ROCKY MOUNTAIN
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friday march 12, 2004
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 31, NO. 7
1300 W. SWALLOW RD. FORT COLLINS CO, 80526
“...EVERYTHING AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE” FROM JOHN DENVER’S ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
news
a2: Students in construction class build doghouses, etc.
FRHS on schedule for fall opening
a3: Library fines, steep penalty for over due books.
by Natalie Grimm
opinion a4: San Francisco’s protest of state law refreshing. a5: Both sides of censorship in the district argued.
rocky sports a8: Adventure PE classes give students diverse education, injuries. a6: Spring sports preview.
Reporter
A school that has it all. Is it really possible? Well, the new Fossil Ridge High School may be close. Fossil Ridge, 5400 Zeigler Rd., opens in the fall and offers the following for students and staff: u Amazing technology u Energy efficiency uSmaller learning communities Poudre School District purchased 160 acres for Fossil Ridge from Webseer Farm. Ninety to 110 acres are being used for the building itself, athletic
fields, a track, and tennis courts. The rest of the land was sold to the city to be used for a community park. At 293,000 square feet, FRHS will be the largest school in the district, topping Collins’ 285,000 square feet. Though it will be the biggest and the most expensive ($38 million), it will cost the least in terms of energy consumption. According to project manager John Little, most schools cost between $1.00-$1.10 per square foot a year for utilities. Fossil Ridge will
come in at round 32 cents per square foot. “I’m not trying to toot our own horn, but we are national leaders in this,” Little said of the “sustainable design guidelines, which include energy efficiency. With all of this land, and a beautiful view of the mountains, no student would want to be stuck in a classroom. The future students of FRHS have lucked out. “Every classroom has a window, and the classrooms on the second floor will have incredible views
of the mountains,” future Fossil Ridge math teacher and head volleyball coach, Angela Knopf said. “I definitely want one of those rooms.” Fossil Ridge has been specially equipped with a plan for energy efficiency -- one reason there are windows virtually everywhere in the school. “Almost anywhere you are in this building, you can look outside,” Little said. In every room there is a sensor for light. When the natural light is at its fullest, the sensor will
read that, and no artificial lights will be needed. When a classroom is in need of artificial lights, however, the sensor will keep the light level the same in every part of a room. The sensors do more than just conserve energy. “The energy efficiency goes a long way towards creating a superb environment for learning,” Fossil Ridge Principal Mark Hartshorne said. “The day lighting is crucial to Jump to Doors page a2
features b1: Americana series looks at the automobile. b3: The personal computer turns 20.
center section b4-5: In-depth look at what defines a hero and why we love to see them fall.
entertainment b8: Cell phones more popular with students as technology grows. b7: Jim’s: best wings in town.
upcoming events March 24-26: CSAP testing for sophomores. Thurs. April 1: No school. (Sorry, April fools) April 19-23: Unity Week Sat. April 24: Prom from 9PM to 12AM @ CSU
Opinion Line of the Issue Now, an 8x8 cell will be the setting for the new season of Martha Stewart Living. Join in this June to see how gray walls and tangerine suits can really bring out the color of an overcast winter day. See Column, page a3
COURTESY OF RB&B A RCHITECTS INC.
New students at top of food chain by Megan Buettgenbach
Reporter
Being a senior is one of the few and short-lived perks of being a high school student. But for sophomores who are transferring over to the new Fossil Ridge High School next year, they get the experience of being at the top of their student populace twice. The sophomores are becoming the incoming juniors, and there will be no acting senior class the first year, meaning there will be no traditional “senior class” when the school opens its doors this fall.
For sophomore Marjorie Gillan, this is the major reason why she’s switching schools. “We’re going to be the highest classno seniors,” Gillan said. “We’re going to be the first to graduate high school (from Fossil Ridge).” For sophomores Marquette and Natasha Ried, being the first graduating class wasn’t the only reason for transferring. “I really do not like the block system,” Marquette said. “I think it’ll be a great Jump to School, page a2
MEGAN BUETTGENBACH
STATE OF THE ART MEDIA CENTER: Fossil Ridge High School will be one of the most advanced new schools in the state. FRHS opens in the fall.
