Rocky Mountain Highschool: 2014 October by Rocky Mountain Highlighter

rocky mountain

high ighter I WISH THAT I COULD BE LIKE THE COOL KIDS Does popularity in high school pay off? - pages 8-9

Q&A • Former Rocky counselor speaks about her new life in the Middle East - page 5 News •Alumnus gains political experience as campaign manager for local politician page 7 Staff-Ed • Jefferson Co. School Board inappropriately censoring history - page 10 Center • Study shows that high school popularity could lead to problems later in life - page 8-9 Sports • Club sports compete with school-sponsored athletics page 15

RMHighlighter.org Rocky Mountain High School

1300 W. Swallow Rd.

Fort Collins, Colo.

Vol. 42, No.2

Oct. 23, 2014

2 page letters

rocky mountain

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oct. 23, 2014 A killer solution

Drug test or bust

Dear Editor, I think capital punishment is a lovely thing. Humans have an age-old need to kill for personal gain, and that has been quite important so far in our history. Crime in general is always prevalent, and the best, most efficient way to get rid of humanity’s worst schmucks is capital punishment. n recent instances, capital punishment is done by lethal injection, through a sterile needle, because don’t want them to get AIDS and go to hell. Lethal injection has not been the great panacea it is cracked up to be, as it is sometimes botched and the death is not as sudden as expected. I think that a solution to this problem would be the guillotine, because it gets the job done, just as efficiently as lethal injection with more reliability. I think capital punishment is a great way to eliminate crime, and I would only be happier if it was a live televised event. Isaac Trippet, senior

Dear Editor, In my high school career, I have never had a drug test. I was tested once to see if I had any internal disease for wrestling, but never to see if I had taken drugs. I think that this would almost abolish the use of drugs by most high students. Most high school students in Colorado, let’s face it, have at least smoked marijuana once. I think that if we were to drug test, marijuana, and even steroids would not be an issue. They should at least do it in the sports such as baseball, softball, basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling etc. These I feel is where the drugs would have the most impact, and thus where the drug tests would have the biggest impact. Many sports in high school have become very lenient on use of drugs during sports. Dylan Henckel, senior

Letters to the editor

Need more RMHighlighter? WE’VE BECOME MORE SOCIAL! RMHighlighter.org Twitter: @RMHSHighlighter #HELLOHIGHLIGHTER Instagram: RMHIGHLIGHTER

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

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

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Center Editor

Opinion Editor

Noah Fogelberg

Avery Martin

Features Editor Michael Roley

Noah Fogelberg

Reyna Thompson

Sports Editor Jacob Nemitz

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

Your World Editor Natalie Pounds

Web Editor Evan Malone

Reporters

Samantha Baran Jessi Brokop

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

Daniel Diderikson Matt Wood

Adviser

Stephen Wahlfeldt

Student Aide Julia Johnson

Contributors Rebecca Knaff

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

table of contents page 3

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oct. 23, 2014

Big future: Football team offensive tackle Salofi Gaoa is one of the top plays in the state, and he plans to sign to play with Colorado State University in February. His story,

Modify or not?: Should food be labeled with all modifications? Proposition 105 debated,

Page 11.

Page 15

Sam Baran

Evan Malone

Keeping a positive outlook: Senior Sage Petersen remains upbeat despite his battle with extranodal cell lymphoma cancer. His inspiring story,

Page 12.

Courtesy of Chrystal Kelly

Beach transportation: Former Rocky counselor Chrystal Kelly with husband and son on the beach in the country of Oman. A full Q&A with Kelly can be viewed on Page 5.

Courtesy Sage Petersen

Page 4 • Your World

Page 10 • Opinion

how their connections to celebrities

Page 11 • Op-Ed

■Top Ten ways to protest taking the new CMAS tests ■High School Hijinx ■Degrees of separation - Students revel

Page 5 • Q&A

■Chrystal Kelly - Former Rocky counselor reflects on move to Oman

Page 6 •News

■Upcoming election features alumnus in campaign manager role

Page 7 • News

■Staff-ed - What patriotism actually means ■Column: Noah’s Bark

■Pro/Con - GMOs on ballot ■Column - Carving It Up

Page 12 • Features

■Senior battling rare form of cancer

Page 13 •Features

■Fall play a Neil Simon comedy ■Column - Mike's Hard Facts

■Recent shootings shakes up neighborhood ■Junior-senior war gets out of hand

Page 16 • Sports

Page 8-9 • Center

Page 15 • Sports

■Study reveals high school popularity can lead to later life challenges

■Playing club sports worth it?

■Gentle giant offensive tackle bound for CSU

Evan Malone

Shooting scene: Blood is left from a neighborhood shooting of Oct. 5 where a man shot a police officer and the officer return fire. Story on Page 7.

4 page your world

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oct. 23, 2014 What’s happening in your world?

Celebrity Connections

Oct. 24: Movie- Ouija Oct. 24: Movie- St. Vincent

knows

Oct. 26: Comedy Show-Nick Swardson, Lincoln Center, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29: School Event-Trick or Treat Street, 6 p.m.

Sophomore Nick Shortman



Nov. 7: Movie-Interstellar

Kurtwood Smith from That 70’s Show

Nov. 7: Movie-Big Hero 6 Nov. 11: School Event-Choir Invitational, 7 p.m. Nov. 11: ConcertSlipknot, The Denver Coliseum Nov. 13: ConcertThe Black Keys, The Pepsi Center

Junior Benny Jones

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Nov. 14: MovieDumb and Dumber To

Farmington High School in Minnesota has had it’s Junior-Senior Wars, much like the high schools here in Fort Collins. But this school took it to a level that no other had. An unidentified group of seniors took four juniors in the night and ziptied their hands, throwing two of them into a trunk, and the other two in the back seat. The driver took the students on a joyride through Farmington, with a parade of

Former NBA star Mark Jackson

Top Ten ways to protest taking the upcoming CMAS tests: 10. Ditch the test and use the extra time to write erotic literature.

Nov. 15: School Event-Drama Fall show performance 7 p.m.

9. Get a good night sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, show up on time… and don’t answer a single answer question on the test. Just stare at it.

met

Nov. 15: ConcertImmortal Technique, The Aggie Theater Nov. 18: School Event-Band Concert, 7 p.m.

High School Hijinks: Stories of high school happenings in your world

TOP Ten

met

Senior Tasha Reed

Nov. 19: ConcertYelawolf, The Aggie Theater

Driver’s

license testing Private lessons Required 6 hours of training

www.choicedriverseducation.com

970-484-5229

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



Dave Franco, star of 21 Jump Street

rocky mountain

8. Sleep in and never show up; it won’t affect anything anyway.

cars following. The joyride ended when the driver with the four juniors was in a minor accident early in the morning. Farmington Police Chief Brian Lindquist said he has zero tolerance for the games when students lives have been put in danger. A total of 17 students, all seniors, are facing charges for the extent to which they took on a once harmless tradition. 7. Go to your regularly scheduled class and just sit there. 6. Attend your great-aunt’s “funeral.” 5. Draw some “controversial anatomy” all over test book. 4. Cover yourself in bread. 3. Bribe your proctor not to do the test with $4,000 stored in a Swiss bank account. 2. Dump four gallons of mayonnaise on your test. 1. Pay Nick Fitzgerald to take it for you. By Daniel Diderikson, Noah Fogelberg, Jacob Nemitz, Natalie Pounds, Michael Roley

rmhighlighter.org Former Rocky counselor Chrystal Kelly made quite the transition over the summer. After working and living in Fort Collins, she moved with her family to the Middle Eastern nation of Oman, on the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. There, she works as a counselor for The American International School of Muscat. Q: Do you miss anything about Rocky? A: Of course! I miss the students and staff a ton, especially all of my Student

Service pals. I have regularly been texting and emailing with Ms. (Pam) Kilness, Ms. (Susan) Takahashi (she sent me my first piece of mail in Oman which was so exciting!), Ms. (Laura) Hogan and Mr. (mark) Reedy and several other great people at Rocky.

