Rocky Mountain High School April 27, 2012 Volume 39, No. 8
Senior Nick Komar rounds third base in the home baseball game against Pomona on April 3. The Lobos won the game, 6-1. The team has a win-loss record of 9-6 this season. See story, page A6
the rocky mountain
hiGhliGhter
Ed Kennedy
the
Side SHOW HIGH SCHOOL HIJINKS
Students at Berkeley High School in California obtained the attendance password and, for a fee, have been altering students’ attendance histories or selling the password. The four who were running the operation will most likely be expelled, while over 50 more students who participated could be suspended.
STARBUCKS WORKS OUT BUGS Starbucks is getting rid of a dye that they use in several of their drinks, after taking heat over the fact that it is made out of the bug, cochineal. The dye is used as a coloring agent in their Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino, Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Raspberry Swirl Cake, Birthday Cake Pop, Mini Donut with pink icing and Red Velvet Whoopie Pie.
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE “Potentially, you have something with blood and gore and terror, which can sell at the box office. Look at the Hunger Games; it’s how many ways you can blow someone up.” - Tom Smailes, language arts teacher about the Raven
Police brutality rare occurrence; media influences perception of police by Conor Schrader Alex Creighton Reporters
and
They are everywhere in our media, they keep us safe, they protect and serve us, yet so often police officers are looked at negatively. Take, for example, the recent incident of front pecial the video of Fort Collins Police Department Officer Dan Calahan pushing Loveland resident Matthew Robert Hefferon in Old Town early in the morning on March 25. Hefferon has claimed that the push was unprovoked but the situation is
S
73.7%
73.0%
44.4%
of students believe there is a negative perception of police in high schools.
believe that police involvement with the community is important or very important.
of students believe that the negative reputation police have is not deserved.
still under investigation. The video of the incident, which has over 150,000 views on YouTube, has received nearly 700 comments, most of which say things such as, “Kill the bald pig” or
Good
350 students surveyed
“Justice is dead.” Not one comment mentions that Officer Calahan is a Rocky parent, a respectable, honest man, a war veteran and a faithful husband of 16 years. Fort Collins Chief of Police John Hutto said that these negative opinions are of-
cop,
ten based off of stereotypes and negative past experiences with other police officers. “We are stereotyped because we are always in the public eye,” Hutto said. “And let’s face it, a lot of what we do is showing up when people are having the worst day of their lives.”
Media Influence
These negative stereotypes are perpetuated online and through the media. One search for Jump to POLICE, page A2
Bad c op
The m ajorit y of teena gers Polic believ e Off e tha icers t Student upset are p erceiv ed in about negative Nega a tive L ight. stereotypes aimed
at police officers by Conor Schrader Reporter
Not every student feels the same about the police department. Rocky students with parents in the Fort Collins Police Department have a closer connection with what officers go through, sometimes to the point of feeling ostracized for their different beliefs. “People can be extremely rude and hurtful when it come to opinions about the police force,” senior Annie Lenderts said. Lenderts’ father was an officer for the Fort Collins Police Department for 10 years before moving to Crimes Against Persons department, also for the FCPD. “Not all cops are the annoying ones who pull you over for speed-
ing and give you a $400 ticket because your seat belt was unbuckled,” Lenderts said. “Just because you don’t see crime happing in Fort Collins doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” Lenderts was referring to the stereotype of the “lazy” officer, one earned from an assumption that officers have nothing better to do than assign seemingly pointless tickets and referrals. The time commitment of being a police officer is another draining and important factor in why the job is difficult, something often overlooked when evaluating the department. “In December of 2010, my dad had a total of four days off. [ (That is) four days in a month that includes
Christmas, New Years’ and two of his daughters’ birthdays.” Lenderts acknowledged that every profession will have exceptions and “rotten apples,” but for every case of inappropriate behavior, there are countless others where help was given and appreciated. She said she is hurt when people insult the FCPD. “The FCPD is a network of brothers and sisters, so by extension every cop and detective is a member of my family,” Lenderts said. “Wouldn’t anyone get upset if someone insults their family?”
Is it fair?
A2 April 27, 2012
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Changes planned
Front Entrance
Media Center
Major summer construction in school, district by Cassa Niedringhaus Editor-In-Chief
In the midst of a hot day, math teacher Bob Haddad can attest to the fact that rooms within the school become immensely uncomfortable. Because of poor air movement in the school, warm weather often signals a counterproductive working environment for staff and students alike. “There are several rooms in the building that are woefully underserved and are hot and stuffy with really poor air circulation,” Haddad said. “Having taught in one of those rooms, I can attest to how grossly uncomfortable it can be.” However, after the summer of 2012 months, this issue will hopefully be remedied. During the 2012 summer, the school will be undergoing a major facelift. Among the many renovations that will be occurring at the school will be the installation of new ventilation systems that will facilitate more effective and efficient air movement. As of now, the air delivery and air return vents are both located on the ceiling, which, according to Assistant Principal Brett Larsen, is ineffective in circulating air through the rooms. After the construction takes place air delivery will still occur on the ceiling, but the air return vents will be located on the walls near the floor. This will facilitate more air movement through the rooms. Better air flow will help to keep rooms at moderate temperatures throughout the year. This change is just one example of the construction and repairs that will be taking place at 32 out of 50 schools in Poudre School District. After voters approved the 2010 Building Fund, $120 million was allocated to the district to pay for these repairs. The bond differs from the 2010 Mill Levy, however, because a bond is a loan that must be repaid to the voters. “All of the bond projects were derived by a huge number of people vested in the school
Police from page A1
“Police Brutality” on Google brings up around 16,100,000 results; the same search on YouTube brings up around 42,000 results. However, though police brutality is made to seem like a widespread problem, out of over 24,000 police reports filed in 2011 in Fort Collins, force was involved in only 70 of them. Hutto acknowledged the challenges stereotypes present to him and the Fort Collins Police Department
district,” PSD Construction Manager Tammie Knauer said. “In 2007, a facility audit was done by a professional firm. They evaluated the condition of all parts of the building and made recommendations as to what work needed to be done. This information was shared with each school and the onsite staff and also with maintenance departments with PSD. The list was added to, reduced, checked and rechecked by all parties including a Mill/Bond Committee that reviewed and helped prioritize the enormous list of items to be done. The final list was presented to the public to vote on in 2010 and they approved $120 million dollars for this work.” Beyond the new ventilation system, the parking lot and Rocky Mountain Way will be completely repaved, French Field and the track will be replaced, the sprinkler system will be repaired, the roof will be replaced in certain areas, new lighting will be installed in the gym and the Media Center, carpet will be replaced, lockers will be replaced, asbestos tiling will be abated, and the front entrance will be remodeled to close off daytime access to the school unless it is through the front office. While the abatement may sound concerning, principal Tom Lopez said it is completely contained in floor tiling underneath some carpeted areas and presents no harm to the school. According to Knauer, an architect, Bennet Wagner and Grody, and a General Contractor, McCauley Constructors, were selected for the construction project. Staff and administrators from Rocky were among those on the interview team. Additionally, each project has its own Project Manager assigned to oversee the Contractor and Architect. The extensive construction that will be taking place will leave the whole building, besides the front office, closed for the summer.
“Perception is reality,” Hutto said. “We live in a digital world and people tend to transpose that into what they think we are like and what our job is like, when in reality, 99 percent of the time it’s a very mundane, ‘taking care of business’ affair.” Hutto also referred to the various TV shows and films portraying police in an extreme light where they either use excessive force with unrealistic action scenes, or where police are portrayed as lazy and useless. This sort of media coverage influences the way police are perceive.
Front Office
Courtesy of Bennett Wagner and Grody Architects
Tightened security: This drawing indicates the new security doors that will installed on either side of the kiosk this summer that will funnel people through the front office. This is one of many changes that will be taking place over the summer.
“The entire site is closed for business this summer,” Knauer said. “Safety of the staff, students and public is the first priority during bond project construction at your school . . . Because of all of this work to be done in a short 9-week summer, the site is closed and all activities that are typically held at RMHS had to be moved. This will keep everyone safe and allow our contractor to complete his work in a timely fashion.” The closure of the school is proving to be an inconvenience for staff and athletes that would typically utilize the facilities during the summer months. “It’s going to affect us dramatically,” athletic director Wayne Moddelmog said. “We will lose, or will not have the use of, any of our athletic facilities beginning June 4 all the way through Aug. 5.” Moddelmog has been working diligently to relocate the sports teams. The facilities at the other high schools, as well as Blevins Middle School, will be used for summer workouts. Also, Raintree Athletic Club agreed to donate free time to the cross country, basketball, dance and soccer teams to use its weightlifting equipment. Moddelmog said that the school is still attempting to make a deal with GK Gymnastics to accommodate the
gymnastics team, as well. However, the bulk of athletic training will occur at Poudre. “At Poudre High School, they’re going to use their facilities in the morning and we’re going to use their facilities in the afternoon and early evening,” Moddelmog said. “Really, it works out pretty well. They’re being very, very flexible. Poudre is working with us to make it as manageable as we can possibly make it. It’s going to be inconvenient. We’re going to have some transportation woes with some of our kids, but from that standpoint, it’s not going to work out too bad.” Beyond the inconvenience to athletics, teachers will be required to pack everything in their classrooms and other summer activities at the school will need to be moved. Teachers will not be allowed back into the building to organize their classrooms until Aug. 6, leaving them little time to prepare for the 2012-2013 school year. Despite the major inconvenience of the project, staff members are generally optimistic about the changes that will be occurring at the school. “We either delay it and not go through it, but never have the benefit, or we buckle up and take care of it,” Lopez said. “It’s really about the environment for our students and the learning in our school. I want us to get it done now.”
Student Perception
To some students, there’s nothing more terrifying than flashing red and blue lights. “I feel like they’re not out to help the community,” junior Dominic DiGregorio said. “I feel like they’re out to meet their ticket quotas.” DiGregorio is one of several students whose experiences have led to a less than positive perception of the Fort Collins Police Department. DiGregorio cited an incident in which he felt he was pressured to give access to his vehicle, although the officer didn’t have a warrant. “I didn’t know I could say ‘no,’” DiGregorio said. DiGregorio’s said his encounter has left him with a bad taste in his mouth. He felt as though the officer was using authority to pressure permission for a search. It’s not rare for word of bad experiences like this to spread quickly, causing even the most removed people from the story to be influenced. Hutto is one of several officers trying to emphasize a “nothing personal” image of the police department. While inappropriate behavior of an officer is another story, Hutto tries to emphasize the idea of accepting responsibility for illegal actions. “You should know that he’s just doing his job,” Hutto said. “The best thing to do is work through that, get the ticket if you’re going to get the ticket and move on.” DiGregorio agreed that the police department is not completely black and white; he said that he respects the Student Resource Officer program and has a good understanding that everything goes by a person-to-person basis. “I feel like it’s kind of hard to know whether or not you like a cop because you’re usually interacting with them when you’re in trouble,” Digregorio added.
Community Outreach
In order to combat the negative stereotypes it encounters, the Fort Collins Police Department is reaching out to the community in an attempt to create better relationships with citizens. On Thursday, April 19, the department hosted an open forum at
Alex Creighton
Reaching out: Captain Jim Szakmeister talks to local citizens at an open forum night hosted at Dunn Elementary on April 19. The Fort Collins Police Department is reaching out to the community through nights like this and through the Student Resource Officer program.
It all boils down to relationships. I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but if I take the time to build a relationship with you, we can build up trust and we can respect each other.
“
Jerrod Hardy, Student Resource Officer
”
Dunn Elementary as a way to reach out to the community and establish more personal relations. “We are in this business because we care about our communities; we genuinely care about improving your quality of life,” Hutto said. “The ugly side of our business is that sometimes we have to use force. Sometimes we have to put people in jail and very rarely are people [on the receiving end] happy about that.”
