Rocky Mountain Highschool: 2014 November by Rocky Mountain Highlighter

rocky mountain

high ighter Emotions flare in Lobos’ two playoff games - page 16

Your World • Avery Martin reviews Fort Collins’s best burritos - page 4 Q&A • Science teacher Adrian Flygt talks about epic beard - page 5 News • Seniors take stand against standardized tests - page 6 Center • Social media and its effects on teens - page 8-9 Staff-Ed •Excessive standardized tests undermine education - page 11 Sports • Senior wrestlers express high expectations - page 14 Features • Students find aptitude for learning foreign languages - page 12

RMHighlighter.org Rocky Mountain High School

1300 W. Swallow Rd.

Fort Collins, Colo.

Vol. 42, No. 3

Nov. 20, 2014

2 page letters

rocky mountain

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nov. 20, 2014 CMAS is a joke

Too old to drive?

Dear Editor, CMAS is a joke. First off, I finished my standardized testing my junior year. As a senior I was reassured my testing was over. Also if my teachers don’t know what this test is about, why would I care and take my time? Another thing, the science portion of the test was pathetic. That test was about chemistry and AP biology. Why would you test a child on a class that is not required? I did not take chemistry or AP biology–how am I supposed to know information and do well on a test when I never learned any of that? If you test kids on subjects, make it on a class that was required for all students, like biology and ESS, not chemistry. That’s pathetic to do. And if this test doesn’t affect my GPA, doesn’t say yes or no to colleges I could get into, I sure as hell am not going to put effort in it. I guessed on the whole CMAS testing because I did not know any information because the test was for people who took AP classes and chemistry. When seniors are done testing, keep it that way. Julia Duke, senior

Dear Editor, I think that senior citizens should be re-tested for their driver’s license. I think that it is dangerous to have an older person driving on the road if they cannot see very well, or have some medical issue that can impact how they drive. There should be a certain age that a senior citizen should be re-tested at. Say it’s 75. If the person passes the test, then they are allowed to keep their license. But if not, then I think that they should not be allowed to have their license. But... if their license is taken away, they should be given options of how they can still get transportation for wherever they need. If we re-tested the senior citizens, I think that it would keep the roads safer for everyone around. Connor DeMott, senior

Letters to the editor

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

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

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Center Editor

Opinion Editor

Noah Fogelberg

Avery Martin

Features Editor Michael Roley

Noah Fogelberg

Reyna Thompson

Sports Editor Jacob Nemitz

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

Your World Editor Natalie Pounds

Web Editor

Daniel Diderikson Matt Wood

Contributors

Evan Malone

Rebecca Knaff Parker Gorham

Reporters

Adviser

Samantha Baran Jessi Brokop

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

Stephen Wahlfeldt

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

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Fear the beard Flygt Q&A 5 Page 4 • Your World

■Battle of the Burritos ■Top Ten Ways to Sneak into the Movies

Page 5 • Q&A

■Adrian Flgyt- Science teacher talks beards and his experience in Timbersports

Page 6 •News ■Seniors take stand against CMAS Tests

Page 7 • News

■Assistant Principal Nickel overcomes thyroid cancer ■Crosswalk erected as part of alum's civic action project

nov. 20, 2014

Rocky Avery alums Martin go on burrito tour 12 review 4

Page 8-9 • Center

■Social Media and its evolution, impact on jobs ■Noah's Bark

Page 10 • Opinion

Page 14 • Sports

■Staff-ed - students over-tested

■Senior wrestlers have high hopes for season ■Fall sports wrap-ups

Page 11 • Opinion

Page 15 • Sports

■Pros and Cons of social media ■Carving it Up with Matt Wood

Page 12 • Features

■Shatterproof tours west coast ■Students find aptitude for learning languages

Page 13 • Features

■Mike's Hard Facts ■Exchange student learns American football

■Basketball previews ■The Admiral with Jacob Nemitz

Page 16 • Photo Essay

■Football team plays emotional two playoff games

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nov. 20, 2014 What’s happening in your world? Nov. 21: ConcertJustin Moore’s Off the Beaten Path, Budweiser Events Center Nov. 21: MovieThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Nov. 21: ConcertG-Eazy, 1st Bank Center Nov. 27: EventThanksgiving Nov. 28: MovieHorrible Bosses 2 Nov. 28: MovieThe Imitation Game Dec. 2- Concert Usher, 1st Bank Center Dec 4-6: EventFossil Invitation Boys Basketball

rocky mountain

Burrito Review by Avery Martin QDOBA-

Order: Chicken Queso burrito This burrito won’t really change however many times you go. The queso will be delicious, the rice and beans will be pretty good, and the chicken will be alright. The tortilla is somewhat sub-par, as it may stick to the roof of your mouth but it won’t ruin the burrito. One thing that I recommend is adding tortilla strips to the burrito, the extra crunch is bomb. 3 burritos out of 5.

BIG CITY BURRITO-

Order: Potato burrito with chile verde: I decided to try out the chile verde because I’m simply a gambler. It was really nice, not too spicy, and honestly I was pleasantly surprised. I was unable to go on Tuesday which is THE day to go. It’s one heck of a steal for a burrito and drink so I advise you head on over on Tuesday. 3.75 burritos out of 5.

CHIPOTLE-

Order: Chicken Burrito, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, white rice, black beans: Chipotle is consistently solid; similar to Qdoba there isn’t much of a change each time you go. There hasn’t been a trip to Chipotle where the rice was undercooked, or the chicken was chewy, or the tortilla was sticky, they are consistently good. If you go to Chipotle during the prime lunch hours (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) the burrito will indeed be bomb. 4 burritos out of 5.

CAFE MEXICALI-

Dec. 5: MovieWild Dec. 12: MovieExodus: Gods and Kings Dec. 12: MovieInherent Vice Dec. 15: School EventRMHS Holiday Stocking, Lincoln Center Dec.16: ConcertBlackalicious & Daniel Marley, Aggie Theatre

Order: Smothered Chicken burrito with creamy habanero sauce (white sauce) This burrito is personally my favorite. The enormous size coupled with the sauce gives this the upper-hand on any other competitors. The rice and meat are always delicious but the sauce makes it. Furthermore, the chips on the side, provide a nice side to the burrito. 5 burritos out of 5. Evan Malone

TOP Ten Top Ten ways to sneak into a movie:

Driver’s

license testing Private lessons Required 6 hours of training

www.choicedriverseducation.com

970-484-5229

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

1. Buy food and nod at the ticket guy like you already came in. 2. Go to the bathroom and peak your head out until the coast is clear. 3. Just walk into the theatre like you own the place.

