolsponsored club, we would also be accepting the liabilities.” Though Moddelmog said it was unfortunate, any recognition of the team would not be possible because it would make the school liable. As of now, the prospects for the team becoming a schoolsanctioned sport are low.
January 27, 2012
A7
Bonds form on, off court by Regan Miller Reporter
Success is not defined by the games that you win. This year’s girls’ basketball season, the Lobos have achieved not only humble victories, but relationships and lessons amongst themselves. That strong bond between the girls is what makes them successful “Over all our team has done well (this season); we have meshed really well together,” said junior McKenna Dando. “We have had our ups and downs but I think we are heading for an up.” The season started with a string of strong triumphs and a top 10 ranking in the state, but recent losses have taught players different aspects of the game. After a 60-35 loss at Legacy High School on Tuesday, the girls’ team stands at 9-6 overall and 2-6 in Front Range League play. “We’ve had some rough times, but I’m having fun seeing how we mix together during games,” said sophomore Maddi DeBord.
Alex Creighton
It’s all about now: From left, sophomore Anna Ernst, senior Hannah Clark, junior McKenna Dando, senior Taylor Debord and senior Heather Dyer prepare to enter the game against Fossil on Jan. 17. The Sabercats defeated the Lobos, 40-33.
“We are all really supporting and encouraging and that’s what makes a team successful I believe. If there’s a hard practice, we can support each other throughout and push each other harder. The losses are tough, but we’ve been learning from our mistakes so we don’t make the same ones in the future.” Team improvements have been made; however, individual growth
is a prevalent occurrence as well. “I have improved on being a point guard but I owe it to the great team that supports me,” Dando said. Junior Anna Ernst also accredits her skill and ability growth to her teammates and the team’s relationship. “I get better each day and I have to thank my teammates for that,” Ernst said. “The relationship
among us girls is great’ we are like sisters. The relationship between the players and the coaches are always great. We are just one big family and have our ups and downs. And I think the lesson learned this season is that you never know what is going to happen, so always just be prepared and play with all your heart.” The future of the season seems to have a positive outlook with hopes of ending the season as strong as the beginning of the season, with an ending string of victories. “Individually, we were very happy with our wins and they gave us a confidence boost,” Ernst said. Our losses have brought us down but we need to move on and try and get the next one.” Due to the tough times during the seasons, the experience has taught players another piece of the game. “The outlook for our season is very high,” Dando said. I can see us going far into the playoffs if we play like we can.”
Swim team looking on bright side; still room to grow by Conor Schrader Reporter
The swim team has faced a disappointing record, yet remains optimistic about the rest of the season. The girls’ swimming team is still afloat. However, they do not draw the crowd and attention football or basketball do. After all, even the administration has seemed to have forgotten about girls’ swimming, as broken records from last year's season still have yet to be updated. Regardless, the team is fighting along as they have every year, though this year has been a little more difficult than years past. “The team is very young this year,” said team captain and senior Mary Wilson. “We have only won
Henry from page A8
Henry said. Rocky has never offered CHSAA hockey, and this being Henry’s last year in high school, he chose to play for the first competitive high school hockey team in Larimer County. This is Resurrection’s first year as a CHSAA team, and without enough hockey players in their school to create a full team, tryouts were opened to any high school student in Northern Colorado. “It’s a great team because of the broad area,” Henry said. “We get two to three of the best players from each school.” The team is led by first-year coach Jake Pence who played hockey at the University of Massachusetts and one season in the Central Hockey League. “He’s young but experienced and really dedicated to the team,” Henry said. Pence is attempting to get a job at Resurrection Christian School to become more than a coach. The school
Swimming Record: 1-12 Stars: Mary Wilson, Abby Ney, Adele Waites Ahead: Conference Meet on Feb. 3Working On: Focusing in practice Talk: “The season is going well; we are all excited for Conference.” - Mckenna Basham
one meet so far in the season, and that meet was against Horizon.” However, Wilson keeps her outlook optimistic, and comments on how much she has enjoyed getting to know the members and watching the team grow. Wilson understands a young team will get experience eventually, but also says that the team is facing the difficulties of a lack of student support. Also the athletic adminis-
and Resurrection Fellowship Church are very involved with the young team and are showing great support. RCS players participate in bible practice for 15 to 20 minutes after each study. Henry will be able to play for Rocky because club season and CHSAA’s hockey season do not overlap each other. This is good news for Rocky Hockey since Henry was last year’s leading scorer for Rocky. “I’m going to play for Rocky as long as I’m still healthy,” Henry said. Henry is one of five Rocky Hockey players on Resurrection’s team. Junior Caleb Simmons, junior Shelby Clark, senior Luke Petrun and senior Michael Kushnak (home schooled) also play for Resurrection, all of whom plan to play for Rocky Hockey again this season. “I’ve known most of my teammates for a while and there’s definitely a lot of good skill on the team,” Henry said. Many Resurrection players are still involved with competitive travel teams whose seasons are just ending. RCS players’ commitment is almost
Alex Creighton
Splashin’ Basham: Junior Mckenna Basham performs the freestyle stroke in her the city meet on Jan. 17. Basham is a newly acclaimed swimmer this year; she has also participated in gymnastics and cross country.
tration and coaching staff, she feels, aren’t giving a full commitment to the team. Obstacles don't change the reward both team captains get from swimming. “My favorite part of swimming
is the personal growth that comes from it,” Wilson said. “I love the training, the hard work and the moment when I finish a race and get to look at a personal best time up on the score board. Everything about it is addicting and awesome.”
undoubtedly to the CHSAA season now. They have three practices a week, lifting, short bible studies and games on the weekends. Henry said the team would appreci-
ate student support at the team’s games, even though the Resurrection team is a collection of players from the region. “Rocky kids should come support us at our games,” Henry said.
January 27, 2012
Get a Grip
sports A8
Senior and wrestler Seth Marlow (right) tries to get the upper hand with his match against Collins. It was not a shutout, but the wrestlers did win both JV and varsity matches.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Lauren Binder
Ed-clusive Ed Kennedy
CHSAA Chase: A CHSAA trophy is considered a high honor to sports teams that play hard and are successful in that year’s season. This is what senior Colin Henry hopes to receive at the end of the year, playing for Resurrection Christian High.
Sports obsession out of hand America has an obsession with sports. Last year, a record 111 million people tuned in to watch the Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. That’s almost three times as many viewers as President Obama’s inauguration, where 38 million people watched. It’s starting to look like Americans are more interested in entertainment and athletics than the fate of our country. To receive a doctorate and be able to practice medicine as a general practitioner, you go to school for eight years, complete residency programs and dish out thousands upon thousands of dollars. That professtion has a national average salary of $149,850 per year. Star Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez makes a whopping $32,000,000 a year, on a 10-year, $275 million contract, and hasn’t completed even one year of college. Professional athletes are allowed to be dramatic and throw “fits” about how much money they make and where they play. Meanwhile, regular citizens are working hard just to get by. This brings more value though, to high school athletics, the roots of all great athletes. High school athletes really demonstrate what it means to play a sport, or be a part of a team. It’s about being a part of something bigger, putting the team first and pushing your mind and body farther than once thought. It seems as though Americans have put professional athletes on the upmost pedestal of society. They are no longer just athletes playing for the love of the game; they’ve become a-list celebrities instead. Ed Kennedy is a junior and reporter for the RM Highlighter and an offensive lineman on the football team.