Student Resource Officers
The outreach effort isn’t something exactly new. In 1995, the Fort Collins Police Department decided to create the School Resource Officer (SRO)
program in conjunction with Poudre School District. The purpose of the program is to get officers involved with public school students and to build relationships with not only the students, but also the parents and staff. “It all boils down to relationships,” Rocky Student Resource Officer Jerrod Hardy said. “I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but if I take the time to build a relationship with you, we can build up trust and we can respect each other.” Currently the SRO program has nine officers integrated into 34 schools, one in each main high schools with the rest split between both the junior high and elementary schools. “We recognize if we can get to kids when they’re young, we can get them to understand that we’re just people doing our job like you or your parents,” Hutto said. “I think we’ve come a long way.” “It’s a great program,” Sergeant Dave Wilson said about the SRO program. He is in charge of overseeing the SRO program and has been a police officer for 35 years. “This program moves me more than any other job I’ve been associated with in the police department. It’s all about relationships and this really creates an avenue to create those relationships.” Hutto added, “That’s part of breaking those stereotypes down.”
the news rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
April 27, 2012
A3
Brain Week gets synapses firing by Cassa Niedringhaus Editor-In-Chief
Conor Schrader
Giving from the hair: Senior Heather Dyer smiles as she donates her hair at the fourth annual Hair Raiser. The drive, sponsored by the Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation and the Cancer Center of the Rockies, raised over 13,000 inches of hair this year to benefit cancer patients.
Fourth annual Hair Raiser held at Fossil To some, eight inches of hair means one year; to cancer patients, eight inches of hair can mean an entire lifetime. Hair Raiser, an hair collection drive run by the Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation and Cancer in rief Center of the Rockies, happened at Fossil Ridge High School on Sunday, April 15. Rocky Mountain hosted Hair Raiser for the past three years, but the event was passed to another school this year.
B
“We felt that it was our duty to not only be leaders in the school, but the district,” senior and organizer Jessica Davidson said. Volunteers received a free haircut for donating at least eight inches of hair. The hair will be used to make free wigs for women and children who have lost their hair to cancer treatments. The drive collected over 13,000 inches of hair. Organizers are optimistic for future years. - Conor Schrader
Engage in Life fundraiser raises awareness, money Last year, a phenomenon called Engage in Life was started, this year they plan on a strong finish. Engage In Life is a fundraising effort to benefit persons in the Fort Collins community and the Rocky community who are affected by cancer. The funds raised will be used to help build a cancer center near Poudre Valley Hospital that will include a wing for teens and high school students specifically. It will also include a Medical Oncology section, an infusion center and a survivorship center. Building will begin this year. “What PVH is going to do is build one center where their slogan is going to be ‘One Door,’” assistant principal Tyler Nickel said. “It’s one place where you’re not going
to have to drive down to Denver or drive around town to get treatment. They want it to be a really welcoming place so that people that are battling cancer have a better chance at cancer survivorship.” Money raised this past week from purchases of bracelets, t-shirts, pins and restaurant contributions will all be collected and donated to this new facility. “Goals for Engage in Life are to build awareness and a focus on survivorship for Rocky and the entire community,” senior Brennen O’Grady said. “We are not only striving to raise money, but to remember and honor those that are battling cancer, have passed on from cancer, and those who have won their battle, so that they may live healthily.” - Lauren Binder
Forensics team prepares multiple competitors for Nationals The debate and forensics team is ready to take the competition to the next level. The team is sending several members to the national tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana. Some qualifiers swept the competition and others took either first or second in different rounds of the tournament. “It’s so awesome,” junior and vice president Maddi Lynch said. “National qualifications is the most stressful tournament we have since it’s a double elimination. It’s the tournament that matters the most and a lot of us swept the competition. But several qualifiers can’t make it so I do wish there were more
going.” Seniors Kelli Lynch and Landon Shimpa, who compete in public forum, senior Michael Harrison and junior Nate Bethke (spelling? Not sure what they compete in) and Lynch, who competes in Congressional debate, round out the list of people who will be attending the tournament. The team had other members qualify as well, but some are not able to attend due to scheduling. While the tournament is not until June 17 (date check), the teams are already in preparation for it. The topic will be released May 1 and competitors will begin their research then. -Michelle Kennedy
Science teacher Michelle Bartholomew makes Brain Awareness Week come to life each year. She recognizes Brain Awareness Week, March 12-17, by organizing stations and activities to teach students about the human brain. This year, science, health and psychology classes could visit the stations, which were set up in the Multipurpose Room. With the help of a former student’s parent, Cynthia Smeraski, who works in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University, the event has grown each year. “The first year we did it, we had little announcements and that was about it,” Bartholomew said. “The next year, she (Smeraski) wrote a grant and got a lot of other people at CSU involved and we would sit down over the years and think about what kids want to learn about. Some kids have epilepsy; some family members were affected by strokes. Over the years we formulated things we knew our students had questions about on brains. It grew every year.” Stations this year addressed issues such as taste and smell, epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis and the effects of ecstasy on the brain. One station taught students about the brain using an actual human brain with the nervous system still in tact. Another station had various animal brains that students could examine and compare. A majority of the stations were run by graduate students and professors from CSU. A lot of the materials and funds for the stations also came from CSU. Bartholomew said that the volunteers provide beneficial community connections. Two stations were
Cassa Niedringhaus
Brainiacs: Junior Sabryna Swadener (far left), sophomore Jade Reese, junior Joe O’Neill and sophomore Eddie Andrews examine real human brains on March 17 at the Brain Awareness Week event in the Multipurpose room. Brain Awareness Week is March 12-17.
also run by student members of the Bioscience club. Junior Kat Rock enjoyed the stations and said that the activities helped her to learn more about the brain. “I learned a lot of different things about the brain,” Rock said. “We’re learning about the brain in anatomy class right now, but I just learned how complex and intricate it is (at Brain Awareness Week). That was really cool. My favorite event was being able to hold an actual brain and just see the anatomy and functions of it.” Bartholomew said that the
events are especially important to teach high school students about protecting their brains. “This is a very special organ,” she said. “There are so many simple things you can do to take care of your brain. Especially at the high school level, we see that kids just don’t seem to care anymore. They’re involved in high risk factors. They drink; they do drugs. They often don’t protect their heads when involved in high-risk activities such as biking. We feel it’s important to bring that (protecting their brains) to the high school students.”
Rocky Mountain High School After Prom Committee would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for contributing to a successful After Prom event. Advanced Energy Albertson AMC Cinema Saver 6 American Furniture Warehouse Applebee’s Café Athens Audra Rose BPO Elks Berry Blends Best Buy Big City Burritos Blevins M.S.-Prize Wheel Bohemian Foundation Boomer Music Brighter Future Vision Clinic Buffalo Wild Wings Butter Cream Cupcakery Canino’s Italian Restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill Chippers Lanes Cinemark Theatres Clayton Jenkins Cold Stone Creamery CSU Athletic Department CSU Bookstore Curiosities Domino’s Pizza & Feavel Family Dr. David Way Dr. Don Jorgensen Dr. Ed Robison Dr. Mark Crane Dr. Paul Sherick Dr.’s Schaefer & Kaines Drake Crossing Family Dentistry Drive Train Industries, Inc Fort Collins Auto Dealers Assoc. Fort Collins Jaycees Fazoli’s
Five Guys Burgers Fort Fun Garlic Knot Gelazzi Gojo Sports Hu-Hot Express IHOP Restaurant Jim’s Wings Kilwin’s Chocolates & Ice Cream Krazy Karls Pizza Lark Burger Wendy Lewis Mad Greens Mama Roni’s Pizza McAllister’s Deli McDonald’s - Harmony & College MkLaren Boutique Melting Pot Nice Nails Noodles & Company The O’Donnell Family Orthopedic Center of the Rockies Otter Box Ottercares Foundation Pappy’s Corner Pub Party City Pentico Photography Performance Bike The Peterson Family Pizza Hut Pringle’s water donation Prudential Rocky Mtn Realtors PVH Foundation PVH Hospitality Department Qdoba Mexican Grill Raintree Athletic Club Raising Cane’s Recycled Cycles
Red Lobster Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Cathy & Mark Rotman Roberto’s Salsa & Sauces Sam’s Club 6633 Schlotzky’s Deli Screaming Peach Skillman Photography Sonic America’s Drive-In Spooner’s Frozen Yogurt Spoons Soups & Salads Sport About Sport Clips Sports Authority Starbucks (West Drake) Subway North Walmart Subway Super Target Store Taco Bell Taco Johns TCBY on Drake & Shields Texas Roadhouse The Egg & I Tortilla Marissa’s Tokyo Joes Tres Margaritas Trios Salon and Spa Truman’s Coffee House University of Wyoming Vern’s Place Village Inn Wahoo Fish Taco Walgreens Walmart Distribution Walmart North Walmart South Walmart Timnath Young’s Café
April 27, 2012
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
Editor-in-Chief Cassa Niedringhaus Advertising Manager Ben Bigler Editorial Editor Isaac Effner Sports Editor Lauren Binder Features Editor Christine Gravelle Center In-Depth Editor Fahey Zink Limelight Editor Cam Chorpenning Staff Alex Creighton Taylor Hitchings Ed Kennedy Michelle Kennedy Regan Miller Meleena O’Neill Cammie Palomino Grant Rotman Conor Schrader Artists Amanda Kriss Reanna Nelson Adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt
RM Highlighter editorial policy
The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/ MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.
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.
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Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Critique
Environment ignored
Making the Grade
E
arlier this year, Student Council tried to create an environmental program that would use composting bins to try and make the school more “green.” However, the district has decided that due to insufficient funds, the project will be scrapped and Rocky will continue to be “green” only in a Staff theoretical sense. Editorial Undoubtedly, compost would ► Composting be a step in the bins would right direction, be ben- with the Environeficial to mental Protection school and Agency stating commu- that “composting nity. organic materials that have been diverted from landfills ultimately avoids the production of methane and leachate formulation in the landfills.” Also, a study by the Department of Environment and Climate Change found that, “Positive benefits were found under all the other environmental indicators, including reduced potential for human toxicity, eco-toxicity and eutrophication (the process of a body of water having an overly high level
Letter to the editor: School should not be renovated
A- Rocky beats Poudre in baseball:
Beating the current city leaders is a great morale booster. The team is coming together at right time.
B- Prom 2012:
A great night for upperclassmen. Well done, Prom Committee. Thank you for the time and commitment. Reanna Nelson
of organic matter, mostly algae, and thus depleting the water of oxygen.”) Clearly, the positive effects of compost are apparent, so why are there no compost bins in the entire school? While Student Council appeared to have had plans for the implementation of composting utilities, the district has ignorantly removed the chance for Rocky to better the environment and the school. While Rocky will continue to have recycling, composting would eliminate far more trash than just paper and plastic. With all the excess food products being compos-
Dear Editor, I think our district looks great. Every school has its own personal look, which attracts different students. So why change it? The district is planning on changing up Poudre School District schools this summer. They are getting painted and re-done because the
ted, the only lunch items needed to be thrown away would be food wrappers and disposable utensils. The district cannot waste any more time, and must put compost bins in the cafeteria as soon as possible. The district made a decision to pay large sums of money to equip the entire freshmen class with laptops, yet believes it unnecessary to take progressive steps to healing the environment. The district needs to get a sense of priority and allocate funds to accommodate compost bins, and therefore protect the environment and better the community.
district believes it will look better that way. Not only is this a waste of time because of how great it already looks, it’s also a huge waste of money. Our district is already low on their budget. Just last year, our district was planning on closing one of their elementary schools because they are
running so low on money. They have already closed some schools for this same reason. So why do they think spending a whole bunch of money over the summer will help them in any way? Rocky Mountain High School is closing up our school this summer because of these changes. Students who like to
C- Code 99 drill:
Practice and apprehension are great. Practice at the least likely time possible isn’t great.