4. Say your dad is already inside. 5. Say, “Remember me?” 6. Have a friend let you in. 7.Get a fake parent in the lobby. 8. Sleep in the closet, and then wait for the first show

time in the morning. 9.Become homies with the manager. 10. Keep a ticket in your wallet, and flash it when you walk in. They never check the date. Evan Malone

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nov. 20, 2014

: LYGT Not just a teacher

Connecting to No-Shave November, science teacher Adrian Flygt talks about the most impressive beard in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;his. Q: Rumor has it you are a beard model? How did this come about? A: I have always had facial hair of some sort, literally since the end of my time in high school.

Seven years ago I shaved my whole face leaving nothing, no sideburns even. First time I had seen my chin in 8 years! My current beard was born Nov. 1, 2012, and was supposed to last a year. Then it kept growing and I had an opportunity to work with the fine folks at Duluth Trading Company while I was announcing the Stihl Series finals. We spent some time taking pictures and talking beard care tips. It has been a whirlwind since then for sure. People like that I look like a lumberjack, then when they find out I am one, it is a perfect storm.

Q: How has the beard modeling experience been? A: To say great would be an understatement. Boxes of man-soap, shave cream, new razors and similar

show up at my house weekly. Then there is keeping up with Tweets and whatever project is running for the moment. Then there is the part where my beard is making some money that makes walking around with a squirrel stuck to my face a bit more fun.

Q: Who has the best beard at Rocky besides yourself? A: I would have to tip my hat to Bob Haddad as one of the OG staff beards in my time at RMHS. Mack (Mike Mackenzie) is also up there, this time of year he looks a lot like Yukon Cornelius, proudly rocking the face scarf.

Q: Have you competed in any recent lumberjack competitions? A: This summer I traveled to 10 contests from as far west as Shelton, Wash., and as far

east as Norfolk, Va. I drove coast to coast and back stopping at a few places in between. It was a good summer for sure, the highlight was likely advancing to the semi-finals at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wis., cutting a 14-inch underhand log in 32 seconds. I also had a productive return to the Stihl Timbersports Series as a competitor for the first time since I fell out of the springboard tree in 2011.

Q: Where have you traveled for these competitions? A: I competed in Port Angeles, Wash., Clinton, Ind., Shelton, Wash., Missoula,

Mont., Hayward, Wis., Snowshoe, W. Va., Sheffield, Pa. and Norfolk, Va., which is a lot of time behind the windshield or in an airplane.

Q: How long have you been in the lumberjack business? A: I joined a collegiate team when I was in graduate school and attended my first contest in 2007. It has been a lot of training and road time since then.

Q: How did you get started with it? A: After attending my first contest and not doing that well, I decided I was

not interested in being mediocre. I started training more aggressively and became a regional champion of the collegiate Stihl Series ultimately finishing as the runner-up at the national contest. In 2010, I began traveling to compete professionally at smaller contests before qualifying for the Stihl professional Series in 2011.

Q: It was brought to our attention that you do PA announcing

at football games. Have you looked at any other announcing endeavors? â&#x20AC;&#x2039; A: This season I announced football and the home ladies softball games. I also announced two regional qualifiers for the Stihl Timbersports Series along with the Professional Semi-Finals and Finals as well as the Collegiate Finals. Glad to put my voice to use.

Evan Malone

6 page news

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nov. 20, 2014

G A STAND AKIN

AGAINST STANDARDIZED TESTING

Parker Gorham

Power up: Senior students grab donuts in the Commons on the morning of Nov. 13 prior to going to classroom to take the state-mandated CMAS standarized test. Approximately 65 percent of seniors showed for the new test on the test days of Nov. 11 and 13.

Seniors make statement with low CMAS attendance by Noah Fogelbergeditor-in-chief

Seniors at Rocky and across the state took a hard stand against the state mandated Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests in the past two weeks. During the first day of science testing on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 290 out of 456 seniors showed up for the exam. Four more students attended the tests on Thursday, Nov. 13. The average attendance for the two days was 64.03 percent. “I ditched CMAS (tests) for a couple reasons. Those being that I thought the test was a waste of time, a waste of tax dollars, and a poor way of judging our educational achievements,” senior Drake Lindstrom, who ditched the tests to make a political statement, said. Rocky’s attendance was near the average for the state, though comparably much higher than some other high schools. Out of 877 seniors at Cherry Creek High School in the Denver area, 853 ditched the test. Fairview High School in Boulder only had seven seniors show up for the tests, while Boulder High School only had two. These low attendance numbers seem to be part of a statement made by seniors who are fed up with standardized tests. Many Colorado seniors thought they were done with standardized tests last spring, only to have CMAS come up the following fall. The ditchings are also part of a bigger statement against the idea of standardized tests. Many students feel standardized tests are a waste of time and resources, especially as they don’t directly affect students academically. This lack of connection between students’ grades and the actual tests led many students who did take the test to randomly fill in many answers.

“

Standardized testing is causing the fall of the U.S. public education system. . . If no one is going to do anything about it then I’m going to Drake Lindstrom

Connor DeMott, a senior senior who answered some of the questions at random, expressed a common sentiment amongst seniors who are confused as to what the actual purpose of the test is. “I never really knew what the tests were for; I just heard it had something to do with the teachers. And I guess in a way they could be pointless because they are trying to get seniors who have taken standardized tests for years now, to take another and expect them to go and try

hard on it,” DeMott said. A similar level of uncertainty regarding CMAS tests was shared by school administration. “Whether or not I think it’s an effective evaluation or not is yet to be seen,” Assistant Principal Tyler Nickel said. “In general with the tests, what I feel is that the pendulum has swung way far to the side of over-testing.” Nickel explained that the tests are intended to keep schools accountable by ensuring that students have a foundational level of education in regards to science and social studies, with the hope that students leave high school ready for college or career options. Another concern regarding standardized tests like CMAS is the potential for corruption at the state level. Some are worried that state politicians are lobbied by testing companies into spending millions of taxpayer dollars on these tests. “I think that this is a travesty that is taking place, all to give money to Pearson (the company that made the tests), and it disgusts me that we’re exploiting students for a few...to make money,” Lindstrom said. Overall, the response to the CMAS tests has been negative. Students expressed that they are unlikely to try on a test that has no effect on them, if they show up in the first place. Assuming that all students did take the test seriously, many still harbor concerns that standardized tests are not an accurate representation of student achievement, use up valuable class time and waste public funds. “Standardized testing is causing the fall of the U.S. public education system and is the reason we’re falling behind. If no one is going to do anything about it then I’m going to,” Lindstrom said.

