End the word: Students sign a pledge to stop using the “R-word” in a derogatory way. Spread the Word to End the Word campaigns show the power and hurtful potential of language by gathering signatures and raising awareness.
April 2, 2014 Vol. 41, No. 7
Megan Troutman
Rocky Mountain High School 1300 W. Swallow Rd.Fort Collins, Colo.
The Rocky Mountain
HS
HIGHLIGHTER
the
side show
High School Hijinks:
At Edmond Memorial High School in Oklahoma City, two female students licked peanut butter off of the armpits of a male student in an assembly on March 17 as part of a series of dares during the school’s fundraising week. Some parents viewing the event were outraged including Donovan Michi, who told local news station KOCO 5, “I was disgusted.” After parents expressed their dissent for the dare, all other scheduled charity dares occurring later in the week were canceled.
Quote of the Issue: “I’ve been singing before I could form sentences, so music has always been part of my life. It’s kind of second nature to me.” -Junior Rachel Morley on performing on the radio
Inside:
S
ticks and tones
Free expression or profanity: Debate continues in schools by Emily Andersoneditor-in-chief
Whether it be harmless swearing or an intense and serious racial slur, taboo words are expressed and uttered daily. Especially in a public school environment, one can walk through the hallways and hear endless amounts of thoughtless and casual profanity coming from freshmen and seniors alike. However, the question of whether unhindered freedom of expression is a right students should be able to have still remains. “If students say profanity in a conversation, like in a hallway, I may stop it,” Tom Smailes, English teacher, said. “It depends on what word is being used. If they’re dropping the ‘F-bomb’ and it makes me uncomfortable, I always say something. If it’s something that I would consider a little less egregious I might say something like ‘clean it up a little bit.’ However, if they were directing it at someone, I would react with no hesitation. But with idle chit chat, it depends.” The RMHS handbook places “inappropriate language” under the category of “minor discipline.” Most schools have rules regarding swearing and offensive words, but subjectivity of words make defining profanity difficult. “They’re words that when you say them, you can feel that they’re taboo, like you’re violating some kind of rule,” English teacher Paul De Maret said. “Whether it’s racial, which I think are the worst ones, or any kind of profanity terms, or even the old use of the Lord’s name in vain. It’s anything that when you say it, you know you’re saying something hurtful, or saying something that is taboo in society. When I’m standing out in the hallways I hear all sorts of things, and usually the profanity is not intended to hurt someone and is not degrading someone.” In a recent example, from Northampton County, Penn., were suspended from school for wearing “I Heart Boobies” bracelets in support of breast cancer. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, which declined to hear it on March 10. “‘Booby’ would not be a profanity. It’s a direct line in ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ and I’m not offended by that. Words are very powerful, and they
Front special
37% of students
use the word f**k on a daily basis
29% use the word s**t on a daily basis
15% of studen
use the “R w ts 23% ord” in wo bel a derogatory way hav rds in ieve e m her ean entl ing y 350 students surveyed
can potentially be harmful. Whether they’re profane or not, they can cause damage. With that said, there are certain profane words that are cutting and to the core. I do think there is a difference,” Smailes said. “I think it has a lot to do with the intent behind it. Where we’re trying to move to as a society (is to understand) different pieces of language that can potentially cause harm.” “Boobies,” whether intentionally harmful or not, is a way of saying “breasts.” The lawsuit against the school claimed that the bracelets were solely intended to raise awareness about breast cancer and to support the fight against it. “The rules that the Supreme Court has made in the past regarding censorship in schools tend to have to do with things that are destructive to the purpose of a school. Things that make school less safe, or less connected to promoting learning,” De Maret said. “You can see what the controversy over ‘I heart boobies’ was. ‘Boobies’ is an adolescent way to say something else, something that you can say in a lot less offensive way. In this environment, in this captive audience, I can’t walk away from it.” The debate is stirred around the subjectivity of language, and the ambiguity of what
,
Jump to profanity on A2
Students perform on radio: B8
by Megan Troutmaneditor-in-chief
Words have the power to trigger various emotions; whether it is swearing or a use of derogatory names, words have a great emotional impact. What most students are unaware of is that the word “retarded,” better known as the “R word,” carries offensive connotations. Spread the Word to End the Word is a national campaign directed toward the power of words, specifically the R word. The campaign spreads awareness about the R word, and the severe impact it can have on students. Originating from the disability, the R word is now used in casual conversation and can be seen in a demeaning manner. Sophomore Alli Gunther is fully aware of the power of this word because her little brother, Jack, is autistic. “The R word has a negative connotation because of its history of discrimination,” Gunther said. “I really can’t tell you how many people have called Jack that. I think it can be really triggering for special needs kids and kids that spend a lot of time with them. It’s inherently derogatory and degrading.” The Spread the Word to End the Word campaign does an effective job of defining how this word is a trigger for special needs students. Senior Jovan Lovato helped bring the campaign back to Rocky. After three absent years, the campaign has returned to raise awareness of the power of words. “Our first action was at the unified basketball game at Rocky,” Lovato said. “We put a banner out at the (free) game where the ticket counter usually is so students could sign a pledge to be aware of their language and how that makes other people feel.” Since the game, the campaign has filled two more banners with signaJump to R-word on A2
Index:
The changing TV habits of students: B4-B5 Rugby starts out strong: A8
Students fight derogatory use of ‘R-word’
Connections Club promotes equality: B1
News, A2 Opinion, A4 Sports, A8 Features, B1 Center Spread,B4-5 Limelight, B8
A2 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
Making a difference
CAP project influences state legislation about cyberbullying, Internet stalking by Tia Clarkreporter
The Civic Action Project (CAP) is given to the 12th grade government classes in an attempt to promote student advocacy. Rarely, however, does a CAP project get as far as the cyberbullying bill has in the past few months. “I think that cyberbullying is really relevant,” senior Meredith Radtke, who initiated the project last semester, said. “I was kind of inspired by the previous quarter’s cyberbullying project.” The student group had not considered initiating an actual bill until after the project they were working on had been well on its way. They began by raising awareness and scattering posters all over the school, but in the end it just did not seem like enough. “We started gathering signatures to raise attention that we weren’t the only ones who were concerned about this,” Radtke said. “We mailed them to our local representative and it just took off from there” After sending it to local state representative Randy
Fischer, he promptly wrote them back saying that he’d take on the issue. “I open up the paper and there it is. State representative Rhonda Fields from Denver is carrying a bill to make it a crime to bully someone using social media,” government teacher Tom List, who is the adviser for the project, said. The bill has gone through many stages to be where it is at now, but there are still a lot of obstacles that it has to face to become an actual law. So far it has made its way through the Colorado House of Representatives. On the 12th of March the bill passed into the senate with the majorPhoto illustration: Tia Clark ity rule of 54. Stirring hate : Illustration of what cyberbullying can begin with. AccordThe current law ing to the National Crime Prevention Council, 43 percent of minors will be covering social media victims of cyberbullying at some point in their lives. harassment is covered under the crime of stalking. What the new bill how the victim was bullied, it and get away with it and will do, if passed, is put and under what intention there are no repercussions,” cyberbullying of a minor the bullier had. senior Natalie Tanner said. into a category of crime all “It would create an “So this law will just stop it on its own, making the seactual punishment, right from occurring in the first verity of the crime based on now basically you can do place.”
R-word
from page A1
Megan Troutman
Gathering acceptance : In a campaign against “RWord, Emily Walgast, paraprofessional, Anna Koivv, freshman, and Elli Wittenaver, junior. gather signatures in the Commons for a banner.
tures, as well as passed out t-shirts, stickers and bracelets. “We could give away a million t-shirts, but if people aren’t talking about it, then it doesn’t make a difference,” Levato said. “As for everyone who’s involved, especially the students, our biggest role is to participate.” Sophomore Natalie Bradshaw, like Gunther, has a little sister with Down Syndrome. Although the fourth grader is too young to understand the full meaning behind the R word, she understands the negative connotations in everyday conversation. “That word just is not nice at all. It puts (special needs students) down and makes them feel dumb,” Bradshaw said. “It makes them feel like they can’t grow, or they’re not accepted.” If the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign continues to grow in the district, it will certainly
Profanity from page A1
a “profane” term is. However, there are also words that, through their destructive use in history, are deemed unspeakable in public. “I think certain words have inherent power and potential in them, but I think sometimes it’s how we react to certain words. For example, the issue over how we use the “N-word.” or something like that. Trying to rationalize it, that it’s ok for certain subcultures to use it, but not for others depending on the color of your skin, or your ethnicity or background or age, I think it’s an idiotic argument,” Smailes said. “A word is either usable or not. I don’t think some people
have a wide impact on the community. “I think (special needs students) will feel more accepted in this school if they don’t hear that word,” Bradshaw said. “Or even outside in public if it branches out that big.” Although the campaign is central around the R word, it also deals with derogatory words toward other groups of people. With the goal of ending prejudice, the campaign has accomplished a lot through simply spreading the word. “A lot of people don’t take into consideration how much of an impact they can have. When you take action and say I’m going to choose respect, it’s going to make a difference,” Lovato said. “It’s going to make a difference to everyone who’s put work into the campaign. It’s going to make a difference to all of integrated services. It’s going to make a difference to the GSA community. It will make difference.”
have more privilege to words than others.” Linguistic Reclamation, the idea that certain subcultures that have been oppressed in the past can reclaim derogatory words by using them in a positive way and denying others the right to say them, is crucial to the debate over the “N-Word.” “We definitely assign power to words. Words are arbitrary in the first place,” De Maret said. “If you travel the globe, there is a different word for everything. There is no inherent reality to a word that is already arbitrarily assigned to apply to something. “We give it power because of how we use it, or what it means to hear it, or how it affects us when someone else says it.”
