Rocky Mountain High School Sept. 16, 2011 Volume 39, No. 1
Alumnus Tejay van Garderen accepts an award for second place in the 2nd stage race of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Aspen. He is one of the top young cyclists in the world. See story, page A6
the rocky mountain
hiGhliGhter
the
Side SHOW HIGH SCHOOL HIJINKS
A Missouri judge issued an injunction on Aug. 26 stopping a law barring teachers in that state from communicating with students through social media private settings. The judge called the law “a staggering prohibition of free speech rights.”
CAPTURING ACTION
Photos by Patrick Ghidossi, a 2007 Rocky graduate, are featured on pages A1 and A6. Ghidossi, a recent University of Colorado graduate, finished an internship at The Aspen Times and covered the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, featuring another Rocky graduate, cyclist Tejay van Garderen.
TRAIN HOPPING TRANSFER CSU student Anna Beninati who lost her legs trying to hop aboard a moving train on Sept. 5 has been officially transferred from Denver to a hospital in Utah that is closer to her home and family.
Courtesy of Patrick Ghidossi/The Aspen Times
Remembering 9/11 a decade later
Violent attacks change country
Graduates seek retribution by Isaac Effner Editorial Editor
by Cassa Niedringhaus Co-Editor-in-Chief
After the tragedy of 9/11, men and women bent on retribution for this heinous crime joined the military in order to seek justice for over 3,000 deaths. Such a soldier is Marine Travis Devine. Devine graduated from Rocky in 2006 and at the age of 18 enlisted in the military on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. He was then stationed on an Amphibious As-
Senior Alex Nuckols spent September 11 in Denver, participating in the events at Civic Center Park to help honor the thousands of innocent lives lost a decade ago. Nuckols is a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, a national nonprofit dedicated to about aerospace front teaching and providing emergency pecial services. The cadet program is intended to incorporate teens into the organization and provide an opportunity for education and possible
S
Jump to CHANGE, page A3
Jump to SOLDIER, page A3
Firefighter recalls time in NYC in days following attacks by Cassa Niedringhaus Co-Editor-in-Chief
Firefighter and parent of former Rocky students, Andy Vigil, was called to New York City after the chilling acts of violence
on Sept. 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks that day desecrated buildings symbolic of the country and took thousands of innocent lives. Vigil, a firefighter, and his Fort Collins based team
Jump to VIGIL, page A3 (Hector Casanova/The Kansas City Star/MCT)
Witty death devastating loss for family and students
READING SEASON Head over to the public library to celebrate Library Card Sign-up month! Ironically, Banned Books Week begins on Sept 24 and ends on Oct 1. Help proclaim the virtues of your favorite banned books by getting involved and volunteering with our local libraries.
were needed to assist with search and rescue and cleanup. They came in 10 days after the attacks, but dust still hung in the air,
by Regan Miller Reporter
Sarah Hatch
Honoring a hero: Starting on left: Caleb Witty’s uncle Wes Witty, aunt Kisha Witty, and friends of the family look on at his memorial. Caleb Witty gave his life to shield his sister from armed men.
It was the ultimate unveiling of character. Caleb Witty and his sister were walking home in Decatur, Ill. on Aug. 6. They were approached by two men who demanded all their money, however, Caleb and his sister didn’t have any money. At this time, one of the men showed off a black handgun. Caleb stepped between the armed man and his 14-yearold sister. His sister fled home,
which was only a couple blocks away, and the armed man shot Caleb. He died later that night. He died protecting his sister; this was his last and most valiant act of character. “I have a lot of adults that say to me that they don’t know that if they were in that situation, if they would be able to stand up and do what he did,” said Kisha Witty, Caleb’s aunt and guardian. “(I’m) very proud, very impressed
Jump to WITTY, page A3
A2 September 16, 2011
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Smoke doesn’t blow over with neighbors by Cassa Niedringhaus Co-Editor-in-Chief
The conflict between the school and its neighbors is escalating. While administrators and students claim that the problem is under control, neighbors say differently. Executive Director Mark Holmes of the CARE Housing complex across the street feels that the problem has only grown in magnitude since last year. He stressed that CARE Housing is an affordable housing option that many families and single mothers choose. CARE Housing is working to foster a healthy environment for the residents. Not only are they using environmentally friendly carpeting and cleaning supplies, they are working to teach the residents about healthy eating and lifestyles. As part of these new changes, the complex has become non-smoking. Residents have lodged complaints with Holmes that, though the complex is smoke free, they can smell the smoke from students who cross the street to smoke during the school day. “Students come over here with their cigarettes and their trash and their condoms and litter on out property,” Holmes said. “They come over here with their vulgarities and they
give Rocky a bad image. While it is a small percentage of the whole student body, it is a very visible group.” The complex also had fences installed to prevent students from trespassing and crossing through the property to the field behind it to smoke. Dean of students Jan Harrison hopes to educate students about the changes that have occurred at CARE Housing and to encourage them to pick up after themselves. “The message from the Dean’s office is that we really want our students to respect our neighbors and we really want out neighbors to respect our students,” Harrison said. “We hope that our neighbors can be friendly with the students as they learn the new rules.” Student Resource Officer Jerrod Hardy reinforced the same message. He hopes that before immediately ticketing students, he can teach them the Lobo Way through community service, education, and building stronger relationships with them. Students are given a warning and community service before receiving a ticket. “I am aiming for education,” Hardy said. “My ultimate goal is to change the behavior. We don’t want to set the precedent that students can
Taking a quick smoke break: (Below) Police officers scan the scene for illegal smokers. (Left) Irvin Payan smokes a cigarette in a field behind CARE Housing with friend, Rafael Rivera.
Cassa Niedringhaus
walk off campus and are no longer responsible. My hope is that people come to understand not to cross the street. They should stay on campus, in school learning.” Holmes expressed that the action taken by the administration, deans and Officer Hardy is not moving fast enough. “When Rocky came to us with a problem about a resident, we had the person evicted in just 72 hours,” Holmes said. “I have now waited for 10 months for Rocky to do something about this problem (with the smokers).” While Hardy recognizes the frustrations that the neighbors are feeling,
Unmasking plans for marvelous masquerade Creating a plethera of decorations: Sophomore member Jacque Ricket (left) and freshman officer Jackson Allen decorate masks for the homecoming dance. The dance is on September 24.
Fahey Zink
by Fahey Zink Center In-Depth Editor
It’s been stressful. We (StuCo) don’t have a lot of time, but we’re up for the challenge.
meet the challenge and this creates excitement and unity early on in the year.” While the theme of the dance is masquerade, StuCo wants to make clear that the dance is not Mardi gras theme. “The dance is not a Mardi gras theme,” Davidson said. “It’s more of a classy, Phantom of the Opera theme and we really want to push that idea.” Added Garza “It’s going to be a lot darker. We have a lot of plums, purples, blacks, maroons, masks, chandeliers and lights.” Tickets will be sold on the rocks at lunch and during concessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school. Pre-sale tickets cost 15 dollars for singles and 25 for doubles and at the door tickets cost will be 20 for singles and 30 for doubles. Students should bring ID’s to the dance or it will be difficult to get in. StuCo has also stated that students are allowed to wear masks, but they must be on a stick. “I think it’s a cool theme,” Wagner said. “People told me it won’t be fun, but we have awesome decorations, cool lights, it’s all in the little details. So start asking!”
A masquerade will be dominating the 2011 homecoming dance. The masquerade theme beat out the three other possible themes. With the voting being in May of last year and the dance being an early September 24 from 8p.m. to 11 p.m., Student council has been working throughout the summer to make the dance as good as possible. “It’s been stressful,” said junior Brianna Garza, Brianna Garza, who is a member junior and dance of StuCo and the dance commitcommittee member tee. “We don’t have a lot of time, but we’re up for the challenge.” Added junior class vice president of the dance committee is still more planning to do and Shane Wagner, “It’s a lot harder to challenges remain with that. organize and get everyone focused. “We had to do a lot of planning But we put stuff on for the school before StuCo meetings happened because we know we can and we and we couldn’t include StuCo can do the same for homecoming.” members,” said senior class presiWith StuCo officers startdent, Jessica Davidson, who is also ing work on the dance over the president of the dance commitsummer, great strides have been tee. “But we’ve risen to made with details such as the color scheme, tickets, ordering of masks and decorations and spirit days. For this year, spirit days are Mask Monday, Tacky Tuesday, Phantom Wound Wednesday, Theatre Character day on Thursday, and a black out on Friday. The homecoming assembly and game ►Catie Wakefield, are on freshman officer Friday as well. Fahey Zink However there
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he hopes that people understand that education is a process, and will happen over time. He is committed to making that change happen, but said that it will take small steps at a time.” “There is going to be change by inches, not a mile on the first day,” Hardy said. “This is something that’s going to take time.” Hardy believes that the solution will come from an open line of communication with the students that enforces education. The students, though they are allowed to smoke on the sidewalk, are affecting Rocky’s neighbors. He hopes to foster growth and maturity so that students realizes that the wrongdoing in their behavior.
Some of the students who are crossing the street to smoke are expressing concerns about the tighter enforcement . For senior Delaney McHone, he is frustrated because he is of legal age to smoke but has nowhere to go. “They need to explain what is happening,” McHone said. “There should be a designated spot for us to smoke. We should just have a place to go.” Russ Stapleton, also Dean of Students, encouraged students to stay on campus. “We have a beautiful campus,” Stapleton said. “It’s a nice place with shade, trees, and nice grass. Students should just stay here.”
Witty
from page A1 (with his actions). In the face of a situation like that, he was able to make good solid decisions. He shielded her, against the bullet. Most people would cave in a situation like that.” Caleb moved to Fort Collins almost a year ago to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He moved to escape the violence and the danger of Decatur, where he had been born and raised. He also had not been academically challenged at his previous high school. Caleb attended Rocky for his junior year and had planned to attend his senior year as well. “He enjoyed going to Rocky that’s for sure,” said Caleb’s uncle, Wes Witty, who Caleb also lived with. “It was hard for him to get there because we are still on the cusp of (the boundary line for) Poudre. But, he didn’t want to change. Through the adjustment period he went through some rough times, but he stayed pretty steadfast as far as trying to keep moving forward, because back home he had almost completely given up on trying to be in school. School there doesn’t mean just going for learning. (It’s) severely poverty stricken and crime ridden.That stuff doesn’t stay out of the high schools there. It was like a breath of fresh air for him out here. He was so looking forward to coming back; he was coming back that Friday.” Caleb was visiting his family and friends in Decatur, which included his half-sister, who was with him when they were approached. In the moment, he had to make the biggest decision, the most important decision, of his life. “Caleb was one of the most supportive, most loving people that I’ve ever met,” Kisha said. “We called him the Gentle Giant. He was just so big but he was just so kind and so sweet. He loved everyone. He was a peaceful, loving individual. And he did a good job protecting his sister.” Another trait that Caleb embraced was leadership. “He had some really strong leadership qualities; he had a natural gift to bring people in,” Wes said. “So people would listen and he could articulate a thought in a way that people could understand and seemingly would just get on board, because his delivery was so strong. Talking to some of his other friends, they said that even when they were on the cusp of
►Caleb Witty
making a bad decision he was always levelheaded and flat-out would just talk them out of it or tell them all the reasons why he thought it was a bad decision. “He was really balanced and he wasn’t just so quick to make a bad decision or let somebody around him make a bad decision. People naturally, his friends, looked to him for guidance and leadership a lot of times.” When the news got to Fort Collins, friends, family, teachers and peers were both surprised and distressed to hear the news. “I’m angry at the situation and the fact that this is the kind of world he lived in, things like that happen to such good people,” said Angela Yamashita, Caleb’s speech teacher from the previous year. “You could tell from some of his speeches that he was trying to pull himself together and that he had experienced hard things, but despite the hard things he was not a hard person.” There was a memorial for Caleb on September 2 where his family and friends gathered to celebrate his life. His funeral, took place in Decatur on August 9. Caleb was also buried there. “It makes it so crucial to see the little things,” said John Robinson, Caleb’s U.S. History teacher. “Life is so fleeting you don’t know if it is the last time you’ll see someone. The whole thing is tragic, heartbreaking. I had just seen him walking through the neighborhood and I was excited for him to be a senior and his government class. So I was in extra shock. Somebody I just saw in the neighborhood. It shows me that how random and how fleeting life can be. It sounds like he did the right thing, the valiant thing.” Caleb will remain in the memories of many, not just in Fort Collins, but across the U.S. as well. He will be remembered for his outstanding character, his loving personality, and his noble action at the end of his life.