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nov. 20, 2014

New Swallow Road crosswalk gives family closure by Daniel Dideriksenreporter

Highlighter Archives

Dangerous crossing: EMTs load then-sophomore Caitlin Montgomery into an ambulance on Sept. 23, 2011, after she was hit by a car while crossing West Swallow Road in front of the school.

“

We’ve done our part but Rocky students and staff need to do theirs Caitlin Motgomery victim

“It’s important to emphasize how easy it is to change the world for the positive if you put your mind to it,” social studies teacher Tom List said. For List’s Government class, it is required for the students to each do a civic action project. For 2014 graduate Caitlin Montgomery, the choice was easy. For her, this project was more than just a grade. After being struck by a car while on a crosswalk as she was walking to school, she wanted to build a more effective crosswalk with help from classmates Gracie Ludens and Jenna Scott. “We had to figure out what was do-able for this project,” Ludens said. Scott also attributes List to the swiftness of the job, “We probably wouldn’t have done it so soon if not for List.” This project was not easy, however, as Montgomery and her friends had many hurdles to overcome in their pursuit of the building of the crosswalk. “She had to get the school district and city to work together, which doesn’t work often,” List said. “They both said no. It was too expensive, but Caitlin made a powerful argument.” After many meetings and conversations with city representatives, school officials and construction managers, Montgomery felt like she was close. Finally, the email came from city representative Steve Gilchrist on Dec. 5, 2013. This confirmation email gave Montgomery a sense of pride and achievement as her vision was finally coming to fruition. “This crosswalk was really important to us. It was closure in a sense,” Montgomery said. “This was one thing that was really important to (Ludens, Scott and me).”

Avery Martin

Slowing it down: Orange cones mark the construction zone where the crosswalk renovation is being done. Caitlin Montgomery was struck by a car on her way to school, which led to a civic action project to make crossing the street safer.

Although this crosswalk has been a great start, there is still room for improvements. Montgomery, Ludens, and Scott still agree that Rocky can be a scary place to be as a pedestrian. They believe that the parking lot can be improved, but it is left to the current student body and faculty. “We’ve done our part, but Rocky students and staff need to do theirs,” Montgomery said. “People need to drive safely and slow down. We hope that this crosswalk will increase the safety of Rocky students, and we hope students will take advantage of it.”

Assistant principal recovers from thyroid cancer by Michael Roleyfeatures editor

Several months ago Assistant Principal Tyler Nickel started to experience severe fatigue in addition to hair loss. At the end of June she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is developed when cells in the thyroid gland at the front of the neck grow irregular cells, causing issues in the way the body uses energy that often leads to fatigue. Another common symptom is sometimes hoarseness in voice. “The thyroid controls a lot about your metabolic rate and how you use the nutrients that come into your body,” anatomy and physiology teacher Carol Seemueller said. “And when that gets distorted by cancer cells, you really feel an overall body effect.” Although the diagnosis was made this past summer, Nickel’s doctors suspect she has had the disease for several years. “They think I’ve probably had it for

a number of years,” Nickel said. “But thyroid cancer is slow-growing so that was good,” she added. Nickel underwent surgery on Oct. 3 to remove her entire thyroid in addition to about 20 lymph nodes and neck tissue. The surgery was successful and removed the cancer entirely. As a result, Nickel will not have to undergo any extra treatment for the time being. “They were aggressive with the surgery so that they could try to avoid having to do radiation,” Nickel said. Seemueller has two sisters and one brother with thyroid cancer. She also has attended the International Thyroid Cancer Conference for the last 11 years. The conference is held every October. “I was stunned and sad but then I was elated to hear they got all the cancer out and all of her lymph nodes were clean, which meant the cancer had not gotten outside of her thyroid,” Seemueller said.

Despite constantly being fatigued while fighting the cancer, Nickel has missed very little school. She missed a week for the surgery and then several half days during the last week of the quarter. She has been able to continue in her role as assistant principal without much trouble. “I’m tired but other than that I’m doing really, really well,” Nickel said. She credits the outstanding support of the Rocky community for helping her during this trying time. Student Council prepared a gift basket for her. Staff members also combined money donations to purchase gift cards for Nickel to buy dinner as cooking for her seven children was a challenge during her recovery. “The support has been overwhelming and amazing,” Nickel said. “I’ve always known we do a great job of supporting each other. Being a recipient of that, I was overwhelmed with the kindness, support, and love.”

Tyler Nickel

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nov. 20, 2014

The World

of Social Media

Social media hinders job possibilities by Michael RoleyFeatures Editor In today’s world, Facebook spans across the globe with over one billion users, while roughly 500 million tweets are sent out on an average day. It’s no secret that social media has grown tremendously over the last several years as platforms such as Instagram, SnapChat, and Twitter have spiked in popularity. These sites are typically used to interact with others, obtain news, and share experiences. However, the content that users post on their profiles can have lasting impact on their futures. According to a story done by Forbes last year, 37 percent of potential employers use social media in one way or another to evaluate applicants. The list of red flags employers could find on an applicant’s profile is endless. However, negative attitudes towards employers is usually central. “Bad-mouthing a school, organization or even an employer I think has happened a lot,” Kate Flattery, a representative from the Larimer County Workforce, said. “Let’s say I’m at the workforce center and if I were to post that I hate it there, I hate my team, I hate my boss, they don’t pay me enough. That would be a big red flag.” In order to learn more about a potential employee, many companies will use social media in some way during the hiring process. To do this, employers will turn to other agencies that have developed software that is able to search through social

media contacts. Doug Hay is the vice-president of business development at Innotrieve Data Retrieval, a company that works with human resource directors and aides them during the hiring process. The company utilizes a tool called referral link, which was introduced in January of this year. “It dives into a company’s employees social networks and it pulls out anyone in those employee’s networks whose job experience and skills match the open job that the company has,” Hay said. A company will sign up with Innotrieve and then all employees will be invited to join the referral link program. After the employee registers, they then grant the company permission to view all the employee’s Linkedin and Facebook contacts. “Once they do that our software looks at the job position that’s available and it digs into every employee’s social network and it pulls out all those people who are qualified in that employee’s network,” Hay said. “The employee then gets a list from our software that says, ‘In your network there are these five people who seem to be qualified; do you want to refer them?’” The main essence is that the program provides human resource directors a list of qualified people in a much more efficient way. Hay previously worked at a company called Sterling Info Systems, which specialized in background checks, including monitoring social media profiles. “One of the products we used reviewed your digital footprint,” Hay stated. “It would look at your Facebook, Linkedin,