N EWS
Fields of Dreams Miriam Fields
Stop with the spoilers
D
arth Vader is Luke’s father. There. I did it. It’s spoiled. This is what it feels like to have your favorite television show or a new movie completely ruined because no one will stop talking about it. I mean, who wants to be told that Dumbledore dies before they read the sixth Harry Potter book? Whoops. Sorry. Anyway… This reminds me of one time when I was about five and I watched Bambi for the first time. It was my first time at a movie theater and I was really excited to see the giant black screen and to sit in the fancy red seats. Unfortunately, everything was spoiled for me before the movie even started because my mom decided to warn me about how Bambi’s mom dies. Oh, sorry about that. Well, now you know. Needless to say, I wasn’t very happy with that. I pretty much felt like my life was ruined. Of course, it wasn’t - I was five, after all - but it was still upsetting to have the whole plot of Bambi revealed to me in one fell swoop. So that was my first experience with spoilers. There are a lot of other things that can be spoiled really easily other than movies. Sometimes, you would rather hear about major events in people’s lives, such as an engagement or a first child, from them and not random mutual friends. There are other times where people spoil things without even realizing it. A friend of mine once had a surprise birthday party set up for her, and then a friend of hers accidentally revealed it to her. This kind of spoiler is particularly aggravating because this sort of thing only happens once. It’s not like everyone is going to pick a new surprise party date because it was spoiled the first time. Perhaps it’s kind of like that new movie Frozen. Spoiler alert. I love Frozen. It’s particularly refreshing because instead of a prince saving Elsa and Anna from their fate, they save themselves through sisterly love. Did I let the cat out of the bag? Sorry. However, along with this amazing new movie came loads of spoilers. Everyone was posting about it on social media nonstop, and I’m pretty sure I knew enough about it that without even seeing it I could recount the entire plot. I think that if you’re going to post a really important fact about a book or movie with a large fan base, you should at least emphasize the fact that there are going to be spoilers in your post beforehand. But you know what? Spoiler alert: It’s inevitable. Things are going to get spoiled once in a while, whether it’s in real life or in a movie. Sometimes I wish people wouldn’t get so upset over spoilers. Even though it’s upsetting, it’s still going to happen. However, it is important to treat spoilers with respect. Rule of thumb: if it has the possibility of upsetting people, don’t say it. But relax if something does get revealed to you. It’s not the end of the world. And the prince? Yes, he marries Cinderella. Whoops. Sorry. Miriam Fields is a sophomore and the Features Editor for the RM Highlighter.
Rocky Mountain
HIGHLIGHTER
N EWS
Wasted opportunities Capturing his future: Junior Isaac Trippet takes photos for the Academy for Creative Arts and Design (CAD). Next year, the program will be discontinued for those who are not currently part of it.
April 2, 2014
DECA excels at state as 5 make nationals Business students involved in DECA attended the state competition on Feb. 23-25 in Colorado Springs. This competition took place at the Broadmoor Hotel. However, with renovations at the hotel, approximately 1,000 of the 2,700 students that attended the competition had to stay off site. The Rocky students stayed at the Antlers Hotel. “I thought the Antlers was fun! It was downtown and very close to a variety of restaurants and shops,” Lynne Lyell, business teacher, said. The competition spanned
In brief
over two days and introduced some strong competition as well as great opportunities to connect with fellow business students from all around Colorado. “DECA is a great experience for students to be able to compete and network with other schools from Colorado. It’s a chance to be at the Broadmoor, dress professionally, and perfect your business skills,” Robert Papp, business teacher, said. Five students qualified for the National competition in Atlanta on May 3-6: Isabelle Granger-Frye, Kiara Loucks, Caleb Sexton, Donald Chen and Russell Guinn. Marissa Bonertz
Looking good and working hard: Madeline Zann (right), Noel Knostman (center), and Emily Anderson (left) work on writing competition at the Capitol Hill Press Conference in Denver on Feb. 14. Their news story won first place in the news-feature writing competition.
Kayla Brokop
CAD program no longer offered by Kayla Brokopreporter
The Academy for Creative Arts and Design (CAD) was a class which came in with a boom and came out with a whisper. This year, 28 students were in the CAD class, a class which focuses on ways which all forms of art, including music, can benefit the community. Next year, the class will no longer continue due to a lack of student interest. “(The class) gets really involved with what’s going on in the community because when you’re just going to school and you’re doing your own thing, you’re kind of involved in the community somewhat, but when you’re doing this project, it really kind of puts you into other people’s shoes, and kind of makes you see what they’re dealing with,” junior Catherine Bruning, a current CAD student said. Current CAD students will not be affected by this cancellation, but those who did show interest in next year’s class will
be deprived of the opportunity to reap the artistic and community benefits which go along with the curriculum. Although CAD offers the enriching experience of helping others with art and music, the amount of time the class projects take may come across as too time-consuming to students who would otherwise have interest in the class. “As teenagers, we have a lot of things going on, and some people might not think that they can take on that much responsibility at this point,” Bruning said. Though some are feeling at a loss with CAD’s unavailability for next year’s juniors, the classes which are available each year rest in the hands of students and are based off of how many students show interest in them. “We will always be in the business of offering courses based on student interest,” Principal Craig Woodall said. “A reduction in numbers of students interested in this program signals to me that perhaps the program
should be altered somehow.” Some classes with little to no interest may be adjusted to be more appealing to students so that more will sign up and, therefore, make them available. CAD is in the process of being analyzed and potentially altered to better fit student interest. “We’re looking at potential opportunities to make CAD more desirable and potentially other academy situations more desirable for students,” Woodall said. “We’re looking at student interest, seeing what students are interested in. Do we keep CAD as it is, do we create different pathways out of CAD, or do we need a separate art pathway, digital pathway? It’s completely open right now.” A future for CAD beyond next year is dependent on student interest. If enough students show interest, then perhaps the class will be made available as a class after next year. For next year, unfortunately, interest has dropped to a point where there was no other choice but to discontinue the class.
Foothills mall faces serious renovations by Noel Knostmanreporter
The people of Fort Collins are calling it a “Renaissance on the Front Range.” The matter of the fact is that the Foothills Fashion Mall is due for a makeover. Colorado natives have had high hopes that the mall itself and the surrounding area, with the help of a facelift, will be able to return to its former glory, even exceed it, as a cultural and economic destination. As one of the biggest retail ventures in the region, the project would ideally attract new investment, retail spending and jobs that have since decreased in the past decades. “People used to drive down from Nebraska to do their shopping here, and they don’t anymore. Why would they? Nowadays, people from Fort Collins don’t even shop the area. They make a day trip down to Denver, because the options that Denver can offer don't exist here,” Brooke Mynatt, manager at Buckle, a Foothills clothing retailer, said. Foothills Fashion Mall, through its renovation, has promised to FoCo residents a one-of-a-kind shopping, entertainment, and community gathering
experience. The project also has hopes to make the area more liveable for residents. Despite all these promises, delays continue to plague the redevelopment of Foothills. Although the redevelopment was given the “green light” in May of last year, months of negotiations, new designs, new tenant plans, new cost estimates and another round of reviews by the city set groundbreaking back to late February. In the meantime, the city has racked up more than $220,000 in additional costs for outside consulting work. Consultants have continued to drive up costs for the project that developers have hesitantly acknowledged it is costing more than they had planned. The biggest issue that has caused such detrimental delays appears to be a fierce struggle in opinion between Alberta Partners, the developer, and the city council. “As a company, we are so excited for the future of this store. Of course in the meantime, things have been on the slow side for now, but the prospects are one hundred percent worth it,” Mynatt said.
A3
Aaron Yu
RM Highlighter students win award at Cap. Hill Press Conf. Forty students from 12 Colorado high schools, including three students from the RM Highlighter, attended the Colorado High School Press Association’s (CHSPA) Capitol Hill Press Conference at State Capitol on Feb. 14. A reporter from Chalkbeat.org, Nic Garcia, spoke, and then students were able to ask questions of State Senator Michael Johnston. Topics discussed included educational issues, such as
safety in schools, standardized tests. Immediately following the press conference were competitions, including news-feature writing, commentary writing, film making and photojournalism. The RM Highlighter took first place in the newsfeature writing competition with a story written by staff members Madeline Zann, Emily Anderson and Noel Knostman. Madeline Zann
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
O
OPINION
A4 April 2, 2014
TheEmily’s Rocky Mountain Embellishments HIGHLIGHTER
Emily Anderson
Food stamp freeloading
“We have to pay for their laziness and freeloading.” This phrase is whispered in line in the grocery store when somebody pays with food stamps. It’s shouted in anger during debates about where to allocate tax money. The common theme is that everybody that receives government help is taking advantage of the system, is refusing to work, and is generally a parasitic bane on society. And, frankly, I’m astonished by the rampant assumptions and lack of compassion. I recently listened to a conversation regarding food stamps. Somebody was describing an encounter they had when while shopping for food, the person in line front of them paid with a SNAP card. When entering the parking lot, they were angered by the fact that this food-stamp-using person was loading his groceries into a nice car. “It just doesn’t seem fair,” they said. “His car was nicer than mine.” Well, I’m sorry that this person didn’t look poor enough for you to feel satisfied. You don’t know if that car was even theirs. Maybe they were borrowing it from a friend. Maybe they had purchased it before they started having financial trouble. Maybe they inherited it after a loved one died. And yes, they could very well be using food stamps without needing them. The point is that you have no idea what circumstances this person was facing. Going into poverty only takes one illness, one unexpected death, one lay off, one foreclosure. It can happen at any moment, and it can happen to you. But when you’re in that hole, you don’t want any help, right? It’s not like tax money should not be spent on the betterment of society. It’s not like you benefit from roads, Social Security, safe food and medicine, public libraries, public schools, clean water, police stations, firefighters, disaster relief, garbage pickup, sewage treatment, etc. But, if you want to live in a place where there is no governmental assistance, move to Somalia. I promise you won’t be forced to help anybody there. Emily Anderson is a senior and editor-inchief of the RM Highlighter.
RM Highlighter editorial policy The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be
Crumbling under pressure
V
irtually every teenager has experienced at least some form of pressure from either their parents, their school, or society as a whole to be as close to perfect as possible. It is very rare to find a high school student who isn’t taking at least a few AP classes, participating in a timeconThe Issue: suming The amount of pressure extracurof students ricular is increasing, activity, and some and, in perspective is needed. many cases working a job on top of that. And yet teenagers are constantly told by their elders that their generation has it easy, and that they have everything handed to them. These days, such high expectations are considered completely normal, and nothing out of the ordinary. Modern society has raised the
covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.
The Rocky Mountain
H
HIGHLIGHTER
Kayla Brokop
bar for young adults so high that multitudes are experiencing depression, anxiety, and a plethora of other psychological problems because of such unreasonable expectations. Individuals whose schedules who are not so jam-packed with activities are often looked down upon, and considered to be lazy. In reality, this judgment is highly illogical, because any logical person could come to the conclusion that we should be able to choose what we do with our own time. While AP classes are certainly beneficial to those who can handle them, not taking The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is published nine times during the school year by the newspaper staff of Rocky Mountain High School/1300 W. Swallow Road/ Fort Collins, CO 80526. Contact Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff members at 970-488-7090 or 970-488-7091 for advertising information. Also the Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff is in Room 528, during 4th period.