Tracking a CHSAA
Henry plays for next-best hockey option by Grant Rotman Reporter
Cassa Neidringhaus
What the puck: No varsity hockey? by Cassa Niedringhaus Editor-in-Chief
The Rocky Hockey Team is, in fact, not a school team at all. While hockey is a Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) sponsored sport, many schools in Colorado do not have school-sponsored hockey teams. Instead, many sports players play for pecial club teams, such as Rocky Hockey, that are not affiliated with the schools they attend. Varsity players on Rocky Hockey cannot letter or receive funding from the district. Several things stand in the way of the district adopting school-sponsored hockey teams. One of which is Title IX, which was signed into law in 1972. It states that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
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...It’s just not the same. The school doesn’t take responsibility for us.
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Brian Newsom, senior club hockey player
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program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” It has further been interpreted to stipulate that schools need to provide an equal number of men’s and women’s sports opportunities, equipment and facilities. If the district were to take on hockey teams, it would then need to add an additional women’s sport to keep in compliance with Title IX. According to Athletic Director Wayne Moddelmog,
several years ago, men’s lacrosse and women’s field hockey were added in tandem in the district. The hockey team would need to follow a similar approach, but Moddelmog said that it would take an immense amount of parent and community involvement, support and funding to make this reality. Another obstacle to be conquered would be the high costs associated with the sport. According to Chris Richards, the JV coach, ice time costs upwards of 200 dollars an hour. As it stands, each player pays 600 dollars a season to play with the club team. The costs the district would incur would be too large, and the players would still have to self-fund their team. As it is, the parents, coaches and players seek at least recognition of the team’s accomplishments by the school. When the team won the state champion-
Senior Colin Henry has gained a reputation on the ice since the day he started hockey at age eight. He may not have the greatest reputation with the referees or with opposing players, (who he so often crushes into the boards) but he is highly regarded by his teammates and anyone with an appreciation for good hockey. Henry is facing challenges that no other Rocky Hockey player has ever faced. He is not only planning on playing for the school’s club team for his fourth year in a row, but is also currently involved with RCS (Resurrection Christian School’s) competitive hockey team. “Res is definitely more serious about its hockey than Rocky is” Henry said. Unlike the Rocky team, RCS is a CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) sanctioned team. CHSAA is the governing body of all high school sports. “It’s nice playing for a school with the money to pay for our season and some nice equipment,”
Jump to VARSITY, page A7
Jump to HENRY, page A7
Hunter doesn’t let size stop him by Ed Kennedy Reporter
Alex Creighton
Driving Daniel: Daniel Hunter drives the ball forward as a Fossil Ridge defender tries to stop him. The basketball team ended up losing the Jan. 17 game 74-49.
Boys’ Basketball Record: 10-5. Defeated Legacy, 68-60, at home on Tuesday. Stars: Jason Tran, Ryan Fergan Ahead: Boulder on Jan. 31 Talk: “I think we have worked really hard so far this season under the new coach and still think the best is yet to come.” -Justin Schiller
At just 140 pounds, junior Daniel Hunter is playing with the big boys. “Obviously being 140 pounds, I’d like to be more,” Hunter said. “But an advantage would be quickness.” Hunter uses his quickness and has become a two-sport, varsity athlete. Not only playing as a safety on the football team, but as a guard on the basketball team. He played on JV in both football and basketball last year, but has emerged as a starter and has been a large contributor on each varsity squad. “It was obviously a huge jump; it’s a whole different game,” Hunter said. “I felt like I was ready for it though.” Right now, he is stirring up
excitement on the basketball court. He is averaging a consistent 6.6 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and has a total of 86 points on the season. Along with consistent performance on the basketball court, Hunter is highly regarded by his teammates and peers. “(On the football field) he brings an element of coolness,” junior wide receiver and corner Jacob Haase said. “When everything can be crazy he keeps his head and his emotions in check. He’s an awesome teammate to have. He can make plays sometimes that can make you look good too.” ►Daniel Added senior Hunter
shooting guard Justin Bruntz, “He’s a really funny kid, you really can’t get down on him.” Along with a great personality and a love for athletics, he has natural talent as well. He is not the first person in his family to have success in sports. Hunter’s sister Sara, a 2004 Rocky graduate played basketball at Colorado State University from 2004-07, ending her career with over 100 career starts for the Rams. The basketball team has definitely been improving this season, after finishing last season with a 9-15 record (4-12 conference) under then coach Jeff Meyer. The Lobos boast a 10-5 record (5-3 conference), and hope to improve their record further.
January 27, 2012
Lobo Pride
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The student body gathered last Tuesday the 17th to cheer for the girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams. The final for the boys’ game was a 74-49 loss for the Lobos against city rival Fossil Ridge Sabercats.
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Grant’s Rant
Grant Rotman
Growing up and apart
Distractions
Photo Illustration by Christine Gravelle
Recommendation to ban cellphone use in vehicles by Alex Creighton Reporter
Recently the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) recommended a nationwide ban on cell features phone use while driving. In December 2009, Colopecial rado legislature passed House Bill 09-1094, an act that made text messaging illegal for all drivers and restricting phone calls to drivers age 18 and up. The recommendation
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31%
of students believe cell phones are less distracting than the radio
38%
by NTSB calls for all cell phone use, including text messaging, handheld and hands-free devices to be illegal for all drivers, regardless of age or experience. In the last 10 years the NTSB has pushed for tighter and tighter phone restrictions while driving in response to what they call an “epidemic.” The US Department of Transportation stated that in 2009, 16 percent of fatal crashes and 80 percent of all crashes were due to distracted
of students use cell phones every time they drive
11%
of students have phone restriction while driving a vehicle
driving. While many believe that distracted driving is an issue, some disagree with the cell phone ban. Despite being a School Resource Officer, Officer Jerrod Hardy, can still issue citations to drivers he sees breaking the law. He believes that the cell phone law is unrealistic to enforce. Another charge, however, careless driving, can Jump to BAN, page B2
36%
of students admit to texting while driving
61%
of students think banning cell phone use in a vehicle would be helpful
318 students surveyed
GPS phone tracking application upset staff and students by Isaac Effner Opinion Editor
A new sensation has gripped worried parents; some cell phones now contain GPS trackers allowing parents to monitor their children using only a computer. The technology was originally made for corporate use, in order to track the movement of employees across the country. In recent years, some companies have developed it to be able to
determine location and the speed of how fast the teen is driving. “I think it’s wrong,” senior Makenna Mulcahy said. “It’s invading personal space and parents can’t be involved in every part of their kid’s life.” While these products have been received positively by parents, teenagers have reacted negatively to them believing they are an invasion of privacy.
“It’s stupid,” junior Michelle Dworkin said, “We have freedom to do lots of things and this would really restrict us.” Companies that manufacture these trackers, such as Accutracking, defend that these are not for constricting students’ rights, but are used only in case of emergency. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with Jump to GPS, page B2
Senior’s acting talent allows her to go far by Christine Gravelle Features Editor
With over 5,000 talented students from across the state at student one conference, eature it can be hard to stand out; however, senior Kayla Troutman broke boundaries and shined above the others in this year’s 2011 Thespian Conference. This past ► Kayla December, Troutman Troutman attended the Thespian Conference in Denver, hoping to learn from the many events offered. Doing
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so, she caught the attention of universities and acting companies across the country. “It was really cool,” Troutman said. “There were all of these talented people, workshops, competitions, singing workshops, musical theater sessions and senior auditions going on.” While most acting sessions where light hearted and focused on learning, the biggest part of the day for Troutman was her senior auditions. Twenty five other students were in a room with Troutman, and the eyes of
over 70 college scouts were watching their every move. The senior auditions went well, and things changed when Troutman started to get callbacks from schools. “I got around 22 callbacks from different schools and universities from all around the country,” Troutman said. New York Academy, New York Film Academy, University of Wyoming, University of Evansville and the prestigious theater program at the University of Northern Colorado all took interest in Troutman’s theatrical talent. Although several of these schools have offered TroutJump to ACTRESS, page B2
Hard work pays off: Above, senior Kayla Troutman holds UNC acceptance letter. Right, Troutman (far left) stands with fellow actors Courtesy of Becky Troutman sophomore Dani Harton and sophomore Jacque Rickett. Troutman has performed in productions put on by Rocky and the Lincoln Center.