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
September 16, 2011
Students given help finding jobs Students in search of a job that need help filling out job applications or creating resumes have the opportunity to meet experts on the subject. Rocky is offering this in chance on Friday, Sept. rief 16 from 10:50-11:45am. Representative Deb Callies will lead the job workshop in the Aquarium of the College and Career Center. The workshop is open to any student and registration can be found on Naviance. There will be complimentary pizza. -Ramsey Nicholas
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Jeanelle France
Change
Remembering a tragic event: Starting on left, senior Erica Bayes, senior Aanya Quillen, senior Christine Gravelle and senior Meghan Loury stand with candles in honor of the lives lost on 9/11. Now a decade later, the effects of the attacks can still be seen.
from page A1
preparation for entry into the Air Force or the military. Nuckols and his cadet squadron provided security for the event at Civic Center Park, per the mayor’s request. The cadets kept people behind the rope line and escorted VIPs through the crowd of thousands of people. “So basically, it’s just cadets in their uniforms standing at the ropes trying to get people to stay behind the ropes,” Nuckols said. “While we don’t have any authority, you know, it’s just a presence.” Nuckols himself was just in second grade when 9/11 occurred. He recognized how the fateful events of that day shaped the decade and changed America. He said that it changed every aspect of life, including the airlines and national security. “That got me interested in the military, just seeing everything they are capable of doing,” Nuckols said. “They went full force. I think it’s important to honor 9/11 because that was over 2000 lives lost for no reason. They weren’t even all Americans, so many of them were just innocent people killed by the terrorist faction. It’s important to remember the people that you lost.” Colorado State Board of Education Chairman Bob Schaffer, a Fort Collins resident, also believes that it is important to honor the lives lost, not just on an anniversary, but everyday. Schaffer was the 4th District House Representative for Colorado on 9/11. He was in D.C. at the time of the attacks. He said that Capitol Police received the order to get people out of the capitol. At the time, hijacked Flight 93 was thought to be headed towards the capitol. Then, when
Soldier from page A1
-sault Vehicle in Camp Pendleton California. In light of the 10th anniversary and the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Devine saw the military involvement as a success. “It was a victory of the nation,” Devine said. “I feel bin Laden’s death will inspire people still serving.” However, his optimism towards the effects of Osama bin Laden’s death is not shared by all members of the United States military. One of these members is Phillip M. Chavez of the 11th Marine Expedition Force who served in Iraq under Operation Phantom Fury and graduated from
Law limits communication
In this day and age, technology has come to permeate our daily lives. Texting, tweeting and facebooking are immensely popular for people of all ages. And with all the emerging technology, lawmakers and our very own Constitution face challenges that the Framers could never have envisioned. The debate over the meaning of the First Amendment and the right
Celebrating the beginning of a new year: Seniors cheer to win the spirit contest at the backto-school assembly. Teachers scored each class on unity of color and loudness of cheering; the senior class won.
College visits and applications Representatives from Portland State University and University of Arizona will be visiting Rocky on Sept 13 from 12-12:30pm and Sept 14 from 9-9:30am in Student Services. Registration for these meetings is available on Naviance. Seniors wanting help with college applications can attend the College Application Party on Sept 14 at 1:453:30pm at the College and Career Center. Free snacks, friendly faces and helping hands will be provided. -Ramsey Nicholas
Congress wanted to convene, cell phones were not operating and it took hours to track down all the congressmen. In the following days, and with the wreckage at the Pentagon in sight, the congressmen became the lifelines of news to their states. “When you’re in that kind of situation, I never really thought about my own safety or ‘When am I going to get back home?’” Schaffer said. “Everybody who was away from their families wanted to get back with them, and I did too, but I knew that as a member of Congress that the first thing was making sure the country was capable of defending itself and doing everything we could to communicate as much information as possible back home.” Schaffer said that as the congressmen were communicating with their states, they were attending many briefings and having meetings with psychologists on how to best communicate with the press and the fears of the American people. Government teacher Tom List
relates to the feelings of anger and confusion that people felt during that time, and even today. “9/11 was one of those days where I can remember everything: events, sights, smells, feelings,” List said. “It is easy to remember what happened; it is hard to figure out what it all meant. It was an act of meaningless violence perpetrated by criminals and terrorists. I’m still angry and confused.” Added Principal Tom Lopez, “It was an act of stark violence. It was a vile act.” Lopez, who was an assistant principal at the time, recalls the events of the day at the school. He said the atmosphere was chaotic and intense. Through the intensity and devastation of 9/11, Americans were forced into a new way of life. Schaffer recognized that America will never be the same as it was. He said that the country has entered a permanent heightened level of security. People are now under scrutiny as potential suspects for terrorism when they board airplanes.
“Unfortunately in addition to the loss of lives the terrorists took from so many Americans, they also initiated a response that results in less freedom for Americans,” Schaffer said. Americans have known a decade of war and a sense of vulnerability. “Our country really hadn’t been grossly attacked, with the exception of Pearl Harbor,” Lopez said. “The mainland had never really been attacked. So that really voiced a new presence as to our vulnerability.” Added Schaffer, “The big message is that there really are groups and organizations of human beings scattered around the world whose hatred for America is so intense that they will go to the lengths we saw on 9/11 to kill Americans. Even though the war has resulted in the successful incapacitation of so many of them, there are still quite a few. ” In addition to the heightened security and sense of vulnerability, the attacks led to governmental changes as well. “The changes have led to enormous shifts in foreign and military policy, in our bureaucracy, and in the relationship between federal, state and local governments,” List said. “Hopefully these changes will allow our various intelligence agencies to communicate better so as to keep something like 9/11 from happening again.” On a more positive note, the attacks also contributed to a sense of national unity. “I remember reading articles that after the events, people began eating more ‘American’ food,” Nuckols said. “Everybody banded together after 9/11. The event just happened out of nothing, there was no warning. It brought the nation together.”
Rocky in 2002. “Just killing bin Laden has not stopped the Jihad,” Chavez said. “I feel like his death hasn’t really fixed everything. It was just another person dying.” This idea of bin Laden achieving martyr status has been hinted at by many terrorist groups such as the Taliban’s Quetta Shura militant group who stated that the death was a “huge tragedy” and was a “great sacrifice” against “Zionist-crusaders.” Devine did not share these opinions. Not only did he see the operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a success, but he also believed the war in Iraq was highly beneficial to the people of Iraq and was an effort to
help to rid the Middle East of violent anti-American terrorist cells. “I personally believe we needed to be there (in Iraq),” Devine said. “We removed a dictator and I’d say Iraq was harboring terrorist cells.” However a constant between both marines is that the death of bin Laden will not be sufficient retribution for the victims of what is considered by many to be the worst attack against the United States in our history. “I definitely think Osama bin Laden was a figure head” Devine Said. “But we lost 3000 people.” Even though Chavez had different opinions on whether bin Laden’s death would benefit the military’s involvement, he was able to agree
that Osama’s death was not sufficient revenge. “It satisfied a lot of people,” Chavez said. “He was something to give a face to tyranny, but it wasn’t just him.” In Devine’s opinion 9/11 was a horrible event, but it allowed the United States military to bring good to the war-torn Arabic world. In Iraq, the removal of Dictator Saddam Hussein has given the people a chance to enjoy democracy, which they might not have been able to achieve on their own. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the military has been able to cause massive damages to oppressive terrorist groups and release the stranglehold placed on it by the Taliban.
ers and students via social networking sites or texting to be illegal. The law stems from the fact that 87 Missouri teachers engaged in sexual misconduct with their students and lost their licenses between 2001 and 2005. While the intent behind the law is to protect students, I just can’t see how it can fulfill that purpose. The law is criticized as being vague, so much so that teachers don’t know when electronic communication outside of school is legal or not. Even more ridiculous, according to the Huffington Post, this laws makes it so that Christina Thomas, a mother and teacher, is not allowed to
communicate with her own daughter through social networking mediums. Instead of preventing sexual advances, this law infringes on the First Amendment right of free speech. It will obstruct educational communication outside of school. My work with this newspaper would be hindered if a similar law were to be passed in Colorado. As a student journalist, I often need to text Mr. Wahlfeldt, the newspaper adviser, in order to properly finish stories, set up times to edit newspaper pages, and attend journalism conferences. ¬It is essential that I be able to contact him outside of school.
Sarah Hatch
In the Haus Cassa Niedringhaus to freedom of speech rages as technology introduces a so-called “gray area” in the law. The latest controversy is the new “Facebook Law” in Missouri that deems private contact between teach-
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Vigil
from page A1 fires were still burning, and the scene was one of chaos. “The thing I remember most was the smell,” Vigil said. “It was a smell of metal and burning flesh and decay. It’s a smell that just stays with you.” Vigil and other firefighters trained in search and rescue came from all over the country to help. They worked to break through the rubble and find people buried ►Andrew Vigil within. As he did his work, children would approach him with pictures of their parents and relatives, hoping desperately that someone had seen their loved ones. Vigil said the atmosphere was solemn and sad. Not only was it a stressful event for him, he recognized the stress that the event put on his family. When he was gone in New York City, the only information they could get from him was from the news. He was unable to contact them very often. However their, faith helped to get them through. “Our faith in God and in Jesus kept us going,” Vigil said of his family. “We had our faith. Our spiritual health was tested and survived. We are closer as a family now.” Now 10 years later, Vigil is celebrating his 30th year with the Poudre Fire Authority. He said that the events of 9/11 have had a definite effect on the country and on his job. Now, firefighters get more funding so that they can have better equipment and better training in case of further terrorist attacks. He also recognizes that the events contributed to the unity of the country. He said that the cleanup brought people from all walks of life together, and that people feel more united after having experienced that terror. “Everybody may still have their pet peeves but we are all one now,” Vigil said. Any communication with teachers outside of school should remain professional, but prohibiting it outright is not the way to go. Those select few who wish to contact students in an inappropriate manner will find a way around the law and the majority of upstanding teachers will be punished. A text from my newspaper adviser telling me that that a story I am writing needs another source should not be against the law. Cassa Niedringhaus is a senior and Co-Editor-in-Chief for the RM Highlighter.
September 16, 2011
editorial A4
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
hiGhliGhter
The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is published nine times during the school year by the newspaper staff of Rocky Mountain High School/ 1300 W. Swallow Rd./ Fort Collins, CO 80526. Contact Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff members at 970-4887090 or 970-488-7091 for advertising information. Also the Rocky Mountain Highlighter staff is in Room 528, during 4th period.
the rocky mountain
Editors-in-Chief Cassa Niedringhaus Ramsey Nicholas Editorial Editor Isaac Effner Sports Editor Lauren Binder Features Editor Christine Gravelle Center In-Depth Editor Fahey Zink Limelight Editor Cam Chorpenning Staff Charlie Anderson Jessica Davidson Jeanelle France Sarah Hatch Taylor Hitchings Calvin Jouard Michelle Kennedy Regan Miller Katie Ritter Alexandria White Artist Reanna Nelson Contributors Alex Creighton Adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt
RM Highlighter editorial policy
The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/ MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.
National Scholastic Press Association National Critique
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.
Gold Medalist-2011; Gold Medalist-2010; Silver Crown-2009; Gold Medalist-2009; Silver Medalist-2008; Gold Medalist- 2007; 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.
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Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Critique
Big step for freshmen As this year’s freshmen leave behind the traditional pencil and notebook paper, they will be walking out the doors with a brand new laptop computer to keep and take home with them for the remainder of their high school careers. Distribution of the Staff new Dell computers Editorial begins in September ► PSD at Poudre, followed by uses Fort Collins, and then money to Rocky in Jan. 2012. Thanks to the Mill provide Levy and Bond Noeach vember election, Poufreshman dre School District with a new has been provided an laptop. annual $16 million to provide students with the technology upgrades needed in order to create a more successful learning environment. The first and most obvious concern we found in the new laptop distribution plan is the amount of trust being placed in the hands of over 2,000 13-year-old students to take care of and transport new laptops to and from school each day. If anyone thinks that these computers are going to be kept in perfect condition, they’re crazy. The district, as well as Dell Computers have taken this thought into consideration, setting in place a four-year damage protection warranty. Whether it be a hardware failure or even an accidental breakage such as a student dropping the laptop, this “bumper to bumper” warranty provides full coverage. The second issue is the lack of outlets the school can provide to maintain power for an entire student body’s supply of laptops. Fortunately, the computers will come with a
Making the Grade A – Starting the Year Right Clubs and activities reported remarkably high amounts of members and participants for their first meetings of the year. B – The 2011 Peer Counselor Dance The Peers didn’t disappoint in causing us to cheer and laugh. Highlights included Varsity Quarterback Doug Watterson’s “dougie” solo and senior Meghan Loury channeling her inner animal during the opening “Lion King” scene. C – The New ‘Smart Fries’ I can’t decide if they’re a pathetic attempt at baked French fries or if they’re airfilled, knock off Cheeto Puffs. Either way, no one can really tell if they’re good or bad, so they just keep eating them to figure it out. Bring back the good stuff!