All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2013; Pacemaker Finalist-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2011; Pacemaker Winner-2010; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2010; Pacemaker Finalist-2009; All-American, 4 Mark of Distinction-2009; AllAmerican Hall of Fame Induction-2008; AllAmerican, 5 Marks of Distinction-2008; Pacemaker Finalist-2007; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2007; Pacemaker Winner-2006; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2006; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2005; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2004; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2003; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2002; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2001; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2000; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-1999.
loads of them in high school isn’t the end of the world. What seems to be plaguing the current generation is a fixation and kind of tunnel vision when it comes to their high school years. From a long-term perspective, what you do or do not do in high school overall does not have as big of an impact as both students and their parents may think. People are much more likely to excel in their environment when they are not constantly being hounded and harassed by others, insisting that they must do certain things to be successful. Everyone’s
path to success is highly differential, and by instead encouraging different outlets for creativity and personal interests, rather than strongly giving off the impression that there is only one set path to achieving a happy life, horror stories of young adults ending their lives because of the sheer amount of stress they are forced to bear wouldn’t be so tragically common. There is no one “correct” way to live life; there is a myriad of possibilities for each and every high schooler, and no one should be given the right to take away those possibilities.
Editors-in-Chief Emily Anderson news Megan Troutman limelight
Sports Editor Noah Fogelberg
Ad Manager Tia Clark
Center Editor Aaron Yu
Opinion Editor Madeline Zann
Features Editor Miriam Fields
Staff Marissa Bonertz Jessi Brokop Kayla Brokop
All-Colorado-2013; All-Colorado-2012; All-Colorado-2011; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2010; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2009; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2008; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2007; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2006; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2005; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2004; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2003; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2002; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2001; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1996; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1992; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1991; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1990; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1987.
Reyna Thompson Noel Knostman Trey Jouard Tia Clark Contributors Michael Roley Evan Malone Rebecca Schofield Adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt
Gold Medalist-2013; Gold Medalist-2012; Gold Medalist-2011; Gold Medalist-2010; Silver Crown-2009; Gold Medalist-2009; Silver Medalist-2008; Gold Medalist2007; Gold Medalist-2006; Gold Medalist-2005; Silver Crown-2005; Gold Medalist-2004; Silver Crown-2004; Gold Medalist-2003; Silver Crown-2003; Gold Medalist-2002; Gold Medalist-2001; Gold Medalist-2000; Gold Medalist-1999.
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
Mad Maddy Madeline Zann
Method to the madness: importance of sports
F
lyers, cardinals, and gators, oh my. It’s that time of year again–the time of year where screams about 11 seeds making it to the Elite 8 and expletives followed by “DUKE” echo through the hallway: March Madness. Or April Madness, considering how long the tournament lasts. You can make fun of people who are a little over-attached to their bracket (like I am) all you want, but it’s not going to get you anywhere, at least not with me. Sports have importance, especially in our society, even if that importance is not really that great in a world of death and taxes, but I really truly do think that March Madness is an important part of American society. Important in the grand scheme of things? No, probably not unless you happen to win Warren Buffett’s one million dollar prize. But, important nonetheless? Yes. In a country where polarizing views are, on some (most) days, threatening to tear the U.S. apart, it’s nice to have something to come together on as a country—even on something that we’re still all arguing about. It’s a distraction from the mess that the rest of the world is in--the Ukraine, Venezuela, the missing plane--take your pick. While I think it’s important to pay attention to what is going on in the rest of world and be aware of our surroundings, I also think it’s good to take a break. Our generation might be a little too reliant on methods of escapism, but at least we know that this method isn’t going to really hurt anyone. Our country might disagree on just about everything else, but at least we can all pretty much agree on the fact that CU’s performance against Pittsburgh was an embarrassment to the entire state of Colorado. Madeline Zann is a senior and opinion editor of the RM Highlighter.
Student steroid testing Dear Editor, I believe student athletes should be tested for drugs. Last year at the Colorado School Wrestling Letters to High the editor State Tournament, one heavyweight wrestler won his championship title in a very close match. That wrestler was later discovered to be on steroids. Not only is that cheating, but the state title can’t be rewarded to the wrestler who rightfully deserved it and probably would have it had it been a fair match. Kylie Lankford, senior
Unneeded discrimination Dear Editor, I recently had a conversation with a friend who told me about another one of our peers not wanting homosexuals in the locker rooms. You would think that by 2014 we’d have it figured out by now. Nobody should be discriminated against because of their sexuality. Love is a beautiful thing, and whoever’s trying to stop that is terribly cruel. Jasmine Saleem, freshman
OPINION
April 2, 2014
A5
Virtual benefits
Increased amount of virtual schools a benefit to many students
A
brave new world approaches in the form of virtual schools. An increasingly common sight, taking classes online offers a large expanse of both personal and professional options that can end in success without the burdens of a physical classroom. Virtual schools are very similar to traditional schools in the sense that there are still state mandated tests, certified teachers and attendance. They offer the benefit of the classroom without the potential pitfalls. In a society with increasing numbers of individuals with social anxiety, virtual schools may allow them to do their best to learn without fear of being judged or hampered by their peers. Furthermore, students in a virtual school can almost completely personalize their schedule to tailor to their individual needs and interests. This kind of freedom is simply not offered by a traditional school. Students are left to their own devices to forge a path as they see fit, but at the same time a helping hand is always just a click
away. Some may argue that virtual schools lack proper social interactions for students, but this is not the case. Most schools offer academic trips and outings where students can come together with others in their class to learn and have a good time. Many believe that the surface depth of online classes are of the same academic caliber as virtual school; this is a common misconception. While it is true that there are countless classes such as online P.E. that barely scratch the surface, virtual school strives to maintain the depth achieved in a physical school environment and at times, exceeds it. Students are allowed to choose what interests them, and delve into a wealth of knowledge regarding that subject. Yes, the idea seems new and radical. Many will say that virtual schools can not provide the life skills necessary to be successful after one’s education. The reality is different. It is true that some students might benefit from interacting with one
another every day and have no problems tuning out the distractions of the classroom, but it is also true that not all students are the same. In virtual school, a student that might have been nervous to ask a teacher for help can simply type off a message detailing the issue, eliminating any personal embarrassment. Classroom volume is not a problem and the distracting chatter of other, less engaged students is absent. Teachers can work more efficiently in a virtual environment, which does not have disorganized physical paper or unruly students that simply refuse to be quiet. They can learn how each student best understands new material and tailor their teaching method to help present their knowledge. Is it likely that virtual schools will completely overtake brick and mortar schools in the next ten years? Probably not; but to write them off now as a waste of effort and consider them subpar to traditional teaching would be quite the mistake. Aaron Yu
Pro Con
Kayla Brokop
Virtual school not as beneficial as it appears to be
A
recent rise in the popularity of virtual and online academies has sparked the interest of both students and parents. Not only is it possible to be a full-time online student, but students can also take select courses online, including physical education and government, through the Poudre School District. Many wonder whether the online schooling experience will be a fit for them. Though being able to study at home all day seems like an agreeable arrangement, it is not a worthwhile option to consider. Though some online schools have programs which promote afterschool activities, contact with other kids is still limited. This can result in many issues with social skills later in students’ lives.
An important part of school is the opportunity to meet others and discover how to work with different kinds of people. It is difficult for those who have not learned or practiced these skills to use them once they go to college or get jobs. Adding more time in front of a screen is another factor which making it difficult for teens to develop the social skills necessary for the working world. Teenagers are already engrossed in a texting and media obsessed society. Adding that to studying online all day can hurt students’ communication with their peers. Too much screen time can also cause migraines, make it harder to fall asleep at night, and increase the risk for obesity. Adding online schoolwork to the time students al-
ready spend with technology means they will be using the internet for a majority of the day, thus increasing these health risks. Physical Education is also not satisfactory in online schools. A part of the high school physical education curriculum at the online schools includes writing essays and research papers about the history of athletics. Students should be actively learning, not sitting behind a computer screen writing about the history of the tennis shoe. Students of every age will benefit from choosing to attend public school. By attending public schools, students will find they are healthier and happier, and they will thrive from the human interaction and variety this experience gives them. Miriam Field
photopoll
What do you think of virtual school?
Online school would be better if you’re shy. Public school would be better if you’re good with your peers.
Online has its disadvantages since it’s not one on one.
Cameron Nagel, freshman
Kaitlyn Mahar, sophomore
Online is a disadvantage since it’s just over a laptop screen. Nathan Vinson, sophomore
It has its uses since you can go at your own pace, but it limits social interactions. Nathan Behr, junior
A6 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
Lobo lacrosse players begin rebuilding year
S PORTS
by Marissa Bonertzreporter The Fort Collins Unified Lacrosse team is entering its 2014 season with the goal of rebuilding. After losing multiple seniors, it is the year to generate a strong team of young players to carry on success in the future. The team is made up of high school students from each high school in Fort Collins and plays other teams from the Northern Colorado region. There are six Rocky students on the Unified varsity lacrosse team: seniors Ben Braley, Michael Paratore and Robin Kelley, and juniors Trey Jouard, Jake Hintzman and Trevor DeBaere. Lacrosse is not a single school sport, but rather a Poudre School District-sponsored sport for all Fort Collins high schools. This means that there an extra cost to play. Along with the $100 PSD athletic fee, the Unified Lacrosse team has a spring registration fee of $525. There are a total of 26 players on the team. They are going into this year’s season after making it to quarter finals last season. “We lost a lot of seniors last year, so our goal is kind of to rebuild, really just grow as a team. We have so many young guys that we want to get them going in the high school program at varsity speed faster. Really, it’s preparing them for their varsity season,” Braley said. It is important for the team to begin building up the
Courtesy Michael Roley
A step ahead: Junior Trevor DeBaere breaks into the open field ahead of the Thompson Valley defenders. DeBaere is one of six students on the Unified varsity lacrosse team.
team so that when the seniors leave, they will leave a strong team for the following years. An unusual choice, Braley got involved with lacrosse after playing soccer for many years. His friend’s neighbor taught he and his friend to play. His friend continues to play with him on the Unified team today. “I started hanging out with my friend, David, who’s still on the team with me, His neighbor played lacrosse and told us to start, so we started practicing every once in a while in fifth grade and in sixth grade. Both of us
joined,” Braley commented. The team is a mix of high school students from all of Fort Collins, creating a unique team aspect. The team is Braley’s favorite aspect of playing lacrosse. “The team aspect–you have to be good at it yourself to help the team, but if your team doesn’t work together, then there’s no way to win. Last year we didn’t have all-star players, but we had a team that worked together and we had 6 games in 9 days and won them all,” Braley said.