Q: What are the cultural differences that you have to be aware of? A: The biggest cultural difference is that in some places we are definitely the mi-

nority. You can go shopping in some places and sometimes be the only American with all Omani. In shopping malls, you will see people from all over the world. As a woman, I dress more conservatively in public and at school. I always cover my shoulders (long or short sleeve shirts) and wear skirts/pants that are at least at my knees.

Q: The stereotype for the Middle East is that it is a dangerous place. Do you see that as an issue? A: Oman is extremely safe with very little crime and we have felt very welcomed. We feel safe and comfortable in Oman and are not involved with the many other issues in the region that you might see in the news in the U.S. We will be traveling to a variety of different places in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and although many of them are safe, we still always make sure we have a plan for safety. Q: Are the kids at your new school any different from those at Rocky? Is there more diversity at your new school? A: The students are great. Many have the same academic, college and personal concerns as students at Rocky. There is definitely a lot of diversity窶的 have met new students this week from Iran, China, Malaysia, Australia, United States, Holland, Oman, and India. There are over 50 nationalities at TAISM (The American International School of Muscat). Q: How is your family adapting to a different country? A: We are adapting well because everyone is so warm and helpful.

It reminds me so much of Rocky because it is like a big family here and we have people helping us find grocery stores, orienting us to all of the new systems at school and inviting us over for dinner and fun.

to read full Q&A visit rmhighlighter.org

Chrystal Kelly

q&a page 5 oct. 23, 2014

6 page news oct. 23, 2014

Election 2014

rocky mountain

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key ballot issues at a glance Amendment 67

•Adds “unborn human being” to the list of people legally protected under Colorado law. Depending on the legal interpretation, this could outlaw abortion and certain forms of birth control.

Proposition 104

•Requires any school board meeting to be open to the public. Supporters claim this would help in creating a more transparent school governance system. This proposition has gained more attention following the Jefferson Co. situation.

Alumnus Collins gets start in political career

Highlighter Archives

Taking the podium: Alumnus Loren Collins (above) steps up to a podium during his senior year in 2008. Collins, shown at the State Capitol (right), is now the campaign manager for State House Rep. Joann Ginal.

Courtesy Loren Collins

by Noah Fogelbergeditor-in-chief

Alumnus and former RM Highlighter sports editor Loren Collins has found himself right in the middle of Colorado’s political stage. Collins, who graduated in 2009 before moving on to Colorado State University, is the campaign manager for Joann Ginal, State House Representative for District 52. This district encompasses the eastern half of Fort Collins, beginning at College Avenue.

Whether or not Ginal will retain her seat as a State Representative will be decided on election day, Nov. 4. She is facing Republican challenger Donna Walter. As a relatively young man and a person fairly new to the political scene, it is quite the responsibility for Collins to run the re-election campaign for a politician who represents more than 60,000 citizens at Capitol Hill in Denver. Yet the way in which Collins is running Ginal’s re-election campaign is brought down to a science. “(The ultimate goal is) to create this well-oiled machine by election day,” Collins said. Although running a campaign can be exciting, Collins’s true passion lies in the actual policy making, something with which he has become very familiar. Prior to his role as campaign manager, Collins acted as a legislative aide to Ginal. As legislative aide, Collins assisted Ginal in responding to requests for information, constituent problems, phone calls, filing, preparing letters, reading and reporting ro Ginal on state and local Fort Collins issues. However, being a legislative aide is certainly not a permanent position. The Colorado State General Assembly only meets between January and May, which creates two distinct seasons within Colorado politics. The first season is the legislative season. In this first half of the year there is no campaigning being done, only legislation being worked through the Capitol’s political machine. During this time, Collins developed his love for the way politics works. His talents were also noted by Ginal herself. “Loren Collins has patience, can work under pressure, is tenacious and has a strong moral character,” Ginal said, praising Collins’s work as campaign manager and legislative aide.

The second season is referred to as campaign season, the time in which all State House Representatives and some State Senators must face re-election. Collins had not originally intended on being such a responsible figure during this part of the political process, yet he had little hesitation in doing that which was asked of him. “As a lifelong native and an excellent student, he knew Fort Collins and its politics and I knew he would be a great fit for the position,” Ginal said. There was little hesitation on her part to offer Collins the campaign manager position. “Rep. Ginal asked me to be her campaign manager and that’s a totally different world. It’s cool but it’s also challenging, probably more so than being an aide,” Collins said. Collins credited the skills he learned at Rocky and as a RM Highlighter staff member as being critical to his jobs as legislative aide and campaign manager. What he learned in his twelfth grade government class as well as the journalism skills he was able to fine-tune with the RM Highlighter have all come into play at some point throughout his fledgling political career. Perhaps the biggest takeaway Collins has from his experiences, is the knowledge that politics matter, and change can be made. Political apathy amongst young people is high, while voter-turnout is low. Yet considering the potential consequences of bad governance, Collins believes that everyone should feel empowered to make a positive difference. “You have an opportunity here. . . you don’t like what’s going on (so) step up to the plate and make a difference about it,” Collins said, asking young people to realize the immense power of political involvement. Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia user : Diliff

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oct. 23, 2014

Shootings occur in school neighborhood by Evan Maloneweb editor

Evan Malone

Where it happened: Blood marks the spot where Tino Martinez was shot by a Fort Collins Police Officer. Martinez died at the hospital three hours later.

Just down the street… from school. That’s the concern after two shootings-one involving a police officer--transformed areas of the Rocky community into flashing squad car lights and yellow crime tape. “It was all residential,” Maroon Bells secretary Jane List said. List explained that the shooting was “just a couple blocks away” from her house. The most recent of the two shootings occurred on Oct. 5 at the apartment complex on the southeast corner of Shields Street and West Drake Road. According to the Fort Collins Police, a police officer responded to a welfare check call at 3:45 p.m. at building L of Cimarron Square Townhouses where he found a man,

later identified as Tino Martinez, on the ground in one of the apartment complex’s stairwells. Martinez allegedly shot at the police officer, striking him in his bulletproof vest. The officer then returned fire, hitting Martinez several times. After being transported to the hospital, Martinez died three hours later. “State law allows police officers to use deadly force in the performance of their duties,” School Rescource Officer Matt Johnson, who also serves as one of the department’s spokesmen for the media, said. According to Johnson, the police officer who was hit in his protective vest is expected to make a full recovery. “A police officer is allowed to use lethal force if he believes his or someone else’s life is in danger.” Johnson said. The second neighborhood shooting in-

volved a 19-year-old man who was shot in the head early Sunday morning, Sept. 28, in an area just north of Beattie Elementary School, a Rocky feeder school. Police identified the shooting victim as Jalen Marquise Robinson. Friends of Robinson drove him from the scene of the shooting to the hospital. “I heard it a couple blocks away,” List said. List heard the gunshots that rung out during the night near Beattie Elementary school. Police later arrested Eddie Johnson,19, on Oct. 3 in Denver on suspicion of second-degree assault by recklessly causing serious bodily injury in connection to the shooting. “As we (The City of Fort Collins) get bigger, it’s (crime) going to happen,” List said.