At a certain age a child’s father loses his image as a hero and slowly becomes an annoyance to them. The mother becomes a walking finger-pointing to-do list, and the child grows to resent being around her. Family time becomes a requirement and not a privilege. In a teenager’s mind, parents are usually there to say “do this, do that, don’t do that, stop, and you’re grounded.” When did we stop thinking the world of our parents and start believing that their goal in life is to ruin ours? What happened between the hero phase and the irritation that we know them as today? Our perception of them changed as we did. We no longer rely upon them to care for us, yet they still attempt to control our lives. As true as that statement might sound, it is false. We teenagers are good at overestimating our own ability and forgetting what we take for granted every day. We don’t conceive the value of what has been handed to us our whole lives mostly because we do not know anything else. We do not have to worry about finding food, maintaining shelter or even how to get to sports practice. We don’t know what life is like without parents to care for us, so we grow cocky and unrealistic. Our generation is often accused of being too coddled, which is not a far-fetched statement when our lives are compared to those of our grandparents and their parents. Another theory is, teenagers begin to rebel because they are subconsciously preparing for leaving home. This could be true but does not justify mistreating our parents. Knowing that has exposed a light at the end of this tunnel of my sour feelings towards my parents. I am beginning to look up to my dad once again. The only difference is Jump to GRANT, page B2
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the features rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Caring counselor plays unexpected sport by Christine Gravelle Features Editor
When walking into the College and Career center, most students search frantically for someone known as “the college god,” Nicole Wilgenbusch. However, what students don’t know about this sweet and helpful counselor, is that she plays staff eature the aggressive and tough game of hockey. “I got started when my cousins and friends told me that I needed to play,” Wilgenbusch said. Wilgenbusch started to play in the summer of 2010, and at that point didn’t even know how to skate. “When I first started I had no clue how to skate,” Wilgenbusch said. “I had to completely learn the rules and strategies of the game. Even today, I’m still learning. However, learning how to skate along with the rules of hockey wasn’t as easy as it seemed. With a bruised tail bone and a severely sprained ankle last year, the ice had taken a toll on Wilgenbusch.
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► Nicole Wilgenbusch
Christine Gravelle
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from page B1 easily be enforced and covers all side effects of cell phone use while behind the wheel. This charge states that a driver is guilty if they are in a “state of mind in ‘disregard’ of or ‘without due regard’ for safety.” “It’s people not paying attention that causes problems,” Hardy said. Hardy believes that while texting and driving is not okay, talking on the cell phone, for an experienced driver, is okay as long as they are not driving haphazardly. Many business people do work on the road; they make their commute time productive. Officer Hardy’s thoughts resonated with others on how realistic this law would be. “How are you going to prove it?” counselor Jo Locricchio said. Locricchio agreed that distracted driving is an issue but, thinks that such a law would be unrealistic, as it would be very difficult to enforce. This is the concern of many others, especially with all the abilities that are built into new age
Grant
from page B1 now I respect him realistically for his hard work and ability to help people as a doctor rather than as my childhood perception of him, the smartest and strongest man in the world who could heal anyone. I am also beginning to appreciate my mom again and
I can get distracted by my drink, the heater or the radio, are those illegal? If you’re causing problems you should get a ticket.
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Jo Locricchio, school counselor
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technology. Cell phones are used for music, GPS and looking up information, all three are not illegal under the current law. “I can get distracted by my drink, the heater or the radio,” Locricchio said. “Are those illegal? If you’re causing problems, you should get a ticket.” “It’s stupid. No one is worth the risk,” Michael Desch, a junior, said. “Nothing is that important.” Desch agreed that while cell phone use is a problem, the law could be a bigger problem. “People wouldn’t like it. They’ll do it anyways.”
everything she does for me, which I had forgotten to do during my young teenage years. With everything our parents do for us it is only fair that we realize the difference they make in our lives and gain an appreciation for them. Grant Rotman is a junior and a reporter for the RM Highlighter.
Colleague ,Terra Thiebaut, remembers picking up Wilgenbusch when her ankle was sprained. “She recovered and bounced back right away,” Thiebaut said. “She was determeined to heal and get back out there. What she does is so cool.” “I always end up with puck shaped bruises on my body,” Wilgenbusch said. “They never seem to go away.” Besides the wipe outs and puck shaped bruises, Wilgenbusch loves the game. “It’s good exercise, fun and I love the comrodery of the game,” Wilgenbusch said. “I liked learning a new things and spending time with people that I wouldn’t usually meet.” Although she loves the game, very few students and staff are aware of Wilgenbusch’s game, however most people are surprised when they find out. Senior Kay Lebeda, was shocked when she found out. “I knew she liked sports but had no idea she played,” Lebeda said. “I thinks it super awesome that a girl plays hockey.”
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from page B1 them,” math teacher Todd Pfeifer said. “Kids might misconstrue them as invasive, but in case of emergency, it is important that a parent knows where their kids are at all times.” Another product that has become popular recently is a type of cell phone blocker that is installed in cars and blocks the signal, making it impossible to send or receive calls or texts while in the car. The intended purpose for these blockers is to
Actress from page B1
man scholarships and positions at their schools, being accepted as one of the 20 students selected from over 2,000 applicants to the UNC theater program, made Troutman’s decision easy. “I really want to go to UNC,” Troutman said. “I hope that I can go there and most likely will.” In Troutman’s acceptance letter, UNC expressed that after seeing her remarkable performance, they wanted to offer her a position in their program before seeing students from Texas, Oregon, Arizona, Kansas, Georgia, Washington, as well as the National Unified Auditions in Las Vegas. They felt that her performance was so exceptional, that they were able to offer her the position before seeing any other auditions. Troutman’s musical theater production teacher, Larissa Schendel, also recognizes Troutman’s talent. “I know she has the tal►Kayla ent and the Troutman passion for it,” Schendel said. “I haven’t seen a more diverse actor like Kayla come through Rocky in a long time. She’s going to make it big.” Acting started at an early age for Troutman. Her first acting opportunity started with Odyssey of the Mind at McGraw Elementary in 6th grade. How-
decrease the amount of distractions for drivers and thus reduce the number of automobile accidents caused by neglectful drivers. However, many people have stated that the fact that these blockers are not able to be overruled make them a danger to have in the car in the case of an emergency, and a wiser decision would be to use only hands-free devices while in the car. “I think we’re moving into a hands free age,” Pfeifer said. “You can even text without using your hands. Our technology has surpassed the need for blocking calls.”
I haven’t seen a more diverse actor like Kayla come through Rocky in a long time. She’s going to make it big.