CHSAA long overdue to change antiquated Sunday contact by-law Noah’s N Nonsense ot very many man-made things last more than 94 years. Unfortunately, one of the few things that has made it this long is CHSAA’s rule barring coaches from contacting their players on Sundays. That’s right, 94 years ago, whoever was in charge of the Colorado High School Activities Association found it necessary to ban coach-to-player contact on Sundays due to whatever social conditions that existed at the time. Back then, Sunday was a sacred day on which it would be inappropriate for a coach to have contact with a player. A lot has changed since then. Since the Sunday contact rule was passed: women gained the right to vote, the first Ford Model A was introduced, the Great Depression happened, the Allied forces won World War II, the Civil Rights Act was passed banning segregation, JFK was assassinated, the Americans went to the moon six
Noah Fogelberg times but lost a war in Vietnam, the Cold War was resolved, 9/11 changed the course of American history and the first black President was elected... twice. The point is, a lot has changed in the social climate of the United States since CHSAA implemented the Sunday contact rule, and its repeal is long overdue. A Rocky swim coach was reminded of this arbitrary rule when she was slapped with a one-match suspension this November and was forced to come under a one-year probation for violating the Sunday contact rule. The crime committed was a routine e-mail updating swimmers and their parents
970-472-6969
We deliver all day
about practice schedule changes during the upcoming week. Additionally, a boys’ basketball coach at Collins was hit with the same punishments for committing similar crimes. Ninety-four years ago when this rule was implemented, the world was a different place. The rule passed to give coaches and players a break from each other for at least one day throughout the week. This is an understandable rule for a time in which a coach would have to physically visit with his players in order to contact them. This rule was entirely unable to account for a communication method such as e-mail. The e-mails that were deemed a violation of this rule by CHSAA were entirely harmless, and whether or not a swimmer opened the e-mail was strictly voluntary. That’s the thing about e-mails–nobody can force anybody to check their e-mail or open an e-mail on a Sunday if they do not want to communicate with his
or her coach on that day. To say that a coach sending a player an e-mail on a Sunday is harmful in any way is completely ridiculous. To his credit, Rocky Athletic Director Wayne Moddelmog has expressed his dissent with the He stated in an February article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan that the violation is minor and believes CHSAA needs to clarify this rule further. As it stands, the rule only states that “communication” on Sunday is prohibited. Because of the old age of this rule, there is certainly a need for clarification regarding social media and other modern communication methods. With an old rule like this infecting the integrity of CHSAA’s by-laws, the time has certainly come to repeal seemingly arbitrary rules that result in coaches being unnecessarily taken away from their team.
Noah Fogelberg is a junior and the sports editor for the RM Highlighter
▶Student Special: $3.50
Your choice of either pepperoni, cheese, or a mushroom slice plus a drink
(No student ID required. Deal runs all day, every day)
▶Mafia Meal: $22.99
One large two regular toppings, order of garlic bread, and 4 drinks (Substitute a 2-liter for delivery or carryout)
306 W. Laurel St. #113 Fort Collins, CO 80521
Located directly across from the entrance to the Oval at CSU Next to MUGS Coffee at the FLATS AT THE OVAL Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Closed on Sundays
▶First Rocky student:
To show his or her Rocky Mountain H.S. student ID card will receive a gift certificate for a FREE large pizza of choice. The next 19 students to show their student ID will receive any slice available in the window and a drink for FREE!
Visit Celestinospizza.com/like us on facebook
3 big screens always playing sportsDiscounts for all high school sports teams and clubsGluten free options
Rocky Mountain
HIGHLIGHTER
S PORTS
A7
April 2, 2014
Arizona unkind to No. 2 Lobos Baseball team goes 1-3 on annual southern swing
Swipe tag: Junior catcher Garrett Hammer attempts to tag a baserunner from Cherokee Trail High School in a March 15 scrimmage at Gabe Pando Park. The Lobos, state 5A runners-up last season and No. 2-ranked in the Denver Post preseason poll, are off to a 2-3 start after their trip to Arizona..
by Madeline Zannopinion editor
At the end of spring break, the Lobo baseball team set off for their annual tournament at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they play Record: 2-3 overall as of Friday March 28. against some of the best teams Stars: Team is full of in the region. stars Who’s Next: Home vs. Teams from Pomona • April 3 • 4 p.m. California, Strengths: Roster Illinois and depth Colorado also Weaknesses: Struggled attended the at Arizona tournament tournament. Talk: “It was a really Most of the exciting feeling knowing that teams involved you’re playing at a Major were at least in League field against one of the top 20 in the best teams in Colorado and coming out with a win.” their respective -John Sorenson, freshman state rankings. “It’s a tremendous honor and experience for our guys to get to go to that,” coach Scott Bullock said.
Baseball
Going into the tourney, the Lobos, who are currently ranked No. 2 in the 5A, had only played one game where they defeated No. 8-ranked Chaparral High School, 8-2, at Coors Field on March 20. “It’s great to play at a professional stadium for your first game of the year,” said senior Carl Stajduhar, who is projected to be one of the Lobos’ top pitchers and hitters this season. The Arizona trip, however, did not go as well as the Lobos hoped. The team went 1-3, with the one
victory, 12-2, coming against Mountain View High School of Boise, Idaho. The Lobos, though, played against teams already 15 games into the seasons, like Arizona schools Brophy Prep (7-2 loss) and Corona Del Sol (9-7 loss). “It will make us a better team because we know what it’s like to lose but also how to overcome that now,” freshman John Sorenson said. “It’ll help us know what kind of baseball we need to play in the future.”
Girls’ soccer team takes on opportunity to grow despite loss of C team by Reyna Thompsonreporter
While snow and sub-freezing temperatures are not uncommon in the spring, cleats are hitting the turf in girls’ soccer. The team is holding onto traditions of seasons past, but like any sport, differences start to become evident. One of them being that the team no longer has a C team, a team for underclassmen. “It’s very different, because last year there were no cuts,” said Ragan Garner, sophomore and first-year varsity member. “The players are here for a reason, which makes competition for your position that much stronger.” This kind of competition fosters healthy relationships between players, but also has other repercussions. “Now that it’s only [two teams] competition is much more intense at practice,” said Natalie Graves, a senior who has been on varsity all four years. “But it also means that there aren’t as many girls coming up.”
Manning
Girls’ soccer Record: 0-1 overall as of Friday March 28. Stars: Morgan Abbitt, Gabrielle Gonzales, Natalie Graves Who’s Next: @Fossil Ridge • April 3 • 6:30 p.m. Strengths: Team bonding Improving on: First touches, shots Talk: “(I enjoy) being able to hang out with a lot of different people.” -Katherine Neff, junior
One of the advantages of having a C team is that there is a pool of freshman and sophomores who are given the opportunity to improve, and without it, there are more underclassmen on J.V. and varsity. “There are definitely some challenges with a young team,” Graves said. “But it gives the team blended perspectives and the opportunity to have a growing year.” The opportunity to grow a program for future talent is an important one. Without new talent coming up after the seniors leave, the team would be
without their star players. “I’m both excited and intimidated because this is my first year on varsity,” said Garner. While first year jitters are common and the want to impress coaches and fellow players is evident, some players are feeling different emotions. Once the first season ends, or even the first game, the big picture starts to come into focus. “It’s just now hitting me that it’s my last competitive soccer season,” Graves said. “It makes everything more important. There’s more pressure on myself and other seniors. There’s no excuses now.”
Track and field
from page A8
Girls’ tennis
tennis and other physical activities without the crippling pain that had previously held her back. “I can’t say enough about how she handled the situation,” said Melanie Manning, Hannah’s mother and the coach of the girls’ tennis team. “Through all of her recovery, I think she only missed two days of school and just toughed it out and went every day. I just think it made her a better person. She’s stronger and compassionate to other people who have challenges that she might see in a wheelchair or on crutches like she was.” This year has been a new adventure for Hannah. Without the pain that kept her from fully enjoying the sport she loves, she is finally able to fully capitalize on all that life has to offer. “I’m playing (No. 2) singles
Record: 1-1 overall as of Friday March 28. Stars: Kyla Box, Nicole Garza, Jocelyn Gentry, Natalie House, Hannah Manning Who’s Next: @Mountain Range • April 7 • 3:30 p.m. Strengths: Having fun Improving on: Building technique and skill Talk: “I love how I’m able to do my best individually, but then we come together and win as a team.” -Hannah Manning, senior
this year for the tennis team, and I am so excited because it doesn’t hurt when I play,” she said. Since the surgery, Hannah has been able to give presentations to anatomy classes about her surgery. Through her experiences, she has gained a profound appreciation for people who live with physical disabilities. She stresses the importance for others to be kind and show respect to those who are not blessed with the opportunity to fully recover from their physical hindrances.
RM Highlighter library
Chasing down the ball: Junior Morgan Abbitt pursues the ball during a game last year at Fossil Ridge. The girls’ soccer team started the this year with a loss to Arvada West High School, 3-2.
“She’s stronger and compassionate to other people who have challenges that she might see in a wheelchair or on crutches like she was,” Melanie said. Though she might have been dealt a tough hand, Hannah is never one to give up. She faced the adversity put in front of her and made herself better for it. “My whole life, I’ve never been able to play tennis without it being painful,” Hannah said. “So, no matter how many matches I win or I lose, I feel so blessed that I can play without it being painful.”
Stars: It is a combined effort Who’s Next: Legend Track Clash • April 5 • Legend, 8 a.m. Strengths: Good team chemistry and more swimmers Improving on: Building stamina and stroke technique Talk: “My favorite part is the atmosphere. It’s really fun.” -Carly Lester, junior
Boys’ swimming
Record: 1-3 overall as of Friday March 28. Stars: Dryden Alberts, Jackson Allen, Josh Collier Who’s Next: Fossil Ridge • April 3 • 4 p.m. Strengths: 200 and 400 meter relays Improving on: Finishing Talk: “Sacrifice today, succeed tomorrow.” -Tyler Kind, junior FUNDRAISER: April 2 • 5-9 p.m. • Noodles on Horsetooth and College • 25% of proceeds go towards team
FREE GAME Bring this ad into any of our Centers for 1 free game Laser tag coming soon!