Student challenges district, graduation date by Natalie Grimm
Reporter
After hearing about the change of the Class of 2005’s commencement due to athletic events, junior Dustin Grote and his family felt they had to take immediate action. Traditionally, Poudre School District’s graduations are held on a Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon of a weekend in
late May or early June. This year, however, the Class of 2004 has run into a problem. Graduation is to be held on Saturday, May 22, at 8:30 a.m. the same day of the state track meet and the baseball championship. In order to avoid the same thing happening again next year, the Class of 2005’s graduation has been moved to a Monday. Grote instantly began a
petition against moving the ceremony. One of his main reasons for it was that out of state family members would have a hard time being able to attend. “It’s the one time we’re going to graduate,” Grote said. Grote was able to get over 64 juniors to sign the petition in four days. The petition was then taken to the school board meeting
by Grote’s parents on Monday, Jan. 26. After presenting the petition, the Grote family was assured by the school board that the 2005 graduation will be moved. Being a varsity athlete , Grote would choose graduation over an athletic event. “I believe athletics shouldn’t control something like graduation,” Grote said.
“The graduation includes every junior and they were changing it for a few select athletes at the expense of the rest of the juniors.” Scott Kemp, a former member of the calendar committee, feels bad about the sport conflict, but says it is out of the commitees control. “It’s impossible to please everyone,” Kemp said.
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LEARNING TO BUILD THE FUTURE
friday march 12, 2004
Starting ‘ground up’ FRHS provides opportunity for new traditons by Erik Pinkston
We joke a lot about the ‘Lobo Way,’ but there is something different here.
Editor-in-Chief
PHOTOS BY S TEVE TURNEY
HARD HAT AREA: Members of Dusty Dike’s construction class build a park bench during first and third periods. Their projects may later be sold as fundraisers for the school.
Prom almost here again by Tom Gillan
Reporter
Prom, an end of the year dream for many high school girls and a tradition that has been experienced for decades. This year’s prom is scheduled for April 24 in the Lory Student Center Ballroom. “This year ’s theme is Mardi Gras Masquerade,” said Junior Class sponsor Tamara Driskill. Prom gives male students an opportunity to show how romantic they can be. “I’d like to take my date to some place real fancy,” said
senior Justin Burditt. “It lets me show them just how good I can be.” Students who are looking for tickets should look to buy at the end of the month. “The tickets will be available the last week of March or the first week of April,” said Driskill. “The ticket prices are yet to be determined.” Remember to make early reservations. “Students should make their reservations 2-4 weeks in advance,” Driskill said, “just to be sure that they secure their spot.”
A bit
From out of the shadows, a new high school emerged after a simple football game united a student body. That was the case almost 30 years ago when Rocky was a newly opened school. The student body was having trouble uniting until that football game a few years after opening. “Rocky was quickly known as the people’s place,” counselor Brad Boda said. “But it wasn’t until that football game when the students really came together.” Now Rocky’s traditions and proud student body have created a significant impact on the surrounding community. “We joke a lot about the ‘Lobo
Doors
-Brad Boda, counselor
Way,’ but there is something different here,” Boda said. With the opening of Fossil Ridge High School next fall, new traditions will be created and new rivalries formed in the coming years. Students will mold FRHS, which will not have a senior class next year. “You get to start from the ground-up,” Boda said, referring to the impact the FRHS students will have on the shaping of their new school. “It’s pretty exciting being at ground level.” FRHS will not play 5A athletics until the number of students increases in a couple
years, but the attendance drawing pool has created the prime grounds for a new innercity rivalry between the SaberCats and the Lambkins, because of the location of FRHS. “I think there will be a big competition between them and Collins,” Boda said. FRHS will draw it students primarily from Preston Junior High School. “It’s not going to have much of an impact on Rocky,” Assistant Principal Mike Roberts said. “I expect us to start with a student population over 1800 next year, as we did this year.”