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Larissa Schendel, language arts teacher
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ever, Troutman’s mother, Becky Troutman, first realized her daughter’s talent in a 5th grade wax museum her class was putting on. “I walked in to watch Kayla, and before I could even get to her station, four or five parents came up to me and said ‘Have you seen your daughter? Kayla is amazing!’” Becky said. “After watching her, at that moment I realized, ‘oh my god, she really is amazing’. She was so animated and completely became that character.” From then on, Kayla participated in PB and J Theater Company, presenting her first show, ‘How to Eat like a Child’ as well as many other productions in the next several years. “Once I started with PB and J, everything kind of exploded,” Courtesy of Becky Troutman
Kayla said. Troutman’s acting career took off as she played key roles for not only school productions, but plays put on by the Lincoln Center. Troutman has played the role Alice in “Alice in Wonderland”, the ugly stepsister in “Cinderella” and has recently directed for the senior directed One Acts. “I absolutely love being on stage,” Kayla said. “I’ve tried the tech part and other aspects of theater, but there is nothing like being up there.” Through years of being on stage, someone who used to be shy and would keep to herself suddenly blossomed into someone that knew who she was. “Theater has helped her to become someone else,” Becky said. “She doesn’t care what others think of her and she is confident with herself. I am grateful that it has helped shape who she has become.” Kayla hopes to attend UNC, studying theater and education. Her dream is to be on Broadway, but plans to teach musical production if things fall through. Make sure to look for Kayla in the upcoming spring musical, Annie, because your next chance may just be on Broadway.
the features rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
January 27, 2012
Wake up call
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AP classes, CU succeed, working part time to save for college by Fahey Zink Center-in-Depth Editor
The stakes are high for many students today when it comes to getting into college and affording it. The pressure is on for many students with the situations that college brings, such as grades and finances. Students today have now taken measures such as becoming part time students to work, as well as filling their schedule with rigorous AP classes to test and receive college credits. Senior Kaitlyn Swearingen has been taking AP and Pre-AP classes since her sophomore year. She hopes that taking these classes will make paying for college easier. “I think [money wise] it’s beneficial,” Swearingen said. “Upfront $200 for three credits sounds like a lot, but in college it’s like $200 for one credit.” Swearingen hopes with all of the credits she’s been receiving that she will be able to enter college as a sophomore instead of a freshman. Junior Anna Auerbach is also getting ready for college by taking AP classes. She has already taken seven of them and has participated in the CU Gold program offered to retrieve college credits. With about a semester done she hopes with two or three more AP classes she will take her senior year, to enter college as a sophomore instead of a freshman. “I’ve always done advanced classes and gotten credit from CU Gold and AP tests,” Auerbach said. “If I can enter college as a sophomore it would be awesome.” Auerbach believes that taking these classes will help her prepare for a higher level of education when she attends college. Besides taking AP classes, Auerbach also keeps her schedule full by being a part of two choir programs, the musical and has been a part of multiple spring shows as well. She hopes to attend the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), to study education and theater. She hopes her AP classes and extra-curricular activities will help her. Not only is Auerbach using this advantage for educational purposes, but for the financial benefits as well. “It’s part of the reason [on why she takes AP classes],” Auerbach said. “UNC has top programs for both education and theater and it’s pretty cheap too. I’m saving the money for
Cammie Palomino
Q&A
Eric Boerstinghaus A new year, a new country
Fahey Zink
Regan Miller
Working hard for college: Above, senior Talee Reece gives cash to a customer at Albertson’s. Left, junior Anna Auercach works on homework and studies for her classes. More and more students are working and pushing hard in school to get ahead for college.
college credits and I want to use it for traveling and other stuff.” The financial part of college is becoming an issue for many seniors today. According to CNN.com, the average university tuition rose an average of 8.3 percent for public universities last year, and schools have raised their prices as high as 31 percent in past years; and the prices continue to rise. This percent raise can accumulate to an extra 8,244 dollars for the cost of tuition for incoming freshman. While 52 percent of students do not pay for full tuition, being on grants or scholarships, with the amount of family income falling in the past years, paying for college is becoming more of an issue. Swearingen hopes to acquire a scholarship to help pay for her finances. She plans on staying in state for her undergraduates and hopes to move on to the University of Washington for medical studies. Senior Talee Reece has also felt the pressure of being able to pay for college. Reece is now a part time student and works the majority of her free time. “I had enough credits to graduate at quarter, so I thought it would be more beneficial to work instead of sitting in a classroom,” Reece said. Reece works around 20 to 40 hours a week and picks up double shifts regularly. She plans on paying for college with her own money instead of her parents paying for her education. “It’s my choice to go to college, not theirs,”
Reece said. “So why would I put something on them that isn’t their choice. I don’t want to feel like a burden to them. They want to help, but I have three other siblings and they’re so much stuff going on in my home life and I don’t want to put anything else on them.” While Reece has a steady job, she is nervous about tuition cost and all the other finances that she will have to pay. “Whenever it’s mentioned, I have freak outs,” Reece said. “I’m an average student. I don’t have a 4.0 GPA and I don’t really have anything that sticks out besides being a part of Key Club. So there aren’t as many scholarship offers for me.” Reece hopes to work throughout college where she is attending the University of Northern Colorado, majoring in education. She is planning on searching for jobs in Greely during the summer. “It would be hard if I didn’t work throughout college,” Reece said. “Without a job I would have no money for basic things I need.” With universities being more expensive than ever, the pressure is on for students to be the best academically and being able to get through college without having monstrous debts for the majority of their lives. “The biggest reason I’m staying in state is because of finances,” Swearingen said. “I’m very worried about being able to pay for school. I read an article in English on how people have to take on student loans and people are in so much debt because of it’s scary.”
Junior Eric Boerstinghaus, just arrived as an exchange student from Frankfurt, Germany. He will be staying with his host family until the end of the school year and into the summer.
Q:
Why did you decide to come to the U.S.?
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That’s easy, because I love the USA. People are so friendly, and everybody is patient. It is not the same as Germany. People are more open, the people in Germany are very closed.
Q:
What is your favorite place in Fort Collins?
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Coopersmiths Pub. I like it because it’s a little like Disneyland. It is nice because there are a lot of people that are funny, you’re never alone.
Q:
What is your favorite part about this whole experience?
Students gather for magic, sorcery game A: by Regan Miller Reporter
Battling cards of sorcery, monsters, spells, and traps. Attacking the opponent is nothing personal club eature but instead fun among friends in the Card Club. “It’s pretty much a place for anything card game related,” freshman Theodore Hans said. “I was told about it by one of my friends and when I first got to it I loved the club; it’s just a place to hangout and play games.” The Card Club is a group where different students gather together with their different card games and battle each other. The most common game played is Yugiuh although many different games are played. It’s a game with a simple and easy beginning ,but gets complicated the more levels moved up, or the more bonus packs added to the Yugiuh game. “It gets more complicated the higher you go,” freshman Edward Schramm said. “I really enjoy the card gaming.” Friends bringing other
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companions to meet the club members is the core of majority of the members. “A lot of my friends were there so (that’s when) I decided to go,” sophomore Shadow Walling said. “They just got me started into it and I just started playing the game and got really into it.” The game is not the only factor in the club. Members agree that the group of people is what makes the club’s environment so welcoming. “One of my friends told me about it because it was a group of kids like me who like similar things so I was like ‘hey I might be able to fit in here’ cause I don’t always fit in,” Schramm said. “It’s open and friendly, I think it’s the people who make it like that. We all have similar personalities, but also like to play card games.” The club meets Thursdays during lunch in room 412. “Everybody knows everyone-it’s a really open place; it’s everybody accepting everyone,” Hans said. “It’s a chance to make new friends and do stuff you’re not really use to. ”
You go to the plane and say good bye to everyone and you have no idea what to do during the eight hour flight and you have no idea what to do when you arrive here in America. You have no idea, and you live for the moment.
Q:
What will you miss the most when you go back to Germany?
Regan Miller
Game time at lunch: Above, freshman Edward Schramm stares down his opponent as he plays a card. Below, freshman Theodore Hans looks at his possible cards to play. The group meets every Thursday at lunch in room 412.
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The patience of the people and teachers. They are so nice. School, too. It is not the same.