Rugby Ruckus
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
S
SPORTS
A8 April 2, 2014
Violent club sport kicks off by Trey Jouardreporter
Although American football is perceived as the pinnacle of aggression and physicality in athletics in the U.S., don’t overlook rugby as a bloody alternative. Within the last 20 years, rugby has emerged as a popular club sport in Fort Collins. Since its inception in 1984, the Fort Collins Youth Rugby Club has convened student athletes from all four high schools in the Poudre School District. Sophomore Tyrell Morgan, juniors Devan Worrell and Parker Shimpa, and seniors Alex Williams and Clayton Morgan are among the students who play for the Fort Collins Hammers high school rugby team. The team, which is divided into an A and B squad, reports a total of 35 players and counting for the 2014 spring season. The club grows every year, and typically accepts new players once the season has already started. “I definitely think its spreading,” said Worrell “We have more kids join every year. Our numbers keep increasing.” For new recruits and newbies, the game of rugby can be difficult to grasp. Similar to football, players from opposing teams, composed of eight forwards and seven backs, try to possess the ball and either score a “try” by entering the other team’s endzone, or drop kick the ball between field goal posts. However, unlike football, the game has no downs and is only interrupted for penalties and when the ball leaves the field of play. “I like rugby because it’s a lot different than football,” said Shimpa. “In football, you stop and there are plays.; in rugby, it’s go, go, go. It’s just continuous, and that’s fun to me.” Although the game differs from football in terms of fluidity, the sport still warrants the high caliber injuries seen in the American sport. “Freshman year I got knocked out once,” said Worrell. “I’ve also watched a kid break his collar bone and I’ve seen a kid lose some teeth.” With the inherent brutality of the sport, some degree of injury is inevitable, but this motivates teams to come together to efficiently defeat their opponents, creat-
Sports special
Going for the try: Junior Devan Worrell makes a move on a defender while running with the ball during the March 15 Spring Fling tournament held in Northglenn. Worrell is one of six Rocky students that plays for the Fort Collins Youth Rugby club. The club plays Wednesdays and Saturdays and hosts its home matches at Greenbriar Park.
prior-t.smugmug.com
prior-t.smugmug.com
Making a move: Senior Clayton Morgan sizes up the defender on his way down the pitch during a recent early-season rugby match.
ing a sense of camaraderie. Because rugby is a unified club sport in the city, players from Rocky meet a lot of students from other high schools. “I really like how the team is made up from kids from different schools,” said Shimpa. “Now I have friends that go to Poudre, Fossil and Collins. You get an opportunity to talk to kids from other schools and make new friends.” The team has high ambitions for the current season, and hopes to build on last year’s success (7-2 record, lost in the state final), which set them up as the contender at the Colorado state championship held at Infinity Park in Denver. “We don’t really talk about how we got there, we talk about what we should do better,” said Worrell. “Our coaches are wanting us to get there again, and win this time around.” The Hammers hope to improve on their 1-1 record with their match against SWARM on today at 5 p.m., held at Greenbriar Park in north Fort Collins. “If you’re thinking about going out for rugby, you should give it a try, and give it a chance; even more than a chance,” Shimpa said. “The first day you’ll be so lost, but once you get the hang out of it, it’s the most fun ever.”
Tennis player born with congenital defect makes remarkable recovery by Noah Fogelbergsports editor
Sometimes life throws a curve ball. Some people just accept the unfortunate scenarios that have befallen them, yet others decide to take things into their own hands. Senior tennis player Hannah Manning is one of the brave few who chose the latter option. Manning was born with femoral anteversion, a congenital defect in which her femurs were rotated 25 degrees too far inward. Manning began experiencing day-to-day pain during her middle school years. As a person with an active lifestyle and a tennis player, Manning began to consider corrective surgery to solve the issue of the pain. “I have my whole life ahead of me, and I want to be able to walk and run and ski and play tennis and do all these other things without it being painful on a day-to-day basis,” said Manning, reflecting on the time she spent considering whether or not to go through with the surgery. Having decided that she wanted to live her life free of pain, Manning
Tia Clark
Hard hitting: Senior Hannah Manning takes a swing at a ball during tennis practice. Manning was born with femoral anteversion, and after multiple surgeries, has made an incredible comeback.
decided in favor of the surgery on June 23, 2012. As part of the surgery, doctors broke and rotated both of her femurs to the correct position and used a rod to set the fractures in place. Due to the surgery, Manning was forced to stay at the hos-
pital for around four days and in bed for roughly three weeks. “I couldn’t even lift my legs up out of the bed. I had to have someone come and help me move my legs. I could use a walker and crutches around the house,
but my movement was really limited,” Manning said. Since the surgery 16 months ago, Manning has been faced with some of the toughest challenges that would test the physical and mental capabilities of even the strongest. Manning was forced into a wheelchair during the first part of her junior year, later upgrading to crutches, which she utilized for nearly half a year. During this time, she went through extensive physical therapy, which essentially re-taught her how to walk. The process of learning how to walk normally was not complete until nearly a year after the initial surgery. During this recovery process, Manning managed to compete as a doubles tennis player for the Lobos, which she claims helped to speed up her recovery, despite being painful due to her limited mobility. Last summer, Manning had the screws in her hips removed which caused her recovery to skyrocket. Soon after this final operation, Manning was able to end her physical therapy and ease into playing
,
Jump to Manning on A7
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
F
FEATURES
B1
April 2, 2014
Fishing with Trout
Making connections
Noel Knotsman
Independent thinking: The Connections House is located on Shields Street, just east of the school. An important part of the Connections House is the ability to give students the opportunity to think independently and discover their passions.
Connections House encourages Integrated Services students, assists in independence by Noel Knostmanreporter
Within the time period of a mere day, students are expected to go from having to ask to use the restroom, to deciding what their future occupations are. Not only are students suddenly faced with life altering decisions, but they also encounter more tangible obstacles like handling finances. These challenges and decisions can be even more difficult for integrated services students. However, no matter what the challenges for individual students are, the Community Connections House can help. The Community Connections House recognizes the unrealistic nature of the short time period in which students are asked to grow up and enthusiastically jumps into helping them. Adulthood is often marked by a time of newly found independence. Many students struggle with the fear of having to face all of the responsibilities and facts that accompany adult life completely on their own. However, the Connections House defies the status quo and has dedicated its existence to assisting young adults in the integrated services program with their transition. Maria Landstrom, the director of the program at the Connections House states, “Our mission is to help our students, who are 18-21 years old, to have an easy, smooth transition from high school to adult living. We hook them up with community resources, classes, places to volunteer… transportation opportunities, and friendship groups. So when they turn 21 and no longer are attending any PSD programs at that time they know just what they are doing.” The program is designed to assist the participants in finding their passions and individual talents to eventually make them part of their life’s work. For instance, one of the individuals who participates in the program, Michael Murphy, has a fondness for animals and through the program has now gained a position working with the animal shelter. Murphy is now an essential volunteer at the shelter; he spends his time and effort caring for his favorite animal–dogs. Community Connections has facilitated Murphy in his involvement at the shelter by teaching him how to ride the bus system in the city. This
Features special
Noel Knostman
New opportunities: Students of the Connections House program, along side their mentors, return from their volunteer work at the local food bank. The Connections House is a transitional program for students in Integrated Services. (Left to right, back row: Keith Tuttle, Michael Murphy, Daniel Mendez; Front row: Maria Landstrom, Janel Matthias, Lisa Gullo.)
‘‘
,,
Our mission is to help our students... so when they turn 21 and no longer are attending any PSD programs at that time, they know just what they are doing.
way he can transport himself to and from the shelter at his own will. This simple task has empowered Murphy a significant amount - he now possess an independence that he never could have obtained himself. “It is very important for our students to have work, have job skills, and have different job trials throughout the community. Paid work is a goal, whether it is part time or full time,” Landstrom said. “It is really dependent on the individual and their work tolerance and strengths.” It often happens that individuals who are in integrated services are coddled out of deep love and affection. In return, they never receive a necessary amount of dependence. Landstrom even has “students who, when they got to restaurants, they don't even know what they like, because they are so used to people ordering for them.” It is important to the Connections House for students to be independent thinkers.
Maria Landstrom, Connections House director
“As adults we don’t have people telling us where to volunteer or where we want to go work or have fun,” Landstrom said. “So why can't we give them the same kind of choices?” The program even assists individuals in the realm of finances. The Connections House is able to set students up with credit cards and a means to manage their spending on a daily basis. Community Connections is a very collaborative effort. It requires involvement from several different entities, including “the students, the parents, Foothills Gateway, and the Division of Vocational Rehab,” Landstrom said. Community Connections consists of a large mix of the students from many high schools around town, despite the fact that the facility itself is located on the east side of the Rocky school property. Landstrom said she believes that the most wonderful part of the program “is seeing an individual find their passion and then gain the independence in order to pursue it.”
Megan Troutman
Magic of synonyms
I
know for a fact that everyone has used, or at least been aware of, the right click synonyms button in Microsoft Word. All you have to do is right click on a word, scroll down to synonyms, and... voila! You just got smarter. Let me tell you: this tool has saved my life. Or should I say, protected my lifecycle. By using this tool, you automatically sound much more educated. Each word has been elevated to a college level, or even higher than that. It’s hard to say when you see a ten syllable word out of nowhere that you can’t pronounce. Kind of makes you question the public schooling system. Nevertheless, your new vocabulary will baffle students, teachers, and college professors alike. And gentlemen, that's how you get the ladies. Take this phrase for example: my favorite song in the entire world is “What Does the Fox Say”; I think it should be our national anthem. It’s not a particularly educated statement to begin with, in more ways than the obvious. The longest word in that sentence is national. Three syllables. Eight letters. Now after some good ol’ fashioned right clicking, you get a masterpiece: my preferred refrain in the all-inclusive ecosphere is “What Fixes the Fox Approximately”; I contemplate it ought be our coast-to-coast chorale. Boom. That’s how you do it. With that kind of diction, it truly makes me believe that the best song in the entire world is “What Does the Fox Say.” Well, okay... that’s not even remotely true. But anyway... Even if you don’t know what some of the synonyms mean, just pick the longest word. It’ll probably work. A good rule of thumb is the longer the word, the smarter you sound. Or the cannier you sound. I don't even know what cannier means. All I know is it's a synonym of smarter, and I think I'm pretty canny myself. The right click - synonym technique works for anything: writing resumes, college essays, AP Literature and Composition research papers, and even writing speeches. I wish Martin Luther King Jr. knew about right click - synonyms. It would have really improved his speech. And to think his famous speech could have been called "Myself Obligates a Hallucination." That sounds about 10,000 times cannier than “I Have a Dream.” Or even the Declaration of Independence could have been the Pronouncement of Unconventionality. I really think that would have put more faith in the government right off the bat. Not only would this tool help speeches and important documents, but it would also improve various advertising techniques. Got Milk? for example, could be Contracted Milk? That's seven letters and two syllables longer than the original. If that doesn't sound more intelligent, I don't know what will. All I can say is: what a great tool to use for the future. When in doubt, right click – synonyms. I guarantee all your teachers will be in awe when you hand in your next paper. Peace out, Rocky. Or should I say, harmony available, Pebbly. Megan Troutman is a senior and editor-inchief of the RM Highlighter.