Juniors, seniors kick class as ‘war’ gets out of hand

Readying for tricks, treats:

Sophomore Tré Garnett concentrates on making a decoration for Student Council’s Trick or Treat Street. The annual event, which attracted more than 700 children last year, will be held at the school on Oct. 29 from 5-8 p.m.

by Evan Maloneweb editor

As typical high school pranks turned into vandalism and calls to the police, this year’s Junior/Senior War quickly got out-of-hand, demonstrating a severe change between this year’s war and wars of years past. “It got taken way too far,” junior Trevor Hartman said. Hartman was both a victim and a belligerent when it came to the war. The car driven by Hartman was vandalized with chocolate syrup on both the outside and the inside. “It was on the floor and on the seats,” Hartman said. The windshield wiper had also been pulled up and snapped in half. Last year’s war is said to have not been as bad as this year, which resulted in police officers being called and cars being pulled over. Destructive behavior was reported such as when a senior, Kiana Thomas, had her driveway vandalized with red paint. Easton Dolan, a junior, had his lawn vandalized with an estimated 125 pounds of horse manure. It’s an expectation that all participants can receive similar pranks done to them if they choose to participate. “You signed up, you have to expect to get hit,” Hartman said. A day after the wars ended on Sept. 25, Principal Craig Woodall made an announce-

Michael Roley

Battle scars: The concrete stained by shaving cream. This was a result of the Junior/Senior wars.

ment on the overhead speaker during home room. He expressed how he was “honestly, quite disappointed” with the participants. The following Thursday, it was required of all homerooms to read and understand the code of conduct booklet containing 72 pages. “It’s not going to stop the juniors and seniors from doing anything,” Devin Lisitza said, a sophomore in Robert Papp’s management class, said. The participants of the war didn’t seem to be bitter to one another after the war ended, but the police reacted to the phone calls being made. When students got wind that police were aware of an incident involving paint-ball guns being shot towards a house, many participants “cleaned their car” as depicted by Hartman. “It was fun,” Hartman said. “It was… organized chaos.”

Sam Baran

Bo’s on the news

Senior fans, athletes and Spirit Band members were showcased on 9News Prep Rally Saturday, Oct. 4. This honor was won when Rocky placed 3rd overall in a USAToday poll ranking the best student sections in the state. Jacob Nemitz

Cans Around the BO’val

“Cans Around the BO’val” was a huge success, getting over 1000 more cans than projected, although not reaching the goal of $4000. The cans were sent to Colorado State University on Oct. 22 to be counted and weighed. All proceeds and cans involved will be sent to the Food Bank of Larimer County. Rocky’s food drive campaign was part of a larger effort put forth by CSU. “Cans Around the Oval” is an annual CSU tradition currently organized by Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE), an organization at CSU. “Cans Around the Oval” has the mission of inspiring the local community to take action on the issue of hunger. Evan Malone

In brief

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oct. 23, 2014

Wishing to be like ‘The Cool Kids?’ by Reyna Thompsonopinion editor

High school is a clique free, welcoming environment where everyone is accepted for who they are. Wait, something sounds off. The University of Virginia did a study following 184 children from age 13 to age 23 and tracked different aspects of their life. The students came from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds in Charlottesville, Va. The study found that as young adults, the “popular” kids were using 40 percent more drugs and alcohol than the “non-popular” kids and were 22 percent more likely to run into troubles with the law. The term “popularity” is a word that holds a different meaning for everyone. When history teacher Todd Matkin went to high school at Rocky, it meant getting involved. “For me, I thought being athletic and involved with sports was the easiest way to make lots of friends and represent my school,” Matkin said. “I was pretty fortunate in high school to to know such a variety of people through the different activities I did.” When being on a sports team, a built in friend group is found, which creates a sense of security. “Kids are still trying to find out who they are in high school. They want their identity to be recognized and established,” said psychology teacher Sara Lea. Partying was one thing Lea felt kids felt pressure to do. Most kids going to parties are the kids seen as popular, and drinking is seen as something expected. “I had a class of 15 in my psychology class. I asked how many of them had tried alcohol, and 13 of them had. Seven of them had drank until they throw up,” Lea said. Half of the class had felt pressure from their friends to drink to the point of vomiting, and if they didn’t, they were made fun of. Morals are often pushed aside when trying to fit in. A good amount of popularity is gained through sports or other school functions, and sometimes it’s the other things like physical attractiveness or having money. “Those students that aren’t getting involved, or that have the impression that they are the ‘Popular’ crowd are really the ones missing out in high school,” Matkin said. The topic of substance abuse was also brought up in the study, with the above mentioned 40 percent of the popular kids being more susceptible to drugs and alcohol later in life. Rocky alum and Spanish teacher Jamie Quiros said, “I think students from all groups deal with (substance abuse). Unfortunately, I know of two people who I went to school with who passed away as adults due to a drug overdose. It’s really sad. Both of these people were considered ‘popular’ in that they had a lot of friends in high school.” The term popular will never truly have a solid definition, but it will always be a term used in high school.

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oct. 23, 2014

According to a study done by the University of Virginia: “popular” kids are:

40% 22% using 40 percent more drugs and alcohol

more likely to have run-ins with the law

based on a University of Virginia study that looked a 184 people ages 13-23.

Facing the realities of life after high school popularity ends by Avery Martincenter editor

Popularity: The state or condition of being liked, admired, or supported by many people. Cliché way to start? Absolutely. However, it is straight to the point and definitive, and there is no way that being liked, admired, or supported by many, in some shape or form isn’t something that everyone wants, especially those in the developmental stages of life - the lovely ages of teen. Teenagers face a multitude of factors that weigh in on their lives. There’s the abundance of hormones, which causes an abundance of confusion. As well as the abundance of school and homework, thus causing an abundance of stress, and to put the additional straw on the broken spinal structure of the camel, there is the stigma of fitting in and seeking adoration. The ones that seem to always hold it together are the beautiful ones: The hot ones, the good athletes, those who

don’t have to try to get people to like them, it is simply the nature of the beast, or the beauty. These facts are and always will hold true, that’s just how it is. However, what has changed in this generation is the influence of social media. Instas, Tweets, and Facebook have become a staple in the lives all around the globe, but more specifically on the lives of teenagers. Now popularity isn’t just a presence that is felt, it can be seen right next to someone’s username that shows how many followers they have, and under their photos to show how much admiration they are receiving with hearts to indicate it. But what happens when the likes diminish? What happens when the metaphorical, or literal applause begins to cease? Rocky Class of 2007 graduate, and baseball state champion Drew Marquez knows about this all too well. His senior year, Marquez was riding Cloud 9. He was a key component of the state championship baseball team in 2007, and very popular amongst his peers. However, once

he graduated, “the real world punched [him] right in the face,” when he moved on to college. “I was definitely popular. I was on top of the world my senior year and very naive. I was definitely riding Cloud 9 being one of the popular kids and being a champion, and when the ride stopped, I struggled.” Going from 100 to zero was a rough adjustment for Marquez, and he had his bouts with depression because of it. Now he is better than ever, and what he knows now has changed his life for the better. “You’re not really as popular as you think you are,” Marquez said. “A lot of people will like you and you’ll have a lot of friends because your name is in the lights and you’re seen, but two years later you don’t hear from those people anymore. Honestly, popularity is overrated. “Nothing is going to be handed to you, no matter how big you are at the high school level, and ultimately, you are who you are, not what you do; that’s the biggest thing.”