Vine, or anywhere else that you have a footprint digitally, and it would look for good information and also negative information,” he added. In addition to bad mouthing or talking negatively of current or previous employers, the tool scans profiles for any type of unruly behavior. “A lot of the more obvious negative stuff is any photo or video evidence of any illegal or questionable activity,” Hay said. Eventually, the tool would compile information in order to produce a report for the hiring company, according to Hay. The search also blocks information related to race, religion, or sexual orientation, meaning no rights are infringed upon during this process. In reality, people do get turned down from jobs as a result of what they post on social media. “I help out a little bit with the hiring process for police officers and you would be amazed at how many people don’t get a job because they have things on their Facebook account that they really wish they didn’t,”school resource officer Matt Johnson said. “It’s really a good idea to think about the stuff you put on Facebook.” This isn’t to say social media does not serve a purpose within the business world. Accounts such as Twitter and Linkedin are often useful ways in which people can network with others, advertise, and promote themselves. However, there are certainly boundaries that exist. “You create a brand for yourself, whether it’s employees,

coaches, or anything down the road, a lot of them are looking at that,” career counselor Terra Thiebaut said. Other instances do exist where employers don’t search an applicant’s social media profile behind their back. Thiebaut recalls an example of a police officer who was asked to present his Facebook page during an interview. “During his interview process they said pull up your Facebook page and he had to pull it up, project it on the screen and go through it,” Thiebaut said. “And if you’re not proud to pull it up in front of a committee that’s interviewing you, then you probably ought to think twice about what you’re putting on there.” At the end of the day, most social media profiles do not crush an individual’s chances of landing a job. Ninety-five percent of background checks come back without warning signs, however it’s the other five percent that can cause issues for companies if they aren’t properly scanned. “For the most part, people are law-abiding, but it does find those five to ten percent that have something in their record,” Hay said. Social media is more prevalent in today’s world than ever before, and using these sites can be an effective form of communication. However, a careful awareness of what is being posted will most definitely avoid issues in the long run. “I just stress. Make sure your brand represents who you want to be,” Thiebaut said. “If it’s not representing who you want to be, then you need to change it.”

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The double-edged sword by Matthew Wood reporter

There are currently over 60 million Snapchat users, 200 million Instagram users, 255 million Twitter users, and 1 billion Facebook users. Almost one in every seven people on the planet has a Facebook account. What is astonishing is that all of this has happened within a decade, and the numbers are growing. Social media is evolving faster than ever and becoming increasingly integrated into our everyday lives. Whether or not this is a good thing is up for debate – the internet is a pretty big double-edged sword – but there is no question that social media is changing our world and the way we experience it. Its influence is unavoidable, particularly within education, which brings up the question of how schools should treat social media. “I think it’s relevant in a lot of areas, especially in the business area,” technology and business teacher Robert Papp said. “In my classes we have units on social media because that’s how businesses and marketers are communicating now. I think we’ll definitely see it growing as a part of the curriculum, especially in our area with business and computers.” Regardless of how social media is viewed, it provides some obvious benefits for market companies. “I see a lot

of positives with it. It’s just in understanding how we use it in the correct way.” In terms of a business platform, social media websites and apps have become very marketable for advertisers. All sorts of companies all over the world have taken advantage of the opportunities that websites like Twitter and Facebook have to offer. Small businesses and big corporations alike use these platforms for profit by strategically placing ads and maintaining a prominent presence on the internet. If anything goes viral, companies cash in on the craze. With this business practice, we are seeing product placement more than ever. Anyone with an online account is no longer a user, but a consumer. “The old way of advertising is not as effective,” Papp said. This is true, and the same can be said about how the old ways of news used to work. Perhaps the most significant impact made by social media is how it affects the way we get our information. With the internet, we can be instantly updated on what’s happening around the world. Whether or not the change it brings is welcome, social media has dominated everyone’s day-to-day lives. This change has forced people to adapt to the way it is changing business, education, and culture.

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The World

of Social Media

Visit us Online at RMHighlighter.org

The double-edged sword by Matthew Wood reporter

10 page opinion

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PSD hypocrisy inexcusable

Sam Baran

Abolish standardized tests

staff editorial The recent CMAS tests on Nov. 11 and 13 were a poor evaluation of student ability.

isastrous. Pointless. These two words adequately describe the new state required CMAS tests. And these tests are just a drop in the bucket of a heap of standardized tests. But standardized tests are fundamentally flawed. Because of this, the editorial board of the RM Highlighter argues that standardized tests should be abolished. Standardized tests, like CMAS, undermine a quality education. Students don’t learn by taking more tests. Students learn when they are in the classroom, and classroom time is a valuable asset that standardized testing robs students of. It is understandable that the state wants to know that students are being held to a certain standard of achievement, yet standardized tests are the just about the worst way to measure student achievement. Students are all unique. Some students who are not exceptionally intelligent can study for a test and ace it. Other brilliant students have test anxiety and will bomb a standardized exam. One test, taken in a relatively short period of time, should not be seen as a snapshot of a student’s achievement. Many factors other than student intelligence can determine a student’s score on a standardized exam. A student might be having a bad morning or might have insomnia and is testing with only two hours of sleep. The most likely scenar-

io is that they simply don’t care enough to try their hardest on the test. Test scores that don’t appear on transcripts and aren’t reported to potential colleges are completely meaningless to students. With the current tests, students have no skin in the game. If the students have no incentive to try, how can the state rely on standardized tests as a means of assessing student achievement? After CMAS, it was apparent that a sizable portion of seniors filled out answers randomly, a completely understandable action in light of tests that are perceived as meaningless. Some students in this district are taking up to 30 hours of tests over the span of the school year. That’s 30 hours of class time missed, just so the state can find out if students are meeting debatable standards. The United States is falling behind in education, and students don’t learn by taking tests. They learn when they are in the classroom. If the state wants to ensure that all students are held to a certain educational standard, they can have professionals personally evaluate each teacher, and examine the grades of students. Bottom line, education is about more than just taking tests. It’s about ensuring quality teachers are engaging students in a way that inspires them to learn. This is a fact that the Colorado State Board of Education has ignored by imposing these new CMAS tests.