FROM PAGE A1
that. Research clearly shows students learn better when they have a connection to natural light and the outdoors.” The new school will be equipped with 10 computer labs. FRHS is designed with a plan to make students feel that they are not lost in the crowd. Hartshorne feels that high schools are too big and too impersonal. The solution is smaller learning communities, or schools within a school. Poudre School District decided to adopt the popular
School
concept. Inside Fossil Ridge, there will be three separate branches, or “schools.” Each will have it’s own principal, counselor, and locker bay. The library is right in the center, and students will leave their “school” for fine arts and athletics. Teachers within each school will coordinate projects and tests so students aren’t overwhelmed with everything happening at once. “I love the idea of the school within the school. It allows teachers, administration and
students to have closer relationships,” Knopf said. The design of the building connects specifically with smaller learning communities. “We finally built a school for specific reasons instead of putting it up and then figuring out what we are going to do with it afterwards,” Hartshorne said. The building was constructed with wings for each school and offices for the support staff. This makes them more spread out, convenient and accessible for students.
FROM PAGE A1
chilly
opportunity with the smaller learning environment.” This smaller learning environment has to do with Fossil Ridge’s school within a school philosophy. There will be three schools within the same building at the same time: two senior highs and one junior high Natasha also has some benefits to expect. “I’m running for student council and JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) will be there,” said Natasha.
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“I’m looking forward to it,” “I’ll have the opportunity to be in both marching band (as a color guard) and in orchestra,” continued Natasha, who currently plays viola in Rocky’s Symphony Orchestra. “They (Fossil Ridge) have a lot of new classes and stuff that Rocky doesn’t have to offer,” Gillan said, “like cooking classes and more types of art.” For some, transferring to a new school in the middle of one’s high school career would
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seem difficult, but that doesn’t seem to be a major source of discomfort for these three. “It’ll be hard leaving all my friends, but academics are more important right now,” Marquette said. “It’ll be fun going to a new building, too.” “The school is going to be small, which may be a plus for me,” Natasha said. “Some clubs won’t go up in the first years, and the music program probably won’t be very good, either.”
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news
friday march 12, 2004
page
Free books cost a lot
by Debra Williams
Reporter
After turning a few books in late, sophomore Ashley Grover expected to dig into her pocket and pay the fine with spare change. She was expecting to pay much less than she was charged when her tardy books were finally returned; unfortunately, there is a 15-cent hike in library fines from the junior high to high school level. District guidelines specify that junior high libraries charge 10 cents per day in late fees, where as high school charges 25 cents. Grover was never notified of the increase. The 25 cents-a-day fine was more than she could
afford; they left her broke and hungry. “I didn’t have any lunch money for days because I had to pay some steep fines,” Grover said. “It sucked.” However, the media center does not decide on the price of the fine. Poudre School District media specialist Judy MacDonald clarified the process of deciding upon library fines. Librarians from each level (senior high, junior high, and elementary) get together and decide what fines are appropriate for that level. The charges relfect on expectations from students. “It was a district decision,” librarian Pam Downing said.