Q: A:
What do you like about Rocky? The classes and teachers. The different kinds of classes. In Germany you have to take 14 classes a day. The teachers are mean too. Compiled by Cammie Palomino Regan Miller
center in-depth
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January 27, 2012
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Facing a New Social Status News Feed Simple idea for website turns into a world-wide social phenomenon by Fahey Zink Center In-Depth Editor
A simple idea that started eight years ago blew up into a world-wide phenomenon. Facebook, launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow college roommates, has had a rapid take over in the past few years. Over 800 million people have a Facebook and the number continues to grow. The purpose of Facebook is pretty simple; set up an account, put up pictures, add friends, and post either on their walls or make your own status. So what makes this simple website so special? “It’s like a social standard or norm that people just abide by,” senior Delaney Bacon said. “It makes the world a lot smaller. You can talk to someone no matter where they live or how much you see them; it makes it a click away.” With the advancements and availability of technology today, Facebook can be accessed almost anywhere and anytime and has become a major part of people’s lives today. Social networking sites normally appeal to young adults. However, Facebook has had the power to reach every age group amongst people, something many social websites have not accomplished. “You can start a conversation with anyone over Facebook,” senior Melody Fels said. “It’s a good way to keep in touch for a lot of people. It makes it easier.” The social impact that Facebook has made is tremendous. Not only do members keep in touch
with friends and relatives from different parts of the country and world, Facebook has also made impacts in the media, pop culture, and politics. However some people have not joined the other 800 million in the Facebook revolution. “I personally just have better ways to spend my time,” Fels said who does not have a Facebook account. “And it can cause drama and I just don’t want to deal with that.” Fels joins the other 93 percent of the world who do not have a Facebook account. However the popularity and population of Facebook continues to increase. Social networking sites have always been popular trends amongst people, but just like every trend, they tend to fade away after some time. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Facebook. “Having a Facebook is kind of like a built thing,” junior Heather Raney said. “People think it’s weird if you don’t have one.” Facebook has had its competition though. Recently Google has launched a social networking site called Google Plus. In Google Plus, you are allowed to have video chats with friends, add people in to different friend groups called circles, play
a multitude of games and more. Raney got her Google plus account a few months ago. While she still uses her Google plus account, she still believes that Facebook is better. “Somebody was talking about it (Google Plus) and I wanted to see what it was like,” Raney said. “I don’t use it as often as my Facebook, but you’re able to connect with a different group of people. Facebook has been around a lot longer and I don’t know what I can do on Google plus. It works for people who are trying to get out their art or other stuff, but I’m not really looking for that.” Just like other phenomenons, Facebook can have its negative impacts. The issue of cyber bullying on Facebook has been a dilemma for quite some time, but the possibilities of social problems have started up as well. With teens talking over chat or on friend’s walls a lot of the time, the problem of teens of losing communication skills. “People need to stop spending so much time on it because they’re getting dependent,” Bacon said. “There is more of life to live than Facebook.” Added Raney, “It’s a mix of both good and bad, but it depends on how people are using it. If I thought it was bad, I would delete it.” While some might think that Facebook can cause potential disputes, the website continues to reign as one of the most popular websites of today’s generation. “A lot of people are so hooked on it, so I think Facebook is going to stay for a while,” Fels said.
News Messages
Do you believe that Facebook has made a social impact on to this generation? Marianne Dupuis, sophomore “Yes, because we can talk to people, but in a way it kind of makes people anti-social.”
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Lindsay Mclroy, senior “Yes, everyone’s obsessed with it; everyone’s lives are now on the computer.”
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Kristi Zimmerman, junior
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Facebook taking over the social lives of teens by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
“I saw it on Facebook.” This phrase has become the epitome of social networking in the teenage social scene, but what impact will this phenomenon have on the future? While many teens use Facebook as a social outlet, like anything, too much of it can be a bad thing. “I know I am addicted to Facebook,” senior Lauren Spencer said. “Especially because of Facebook stalking where you are so interested in everybody else’s life, instead of your own.” While the curious, sometimes nosy nature of human beings is nothing new, the manifestation of this interest through technology is. Instead of having in-person conversations, teens are opting to communicate through social media. Unfortunately, this could pose worrisome consequences for society in the future. “I think that face to face contact is so important,” psychology teacher Ginny Cox said. “We read off of each other’s emotions and body language so much. When you use Facebook, you don’t have that opportunity, and that’s something that, unfortunately, is going to hurt us in the fact that people are not going to be able to read cues that come from other individuals.” According to a study performed by Oklahoma University, Facebook has drawn more than 500 million active users who, on average, spend 700 billion minutes per month on
the site. Moreover, according to Larry Rosen, a psychology professor at California State University, teens who spend a great deal of time on sites such as Facebook are more likely to be narcissistic and have psychological disorders, such as anti-social behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies. “I think that it (Facebook) is going make it harder for all of us to communicate,” sophomore Mary Muffly said. “I think that it is just going to make people more awkward.” In addition to adverse social effects, Facebook also provides an opportunity for people to express thoughts and feelings that they might not in another situation. “Unfortunately, Facebook gives a platform for individuals to do things that they normally wouldn’t do,” Cox said. “It’s because of the anonymity factor. People can post and they don’t have to see the reactions of the individual.” Counselor Jo Locricchio added, “It allows people to be more mean or spiteful because they’re not facing that person in person. As a counselor I have seen a lot more cyber bullying and very hurtful situations come out of it.” In addition, the unsupervised atmosphere allows for the creation of fake personas or fictionalizing of one’s personal life. “Some people live a fake life on Facebook,” Spencer said. “They just make their lives sound so interesting and so amazing and they’re going to lose touch with reality and how
their life really is.” Since social media has become a main method of communication, many people’s conversational abilities have been compromised. Even simple phrases have started to lose their meaning because of the frequency at which they are uttered through text instead of verbal communication. “People often say ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you’ on Facebook,” Spencer said. “But how much does that really mean when it’s typed or posted?” Despite these concerns, there is no disputing that Facebook is extremely popular Ginny Cox, among Psychology teacher youth. “Every day I hear kids saying ‘I saw it on Facebook,’” Cox said. “It’s no longer ‘I heard it from someone,’ it’s ‘I saw it on Facebook.’ So it has created some validity to some individuals and some things, which will definitely stand the test of time, unfortunately.”
It’s no longer ‘I heard it from someone,’ it’s ‘I saw it on Facebook.’ So it has created some validity to some individuals and some things, which will definitely stand the test of time.
“
”
“Yes, because you can interact with more people you normally wouldn’t. You make more friends but you won’t get off the internet to actually talk to them.”
4 People like this 5 Comments
Bjorn Swenson, freshman “Sure, Facebook has made an impact on our generation. It’s allowed people to come together that no one can censor.”