D- Career Xpo attendance:
The career Xpo is a valuable resource that was left sadly unattended by many.
F- Building temperature:
Spring has come early and the summer heat has come along with it. Can’t wait until the renovations fix the air flow. come in and lift weights after school will not have that opportunity this summer. Students will have to spend money on other gyms for what they can usually do for free. Clearly, changing up the schools is a bad idea, so why does the district insist on doing it? Jessi Brokop, freshman
Use social networking sites productively There’s a cool new trend right now: complain about every little thing and pretend like you have the worst life ever. If you want to be quickly depressed by consistent negativity, grab your computer and log onto Facebook, because it seems there’s never an absence of problems in everyone’s terrible, First World lives. I would be lying if I said we don’t face any hardships whatsoever, but what we face is nowhere close to justifying the constant and droning negativity that pollutes our teenage society. My dad has told my brother
Grant’s Rant Grant Rotman and me to not say anything unless we had something good to say. If only that rule could be applied to what we publish online. I would really enjoy getting on social networks to see who’s been up to what, who had a remarkable triumph that day and find
out where people are going for their vacation. I’d like to see the positive, rather than reading a melodramatic script for a bad soap opera, which some social networks have become. The overkill of negativity is beyond the Internet, although that’s where it’s easiest to measure. How did bad news become everyone’s favorite topic? I don’t hear someone complain for an hour and think to myself, “Man they’re really fun to be with; I want to be friends with them.” Constant irritability is not an attractive feature. Maybe it’s just me, but I
believe a problem is as bad as you consider it to be. Dealing with it will be much more productive and beneficial to you than dragging it on and cultivating more anxiety. I realize what I’m writing is quite hypocritical since this column is obviously knocking what others do that I dislike, but it’s not only a call to action for others, but a goal of my own: to be positive in the face of negative situations and people who choose to ignore the brighter side of things. Grant Rotman is a junior and a reporter for the RM Highlighter.
the editorial rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
April 27, 2012
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MPAA ratings controversy MPAA protects us from MPAA restrictions can Pro possibly defeat purpose inappropriate things M F Con
or teenagers, the movies are a timeless American way to spend their free time. One can go for a romantic flick or for a grip-the-person-next-to-you horror film. Or one could go see an epic battle for boys, while the girls check out the newest Nicholas Spark adaptation. All of these choices have one thing in common: a little box on the movie poster and at the end of the trailer that gives a third-person overview of what the viewer should expect to see in the movie. This box is called the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating. Ratings are given after a group from the MPAA view the film in advance. They then discuss the material seen and make an educated estimate on what they think American parents would deem acceptable for their children. While the ages stated on the ratings are not enforced by the law, they give an unbiased opinion on the amount of adult topics the movie presents to the audience. Many teenagers think these ratings have no relevance to what they want to watch. They view themselves as adult-enough to make their own decisions concerning everything. This doesn’t give teenagers a reason for not paying attention to the ratings. In order to make an educated decision and to make sure they know what they’re getting into, they should read the ratings and several reviews. Making rash decisions based on whether the trailer has awesome effects or an extremely handsome actor is not preparing them to be adults. For example, The King’s Speech was rated R for language. While this language is typical in a high school setting, some people find this offensive or disturbing. The rating was useful to people who do not want to hear the F-bomb several times in a row. The ratings are also used by parents to allow them to preview a movie before it opens. This ultimately gives the parents the decision to either approve or disapprove of any movie they choose. And as each parent has different standards, the ratings give only a brief overview so parents can make a level-headed decision. The ratings are no more than guideline to what ages they think should be able to view the presented material. Teenagers are not forced to comply with it, but they should consult it in order to not make an ignorant decision. They don’t want to find a movie is out of their comfort-zone. Meleena O’Neill
Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) gives a third-person overview of what the viewer should expect to see in the movie.
Confederate conundrum: Southern pride or racist symbol? You’ve all seen it flying around town in the back of a pickup truck: the Confederate flag. The owner of the truck prominently displays the flag from his truck bed and repeatedly parades it up and down College Avenue. When the Fort Collins Coloradoan featured a large, frontpage picture of the truck and the flag on April 9, I expected an explanation in the caption and the accompanying story of the flag. Instead, there was very little acknowledgment of the flag and the story focused on cruising as safe, fun entertainment. I was disappointed in the coverage because I believe the Confederate flag carries a racist connotation. It has also become a symbol that the KKK relishes. Because of its controversial nature, the coverage in the newspaper should have offered more explanation, rather than leaving the picture of the flag mostly unacknowledged. While people argue that the Confederate flag is merely a source of southern pride, this claim is ridiculous because the flag represents a culture of racial
In the Haus Cassa Niedringhaus supremacy. Just as the Confederate flag has come to symbolize racism, the swastika has become associated with Hitler’s rule. Germany was a very powerful and prosperous nation in Europe under Hitler’s dictatorship, but that doesn’t justify people of German heritage displaying swastikas and claiming that they are merely demonstrating pride for Germany. The Anti-Defamation League lists the Confederate flag as a hate symbol “used by racists to represent white domination of African-Americans.” Also, South Carolina still prominently flies the Confederate flag at the Statehouse in the capitol. Because of this action, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) boycotts the state. The NAACP was founded in 1909 to protect and advocate
for civil rights. It’s website lists it as the “nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.” The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) also refuses to hold any athletic tournaments in the state while the flag is flying. If these prominent organizations are making it clear that they don’t support the flying of this flag, it is evident that this flag carries a negative connotation. Defenders of the flag claim that it is their First Amendment right to fly the flag. I am adamantly in favor of the First Amendment and agree that if a person chooses to fly the flag, they have the right to do so. We should not restrict free expression just because we disagree with what is being expressed. However, when a newspaper displays a picture of such a disputed symbol, the issue of its racist connotation should be addressed. Such a controversial image should not be displayed on the front page of a newspaper with no further discussion of it. Cassa Niedringhaus is a senior and Editor-in-Chief for the RM Highlighter.
ovie ratings have been debated over for years. Since 1968 certain types of movies have been restricted towards different age groups of people. While usually appropriate, some of these ratings can be considered unreasonable and restrict younger viewers from getting to see a film that could teach them valuable lesson. The Hunger Games, a movie rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), contains scenes of kids under 18 killing each other in order to survive in a violent contest, meanwhile the killing is being televised for their whole country to see. Some of these scenes are somewhat graphic and show kids doing whatever possible in order to survive. While, in a new movie called Bully, it shows the true story of five families who have to live with some aspect of bullying. The movie, which is targeted toward young kids, was made in order to teach its viewers about the effects of bullying and how it harms teenagers and their families. The MPAA rated Bully R at first because of its excessive use of the f-word and other obscenities, not because of its showing of kids hitting each other or the discussion of a young boy who was bullied so much that he was driven to killing himself. That movie created a controversy which caught the attention of the country and many celebrities. A petition was created in order to lower the movie rating of Bully to PG-13; 475,000 signatures were collected and Bully became a PG-13 rated movie. Countless words that make a movie earn an R rating Reanna Nelson can be heard throughout school. Many of the violent actions that are seen in rated R movies can easily be viewed on the internet or television. The sexual aspects of it are even seen in schoolprovided health classes. Many people have snuck into a movie which they were not supposed to go in, so why bother with ratings? Reviews from movie critics should be the only ratings. They provide a good summary of the movie and all of its contents that might be controversial. However, the reviews will not prevent anyone from getting into a movie without an older person with them. The rating system only restricts one group of people, everyone under 17 who wants to watch an R-rated movie, so why even bother having it? Cammie Palomino
Photo Poll
Killian Hardy, freshman
Are Motion Picture Association of America ratings important? “I guess it’s pretty important if I’m taking someone with me. I might take an 11-yearold to a PG-13 movie but not a 6-year-old.” “I think sometimes they can be really ridiculous, but I’m not going to go see a NC-17 movie.”
Dani Harton, sophomore
Austin Druse, junior
“I don’t pay any attention to them except for R because they ask for an I.D., but outside of a theater, I don’t pay any attention.” “For the most part, they weren’t too important; I guess it depended on why they were rated.”
Connor Runyan senior
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the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Baseball team finding form by Grant Rotman Reporter
Losing veterans and leaders is a reality that every high school sport team faces each year, some worse than others. It’s easy for a team to fall from straight domination of their league to a run-of-the-mill crew after losing as many seniors as the baseball team did last year, but they are proving tougher than one might expect. After beating Poudre, the top team in the league, last weekend, it’s apparent that they might have a real shot at making it far in playoffs. “It’s a really even league this season, but we’ve still got some skills to show in the next five games,” said junior right fielder Spencer Ibarra. The Lobos no longer have a chance at hosting a district tournament, but they do have a
Throwing hard: Sophomore Cory Richer (left) throws a pitch against Monarch High School in an April 14 home game, while fellow junior Marcus Bean (below) sets down a bunt in an April 4 game against Pomona High School. The Lobos won both games--4-2 over Monarch and 6-1 in the non-league contest against Pomona.
Baseball Record: 9-6 Stars: Carl Stajduhar and Nick Komar.
Sophomore Stajduhar picked up conference pitching wins against Collins and Fairview, while senior shortstop Komar is hitting better than .370. Ahead: Although the team has won 4 of its last 5, games against Legacy (Saturday) and Fossil (May 1) could decide the Lobos’ postseason fate. Working On: Team unity.
very good shot at getting into the playoffs. The team is young this year and senior Trevor Bell said this has impacted the team chemistry. “There’s not as much team chemistry this year since there are so many new players,” Bell said. “The last few years, we had all played together since little league and on competitive teams.” However, the team does still have its leaders such as senior Nick Komar, who has been on varsity for three years and is using his experience to help the team.
Cammie Palomino
Despite the young age of the team, the leadership has helped them to maintain a brotherhood customary to Rocky’s baseball teams. “To have a good team you need to like your teammate; if you have a problem with someone you erase it,” Ibarra said. “It’s a good experience.”
Ed Kennedy
McMillin plans to continue diving at next level by Grant Rotman Reporter
Making a splash: Senior Alex Johnson (top) swims the freestyle, while senior Eric McMillin (right) runs up to perform a dive at the City Meet on April 19 at Edora Pool and Ice Center. The Lobos placed 4th as a team, but the diving team earned first place.
Cassa Niedringhaus
Track & Field Record: Boys-3rd at April 18 City Meet; girls 4th. Stars: Ethan Karp. At the City Meet, he won the high jump (6-2), placed 2nd in the shot (50-9 1/2) and 3rd in the disc (145-0). Ahead: John Martin Invitation on May 3; conference meet starts on May 8. Talk: “We have been doing pretty well this season. We have been top 4 or 5 at each meet, which is great for the team.” -senior Austin Walter
Boys’ Lacrosse Record: 9-4 Stars: Cole Bradly – three goals against Monarch, Anthony Frucci, Will Laybourn, Jules Richard. Ahead: : Sat. at No. 4 Kent Denver. Working On: Peaking at the right moment for playoffs, starting to gel as a team. Talk: “We’ve had our ups and downs. I think we’re getting to the point where we have confidence which will help in the playoffs.” -senior Calvin Jouard
High school sports are tough enough, but a senior approaching the end of his high school career and preparing for college, with or without continuing his sport, is a whole new ordeal. Senior Eric McMillin is all too aware of the challenges of continuing diving after graduation. However, diving is his passion and McMillin has been leaping headfirst into the competition of high school swimming and diving meets since his freshman year. McMillin is a resilient asset to this year’s team and defends a spot in Colorado’s top five high school divers. “When state comes around this year, I’m going to win it,” McMillin declared.