Visit us Online at RMHighlighter.org • Oct. 23, 2014

Is it cool to be popular?

by Michael Roleyfeatures editor

The terms “popular” and “cool” have been echoed through the halls of high schools for a long time. These words often have different meanings for different students. Some students crave the attention that they bring to their reputations. While others look at the word “popular” as a synonym for disgusting. High school can bring out the best and worst in people as they search to find themselves. Many students feel pressure to run with a certain crowd or establish some type of identity. And anything less could be thought of as some type of dismal failure. “You find it very important to be accepted and fear of rejection is tied with how many friends they have, whether that’s in school,or Facebook, and that gives them self-worth,” social studies and psychology teacher Sara Lea said. Students may go to all possible lengths in order to achieve a status of popularity. This may come in the form of partying to gain acceptance or altering themselves in a way that is more compatible with the main crowd. “It’s almost like people give away a portion of their personality in order to be popular,” junior Brendan Giese said. Whether its warranted or not, the kids within the “popular crowd” can sometimes be looked at by classmates as a measuring stick. It can provide a reference for others as to where they stack up socially. “I think a lot of people aim

towards being popular because popular kids usually try to be someone that other people can look up to. While that might not necessarily be true, I think it gives the general population something to aim towards,” Giese said. While some students strain themselves trying to find ways into the “popular crowd” others have found it more enjoyable to make friends outside of that exclusive circle. There can be plenty of opportunity to foster great relationships elsewhere. “Being a peer this year, I’ve become friends with people that I usually wouldn’t become friends with, but now that I have I’m enjoying hanging out with those types of people,” senior Jacob Hintzman said. Rocky, like any high school, has its share of cliques as well as an obvious “popular crowd.” However, several students and staff have expressed a notion that Rocky maintains a welcoming environment and that cliques are not a serious problem. “ I would say Rocky is probably better, but I don’t know because I haven’t been to any other school,” Hintzman said. “Since there are so many clubs here and so many ways to get involved, you’re mixed in with so many different people. I think there’s less of a defining line,” he added. High school popularity has and most likely will always will exist, “cool kids” and “popular crowds” will always be present in any school across the nation. And the connotations of these terms will always vary amongst students; it just depends on who is asked.

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oct. 23, 2014

Wishing to be like ‘The Cool Kids?’ by Reyna Thompsonopinion editor

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rocky mountain

oct. 23, 2014

According to a study done by the University of Virginia: “popular” kids are:

40% 22% using 40 percent more drugs and alcohol

more likely to have run-ins with the law

based on a University of Virginia study that looked a 184 people ages 13-23.

Facing the realities of life after high school popularity ends by Avery Martincenter editor

Visit us Online at RMHighlighter.org • Oct. 23, 2014

Is it cool to be popular?

by Michael Roleyfeatures editor

10 page opinion

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oct. 23, 2014

Politics: Boring but important

Sam Baran

Unwanted censorship in Jefferson County staff editorial Jefferson Country School District board inappropriately censors American history.

hat does it mean to be a patriot? Do patriots question authority? Do they support civil disobedience? Do they oppose decisions they see as unconstitutional? Not according to those on the school board of Jefferson County, who passed a proposal with a 3-2 victory to create a committee to review and edit material for different courses, with an eye on Advanced Placement U.S. History. The committee plans to introduce a curriculum which essentially aims to influence rather than educate students. This new curriculum, brought up by the board’s three new conservative members late last month, censors anything “unpatriotic” or “objectionable” and removes all materials that “encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife, or disregard of the law.” Ironically, this has sparked protests from both students and teachers alike within the district, who view the proposal as being based on personal political agenda. While the students staged walkouts and took to street corners to protest the decision, teachers called in sick en masse which led to school being can-

celed. Several organizations including the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado have also responded with a letter to the board expressing their concern. An official meeting was held which allowed the public to sit in and participate in the discussion before the verdict was reached. During the session many of those in the crowd were vocal about their disapproval of the proposal. The backlash to this decision makes it pretty evident that there aren’t many people on board with this idea of whitewashing history, except those who don’t understand what the term “patriot” means or how important this “unpatriotic” content is. It is farfetched to say that learning about historical events involving civil disobedience would cause students to disregard the law. On the contrary, excluding this content could incite students to rebel against the school since omitting important material from a course is a pretty good reason for students to be upset. Does the school board really expect them to be completely ignorant of the material they’re not being taught?

read extended staff-ed at rmhighlighter.org

oot canals, Nickleback, cockroaches, colonoscopies and having lice all have at least one thing in common (if not more). Each of these items is more popular than the United States Congress. Considering there’s such a strong dissatisfaction with the most powerful legislative body in the country, I would assume I might hear at least a little political conversation throughout the school. I have heard nothing of the sort. This year’s ballot contains an election for Senator, federal and state Representatives, an Amendment to change the definition of a person that would essentially outlaw abortion and some birth control, along with other various amendments and propositions. It may seem that as high school students, politics affects our lives in a very negligent manner. This apathy couldn’t be further from the truth and in fact is what causes an unpopular Congress to become a governing body that does not represent the people. One political issue

noahfogelberg Noah’s Bark that I know practically everyone in Rocky has an opinion on is the rigorous standardized testing. All grades, including seniors, will be tested to the limits this year with standardized exams. These tests will provide no incentive for students to do well and will take away from actual class time. When I visited with all four candidates for Fort Collins’s two Colorado House of Representatives Districts in my AP Government class, each of them had opinions on standardized testing that could affect state laws next year. These are candidates that almost nobody knows about but could create policy that dictates whether or not we have to take entirely pointless tests next spring. That alone should be enough to keep students from being apathetic during this election cycle. Noah Fogelberg is a senior and Editor-in-Chief of the RM Highlighter.