3 People like this
2 Comment
Photo Illistration by Fahey Zink
B5
center in-depth
B4 January 27, 2012
January 27, 2012
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Facing a New Social Status News Feed Simple idea for website turns into a world-wide social phenomenon by Fahey Zink Center In-Depth Editor
A simple idea that started eight years ago blew up into a world-wide phenomenon. Facebook, launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow college roommates, has had a rapid take over in the past few years. Over 800 million people have a Facebook and the number continues to grow. The purpose of Facebook is pretty simple; set up an account, put up pictures, add friends, and post either on their walls or make your own status. So what makes this simple website so special? “It’s like a social standard or norm that people just abide by,” senior Delaney Bacon said. “It makes the world a lot smaller. You can talk to someone no matter where they live or how much you see them; it makes it a click away.” With the advancements and availability of technology today, Facebook can be accessed almost anywhere and anytime and has become a major part of people’s lives today. Social networking sites normally appeal to young adults. However, Facebook has had the power to reach every age group amongst people, something many social websites have not accomplished. “You can start a conversation with anyone over Facebook,” senior Melody Fels said. “It’s a good way to keep in touch for a lot of people. It makes it easier.” The social impact that Facebook has made is tremendous. Not only do members keep in touch
with friends and relatives from different parts of the country and world, Facebook has also made impacts in the media, pop culture, and politics. However some people have not joined the other 800 million in the Facebook revolution. “I personally just have better ways to spend my time,” Fels said who does not have a Facebook account. “And it can cause drama and I just don’t want to deal with that.” Fels joins the other 93 percent of the world who do not have a Facebook account. However the popularity and population of Facebook continues to increase. Social networking sites have always been popular trends amongst people, but just like every trend, they tend to fade away after some time. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Facebook. “Having a Facebook is kind of like a built thing,” junior Heather Raney said. “People think it’s weird if you don’t have one.” Facebook has had its competition though. Recently Google has launched a social networking site called Google Plus. In Google Plus, you are allowed to have video chats with friends, add people in to different friend groups called circles, play
a multitude of games and more. Raney got her Google plus account a few months ago. While she still uses her Google plus account, she still believes that Facebook is better. “Somebody was talking about it (Google Plus) and I wanted to see what it was like,” Raney said. “I don’t use it as often as my Facebook, but you’re able to connect with a different group of people. Facebook has been around a lot longer and I don’t know what I can do on Google plus. It works for people who are trying to get out their art or other stuff, but I’m not really looking for that.” Just like other phenomenons, Facebook can have its negative impacts. The issue of cyber bullying on Facebook has been a dilemma for quite some time, but the possibilities of social problems have started up as well. With teens talking over chat or on friend’s walls a lot of the time, the problem of teens of losing communication skills. “People need to stop spending so much time on it because they’re getting dependent,” Bacon said. “There is more of life to live than Facebook.” Added Raney, “It’s a mix of both good and bad, but it depends on how people are using it. If I thought it was bad, I would delete it.” While some might think that Facebook can cause potential disputes, the website continues to reign as one of the most popular websites of today’s generation. “A lot of people are so hooked on it, so I think Facebook is going to stay for a while,” Fels said.
News Messages
Do you believe that Facebook has made a social impact on to this generation? Marianne Dupuis, sophomore “Yes, because we can talk to people, but in a way it kind of makes people anti-social.”
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Lindsay Mclroy, senior “Yes, everyone’s obsessed with it; everyone’s lives are now on the computer.”
2 People like this 6 Comments
Kristi Zimmerman, junior
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Facebook taking over the social lives of teens by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
“I saw it on Facebook.” This phrase has become the epitome of social networking in the teenage social scene, but what impact will this phenomenon have on the future? While many teens use Facebook as a social outlet, like anything, too much of it can be a bad thing. “I know I am addicted to Facebook,” senior Lauren Spencer said. “Especially because of Facebook stalking where you are so interested in everybody else’s life, instead of your own.” While the curious, sometimes nosy nature of human beings is nothing new, the manifestation of this interest through technology is. Instead of having in-person conversations, teens are opting to communicate through social media. Unfortunately, this could pose worrisome consequences for society in the future. “I think that face to face contact is so important,” psychology teacher Ginny Cox said. “We read off of each other’s emotions and body language so much. When you use Facebook, you don’t have that opportunity, and that’s something that, unfortunately, is going to hurt us in the fact that people are not going to be able to read cues that come from other individuals.” According to a study performed by Oklahoma University, Facebook has drawn more than 500 million active users who, on average, spend 700 billion minutes per month on
the site. Moreover, according to Larry Rosen, a psychology professor at California State University, teens who spend a great deal of time on sites such as Facebook are more likely to be narcissistic and have psychological disorders, such as anti-social behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies. “I think that it (Facebook) is going make it harder for all of us to communicate,” sophomore Mary Muffly said. “I think that it is just going to make people more awkward.” In addition to adverse social effects, Facebook also provides an opportunity for people to express thoughts and feelings that they might not in another situation. “Unfortunately, Facebook gives a platform for individuals to do things that they normally wouldn’t do,” Cox said. “It’s because of the anonymity factor. People can post and they don’t have to see the reactions of the individual.” Counselor Jo Locricchio added, “It allows people to be more mean or spiteful because they’re not facing that person in person. As a counselor I have seen a lot more cyber bullying and very hurtful situations come out of it.” In addition, the unsupervised atmosphere allows for the creation of fake personas or fictionalizing of one’s personal life. “Some people live a fake life on Facebook,” Spencer said. “They just make their lives sound so interesting and so amazing and they’re going to lose touch with reality and how
their life really is.” Since social media has become a main method of communication, many people’s conversational abilities have been compromised. Even simple phrases have started to lose their meaning because of the frequency at which they are uttered through text instead of verbal communication. “People often say ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you’ on Facebook,” Spencer said. “But how much does that really mean when it’s typed or posted?” Despite these concerns, there is no disputing that Facebook is extremely popular Ginny Cox, among Psychology teacher youth. “Every day I hear kids saying ‘I saw it on Facebook,’” Cox said. “It’s no longer ‘I heard it from someone,’ it’s ‘I saw it on Facebook.’ So it has created some validity to some individuals and some things, which will definitely stand the test of time, unfortunately.”
It’s no longer ‘I heard it from someone,’ it’s ‘I saw it on Facebook.’ So it has created some validity to some individuals and some things, which will definitely stand the test of time.
“
”
“Yes, because you can interact with more people you normally wouldn’t. You make more friends but you won’t get off the internet to actually talk to them.”
4 People like this 5 Comments
Bjorn Swenson, freshman “Sure, Facebook has made an impact on our generation. It’s allowed people to come together that no one can censor.”
3 People like this
2 Comment
Photo Illistration by Fahey Zink
B5
B6 February 24, 2012
the limelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Dabbling in the Duckpond by Amanda Kriss Ugh... I feel awful!
Games & Amusements Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.46)
Gosh! Both you and Frog don’t look so good! Are you sick?
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9 8
Yeah... Around this time of the year, it seems like everyone is getting sick.
1
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7 It’s especially hard when you’re cold-blooded too!
Sudoku Challenge
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1 7
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6 2
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Unlike you, Duck, I’ve taken the necessary precautions to stay healthy. It’s only a matter Oh, don’t be silly! of time before you get sick! We all know you’re just a germ-a-phobe!
Difficulty level:
3
1
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The objective of the puzzle is to complete the 9 x 9 grid so that every column, row, and 3 x 3 grid within the 9 x 9 grid contains the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. Each puzzle can be solved with pure logic, so guessing should not be necessary.
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(Puzzle solution posted on bulletin board outside of Room 528.)
Photo
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Fri Dec 9 21:14:35 2011 GMT. Enjoy!
of the issue Generosity made visible
Worst ways to spend Spring Break:
I’ll be fine! Trust me.
I told ya so!
HELP! I’VE BEEN INFECTED! I’M DOOMED!
Meleena O’Neill
Shoe Drive Shenanigans: Students form a line that extends out of the hallway to donate shoes. The shoe drive yielded over 8,000 pairs of shoes.