McMillin will carry this optimism and competitive nature with him to the University of Wyoming next year. He signed onto the Wyoming dive team in November. Senior Colton Hankins hopes to join McMillin on the Wyoming dive team next year by walking on. “It’s going to be hard; there’s way more competition and the level of skill is way higher,” Hankins said. Even though these seniors are looking ahead to college competition, they both said this year has been a good experience. The nine divers on the Rocky team have kept a very strong sense of unity throughout the season. McMillin and Hankins agreed that their small dive unit is extremely tightknit. McMillin noted that, like other sport
teams, they have quirky traditions during warm-ups, which help improve the team atmosphere. He said it is important to keep practices upbeat and enjoyable. Although four of the nine team members are seniors, Hankins said that the underclassmen have made strong contributions to the team, as well. “The underclassmen are doing really well,” Hankins said. “Some of them are going to be strong assets to the team in future seasons.” Hankins is enthusiastic about their ability to compete and finish out the season. They are demonstrating their serious dedication to diving while, at the same time, keeping the activity light-hearted and fun.
Girls’ Soccer Record: 6-4-1 Stars: Hannah Clark, Shelby Bowden Ahead: May 1 at Fossil Working On: Keeping possession, scoring, hunger for the ball Talk: “The season is going pretty well. We definitely have some things we need to improve on as a team that will take us to the next level, but its a fun season and I love the team we have this year.” -junior Jaime Stroup, defender
Grant Rotman
Top spin: Senior No. 1 singles player Cara Cromwell returns a forehand shot in an April 17 match against Loveland High School. Cromwell is one of the top players in the state and currently supports a 13-0 record. Girls’ Tennis Record: 9-2 Stars: Natalie House, Hannah Manning--both have done well under pressure. Ahead: Conference Meet today, regionals next week. Working On: Playing consistently,
applying the practices to the matches. Talk: “I’m really proud of the team, and I’m honored to be a part of it. I’ve been impressed by everything everyone has done.” -senior doubles player Nicole Leinhart
the sports rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
April 27, 2012
Futbol or football?
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Junior soccer player Wagner kicking around playing football next fall Lining it up: Senior Shane Wagner works on his placekicking skills on French Field. Wagner, a twoyear starter for the boys’ soccer team, is considering playing football next fall as well as soccer.
by Ed Kennedy Reporter
A Picasso in the art of kicking, junior soccer Shane Wagner wants to share his talents with the football team. An already two-year starter on the soccer team, Wagner has aspirations of becoming the football team’s kicker next fall. The only problem–football and soccer’s seasons coincide. “I still have to talk to my soccer coaches, but what (football) coach (Mark) Brook and I were thinking was I would go to football practice for a half an hour, three or four days a week,” Wagner said. “Then for those 30 minutes, I’d practice just kicking all that time, and then I’d go to soccer practice.” His soccer teammates don’t seem to be worried about Wagner sharing his talent and commitment either. “I think it’s great,” junior soccer player Adam Bonertz said. ”I
Ed Kennedy
think you do whatever you want to do and he’s capable of doing both without losing any talent in either of them (sports). He’s one of the hardest workers I know, so I’m not worried about it affecting his soccer commitment at all.” As far as talent goes, Wagner seems to be a natural at kicking
the football. “I kicked a 55 (-yard field goal). I mean there was some wind, but it wasn’t a lot,” Wagner said. “I can kick 50s without wind, and I’m still getting better, and I am going to practice this summer.” Impressive, considering the
in athletics has granted me numerous opportunities and taught me skills that I utilize in my everyday life. I was fortunate enough to win a fullride collegiate scholarship and a fullride post-graduate scholarship, which gave me a great education without the huge amount of debt which usually coincides with six years of college/ graduate school.” Like for Borrman, this law provides the opportunity for women to do things that they previously would not have been able to do. Take videography teacher and girls soccer coach Ron Clark’s daughter for example. Molly Clark played soccer throughout her high school career and went on to play at Tabor College in Kansas. “There’s no way my daughter could go to the school she’s going to without soccer,” Ron said. “She got scholarships in art and academics, but she also got scholarships in athletics and without that, she couldn’t have afforded to go.” Not only has Title IX supplied numerous opportunities, but it has also revolutionized the gender roles of women in the sporting community. In the past, women were relegated to one or two sports that were considered “women’s sports,” like cheerleading, while the rest were left open to men. “Title IX took this misogynistic view of boys and girls and flattened it and leveled it,” Ron said. “Back in the day they said this is what boys can do and this is what girls can do, but then people would ask why girls couldn’t do the same things as boys. The fact is that Title IX gives them that opportunity.” However, the immediate results of the passage of Title IX were not as equal as one may have thought. Maroon Bells secretary Jane List began playing women’s sports after the pas-
sage of the amendment, and notes the ramshackle standards of many athletic programs. “I wasn’t here at the time; I was at junior high at Blevins, but after the passage of Title IX the girls’ volleyball team was actually using standards for volleyball that were a pole in a tire filled with cement,” List said. “That was what they were allowed to start with because there was no money, and so they had to basically make their own uniforms. There wasn’t very much money to support the sports at the beginning. Slowly, it started to catch up with us, though, so we could finally look like we weren’t vagabonds.” Like many women who participate in sports or have participated in them in the past, List agrees that they are an integrally important part of life and extremely beneficial for those involved. “From an early age now, women can get involved in athletics, which gives them an immense amount of self-confidence and it’s an outlet for a lot of kids,” List said. “It really helps them with self-confidence and leadership and it’s just fun.” More than its obvious monetary and equality benefits, Title IX provides athletic women with beneficial characteristics and life skills as well. “Aside from the equality and fairness that Title IX brought into school and collegiate athletics,” Borrman said, “having the ability to participate and excel in sports builds poise, confidence, an ability to excel under pressure, integrity, hard work ethic, composure, sportsmanship and so many other wonderful qualities that benefit an individual throughout their lifetime.” However, even with all the benefits that are extended to women though this amendment, there is bound to be controversy at some point. Numerous people argue that this requirement of schools takes away money and opportunities from men’s
sports. One specific concern is that it takes away money from high-grossing sports such as football. “The money that is spent on football programs, the coaches, uniforms, stadiums, upkeep, etc, far exceeds the monetary outlay for any women’s sport,” said Borrman, who became an All-American at CSU. “Although I haven’t done the research, I would estimate that for the majority of universities, the budget for football exceeds the budget for all or most women’s sports combined. The other side of that argument is that football also brings in the largest amount of income.” Gym teacher Kathrine Volkmann doesn’t agree with the idea that Title IX detracts from men’s sports, but she can see where this opinion comes from. “If you look at it from a football perspective, football brings in a lot of money to colleges,” Volkmann said. “But I still think that were at that point where things need to be equal. However, it is hard when your football program brings in the most money, especially with boosters. It’s too bad that everything revolves around money when it comes to schools, though.” Whatever the opposing argument may be, equality has always been a cry that prompts change. With girls now equal in the sports sphere, females have broadened their horizons, and in just 40 years have transformed the athletic atmosphere. “It’s the opportunity that matters, the fact that they have the chance to make their own choice,” Ron said. “There’s no way that should be gender specific. I don’t think there’s ever a disadvantage to equality—we all should have the same opportunity.” Borrman agrees adding, “The skills that are gained through participation in athletics benefits each individual and should not be limited to anyone due to gender, age, religion, race or any other aspect that makes one individual different from another.”
NCAA has added 510 men’s teams since 1988-89. The number of male student-athletes has grown from 214,464 in 2002 to 252,946 in 2011. That’s an increase of 38,482. During that same period, the number of female student-athletes increased from 158,469 to 191,131, a gain of 32,662. Since the law’s inception, both male and female participation in college sports has increased.” CSU, though, has experienced the elimination of men’s sports such
as wrestling and baseball over the last 40 years. “Obviously, Title IX, and the female participation, made the opportunities of men decline,” Moddelmog said. “Scholarships for men declined tremendously. Me being a minor sport athlete, I saw it take effect.” “It is a very difficult situation anytime that you eliminate sports programs,” Senior Associate Althetic Director Gary Ozzello adds. “You’re not only eliminating sports programs, you’re affecting the lives of young people and their families, their history and traditions of sports programs.”
Even though Title IX had some negative attributes to it, in the long run it has done more good than bad. “It’s all about opportunity for student-athletes–males and females– first and foremost to gain an education,” Ozzello said. “At the same time, we want to make sure that we are providing equitable opportunities for female student-athletes.” “I’ll close by sharing this quote: ‘Title IX is only powerful for women if there are strong men’s programs and vice versa’- Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a former Olympic swimmer,” Susemihl said.
Title from page A8
Women from page A8
average field goal attempted by the top five kickers in the NFL in 2009 was 36.5 yards. This level of ability is a relief for junior football player and last season’s kicker for most of the year, Jake Haase. “Next year my goal was to be on a lot of special teams. I want to be on the field a lot, so not having to be the kicker would be great for me because it would take a lot of the pressure off of me,” Haase said. “I would get in my own head about that stuff, about having to kick a field goal, or a PAT or anything like that, and now I can focus on other aspects of the game, and I know that Shane is going to handle it very well.” Hasse took over the starting kicking job from sophomore Ben Brailey after he suffered an injury midway through the season. Haase, while he didn’t attempt any real field goals in a game last season, was averaging 30 to 35 yard field goals in practice.
“I feel pretty good about it. I have a lot of confidence in him (Wagner),” said Haase. “It was hard to have confidence in myself sometimes, being a kicker, because it’s a pretty nerve-racking position. But Shane, who is obviously a soccer player, is used to kicking a lot, so he’s got more experience than I do.” Along with incredible ability, Wagner is a leader and a person of great character. “He’s probably one of the best leaders I’ve ever met for our age,” Bonertz said. “It’s really impressive how good of a leader he is and how encouraging he is. He’s one of those kids that even if you were to hate half of the kids, and hated the coaches, you would still want to play just for him because you know he plays hard for you all the time. So that’s great. People like him make you stay in the game and make you want to play hard all the time, which is something special.”
April 27, 2012
Anthem Honor
sports A8
Sophomore Tyler Stevens, seniors Nick Komar and Trevor Bell, and junior Cale O’Donnell put their hands behind their back for the National Anthem before the game against Pamona on April 4. The team won, 6-1.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Alex Creighton
Ed-sclusive
No person in the United States
Ed Kennedy
Name character I once had a very wise football coach tell me, “Remember your last name.” On the surface, those words are maybe nothing more than the cliché proverb spat out by a person of authority. But when you look deeper, from these words can bloom a sense of morality and character that have the potential to carry with a person until the day they die. Sometimes athletes don’t understand that they represent something bigger than themselves. When a judgment is made about them, it reflects upon their team, school, city, country and family. Recently, three Colorado State University football players were suspended indefinitely for allegedly brutally beating four CSU students after an exchange of insults. This is the kind of event where a few bad apples have placed a blemish upon the whole program; at least temporarily. It makes athletes, and especially football players look extremely senseless and brutal. Maybe those players could have used a little advice from the wise coach. “Remember your last name.” If only they would have put the team, and honestly some sense of humanity, before themselves, maybe the result would have been different. But for now, it makes the athlete look like a brutal, selfish, emotionless monster. Was it worth it? Ending their careers and tarnishing their own reputations? An act that bred from selfishness turned out to be quite the opposite in the end. We are taught from toddler-hood to treat others as you would want to be treated, and that we are responsible for our own actions. So what about their last names? Before the incident, their last names were quickly associated with athletic prowess– idols to kids all over Fort Collins and a sense of pride to their families. But following the act, what do their last names mean now? If only they had the advice of my wise football coach, “Remember your last name.” Ed Kennedy is a junior reporter for the RM Highlighter and an offensive lineman for the Lobo football team.