Reanna Nelson
nine cell battery that lasts from six to eight hours. The only catch is the students will need to remember to plug them in at home each day for an overnight charge. The final and more complex problem we’re left to face is the use of Internet outside of the school. First of all, the filters used within the walls of the school will not be carried with the computers when the students leave campus. This gives students the option of using their laptops for negative recreational purposes such as viewing inappropriate, noneducational-related websites. This filtering responsibility is to be left up to the parents and
an opting-out option is to be made available for parents that don’t feel comfortable with their child having a computer. For families who can’t afford or choose not to have Internet in their home, a public resource list is to be created in order to give students options of places they can go to use the internet, such as the public library. Comcast is also prepared to provide an Internet package for $10 per month as long as the student and family follow the guidelines to meet that service. Are Rocky’s freshmen really ready to take on the responsibility of new Dell computers? Come January, we will all find out.
D – Building Temperatures People are wearing sweatshirts in the music department while San Juan classrooms are getting into the mid-80’s with fans running. C’mon PSD, let’s get this together. F - Freshmen Wardrobe Choices Although the outfits of choice for their first few weeks have been cute, it really is not okay to show off what your mama gave you at school. This is school, not a place to get boys to look at your booty. No one wants to see that during their history class.
Jessica Davidson is a senior and a reporter for the RM Highlighter.
Putting the ‘git’ in Gitmo Every year when September 11 comes around, people seem to become particularly patriotic; however, I feel nauseous. September 11 could have united the country to become a stronger, wiser nation. Some people may argue that it did just that. On the contrary, I believe the anti-muslim sentiment that ensued after that memorable day has weakened the United States. Panicking, the U.S. military set out, maybe unintentionally, to destroy even more innocent lives. They then began to distribute leaflets around the Middle Eastern countries of Iraq and Afghanistan offering copious amount of money, some the equivalent of five million
Unlatch the Hatch Sarah Hatch dollars, for information on Al-Qaeda, Taliban members or anyone affiliated with them. Appeals to the impoverished are strong incentives to turn innocent men towards war, but the military either didn’t consider this or dismissed it due to the fact that none of the alleged terrorists were immediately given fair trials. The United States judicial system says, “the writ of habeas
corpus is one of the centerpieces of our liberties,” yet this liberty did not extend to the detainees. The military’s excuse for this was that the detainees were not U.S citizens or on U.S. soil, thus not granted our rights. There are iguanas on Guantanamo that have more rights than the inmates locked away, out of sight and mind to the rest of America. The iguanas, placed under the Endangered Species Act are protected, but men with families across oceans were not worthy of such consideration. Years after the first prisoners were brought to Guantanamo in 2002, 520 detained men have either been released because they finally proved the unlawfulness of their detention in front of
a judge and court, or relocated elsewhere due to President Obama’s orders to shut down the controversial camp within a year. The 171 remaining prisoners are waiting for their fates to be decided. Granted, not all the detainees at Guantanamo were innocent. Ex-Gitmo detainee Saber Lal Melma was killed by NATO and Afghan forces because he rejoined with Al-Qaeda. Personally, if American soldiers humiliated you, beat you and locked you away without lawful reason, would you feel very pro-American? Sarah Hatch is a junior and a reporter for the RM Highlighter.
the editorial rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
September 16, 2011
A5
20 minutes: help or harm? Valuable sleep time lost Late-start change Pro with earlier school start promotes Lobo Way Con
Many of this year’s students feel confused at the 20 minute reduction of late start Wednesday. What they do not realize, is the time and effort that the staff have put into the changed homeroom period. One of the basic foundations of required underclassmen course, Lobo 101, is the importance of building a family closeness within the Lobo community. This same idea is being placed into homerooms to reach out to the upperclassmen in order to help every student remember the importance of friendship and equality within the school environment. Created by Principal Tom Lopez, a new committee called Lobo Way 360 combines a wide variety of staff members to produce new ways to bring students closer to one another and to the teachers. The committee decided that each 20 minute interlude could be used in order to discuss current issues, how to improve the school, and how to process grief. The earlier late start is an experiment, unique to rocky in the Poudre School District. A survey is planned to be created at the end of the year for students to give feedback on how successful they found the extra time to be. Ramsey Nicholas
Every minute of sleep is essential, especially to a student.
Chaos, an application away Last year, I got the chance to report and cover news on the revolution taking place in the Middle East; particularly in Egypt and Libya. Let us reflect back on the revolution for a moment and take notice that these protests started out as peaceful, democratic demonstrations. In turn, Hosni Mubarak, former Egyptian politician and commander, ordered a complete shutdown of all cell phone services in Tahrir Square, where the protests had erupted. Rather than settling the protesters, this shuttering of communication created chaotic riots of vast proportions. Many Americans would argue that cutting off technological methods of communication like so could almost be considered unconstitutional and a violation of Freedom of Speech. Thursday, Aug. 12, cell phone service was cut off completely in four stations of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway systems in San Francisco after BART police received knowledge of a planned protest that was to occur in the station. In response to the fatal shooting of a knifewielding man by BART police that could perhaps be labeled as murder, an outburst of civil-
Ram -iAm Ramsey Nicholas ian outrage came into place. When government agencies were contacted and asked to shut down cell phone services in the transit system, the protesting plot failed to maintain ordinance. I want to start off by saying that this could potentially have been classified as a violation of the First Amendment, and the case is still being processed throughout the court systems. However, the main point I want to get across is how dangerous our reliance on technology is going to be for our future. The protesters relied on Facebook and Twitter to set up the demonstration and without the use of their cell phones, organization was flawed. I would assume that a vast majority of high school students now own iPhones or other various touch screen phones that are loaded with applications provided to make life easier. With modern, up-to-date smart phones, users are capable of ordering food
and merchandise, finding exact location of family members and friends on a city map, etc, all with the touch of a finger. Does no one else feel startled by this? Just over five years ago, our eyes were opened in fascination at the wonders of a cell phone that flipped open and captured photos. Look at the level of dependency that you have on your phone right now, and imagine what your life will look like forty years from now at the current rate of technological advancements. That cell phone that you so greatly rely on will become much more than just a tool. It will become your life. Almost everything you do will be controlled by this tiny device and this is just the beginning. This is precisely why a government capability of cutting off technology scares me so much. When the people become accustomed to paying for their groceries, utilities, transportations, and even taxes by means of their phone, what happens when service is shut down? Just some food for thought. Ramsey Nicholas is a senior and co-editor in chief for the RM Highlighter.
With classes beginning at 7:30 in the morning on most weekdays, Rocky students have always looked forward to Wednesday as a day to catch up on some extra sleep. This year, Wednesdays’ late start was bumped from 9:20 to 9:00 am. Of course, 20 minutes less time is not such a significant jump. However, when the time is changed in order to increase time spent in homeroom, some students are sure to be confused. Homeroom is a time for announcements, and in theory, time for ‘class-bonding.’ In reality, homeroom seems to be a time for catching up and talking with friends. Many students are frustrated at having late start time lessened in order to spend more time in homeroom. Although 20 minutes less of sleep may not seem important, every minute of sleep is essential, especially to a student. According to studies performed by the Sleep Foundation, teenagers require more than nine hours of sleep in order to have a fully productive brain. The average sleep hormones in teenagers don’t Reanna Nelson naturally function until 11:00 at night, and with school beginning at 7:30 in the morning, the majority of students don’t receive enough sleep. Thus, late start Wednesdays prove to be important in assisting students in catching up on sleep, and it seems unnecessary to push the time of late start up in order to create more classroom unity. Charlie Anderson
Photo Poll
What has been your reaction to the late-start change? “Well it has its benefits. I guess it helps the freshmen.”
Talee Reece, senior
“The bus comes at 10 of the hour so bringing late start back messes it up.” Lauren Bancroft, junior
“We don’t care we’re here earlier on Wednesday.” David Swartz, teacher
“Mad. I would rather have 20 more minutes of sleep.” Cole Butler, freshman
A6 September 16, 2011
the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Former gymnast now top x-country runner
Leader’s yellow: Rocky graduation Tejay van Garderen shows off the leader’s yellow jersey in Aspen after finishing second in the 2nd stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Aug. 24. Van Garderen finished third overall in the event.
by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
Courtesy of Patrick Ghidossi/The Aspen Times
Alum cycling to top of world by Katie Ritter Reporter
Thirteen years is not a long time when it comes to doing what you love. At the young age of ten, Tejay van Garderen found his passion for cycling. That passion turned into a career two years ago when he began riding professionally for High Tech Computer Coorperation(HTC) Colombia. Now at age 23, after two successful years in cycling, he states his biggest accomplishment so far is “wearing the yellow jersey in my girlfriends’ hometown.” Born on August 12, 1988, van Garderen spent most of his childhood in Bozeman, Montana where he began to shape himself into the career cyclist he is today. Eventually, the family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado and van Garderen became a Lobo. “I started when I was ten. I went on the group rides with my dad, and raced in Tuesday night club races,” van Garderen said.“Then when I was 11 I went to my first junior nationals.” Over the next couple years he had won ten junior national titles in road and cyclo-cross. Marcel van Garderen, van
Garderens father, was the first one in their family to be involved in cycling which had an impact on Tejay. “My dad raced in local races so I grew up riding with him and watching old Tour de France tapes,” said van Garderen. His first big race was at the age of 18, when he rode in the Amgen Tour of California in 2007. Just this last May, van Garderen won best young rider after racing in the Tour of California once again. Last month van Garderen came in third at the US pro- Cycling Tour, here in Colorado, and will continue to ride as a member of the BMC racing team next season. One of van Garderen’s biggest role models just happenes to be Lance Armstrong. “As cliché as it sounds, Lance Armstrong being able to come back from cancer, and win seven tours is incredible,” van Garderen said. “He’s someone I definitely admire.” Cycling is not a leisurely sport. A professional cyclist puts between “20,000 to 25,000 miles in every year” which is almost double the mileage most drive in their cars. Ginny Cox, a teacher here, follows cycling with her husband. From a spectators point
“It’s pretty impressive, how successful he has been this year, and anyone following cycling knows that he has been touted as the future of American cycling,” Cox said. One of the closest people to van Garderen is his younger sister, Chaney van Garderen, a senior here at Rocky. She has nothing but positive things to say about her brother. “It’s weird to see people ask for his autograph because he’s still just my goofy big brother,” Chaney said. Even with their conflicting schedule, the two manage to stay in contact and see each other every opportunity they get. Despite the long days, and tough rides van Garderen does not regret making the choices that led him to where he is today. And while he’s “made bonds that can’t be broken” with many fellow cyclists, he knows it’s still a competition. “I’ll chat with the other guys in the bunch,” said van Garderen. “However, when it’s crunch time of the race you get in this tunnel vision and you don’t really think of anything else but the race.”
Massey doesn’t let past injury stop her from playing game by Calvin Jouard Reporter
Two years and a hip injury later, senior Megan Massey is back on the softball diamond. And unlike the last time she played, she’ll be sporting cardinal and gold. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting her to come out,” head coach Mike Crockett said. “I didn’t even know her.” Massey has never played for Rocky despite a five year background in competitive softball. She started playing at the age of ten, but suffered a hip injury when she was 15. The consequent six month rehab period prevented her from playing, but she still managed to participate in volleyball and track her freshman, sophomore and junior years. It seemed Massey’s softball days were over— until now. “She’s very positive and a delight to have,” Crock-
Softball Record: Varsity-5-2 Stars: Bri Van Sickle, she has struck out 74 people Working on: Communication Ahead: 9/20- FortCollins Talk: “We are meshing really well as a team and its going to be a successful season.”
ett said. “She works hard, and she hustles, and fits right into the program.” “I always loved the game,” Massey added. “I coach a 12-year-old competitive team and missed it. So I tried out this year to see if I could still play at a high level.” Massey’s love for the game wasn’t the only factor in her decision to play her senior year. In fact she has multiple reasons for playing. “I’ve always gotten along well with the girls that play and thought it would be fun to make new friends. And it’s awesome to be able to represent your school. Massey’s
Michelle Kennedy
Game on: Megan Massey yells with her team after a huddle. The lobo girls. Massey is favored to really stand out on the Varsity team this year.
positive attitude hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s outgoing at practice, and tends to keep a light attitude, according to senior pitcher Briana Van Sickle. “She has a quality about her,” Crockett
added. “She brings a cool, calmness, and I think her teammates respect her for it. She’s not cocky, and good with the younger players, and doesn’t have any arrogance that goes with being a senior.” Massey is currently fighting for playing time at 2nd base with Ashlee Reyes, and came in the fifth inning of the team’s first game. But she’s not about to give up. “She has a spirit that says I want to play,” Crockett said. “She has the ability to start and is definitely a quality back up, and she’ll get every opportunity (to start.” Massey and the team opened with a 7-2 win over Bear Creek, a game in which =Van Sickle had 16 strikeouts. They’ll look to improve the team’s 9-12, 6-5 Front Range League finish of last year, and to advance further than their two-game exit from the playoffs.