B2 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
FEATURES
New land, new life for exchange students by Marissa Bonertzreporter
Moving to another country, living with an unknown family, and speaking a language that is not native to your home country can be inconceivable thoughts to many high school students. However, these are realities for the nine foreign exchange students walking the halls. Although all the changes that come with studying abroad are daunting, the real-world experience that foreign exchange students get is worth all the sacrifices. Aida Molina Aparicio “It gets easier with time, but sometimes you get homesick and you can’t handle it,” said junior Aida Molina Aparicio. “You want to go back home but you don’t. ” Molina Aparicio, who moved from her native Bolivia to live with a host family in Colorado, has been living in Fort Collins since the beginning of the school year and has enjoyed meeting new people and immersing herself in the American culture. When Molina Aparicio wanted to study in America, she originally decided to move to Colorado because she had relatives living there. Her original plans were to live with her aunt, however, she ended up with a host family. “They are really nice,” said Molina
Student feature
Aparicio. “I have one (host sibling) that goes to Johnson and a brother that goes to Webber.” Molina Aparicio decided to study abroad because of her desire to have some experience living in the United States before moving here to attend college. Although she is only a junior, she will have enough credits to graduate from her high school in Bolivia in June. She plans on returning to the United States in September to start college. Junior Isabel Walkemeyer, who comes from Germany, is also studying at the school. “My mom was here for an exchange Isabel Walkemeyer year when she was my age and then my sister was here for an exchange year,” Walkemeyer said. “I was here twice for vacation and fell in love with America.” Both Walkemeyer’s mother and sister studied in Colorado, so she decided to follow in their footsteps. Like Molina Aparicio, Walkemeyer lives with a host family while studying abroad. “Its awesome,” Walkemeyer said. “I actually really like it. It’s not so easy at first because it’s a new family, you don’t know them. I saw them for the first time when I first came here. My host sister and I are really good friends. We get along well.” Walkemeyer will have to repeat her junior year upon returning to Germany. Walkemeyer plans on doing another exchange year to a different country, such
Courtesy of Isabel Walkemeyer
New experiences: Junior Isabel Walkemeyer (third from left), an exchange student from Germany, stands with her host family on a vacation. Being an exchange student is a wonderful opportunity to have new experiences in another country. (Left to right: Jillian Fulton, Julie Fulton, Isabel Walkemeyer, Sheila Fulton, Jace Fulton, Justin Fulton.)
as Canada or Australia, when she attends college. Much like Molina Aparicio, Walkemeyer was familiar with English before she came to the United States. In fact, she had to pass an English test before qualifying to study abroad. Italian exchange student Valerio Cipro is also a junior; he has been attending the school since January. “I wanted to come to America since I was a kid,” Cipro said. “I like America.” Cipro was originally supposed to study in San Francisco, but was ultiValerio Cipro mately placed in Colorado. He is happy with this result; he likes it here. Along with both Molina Aparicio and Walkemeyer, Cipro lives with a host family. “They are amazing; they understand me,” Cipro said. “They are really nice; I love being with them.” He also has a host sibling–a brother who also attends high school. Un-
like Molina Aparicio and Walkemeyer, however, Cipro thought the transition to living with a host family was not difficult. He has traveled a lot throughout his life, which has helped him become used to living with new people, so the transition did not present as many challenges for him as it does for some exchange students. Not only is Cipro studying while he is here, but he is also participating in track. “I love track here; they work really hard… they are really tough guys,” said Cipro. In Italy, Cipro does not participate in track, but plays soccer. Cipro will have one more year of school and exams when he returns to Italy before he can graduate. He hopes to go to college in the United States if possible. Cipro also plans to return to visit Fort Collins in the future. Although studying abroad is a massive change, all three students would highly recommend it. “If you get an opportunity to do something like this, just do it,” Molina Aparicio said. “You’ll learn a lot about everything.”
It’s time to shuffle, duel with Card Club by Aaron Yucenter editor
It’s time to duel. This is a popular motto for those who frequent the Card Club, which emphasizes any and all games revolving mainly around cards. Whether it is a popular trading card game like Yu-Gi-Oh to a more serious game like Poker, the club’s game choices cater to almost every taste. “We play card games from all ranges,” club leader and junior Kyle Fukumoto said. “It’s very lively.” Fukumoto has been actively
Club feature
involved in Card Club since before it became an official group. At first, the club consisted of just a few people who would come together to play card games. “We had seven or eight people,” Fukumoto said. Although the group seemed to be going well for some time, not many people showed up to play. Believing it to be a problem related to not being a valid club, Fukumoto stepped up and took the reins to help the group become official. “It was started when I got here, but it wasn’t an official club,” he said. “I thought, you know, everyone else is (starting a club), so why not Card Club?”
Though the process took some time, Fukumoto eventually succeeded in establishing a legitimate club. He hopes that this will motivate more people to come, and keep the number of existing members strong. “I don’t want people to think it’s something they don’t have to care about,” Fukumoto said. He hopes that the club will continue to grow to an optimal amount of 20 to 25 people. “Even numbers, so that everyone has an opponent,” club member and junior Chris Lamb said, referencing card games that involve battling against another player. Card battling games are not the only type of games that
receive attention from members; card games of all sorts are welcome. “If you have a card game you like, just bring it in,” Fukumoto said. “We’ll play it.” Those that are frequent players of the trading card game Yu-GiOh will find a treasure trove of new opponents to face due to the fact that Yu-Gi-Oh is the Card Club’s most popular game. Whether actively seeking people with similar interests or just trying something new, Card Club is a unique niche that has something for everyone. “It’s a great place,” Fukumoto said. “A place to find friends, a place to chill out and just have a good time.”
After use, recycle this newspaper
Aaron Yu
Battling it out: Junior Edward Schramm, a member of the Card Club, duels while playing the popular game Yu-Gi-Oh. The club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch and welcomes new members.
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
FEATURES
April 2, 2014
B3
Capturing memories
Hard work creates promising results by Miriam Fieldsfeatures editor
Miriam Fields
Working hard: Sophomore Michaela Kriewall works on a page spread during the final week of third quarter. The yearbook staff will finish the publication during the month of April and is looking forward to seeing its hard work pay off.
Every year, yearbook staff work tirelessly to create and publish a book packed full of memorable moments, superb artwork, and catchy captions that characterize each school year in a unique way. Because the final pages are put together in the concluding days of the third quarter, the class has only three terms to create a well-done, quality yearbook. Fortunately, the yearbook of 2014 has the potential to be excellent. “The thing I like the most about this year’s book is the artwork,” said yearbook advisor Daniel Ibanez, who also works as an art teacher. “It’s got a cooler, cleaner, more modern, bolder feel than any of the books we’ve done before.” The yearbook staff members are also excited to release the new book and are confident that 2014’s book has exceeded the expectations of 2013’s. “I think it’s been really good this year,” said sophomore and yearbook staff member Kayla Proctor. “Last year was really good, but this year we connected more, and we have more hardworking students, and the yearbook is really wrapping together.” Other staff members have also seen improvement in the layout and organization of the publication. “I think this book will be much more structured and more clear with less mistakes,” said staffer Michaela Kriewall, sophomore. “I think it will just be an overall better book with more coverage on everything.” According to the yearbook crew, the best elements of this year’s book have not been introduced in previous years. The book will include a new page on assemblies, and the art and music page will focus more on student musicians and artists instead of celebrities. The excitement for the new yearbook is quickly spreading to students, many of whom are wondering what the theme and design concepts will be. However, “We usually like to keep it a
surprise,” Ibanez said. “We didn’t play to our theme really hard from a writing standpoint, but we did try to create a lot of little design flourishes that will echo the theme a lot throughout the book, which is great.” Though the yearbook staff had relatively few problems while coming up with the new design elements and theme, there are some challenges which have occurred throughout the creation of 2014’s book. “Last year we had some inaccuracies in some of the sections, and we really struggled to correct those errors,” Ibanez said. “In regards to that, one of the hardest parts of the yearbook is getting all of the seniors to respond. We need to get every one of them to submit a picture and a quote, and that’s almost an impossible task. Our goal is to get every student included and make every student feel like they’re showcased in the book, and it’s really hard, especially when you can’t get in touch with them.” It is also an enormous amount of work to keep up with current events in the school and document them. “It was a lot of work having to go through and adding students that transferred here and students that transferred out, but it was really fun putting (the underclassmen page) together,” said staff member Jessika Hoyberg-Nielsens, sophomore. As well as undertaking the enormous task of including each and every student in the book, the yearbook staff must also have almost the entire publication finished by March 15, except for a few final corrections and photographs, which are added in April. “I think our class is a little frazzled by it, but we really know what we have to do so we’re not freaking out about it,” said Kriewall. “We know what everyone needs to be doing.” Though there have been some struggles during the book’s creation, Hoyberg-Nielsens is confident that the final product will turn out beautifully. “We get to create something that everyone gets to see and enjoy, and work on something that’s really creative and fun.”
Teacher brings passion, receives award by Emily Andersoneditor-in-chief
Graduation is not only a time to recognize the accomplishments of a class, but also to acknowledge the hard work of the teachers that helped get them there. Every year, several educators, deemed outstanding by their department leaders, are appointed to stand on the graduation stage and represent their school. This year, Aaron Knobloch, English, government, and Special Education teacher, received such a nomination. “Everyday Mr. K brings passion and energy and laughter into the lives of students here at RMHS,” said Dean Victor, paraprofessional who works closely with Knobloch. Knobloch uses his passion for teaching to help the student body. He thoroughly enjoys working at the school, and is excited to be representing the community at the graduation. “For me it’s more about the students that I work with, and the student body that I work with,” Knobloch said. “I’m so lucky to be able to do this job everyday, and so for someone to recognize what I do on a daily basis, it feels nice, but it also feels honoring to
Teacher feature
be able to represent the Rocky community.” Originally from Louisiana, Knobloch began his teachAaron ing career in 2007 in Seattle Knobloch after receiving a Master’s degree at the University of Washington. The middle school that he started at, which was both impoverished and in the inner city, introduced him to a talent he had never realized he had. “I found very quickly that the students who generally do not comply with teachers, who are a bit rougher around the edges, do anything I say,” he said. “It’s very
different here, but at the middle school level that’s what happened. So I just took it and ran with it, and found out that I really like working with students that traditionally fall through the cracks, that are traditionally forgotten about.” Knobloch moved to Fort Collins several years later, when his wife got a job at Colorado State University, and transitioned from teaching middle school to teaching Integrated Services. “I prefer high school, because I get to prepare students to leave and go out into the real world, and show them what to expect,” he said. “A lot of the students that I teach show behaviors, that in a classroom, in the real
world, would indicate that they not be taken seriously. They face extra challenges and need extra support. Grades are fine, teacherstudent relationships are fine, but my main focus is helping kids figure out how they are going to support themselves in the future. That’s what I find is the meaning of success.” However, Knobloch also teaches general education students
in both English and government. His classes contain anything from a 4th grade to a 12th grade reading level, and he is challenged to accommodate both. “How to challenge a 12th grade reading level and how to push, but not drive the 4th grade reading level to tears. There’s a challenge there, but I love that challenge, because all students deserve a chance,” he said.