Four decades ago, Title IX was signed into law as part of the Educational Amendments Act. Sports have never been the same since.
shall on the
basis of sex, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of,
discrimination
under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
Photo Illustration Alex Creighton
Title IX has given women From a men’s sports perspective, Title IX means cuts, controversy many educational gains by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
Imagine high school and college without an opportunity for girls to play sports. Just 40 years ago, this was the reality for many women, who were limited by the lack opportunities sports of in school to play pecial sports compared to their male counterparts. While girls did have the opportunity to participate in intramural and recreational sports, they could not participate in most varsity athletics. However, in April 1972 the Title IX law resolved this issue, requiring schools to provide equal opportunity to sports for girls and women. While many young women take for granted the equality in sports they are now presented with, Shelly Borrman realizes that much of her success in sports was due to the pas-
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Title IX took this misogynistic view of boys and girls and flattened it and leveled it.
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Ron Clark Girls’ soccer coach
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sage of Title IX. Borrman, a 1994 graduate, played sports throughout her Lobo career and went on to obtain a fullride collegiate post-graduate scholarship for Track and Field at Colorado State University. “I know now that my participation in so many school sports was due to the passage of Title IX, of which I am extremely grateful,” Borrman said. “My participation Jump to TITLE page A7
by Lauren Binder Sports Editor
On June 1, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the document that put Title IX in effect. Forty years later, we celebrate this historical event. But before this law was in existence, the opportunity for women to play sports at the high school and collegiate levels was limited at best. Men ruled the courts and fields, and they received more options and opportunities for earning a college scholarship outside of educational achievements. At the most, girls in high school had really only two options for any type of athletics or “women’s sports”: They were either a cheerleader or on the dance team. “They had so few opportunities; outside of school you didn’t have softball or volleyball,” said Athletic Director Wayne Moddelmog. “The access for girls was not there, and it was limited, so I didn’t see a great deal of frustration because it just wasn’t very visible. At Fort Collins
High School (Class of 1970), I didn’t see any indications that girls were interested in playing anyway. I mean the cheerleading and dance team–those were the big things.” This was the reality for women’s athletics until the tip of Nixon’s pen touched that Title IX paper. Not only did it effect options for women, but Title IX is often criticized for decreasing opportunities for men, especially when it comes to scholarships, as colleges have had to eliminate men’s programs to balance male-female opportunity. However, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Internal Operations for Colorado State University Christine Susemihl disagrees with this criticism of Title IX. “The data simply doesn’t support the perception that teams/opportunities for males have been lost due to creating opportunities for females,” Susemihl said. “But it’s a common myth of Title IX. According to sports sponsorship data released by the NCAA in 2011, the Jump to WOMEN, page A7
Earth Day attire Junior Erika Kehrwald and fellow Environmental Club members watch science teacher Dave Swartz tie-dye a shirt to be sold on the Rocks. Earth Day took place on April 22. Christine Gravelle
April 27, 2012
features B1 the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter Alexander the Creight
Alex Creighton
Rude awakening
Staff, students show passion for earth by Taylor Hitchings Reporter
According to the Clean Air Council, America’s yearly waste of paper and plastic cups, spoons and forks could circle the equator 300 times. features The Clean Air pecial Council’s website also states that, annually, people in the United States create 300,000 tons of landfill waste from shopping bags alone, and the total amount of plastic bags recycled each year is less than one percent. The Environmental Club wants to change that. “We feel that it is important for schools and students to go green because, with the growing consumption and pollution, we are running out of clean energy and resources,” said junior Erika Kehrwald, one of the club’s co-
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presidents. “We feel that conservation, renewable energy and recycling can help save us money and keep our earth and its inhabitants a healthier place now and for future generations to come.” Jump to CLUB, page B2
District, school’s yearly environmental growth by Christine Gravelle Features Editor
Consider the trash generated by over 2,000 students—it adds up quickly. Fortunately, there has been substantial growth in students and staff making a change and
recycling around the school. “In the beginning of the year, we were only filling about four recycling bins once a week; now we are filling four two times a week,” dean of students Jan Harrison said. “We have made an improvement, but we still have room to grow. Cups with straws, wrappers, and food are the top three things that we are seeing in recycling and we really want to see kids and staff be cautious about.” Poudre School District is known for being extremely strong with energy conservation and all-around green awareness and education within schools. “As a runner-up for the Sustainability Champion Award by CORE (Connected Organizations for a Responsible Economy) through the Colorado Jump to ECO page B2
Just a few weeks from now, the seniors graduate. Wow, that’s really scary. I’m a junior, and our class was the first 9th grade class to come to Rocky. Therefore, I’ve been here just as long as any of them. Luckily though, I get to have another year. I’ll be honest, when I first came to Rocky, I hated it. I was the new kid who had just moved here. I had no friends, no one to eat with and no one calling me on the weekend to hang out. I wanted to move back. But then something happened: a senior I met in my weights class challenged me to get plugged in. I took his advice and since then, I’ve never regretted it. This school is my home. It’s my family. I love it. But in these next few weeks, when the seniors walk out of the gym and we take the floor, I am a senior. Yeah, yeah, yeah, typical column, Alex. Well it is, because it’s scary. Because it’s the last year where I am a “kid.” I, and several other hundred seniors, have to decide what to do with our lives. That’s worth writing about. So it’s time to man-up. I’ve always looked to the seniors as role models, but soon I will be one, I’m not sure if we’re prepared for the role, but it’s going to be ours to take either way. We may not like it, and we might not particularly enjoy the responsibility that it brings, but we must accept it as our future comes knocking at our front door. Alex Creighton is a junior reporter for the RM Highlighter.
B2 April 27, 2012
the features rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Life-changing childhood
MacKenzie helps, inspires, changes the lives of students throughout building Teacher with insight: Freshmen Danny Murphy, TJ Solverud and Morgan Leslie work out with physical education teacer Mike MacKenzie in Foundations of Wellness and Health. MacKenzie is known around the school for his kindness and help to other students.
by Cassa Niedringhaus Editor-in-Chief
From a childhood of disarray and adversity, an exemplary role model and mentor has emerged. Physical education teacher, football and track coach Mike MacKenzie faced hardships while growing up in Miami but was able to overcome them to become the person that he is today. When he was young, his father left his family, and MacKenzie’s staff mother was left to raise the eature family alone. Because she worked long hours, he was often left unsupervised. MacKenzie said that it was a tough time for the family and that he and his brother used unhealthy ways to cope with the situation. He began to make poor choices, but he came to a point in his life when he realized that he had the power to change. “I took time to sit back and look at both paths in my life,” MacKenzie said. “I started off at a younger age on a more negative path. I started to right my ship a little bit and I started heading in the right direction, but at times I would still do stupid things. It was enough of a difference to sit back and look at it. I had an older brother, five years older than me, and he didn’t handle it (our parents’ divorce) very well. I remember looking at him growing up too, and the stuff he was going through and the stuff he was involved in and thinking, ‘I don’t want to be a part of that.’ It took really looking at both sides of the street to say, ‘I want something better for myself.’” MacKenzie said that now, as a teacher and coach, he wants to let teenagers know that even when they face adversity, they have the power to make positive choices and live healthy lives. Language arts teacher and fellow football coach Scot Jones said that he and MacKenzie have worked together with the mentor student groups for several years now. The mentor groups are comprised of Peers and other upperclassmen who provided one-on-one mentoring to freshman to act as role models for them and provide them with support both academically and socially. Jones was the one who initially encouraged MacKenzie to share his story with the students. Now, MacKenzie speaks to the mentored students each year to tell his story and empower them to overcome the difficulties they face. “He obviously has a great deal of influence over people because a lot of people can
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Cassa Niedringhaus
talk about things, but he’s lived it,” Jones said. “And when he talks about making the right choices now, you can see that in how he lives his life. “And it’s not just about the things he went through, but how he has responded to that, and the kind of model he can be. He even ended his speech (to the mentor group) by saying, ‘If you ever need someone you know where I’m at.’ And just to offer that up to some of those kids was a pretty big deal. Some of those kids, I know, still find him.” For junior Molly Reger, MacKenzie has been a mentor and confidante since she met him in sixth grade. She said he has always taken the time to listen to her and help her when she comes to him for advice. “I think the absolute highest of Mr. Mackenzie,” Reger said. “He has been one of my major influences and someone I look up to for advice, guidance and just for the overall direction of life. He always knows what to say, no matter what happens or the what the situation is. He is always there for his students, his athletes and, most importantly, his family. He is such a family man. Any chance he can get, he is with his family. He may look like a
Club from page B1
The club had a slow start to the year because so many of the key members from last year graduated, but now it’s going strong and members continue to learn about and protect the environment. “I know the students are planning to have an opportunity to work at a couple of community-supported agriculture—or CSA—operations here in Fort Collins,” said club sponsor Dave Swartz, who teaches science classes here at Rocky. “They want to go out and do a cleanup of an open space hopefully nearby to Rocky.” In addition, “We are currently working on putting composting bins in the Commons, and have been talking about putting a community garden behind Rocky,” junior and club member Brielle Nickoloff said. Earth Day, which occurs every year on April 22, gave the club a new opportunity to branch out and involve non-club members through activities like selling tye-dyed shirts with the club’s design, encouraging students to make a personalized pledge to help the environment, Bike to
big tough and rough guy, but once you get to know him, he is the most charismatic and genuine person you will ever meet.” MacKenzie has changed immensely since his teenage years, and said that while his decision to make positive choices was a personal transformation, he also credits football and his best friend, Brian McDonald, with helping him. “I think that my family and I gave Mike some stability growing up,” McDonald said. “We were best friends growing up; he spent a ton of time at my house. He was regarded as another member of the family and was always around. It is hard for me to look back and say I, or my family, helped him in one way or another because he was my best friend. I think that we equally benefited from our friendship throughout our lives. I think the main thing is that we were friends unconditionally.” Because of the lack of stability in his childhood, MacKenzie said that his ultimate goal for his life has always been to be a loving husband and to provide a childhood for his own children that he did not have. His wife, Jamie MacKenzie, said that her husband is always patient, understanding and
I think everyone, to some extent, feels compassion towards the environment simply because it is the world we live in.
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Ezra Spiegel junior and environmental club president
”
School Day, Although fun in nature, the events served a deeper purpose: to encourage students to take eco-awareness a step further. Kehrwald said, “Some things that individual students
Eco from page B1
Grant Rotman
Reduce, reuse, recycle: Senior Sarah Dideriksen joins her fellow students on recycling Wednesdays. The amount of paper recycled has doubled over the course of this year.
Department of Public Health and Environment, PSD continues to be recognized as a leader in energy conservation, innovation and operational efficiencies,” superintendent of schools Jerry Wilson said. While Fossil Ridge High School is the top eco-friendly school of all five high schools in the district, Rocky does not fall far behind. Ranked the second highest energy star rating of all the high schools, staff and students are making leaps and bounds in being eco-conscious. “I think we were leaders, but a lot of schools have caught up to us and they’re doing really good
loving with both her and their two young daughters. She said that even when the girls act up, he is able to bring patience to the situation, and they work well as a team. She said he shows the same patience and respect for his students and players. “I’m obviously a little biased, but he is an amazing person,” Jamie said. “He’s got the biggest capacity for understanding and being able to listen intently to something and giving feedback based on, not necessarily what you think you need to hear, but based on what he thinks would be the best course of action for you. It’s a different perspective from when people always try to fix other people’s problems. He doesn’t try to fix stuff; he tries to get you to figure out a different way to look at it so you can fix it. It definitely increases his capacity to understand and be involved in people’s lives in a very nonjudgmental way.” Added McDonald, “We have known each other since we were in elementary school, and I can honestly say that there is not a bad bone in him. He is a great husband and father, a great brother and a great friend. His passion for coaching and teaching come out every single day that he takes to the field.”
can do to help the environment are to try to cut down on water and electricity consumption in their own homes, recycle, bring reusable bags to the grocery store, try to ride their bikes or car pool places, volunteer with community outreaches and clean ups and, most importantly, spread the word and raise awareness to others about doing the same.” “The goal of Earth Day activities at Rocky is really threefold: to reduce our personal impact, to raise awareness in the school community, and to raise efforts towards service in the community,” added junior Ezra Spiegel, the club’s other president. Though Spiegel believes students could do a better job taking care of the environment, both in and out of school, he’s still optimistic. “I think everyone, to some extent, feels compassion towards the environment simply because it is the world we live in and the world our children will live in,” Spiegel said. The Environmental Club meets in Room 523 on Thursdays.
programs,” science teacher and environmental club sponsor Dave Swartz said. Although many schools are moving towards being eco-friendly, some are still lagging behind. Senior James Szekely transferred from Poudre High School and noticed the change in eco-mentality between the schools. “Here, kids are more educated about recycling and have a lot more initiative to recycle and be conscious,” Szekely said. “For real environmental changes, everybody needs to take personal responsibility. That way big changes can be made. It takes a lot of little things to make a big difference, so everyone has to
contribute in some way.” Szekely does his part by recycling in his household, as well as biking around town and to school. One person can make a difference, and his contribution, although small, makes a change. PSD continues to work on saving energy, recycling and supporting schools as it educates its students. “We have a really small planet and there is this idea that there is somewhere else our trash is going,” Harrison said. “Your generation really has to be the ones to make the change. It’s going to get harder and harder to live with as the problem gets larger and our world gets smaller.”
the features rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
April 27, 2012
Student works hard at Irish dance by Regan Miller Reporter
Cammie Palomino
Future Academy Award winner
Q&A
Hudson Bloom Senior Hudson Bloom has found his niche. Known for his amazing videos with weekly video announcements, Bloom is making a name for himself.