Six years, 12,520 hours—this is how much time junior Mckenna Basham spent dedicating herself to the sport of gymnastics. That’s before she gave it up to run cross country this year. A lot can be done in the time span of six years. Six years is enough time to go through kindergarten to sixth grade. Enough time to learn to read, write and make lifelong friends. However, for Basham, 16, this time was spent flipping through the air and training for dangerous stunts. “I loved it and hated it at the same time,” she said. “I put so much of my time into it. I left right after school, and I didn’t get home until 10 at night. It took up too much of my free time for school and friends.” Basham competed with GK Gymnastics for four and a half years before she switched ► McKenna to competBasham ing with Xtreme Altitude Gymnastics in Lafayette. “She used to not have any free time at all, but now her schedule is a lot more flexible,” cross country teammate, and friend, Regan Miller said. Investing such vast amounts of time in one activity is one of the various reasons why Basham decided to shift her sport focus. Although she made it to the Junior Olympics for gymnastics, she has also had several nagging injuries that contributed to her decision to give up the sport. “I got ankle surgery two or three years ago and it still bugs me sometimes,” Basham said, “and in my last season competing, I hurt my back, which made things difficult because it’s (the back) used a lot in gymnastics.” Though she managed to overcome these injuries, she still felt that her time could be better spent in other activities, which is where she found her new love for cross country. “I just love the feeling that you get after you run,” she said. “No matter how hard the run was, once you stop you feel so good, so accomplished.”
Cross Country Record: 18th at State Stars: Ryan Doner, Junior: 17:18.30 and Kelsey Alexander, Junior 20:05.50 Working on: Performing well at big meets Ahead:Liberty Bell Friday, the 16th Talk: “When the runners start believing in Themselves they will run faster then they ever have before” - John Prasuhn
Basham didn’t really know much about cross country before she started running, but her older brother, John, who graduated in 2010, ran all four years at Rocky. She says that her brother had a great experience, which pushed her try the sport. “I was looking for a sport that was totally different from gymnastics,” Basham said. “This is my first year running, and I’m hoping that I continue to improve.” Both her teammates and coach said that she is advancing at an impressive rate. In her first race, Basham ran at a personal best in the 5K of 24:26, and good for 30th place out of 282 runners. “She is improving really well,” Basham’s cross country coach John Prasuhn said. “It is obvious to me that her discipline from gymnastics carries over to cross country.” Miller agreed, “Mckenna is in such good shape. She has amazing endurance and has improved so much since the start of the summer.” In addition to the physical challenge of running, Basham also loves the relationships that she has created with her teammates. “She fits in so well with the rest of the team,” Miller said. “I’m so sad that she didn’t run her freshman and sophomore year because she just fits in with us perfectly.” Nevertheless, Basham still misses certain aspects of being a gymnast. Even so, Basham said she will probably never go back. “The thing that I miss most is my friends,” she said. “You work out with them for so much of your life that it’s hard to be away from them, but we still hang out a lot.” Basham has made many new friends on the cross country team, which has made the experience that much more enjoyable. Prasuhn is confident that Basham will continue to improve this season along with the rest of her teammates. “She has increased the consistency in her workouts,” he said. “Mckenna is going to continue to move up as her conditioning improves, but just how far up is yet to be seen.”
the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
September 16, 2011
Calvary from page A8
Golf no walk in park by Alex White Reporter
Golf is a game where perfection is nearly impossible. The Rocky golfers have recognized that golf is a game of fundamentals, focus and consistency. It requires raw talent and professionalism. Even though perfection is nearly unreachable, our team strives to get push and strain themselves throughout the season. The team this year is made up of 13 people, two of which are returning seniors. Each one has the potential to excel in the game. The size of the team this year outnumbers the teams from previous years, bringing more opportunities for regional qualifiers. “I have a greater stable of horses or a good depth of quality players,” head coach Charles Ross said. The competition of the team is inescapable, considering Ross picks the top four players to go to regionals at the end of the season. This mainly depends on their record. As most athletes know,
Golf Record: 2nd for Conference Stars: Ryan Wilmont-79, Justin Bruntz-80, Brady Stal-81. Working on: Short game; Putting Ahead: Conference, Thursday. Regionals on the Sept. 19. Talk: ”Those who have the best short game will qualify for state.” - Charlie Ross head coach
friendly competition usually helps enhance player and team performance. “There definitely can be tension,”sophomore Sam Halac said. The team is expected to excel this year. They have been seating players in first and second place in many of the matches. To keep their game up, they are focusing on puts and shorts to work on aim for the green. The hard work and dedication will shine brightly in the regionals match on September 19. “My expectations are to be a competitive tournament; we have the most difficult region in the state,” Ross said. “We have good
Alexandria White
Golf Practice: Justin Bruntz and Mitchell Timm are practicing their putting at Collindale Greens. The coach feels that the short game in golf is what they mostly need to work on.
O-line from page A8 proficient for the team. “They have turned into a unit that plays together. I really think that they truly understand the game,” Widmier said. “You tell them what you want and they will do it.” Because the offensive linemen are so big and strong they made sure that no glove touched our
800 from page A8 this year include: Seniors Brian
Crim, Bryce Wilson, Bronson Ring, Lucas Lovell, juniors Ed Kennedy, Anthony Judish, Braxton Warren, and sophomore Dan Williams. Both of these weight clubs are for the elite – those willing to go the extra mile and work as hard as they physically can push their bodies to do. “I worked really hard all summer and all school year and it paid off,” said Collins. One of the biggest results expected from this advanced group of athletes is a strong offensive line. The goal of the players in the 800 club is to be bigger and
quarterback Doug Watterson. There was no chance for a sack. “I was very pleased, they were very aggressive considering that the other team was also a larger offensive line,” said Widmier. These linemen may be sturdy, but they also have a lot of heart and love for the game. “I expect big things,” Widmier said.
stronger than the other teams. “The lineman need the weight room because of the physical nature of their position. We depend on them to forcefully move people out of the way for us,” said Coach Mike Mackenzie. “The weight training makes this possible. Strength training also develops a sense of accomplishment in the athlete that brings them confidence on the field.” The coaches agree that win or lose, this is a dedicated team,and each player has worked hard on and off season to earn their place. “Any of them would run through a wall for us (the coaches)” said coach Mike Dyer, “and I am extremely proud of them.”
A7
Michelle Kennedy
New coach settling in: New soccer coach Nathan Flemming is teaching the boys new technique. They intently listen to him because they are preparing for the coming season.
Coach from page A8 sion for the game. At the age of four, he started playing soccer and went on to play in college. Now, Fleming coaches for both Core Soccer Academy and Rocky. “I have always enjoyed coaching,” Fleming said, “and Rocky has a reputation for a good soccer program and I want to be a part of that.” Originally, Fleming was going to be the Junior Varsity boys’ soccer coach for Fossil Ridge High School, but when the opportunity of a coaching position at Rocky presented itself, he chose Rocky instead. “The most challenging aspect of coaching so far for me has been not knowing what other teams will bring to the table,” Fleming said. “City rivalry games are going to be huge this season.” Last year, the team made it to the first round of state playoffs, and this year, they are hoping to make it even further into the tournament. Fleming’s goal for the team this season is to help them win state and be competitive in every game that they play. “He made us a goal sheet and winning state was everyone’s goal,” Osterberg said. “I think the team will go far. He is really pushing and encouraging all of us and really helping us see the use in everything we do.” Junior Shane Wagner added,
Boy’s Soccer
Record: 0-2-1 Stars: John Zawacki; 1 goal 2 assists, Owen Erickson; 27 saves Working on: Finishing Ahead: Collins; Sept. 27 Talk: “Season is going to go strongly, but we need to continue to work together.” Owen Erickson
“He is a lot more intensive and he is always pushing us at 110 percent.” A state championship is something that the boys’ soccer team has never had before, and Fleming urges them that in order to accomplish this task, they must do something that they have never done before. “Taking state is going to be really difficult, especially because we lost nine seniors this year,” Wagner said, “but Nathan and our captains will push us to do well.” Not only is Fleming pushing them to better their physical abilities in practice, but he is also helping the team to mentally prepare for competition. In addition to practices, the team has been having classroom sessions to increase their tactical knowledge of the game. “Nathan isn’t just coaching us, he’s teaching us.” Osterberg said. Both the team and Fleming are very excited about prospects of success in the coming season. “We are going to be a good team this year,” Osterberg said, “And he is really leading us better than any other coach we’ve had.”
Did I work hard enough in the offseason? Was I mentally and physically “in the moment”? I wish I could give a whole-hearted yes to each one of these questions. But the reality is that I failed at times. I didn’t always give 100%. Ignorant of the fact that I had little time left to play the game of football, I “went through the motions.” My senior football season was too short, and more often than not, this is the case with life as well. And at the risk of being cheesy and preachy, that’s what I’ve learned. Don’t go through the motions. It’s easy to take a play off, to not be actively engaged. It’s more comfortable and preferable for some to let the days blend together, one after the other, without defining them. But in my experiences, floating through life provides the least satisfying result. It’s not enough to just get by. It’s an all-encompassing lesson, and goes something along the lines of “live life to the fullest.” After that night, I was humbled. Afterwards, I realized how important it is to live with no regrets, and what that really means— to live in the moment and treat every football down, every family get-together, every day at school like it’s your last. Or else you’ll end up writing a cheesy column. Calvin Jouard is a senior reporter for the RM Highlighter, and a linebacker for the Lobo football team.
Football
Record: 1-1 Stars: RB Brian Crim, 49 carries, 286 yards, 3 TDs Work: Turnovers-3 in loss to Columbine Ahead: Sept. 30 revenge match-up against Fossil.
Boy’s Tennis Record: 3-1 Stars: Heitor Adegas; 2 singles, Ryan McCrary, Luke Lorenz: Doubles Working on: Being consistent Ahead: Poudre this week Talk: “The team is loooking really good and heading into the Greeley Central invitational”- Ryan McCrary
Lauren Binder
Softball Girls: Kelsey Hennig, Mallory Devore, and Ambrosia Rogers take a quick picture before practice. The girls are doing very well in the season playing for JV,
Volleyball Record: Varsity-1-0 Stars: Abby Ney, senior Working on: Serving and Receiving the ball Ahead: Cherry Creek Tourney, 14th Talk: “I am a woman hear me roar.” - Kim Catlett
Field Hockey
Gymnastics
Record: Varsity-0-1-2 Stars: Megan Loury and Raychl Reger Work: the Offence Ahead: September 14 Talk: “Its been a rough start but I am sure that we will get better.” -Megan Loury
Record: 2nd Place/4 Stars: Noelle Taulbee, Alexis Stockton Work: Performing under pressure on beam Talk: “we are off to a good start and looking forward to improving on raking in state!”
Injury in the Game: Calvin Jouard and Ethan Karp converse on the sidelines after Jouard’s knee injury. Their game was against Arvada West, and the Lobos won that game 13-0.
Lauren Binder
September 16, 2011
sports A8
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Injuries raise concern in first game of season Junior WR Jacob Haase is taken off the field on a stretcher. The whole scene was just a precaution in case anything had been seriously damaged. Haase is ok and will be able to play in following games. Lauren Binder
New soccer coach brings charisma
Calvary Charge
by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
Calvin Jouard I never thought I’d end up writing a cheesy column. I’ve always read the Highlighter, taken note of the corny inspirational message preached by the sports columnist, and wanted to do something different. I was tired of inspiration and advice writing, period. Tony Dungy and John Wooden’s highly acclaimed books, emphasizing character and integrity, can be found on my shelf, but their pages are dusty from lack of use. I’d had my share. I’d never had a need, a desire to inspire others, because I’d never really had something worthy of inspiring people about. No life-changing travel experience, no heartbreaking loss of a loved one. Nothing to really give me perspective. But that was before. Before my right knee collapsed during the first game of my senior year. Before I hobbled into the locker room to have my knee injury diagnosed by the doctor. Before the doctor tested my knee, looked up and with a sad smile told me I had torn my ACL. And before I limped away from French field into the darkness, knowing that I was, in essence, involuntarily walking away from my high school football career. I would no longer be able to do something I truly loved. It was the little things that made the loss even worse. I now walk out to the practice field without the familiar weight of shoulder pads on my shoulders. The simple act of opening my football locker was a sullen reminder in and of itself. I miss the soreness that comes with playing a full football game, and the feeling of exhaustion after conditioning. Even the things that players dread about practice, I began to miss. And as I sat staring at my swollen knee in the days following the game, wondering why this happened, I began to think. It was inevitable. I started questioning how I had conducted myself before my season-ending injury. Did I give 100% effort every play, regardless of whether it was during practice or 4th and goal in a game? Did I work hard enough in the offseason? Jump to CALVARY, page A7
►Nathan Flemming
New varsity boys’ soccer coach Nathan Fleming has a simple message to send to his team—”if a team wants something they have never had before, they must do something they have never done before. After long- time boys’ soccer coach Daniel Ibañez resigned from his coaching position late in the summer, athletic director Wayne
Moddelmog was left scrambling to find a replacement coach. Fortunately, he was presented with a number of promising applicants for the position, including Fleming who is 22 years old. The boys’ varsity soccer team came out of last season with a record of 9-6-1 under Ibanez’s coaching guidance. According to Moddelmog, Ibañez resigned for personal reasons, and to give the position to someone
who could devote more time and energy to the program. “I feel like he (Fleming) has taken the time to understand us as a team,” senior goalkeeper Brandon Osterberg said. “Then he is using that to build us up and work on our weaknesses and bond us together.” Fleming has an extensive soccer background not to mention a
L ining Up the Big Love
Jump to COACH, page A7
Lauren Binder
Game on: Ed Kennedy (middle), Jared Collins (far right), Bryce Wilson (far left), Bronson ring (inside right), and Lucas Lovell (inside left), practicing to get ready for the first game of the season. A promising season lies ahead.