Do you side with JeffCo photo students and teachers or district administrators? booth “It is the students’ right to receive a full education and the teachers right to supply that education.” Ian Conly, senior

“The students, because the point of history is to learn it, not to learn an administration approved version of it.” Colby Dolgin, junior

“Teachers and students have the right to understand and teach the history of our country.” Elenya Grant, sophomore

“You need to learn everything about history, not just what someone thinks you should know.” Anna Powell, freshman

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oct. 23, 2014

Yes or no on GMOs Consumers have the right to know

 pro

he “Right to Know GMO” has started a grassroots campaign to have it be mandatory to label all food containing genetically modified organisms. The movement is based on the idea that Americans have the right to know what is in the food they are feeding to their families. The campaign lets Colorado citizens make informed decisions on their diet, and in turn their health. It would be simple enough to add a GMO label with all of the information already printed. Proposition 105 states that all foods that have been genetically modified or treated with genetically modified material must be labeled “Produced With Genetic Engineering,” starting on July 1, 2016. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment would be charged with regulating the labeling of genetically modified food; not all food would be required to be labeled. Food from animals that were not genetically modified but have been fed or injected with genetically modified food or drugs, certain food that is not packaged for sale, or food that is intended for immediate consumption would not be required to be labeled. But the benefits of this proposition would greatly outweigh the work of regulating the labeling. So many Colorado citizens are focused on staying healthy, and the belief around this proposition is that it will help them make even more informed decisions on what they are putting into their bodies. The labeling of foods with GMOs would make people stop and think about what they are putting into their bodies and the bodies of their loved ones. Voting yes on proposition 105 would improve the health decisions of the public allowing them to make educated decisions on the food that they are allowing into their bodies. Sam Baran

Sam Baran

Don’t fix things that are not broken

P con



roposition 105 sounds a lot like PSD’s recent tampering with the web filters. They are trying to fix something which was never broken in the first place. The recent proposition is asking to label all genetically modified foods for Colorado consumers. As of today, 75 percent of all processed food contains genetically engineered ingredients. Three out of the four things we eat in a day are considered to be GMOs. There has been no tangible evidence of an illness directly caused by any GMO, so why ask all the farmers and manufacturers to go through the extensive effort of putting a label on every one of their products? The concern of wanting to know what is in food is understandable, but the people

who really care about every single ingredient are already going to health food markets like Whole Foods or Sprouts. These stores already give detailed information about their food. The central goal of grocery stores, food manufacturers and farmers is to make money. If the food they were putting out harmed the consumers, the profit from their industry would come to a screeching halt. As long as there are no side effects to eating a genetically modified food, people are not going to stop, so a label would be unnecessary We already know that most of the food we eat is genetically modified, so telling us what we already know is a pointless waste of time and resources.

Reyna Thompson

Education the best weapon against Ebola S mattwood Carving It Up

ince March, Ebola has been spreading throughout West Africa, with a few cases appearing outside of the continent, even in the United States for the first time in history. So far, the death toll has passed 4,000 out of 9,000 confirmed cases as health organizations across the globe are racing to control the outbreak. While the disease continues to spread and more cases show up, there is reasonable

concern for it affecting people in the United States. However, we shouldn’t panic. It’s easy to see the situation in Africa and think that something just as bad could happen here, but out of all the places for an outbreak to thrive, the United States isn’t one of them. Thanks to our modern health care system, a deadly disease wouldn’t have to travel very far before being isolated and eradicated.

Many Africans are uneducated about Ebola and how it spreads, and cultural customs like burial practices pose a major problem for containment efforts. Being informed could be the best thing we can do to stop it. Matt Wood is a senior and reporter the RM Highlighter.

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oct. 23, 2014

Cancer battle changes outlook

Making music: Senior Sage Petersen plays the guitar while undergoing cancer treatment in the hospital. Petersen was diagnosed with extranodal cell lymphoma early last summer.

Senior finds strength in fight by Noah Fogelbergeditor-in-chief Sage Petersen left Rocky on the last day of school in May happy to be finished with his junior year of high school, excited for the summer that awaited. Less than three weeks later, he was just happy to be alive. An initial sign of medical complications came on the first day of summer--when Petersen developed a fever of 104 degrees. After a trip to Poudre Valley Hospital’s Urgent Care facility, Petersen was diagnosed with pneumonia and given antibiotics. Yet it soon seemed that pneumonia was not the cause of his illness as he became sicker despite the prescription. “For the five days following (my trip to Urgent Care), I developed extremely bad hot-cold flashes, vomiting and fatigue,” Petersen said. After finishing the antibiotics and only feeling worse, Petersen made a trip to the emergency room, where medical staff began to note abnormalities that were beyond the scope of pneumonia. They discovered Petersen’s blood oxygen saturation was roughly 63 percent. A healthy blood oxygen saturation level is between 95 and 100 percent. “My fingernails had turned a dark blue from the lack of oxygen,” he said. “They told me 63 percent saturation is the same as being on the top of Mount Everest without oxygen, in the ‘Death Zone’ where your body is slowly dying.”

Medical mystery

It was clear that something was causing Petersen severe medical issues, which caused hospital staff to rush into action to figure out what was giving him problems. After being hurried to Children’s Hospital in Aurora and being intubated so he could receive a sufficient level of oxygen, Petersen spent the next two weeks fading in and out of consciousness. During this time, he faced severe physical and verbal limitations. Despite this weakened state, Petersen always stayed strong. “The nurses said they had never seen someone so cooperative and cognitive while being intubated,” Petersen said. Nearing the end of this intubation stage, Petersen underwent various medical tests, which revealed a medical issue that nobody could have expected--his lungs contained tumors of all sizes. A lung biopsy was able determine that he had extranodal cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer usually seen in the population of Asia and South and Central America. June 18, the day Petersen was officially diagnosed, was a day that would change his outlook on life forever. That same day, he began his first round of chemotherapy and the long road to recovery. Yet in the face such a dramatic life event, Petersen was always able to stay positive and humble, just as he had always been. Of course, Petersen himself was not the only one affected by his diagnosed. Friends, family, and even distant acquaintances were all clearly disheartened by Petersen’s illness. He was contacted by people with whom he had not spoken in years, just so they could tell him that he was in their thoughts and prayers. “My relationships have only been strengthened by this event. It created an ability to tell who is a true friend of mine,

Courtesy of Sage Petersen

compared to a situational friend,” Petersen said. One of the people most supportive of Petersen throughout this ordeal has been his girlfriend, senior Rebecca Rice. According to Petersen, Rice has constantly been there for him since it was clear that he had a serious health issue. Although she could have left in an attempt to avoid the stress, pain and suffering caused by Petersen’s diagnosis and subsequent treatment, she stayed by his side. “She came down to see me while I was in Intensive Care and couldn’t talk. I barely had the strength to sit up, and she promised no matter what happened, she would stay by my side. A promise she has kept through all of this hardship,” Petersen said.

Character personified

Friends spoke of Petersen’s character by describing him as a selfless and thoughtful person who has the power to brighten the day of anyone with whom he talks. “He is insanely respectful and honestly just one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He’s one of those people who you can call and he’s always there for you,” senior Drake Lindstrom, a close friend of Petersen, said. Not only did Petersen have friends that thought quite highly of his character, he was also highly respected by his teachers. “He’s one of the few people that you’ll ever meet that doesn’t care about how you look or how you dress or the way you talk,” language arts teacher J.D. Williams said. “He’s just such a genuine person. He’s always concerned about other people.” As a person with these personality traits, it’s no wonder Petersen is regarded as such a phenomenal friend by so many people. “And as far as I‘m concerned, I don’t think there’s ever been a greater friend than Sage, because I don’t think there’s anyone that’s ever been hurt by Sage,” Lindstrom said. “Sage is an excellent human being, and that’s really the only way to describe him.” When such a tragic life event occurs to someone, such as a severe illness, it seems like it could be easy to lose sight of the little things that make life worth living. Yet Petersen was able to recall one moment that stood out in his time at the hospital that helped him to realize the beauty of life despite its brevity. “I remember seeing a little girl of about 4 years old who had two very large tumors on either side of her head, and she

was still smiling and laughing with her mother and nurse. To see that really put everything into perspective,” Petersen said.