Bands
Not just another romance
from page B8
by Fahey Zink Center In-Depth Editor
Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy marries girl, and the couple live happily ever after; until the girl loses her memory. This simple scenario is a quick look at the romantic “The Vow” movie drama starring Chaneview ning Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Inspired by true events, Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum), a recently wedded couple, are completely head over heels for each other. They have what looks to be the perfect life together, until they get into a car accident that causes Paige to be put into an induced coma because of severe brain damage. When she finally wakes up, she has no recollec-
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Top Ten
Courtesy of Kerry Hoyes SMPSP/MCT
Lively lovebirds: Channing Tatum (left) and Rachel McAdams (right) play newlyweds Leo and Paige in the romance film The Vow. The film tells the story of the couple’s trouble dealing with Paige’s memory loss.
tion of Leo and their marriage, only the life she use to live before she met Leo. Leo tries his best to save the relationship he and Paige once had, but as time passes and Paige’s memory doesn’t get any better, she starts to believe that it will never come back. While it would seem as though this movie would be another cheesy and slightly stupid romantic movie, this one has something different. The chemistry between McAdams
and Tatum is obvious, making the relationship more realistic. McAdams is not a stranger to these types of romance movies, and for a reason. She has the talent to give these types of characters life and depth, making it more realistic instead of just another sappy romance movie character. “The Vow” does its job by keeping the plotline interesting and engaging viewers; what a good romance movie should be doing.
play in last year’s Battle of the Bands, and, according to them the band has grown and evolved since then. “Over the last year we’ve been able to acquire more of an identity as a band, like, what our sound is, and I think with so many people and so many influences into it, it took a while for us to figure out exactly what Cluster . . . was,” O’Grady said. “We didn’t know what we were supposed to be.” As the band has progressed,
Annie
from page B8 And that toughness has earned this show 12 Tony Award Nominations, nine Drama Desk Award Nominations, and more. This is the first full production of Annie being put on in Fort Collins. “It’s a really fun show,” senior
10. In Guantanamo Bay 9. Crashing Newt Gingrich’s raging kegger. 8. A candid sleepover in your creepy uncle’s van, nicknamed “The Windowless Room on Wheels.” 7. Looking at Facebook pictures of everyone else’s spring break. 6. Reading Calvin and Hobbes— just kidding, that’s awesome. 5. Crying into an empty bucket of Chunky Monkey ice cream, watching the Notebook. 4. Playing Skyrim in your mother’s basement while blasting dubstep. 3. Being in or around Fort Collins High School. 2. In Syria. 1. Looking through baby pictures of Rylee Johnston. (Conor Schrader and Ed Kennedy)
there have been conflicts, but it is obvious that there is a strong bond between its members. “A lot of our controversy is like family anger in the sense it’s one step further than friends, where it’s, like, kind of serious sometimes, but we get over it so quickly,” Kauzmann said. “I think it’s been wonderful.” The band hopes to continue creating with each other and sharing their music with others. Cluster. . . has multiple upcoming shows, but is still thrilled to perform at the Battle of the Bands.
Jake Renn said. “We’re allowed to have a lot of fun.” With the set team building a spiral staircase and the pit playing their hearts out, this show is set to dazzle those in the auditorium. Don’t make the mistake that Annie’s parents made and give her up.
thelimelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
February 24, 2012
B7
Shatterproof breaks through Students’ band grows, gains recognition by Ed Kennedy Reporter
The life of a rock star could be a reality for three students who have emerged in the spotlight in a new and surging band: Shatterproof. Lead singer and guitarist, junior Branson Hoog, violinist, senior T.J. Wessel, and drummer, junior Ben Spolianski are creating quite a buzz with their new sound of experimental rock. “With the group we have right now, it’s only been about four or five months (since we’ve been together),” Spolianski said. They are accompanied by senior Josh Schoenig (bass) and junior Jeremy Marmor (guitar), who are both students at Poudre High School. “It (the band) changed a lot, we only have one original member,” Wessel added. All of these talented musicians have been honing their skills from a young age, but Hoog, Wessel and Spolianski have had very different journeys that have led them to where they are now. “My little brother wanted to
Zach Alvarez
Shatterproof unbreakable: (From left) Josh Schoenig, T.J. Wessel and Branson Hoog perform at the Gothic Theatre as part of the Next Big Thing tour. Shatterproof will also be performing at the Battle of the Bands on Feb. 24.
play guitar and he was afraid to go alone to the lessons, so I agreed to go with him, and we had two guitars in the house, but he ended up not liking it and I stayed with it,” said Hoog, a member of the Singers and Spotlight choirs. “It got to the point where I was playing like seven hours a day and then I picked up piano like a year later.” While Hoog was playing guitar, Wessel was perfecting a more
unusual rock instrument. “I’ve been playing violin since I was four and a half,” said Wessel, a 1st chair symphony orchestra player, as well as a member of the All-State Honor Orchestra. “A lot of it started with playing actual church music, when there weren’t like written notes for me to play. I would have to learn to improvise, and I slowly grew into playing rock music.” It is unusual to hear a high
school rock band using a violin in their music, creating a sound very similar to that of the bands Yellowcard and Kansas. “I’ve always wanted to play drums. Whenever I would listen to music when I was six or seven, I would always imagine myself on the drums,” Spolianksi said. “Then my dad had a friend who was going into the Navy and so he gave me his drum kit, which was useless because I didn’t
know how to play. Lessons in California were really expensive but then we moved out here and I started going to Academy of Guitar.” In the last five months, the band has been making a real impact with listeners, scoring gigs and playing shows at bars and coffee shops. “Since I’ve been in the band, our first big one (show) was Zombie Fest in Old Town on Halloween. We also played in Greeley at a coffee shop,” Hoog said. Since then, they have played a show at the Gothic Theatre in Denver as a part of the Next Big Thing tour. Shatterproof will also be playing at the Battle of the Bands on Feb. 24. They have already won the Battle of the Bands at Poudre High School last year. Shatterproof is coming out with an EP, titled Running in Circles, and will be selling copies to raise money for additional recording time. What makes Shatterproof different is their new sound with violin accompaniment, but also their raw determination to succeed and be great. “I don’t want people to listen and say, ‘oh it sounds like a lot of the rock bands I listen to,’” Hoog said. “I want them to say, ‘oh that’s something new that I’ve never listened to before.’”
New album fails to innovate, employs worn-out styles by Conor Schrader Reporter
No, The Fray hasn’t gone anywhere. In fact, the Denver originated album band has been in eview the same place for all ten years of its existence. While their first album, How to Save a Life, rode the crest of a musical wave that was keen on piano-led, heartwarming songs that questioned personal values and ideologies, that ground is currently stale. The Fray “find themselves” once again on the third attempt of a somewhat successful recipe. Their new album, Scars & Stories, starts off with album highlight and single, “Heartbeat.” “Heartbeat” is an upbeat song with a chorus that’s difficult to shake. Writer Isaac Slade does
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Scars and Stories Album Cover
Guyor from page B8
Guyor has been noticed to have overlapping traits with Annie. “Annie’s a really cute character and a bit sassy,“ said senior Jessica Davidson. “Emily’s motherly in the way that she cares about her friends, and she sticks up for herself--which is a lot like Annie’s character. When Annie is in the orphanage she puts others before herself; Emily is selfless and really cares about other people. ” A personal and nostalgic touch is also added to the show through personal emblems. “In the musical, Annie has half of a locket in the orphanage that her parents had left her,“ Davidson said. “When
Emily was playing the show when she was eight, her parents got her a silver locket with the words ‘We got Annie’ engraved. She’s wearing that locket in the show; it’s cool to see how she’s grown--what she did then and how far she’s come now.” The upcoming show, is an exciting time for all of the cast. Getting into character is the crucial element of the show. “I’m having to find my inner Annie, get into character again,” Guyor said. “I don’t want to go through the motions. It’s a popular show, and we want the audience members to be like ‘that was the best version of Annie I’ve ever seen.’”
an excellent job juxtaposing the image of a dwindling fire in rain, giving the song a vibe of persistence against unlikely odds. The album’s other highlight comes in the midst of track “1961.” While the lyrics are somewhat predictable and generic, the song’s story of brotherhood is encouraging, and Slade’s harmonies are as close to perfect without seeming inhuman as possible. Slade’s voice resonates around and works well with the surrounding piano and guitar. The end of the song is vastly different from the start, having undergone a transformation that follows the story. The high points hardly make up for the lows, however. Listeners may have a tough time making it through “Munich”, a repetitive, boring, and, most
importantly, cliché track about the stages of a relationship. In all honesty, it’s difficult to distinguish one bad track from another, as few songs hold a unique identity. Whether it was laziness or a bad case of “if-itain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it”-itis, most tracks on Scars & Stories sound exactly alike. The Fray, a band with great promise in 2004, needs to get its act together in 2012. Most still relevant bands from the 2004 piano-driven era have moved on and up; Coldplay’s 2011 Mylo Xyloto hardly represents their 2005 X&Y. Coldplay has kept the best parts and tried something new. The Fray is trying to plant seeds in infertile ground. Someone needs to tell them that nothing’s going to grow.