“We can’t at Rocky decide to charge just 10 cents per day. We have to go with what is agreed upon by all of the high schools.” Late fees bring in about $25 a week, according to Downing, and last semester an additional $620 from semester checkout. The money, however, is not the reason for having late fees. “The purpose of a fine is to get the books back in,” Downing said. “We would much rather have the books back in than charge the fines. Also, we don’t even have a limit on how many times you can renew your books.” The librarians use the money received by the school from these fines to make the Media
Court now venue for serious humor Martha Stewart used to provide insight for decorating homes; now America will watch as she decorates a jail cell Is the justice system fair? Hardly. But often it can be downright humorous. As in the case with Martha Stewart. Where else in the world would you see a court so eager to send a 62-year-old woman to her doom? The only serious charge against her is a charge that says she’s mean. Sure, she lied about some stock stuff, and she mislead investigators. But more importantly, she’s just mean, and no one likes her. And nothing is more fun then playing a practical joke on someone you don’t like. Well, yes, she could be a scapegoat. Only because people are tired of trying to make their homes look like Stewart’s and failing miserably. Honestly, not everyone has the touch to eloquently plan a five-course dinner for 22, decorate with a fresh fall flavor, and make everyone’s lives miserable at the same time. Such high expectations can be frustrating. However, when she was in court, Ms. Martha was determined to prove to the world that your life may be in its darkest hour, but you can still look good while taking the fall. Gossip magazines swooned over her choice of clothing to the courthouse. Honestly, how can she always look so proper when she’s practically burning? Yet there was nothing really newsworthy about the trial. Except for the fact that the prosecution side called streams of witnesses testifying against Stewart, while her defense was a simple, “Up yours! I could decorate your wife under a table. You have to love me.” The good ole legal system. Along with the trial, the jury deliberations were downright hilarious. The jury deliberations for the Martha “Meanie-head” Stewart trial only lasted two days. On the first day the jurors questioned if it would be morally acceptable to make
Erik Pinkston She’s a Maniac a famous home decorator decorate a cinder block jail cell. They put their answers on pieces of paper and stuck them in a Martha Stewart Living summer hat. On the following day the jurors counted the responses on the pieces of paper. Hence the two-day deliberation. Following the verdict, Stewart issued a statement on her website, and a threat that she would become even more of a meanie head behind bars. She also made a vow to her supporters that she will not
forget about them. Even behind bars she plans to continue to teach women who are aspiring to become beastly. Now, an 8x8 cell will be the setting for the new season of Martha Stewart Living. Join in this June to see how gray walls and tangerine suits can really bring out the color of an overcast winter day. Through the season, the show will explain how to properly decorate iron bars in the holiday season to, “really bring out the best of your festive flair for your guests.” Or maybe, the show will go the popular trend and turn into a new reality show. That would be hilarious. I’d even tune in to watch. Erik Pinkston is a senior and the Editor-in-Chief for the Highlighter
STEVE TURNEY
CASH FLOW: Returning books late to the media center can result in some hefty fines. Those fines are used to make the Media Center more comfortable.
Center more comfortable and enjoyable for students. The money funds many of the interesting and entertainment aspects of the school’s library,
such as competitions. “What we try to do is give it (fine money) back to the students,” Downing said. “I take the money very seriously.”
Sophomore expelled until end of year, facing criminal charges by Megan Buettgenbach
Reporter
It’s been more than four months since the school’s Nov. 12 incident involving a sophomore male who brought a gun and three full ammunition clips to school. While the student’s name has not been released, Principal Tom Lopez reaffirms that “he’s a good kid.” “He’s doing well,” Lopez said. “He’s in therapy everyday, and he’s never missed a day.” The event on Nov. 12, 2003, began in the morning hours, when the 15-year old handed out notes to friends and staff indicating that he was going to hurt himself. After a brief search, faculty found and stopped the student. Found inside his backpack was a .45-caliber gun (unloaded) and three full ammunition clips.
The student was expelled for his actions, according to Jim Gjerde, the school’s Human Relations Liaison, It is still unknown as to if he will return to Rocky for the completion of high school pending his realease from Mountain Crest, Lopez said. “His expulsion lasts to the end of the school year which ends May 28th,” Lopez said. “So if he wanted to, he would be allowed to take advantage of Poudre School District schooling after that.” The District Attorney’s office was unable to give out information on pending criminal charges dealing with juvenile cases. But in a Rocky Mountain Collegian Nov. 13, 2003, article by Jesses McLain, it stated that, the student would be charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a Class 6 felony, along with other charges, pending his release.