Monster offensive line tears up field by Lauren Binder Sports Editor
Let’s just say that big things are expected for the football season. “Big things” as in the Lobos’ massive offensive line. This offensive line is one of the biggest and tallest to come through Rocky in years. The fab five to defend the quarterback, wide receivers, and running backs include, seniors Jared Collins, Lucas Lovell, Bronson Ring, Bryce Willson, and junior Ed Kennedy. All of these boys are not only big, but tall; enormously tall. Kennedy, the right tackle, the tallest of the five is currently six foot five and weighs an astounding 250 pounds. While the shortest of the o-line, Ring, the right guard, is six feet tall and weighs 280 pounds. Wilson, the left tackle, is in his second year of starting varsity and stands six foot four, weighing 230 pounds. Lovell, also in his second year of starting, weighs 300 pounds and
They have turned into a unit that plays together. I really think that they truly understand the game.
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Derek Widmier, offensive line coach
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stands six foot two inches. Center, Collins, adds another 245 pounds and stands around six foot one. With an even bigger and stronger player to add to that, senior Ethan Karp, the tight end is about six foot five and at least 240 pounds. In other words, the average weight for this line is 261 pounds and the ►Lucas average height Lovell would be six feet
and two inches. “Overall, I think it’s the biggest and the strongest to ever come through Rocky,” Wilson said. Physical traits are important to a football team, but there are lot of other important factors that need to come into play in order to be successful. They are not necessarily the most athletic, but definitely the strongest. “This year, the player’s work ethics are so much better,” Kennedy said. “We all have a
common goal, and that is to be successful.” Offensive line coach Derek Widmier added, “They have made a lot of improvement compared to last year and they have gotten a lot stronger since the end of the season.” They have most definitely been successful. Friday, the football team played against Arvada West, who dealt an astounding blow last year to our Lobos in winning 41-10. This year, there was no chance that they were going to even score because Rocky came through and won 13-0. Senior, Doug Watterson, the quarterback for the team, completed five out of the 11 passes. Out of those five passes, 61 yards were gained. Senior, running back, Brian Crim had a fantastic game as well, completing two touchdowns and gaining a total of 192 yards and 31 attempts. Overall, the average yards gained in a play is about 5.6 yards, which is
Jump to O-LINE, page A7
The bigger the better by Alex White Reporter
One thousand pounds is the weight of a full grown polar bear. It is also the amount of weight a person must be able to lift in order to enter Rocky’s 1000 Club. To become a club member, a player must lift a combined weight of 1000 pounds in three different lifts; the hang clean, bench press, and squat. The three lifts together must equal 1000 pounds to be accepted into this club. Senior Jared Collins is the only acceptance into the 1000 club this year. Not far behind the 1000 club is the 800 club. To enter this club, an athlete must complete the same three lifts with an added total of 800 pounds. The current Rocky students in the 800 club Jump to 800, page A7
September 16, 2011
features B1
Peers raise the roof At the back-to-school assembly, the peers dance was a hit with the student body and staff. Peer counselors give presentations to health classes and provide support for fellow students.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
es. This is one of the many crafts that
Small Talk
Missionaries do more this summer
Jess Davidson
What’s your couch? From the moment a human is conceived, comfort and safety are their top priorities. This need for physical and mental security is the very reason that infants need to be swaddled and teenagers rely on the opinions and gratification of their peers. Everyone wants to be physically and mentally “cushioned”. As teenagers we are independent enough to cushion ourselves. This is seen in the simple daily act of flopping down on the couch. In this, we are physically comforted while mentally able to escape day-to-day frustrations. Unfortunately, we can’t all bring actual furniture with us to school (although it would make class a lot more bearable). However, being away from your living room does not mean comfort is not available. Comfort is far more important in a foreign environment. Enter the couch theory. Everybody has a couch away from their couch so to speak. Similar to a home away from home, the “couch” can generate pure happiness, and bring a sense of security. Whether it’s a family emergency or a hair emergency, a teenager’s day can quickly go from good to bad or from bad to worse. It is the indispensable “portable couch” that can reverse this nose dive. My portable couches are the smell of chlorine, a venti nonfat extra-hot pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, singing in choir and sinfully soft sweatpants. While all of these things may seem small, it only takes a piping hot drink in my hand to provide a tranquil moment. As we head into this year, I encourage you to dig deeper and discover your “couches”. If you already know what these comforts are, use them to your advantage. Treat yourself to that extra Starbucks on a test day. Eat chocolate for breakfast if you really need to. If you don’t yet know which little reliefs impact you in a big way, figure it out. I promise you’ll be able to conquer high school and life beyond this place by simply sitting on your couch. Jessica Davidson is a senior reporter for the RM Highlighter.
Courtesy of Kennedi Conradson
Traveling for kids: Above Conradson colors and plays with an orphan; to the left Rithner works on building a house in Mexico.
Courtesy of Rachael Probesko
Traveling thousands of miles to aid others by Regan Miller Reporter
Most students view summer as a chance to relax and enjoy themselves, while others, view a chance features ittoashelp others pecial in various cities and countries through mission trip work. Junior Tanner Osterberg, seniors Ryan McCrary and CJ Rithner all got involved in Faith Free Evangelical Church. Their church partnered up with the Nuevo Pacto in Ensenada, Mexico. To help those less fortunate than themselves. “It’s incredibly different
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there, just in the way of life and it’s not even close to the way it is here,” said Rithner. “It’s completely poverty stricken. You go down the road and you see hotels and other structures half made: they were just abandoned.” Helping the construction of a soup kitchen was also part of helping the community of Ensenada. The youth group built the walls, roof, and the framework for this structure. They also held a vacation bible school program for younger kids, continued building a playground for them, and additionally went to the prison to
Every second of the day we were doing something worthwhile.
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Tanner Osterberg, junior
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interact with the inmates. “Every second of the day we were doing something worthwhile; we didn’t have time to waste,” said Osterberg. “You feel like you’re doing something
better with your time, using it wisely to serve people who don’t have anything.” The mission work trips also were a very spiritual experience for all who were involved. “Being a Christian isn’t a religion, it’s a lifestyle,” said Rithner. “Jesus Christ is alive in that city.” Senior, Lauren Smailes, also gave up her time to partner with Vineyard Church of the Rockies to aid the less fortunate through missions work. She visited Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Bellvue, Colorado. Jump to MISSIONS, page B2
Conradson’s compassion creates hope for Haiti by Christine Gravelle Features Editor
care after the devastating earthquake of 2010 hit Haiti. “I have watched my dad ever since he went on his first trip to Haiti,” said Kennedi. “After that, I have always wanted to go.” Churches all over the country have taken
This past June, Senior Kennedi Conradson traveled over 3,000 miles to Haiti, so that she, her father, and a group of 12 other people, could hope to help more than 60 orphans near the city of Gonaives. Her journey started when ►Kennedi and the opportunity came up in four Haitian her church, Faith Evangelical orphans. Free, with an organization called The Global Orphan Project. Chris Conradson, Kennedi’s father, has worked with The Global Orphan Project for over a year and a half, and gone to Haiti 8 times to help with relief efforts and orphan
groups around the world to give hope and help to people. But after returning back home, it is easy to forget and move on into the normal routines of life. For Kennedi, slipping back into routine was not an option. “I can’t get their faces out of my head,” said Kennedi, “It’s easy to take things for granted here.” Kennedi has always had a heart and compassion for orphans. Her family was Courtesy of Kennedi Conradson
sponsoring a child in Port-auPrince, Haiti, making it even more devastating for her to sit back and watch. “When I heard about the way they were helping the kids,” said Kennedi. “I wanted to see it for myself and do what I could to help.” Once the earthquake hit, a country that was already categorized as a third world country, got the shock of a life time. For many Haitians, everyday things like food and water become even more of a struggle to find. There is never a guarantee their stomachs won’t be empty that day. Jump to HAITI, page B2
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Special needs students benefit from accepting environment by Cam Chorpenning Limelight Editor
noticed a sure change in the school community’s attitude. Perry explains that when she started working, people were afraid of these students. This is a drastic difference from the acceptance that is shown towards them now. The school building itself is “ac-
cepting.” Unlike other high schools in PSD, Rocky only has one floor, and every area in the building is wheelchair accessible so that no student is excluded from any portion of the school. In addition, although students with more severe disabilities are accommodated, students on the lower end of the disability spectrum receive all the help they need. According to special education teacher Amber Barnello, some of
Less than 20 years ago, students with special needs were not treated correctly, but today’s students couldn’t imagine a world without them. Great progress has been made in integrating students with special needs into daily activities. In fact, Rocky is one of the most popular schools for students with special needs in all of Poudre School District (PSD). “I think it’s because the school’s so accepting,” said Renee Perry, a special education teacher. Perry has worked as a speCam Chorpenning cial education Spending time with students: (Above) Preston Harden, (right) is spending time with teacher for 15 Devon Beers, (left). (Right) In the counsleing office; Jake Haase and Russell HoefsHutter play games in P.E. years, and has
Missions from page B1 In Puerto Vallarta, Smailes worked with a neighborhood to better their shelter. “We shared God with them without preaching it was more just serving them,” Smailes said. “We did whatever they needed for us to do; we got to interact with the people individually. It’s really rewarding.” In Bellvue, Smailes stayed 24/7 with physically and mentally disabled adults for a week at Camp Hope. The camp is designed for people who also lack communication skills.
Haiti from page B1 Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere with corrupt government and a devastated economy. Families have been ripped apart and children’s lives have been turned upside down. Witnessing this firsthand triggered something in Kennedi’s mind, “I want to do more.” In Haiti, like America, schooling is free, but hid-
the students she works with are enrolled in advanced-placement classes. They simply require a little extra help with issues such as organization that their disabilities affect. “The students that aren’t in special ed need just as much help,” Barnello said. “If not more.” According to Barnello, the staff handles a very wide range of disabilities in students, but does an admirable job. Barnello says that the staff accommodates all students and that the teachers legitimately care about all of their students. “We’re exceptional,” Barnello said. “There’s always room for improvement.” Perry and Barnello both believe that the school is excellent and an accepting and positive environment. Also, according to Barnello, it is the staff and school’s desire and ability to improve this. Barnello believes that attitude can make the school successful in creating a community in which everyone is accepted.
Having fun: Rithner and fellow mission members entertain the children with a parachute. The kids love the toys brought by the group.
“We always give awards at the end of the week, and Nancy (her person), comes up to me crying saying that she doesn’t want to go home,” Smailes said. “They will just tell you up front how they’ve been impacted.” Another Fort Collins Church, Our Savior Lutheran, also participated with missions work in Nicaragua. Sophomores Sam Halac and Mark Bachman travelled to also help those less fortunate. Their experiences involved bringing medical supplies to a clinic, preparing the foundation of a
house, building the foundation, laying the cinder blocks of another and beginning the structure of yet another home. “Right beside one of the houses (they were building) you could see the shack the man was living in before. It was about 10 by 15 and there were five family members living in it. We got to see firsthand what he was living in, and then what we started for him,” said Halac. “His house (when completed) will have two rooms, electricity, and water. In Ensenada, the group spent 10 days of their summer
working with the people. In Nicaragua, five days were spent bettering the community. “It’s really cool that you’re giving up your time, it’s not like community service; you
live in the moment, every moment you’re down there,” said McCrary. “You’re trying to give as much as you can. That unabashed positive attitude you can’t trade for anything.”
den costs prevent thousands of children from getting an education. Children are unable to attend school without a uniform. Families’ are barely able to feed themselves, the last thing on their mind is the cost of their child’s uniform. Now think about what an orphanage is supposed to do. This is where Kennedi steps in. Kennedi and her family decided to be part of the project,
GO Threads under the team name “Sew Crazy.” The idea of the project is that in Haiti and Uganda, orphans need care, children need education and parents need jobs. With a $20 donation, all three can be impacted. They start businesses for the poor, start sewing centers for local citizens and provide uniforms and clothing for orphans in need. Kennedi’s sisters, Kylee and McKenzie Conradson are fresh-
men here at Rocky, as well as Marci Conradson, Kennedi’s mother, are also involved with the project. Kennedi and her family want to bring the fund-raiser to Rocky this fall in hopes that donations will flood in from staff and students through a homeroom competition and donation jars. “We are so excited to help the poorest of the poor receive education and jobs because of
this project and we would love for you to be apart of it too,” Marci said. “Not only will you bless the orphans, but you too will be blessed!”