January 27, 2012
Unfortunate Art
limelight B8
An unlucky piece of artwork lies on the ground after a bike crash. This and other life-like pieces were created by senior Kyle Wray.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
What’s in the Limelight? Today: Movie Release: One for the Money Concert: All American Rejects @ Belly Up Jan. 28: Concert: Awolnation @ Buttlemilk Ski Area Jan. 31: Concert: That’s Outrageous! @ Marquis CD Release: Lana Del Rey: Born To Die Feb. 2: Concert: The Lemonheads @ Belly Up Cirque du Soleil: Dralion @ Budweiser Events Center Feb. 3: Movie Release: The Woman in Black Concert: Dr. Dog @ Boulder Theater Feb. 7: CD Release: Dr. Dog: Be The Void CD Release: The Fray: Scars & Stories Concert: Parachute @ Marquis Theater
Cam Chorpenning
Double trouble McHugh passionate about arts, balances art, music in life by Conor Schrader Reporter
Talent is in the McHugh family like diabetes is in Mississippi--it's everywhere. It's no surprise that Jonathon McHugh has continued the tradition of limelight musical and pecial artistic excellence. With a musically inclined, art-teacher father, McHugh was introduced to music and art from the start. "We always had art stuff around the house. As we grew up, he'd show us how to use it." McHugh said. "Music was similar. It's always been part of our home." Besides his father, McHugh notes Salvador Dali and Michelangelo as his greatest influences in art and Progressive rock like Yes and King Crimson in music. Growing up in a musical and artistic family doesn't make someone a musician or an artist, however. McHugh has worked hard and pushed himself farther every year.
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"I started from scratch with the violin in seventh grade and kind of sucked,” McHugh said, “but the last couple years I've practiced a lot and I'm proud to bring it to the level I have." McHugh has made all-state orchestra two years in a row, a program which only takes the best high school musicians. McHugh is very busy balancing both music and art in his life, having taken AP Art, Chamber Orchestra and several other advanced courses in both subjects. He refuses to choose one over the other, and is hoping to receive a double major in college for both art and music. "Yeah, they don't have the greatest reputation for being well-paying fields. Still, it's what I like," McHugh said. "I just want to love what I do. I'd rather do what I love and be happy than be stuck doing something I hate just for the money." McHugh says the creative process in both music and art are similar, and they keep each other
Cassa Niedringhaus
Art enthusiasts: Senior Jonathon McHugh (center) talks with two young art fans at the AP Art Show in December. McHugh is very involved with both art and music.
sharp. “They both help your imagination, but at the same time they take a different kind of awareness. You have to develop a certain process,” McHugh said. “Starting from scratch, then coming up with something your
own.” “Don’t give up too easy. You really have to be hard on yourself,” McHugh advises beginning artists and musicians. “If you want to get better you Jump to McHUGH, page B7
Feb. 8: Concert: The Expendables @ The Aggie
McHugh uses art, music to develop problem-solving skills
Feb. 9: Concert: Mat Kearney @ Black Sheep
The arts aren’t just for fun and personal expression-they represent something greater. to limelight art According teacher Jay pecial Dukart, creative problem solving is becoming an increasingly important skill to have and to develop, and that students will have to prove themselves by showing what they know rather than filling in bubbles on a standardized multiple-choice test. “Two plus two doesn’t always equal four in the real world,” Dukart said. These skills, Dukart says, are developed through activities like creating art. One student in particular,
Feb. 10: Concert: Dierks Bently @ Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar Movie Release: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3D Feb. 14: Concert: Hot Chelle Rae @ Bluebird CD Release: Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Feb. 15: Concert: Lady Antebellum @ Pepsi Center
by Cam Chorpenning Limelight Editor
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senior Matthew McHugh has developed his creative problem solving skills to an astonishing height through art and music. “He epitomizes that thought of how
he thinks and feels about the world through his artwork,” Dukart said. “That’s what artists do.” A passion and appreciation for the arts was instilled in McHugh by his family at a young age and he has been inspired and encouraged to explore art and music ever since. “Our house is just full of art and music all the time,” McHugh said. Recently, he has participated in the AP art show Cam Chorpenning and played Thoughtful artist: Senior Matthew McHugh Draws a quick sketch. McHugh is a musician and an AP art student. the bass in the
Feb. 16: School: Band Concert
he answered questions about the new film.
Feb. 18: Concert: DeVotchKa @ Vila
Q: How specifically did you have to prepare for a horror film differently than you have for your other films? A: I don’t think that the other genre that the film falls into necessarily plays part in the preparation. When you know that you’re doing a horror film, there are certain things you want to make sure of. First and foremost is that when I read the script, my immediate reaction was that this was not just a horror film, this could be a lot more than that it has the potential to be moving. I suppose the only thing in terms of preparation was that the director and I were on the same page in terms of that.
Feb. 21: CD Release: Band Of Skulls: Sweet Sour CD Release: Buckethead: Electric Sea Feb 22: Concert: Big Time Rush @ 1st Bank Center Feb. 23: Brian Regan @ Lincoln Center
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT
Q&A
Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Radcliffe, while best known for his role as Harry Potter, is pursuing a new character in the upcoming horror film The Woman in Black. Rocky Mountain Highlighter reporters were able to sit in on a live press conference with Radcliffe as
Q: After playing the character of Harry Potter for so long, which is obviously a role that took a lot of your personal life and life as an actor,
do you ever regret taking on such a dominating role? A: No. Not at all because if I hadn’t done that there’s no way I would be getting the opportunities that I would be in right now. It’s always going to be a dominator when you’re in something that successful so young and you just have to kind of try and take it in strides and go, well that’s it. I’m never going to be in something commercially successful and Potter and I am fine with that. I’m just now in a position where I’m very lucky. I have done very well with Potter I have got all these opportunities in front of me and I can now afford to pick interesting parts and do something for me. Q: Other than getting scared by this horror movie, what else can the audience get from seeing The Woman in Black? A: As well as being the scary film that it is, it’s kind of a comment on
Holiday Stocking concert, and was selected to submit a portfolio of his artwork to the prestigious Scholastics Art and Writing Awards. "He has a lot of talent,” AP art student senior Reanna Nelson said. “He’s always made me jealous.” McHugh continues to express himself through the arts and hone his skills, whether in an art class or in one of the three school music groups he belongs to. He plans to carry on with the arts even after he graduates from high school, and hopes to pursue a degree in art at CSU next year. The skills that McHugh possesses and embodies may be essential to life and success in “the real world” as the world progresses.
grief and loss and how death affects different people in different ways and the importance of love and family, and also on human curiosity. The first question I asked when I read the script was “why did he stay in the house?” and James (the director) answered it brilliantly, and he said here is a young man who lost his wife who lives with the ghost of his life every single day who is constantly reaching out for some kind of a confirmation in that she in some way is a part of his life and is still present. And he goes to this house and starts seeing the ghost of a dead woman. He would stay there because he is possibly thinking, “Is it her?” And even if it’s not, just to have some kind of confirmation that what he is seeing is a ghost, that if that is a ghost there is an afterlife and she’s still with me. So hopefully it has the potential to be moving as well as terrifying. -Fahey Zink