Q: A:
How did you get into movie making? I was 9 years old and I saw the making of Spy Kids 3 and thought it was super cool. I started watching the makings for other movies like Lord of the Rings and I thought it was crazy. Me and my buddy thought it would be super cool to start making movies, and from there it didn’t really start getting serious until the 9th grade. I started making some videos for Webber and people really liked them. It really took off from there.
Q:
What do you hope people will take out of your movies?
A:
I hope people will get whichever emotion I am trying to portray. It’s all about the emotion you bring out of it.
Q:
What about film inspires you and what makes you want to pursue it?
A:
Creating something, seeing people’s reactions from it and then being able to say ‘Yeah I made that!’ is such an amazing feeling. I love it so much and I just find it so crazy how you can make something out of nothing and create something that doesn’t exist. Like making Sci-Fi movies; you are taking something that you normally can’t do, and making it come to life. I hate it when people say ‘no, you can’t do that,’ when you can’t really technically do it in real life. You can do it in the movie world and do whatever you want.
Q:
Where are you going to school, and what is your plan to continue film if it doesn’t become a career?
When one looks at Irish dancers, their upper torsos just seems to be bobbing up and down, but their legs are all a blur. Irish step dancing is like no other form of dance. It demands student the upper torso to eature remain still as the legs and feet make various motions. “People find it interesting because you don’t use your arms; it’s basically all in the legs,” said junior and Irish dancer Megan Shaw. In Irish dances, there is generally a group of dancers dancing synchronized together. “Irish dance is different from other types of dance because of how technical versus ‘meaningful’ it is,” said Laurelle Haywood, Shaw’s teammate. “You could also say the style is a little more extreme than many other types of dance, with the dresses and the hair and all.” The costumes for the dancers are what most people notice when they see the dancers. With tight curls and flashy dresses, the attire isn’t entirely all for show, but rather it also reveals the history behind the Irish dancing. “The dresses are sort of flashy and showy. They used to be really traditional and now they are all into the glitz and glam,” Shaw said. “(We have) curly hair wig. We wear those because in Irish history they (the girls) would curl their hair for church and go and dance after church.” Also, according to irelandseye. com, the dresses are designed to the Irish peasant dresses worn around 200 years ago. Obviously, to add more of the show type effect, they
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Courtesy of Megan Shaw
Diligent dancing: Junior Megan Shaw (above, right) dances with a team mate. Shaw (far right) holds a certificate from a dance competition. Shaw started dancing when she was 4 years old.
have been modernized and covered in gems and glitter. Most the dresses also include an embroidered Celtic design and a brooch on the shoulder. During Irish dancing, it is also crucial to have positive attitudes and positive feelings towards teammates, due to the immense amounts of time spent together. Shaw and Haywood attend McTeggart Irish Dancing, where they have around three or four practices a week for two hours each. Shaw has
been dancing since she was four years old. She started Irish dancing at age eight. “She is awesome to be aroundand that’s no different when we dance,” Haywood said. “We are a pretty close group of friends who all get along very well, and as an assistant teacher, Megan plays a huge part as a role model for younger dancers, too.” Although the group has shows scattered throughout the year, they are primarily held during the St.
Compiled by Cammie Palomino
Patrick’s Day week because the culture of the dance matches the theme of the holiday. During these times, the group might perform more than 10 shows a day. While they may face more injuries during this time period, the dancers remain dedicated. “We get injuries a lot,” Shaw said. “This last year, there probably wasn’t one person who wasn’t injured. But you cant just stop; the enjoyment trumps over the injury.” Added Haywood, “Megan has had to work through a lot of injuries in the past year or so. Her positive attitude has always kept her from giving up or quitting, and that’s pretty amazing to me.” Shaw’s passion for this style of dance has kept her going through the injuries. “I think I enjoy how interesting it is,” Shaw said. “I’ve always loved dance. I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s just part of who I am. I also enjoy taking it with my friends. Most of them are just into it for the enjoyment, as well.”
New club to help local children, families by Regan Miller Reporter
Helping people who have been abused is never an easy task, but showing that someone is there for them amidst the rough club time is the heart of eature the Voices Carry Club. Pairing up with the Child Advocacy Center, the members of Voices Carry help bring hope and light to individuals in Fort Collins who have experienced any type of abuse. “I’ve been volunteering for a year now so I wanted to start something at Rocky,” said junior Ashley Fischer, the student leader and club founder. “It’s crazy ridiculous to see how many people in Fort Collins are abused. It’s all types of abuse, but 95 percent of it is sexual abuse. The ages are from five to 60.” Volunteering for the Child Advocacy Center and being aide to those who have been hurt is a heavy task, but the reward is greater. “We are empowering those who thought they had no voice, when in all reality they do,” said Sara Lea, the teacher sponsor. “(The members) come together, working with the Child Advocacy Center to see what the or-
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ganization needs. They volunteer their time and work. They clean, rake and decorate houses.” Even though the club is based at Rocky, rules and district regulations have limited the amount of fundraising that the club is able to do; however, the determined members meet outside school in order to volunteer. “We haven’t been able to do much fundraising at Rocky, but outside school, we do dog walks, set up booths and sell hot dogs, go to businesses and ask them to donate,” Fischer said. “It’s great to volunteer, not just to do volunteer work, but to see all the energy and hard work put into place.” By cleaning, fundraising, raking or volunteering in other ways, the students are displaying their care for the victims of abuse, and they bring a sense of hope to the home, helping the victim to understand and realize that there is someone who is there for them. “Often times they [the victims] don’t know how to get help on their own, so having someone to be there for them to either give advice or to even not give advice, it just shows them that someone cares and they are not in this world alone,” said junior Lauren Hoff. “I think I get more satisfaction knowing I’m helping someone get help who
Regan Miller
Caring club: Juniors MacKinzie Kaufman, Lauren Hoff and Ashley Fischer have a Voices Carry club meeting. They support the Child Advocacy Center, whose mission is to help children and their families through a comprehensive response to child abuse.
doesn’t know how, than just saying that it’s a good deed.” Also, the club is meant to spread awareness of abuse, and that even though we live in Fort Collins, it is all around us. “We are also just raising awareness,” Hoff said. “Right now, we are making children’s books and bracelets.” Although volunteering for such a different subject such as abuse, the club only has a few members attending
A:
I am going to CU Boulder to major in film studies and liberal arts. I’ll probably study there for 2 years and then transfer to NYU, somewhere in New York, or Los Angeles. The film industry is so big, so anything in there would be awesome. I am really interested in running various businesses, I have tons of ideas. I don’t want to get stuff working for someone. I don’t have a specific job I would want to become.
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APRIL LOBOS OF THE MONTH
SENIOR - Bronson Ring JUNIOR - Angel & Ashley Plunkett SOPH. - Addie Hammond FRESH. - Kameron Ryan STAFF - Rob Ufer
and volunteering. “It’s a grass roots club, so it’s still rather new,” Lea said. “The idea of forming a group is new, but we meet every Thursday at lunch. The more people get involved, the more kids will be benefiting with ideas they are bringing forth. More people need to be a part [of the club] to bring it to reality.” The Voices Carry club meets in room 407 on Thursdays at lunch.
B4 April 27, 2012
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k center in-depth
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Media, other factors impacting sexual revolution From music to “Teen Mom” to American Pie to TV commercials, sex in the media permeates the fabric of teens’ lives on a daily basis. For many teens, the decision to lose their virginity is a complicated one, while others choose to abstain until marriage or until they are more mature. However, in the past several decades, the ideas on sex have been revolutionized, replaced with a new outlook on sexual activity. “What was not discussed as publicly maybe back in the ‘60s, because of the sexual revolution, has started promoting more of an attitude of exploring a person’s sexuality,” Cris Flippen, director of client services at the Fort Collins Alpha Center, a resource for teens about John Williams sex, said. “I Media Analysis teacher think that this caused there to be a smaller number of kids who choose to protect their sexuality, which translates into greater risks.” The idea of this “sexual revolution” continues today, partly as a result of the media. The risqué nature of many TV ads, shows and movies today would have
It’s almost impossible to fit a role of not being someone who is considered sexually promiscuous, to somewhere in between being sexually promiscuous and not having sex at all.
“
”
made citizens in the 1950s squirm, but for modern audiences, they have become the norm. Take for instance the portrayal of teen sex in a show like Gossip Girl where it is romanticized and played up to be an experience with no consequences. The media exposes sex in a way that is both unrealistic and detrimental to teens’ realistic views of sexual activity. “They portray the ‘player’ or the ‘pimp’ for boys if you’re sexually promiscuous, or you’re a ‘nerd’ or ‘prude’ if you haven’t had sex, even if you outwardly respect women,” Media Analysis teacher John Williams said. “I think that is one of the messages sent through the media to teen boys. For girls, the media portrays them as pure if they haven’t had sex, but not in a good sense of purity.” Such an idea of purity is one that plagues many teens. In many instances, the media portrays boys who haven’t had sex, and girls who have, in a negative light. It is these types of double standards in the media that leave teens searching for their place in the sexual scene. “For guys, if you have your big football player, or any guy for that matter, who’s having sex with multiple girls, or even just one girl, is seen as like very cool and macho and ‘awesome,’” junior and Peer Counselor Kat Rock said. “But a girl who’s doing the same thing is seen as a slut. You know, she’s seen as something dirty and negative if she is doing that with different guys, or even just one.” Teens are stuck in an awkward stage of extremes, where there is almost no middle ground when it comes to talking about sexual experience. “It’s almost impossible to fit a role of not being someone who is considered sexually promiscuous, to somewhere in between being sexually promiscuous and not having sex at all,” Williams said. “There’s really no safe place for teen girls or teen boys to fit.” Williams added, “Every common repeated portrayal of sex symbols, whether boys or girls, or the roles that they play that have to do with sex are all
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by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
April 27, 2012
double standards. These definitions fly in the face of each other, which sends very distinct and confusing messages. You can’t really measure up to the portrayal of virginity or sexual activity that the media portrays.” Discussion of sexual activity is prevalent in teens’ everyday lives, but how many of teens’ perceptions about sex are really correct? Maybe one of the most misconstrued is the idea that “everyone is doing it” and that teen sexual activity is on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control, 54 percent of high school students are virgins, which is actually an increase from the percentage of students that were virgins in 1991. “I think the perception is that students are more sexually active than they are,” Williams said. “I think because the media portrays that wild lifestyle, students try to replicate that. Maybe it portrays really rigid definitions of what you should do, and that may leave you feeling excluded and not good enough. This makes you want to be that person that the media portrays, which is nonexistent and fake and that no one could actually ever be.” Not only does media have immense power over today’s youth, but it has also has had a massive influence over their lives since they were very young. “Media influences teens’ choices hugely,” Rock said. “Little girls, since they were four and five, have been watching shows on Disney, where people are kissing and wearing things that are suggestive, and stuff like that. In every song, in every movie, people are having sex and it’s just like this normal part of life. Whereas for most teenagers, they’re not emotionally prepared for that level of commitment yet.” Rock added, “It’s not just that they see it and think ‘Oh I have to go do that,’ but it’s just like every day we hear and see stuff about sex, so it’s just part of our culture and it’s become totally acceptable and seen as something that you do.” For better or for worse, an undeniable change has taken place, transforming societal views on sex and virginity in the twenty-first century.