Courtesy of Rachael Probesko
For more information, visit http://theglobalorphanproject. org/2011/08/welcome-to-gothreads/.
Kids showing off names: Haitian orphans make headbands that read their names. This is one of the many activities that was done with the kids.
Courtesy of Kennedi Conradson
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Counselor Reedy takes Student Services by storm ‘Family-like’ place made him return
Building relationships: New counselor Mark Reedy helps senior Sven Swanson with scheduling issues. His office is located in Chrystal Kelly’s old one.
by Jeanelle France Reporter
One of the most common words in high school is change. Whether it is an incoming freshman making the transition from middle to high school, or a senior leaving behind their childish tendencies for a more responsible and independent lifestyle; change is inevitable in a high school setting. Nevertheless, students should know they’re not alone. Mark Reedy is changing, but he’s no student. He has left behind his previous post in Virginia to come to Colorado and become the school’s newest counselor. “A lot of highly educated and qualified people got passed
Katie Ritter
up for this job,” Counselor Patty Mogorit explained. Reedy took over all of Chrystal Kelly’s students after she
began to solely tend to freshmen. However, this is not Reedy’s first stint at Rocky. His academic career started in the late 1990’s
when he was a student teacher for science with Carol Seemueller. In 1997, he relocated to Virginia and began his counseling career
at Marshall High School after a friend of his had suggested he abandon his teaching profession because counseling “seemed to better fit his personality type and outlook on life.” He did not initially fear being at a new school with a different system, and the “supportive, family-like atmosphere” and solid academic record drew Reedy back. He wouldn’t change anything at Rocky, and no aspect of this school has failed to meet any of his expectations. Reedy’s charismatic attitude and caring demeanor will certainly help students adjust to their many life changes. He’s genuinely sincere about his profession and plans to do everything in his power to assist Kelly’s former students. “I love my job (and) I want to do this for the rest of my life,” Reedy said.
New staff brings fun environment to Lobo community Darlene Meeker Age: 26 Position: Arts Years of experience: Third year of teaching Education/School(s): Fine Arts degree in pottery, and an Arts education from CSU. Your path to Rocky: Taught at Putnam Elementary for two years, then moved to Rocky. Personal comment: I love the atmosphere of this school, created both by students and staff. It says a lot about who we are and what we value as a school.
here. Personal comment: Rocky seems like a great place to be so far and I think the students are wonderful! I’ve been waiting almost all my life to be a teacher and I am so beyond happy to be here. Lauren Sabour Age: 29 Position: Social Studies Years of experience: Seven Education/ school(s): BA at University of Texas, MA at University of Cincinnati. Your path to Rocky: Taught for two years in San Antonio Texas and for five years in Cincinnati. Then I moved to Colorado for my husband’s job. Personal comment: “Education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Jon Rakiecki Age: 29 Position: Business and Social Studies Years of experience: This is my third year teaching. Robert Papp Education/ Age: 44 School(s): BA at Position: Business and Colorado State Computer Experience University, MasDarlene Meeker Years of experience: Not ters at Montana given State University. Education/ Your path to Rocky: Taught and School(s): coached in Wyoming prior to Masters EduRocky. Before that I worked and cation at CSU; lived in Montana. BS in Marketing Personal Comment: I am so at CSU excited to be here at Rocky Your path to Rocky: Mountain H.S. As a teacher, I taught business and this school is a dream job (at computers at Loveleast it is for me) because of land High School and the tradition of excellence in the Mountain View H.S. in classroom, and in extracurricular Loveland. activities. Personal comment: All of the staff and the students have been exTim Matthews tremely welcoming and Age: 33 helpful! I am excited to Position: Math be a Lobo and look forYears of experience: 10 ward to meeting many Education/ School(s): TCU students throughout the Your path to Rocky: My wife year. grew up in Loveland and after Robert Papp 10 years of teaching in Texas we wanted to move back to ColoNathan Balk rado. Age: 27 Personal comment: I am so Position: Math and Tennis excited to be here at Rocky. Evcoach eryone here has been amazing. Years of experience: Four The students have been great Education/ School(s): Masters and I am looking forward to a in Applied Mathematics at CU wonderful year. Boulder. Your path to Rocky: One year at Niwot High, three years in Kristen Moss Lexington Kentucky at Paul Age: 22 Lawrence Dunbar High, then Position: Mathematics hired here. Years of experience: None! Personal comment: I am hyper Education/ School(s): University and bounce all around the of Northern Colorado class of room making up noises and 2010. metaphors along the way. Your path to Rocky: All the Recalling classic children’s choices I’ve ever made led me
literature, I am tigger!
and it finally happened!
Sarah Brooks Age: 34 Position: English/ Language Arts Years of experience: Eight Education/ School(s): B.A. from “Luthe” ?, M.A. from University of Alaska Southeast. Your path to Rocky: I wandered north for a decade and then came home to Colorado. Personal comment: I love teaching, I love watching that light ignite in student’s eyes, and I love the fact that I learn daily from my classes. Rocky is a great place to learn – I’m honored to be here.
Fay Stanford Age: 33 Position: German and Music Years of experience: Two years music, one year of German! Education/ School(s): Wellesley College in Boston (BA in Music and German), MED from CSU. Your path to Rocky: German teachers collaborate between schools because there are so few of us, networking and timing. Personal comment: My passion for teaching lies in the chance we have as teachers to cultivate the personal and intellectual awakening of our students to guide them to selfactualization. RMHS’s value of the individual and desire to create a safe place where all have access to this awakening resonates of my own philosophy I already feel at home!
Andrew Crosby Age: 29 Position: Integrated Services and Resources Years of experience: Five Education/ School(s): BA in English, MA in Special Education at University of Northern Colorado. Your path to Rocky: I worked in the Greely school district for five years and just finished my master’s degree in Special Education, then got hired on at Rocky for Integrated Services. Personal comment: The staff and students are very supportive of each other and these individuals have created a wonderful community at Rocky Mountain. I am honored to be a part of that community. Mark Reedy Age: 44 Position: Counselor Years of experience: Three Education/ School(s): B.S. at Miami University (Zoology), Post baccalaureate at Colorado State, M.A. at George Mason University (Counseling) Your path to Rocky: Scientist, bike racer, student taught at rocky in 1996, adventure guide, back to Rocky as a counselor. Personal comment: I student taught here at Rocky with Carol Seemueller and it was one of the best times of my life. I traveled for many years but always knew I wanted to come back to Rocky someday,
Aracely Alba Age: 28 Position: College and Career Center and Bilingual Support Years of experience: Six plus years Education/ School(s): Front Range Community College Your Path to Rocky: After working with preschoolers for the last three years I was looking for a change, which I’m glad it turned out to be at the high school level. Personal comment: I loved coming back and being part of a high school team, the games, assemblies, and most important the contact with students. Robin Gravellle Age: 49 Position: French Years of experience: Since 1985Education/ School(s): University of Wisconsin, Universite de Hautes, University of Milwaukee, Universite de Grenoble, NYU Paris. Your path to Rocky: Taught in Wisconsin, and then taught at Fort Collins High school, Preston Junior High and Wellington Junior High. Personal comment: J’adore Rocky! This is a great place to work. I love my students and colleagues! I’m so excited to be a Lobo! Robin Gravelle
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the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
The End of an Era Potter a defining piece of literature by Taylor Hitchings Reporter
A phenomenon must begin somewhere. It might end with seven record-breaking novels, a Cinderella story for a one-time single mother formerly living on welfare, and a series amounting to a grand total of 1,084,170 words. But it still has to begin somewhere, even if it’s just with 22 simple words: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. And so, Harry Potter was born. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling, was first published on June 30, 1997. And on July 15, 2011, the final film of the saga premiered, leaving behind a few million fans worldwide. “Now that Harry Potter is over and done with, I don’t know what to do with my life,” said junior NataEmily Guyor, lie Pederson Senior with a laugh. “I’ve been a fan of Harry Potter since I first read the first book, which was when I was six.” Ever since, she’s been an avid fan who, at one point, even gave a howto speech in 9th grade entitled ‘How to Be Harry Potter.’ “Even then I thought I was crazy,” Pederson said. Potter was the second book Pederson ever read by herself, so she credits her love of reading to it, and she’s not the only one. “Obviously, it got a whole generation of kids to read some,” said Language Arts teacher Jennifer Adams, who’s partial towards the Weasley Twins. “I know a lot of kids who’ve read every book, and read them multiple times. I think it’s the single biggest force in changing young adult literature.” Adams has been a fan since the fall of 1999, after the newly-released third book was featured on the Rosie O’Donnell show. Still, popular as the series is among some staff and students, not everyone is struggling with the loss of the fictional wizard.
I don’t want to find the ‘next big thing.’ It simply will not be as good in comparison.
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“I think it’s really overrated,” said senior Katie Ritter. “I started reading the first one, and I stopped.” Ritter said she dislikes the Potter-mania because it’s all fiction, but “people act like it’s something that’s impacting them and actually affect their world.” Junior Sylvia Osterberg won’t miss Potter either, though for a different reason. She hasn’t read any of the books, and she’s only seen three of the films because her parents found the series “too dark.” “It didn’t bother me, but my brother wasn’t allowed to read them either, but he really wanted to,” Osterberg said. According to the American Library Association (ALA), Harry Potter is the top most-challenged novel (or series, in this case) of the 21st Century, among classics like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. To honor frequently banned and challenged books like these, the ALA created “Banned Books Week,” which begins Sept. 24 and ends Oct. 1. Most often, in Harry Potter’s case, the challengers are from religious groups who believe the Bible states that witchcraft is evil and the Potter books encourage bad behaviors and morals. While she personally dislikes the novels, Ritter said it’s silly to have controversy over anything in Harry Potter. “It’s fiction, and if it wants to involve such things, so be it,” she said. “I’m kind of in between,” Osterberg said. “I don’t think it’s valid, but I don’t think it’s overthe-top.” Adams added, “The controversy is always going to be there with anything that’s popular.” From Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck to Harry Potter, this trend of popularity versus controversy has never faded, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Most recently, a new teen series is sweeping the nation and facing its own set of objections: The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzette Collins. With a strong following and a blockbuster film on the way, some believe this trilogy may fill the void left in Potter’s absence. However many still believe nothing can compete with Potter’s popularity. Pederson sums it up like this: “A series like (Harry Potter) is once in a lifetime.”
Or the beginning of something new?
Making the next step for Potter franchise by Jessica Davidson Reporter
Potter Facts •The final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold 11 million copies within the first 24 hours. •The word “Muggle,” meaning a non-wizard person, is officially in the Oxford English Dictionary. •Because of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling is the only billionaire author. •The series has been translated into 67 languages. •The book series has sold over 450 million copies. •The Harry Potter franchise is worth about 15 billion dollars. •The novel as also been published in Latin and Ancient Greek, making it the longest published novel in Ancient Greek since Heliodorus of Emes. •The popularity of Harry Potter inspired the New York Times to create a best sellers list for children’s novels in 2000. •In 2007, Rowling was declared runner up for Time’s most influential person. •In 1998, Rowling sold the rights to Harry Potter to Warner Brother’s studios in 1998 for 1,982,900 dollars.