t looks like Poudre School District has finally entered into the twenty-first century. Or maybe not. Along the left hand side of the Rocky Mountain High School website is a column showing live updates from the school’s Twitter feed. Right under that feed is a link that says, “Follow the Conversation.” Yet, in a completely unsurprising bout of PSD hypocrisy, the link is blocked. That’s right, PSD is blocking links on its own website. Additionally, the main PSD homepage has Facebook and Twitter icons that lead to blocked pages. Now I can understand why PSD wouldn’t want people on social media in websites, but there are actual educational benefits of learning to use social media that far outweigh any decent reason to block it. Most people are active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. All this online social interaction has led to cyber bullying, sexting and other troubles. Yet, because the district blocks all social media websites, they rule

noahfogelberg Noah’s Bark

out the potential to be able to teach students how to use social media responsibly. It’s similar to teaching abstinence only education. Likewise, teens will use social media regardless of whether or not they’ve been taught how to use it responsibly. Social media has also become a center for 21st century jobs. Careers in marketing, journalism and business will all likely require employees to be active on social media. Twitter is becoming an increasingly legitimate news outlet. If students are expected to be competitive to potential employers, they need to be taught how to manage social media sites in a professional manner. Adding to the hypocrisy, while PSD blocks the potential for social media education, the website smokemeth.com is completely unblocked. Noah Fogelberg is a senior and Editor-in-Chief of the RM Highlighter.

Do you think social media has a positive or negative photo booth influence on teens? “It can be both. Social media can take up a lot of time.” Tawni Grosse, 10

“I see it as a positive, but it depends on which social media.” Sage Lance, 9

“It’s both a positive and a negative. It’s a great way to keep in touch with friends.” Jack McDonald, 9

“It can go both ways, but it opens up a possibility to get bullied.” Preston Gray, 10

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Social media: Good or evil?

Social media: A positive force

 pro

witter, Facebook, Instagram. When looking at each one of these social media empires, education might be the furthest thing from your mind, when in reality, its involvement in social media is growing. The need for information in our society is getting bigger, and as a result, so are the means for getting it. Teachers are starting to use Twitter and Facebook more in and out of the classroom, because we’ve gotten to the point where it can be used for more than just socializing. If teachers want to be sure information is accessed by students, why not put it in the most accessible form for students? Facebook and Twitter have the reputation for being time sucks, and while this holds some truth, they can also easily be used for education. Ninety-six percent of students with access to internet report using social networking technologies, and three out of five say they use social media to talk about and get information about educational topics. Social media also increases participation in school events like spirit week. It is a great way to get information out so that the biggest number of students will see it. Some people see technology as something foreign and scary, but social media has brought a positive attitude and awareness towards technology as a whole, as all social media departments rely on it. Social media increases collaboration in all forms, between teachers and parents and students and teachers as well. Even if it’s not for education, social media, used in moderation, is not a bad thing. It allows for people to keep in touch and see photos of their loved ones. While it has its flaws, the pros of social media outweigh the cons. Reyna Thompson

Sam Baran

Time spent on social media is too much

I con



t surrounds us. It envelopes almost every moment of our days. Most of the time it feels as if we will never be able to escape it. But what we don’t realize about social media is that it can be detrimental to the lives we strive to lead. What people don’t realize is that what you put out on the Internet has repercussions in the real world. Many don’t have the foresight to know that when you apply to colleges, look for a career, the all-powerful THEY look at your social media accounts. Anyone can dress up for an interview, but presenting yourself outside of your obligations is what sets you apart. Not only does social media threaten the existence of getting into college and getting a good job, but it can threaten the likelihood of

you graduating at all. So many hours are spent on these sites. Wasting away their limited time to work on their education, they sit in wait for the likes and favorites to flow in. Not only do students procrastinate their homework away, but they also have to worry about what is going on with their Twitter and Instagram. Many teens have become so dependent on the reinforcement of their self-esteem that if they don’t receive a minimum of 50 likes on a picture they will remove it from the site. Teens are forced to undermine themselve, and others, with the archaic ritual of public judgement. As well as peer pressure, social media can spread false information and gossip. Sam Baran

Standardized testing a vast waste of time mattwood Carving It Up

I don’t have a lot of space to write this, so I’ll try to be concise. Quite frankly, I’m frustrated by having to write within the confines of a maximum 200 word count. This is hardly enough to communicate my opinion in an articulate and well thought out manner. The space provided for this column is so

cramped that I basically have enough room for a proper introduction before running into the halfway mark, and by that time I’m already setting out my points to support my argument, none of which will make it into the final draft. I only have the space for an intro and a conclusion, barely. It’s true that working with such strict guidelines can help develop the skill of being

succinct. However, the portion of the page to which I am limited is downright stifling. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I can use the rest of this space to talk about standardized testing. Matt Wood is a senior and reporter for the RM Highlighter to view complete column, visit rmhighlighter.org. Sorry Matt.

12 page features

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Shatterproof making noise Band with local connections out with new music video by Matt Woodreporter

It’s been a big year for Shatterproof. The band, whose lineup originates from Rocky and currently has three alums, has opened for Switchfoot, toured extensively out of state, and recently released a new music video that marks the debut of their latest single, “Cookie Cutter Life.” The music video was released just last week following a month-long hiatus from touring. The production, which was headed by director and longtime friend of the band, alumnus Hudson Bloom, took weeks to plan, edit and film. “The idea for the video originated from a dream I had,” Branson Hoog, lead singer and primary songwriter for the band, said. “The next morning I called up Hudson and told him, ‘We have to make

this video happen.’” The band recorded the song in the studio while working on the video. “It took two days of filming, one day of acting, and one day of band shots, so it was a process, but it was worth it. It’s always awesome to work with Hudson,” Hoog said. While the video was being planned, the band embarked upon a trip throughout the west. “This past summer, we toured along the coast after going through Utah, Boise and Washington,” T.J. Wessel, the band’s violinist said. “It was crazy. Our van broke down three times and our bus broke down so we eventually had to fly to California. We had a lot of things go wrong, but overall I had a blast. It was the time of my life.” While staying in Los Angeles,

Courtesy of Phoco Photography

Making music: Members of the band Shatterproof pose for a photograph. The band features three Rocky alums–Branson Hoog (center), Ben Spoliansky (front right), and TJ Wessel (back right).

the band checked into a hotel on the famous Sunset Boulevard. One of the most notable venues along the way was the Whiskey A Go Go, the legendary nightclub where bands such as the Doors, Guns ‘n

Roses, and Black Sabbath started out. Shatterproof plans to start touring again with a show tonight at Hodi’s Halfnote and several shows in Texas, with more

expected. “We’re just going to keep pushing as hard as we can and as far as we can,” Wessel said. “We want to make it our career to share music and play around the world.”