53
%
% 1 4
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of students say they have lost their virginity.
of students feel the media has influenced their decision on losing their virginity.
of students feel judged based on their decision to be a virgin or not.
227 students surveyed
Teens promise to themselves, pledge abstinence until marriage by Alex Creighton Reporter
One look at junior Emilie Boland’s finger and you might think she’s married. However, if you ask her, she’ll explain that it’s not a wedding ring; it’s a purity ring, a promise to herself that she will remain abstinent until marriage. Abstinence is choosing not to participate in an activity, usually when one refers to practicing abstinence they are talking about choosing not to engage in sexual activities. “My purity ring is kind of like a reminder,” Boland said. “It’s kind of like the key to my heart. I would like to keep it on until I can replace it with an engagement ring.” When someone chooses to be abstinent, they usually are talking about refraining from sexual intercourse; however it can be different for everyone. Some choose simply to refrain from intercourse, but will partake in other sexual activities that cannot lead to pregnancy, known as outercourse. People choose to be abstinent for different reasons. “I want to stay abstinent,” junior Kat Rock said. “I respect myself and I feel like it’s just a decision I’ve made for my life.” Rock has decided to stay abstinent for, not only personal reasons, but also to prevent against STDs and pregnancy. Abstinence is the only way to be 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy
Photo Illustration by Christine Gravelle
and STDs. Since there is no sexual contact it is impossible for a female to become impregnated and STDs cannot be transferred. Unlike other birth-control and STDs prevention techniques, abstinence is always free, it has no side effects and it is always completely effective. “You can just get so many diseases so it (abstinence) not only protects you physically, but emotionally as well,” Rock said. “You’re probably not
going to be dating the same person that you are in high school and I think that sex is really important and it’s not something that you just want to give away.” Abstinence can be for any period of time and for any reason, but for many, abstinence is chosen for religious reasons or beliefs. “I am religious, so that’s something that kind of keeps that in my mind, that you know God gave us a body and it’s His kingdom so it’s something we need to keep pure,” Boland said. “So obviously sex is okay, I mean that’s why female and male were created. It’s something He made to be natural but He also says to keep it with one person.” Added senior Jake Renn, who is also planning to stay abstinent until marriage, “I’m Mormon, so we believe you need to be abstinent until you’re married because it’s a sacred thing. You don’t want to just give it away to anybody. You want it to be that special person that you marry.”
B4 April 27, 2012
w e n e h T
L
k center in-depth
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Media, other factors impacting sexual revolution From music to “Teen Mom” to American Pie to TV commercials, sex in the media permeates the fabric of teens’ lives on a daily basis. For many teens, the decision to lose their virginity is a complicated one, while others choose to abstain until marriage or until they are more mature. However, in the past several decades, the ideas on sex have been revolutionized, replaced with a new outlook on sexual activity. “What was not discussed as publicly maybe back in the ‘60s, because of the sexual revolution, has started promoting more of an attitude of exploring a person’s sexuality,” Cris Flippen, director of client services at the Fort Collins Alpha Center, a resource for teens about John Williams sex, said. “I Media Analysis teacher think that this caused there to be a smaller number of kids who choose to protect their sexuality, which translates into greater risks.” The idea of this “sexual revolution” continues today, partly as a result of the media. The risqué nature of many TV ads, shows and movies today would have
It’s almost impossible to fit a role of not being someone who is considered sexually promiscuous, to somewhere in between being sexually promiscuous and not having sex at all.
“
”
made citizens in the 1950s squirm, but for modern audiences, they have become the norm. Take for instance the portrayal of teen sex in a show like Gossip Girl where it is romanticized and played up to be an experience with no consequences. The media exposes sex in a way that is both unrealistic and detrimental to teens’ realistic views of sexual activity. “They portray the ‘player’ or the ‘pimp’ for boys if you’re sexually promiscuous, or you’re a ‘nerd’ or ‘prude’ if you haven’t had sex, even if you outwardly respect women,” Media Analysis teacher John Williams said. “I think that is one of the messages sent through the media to teen boys. For girls, the media portrays them as pure if they haven’t had sex, but not in a good sense of purity.” Such an idea of purity is one that plagues many teens. In many instances, the media portrays boys who haven’t had sex, and girls who have, in a negative light. It is these types of double standards in the media that leave teens searching for their place in the sexual scene. “For guys, if you have your big football player, or any guy for that matter, who’s having sex with multiple girls, or even just one girl, is seen as like very cool and macho and ‘awesome,’” junior and Peer Counselor Kat Rock said. “But a girl who’s doing the same thing is seen as a slut. You know, she’s seen as something dirty and negative if she is doing that with different guys, or even just one.” Teens are stuck in an awkward stage of extremes, where there is almost no middle ground when it comes to talking about sexual experience. “It’s almost impossible to fit a role of not being someone who is considered sexually promiscuous, to somewhere in between being sexually promiscuous and not having sex at all,” Williams said. “There’s really no safe place for teen girls or teen boys to fit.” Williams added, “Every common repeated portrayal of sex symbols, whether boys or girls, or the roles that they play that have to do with sex are all
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by Michelle Kennedy Reporter
April 27, 2012
double standards. These definitions fly in the face of each other, which sends very distinct and confusing messages. You can’t really measure up to the portrayal of virginity or sexual activity that the media portrays.” Discussion of sexual activity is prevalent in teens’ everyday lives, but how many of teens’ perceptions about sex are really correct? Maybe one of the most misconstrued is the idea that “everyone is doing it” and that teen sexual activity is on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control, 54 percent of high school students are virgins, which is actually an increase from the percentage of students that were virgins in 1991. “I think the perception is that students are more sexually active than they are,” Williams said. “I think because the media portrays that wild lifestyle, students try to replicate that. Maybe it portrays really rigid definitions of what you should do, and that may leave you feeling excluded and not good enough. This makes you want to be that person that the media portrays, which is nonexistent and fake and that no one could actually ever be.” Not only does media have immense power over today’s youth, but it has also has had a massive influence over their lives since they were very young. “Media influences teens’ choices hugely,” Rock said. “Little girls, since they were four and five, have been watching shows on Disney, where people are kissing and wearing things that are suggestive, and stuff like that. In every song, in every movie, people are having sex and it’s just like this normal part of life. Whereas for most teenagers, they’re not emotionally prepared for that level of commitment yet.” Rock added, “It’s not just that they see it and think ‘Oh I have to go do that,’ but it’s just like every day we hear and see stuff about sex, so it’s just part of our culture and it’s become totally acceptable and seen as something that you do.” For better or for worse, an undeniable change has taken place, transforming societal views on sex and virginity in the twenty-first century.
53
%
% 1 4
B5
of students say they have lost their virginity.
of students feel the media has influenced their decision on losing their virginity.
of students feel judged based on their decision to be a virgin or not.
227 students surveyed
Teens promise to themselves, pledge abstinence until marriage by Alex Creighton Reporter
One look at junior Emilie Boland’s finger and you might think she’s married. However, if you ask her, she’ll explain that it’s not a wedding ring; it’s a purity ring, a promise to herself that she will remain abstinent until marriage. Abstinence is choosing not to participate in an activity, usually when one refers to practicing abstinence they are talking about choosing not to engage in sexual activities. “My purity ring is kind of like a reminder,” Boland said. “It’s kind of like the key to my heart. I would like to keep it on until I can replace it with an engagement ring.” When someone chooses to be abstinent, they usually are talking about refraining from sexual intercourse; however it can be different for everyone. Some choose simply to refrain from intercourse, but will partake in other sexual activities that cannot lead to pregnancy, known as outercourse. People choose to be abstinent for different reasons. “I want to stay abstinent,” junior Kat Rock said. “I respect myself and I feel like it’s just a decision I’ve made for my life.” Rock has decided to stay abstinent for, not only personal reasons, but also to prevent against STDs and pregnancy. Abstinence is the only way to be 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy
Photo Illustration by Christine Gravelle
and STDs. Since there is no sexual contact it is impossible for a female to become impregnated and STDs cannot be transferred. Unlike other birth-control and STDs prevention techniques, abstinence is always free, it has no side effects and it is always completely effective. “You can just get so many diseases so it (abstinence) not only protects you physically, but emotionally as well,” Rock said. “You’re probably not
going to be dating the same person that you are in high school and I think that sex is really important and it’s not something that you just want to give away.” Abstinence can be for any period of time and for any reason, but for many, abstinence is chosen for religious reasons or beliefs. “I am religious, so that’s something that kind of keeps that in my mind, that you know God gave us a body and it’s His kingdom so it’s something we need to keep pure,” Boland said. “So obviously sex is okay, I mean that’s why female and male were created. It’s something He made to be natural but He also says to keep it with one person.” Added senior Jake Renn, who is also planning to stay abstinent until marriage, “I’m Mormon, so we believe you need to be abstinent until you’re married because it’s a sacred thing. You don’t want to just give it away to anybody. You want it to be that special person that you marry.”
B6 April 27, 2012
the limelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Dabbling in the Duckpond by Amanda Kriss Um... Hey Guys. What is that thing?
Games & Amusements Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.73)
2
Sudoku Challenge
9 7
6
3
4
4
I think it’s a squirrel!
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6
8
2
3
5
1 4
How the heck did a squirrel get into the courtyard?
3 2
6 9
2
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9 6 8
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4 1
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The objective of the puzzle is to complete the 9 x 9 grid so that every column, row, and 3 x 3 grid within the 9 x 9 grid contains the digits 1 through 9 exactly once. Each puzzle can be solved with pure logic, so guessing should not be necessary. Difficulty level: (Puzzle solution posted on bulletin board outside of Room 528.)
Photo
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Sun Apr 22 16:49:32 2012 GMT. Enjoy!
of the issue Give‘til it hurts
Hey, buddy. You OK?
Top Ten
Reasons not to graduate:
Ugh... Where am I?
You’re at the Duck That was the craziest Prom Pond!
night I’ve ever had!
Conor Schrader
Hair Raiser : Sophomore Dani Harton donates her hair on April 14. This year’s Hair Raiser event was held at Fossil Ridge High School, yet Rocky students still participated.
Play
from page B8 “I’m going tell him a story every night, but I won’t quite finish it,” Miller, who is playing Scheherazade, said. “And so he can’t kill me because he wants to know the end. I tell him the end the next night, and then start another one, but I won’t finish that one either.” She ends up telling him stories for 1001 nights. And over this period of time, they fall in love and break the enchantment that has turned him into a killer. “I’m really excited to just be able to tell these stories,” Miller said. “One of my favorites is one with this snake charmer and his wife and he sneezes and blows out all the candles, so the entire stage goes black. And they’re running around and there’s a cobra loose, not a real cobra, and they’re trying to find it. It’s so cool because the stage is black and all you can hear is just voices from random places. It really pulls you into the story.”