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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. Ft. Collins, CO 80526. Contact Highlighter staff members at 416-7090 or (970) 416-7091 for advertising information. Also, the Highlighter Staff is in the Highlighter Room, Room 528, during 4th period. Erik Pinkston/Editor-in-Chief Courtney Mohr/Advertising Mgr. Melissa Tree/Advertising Mgr. Kyle Herman/Features Editor Steve Turney/Sports Editor Joey Murphey/Asst. Sports Editor Jake Rubin/Entertainment Editor Mike Schneider/Center Editor Sarah Rupert/Art Editor Megan Buettgenbach/Reporter Matt Coulson/Reporter Tom Gillan/Reporter Natalie Grimm/Reporter Kelly Reingardt/Reporter Heather Stevens/Reporter Debra Williams/Reporter Todd Tarantola/Graphics Mr. Stephen Wahlfeldt/Adviser
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friday march 12, 2004
opinion
Protests in SF refreshingly non-violent A
ccording to Newton’s third law of physics, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is true for just about everything– except politics. At least, not recently. In the U.S., extremism has become a popular form of political protest since the 1960s. It is now common to hear about a group employing The Issue: bloodshed and intimidation to San Francisco get their voice heard. It appears has been that people have given up on performing peaceful activism because they marriage ceremonies fear their cause will be tied up in for same-sex endless red tape. couples to But just when it seems like there protest state law. is no hope for political protests, the city of San Francisco surprises everyone. Openly and defiantly protesting for gay marriage rights, San Francisco has made itself ground zero for the biggest civil rights movement in the past 15 years. Known by many as the gay capital of the world, San Francisco has been performing legal marriages between same-sex Our View: partners, issuing a marriage license, and The protests performing a ceremony. These marriages have forced protest California state law, which defines politicians to marriage as “a union between a man and deal with an issue that a woman” and the possibility of an would Amendment to the U.S. Constitution otherwise similarly defining marriage. never be The marriages started being preformed resolved. after the Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court ruled on the issue of gay marriage, allowing same-sex marriages in the state by May. The landmark 4-3 ruling stated the Civil Unions available in Vermont do not grant equal rights to same-sex partners, therefore marriages are allowed and protected under the 14th Amendment San Francisco’s protest of homophobic law has been peaceful. It is refreshing to see a group take political activism back to the way it is supposed to be, defiant but nonviolent. The actions taken by the city have created a political uproar, forcing many politicians to take sides on a social issue many are uncomfortable with. San Francisco has finally allowed the voice of the gay population to be heard, and political action must now be taken. Action–reaction. Maybe now, politics and protests will start working in a way that is vocal, yet non-violent.
What do you think... ...about gay marriage? I think if people want to do it, then they can, but I wouldn’t. I don’t like it, but that’s personal. -Joanna Buck, senior
BUCK
It’s not really marriage if it is two guys or two girls. It should be called called “gay-iage” or “lesb-iage.” -Kellen Bachman, sophomore
BACHMAN
I think that the government has no say in deciding who people are allowed to marry. They allow interracial marriage, so why not gay marriages, too? -Jessica Sutton, senior
SUTTON
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 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. 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 that the editor agrees 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 Highlighter staff member, Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the Highlighter staff. No expression made by the students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of 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. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.
Marriage now a civil matter; not strictly religious Marriage is a very wonderful thing. It’s a joining of two people who care and love each other. Obviously, most believe this to be true. But when it comes down to the details of who is being married, things get sticky. Gay marriage is a very touchy subject these days. It’s a religious and legal issue. I understand and respect where Christian opinions come from. However, there is something familiar about these opinions. The first half of the 19th century some people denied freedom to AfricanAmericans because “it was written in the Bible.” It took a civil liberties war of over forty years to realize that prejudiced and hateful laws were unjust
Sarah Saunders Guest Column and simply wrong. Ever since this country was established as a sovereign nation, people have been fighting for freedoms. Freedom of speech. Freedom to vote. Freedom to be a U.S. Citizen. In all these situations, those who fought for their freedom won because that is what this country was founded upon.