Students discover aptitude for learning new languages

by Reyna ThompsonOpinion Editor

A student goes to school and tries to get through math in first period. She wonders why she is the only one who doesn’t seem to understand. In second period, she has AP Spanish. Many students ask her how she survives Spanish, while the question she’s asking herself is how will she get through math? This student has an aptitude for language, and while it may not seem like it, there are many students like her. “I love being able to communicate with a whole new group of people and be completely literate in two languages,” Kaitlyn Mahar said. Mahar is a junior and completed AP Spanish 5 as a sophomore. She is currently taking a Spanish class at Colorado State University three times a week. While Mahar started learning English at birth, Jhossep Torres started

learning Spanish at birth. Both Torres and Mahar are juniors and are completely fluent in English and Spanish. “I started learning English when I was eleven,” Torres said. Just before middle school, Torres was faced with what seemed like an impossible task: learning the language that everyone would be speaking at school. Torres was born and raised in Honduras and started learning English just before he moved to the U.S. In a matter of one year, Torres was fluent in both languages. “I feel comfortable speaking either one. I would say I know both of them about the same,” Torres said. Another student with a Honduras connection is junior Lindi Hester. Hester is planning on going to Honduras during third quarter to study abroad. Like Mahar, Hester completed AP Spanish 5 as a sophomore and is bilingual. When asked about the importance of

immersion in the language you are trying to learn, Hester said, “It’s a gateway of opportunity, and a great experience. It’s the only way you can truly see the culture of another country, and you develop great relationships along the way.” Immersion in another country can not only enforce knowledge of a second language, it can also teach you more about yourself. “It is important to immerse yourself into real life situations where you are forced to rely on your knowledge,” Mahar said. The process of becoming fluent is no where close to being an easy ride. “When we were learning the past tense in Spanish 2, I felt like quitting because I didn’t understand the mechanics of it. English is not formatted like Spanish, so it became confusing,” Mahar said. When someone is struggling with a language, there are ways to keep going.

Reyna Thompson

Celebrating language: Junior Lindi Hester poses with the Mexico flag. Hester is one of several students with a passion for learning new languages. She will be studying abroad in Honduras next quarter.

“I would recommend that if you want to become fluent, you should go to the country that speaks the language you want to learn or just spend time with people who speak the language you want to learn fluently,” Torres said.

rmhighlighter.org michaelroley Mike’s Hard Facts

Reflecting on a season to remember W

ow. The 2014 football season was nothing short of amazing. I could not have asked for a better group of teammates and coaches to be with this fall. It, unfortunately, had to come to an end in a 21-7 defeat to Fountain Fort-Carson High School on Nov. 8 in the second round of the state playoffs. Prior to that, we knocked off ThunderRidge High School by a score of 7-3 in a game that nearly sent numerous individuals into cardiac arrest. This was the first playoff win for Rocky since 2008. Finishing with a record of 9-2 and dominating a majority of opponents is great. Actually, it’s pretty darn impressive. But I don’t think it’s the wins, losses, stats or highlights we will remember (although it will be awhile before anyone forgets about the key hit Max McDonald delivered on the ThunderRidge quarterback in that game). Instead, it’s the camaraderie and relationships we have built that will probably stick around for a long time. This year’s team is by far the closest group of teammates I’ve ever been a part of. In fact, because of this cohesion, I loved going to practice everyday. In past years and in other sports there were days that practice sounded dreadful. Not this year. I was disappointed when it ended, and I’m sure some of my teammates would agree. The root of our success could be contributed to these tightly-knit bonds we had with one another. Everyone had each other’s back on and off the field. With this type of cohesion, combined with some of the talent and player work ethic we had, it’s no accident we finished 9-2 and spent a good part of the season ranked among the top ten teams in the state. As I reflect on the experience, I am so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to know and play with some of the guys. I’ve played some type of sport with some of my teammates since we were in the fourth grade. That’s nearly a decade together, which makes it a little more difficult to let go given all the time spent together. And it’s weird to think it’s all over, but I wouldn’t have changed anything. The team this year was a little different, in many ways actually. Before every game we rebelled against the traditional locker room atmosphere and blasted Clean Bandit’s popular song “Rather Be,” while dancing and singing along. This phrase turned into a motto and hashtag for the team, as there truly was no place we would’ve rather been than with each other. This season was certainly a journey. It had its ups and downs just like any season. But from the season-opening trouncing of Brighton High School to the mid-season showdown versus Fairview High School, to the dramatic playoff win over ThunderRidge, up until the final whistle blew against Fountain- Fort Carson, the team acted like a family. And we always will. Michael Roley is a senior and the Feature Editor of the RM Highlighter.

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Aitor takes on America, learns American sports by Avery MartinCenter Editor + Michael RoleyFeatures Editor

Transferring from one school to another within the city is hard enough. One has to get used to the new schedule, the new people, the new teachers and the overall culture of the school. For Spanish exchange student Aitor Merino, the transfer to Rocky was much more extreme than the average. He moved approximately 5,016 miles away from home. For Merino, the journey to America was not only about experiencing a new country, but also to improve his skills in the English language. “I just wanted to practice my English, get better at the language, and everyone knows that the United States is the best, so I wanted to live the experience,” he said with a chuckle. Through his exchange program, he described the relatively simple process of how he made his transition to the States, his move to Colorado, and what it was like to be a Lobo. “I gave the [company] my information, I waited until a family chose me, and the Owens family chose me, so I moved out here, started living with them and going to Rocky,” Merino said. Even the smallest things about the American culture of schooling, more specifically Rocky, were astonishing for Merino. “It’s so much different here, like you can wear jerseys to school. That’s sweet. I couldn’t do that in Spain. And

the spirit that you have with your sports–it’s just great,” he added. As he made his transition to the states, along with working on his English, he also participated in athletics as he joined Rocky’s football team as a JV Courtesy of Aitor Merino running back. Aitor takes on America: Ai“He’s done a great tor Merino show here before a job adjusting to what football game this year. the rules are and the plays. I think the language has been his biggest transition, just getting used to the English language and all the slang terms we use for football,” running backs coach Derek Widmier said. Merino actually comes from a rugby background and plans on playing this spring for the Fort Collins club rugby program. His experience with rugby helped ease the transition to football. “The physicality of football was not a problem for him,” Widmier said. “He’s a good, aggressive kid.” Merino has spent his time in Fort Collins with his host family, juniors Jacob and Zach Owens, who have helped him adapt both to America and Rocky. “It’s an eight hour difference so he can’t really communicate with his parents,” Owens said. “So it’s hard for him to talk to his family but I think he’s going good, he’s been positive.”