10. Who doesn’t love late start days? 9. College is too mainstream. 8. YOLO. 7. Want to get more worth from $500 prom dress. 6. You’re still trying to get that Lobo in the glass case to respond to “Here, Doggie.” 5. You love the Jostens “required meetings” so much, you want more. 4. Free education. Who can complain? 3. Super Senior. Superman. Super Hero. Need we say more? 2. Spark Noted all required novels. Want to actually read them this next year. 1. Rylee Johnston is staying. Why shouldn’t we? (Alex Creighton, Fahey Zink, Conor Schrader)
Everyone can enjoy this play, from small children to the senior population. There is something for everyone. And with as many as five stories going on at once, it will definitely be entertaining. “This play incorporates elements from every genre,” Kennedy said. “There’s romance in it, there’s humor, there’s a little bit of mystery, there’s some villainous parts in it, all sorts of things. It spans multiple genres and there’s so much going on that you really have to pay attention.” The cast is proud of their work. Not only do they play all the roles, but they take on the technical aspects of live theatre as well. The troupe does their own lights, sound, costumes and set work. Everything onstage was created completely or, at the very least, contributed to by the cast. “It’s really cool because you can see what actually a group of high school kids can do,” Miller said. “It’s also just a great show, period, so everyone should come and see it.”
thelimelight rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
April 27, 2012
B7
Student bands eXperiment Small town nurtures young artists, bands by Cam Chorpenning Limelight Editor
Fort Collins is something of a marvel. As a small town, it manages to sustain a thriving artistic culture, providing an environment where indie bands can grow and amass a following without relocating to large cities. The Fort Collins Music Experiment, or FoCoMX, is indicative of the community’s nurturing attitude towards local music. “It’s pretty much a music festival comprised of all local, or at some point local, artists,” junior Mark Haselmaier said. Haselmaier is part of the electronic group Quantum Theory
Film
from page B8 lain who is frighteningly inspired by his work. To fully understand these alterations, one must first become familiar with the film industry’s motives. The crux of the issue is, of course, money. “They make it based on Edgar Allan Poe because a lot of people know about Edgar Allan Poe’s writing, or they remember his writing from school,” English teacher J.D. Williams said. “But then they put it into a modern horror genre with Edgar Allan Poe as a detective character, which appeals to younger audiences. (They also use) a younger actor, somebody who’s more handsome than Edgar Allan Poe. John Cusack is somebody who’s probably more charismatic and more with it. I mean Edgar Allen Poe was the most coherent when he was writing, so I just think it’s to appeal to a wider demographic.” This “wider demographic” is reached through an increase in pacing and action in some cases, for example, the Sherlock Holmes films. “Hollywood, basically for the longest time, has always wanted to have audiences over art. Because even though it’s an art form, they’re definitely looking to make money,” senior and videography student Brian Funke said. “And so how they do that with these Sherlock Holmes movies, even though he is sort of a hero in the book, they make
Poe
from page B8 detective writers, influencing writers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie with his piece “The Murders on the Rue Morgue.” “It was a new style that had never been made before; when it was published people were clamoring for more,” English student teacher Chantal Bouveron said. “He was the first one to come up with the murder solved by a detective story. Was it seamless? No. Were there holes? Yes, but he was the first one to create this genre.” Poe’s short stories and poems have been a staple of high
with junior Nate Bethke. The duo was approached after their performance at the Battle of the Bands by one of the organizers of FoCoMX and asked to perform. Quantum Theory will be joined by other student bands such as Cluster. . . , and Shatterproof, who won the Battle of the Bands competition, thus earning their slots at FoCoMX. Both bands played shows at Hodi’s Halfnote and will advance to a district-wide Battle of the Bands. “It was a good-sized crowd,” Shatterproof lead singer and junior Branson Hoog said. “It was kind of nice to have a big crowd.” After their show at FoCoMX, Shatterproof says that the band is only getting stronger and that its members never fail to work well together. “It feels like everything’s kind of picking up and people are kind of starting to know that we’re making a move in Fort Collins,” Shatterproof drummer and
him out to be more of a hero in Hollywood because that’s going to appeal to more audiences these days just because so many people have such a short attention span. You can’t have Alfred Hitchcock movies anymore where so little happens, even though it’s great, because people won’t stay mentally involved.” The fact that people are having problems focusing on stories that lack a great deal of action and a plot that moves quickly says something about a change, not only in the film industry, but also the new paradigms of children, teens and young adults. “With more of a focus on viewing as opposed to reading, I think the ultimate result is twofold,” Williams said. “It’s that loss of imagination a little bit, and I think it’s harder for people to focus for more than 15 minutes at a time. I notice that when I’m working a lot, or multitasking, or trying to multitask, I find it hard to sit still, and I think that’s really scary because I think there are some profound things that people have figured out over the history of humankind based on the fact that they’ve stopped to smell the roses. They’ve stopped to look at their culture.” As the upcoming generation continues to demand fast, accessible entertainment, “stopping to smell the roses” in the world may become a thing of the past, and this sad trend could become a reality.
school teaching, one of the most obvious arguments for Poe’s relevancy. His popularity and the reason there is a movie based on his works is the inherent darkness in his writings. “Potentially, you have something with blood and gore and terror, which can sell at the box office,” Smailes said. “Look at the Hunger Games; it’s how many ways you can blow someone up.” Poe’s lasting legacy is not only due to his role as a pioneer of both the horror and the detective genres, but the darkness in his works and its high appeal to students.
Meleena O’Neill
Shatterproof shakes it up: Shatterproof, comprised of (from left) senior T. J. Wessel, junior Branson Hoog, and Poudre High School senior Jeremy Marmor, performs at Hodi’s Halfnote for FoCoMX on April 14. Quantum Theory and Cluster. . . also performed for the event.
junior Ben Spolianski said. Spolianski and Hoog both acknowledge the challenges, but also the joy, that comes out of the experience of being in a band. The group has come to adore what they have created
with all their hearts. “It’s kind of like a dyslexic, schizophrenic, gorgeous supermodel,” Spolianski said. “It’s totally and completely out of its mind and different, but it’s beautiful when it comes together.”
Bands like Shatterproof, Cluster. . . , and Quantum Theory are all given a chance to grow in this special little town, and their fans will undoubtedly watch on with interest as their musical careers develop.
Fat Shack fun, unique lunch option by Christine Gravelle Features Editor
The Fat Shack, a new sandwich shop, has opened up in Fort Collins and is taking hungry stomachs by storm. This unique sandwich shop has a variety of toppings, however not the food normal lettuce, eview mayo and tomato. Living up to its name, this restaurant has the “fattiest” toppings imaginable. Their most popular sandwich is called the Fat Ram, and includes eight inches of cheese steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries and is topped off with a slathering of honey mustard. Unsure where to start, I took a bite, and was surprised with the flavor. The honey mustard was tangy and the chicken was delicious, but honestly, the sandwich was a little too much. There was so much going on and the feeling after a few bites was not the most pleasant ever. I left feeling the need to eat a salad or a pound of fruit to even
R
Christine Gravelle
Fat and sassy: A Fat Shack employee takes a customer’s order. The Fat Shack’s menu combines foods like fried chicken and french fries in fatty, sauce-slathered sandwiches.
out what I had just consumed. If this beast of a sub, or any of their other sandwiches sound appealing, be prepared for this fatty and dense sandwich. While this may sound like a fun and tasty treat, know that The Fat Shack is not the best option for lunch. To start, it’s located on the corner of College Avenue and Laurel Street, so prepare for a ten minute drive. Upon arriving at the restau-
rant, the sandwich takes 15-20 minutes to prepare, but plan on an extra 5-10 minutes during lunch rush. Everything is made to order, so it takes a little longer than the famously fast Jimmy John’s. If a sub doesn’t sound appealing, try their range of fried cookies and candy. Although this may not be the best option for lunch on a school day, overall this little sub shop is a fun and different treat.
April 27, 2012
Smooth Slacklining
limelight B8
Senior Zach Duckworth demonstrates his slacklining abilities in the student center during the April 12 Wellness Day. Duckworth and others had booths and stations set up to teach students about health and wellness.
the rocky mountain hiGhliGhter
Poe,
What’s in the Limelight? Today: School: Film Festival Movie Release: The Raven Concert: Snow Patrol @ The Fillmore April 29:
The Cool,
Wicked @ The Buell Theater April 30: Concert: The Black Keys @ 1st Bank Center May 1: Concert: Mana @ Magness Arena CD Release: Carrie Underwood: Blown Away CD Release: B.o.B: Strange Clouds May 2: Looking Glass Launch Party @ Everyday Joe’s Concert: Never Shout Never @ Bluebird May 3: Concert: Enter Shakiri @ Marquis Theater May 4: School: Powderpuff and Springfest Concert: Dev @ Fox Theater Movie Release: The Avengers May 5: Concert: Tenth Avenue North @ Denver Coliseum May 8: School: Jazz Night CD Release: Chris Brown: Fortune May 11: Concert: The Fray @ Red Rocks Concert: Trevor Hall @ Boulder Theater Movie Release: Dark Shadows May 13: Concert: Drake @ Comfort Dental Amphitheater May 15: CD Release: Santana: Shape Shifter
Regan Miller
New movie keeps popular Poe out in front of the dark side by Isaac Effner Editorial Editor
With the release of The Raven today, the continuation of Edgar Allan Poe’s popularity is apparent. The question is: limelight Why has this 19th pecial century author remained relevant and popular for more than a century and a half? “To say a cliché, he set the bar for horror, like saying ‘try to top this’,” English teacher
S
Tom Smailes said. Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be one of the founders of the horror genre, giving influence to many modern day writers and directors. “When you start taking a look, there is article after article about how all modern horror came from him,” Smailes said. “Stephen King has made it very clear that he has drawn inspiration from him, and Hitchcock drew a lot from him.” Not only is Poe considered a founder of horror, but is considered one of the most important early
Evermore Jump to POE, page B7
Hollywood uses old stories to appeal to new generation by Cam Chorpenning Limelight Editor
Hollywood is a special kind of place—the kind of place where methodical detectives and depressed, troubled writers can become action heroes. With films such as those in the Sherlock Holmes series, and the new title The Raven, Hollywood has taken significant liberties with stories, characters, and even real people. The Raven is a film about a series of murders based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. When the case becomes too perplexing for the law enforcement alone, a specialist is called in: the creator of the stories himself, Poe. But
Hollywood, basically for the longest time, has always wanted to have audiences over art.
“
Brian Funke, senior videography student
Jump to FILM, page B7
Courtesy of Harry Horricks/MCT
Author taking action: John Cusack plays Edgar Allan Poe in the film The Raven. Poe is called in by the law to help apprehend a murderer using his stories as inspiration for the grisly killings.
Students flex comedic muscles in upcoming play
May 16: Movie Release: The Dictator May 17: School: Music Awards Concert Concert: Lupe Fiasco @ City Hall
”
this Poe is not the meek and disturbed author whose work is taught in high school English classes. This Poe is a tough, charismatic John Cusack on a mission to seek out and defeat the vil-
Ross &Jill Cunniff, Pudre Digital LLC
Arabian actors: Juniors Cam Chorpenning (left) and Caroline Miller (front center), and sophomore Quin Smith (right) all star in Tales From the Arabian Nights. The show opens May 4.
by Meleena O'Neill Reporter
Arabian Nights
Not many people think that a possessed killer could be funny. But that is just what Debut Theatre Company is conveying with their new production, Tales from the Arabian Nights. “It’s a comedy,” sophomore troupe member Quin Smith said. “We’ve done a lot of
more serious plays before so it’s nice to get to be able to have the humor.” In addition to Smith, juniors Caroline Miller, Sean Kennedy, Cam Chorpenning and senior Brian Funke are
Where: Lincoln Center Magnolia Theatre When: May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 Tickets: $7
part of the Debut troupe. The plot follows a sultan as he gets possessed by a scimitar and kills his first wife. While he is influenced by the sword, he marries every night and then kills his new wife in the morning. This happens for awhile until he chooses Scheherazade, who decides to outsmart him. Jump to PLAY, page B6