Personally, I think gaymarriage is going to win this fight. Gay people are still people, and deserve the same rights as straight people. Many people believe that the gay lifestyle is immoral and shouldn’t be legally allowed. Well, if people don’t like, then don’t look! You don’t have to be involved in a gay’s lifestyle. It’s not like gays are out to convert everyone. What I said earlier is only half true. Yes, it’s a legal issue. Can this country afford more people having benefits when our national deficit is up to $500 billion. This is reasonable thing to consider in court. However, it is not a religious issue. People are making it a religious issue, like U.S.
Representative Marilyn Musgrave and President Bush. To make national laws biased on those beliefs doesn’t seem right. Good morals are important, but not at the expense of a person’s rights. Why is our government making this a personal crusade? You don’t have to like what gays do, but at least respect that it’s their choice. the President and Musgrave are so anxious to change things, they might as well change the ending of the Pledge of Allegiance to, “…freedom and justice for straight people.” Sarah Saunders is a senior and a guest columnist for the Highlighter.
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op/ed
friday march 12, 2004
page
Censorship necessary to avoid constant distraction in class
District policy goes too far, limits capabilities of Internet
You’re searching the web at school and suddenly get the message that says that the site is not allowed. It has happened to all of us. The district restricts us from checking e-mail, listening to music, playing games, and looking at sex-related themes. Having these Internet restrictions keeps students away from games while in school. Teachers can focus on helping out students rather than disciplining callous students. Not only do these restrictions keep us from games, but also from music. Many students try to download or listen to music while in class. When students are sent into a computer lab, they are meant to work, and music can be distracting for many students. E-mail is yet another thing the district restricts. Email, outside of your school account does not need to be checked during school. The district has allowed us to have accounts at the school. Although music, e-mail and games seem like small things, restricting us from sex-related themes is important. There is a time and place for this kind of information, and researching for your English paper is not one of those times. Also, students do not need to be looking at anything sex-related unless it is for a class in which the teacher must allow it, and a media specialist can lift the restrictions. I do understand that we are in high school and that these things are not new to us. But we need to understand that school time is not the time to be looking at sex-related themes. Teachers do not need to be focusing on making sure that students are not looking at pornography. Overall, the Internet censorship in the district is perfectly fine. We are at school and that is exactly how we have to act. School is for academics not for messing around. Students need to understand that school is not the time for games, e-mail or sex. If you want to do those things, then you can do them at home.
Don’t you just love it when you get on a school computer, try to search for something on the Internet such as “kids frolicking through a meadow” or “cats and dogs” and the website is restricted due to sexual content? This seems to happen all too often here at Rocky. I understand that the district needs to keep tabs on the sites students are entering in order to “weed out” the filth on the Internet. But there needs to be some sort of happy medium, considering that we are in a mature high school environment, and occasionally need to r e s e a r c h controversial topics. It’s nearly impossible to do any research on a controversial topic such as racism, homosexuality, and religious topics. The kinds of sites that I can understand the district censoring JAKE RUBIN are pornographic sites, music downloading sites, sites for computer games, etc. These kinds of sites can be a classroom distraction for teachers and students, but I don’t feel as if my privileges to use the Internet should be compromised because other kids have made poor choices. If a teacher has a problem with me being on a certain site, then they should talk to me. However, if a student did need to view a certain site that was restricted, they could go to Tech Support in the Media Center. Technology personnel would then send a request to the district in order for a student to view that site. As long as the student has a legitimate educational purpose, the district would more than likely be able to unblock the site. But this process could be time consuming especially if the student didn’t have much time to lose. So basically, I think that students should have full access to sites that have an educational purpose. Doing research at school should be easier, but with the necessary restrictions to sites that should not be viewable at school, such as pornography.