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Fall sports wrap-ups

Ready to go: Senior Konnor Schmidt is a leading senior for the wrestling team. Schmidt took third place in the 160-pound weight class last season.

Cross country RECORD: The boys’ team qualified for state and placed 14th overall out of 25 teams at the meet on Oct. 25 held at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.

RM Highlighter archives

High expectations: Senior Danny Murphy committed to the University of Iowa to wrestle earlier this year. Murphy finished third in the 138-pound class at state last season.

OF NOTE: Junior Bryan Hird placed 8th at state with a time of 17:04.1. Juniors Theo Champ (78th), Dylan Hird (82nd) and Jannick Weiss (83rd) also finished in the top half of the field of 191. Mountain Vista High School won the team competition in the boys’ division, while Pomona High School senior Marcelo Laguera won the individual title in 16:19.4. RM Highlighter archives Mike Roley

Buddies: Seniors Konnor Schmidt(left), Danny Murphy(center) and Roman Ortiz all have high expectations for this wrestling season after failing to meet their own expectations last season.

Superior seniors

Talented seniors lead wrestling team into upcoming season by Michael RoleyFeatures Editor

Whenever a team returns a strong nucleus of seniors, it usually has a chance at being pretty good. This is the case for the wrestling team as Danny Murphy, Roman Ortiz and Konnor Schmidt all return for their senior year with ample experience at the state tournament and plenty of unfinished business yet to be taken care of. Ortiz placed third at state last year in the 152-pound weight class. After entering the state tournament with an unblemished 35-0 record, Ortiz suffered a grueling 3-2 loss in the semifinal match. He is now using that setback as motivation heading in to this season. “That put a fire in my stomach to train harder and get to that level to actually win it,” Ortiz said. Murphy also finished third last season at the 138-pound class and placed second as a sophomore. He will move up to 145 pounds this season and recently committed to the University of Iowa, one of the best collegiate wrestling programs in the country. A state championship is the goal for Murphy, but he

is primarily focused on wrestling to his potential and letting the rest take care of itself. “It is always the goal. I just want to wrestle to the best of my ability every chance I get,” Murphy said. Schmidt also took home a third place finish last season at 160. Schmidt will jump up to the 182 weight class this year, a transition he is looking forward too. “I don’t have to cut any weight. I’m actually eating up to my weight, which will be nice,” Schmidt commented. Outside of the trio of Murphy, Ortiz and Schmidt, the team will look to break in a number of first-time varsity wrestlers. The adjustment to the varsity mat should be made easier for the younger wrestlers as they look up to the seniors. “We just prove it through our actions, so working hard in practice, being in class and getting grades,” Schmidt said. “And also by character, too. Whether you win or lose on the mat, you keep your head up high.” Coach Ken Taylor raves about the leadership these three have demonstrated throughout their careers at Rocky. “They’ve been leaders ever since they were

freshmen. They’re hard workers; they never miss practice; they do the right thing in the classroom,” Taylor said. “You never have to worry about them getting in trouble or being ineligible. They’re just quality people.” The team is spread thin at the upper weights. Coach Taylor is hoping for more depth at the heavier weights to come in from football. Heavyweight Eric “Larry” Martinez is back for his junior year but is also recovering from a cyst in his tail bone area suffered during football. Junior Manny Lopez returns to wrestle at 126 after lettering the last two years. Lobos look to compete in the Front Range League, which is traditionally filled with solid wrestlers and looks to be well balanced again this year. Poudre features several talented young wrestlers, according to Taylor. Mountain Range, Greeley West and Legacy high schools appear to potent as well. Class 4A powerhouse Broomfield High School also joins the conference this year. “It is a pretty tough conference but we just have to wrestle to our potential and it’ll be fine,” Murphy said.

Volleyball RECORD: 14-11 overall; 10-2 in FRL OF NOTE: After finishing 3rd in the Front Range League, the Lobos’ season ended at the Regional 11 competition on Nov. 1 at Ralston Valley High School. After finishing the round-robin regional matches at 1-1, the Lobos defeated host Ralston Valley in their first tie-breaker, 25-15, but then got knocked out by Highlands Ranch High School in the second tie-breaker, 25-15.

Boys’ soccer RECORD: 8-7-1 overall; 5-5-1 in FRL OF NOTE: The Lobos lost 5-0 to Grandview High School in a first-round state playoff game on Oct. 23. The Lobos were seeded 24th in the 32-team field. The Lobos’ league rival, Front Range League champion Boulder High School, advanced to the 5A state final, but lost to Broomfield High School, 2-0.

Gymnastics RECORD: After placing 12th out of 21 teams at regionals, the Lobos improved to 11th place in the Oct. 31 state meet at Thornton High School. OF NOTE: In the individual competition on Nov. 1 at the state meet, sophomore Autumn Bottke placed 8th on the beam (9.375) and 11th on the floor exercise (9.05).

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Giving it a shot: basketball previews Experience, youth, unselfishness will lead Lobos in 2014 by Jacob NemitzSports Editor

With a new season comes new opportunities. The girls’ basketball team had high expectations going into last year–expectations that did not pan out. After winning a home playoff game against Bear Creek High School, the Lobos season ended when they faced the eventual state champions Regis Jesuit High School. Regis sent 7 players to DI schools. With last season behind them, however, the girls have high expectations. “I think we’ll take the city champion-

ship this year,” said junior point guard and 2-year varsity starter Megan Fenwick. Fenwick leads a fairly young group of girls into battle. With only two seniors, the Lobos are still experienced. “With only two seniors, we’ll have a group of girls that got experience as freshman and sophomores,” said head coach Todd Matkin. With a young but still experienced group of girls, this year should certainly bring new adventures. “We lost a lot of posts last year, so were having to play a different style of basketball,” Fenwick said. With a much shorter team than last

year, the Lobos will play a more fast-paced style of basketball than last year. Even with a new style, coach Matkin still has the same expectations. “We have a group of girls that expects to compete night in and night out. They’re a group of girls that understands accountability and understand that you get out what you put into it,” he said. That mentality got the girls to a second round playoff game last year and is the same mentality that they hope carries them to more playoff wins this year. With the city championship right in front of them, expectations are higher than ever for the Rocky girls basketball team.

Jacob Nemitz

Already committed: Senior Asiah Lawson signs to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on a full ride scholarship on Nov. 12. Lawson averaged 10.8 points last year, leading the Lobos to a second round playoff game.