Surfing or Streaming? B4 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
To stream or not to stream by Mackenzie Barztenreporter
It is incredibly difficult to find a person who does not enjoy watching television in their free time. However, due to varying income levels and resources, watching television in 21st century is now much more diverse and complicated than just turning on your television set. Cable prices have skyrocketed, and while now many cable companies offer packages that combine rates for television and internet access, it is becoming a much less popular choice as of late. Since the inception of the famous streaming service known as Netflix, and its more recent counterpart, Hulu, cable subscriptions have started to drop. Many have speculated on why this is happening, and the two dominant opinions regarding the subject are those of convenience and cost. “I prefer streaming because it’s cheaper and more convenient for me,” said senior Jacob Fuller. “One of my favorite things is watching previous seasons of my favorite shows, and having the ability to start and stop that whenever I want is my favorite part.” Not everyone has the expendable income for basic luxuries like prime-
Commercials here to stay by Aaron YuCenter editor
The times, they are a’changing. It used to be that when a family was looking for some quality entertainment, all they had to do was go into the living room and turn on the radio. News, sitcoms and horrors were all just a dial away. Radio was a booming industry with plenty of advertising time slots sold and shows that were all the rage. Its reign was a short one. After World War 2, television was the new sensation that was sweeping the nation. In the six years after the end of WWII, television sets across the nation went from a humble 200,000 to a whopping 13 million. With such a dynamically increasing marketplace, advertisers transitioned from radio to television in order to reach more of an audience. “The first [television] ads appeared in 1941,” Early Television Foundation founder Steve McVoy said. “Advertising was on all TV programs; about 20 minutes an hour, just like today.” Television started to change for a more modern world, and advertising followed suit. In more modern times, commercials appeal to a variety of ideas and emotions to sell a product. Sex, masculinity, attractiveness, cleanliness; there is no end to the feelings a manufacturer can manipulate. However, what is the point of these exuberant advertisements if people choose to not watch them? With streaming services such as Netflix and recording services like TiVo, watching advertisement has become optional for millions of people. Netflix in particular provides thousands of popular shows and movies with no commercial breaks or intrusive ads. In the future, commercials might be non-existent with networks offering commercial-free TV in exchange for a monthly fee. Media analysis teacher Laura Druse thinks otherwise. “No, I don’t think (commercials will disappear),” she said. “There’s big stuff on TV like the Super Bowl or the Academy awards. I think it’s certainly changing, but (commercials) aren’t obsolete.” Druse believes that as we go into the future and our perceptions of society change, commercials will evolve and adapt to continue being a lucrative way for companies to advertise. “(Commercials) reflect a lot of what’s going on in society,” she said. “Things like showing Viagra ads or women’s products; these wouldn’t have been on TV when it first started. As we’ve gotten more open about things, so has advertising.” Whether streaming or recording becomes popular, commercials appear to be staying strong. With more people watching TV for longer times than ever before, television advertising seems to be an industry that will exist well into the future.
time TV, nor the schedules to accommodate the viewing of their preferred shows. This makes a Netflix subscription a very attractive option. Costing a mere $8 per month, Netflix provides its customers with unlimited streaming of an extensive library of TV shows, movies, and even documentaries. “I think cable will eventually be replaced by a virtual alternative,” Fuller said. “There are options out there already that are even cheaper than Netflix.” While this may not allow one to watch latest episodes the day they come out, they do typically have numerous back seasons of hit TV shows in their library. Another appealing aspect of streaming as opposed to cable is the ability to instantaneously pause whatever is playing at the moment, with the place in the show saved in case you decide to finish it later, a feature nonexistent in basic cable subscriptions. Both means of receiving entertainment are viable options, with the ultimate decision depending primarily on personal preferences and levels of income.
CENTER SPREAD
April 2, 2014
B5
Students watch mature shows by Jesse Brokopreporter
A typical television show for a high school student should contain either violence, inappropriate behavior, or comedy. Breaking Bad has been one of the most popular television shows over the past year. Criminal Minds, a show like it, is very similar because of its violence and inappropriate moments. These are the kinds of shows junior Isaac Trippet likes to watch. “I think both of them have subtle social inquiries. They both have a message about the state of humanity and things like that. I find those kinds of things interesting; it’s a good food for thought,” Trippet said. He believes that shows like those have been very popular among a large group of people lately. Junior Catherine Bruning is more into comedy shows than Trippet. “I’m bored and they make me giggle,” Bruning said about shows like South Park and Adventure Time. Although she is mainly into comedy shows, Bruning can see why shows like Breaking Bad have gained their popularity. “I guess you could say some of the photography style is kinda neat compared to what older TV shows are shot at in terms of angles and stuff like that,” Trippet said. “New effects are like ‘woah.’”
63% prefer watching shows on Netflix 71% would rather stream than watch live 66% enjoy the freedom to watch whenever 83% of students watch television regularly
*based on a survey of 322 students
Images courtesy of: Kirk McKoy, Kevin Sullivan, Carolyn Cole, Robert Voets and Robert Viglasky
Surfing or Streaming? B4 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
To stream or not to stream by Mackenzie Barztenreporter
It is incredibly difficult to find a person who does not enjoy watching television in their free time. However, due to varying income levels and resources, watching television in 21st century is now much more diverse and complicated than just turning on your television set. Cable prices have skyrocketed, and while now many cable companies offer packages that combine rates for television and internet access, it is becoming a much less popular choice as of late. Since the inception of the famous streaming service known as Netflix, and its more recent counterpart, Hulu, cable subscriptions have started to drop. Many have speculated on why this is happening, and the two dominant opinions regarding the subject are those of convenience and cost. “I prefer streaming because it’s cheaper and more convenient for me,” said senior Jacob Fuller. “One of my favorite things is watching previous seasons of my favorite shows, and having the ability to start and stop that whenever I want is my favorite part.” Not everyone has the expendable income for basic luxuries like prime-
Commercials here to stay by Aaron YuCenter editor
The times, they are a’changing. It used to be that when a family was looking for some quality entertainment, all they had to do was go into the living room and turn on the radio. News, sitcoms and horrors were all just a dial away. Radio was a booming industry with plenty of advertising time slots sold and shows that were all the rage. Its reign was a short one. After World War 2, television was the new sensation that was sweeping the nation. In the six years after the end of WWII, television sets across the nation went from a humble 200,000 to a whopping 13 million. With such a dynamically increasing marketplace, advertisers transitioned from radio to television in order to reach more of an audience. “The first [television] ads appeared in 1941,” Early Television Foundation founder Steve McVoy said. “Advertising was on all TV programs; about 20 minutes an hour, just like today.” Television started to change for a more modern world, and advertising followed suit. In more modern times, commercials appeal to a variety of ideas and emotions to sell a product. Sex, masculinity, attractiveness, cleanliness; there is no end to the feelings a manufacturer can manipulate. However, what is the point of these exuberant advertisements if people choose to not watch them? With streaming services such as Netflix and recording services like TiVo, watching advertisement has become optional for millions of people. Netflix in particular provides thousands of popular shows and movies with no commercial breaks or intrusive ads. In the future, commercials might be non-existent with networks offering commercial-free TV in exchange for a monthly fee. Media analysis teacher Laura Druse thinks otherwise. “No, I don’t think (commercials will disappear),” she said. “There’s big stuff on TV like the Super Bowl or the Academy awards. I think it’s certainly changing, but (commercials) aren’t obsolete.” Druse believes that as we go into the future and our perceptions of society change, commercials will evolve and adapt to continue being a lucrative way for companies to advertise. “(Commercials) reflect a lot of what’s going on in society,” she said. “Things like showing Viagra ads or women’s products; these wouldn’t have been on TV when it first started. As we’ve gotten more open about things, so has advertising.” Whether streaming or recording becomes popular, commercials appear to be staying strong. With more people watching TV for longer times than ever before, television advertising seems to be an industry that will exist well into the future.
time TV, nor the schedules to accommodate the viewing of their preferred shows. This makes a Netflix subscription a very attractive option. Costing a mere $8 per month, Netflix provides its customers with unlimited streaming of an extensive library of TV shows, movies, and even documentaries. “I think cable will eventually be replaced by a virtual alternative,” Fuller said. “There are options out there already that are even cheaper than Netflix.” While this may not allow one to watch latest episodes the day they come out, they do typically have numerous back seasons of hit TV shows in their library. Another appealing aspect of streaming as opposed to cable is the ability to instantaneously pause whatever is playing at the moment, with the place in the show saved in case you decide to finish it later, a feature nonexistent in basic cable subscriptions. Both means of receiving entertainment are viable options, with the ultimate decision depending primarily on personal preferences and levels of income.
CENTER SPREAD
April 2, 2014
B5
Students watch mature shows by Jesse Brokopreporter
A typical television show for a high school student should contain either violence, inappropriate behavior, or comedy. Breaking Bad has been one of the most popular television shows over the past year. Criminal Minds, a show like it, is very similar because of its violence and inappropriate moments. These are the kinds of shows junior Isaac Trippet likes to watch. “I think both of them have subtle social inquiries. They both have a message about the state of humanity and things like that. I find those kinds of things interesting; it’s a good food for thought,” Trippet said. He believes that shows like those have been very popular among a large group of people lately. Junior Catherine Bruning is more into comedy shows than Trippet. “I’m bored and they make me giggle,” Bruning said about shows like South Park and Adventure Time. Although she is mainly into comedy shows, Bruning can see why shows like Breaking Bad have gained their popularity. “I guess you could say some of the photography style is kinda neat compared to what older TV shows are shot at in terms of angles and stuff like that,” Trippet said. “New effects are like ‘woah.’”
63% prefer watching shows on Netflix 71% would rather stream than watch live 66% enjoy the freedom to watch whenever 83% of students watch television regularly
*based on a survey of 322 students
Images courtesy of: Kirk McKoy, Kevin Sullivan, Carolyn Cole, Robert Voets and Robert Viglasky
B6 April 2, 2014
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
L IMELIGHT
Games and Entertainment Sudoku Challenge The objective of the puzzle is to complete the 9x9 grid so that every column, row, and 3x3 grid within the 9x9 grid contains the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. Each puzzle can be solved with pure logic, so guessing should not be necessary.
Difficulty Level: Medium
(Puzzle solution posted on bulletin board outside of room 528)
Top Ten
“Best” ways to ask your date to prom
10. Tattoo her face onto your arm so that when you flex it will say,
“prom?” 9. Douse his lawn in gasoline spelling out “prom?” Light a match. 8. Hide in the trunk of her car and jump out when she gets home. 7. Photoshop your faces onto a wedding couple and tape them all over his locker. 6. Put a note in the
dead frog she is dissecting in biology. 5. Fake your own death, and when he comes to the funeral pop out of the coffin and say, “J.K. Prom?” 4. Kidnap her best friend and leave a ransom note, saying the only way you will see her again is if you go to prom with her.