Battle ongoing

“

Over the past few months, Petersen’s life has been a mix of both emotional pain and inspiration to see life in a different sage light. His friends and family saw how petersen, this affected him, which inspired them senior to change their own outlooks on life. In the midst of all of this, Petersen has been constantly undergoing medical treatment, which aims to transform him from a cancer victim into a cancer survivor leading a healthy life. Recently, Petersen began the process of undergoing a bone marrow transplant. The first step of this process is to practically destroy his immune system, which will be accomplished through intense chemotherapy and radiation. This will be followed by a blood transfusion to replace his bone marrow. The day of the transfusion, referred to as “Day Zero” or his “Second Birthday”, will signify Petersen’s new lease on life. Although it will take one to two years for Petersen to be back at full health, he is still looking into the future. After finishing high school, he hopes to be able to obtain a college education. Despite the obvious negativity surrounding such a dramatic life event, Petersen never felt sorry for himself. He gained a new outlook on life, which has inspired others to rethink their own lives. Although he may have felt so close to seeing the end of his life, Petersen hopes his experiences will cause others to appreciate their lives completely. “Honestly, all I can say is live life wto the fullest potential, and be a good person. If you are going to do something, be a craftsman at it. Most importantly, just be a good person, and be kind to people. If I had read all that earlier in my high school career, I might have scoffed at it and ignored it. But it took me a life-threatening experience before I could say I truly understood,” he said.

I remember seeing a little girl of about 4 years old who had two very large tumors on either side of her head, and she was still smiling and laughing... To see that really put everything into perspective.

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oct. 23, 2014

Jump on board the CSU bandwagon michaelroley Mike’s Hard Facts

T Avery Martin

Setting up: Drama students set up props for a rehearsal of the upcoming fall play, Brighton Beach Memories, by Neil Simon. The play will run Nov. 7-8 and 14-15 in the school’s auditorium.

Playing on

Fall play a Neil Simon comedy by Matt Woodreporter

Preparations for the school’s fall play are in full swing as students rehearse and put together the latest theatre production. The play, Brighton Beach Memories, is an autobiographical piece by playwright Neil Simon. The story, set in Brooklyn during the late 1930s, is a coming-of-age comedy describing the life of a large Jewish family as they endure the effects of the Great Depression and the events leading up to World War II. Elissa Larkin, the new theater teacher, is excited to direct the play, to which she has a personal connection. “It was on my mind to do a Neil Simon play,” Larkin said. “I didn’t know which one I wanted to do, and then I was talking to a family member who told me this was the first play he had ever seen. It was the first piece of art that really intrigued him.” This experience inspired Larkin to direct the play. “I thought it would be really nice for me to start off with it here at Rocky,” she said. “It’s a piece I really enjoy.” The play has seven actors: four girls and three boys, and

“

I didn’t know theater which one director I wanted to do, and then I was talking to a family member who told me this was the first play he had ever seen. It was the first piece of art that really intrigued me.

Elissa Larkin,

over twenty students are involved in the technical crew. “We have a huge crew going on this year, which is great,” Larkin said. “We have people working on designing and creating the set. We always encourage tech people to come in.” The play runs for the first two weekends in November on the 7th and 8th as well as the 14th and 15th.

he time has finally come. CSU football is back. After a long and painful drought, the Rams are finally relevant again in the college football world. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a die-hard Ram fan. I watch most of the games, follow the team through social media, and cheer for them when they win. But I don’t live and die with each game like some people in this town. But I am officially hopping on-board the bandwagon. The Rams sit currently with a 5-1 record and are receiving votes in the Top-25 poll. After a rather convincing season-opening victory against in-state rival CU, CSU suffered a setback

against perennial powerhouse Boise State. I would argue that this loss was the defining moment in the season up to this point. Many CSU teams of the past would not have responded well to this loss. Instead, this year’s squad has come back with four straight victories including a thrilling win against Boston College on the road. CSU has a very realistic chance to run the tables and finish with a 10-2, maybe even an 11-1 record, putting them in position to possibly bring home a Mountain West title and earn a respectable bowl berth. This team is fun to watch, featuring a high-powered offense that averages 33 points a game to go along with the 16th rated passing offense in the country at 318 yards per game. Quarterback Garrett Grayson is one of the best in the Mountain West and wide receiver Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins is a stud. Higgins is one of the

nation’s most exciting receivers and is amongst college football’s leaders in receiving touchdowns. Complimenting the passing game is Alabama transfer Dee Hart at running back. Hart is currently averaging an impressive 6.5 yards per carry and had Ram fans jumping off their couches as he ran through and around (mostly through) CU defenders in the opening game. My favorite college football team is Notre Dame. And they are really good this and having tons of success. But South Bend is 1,062 miles from Fort Collins. I don’t really get the opportunity to feel that excitement the team brings to a community. And that is why I’m jumping on the CSU bandwagon. This is an exciting time for college football in the 970. Michael Roley is a senior and Feature Editor of the RM

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rmhighlighter.org

oct. 23, 2014

Red-hot volleyball team finishing season strong After rough start to year, team city champs, winners of 7 straight by Jacob NemitzSports Editor

Sam Baran

Bump, set, spike: Freshman Carly Bowles (center) sets up teammate junior Makalya Cook (right) for the kill in the Lobos’ Oct. 13 match against Horizon High School as freshman Amelia Berg looks on. The volleyball battled through a rough patch early in the season but have won 7 in a row and are also city champs.

After a rough stretch of away games to begin the season, the volleyball team has brought it home. “As the season progressed we really came together and learned to fight for each other,” said junior defensive specialist Megan Fenwick. When the team played their first home game this year on Sept. 16 against Monarch High School, they had a record of 2-5. Things were not going as planned. But,

Volleyball RECORD: 11-6 overall; 10-1 in FRL OF NOTE: After fighting through a rough patch in non-conference play, the Lobos have been strong in conference play. They currently sit near the top of the conference with a 10-1 record. TALKING POINT: “I couldn’t have asked for a better senior season and beating Fossil in three sets was just the cherry on top. The girls are all so amazing and talented! We started to become successful when we saw that actions speak louder than words and we really came together as a family this year.” -Morgan Bowles, senior. LOOK AHEAD: The Lobos played Fairview High School in in league game on Tuesday. The team then finished up the regular season at the Legend Invitational on Oct. 24-25. Regionals at set for Nov. 1, while state is Nov. 7-9.

as the Lobos hit the home portion of their schedule, they started to pick up momentum. They have now won 9 straight and have won 10 out of their last 11–a streak

that was capped off by a sweep of then 10th-ranked, cross-town rival Fossil Ridge. With the big win over Fossil, the Lobos took home the city championship.

Sports Wrap-Ups

Mike Roley

Hit and run: Senior Courtney Robbins hits during the vs. Horizon High School on Sept. 20 . Robbins recently committed to Colorado Mesa to play softball.