- Kelly Reingardt
-Steve Turney
Building a pool, better than gym With all this talk about building a third gymnasium and watching the completion of a state-of-theart track and field and the upgrading of our weight room, I cannot help but wonder why Rocky can’t have a pool to boot. Swimming is one of the best things you can do for your body. It exercises your muscles and gives your cardiovascular system
a workout, too. It is the perfect sport to cross train with other sports. To make it to practice each day, a swimmer must drive all the way across town to either Mulberry or EPIC. Rocky only reserves a few lanes for their girls’ team of 60. They have to pack into each lane to the point of where their workouts are impeded by “people jams.” Far away pools cause problems for the boys’ team, too. Freshmen and sophomores have a hard time
readerinput finding a ride to practice. And because the team is so small and the location of the practice so far away, many people do not even known they exist. Also, teams must pay a steep price in order to reserve their lanes to swim. Every high school in Loveland, a much smaller town, have their own swimming pools. Two of the high school pools in Loveland are
considered the best in the state for races. As a result of this, Loveland swim teams are among the best in the state. Building a pool for Rocky would free up space for the swim teams and increase student’s abilities to compete in athletics or just plain stay fit. It would also provide a source of revenue if Rocky chose to open the pool to the public and give a few students the chance to have a job as a lifeguard. Furthermore, opening a new pool would help bring back the
con side
pro side
District censors web to protect students
sport of swimming at Rocky and allow for us to actually host meets and increase school spirit. Although Rocky is in need of a third gym, it would be nice for us to get a first pool, as well. Swimming is one of the few sports girls and guys can do in their adult lives. We should do all we can to support life-long fitness in students. Poudre School District should do all it can to encourage young people to swim rather then allow it to become a dying art. -Josef Kulovany, junior
Basketball season reason ‘why we do what we do’ Thank you Rocky for the opportunity to coach basketball in such a great environment and for the support that you give us, win or lose. I am lucky to be able to work with such great kids in such a wonderful environment. As a team, we don’t claim to be perfect, on or off the court. In fact, we don’t even strive for perfection. We sometimes make mistakes, whether physical or mental, in basketball, in the classroom, at home, and in every other aspect of our lives. I guess that would be true of any
Jamie Menefee
Guest Column sample of students from any high school. What we do strive for is to do our best as often as possible, and I couldn’t be more proud of a group of kids that I am with this team. What makes student-
athletes unique is, not only the talent that they have in their respective sport, but the guts and mental toughness that they have to show up. They willingly subject themselves to the physical and mental strains of preparing, and then putting on the uniform and representing themselves, their teammates, their coaches, and their school. This team personified the toughness and desire that it takes to be successful and the humility to know that we had to keep working. We won a lot of games this year, and we lost some, too. All of the wins felt
great and all of the losses hurt. As a coach, I try to keep the big picture in my mind and enjoy the journey. The parts of the trip that will stay with me the longest are the relationships with the players and the coaches, the managers and the fans, the parents and the siblings, the elation of a big win and the tears when it was over, and finally, all of the laughter. That is why we do what we do. Seniors, thanks for doing your part of laying the foundation that future teams will continue to add to.
Steve, Mason, Randy, Russell and Steve, your toughness and will to win carried us this year and will not be forgotten anytime soon. I will see to that. Underclassmen, feel good about being a part of something special, and know that next year can be successful if you follow the lead of these great teammates. In case I haven’t made it clear enough, I love you guys. Jamie Menefee is the head coach of the boy’s varsity basketball team.