3. Attach a note to a small dove and when the dove flies over her head, shoot it. 2. Email Obama and have him mention it in a speech. 1. Have Donald Chen burst out of a cake with a prom sign and flowers. Emily Anderson, Aaron Yu, and Megan Troutman
Divergent falls short of high expectations by Reyna Thompsonreporter
You know a movie is big when there is a line winding out of the theater before it’s seated. Or if you try to go to the four o’clock showing but it’s sold out already. Divergent fits that bill. Assumptions can either make or break a movie. In this case, expectations were through the roof. Coming into the movie, I expected to be on the edge of my seat at every moment because of all the hype it had received. Having read the books before hand, the way the movie stuck to the plot did not disappoint. It did, however, seem to take an eternity to reach the main conflict, which caused a loss of interest.
Movie review
The movie did a good job of explaining the five factions, which is the premise of the story. Dauntless, Amity, Candor, Abnegation and Erudite are the groups in which citizens are placed. Dauntless for bravery, Amity for kindness, Candor for honesty, Abnegation for selflessness and Erudite for intelligence. Even if you have not read the books, this concept will be understood in the movie. The conflict between the factions, however, might be hard to grasp. Another part that was difficult to follow was the distinction between different characters. Their names were said minimally at best, and it never felt like there was a connection with the audience. Ultimately, Divergent was a movie that stuck to the book, but did not live up to high expectations.
Courtesy of Jaap Buitendijk/MCT
Divergent: Shailene Woodley (left) and Theo James (right) star in highly anticipated film, Divergent. This film made its debut on March 21.
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
L IMELIGHT
April 2, 2014
Will you go to
PROM by Madeline Zannopinion editor
As a few students are aware, prom is quickly approaching. Many things go into prom: there’s the ever-difficult mission to find a date, the even harder adventure to find a dress, tux, flowers, and, of course, the food. Nothing is more important than the food. The food can completely make or break the night. When it comes to selecting the perfect din-
FOOD review
Macaroni Grill
▫ $$ ▫ Italian ▫ Takes reservations ▫ Good bread, you can write on the table... we all know what to expect. ▫ 4627 S. Timberline Rd.
Madeline Zann
Texas Roadhouse ▫ $$ ▫ Steakhouse ▫ Call ahead seating, but no reservations ▫ Careful with eating steak in prom attire. You don’t want to be wearing steak sauce to the dance. ▫ 4633 S. Timberline Rd.
2014 Prom
with me?
ner, there are many, many options. You could go with Italian food, Mexican, American, Asian, or even Brazilian food. The possibilities are almost endless. However, there are a lot more factors that go into the decision making process besides the type of food. You have to worry about the price, whether or not you will be able to get a reservation, and even the atmosphere. You want to be able to make sure that the restaurant is not too expensive, but not McDonald’s cheap. There needs to be a balance between classy and affordable, especially
for those juniors who have to pay for their tickets. Below, we have provided a short list of restaurants that could be possibilities for prom dinner. Included with each restaurant is an average price range, and information about each restaurant, including, but not limited to, whether or not they take reservations, the type of food offered, and a brief review. Addresses are also included for those of you who are more geographically challenged. Enjoy!
Price Key $: Under 10 $$: 11-30 $$$: 31-60
Noodles ▫$ ▫ Italian and Asian ▫ Does not take reservations ▫ Cheap, and if the weather’s nice, the rooftop patio could make for a romantic date, otherwise the atmosphere isn’t wonderful. However, it is close to the Lincoln Center. ▫ 3905 S. College Ave.
April 11 Located at the Lincoln Center Seniors: free Juniors: $45 singles $85 double Theme: A Rustic Dusk
Rio Grande
▫ $$ ▫ Tex-Mex ▫ Doesn’t take reservations, but close to the Lincoln Center, nice patio... and no, you can’t have the margaritas. ▫ 143 W. Mountain Ave.
Madeline Zann
Megan Troutman
Restaurant 415 ▫ $ - $$ ▫ American ▫ Does not take reservations ▫ Offers gluten free and vegan options ▫ Warm, friendly environment, perfect for a smaller group of friends. ▫ Plenty of small dishes, good for sharing. ▫ 415 S. Mason St.
Rodozio Grill ▫ $$$ ▫ Brazilian ▫ Takes reservations, group dining is available ▫ If you’re planning on going here for dinner, don’t eat lunch and avoid tight dresses. ▫ Vegetarians beware. Most of the menu consists of meat. ▫ 200 Jefferson St.
B7
Lulu’s Asian Bistro ▫ $$ ▫ Asian ▫ Takes reservations ▫ Cozy and quaint atmosphere, good for a simple date night. ▫ Roof top seating ▫ 117 S. College Ave.
Other restaurants ▫ Bisetti’s ($$) 120 S. College Ave. ▫ Olive Garden ($$) 3905 S. College Ave. ▫ HuHot Mongolian Grill ($$) 249 S. College Ave. ▫ The Melting Pot ($$$) 334 E. Mountain Ave. Megan Troutman
Rocky Mountain HIGHLIGHTER
L
LIMELIGHT
B8 April 2, 2014
What’s in the Limelight?
A pr il 4: Movie Release- Captain America: The Winter Soldier Concert- Christina Perri, Ogden Theater A pr il 5: ConcertGeorge Strait, Lee Ann Womack, and Merle Haggard, Pepsi Center A pr il 7: ConcertJohn Legend, Vilar Center for the Arts A pr il 9: ConcertFoster the People, Belly Up A pr il 10: SchoolConcert-Symphony, Winds, Summit Chamber, Rocky 7:00pm A pr il 11: Movie Release- Rio 2 Movie ReleaseDraft Day School- PROM, Lincoln Center A pr il 12: Comedy- Wayne Brady, Paramount Theater A pr il 14: SchoolCBA State, Summit and Winds, CSU, All Day A pr il 15: CD Release- Breathe Carolina, Savages A pr il 16: ConcertChance the Rapper, Ogden Theater A pr il 17: Movie Release- Transcendence A pr il 18: Movie Release- A Haunted House 2 Movie ReleaseBears A pr il 19: CD Release- Green Day, Demolicious
s s e c c u s f o s e v Wa Courtesy of Rachel Morley
Tuning in: Junior Rachel Morley performs on the radio. The 88.9 KRFC local radio station provides opportunities for aspiring musicians to showcase their musical talents.
Students broadcast on air with local radio by Megan Troutmaneditor-in-chief
The radio has always been somewhat of a foreign concept: unfamiliar voices coming from a black box. A concept that has always been established, however, is that singing on the radio is a big deal. With the help of 88.9 KRFC, the local radio broadcasting station, local musicians have been able to get a taste for what singing on the radio entails. “It’s just really cool to experience what it’s like to be in that professional music setting,” junior Rachel Morley said. “Music is something I potentially want to pursue as a career, so it’s cool to be able to get that experience.” Morley started singing on the radio the summer before her freshman year, and has loved performing with KRFC. “I’ve been singing before I could form sentences, so music has always been part of my life. It’s kind of a second nature to me,” Morley said. The KRFC host, Vincent Burkardt, first saw Morley playing at a local gig and invited her to sing for the radio. Burkardt is constantly finding new musicians to perform on the show. “(When selecting musicians) I just go with my gut,” Burkardt said. “I have two acts per show, each about 25 minutes with a little bit of leeway room.” Burkardt has been hosting local musicians on KRFC radio since September 2009 and has enjoyed working with new musicians in the area.
Limelight special
‘‘ ,,
The ability to reach out to more people makes it an adventure. Kira Pratt, junior
“Now there’s a lot more variety as far as new people who haven’t been on (the show), which is extremely exciting,” Burkardt said. Junior Kira Pratt was also scouted out by the KRFC host. With a similar background as Morley, Pratt was excited to sing on the radio. “It’s pretty cool but it’s kind of weird when you think about it,” Pratt said. “You’re in this small studio with maybe three other people, but when it’s live there are so many other people listening, so it’s just weird to think about it that way. Like an invisible audience or something.” While radio broadcasting is a great experience, it does have some drawbacks when compared to singing live. “Performing on the radio is different because you don’t have that live aspect. When you’re live you have to have your whole everything to create meaning for the song; but when you’re on the radio it’s just your voice that people hear, so you have to put more into that,” Pratt said. Singing on the radio is a more relaxed envi-
Courtesy of DeAnna Pratt
Making adjustments: Junior Kira Pratt adjusts her headset before recording a song on KRFC radio.
ronment than singing in front of a live audience, which could be perceived as a positive or negative attribute. “With low pressure situations I don’t really challenge myself as much as I could,” Morley said, “but when there’s a lot of people there it kind of gets my nerves going a little bit more so then I push myself more.” Regardless of whether singing on the radio or singing live is better, they are two different experiences that are essential to aspiring musicians. “It’s cool to think about,” Pratt said. “Just the idea that you have the ability to reach out to more people makes it an adventure.”
A pr il 20: ConcertSnoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, Red Rocks
New game Dark Souls II sparks interest
A pr il 22: CD Release- Neon Trees, Pop Psychology Concert: Gavin DeGraw, Paramount Theater
by Aaron Yucenter editor
A pr il 23: ConcertThe Wanted, Ogden Theater A pr il 24: ConcertTyler the Creator, Fox Theater A pr il 25: Movie Release- The Quiet Ones School- CHSAA Vocal Jazz, Selected Individuals, Cheyenne Mountain HS, All day
Prepare to die. These three words are the full embodiment of the popular 2011 role-playing game Dark Souls. Created by the developer From Software, Dark Souls was well known for having punishing difficulty but incredibly gratifying rewards; the sequel is no exception. Released on March 11, 2014 for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, Dark Souls II is the next chapter in a book filled with death and triumph. Set in the fictional land of Drangleic, players take on the role
GAME review
of a cursed undead, doomed to die until they go “hollow.” Regardless of the difficulty, the game is incredibly fun to both play and watch. The environments are lush and more often than not run at a steady 60 frames per second. Combat is based on patience and learning about the environment before rushing in; players who lack lightning fast fingers need not worry. Due to advanced enemy artificial intelligence (AI) no two fights ever play out the same way. Fighting never gets any less satisfying, or challenging, for that matter. Dark Souls II presents players with an expansive new world to explore and fight through, tantaliz-
MCT
Prepare to die: As one of the cursed, explore a mysterious and majestic world in search of your salvation in Dark Souls II.
ing loot and some of the most intense and intelligent combat a video game has ever presented. In an age where most sequels seem to be nothing but shameless money-
grabs, Dark Souls II breaks the mold and does the original justice while building beyond what made the series incredible in the first place.