Softball RECORD: 14-9 overall; 7-4 in FRL OF NOTE: The Lobos advanced out of regionals to the state tournament. However, on Oct. 17, the team lost to Douglas County High School, 11-7, in a first-round game. The Lobos ended their season at 14-9. Defeated Denver East and Westminster in their Region 6 tournament to advance to States on Oct. 17 TALKING POINT: “We have worked hard in practice and it has showed during games.” -Maddie Druse, junior

Cross country RECORD: Boys placed 2nd out of 33 teams at the Region 4 meet in Northglenn on Oct. 17, while the girls were 6th. OF NOTE: Junior Bryan Hird won the Region 4 race in a time of 15:37. By placing 2nd at the regional meet, the entire boys teams qualifies for the Oct. 25 state meet in Colorado Springs. The girls team, at 6th place, was one position outside of state qualification. LOOK AHEAD: The state meet will be held at Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. The 5A boys race is schedule to begin at 1 p.m.

Natalie Pounds

Blood, sweat and tears: Senior Hugo Galvan sets up during a free kick against Arvada West High School. Galvan is the top scorer for the team with 8 goals.

Boys’ soccer RECORD: 8-6-1 overall; 5-5-1 in FRL OF NOTE: The Lobos leading goal scorer, Hugo Galvan, has 9 goals on the season. TALKING POINT: “It’s been a season with a couple of up and downs but now we just need to finish strong to make the playoffs.” -Lucas Oliviera, senior LOOK AHEAD After defeating Legacy High School, 1-0, on Thursday, the Lobos now look forward to the state playoffs.

Kyra Lowry

Balancing act: Sophomore Sydney Gainley performs on the balance beam. Gainley was a top gymnast for the team this year.

Gymnastics RECORD: 2nd at Palmer Ridge Invitational on Sept. 13; 6th at Loveland Invitational on Sept. 5. OF NOTE: No. 10 in the state going into the postseason TALKING POINT: “This year has included a lot of new, young gymnasts, who have helped contribute to our success.” -Autumn Bottke, sophomore LOOK AHEAD: The team will be at the regional meet on Oct. 25. The state meet is schedule for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Thornton High School.

Boys’ tennis RECORD: 6-3 overall OF NOTE: No. 1 singles player Isaac Smith finished his season at state, losing to the eventual runner-up of the tournament.

TALKING POINT: “It was a good season with us finishing with our best record in 3 years.” -Neville Hyllegard, senior. LOOK AHEAD: Next season.

sports page 15

rmhighlighter.org Playing football is worth the risk

’m not trying to jump to any conclusions, but high school football might actually be worth it. Recently, Time magazine did a cover story on Sept. 18 about a 17-yearold football player from jacobnemitz Tipton, The Admiral Mo. His name was Chad Stover. On a first-round playoff game on Halloween night, Stover collapsed in the middle of his team’s game, in his best friend’s arms. He was rushed to the hospital and the school was notified two weeks later that Stover had passed away due to a traumatic brain injury. He was 17. Time, on its cover and in the story, questioned whether or not high school football is worth it. A recent New York Daily News study came out saying, on average, 12 high school and college football players die each year due to playing football. Countless players get hurt every year, and it’s all due to the nature of the game. Still, most people would look back 10 years from now and wouldn’t regret a thing. They wouldn’t give up the long bus rides, the triumphs and tears or the experience of playing high school football for anything in the world. The friendships they made will last forever; the love of the game they acquire will never fade. Often times people get caught up in playing time, varsity vs. JV, and college scholarships, and forget the reason they fell in love with the game in the first place–to play the game to have fun, meet people and create memories. At 10 years old, when parents sign their kids up for JAA, they know the risks. They know of concussions and broken bones. Regardless, they continue to let them play. They know that the memories and the friends they make will mean much more than the bruises and broken bones. The game of football is a game that, at its best, brings towns and schools together. At its worst, it kills people. But, with all the improvements in padding and safety technology, football, with ease, will become more and more worth it. Jacob Nemitz is a junior and the Sports Editor of the RM Highlighter.

oct. 23, 2014

Football team prepares for state 5A playoffs by Jacob Nemitzsports editor Halloween is approaching, and so is playoff football. The football team is sitting pretty for the state playoffs. CHSAA uses a wildcard points system to seed the massive 32-team 5A football playoffs. The 7-1, No. 7-ranked Lobos are at 97.857 points and are in prime position to host two, if not three playoff games, provided they wins those games, of course. The 5A leader, Ralston Valley High School, is at 102 points and Fairview High School, which recently gave the Lobos their lone season loss, is second with 101.43 points. There is one regular season games left for all teams, meaning there is still time for any team to gain some points and spots in the standings. The Lobos host 4-4 Monarch High School at 7 p.m. Friday at French Field in the regular-season finale. Following that game the 32-team 5A playoff bracket will be seeded out with games beginning the last week of October. The state championship 5A game will be played on Nov. 29 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. “Our kids will be the first to tell you we do not focus on games off in the distance. Our focus is making one another better in practice each week, leading up to our opponent,” said head coach Mark Brook. A laser focus on each week and each day individually is a characteristic of all good football teams, even through the ups and downs.

One of the bigger downs this year was the loss of second-year starting quarterback Tausolia Liufau. Liufau broke his hand on his first throw of the game against city rival Fossil Ridge. He had a cast for four weeks but still played through it at the tight end and linebacker positions. Sophomore Tyler Hyland has been at the helm ever since. “I definitely have faith in Tyler going forward. He makes good decisions and I think everyone believes that we can make a good run in the playoffs,” said Liufau. “Tyler has been fantastic. Our team has embraced him and helped him in his journey to better himself as a quarterback,” Brook said. Hyland in 5 games played at QB, has 302 passing yards and another 78 net yards rushing. Before taking over for Liufau, Hyland started at wide receiver and had caught 4 balls for 72 yards. Liufau, meanwhile, has been able to play defensive back while his hand heals and has 10 tackles and 1 interception. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had playing football and its because of the group of guys that I’m playing with,” said Liufau. “Our team is a lot closer. We’re all good friends with each other and that’s made it easier to bond on and off the field,” said junior wide receiver Daniel Chavez. With tight team chemistry, a new quarterback and a revamped program, the Lobos are poised and ready to make a solid run in the 2014 playoffs “The kids have a very strong bonds on and off the field and the play for one another,” Brook said.

Gentle giant Gaoa thrives on football field by Daniel Dideriksenreporter Size is heavily associated with football. For senior offensive lineman Salofi Gaoa, it’s the reason he got into it. “Yeah, because of my size, it was expected of me to play football,” Gaoa said. “I have always been the biggest guy in class.” When meeting this gentle giant, his dominance on the field comes as no surprise. Listed at 6-foot-6, 274 pounds, Gaoa, an offensive tackle, uses his size to bully defensive lineman. Along with his massive stature, Gaoa has worked endlessly in the weight room and practice field to refine his technique. But when talking to Gaoa, it may seem surprising to picture him having a mean streak. However, football, and the football field, provides a needed outlet for Gaoa’s pent up frustrations. These frustrations come from common everyday occurrences, difficult classes and various other minor aggravations. “Yes, football is a huge outlet of anger for me,” Gaoa said. “I can’t really release it anywhere else.” This release has led to massive success on the gridiron, landing Gaoa a scholar-

ship to play at Colorado State University. (He verbally committed to the Rams in July and plans to sign with the team on National Letter of Intent day on Feb. 4.) This forthcoming scholarship came from the result of years of hard work and commitment, with Gaoa only recently recognizing that a college scholarship was a realistic scenario. “Junior year was pretty much when it came all together,” Gaoa said. “College coaches started recognizing me and the talent I had. That was when I realized how much potential I truly had.” “He has hasn’t reached his full potential,” according to offensive coordinator Satini Liafau, one of the football coaches for Salofi and a close friend. “He was a good kid with a lot of potential as a freshman, and he has worked hard to achieve that potential. However, he still has even more room to grow.” While Gaoa is a large, Division I athlete, he is also considered one of the nicest people in the school. This kindness has led him to be a Peer Counselor in the school, helping fellow students in times of need. Along with being a Peer Counselor, Gaoa aides integrated services and spends time with special needs students.