It started with a napkin, and it is ending with a multi-billion dollar enterprise. When JK Rowling wrote down an idea on a napkin for a series about a magical boy with an odd-shaped scar, she had no idea that she was about to change the world. Pottermania has overtaken the last decade and a half since the debut of the first book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit US bookshelves in 1997. In 2001, a film followed suit. By the time the first Harry Potter film came out, Sorcerer’s Stone had received 46 different awards in the United States and United Kingdom alone. It only took four years to get the world hooked on the scraggly boy with the lightning shaped scar – Harry Potter. On July 15, 2011, the Harry Potter enterprise took its final bow as the last installment of an eight-film series premiered. Fans worldwide stood in line for hours to watch the film, which grossed $900 million in its first weekend. When the credits rolled, fans couldn’t help but ask themselves, “What next?” The expanse of the Harry Potter enterprise could fill an entire encyclopedia (in fact, Mugglenet. com suggests JK Rowling may be working on a Harry Potter encyclopedia) – the film series alone has had a 10 year life and grossed nearly 2.4 billion dollars in ticket sales. Highlights of the enterprise include a 500 million dollar theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando, replicas of wands being sold world-wide, cookbooks, Lego sets; the list goes on and on. Rocky has been infused with Pottermania in the past few years with a Hogwarts themed homecoming last year, as well as a Quidditch Club and a large number of Harry Potter quotes featured by seniors in the yearbook each year. Non-Potter lovers often ask themselves what the indispensable quality of Harry
Potter is that so many people are enamored with. “Harry Potter represents a good guy fighting a bad guy, and good prevailing,” said senior Emily Guyor. “It taught my family to be open minded about ‘dark magic books’ and to appreciate literature rather than judging a book by its cover.” Guyor was among many who stood in line to see Part Two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when it premiered at midnight. Senior Meghan Loury was another student who waited in line for the final movie, but Harry Potter shaped her childhood, unlike Guyor. “I had three Harry Potter themed birthday parties growing up” Loury said. “All of my friends are into it too, which makes it way more enjoyable. Harry Potter is my escape from reality. ” Despite the close to the film series, true fans say that Potter will prevail. The launch of a mysterious new website devoted to Harry Potter, Pottermore.com, created by Rowling and the continuation of Universal’s theme park may prove their point. The key part in keeping the series alive as the years go on is keeping it alive in the hearts of fans. For most fans, that doesn’t seem to be a problem. “I’m already re-reading the books,” senior Sven Swanson said. “Harry Potter is always going to be a part of me, even though the series is over. From the second I closed the seventh book, I have wanted more. If she (Rowling) makes a series about
Harry’s children, it’ll be a dream come true for me.” While most fans are staying loyal to their love of Potter, the idea of the “next big series” has been thrown around frequently. Potter has been compared to Twilight, Eragon and The Hunger Games, all of which are series with a similar magic content and movie potential. “The idea of a vampire is sort of corny, whereas Harry Potter is interesting and intricate,” Loury said. The overall consensus is that nothing will be able to take the place of the series that has settled into the hearts, heads and homes of billions of children and adults alike worldwide. “Harry Potter is the only book that has made me interested in literature,” Swanson said. “It’s a classic. Everyone feels at some point that it’s
them against the world. Harry gets that; I get that.” The close of the seventh movie is the end of an era, but hardly the end to an enterprise. While many felt that when they said goodbye to the final film, the series will live on. “There will never be anything that can take the place of Harry Potter for me,” Guyor said. “I don’t want to find the ‘next big thing’. It simply will not be as good in comparison.”
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September 16, 2011
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
The End of an Era Potter a defining piece of literature by Taylor Hitchings Reporter
A phenomenon must begin somewhere. It might end with seven record-breaking novels, a Cinderella story for a one-time single mother formerly living on welfare, and a series amounting to a grand total of 1,084,170 words. But it still has to begin somewhere, even if it’s just with 22 simple words: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. And so, Harry Potter was born. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling, was first published on June 30, 1997. And on July 15, 2011, the final film of the saga premiered, leaving behind a few million fans worldwide. “Now that Harry Potter is over and done with, I don’t know what to do with my life,” said junior NataEmily Guyor, lie Pederson Senior with a laugh. “I’ve been a fan of Harry Potter since I first read the first book, which was when I was six.” Ever since, she’s been an avid fan who, at one point, even gave a howto speech in 9th grade entitled ‘How to Be Harry Potter.’ “Even then I thought I was crazy,” Pederson said. Potter was the second book Pederson ever read by herself, so she credits her love of reading to it, and she’s not the only one. “Obviously, it got a whole generation of kids to read some,” said Language Arts teacher Jennifer Adams, who’s partial towards the Weasley Twins. “I know a lot of kids who’ve read every book, and read them multiple times. I think it’s the single biggest force in changing young adult literature.” Adams has been a fan since the fall of 1999, after the newly-released third book was featured on the Rosie O’Donnell show. Still, popular as the series is among some staff and students, not everyone is struggling with the loss of the fictional wizard.
I don’t want to find the ‘next big thing.’ It simply will not be as good in comparison.
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“I think it’s really overrated,” said senior Katie Ritter. “I started reading the first one, and I stopped.” Ritter said she dislikes the Potter-mania because it’s all fiction, but “people act like it’s something that’s impacting them and actually affect their world.” Junior Sylvia Osterberg won’t miss Potter either, though for a different reason. She hasn’t read any of the books, and she’s only seen three of the films because her parents found the series “too dark.” “It didn’t bother me, but my brother wasn’t allowed to read them either, but he really wanted to,” Osterberg said. According to the American Library Association (ALA), Harry Potter is the top most-challenged novel (or series, in this case) of the 21st Century, among classics like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. To honor frequently banned and challenged books like these, the ALA created “Banned Books Week,” which begins Sept. 24 and ends Oct. 1. Most often, in Harry Potter’s case, the challengers are from religious groups who believe the Bible states that witchcraft is evil and the Potter books encourage bad behaviors and morals. While she personally dislikes the novels, Ritter said it’s silly to have controversy over anything in Harry Potter. “It’s fiction, and if it wants to involve such things, so be it,” she said. “I’m kind of in between,” Osterberg said. “I don’t think it’s valid, but I don’t think it’s overthe-top.” Adams added, “The controversy is always going to be there with anything that’s popular.” From Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck to Harry Potter, this trend of popularity versus controversy has never faded, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Most recently, a new teen series is sweeping the nation and facing its own set of objections: The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzette Collins. With a strong following and a blockbuster film on the way, some believe this trilogy may fill the void left in Potter’s absence. However many still believe nothing can compete with Potter’s popularity. Pederson sums it up like this: “A series like (Harry Potter) is once in a lifetime.”
Or the beginning of something new?
Making the next step for Potter franchise by Jessica Davidson Reporter
Potter Facts •The final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sold 11 million copies within the first 24 hours. •The word “Muggle,” meaning a non-wizard person, is officially in the Oxford English Dictionary. •Because of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling is the only billionaire author. •The series has been translated into 67 languages. •The book series has sold over 450 million copies. •The Harry Potter franchise is worth about 15 billion dollars. •The novel as also been published in Latin and Ancient Greek, making it the longest published novel in Ancient Greek since Heliodorus of Emes. •The popularity of Harry Potter inspired the New York Times to create a best sellers list for children’s novels in 2000. •In 2007, Rowling was declared runner up for Time’s most influential person. •In 1998, Rowling sold the rights to Harry Potter to Warner Brother’s studios in 1998 for 1,982,900 dollars.
It started with a napkin, and it is ending with a multi-billion dollar enterprise. When JK Rowling wrote down an idea on a napkin for a series about a magical boy with an odd-shaped scar, she had no idea that she was about to change the world. Pottermania has overtaken the last decade and a half since the debut of the first book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit US bookshelves in 1997. In 2001, a film followed suit. By the time the first Harry Potter film came out, Sorcerer’s Stone had received 46 different awards in the United States and United Kingdom alone. It only took four years to get the world hooked on the scraggly boy with the lightning shaped scar – Harry Potter. On July 15, 2011, the Harry Potter enterprise took its final bow as the last installment of an eight-film series premiered. Fans worldwide stood in line for hours to watch the film, which grossed $900 million in its first weekend. When the credits rolled, fans couldn’t help but ask themselves, “What next?” The expanse of the Harry Potter enterprise could fill an entire encyclopedia (in fact, Mugglenet. com suggests JK Rowling may be working on a Harry Potter encyclopedia) – the film series alone has had a 10 year life and grossed nearly 2.4 billion dollars in ticket sales. Highlights of the enterprise include a 500 million dollar theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando, replicas of wands being sold world-wide, cookbooks, Lego sets; the list goes on and on. Rocky has been infused with Pottermania in the past few years with a Hogwarts themed homecoming last year, as well as a Quidditch Club and a large number of Harry Potter quotes featured by seniors in the yearbook each year. Non-Potter lovers often ask themselves what the indispensable quality of Harry
Potter is that so many people are enamored with. “Harry Potter represents a good guy fighting a bad guy, and good prevailing,” said senior Emily Guyor. “It taught my family to be open minded about ‘dark magic books’ and to appreciate literature rather than judging a book by its cover.” Guyor was among many who stood in line to see Part Two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when it premiered at midnight. Senior Meghan Loury was another student who waited in line for the final movie, but Harry Potter shaped her childhood, unlike Guyor. “I had three Harry Potter themed birthday parties growing up” Loury said. “All of my friends are into it too, which makes it way more enjoyable. Harry Potter is my escape from reality. ” Despite the close to the film series, true fans say that Potter will prevail. The launch of a mysterious new website devoted to Harry Potter, Pottermore.com, created by Rowling and the continuation of Universal’s theme park may prove their point. The key part in keeping the series alive as the years go on is keeping it alive in the hearts of fans. For most fans, that doesn’t seem to be a problem. “I’m already re-reading the books,” senior Sven Swanson said. “Harry Potter is always going to be a part of me, even though the series is over. From the second I closed the seventh book, I have wanted more. If she (Rowling) makes a series about
Harry’s children, it’ll be a dream come true for me.” While most fans are staying loyal to their love of Potter, the idea of the “next big series” has been thrown around frequently. Potter has been compared to Twilight, Eragon and The Hunger Games, all of which are series with a similar magic content and movie potential. “The idea of a vampire is sort of corny, whereas Harry Potter is interesting and intricate,” Loury said. The overall consensus is that nothing will be able to take the place of the series that has settled into the hearts, heads and homes of billions of children and adults alike worldwide. “Harry Potter is the only book that has made me interested in literature,” Swanson said. “It’s a classic. Everyone feels at some point that it’s
them against the world. Harry gets that; I get that.” The close of the seventh movie is the end of an era, but hardly the end to an enterprise. While many felt that when they said goodbye to the final film, the series will live on. “There will never be anything that can take the place of Harry Potter for me,” Guyor said. “I don’t want to find the ‘next big thing’. It simply will not be as good in comparison.”
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the limelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Fuzzy’s provides quality meals at affordable price Enjoying tacos: College and high school students alike sink their teeth into the surface of a warm, softshelled taco at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop.
by Calvin Jouard Reporter
It seems ludicrous to open a new restaurant in a place with more restaurants per capita than most major cities in the United States. Even crazier to do it when our nation is in a recession. You know the odds are against you when you are wedged between thriving food burger and frozen eview yogurt shops. This is the hostile climate that restaurants face nowadays. But Fuzzy’s Taco Shop will do just fine. With all the success it’s had, Fuzzy’s is still looking to expand its 42 stores across 7 states. Upon walking into the restaurant, the eye is almost overwhelmed by the bright display of blue, red and green walls. The atmosphere is lively as well, with plasma screen TVs, and countless “Eat me!” logos accompanied by mostly college students. Now to the food.
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Calvin Jouard
Fuzzy’s offers many traditional Mexican dishes and specializes in fish tacos, burritos, nachos, queso, and ice-cold beer. With taco in the name, you’d expect the tacos to be pretty darn good; and they don’t disappoint.
You can’t go wrong with shrimp or fish tacos, especially tempura style. Nevertheless, it’s the sauce and toppings that really separate Fuzzy’s tacos from the rest of the pack. Sweet, drippy garlic sauce with cilantro, lettuce and
tomatoes and an interesting yet refreshing touch of feta cheese make Fuzzy’s tacos a must. However, Fuzzy’s falls short in the burrito category, and just can’t compete with the burrito kings of Big City Burrito and Qdoba.
Fuzzy’s does offer ground beef, which is different from other burrito hangouts, but otherwise it’s nothing special. Big salads are also offered, with romaine, tomatoes and your choice of meat. While they come with plenty of food, they lack flavor. Even the recommended avocado ranch dressing lacks the proper gusto needed to satisfy salad-lovers. The chips with queso and the fire roasted red chile salsa are definitely must-haves at Fuzzy’s. The chips are sprinkled with a chili powder and the queso is served with a touch of tomatoes and cheese. The salsa is served hot. The one consistent downfall of Fuzzy’s products is a lack of variety. Every entrée basically comes with the garlic sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. But despite this flaw, Fuzzy provides a quality product combined with its friendly and fast service, quality and inexpensive food, and lively atmosphere.