Boys’ basketball team primed, ready to take on underdog role On the block: Senior Cam Erickson leads 7 seniors with new head coach Brian Tafel calling the shots. Tafel coached at Palisade High before coming to Rocky.

by Jacob NemitzSports Editor

RM Highlighter archives

Big changes are coming to the boys’ basketball season As coach Jon Rakiecki left the Lobos after last season, new head coach Brian Tafel took the helm. Tafel previously coached at Palisade High School before being hired for the job at Rocky. “I’m really excited to be here. It’s been a great experience teaching here. It’s a great community, great group of kids,” Tafel said. Tafel takes over a Lobos team that has gone 11-36 in the last two seasons and has appeared in only one playoff game as well. Tafel plans to come here

and change that. “I remember playing at Longmont (High School) in the same league as Rocky and at that time Rocky was one of the best teams in the state, and not just that year, but as a program Rocky was one of the best programs in the state. When I think of Rocky basketball, I think of success and excellence. That’s something I want to bring back,” Tafel said. The players are certainly buying into his methods. Senior Cam Erickson has been on varsity for the last two years. He knows what needs to be done and Erickson is primed and ready for the season.

“Most teams will be overlooking us, which will give us a chance to surprise a lot of people,” said Erickson. Seniors like Erickson, Tino Makombe, Connor Demott and junior Benji Williams will be leading a team into battle with a new leader. Tafel brings the traditional coaching mindset of, “We’re going to get better each day” that most of your successful coaches bring to the table. He also played college basketball and college soccer at Colorado College. Tafel was also a graduate assistant under the head coach of the University of Colorado Buffs, Tad Boyle, while at University of Northern Colorado.

Lebron means so much to Cleveland I

jacobnemitz The Admiral

’m not trying to jump to any conclusions, but Kevin Love may have a better year, basketball-wise, than Lebron James. I don’t want to downplay Lebron’s game, but he means so much more to the Cleveland Cavaliers than just being a player. He brings so much more to the table than being one of the best players in the world. Lebron James is bringing a whole city together. He’s finally writing his own story and creating his

own legacy. From a journalist’s perspective, the things I see, are the things he does off the court. The things that he has done off the court are affecting him on the court. He recently had another child, this time a baby daughter, he now has three kids, and he’s starting to make grown up decisions. When I say “starting to” I mean, he had a whole show when he decided to take his talents elsewhere. This time it was much less flamboyant. He was throwing lobs up and down the court in Miami. Now he’s settled down and

is playing his game. His game may be, not scoring in the second half or having eight turnovers in the first half, but he’s becoming a leader, a veteran. Lebron James, at one point, was one of the most hated athletes in North America. People were burning his jersey, taking shots at him on social media left and right. Now a state can come together and enjoy his presence, as one. I’m an avid sports fan. I’ve loved sports and played sports all my life. I’m not here to lie. At one point James was my least favorite player in the NBA. Now that he’s grown as a person and

has become a mature human being, instead of being an 18-year- old freshout-of-Cleveland, I’ve grown to like him a lot. You can hate him all you want, but the facts are there. Lebron James can no longer be called immature or a child. He’s grown as a basketball player, as a father and as a person, and so should you. Jacob Nemitz is a junior and the Sports Editor of the RM Highlighter.

16 page photo essay

rocky mountain

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nov. 20, 2014

Motivating and making plays: Coach Mark Brook (left) gets the attention of the players during halftime of the first-round state playoff game against ThunderRidge High School on Oct. 31. The Lobos would win that game, 7-3. The team then advanced to the second round, where junior Justin Green (below, No. 8), with the help of teammate Jacoby Benger (No. 2), intercepts a pass intended for Fountain-Fort Carson High School’s D’Jimon O’Neil in Nov. 8 game at French Field. The Lobos would lose that game, 21-7, to be eliminated from the playoffs.

Family matters

For the last time: Seniors Max McDonald (right) and Jacoby Benger leave the locker room after the playoff loss to Fountain-Fort Carson High School. Jacob Nemitz

Jacob Nemitz Evan Malone

Junior Autry Baskin (left) stares at the ground after the Lobos’ lost a fumble near the end of the Fountain-Fort Carson game. The Lobos led 7-0 for much of the game before losing, 21-7.

Despite playoff loss, football team bonds throughout special season by Jacob NemitzSports Editor

Fan support: Junior Mac Zafarana (above) holds up a cardboard cutout of junior wide receiver Daniel Chavez’s face for the Lobos’ firstround playoff game. Seniors Ethan Holder (right with hat) and Jacoby Benger share a hug after the second round playoff loss the Fountain-Fort Carson High School on Nov. 8.

Evan Malone

Jacob Nemitz

When asked how the season went, every person on the football had the same answer. “We’re more than a team. We’re a family.” This mentality and heart carried the team to a No. 2 seed in the 5A state playoffs. However, after a thrilling, 7-3, win at home against ThunderRidge High School in a firstround playoff game on Oct. 31, the Lobos could not pull it out against the Fountain-Fort Carson Trojans in a Nov. 8 second-round game, losing 21-7 to finish the season 9-2. With emotions flowing after the game, everything about the season was put into perspective. “Most of it was we realized that we would never be together again as a team. That’s where a lot of the emotion came from,” said senior offensive guard Nick Fitzgerald. Time after time the Lobos came through in the clutch and this one last time they could not pull it out. “It’s disappointing to lose, always,” said senior linebacker Tau Liufau. “Yeah, we had a chance to win that game. Sometimes things just don’t go your way and it didn’t for us that day.” After being up 7-0 at the half, the Lobos had some crushing turnovers towards the end of the game that allowed

Jacob Nemitz

the Trojans to take the lead and eventually win. Although the season ended on a losing note, the team will forever and always remain a team. “I think that the team came together and created a special bond–on and off the field,” said senior linebacker Max McDonald. “It was not so much that we had a bunch of great players, but we were so close to one another. We became a family,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s probably the most fun I’ve had playing football, and I think it’s the group of guys I was with. It wasn’t like we were just friends. It was like we were family, and football was kind of our home away from home,” said Liufau. The 20 seniors on the team were special and meant more to the team than just being a group of players. Senior cornerback Jacoby Benger put it all into perspective. “Being the quarterback for this team the past years is something ill never forget,” Benger kidded. “But on a real note, this team means the world to me, and I consider myself lucky to be able to play such a special season with those guys. Thank you to the fans and the community for all the support. Its a great day to be a Bo.”