Additionally, he was recently elected Homecoming King and many students appreciate him for his kindness and stability he has provided throughout high school. This outward kindness hasn’t been a common theme throughout high school for Gaoa, though. “I’ve grown to be less socially awkward, I Evan Malone guess,” he said. Getting set to block: Senior Salofi Gaoa gets lined up for a play during a “Freshman game on Sept.4 against Legend High year I wasn’t really big into School. Gaoa, a 6--foot-6, 274-pound offensive tackle, has verbally compeople, and mitted to play at Colorado State Unithen I realized, versity next year. ‘Oh, hey, people aren’t scary; I’m scary,’ and then I kind of just threw myself out there to meet new people.” Liafau agrees, saying, “Emotionally, physically, and educationally, he’s grown more in these ways than in stature.”

sports

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oct. 23, 2014

he rivalry between club sports and high school sports has grown into a hotly debated topic over recent years. With the expense of college steadily increasing to an average cost of $18,391 annually for a four-year, in-state public school, the demand for athletic scholarships has also increased. In turn, many athletes have turned to club-sponsored sports programs to give them the extra edge needed to reach the next level. “It’s really helped me grow as an athlete because there’s a lot more adversity when it comes to club track,” senior Carly Lester said. Lester is a two-time state champion and current state record holder in the 300-meter hurdles and competes for the Fort Collins Track Club outside of the high school season. She is garnering interest to run in college from the University of Nebraska, the University of Washington, Vanderbilt University, the University of Virginia and the University Kansas. “There’s just a lot of different situations you go through that you don’t get to experience in high school such as traveling to different states and bigger competitions,” Lester said. Many club sports programs participate in tournaments and showcases across the country. This often gives athletes more exposure to a wider variety of potential college coaches. “High school is all fun and stuff, but I don’t think there’s many opportunities unless you’re extremely talented to get scholarships,” senior soccer player Morgan Abbitt said. Abbitt is a midfielder on the soccer team who has verbally committed to play Division I soccer at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. “I think its rare to only play in high school and end up playing collegiate athletics, but it definitely can be accomplished. (Playing) club just makes it a lot easier,” Abbitt said. The increased chances of playing in college is a common selling point used by many club sports programs to lure in athletes. On the surface, this is rather tempting for athletes. However, the chances of reaching any level of Senior Carly Lester is a twotime state champion and holds the state record in 300m hurdles. Lester also runs for the Fort Collins Track Club. RM Highlighter archives

Rival sports Opportunities, challenges arise from club programs

State champion: Senior Morgan Abbitt holds the state cup after her team won the state championship in 2012. Abbitt also scored the winning goal and was voted MVP of the tournament. Abbitt has committed to Bowling Green to play soccer.

Story by Michael Roley features editor the NCAA from high school is under 10 percent for most sports, according to statistics on the NCAA’s website. Additionally, the usually false vision of playing collegiate athletes is what frustrates some high school coaches about club programs. A New York Times study in 2008 states that the average athletic scholarship amounts to only $8,707. This excludes the major revenue sports of football and basketball. However, the study also states that even with football and basketball included, the average is only $10,409. Except for the major sports, most collegiate scholarships are split up among several athletes in order to fill up rosters. Additionally, smaller schools have even fewer scholarships to offer, making a slice of the scholarship pie even smaller. Therefore, in many cases, the cost of playing club sports over several years adds up to more than what athletes get for a scholarship, if they even get one. “The tragedy is that the clubs

convince parents to buy into all this nonsense,” head girls’ soccer coach Ron Clark said. “There is a high level of fear that if their kid misses one of these tournaments, their chances of getting to college just evaporate, which is simply not true.” Club programs have become prevalent in Northern Colorado in various sports. Softball players have their choice between the Stars, Buckaroos, and Dirt Devils programs. Gymnasts have Mountain Gymnastics as well as the program out of GK. There are soccer programs such as Arsenal and Storm, amongst others. NORCO, is the primary club for volleyball players. “I’m not a huge fan of club sports,” said chemistry teacher Glenn Gainley, who has coached the Lobos’ varsity volleyball team as well as club teams. “I think they’re designed to help colleges recruit, not for players to become better players.” Not all athletes who compete in a club sport are striving to play in college, however. There are numerous

rocky mountain

athletes who play just as a way to continue competing in their sport throughout the off season. Athletes will use the club program just as a way to further develop their athleticism and sport-specific skills–and to just have fun playing a sport they enjoy. Konnor Schmidt, a senior wrestler in the 160-pound weight class last season, primarily wrestles club to improve his technique for the high school season. Wrestling for the club program GRIT, Schmidt is able to work on various aspects of his skill-set while experimenting with freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestling “It definitely took me to the next level because with club wrestling there’s different styles of wrestling,” Schmidt commented. “Doing freestyle is a lot more on your feet, you get better on your feet. And Greco is a lot more upper body so you learn a lot more positions and your whole skill set and weaponry is a lot better.” Conflicts between clubs and high schools sometimes do arise. Some

clubs make efforts to avoid these conflicts but others schedule tournaments and games during the middle of the high school season. Often times, it is the high school program that suffers. “I lost one of my starting center backs for almost the entire season last year because she got a concussion playing a weekend tournament with her club team during our season,” Clark said. There is another aspect of club sports programs that is inevitable–they are expensive. Prices for club programs range from only a few hundred dollars to upwards of $7,000. Most of this money goes to cover travel expenses to premier tournaments and showcases. There are typically opportunities for scholarships within some programs as well as ways to control expenses by not participating in out-of-state contests. However, the club programs are ultimately businesses. “At its root, club soccer is a business for profit, so many decisions about structure and content are motivated by the insatiable pursuit of profit,” Clark said. Despite the opportunities that club sports can provide for athletes through elite competition, traveling and potential college offers, many still prefer the team atmosphere of their high school squad. “You grow a little bit closer with your high school team because you’re always around them,” Lester said. “You wake up at 4:30 to get on a bus and travel with them to meets. It’s way more team-oriented.” “I like the team aspect a lot better in high school wrestling,” Schmidt said. The growth of club programs have had their impact on high school sports and its athletes. But many athletes maintain that despite the stress and expenses, they wouldn’t have it any different. “My parents will bring it up every now and then. We spend all this money to do this, but in the end, you’re getting a really good scholarship from this,” Lester said. “I think its definitely worth it.”

RM Highlighter archives

Senior Konnor Schmidt wrestles against Loveland High School last year, Schmidt participates in wrestling at Rocky as well at his club wrestling GRIT.