Our Idiot Brother deeper than the average comedy by Taylor Hitchings Reporter
Going in, a person might assume Our Idiot Brother is just like so many of today’s comedies—has potential but all the good jokes are in the trailer, leaving a whole lot of fart jokes and general stupidity for the film. movie actual It’s not. eview The movie stars Paul Rudd as Ned, a happy-go-lucky guy unfortunate enough to sell marijuana to a uniformed cop who had a “hard week.” This leads to Ned’s arrest, which sets the rest of the plot into motion. He’s released from jail early and proudly tells his girlfriend (Kathryn Hahn), “I got most cooperate inmate four months running!” This doesn’t matter to her, because she’s found someone else, kicked Ned out, and kept his dog, Willie Nelson. After this, he’s forced to live with each of his three sisters until he can get enough money
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to buy his own place. The first sister he stays with, Liz (Emily Mortimer), is a doormat, unhappily married to a cheating husband (Steve Coogan). Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), the second sister, is a high-strung journalist lacking in the ethics department. Third is Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), a foul-mouthed bisexual with a lying problem. Naturally, he wreaks havoc upon their lives until they get tired of him and pass him along to the next sister, though at one point Miranda stops to point that “nobody loves unconditionally like Ned loves.” This underlying theme of unconditional love and positivity mixes with a relaxed plot, which is one of the film’s strongest points. Yes, a crazy relative living with the sane members of his/ her family isn’t an uncommon plot line, but the surprising lack of gross-out humor and the depth of each character sets this movie apart. The characters aren’t caricatures; instead, they’re
All cool: Paul Rudd stars in Our Idiot Brother, a comedy examining the relationship between a slacker and his sisters. © The Weinstein Company, Inc.
clearly complex, with more layers than meets the eye. Because Ned’s living situation constantly changes, the story never drags, though the film is more about character development than plot. Some might even say that it’s one of the rare comedies with a message. Still, if there is, the theme is subtle and doesn’t hinder the humor at all. This is largely because of the all-
star performances throughout, with Paul Rudd leading the way. Rudd isn’t known for playing the comedian. His more famous films include Role Models, Dinner for Schmucks, and I Love You, Man, but he often plays the serious one in the midst of chaos. Ned is a whole new role for him, and he plays it well. His comedic timing is right on, in particular during the scene when Ned realizes he shouldn’t have sold pot to the cop, even if he thought it would help a guy who was having a rough time. His performances in the more serious scenes are also a testament to Rudd’s versatility. While his character is predominantly an optimistic person, a scene in which Ned becomes angry enough to yell at the three of his sisters doesn’t come across as humorous, abrupt or out-ofcharacter, even if he’s upset over a game of charades. Liz’s husband Dylan, Ned’s polar opposite, is played by Coogan, who deserves an honorable mention, too. Coogan tends to portray dry British men without a sense of humor, in films such as Night at the Museum and Tropic Thunder, and this part is no different. However, perhaps the reason he’s frequently cast is because he plays the role so well, without the slightest trace of insincerity. With a supporting role and little screen time, Dylan’s role could have turned into the two-dimensional, cliché cheating husband found in so many
movies. With Coogan’s performance, the character is clearly deceptive, hurtful and incredibly manipulative, as seen when his wife confronts him about the affair he’s having. In this scene, he stands up after skirting around the question, claiming he has to leave the house before she “makes” him lose his temper in front of their kids. Performances like these create a generally satisfying movie, though this isn’t a “constant laughs” kind of film. There are a fair amount of funny moments, but there are quite a few gaps between these because of the character-oriented scenes. This type of pacing isn’t the norm for most comedies, so this might be a disappointment for people expecting something more like The Hangover. On another note, Our Idiot Brother does deserve its R-rating. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) gave it the R-rating because of its “sexual content including nudity and language throughout.” The strong language probably earned the rating far more than the sexual content and nudity, which are brief and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. If a person is looking for nonstop humor or isn’t comfortable with content like this, Our Idiot Brother probably isn’t the film for them. But if they are, this movie comes recommended for anyone interested in a breezy plot with a little depth to boot.
thelimelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
September 16, 2011
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Parent’s book an adventure story, personal account The Ledge chronicles life, death experience on Mt. Rainier by Alex Creighton Contributor
Imagine a monstrous 80-foot wall of solid ice rising straight up and curving to an overhang. The only way to escape is through a tiny patch of sunlight at the very top. You are trapped. There is a foot of snow wedged between both walls keeping you from book eview another 50 foot crevasse beneath you. You do not possess the proper tools to escape. The Ledge retells that exact challenge. After being featured on ‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’ in January, the book came out in July and is written by survivor Jim Davidson, the father of sophomore Nick Davidson and senior Jessica Davidson. Jim and co-author Denver Post reporter Kevin Vaughan retell Davidson’s inspiring story as though the July 1992 accident happened just yesterday. After summiting Mount Rainier in Washington, Jim fell through the snow to a hidden crevasse, dragging his partner
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Music from page B8 following me since the beginning so they expect a lot out of me, which I’m aware of and which I appreciate, so I put everything into Red Rocks.” Openers included Pretty Lights label mates Michael Menert and Gramatik, as well as Mississippi rap team Big K.R.I.T and UK dubstep producer, Skream. As a full moon made its first appearance of the night, Smith clambered his way atop a three tier light platform amidst towers that flickered like city buildings. “Red Rooocks” Smith answered to the deafening 9,000 plus crowd before launching into “Hot Like Sauce” off of 2008’s Filling Up the City Skies. The three tier platform and surrounding towers seemed to explode as they pulsed with light to coordinate with every note of the night. Lasers hit the top of the rocks and flashed back again, leaving some fans grasping at air in attempts to grab the beams. “This is the only show where I’ll stay up for thirty hours, with
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Mike Price down with him. Upon impact, Jim realized that he had amazingly survived. Devastated, Jim realizes that his dear friend [Price] was not as lucky. In order for Jim to save his own life, he must climb 80 overhanging feet while injured, without proper gear and without his climbing partner. Their fall into the depths of ice and unknowing unfolds as Jim recalls, with complete clarity every thought, emotion, sensation, and sound of his accident and his survival. The Ledge is a thorough account of human will and survival. While at times the extensive background information was hard to follow, this Denver Post Best Seller is generally difficult to put down. The Ledge will take readers back to a scary crevasse on Mount Rainier. The story reminds us that even when hope may seem lost, anyone can overcome great difficulty. Step into crampons, strap on a harness, and grab an ice axe - The Ledge will leave you feeling excited and inspired.
little catnaps in between, to help set up,” Smith said of organizing one of his most impressive light shows to date. “Finally Moving,” “Total Fascination,” and “I Can See It In Your Face” warmed the crowd before Smith flaunted new music, filled with George Clinton-worthy funk drops, the soul of Sam Cooke, and Christopher Wallace samples. After Red Rocks, the tour continued through the States, stopping everywhere from Los Angeles, California, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to Lewiston, Maine. “A lot of my fans don’t know that I’m from Colorado,” Smith said. “Especially in Europe though, it’s like ‘How is this sound coming from Colorado?’ They want to know where my cowboy boots are.” It is even more of a surprise to Colorado fans that Derek Smith, and Michael Menert, for that matter, attended Rocky. Smith passed through Webber Junior High before going on to Rocky, where graduated from in 2000. Throughout his high school career, Smith spent most of his
Rejected Homecoming Themes: 4. Business Casual 3. Insane Clown Posse 2. Teen Mom 1. An Evening with Rylee Johnston
Cassa Niedringhaus
Meeting the fans: Parent and author Jim Davidson (right) and coauthor Kevin Vaughan (left), a reporter for the Denver Post, sign copies of book The Ledge. The book tells the story of Davidson’s perilous, tragic, and inspiring climb of Mt. Rainier in Washington.
time in the art department, his favorite classes taught by Missy Wolf and Jay Dukart. “Yeah, Dukart thought I was a punk,” said Smith of the days when he and Menert would freestyle during class. “I think he opened up to me a bit though, when he took me and Mike into the dark room in photo and just threw down this crazy beat. He was damn good.” Smith and Menert would stage rap battles in the airlocks every passing period, and even had their own band, The Freeze. “The band was actually pretty good. It wasn’t your typical, ‘I’m trying to be tough’ kind of music,” Dukart said. “It was very lyrically charged, and their rhymes were tight. It’s really cool to have a former student who has achieved such a
high level of success just through straight hard work.” Smith and Menert played with their band at Rocky events, including the Talent Show, tailgate events, and the Senior Showcase. Another of his teachers, Missy Wolf, remembers Smith from her sculpture class, where she still shows slides of his mask. “I used to say, ‘You guys gotta get working or you won’t get a job!’ So Derek broke out in this rap, like, ‘Gotta get a job, gotta get a job’ and he performed it at the Talent Show!” Wolf laughed. “He was such a creative kid and an entertainer; he loved to make people laugh.” “High School Art Class”, off of Pretty Light’s Spilling Over Every Side, demonstrates just how influential Dukart, Wolf, and the Rocky community was to the name behind one of the
biggest music projects in the nation. “Derek needs to hook his teacher up!” Wolf said. “I’ll be his front row superfan! I don’t know, would I fit in? Maybe not.” Whether or not Pretty Lights is in your music library, it is difficult not to be proud of the former Rocky student, who now sells out venues across the globe. “Mad shout out to Fort Collins and Rocky Mountain High!” Smith said. Download Pretty Lights music for free at prettylightsmusic. com.
Rocky Wraps On Sale Fridays At Lunch! $3.00 For Students $4.00 For Staff Includes Chips & Drink!
September 16, 2011
Laying down a beat
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The band’s percussion section plays during the back-to-school assembly.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
What’s in the Limelight? Today: Movie Release: I Don’t Know How She Does It Movie Release: The Lion King 3D Sept. 22: Concert: Never Shout Never @ Summit Music Hall School: Homecoming Jazz Show Sept. 23: Movie Release: Abduction Movie Release: Killer Elite
Frozen Yogurt
The Fro-yo restaurants of Fort Collins battle it out
Fury
Sept. 24: School: Homecoming Dance Sept. 25: Concert: Blue October @ Ogden Theater Sept. 27: CD Release: Blink-182: Neighborhoods CD Release: Switchfoot: Vice Verses Concert: Taylor Swift @ Pepsi Center Sept. 29: Concert: Plain White Tees @ Bluebird Theater Sept. 30: Movie Release: 50/50 Oct. 1: Concert: Journey with Foreigner and Night Ranger @ Comfort Dental Amphitheater Oct. 4: Concert: Colbie Caillat @ Paramount Theater Concert: Cut Copy @ Ogden Theater CD Release: Scotty McCreery: Clear as Day Oct. 7: Concert: Switchfoot @ Boulder Theater Concert: Lupe Fiasco @ Fillmore Theater Oct. 9: Theater Concert: Foo Fighters with Cage the Elephant @ Pepsi Center
Fahey Zink
Fort Collins Fro-Yo gains more popularity by Fahey Zink Center In-Depth Editor
There’s a new frozen treat in town and it’s taking Fort Collins by storm. Frozen yogurt, also known as Fro-yo, the lower fat and low calorie version of ice cream, is on its way to becoming the new favorite frozen dessert amongst people. Here in Fort Collins, a frozen yogurt shop seems to be appearing on every corner. However, competition doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. When Golden Spoon manager Beth Mansilla was asked about the competition, she simply said, “Not
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at all. Our product is so much different than everyone else’s and is more like ice cream.” Whether someone likes a more creamy, ice cream taste or a fruity flavor, there are a lot of options when it comes to where to go, and students already have their favorites picked out. “My favorite frozen yogurt place is Coolberry because it’s tasty and you can put candy on your fro-yo,” sophomore Blake Kilburn said. The popular dessert has been categorized as the new ice cream and some are saying it’s even better than the famous dessert. “It’s tasty and feels healthier
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than ice cream,” senior Aanya Quillen said. “It’s a healthy trend and people follow healthy trends.” While Fro-yo might be the healthier option, there are still people who believe that ice cream
Price/oz.
Taste: Toppings
Taste: Flavors
Variety: Toppings
Variety: Flavors
Atmosphere
Extras
Freq. Buyer Card
Coolberry
41¢
3.5/5
4/5
4/5
5/5
4.5/5
4/5
Yes
Mahalo
39¢
4/5
3.5/5
4/5
3/5
4.5/5
3.5/5
No
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4/5
3.5/5
5/5
4/5
4.5/5
3/5
Yes
43¢
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
4.5/5
Yes
Golden Spoon
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will remain the favorite dessert among people. “Frozen yogurt will never replace ice cream,” Mansilla said. “There’s going to be people that will never give it up.”
Go for the… Coolberry: Board Games and family oriented atmosphere Mahalo: Hip atmosphere and primo downtown location Golden Spoon: Thick and creamy fro yo Spooners: Lush outdoor seating and interesting flavor combinations
But keep in mind… Coolberry: It is a popular destination for mommy/child dates, things can get rowdy Mahalo: They only swap out their flavors once a month. Variety is kind of lacking Golden Spoon: Their thick, milk based froyo tastes more like an ice cream than a genuine frozen yogurt. Spooners: Exotic flavors are subject to personal taste bud interpretation
Oct. 10: Concert: Jay-Z and Kanye West @ Pepsi Center
Former student’s musical career flourishes
Oct. 11: Concert: Keith Urban @ Pepsi Center CD Release: Evanescence: Evanescence School: Winds, Symphonia, Chamber, Singers Concert
“Come and see the pretty lights,” reads a 1966 Pink Floyd poster. 45 years ago, live music was being combined with visual effects for the first time. Artists would project mixed colored inks and oils, while low technology lasers
by Charlie Anderson Reporter
Derek Smith
and lights shot through the room. In 2007, the phrase from the Pink Floyd poster was given new meaning as former student Derek Vincent Smith began a new music project. In the past four years, Pretty Lights has expanded into something frighteningly huge, growing still
with each live show and album release. On Aug. 12 and 13, Smith brought the show to his native Colorado for two of the mostly highly anticipated shows of the year at the Fillmore Auditorium and Red Rocks Amphitheater. With an easy sell-out of both venues, Craigslist
treasure hunters struck gold, re-selling tickets at up to $140 from the face value of $40. “My biggest shows of the year are always in Colorado,” Smith said. “It’s a high standard here, it’s where my biggest Jump to MUSIC, page B7