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friday march 12, 2004
Boys’ basketball ends with highs, lows Come back win over Arapahoe not enough for Lobos against Coronado by Joey Murphey
Asst. Sports Editor
Just before the state tournament was cut short, the boys’ basketball team played in a game to remember. “It was amazing, and a game unlike any game we had played all year,” head coach Jamie Menefee said. “Towards the end of the season, it is a great memory to have.” In the opening round of the state playoffs in Colorado Springs two weekends ago, the team was able to beat Arapahoe High School, 87-84. However, there is more to this score than meets the eye. After being tied head like, ‘this is it. Our season at halftime, the team was down is over, I can’t believe it,’” by seven points with less than a Menefee said. “We kept minute left in regulation. chipping away, fouling, scoring, “I sure didn’t (give up), but and calling time-outs, and the that doesn’t mean there weren’t next thing you know, Jared thoughts going through my Lindsey hits that shot at the FROM PAGE A1
Character to keep them active throughout life.” This is a class for all students who wish to push their limits and physically test their bodies. “We’re trying to push people outside of their comfort zone,” Dyer said. “If you are not willing to push yourself outside of that comfort zone, it makes it really difficult to enjoy this class.” The cost of the class is $55 per student, but this is more than a bargain considering how much bang you get for your buck. “We utilize all of that money,” Dyer said. “All of the things you get to do in this class, you
wouldn’t be able to financially afford in a three month period out on your own.” Importantly, this class teaches group dynamics, leadership, and communication. “I think they (students) are a good group of people because they come in open-minded and are willing to take risks physically and mentally,” facilitator Brandy Hodgson of the CSU challenge course said. “We build on teamwork and we have fun and try to challenge ourselves (in adventure P.E. classes),” senior Kelly Funk said. “It’s a lot better than other P.E. classes.”
ERIK PINKSTON
buzzer to tie it.” “It just felt like I threw it,” Lindsey said. “I tossed it up and hoped for the best. It felt pretty good when it went in.” This is when the few Rocky fans at the game, who drove all
I CAN FLY: Senior Russell Hawkins soars over defenders while driving to the basket in a conference loss to rival Poudre earlier in the season. The Lobos ended the season with a 138 record (7-3 conference) and were second in conference only to Poudre. The team made it to the second round of the state playoffs after beating Arapahoe High School, 87-84. But lost to Coronado High School in the second round.
the way to Denver, went crazy. “It was way cool,” senior Kyle Nowak said. “I felt we brought a lot of enthusiasm to the team and definitely cheered them on and helped them out.” After this memorable
Adventure
comeback in regulation, the win became within reach. “We had all the momentum,” Menefee said. “The fans we had went crazy and helped carry us through and keep that momentum through overtime.” The team came out strong in overtime and scored the first points. They were able to outscore Arapahoe 6-3 in overtime, which allowed them to savor the fruits of victory. “It was a very high-scoring game and that’s not really our style,” Menefee said. “Our guys hung in there and found a way to keep up with them because we were having a hard time stopping them.” Despite the sensational win, the team was unable to continue the playoff run, losing to second-seeded Coronado High School, 65-53, the next day on Coronado’s home floor. “They (Coronado) just had some big fellas,” Lindsey said. After the loss, the team’s final record was 13-8. “Overall, it was a good year,” Lindsey said. “I’d maybe change the last game a little bit and not go out like that.”
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well. One time in Ms. (Jo) Lacricchio’s class, a kid sent his teeth through his top lip at the skate park.” However, the students have not been the only ones to suffer the occasional injury in the class. Dyer has endured injuries over the years he has taught the class, as well as teaching similar classes during his time in Minnesota. “I’ve fallen quite a few times mountain biking,” Dyer said. “Pretty much just bits and pieces; just going and having a good time I’ve taken a few leaps.” But stories about injuries still
don’t discourage students from taking the class; students know about the potential dangers of the class. Senior Brandon Tritton hasn’t noticed many injuries this year though during his time in the class. “When we were doing broomball over at the pond in City Park, people were falling on the ice, but that’s about it,” Tritton said. Tritton has also been known to injure people in the class. “When we were playing street hockey I shot the puck and hit Dyer in the head,” Tritton said with a smile. “It left
a pretty good bruise. It’s still kind of yellow on the side of his head.” Junior Taylor Maul has experienced some pain, as well. “I got my leg stuck between a boulder and a mountain bike,” Maul said. But most students and Dyer will tell you that the class is safe as long as you pay attention. “It’s kind of about pushing yourself a little bit and getting outside of your comfort zone.” Dyer said. “We’re trying to get students to not just rest and go through the motions, and push themselves beyond where they would normally go.”
Boys’ spring teams excited for seasons Solid season abruptly Reporter ends for girls’ basketball by Matt Coulson
by Matt Coulson
Reporter
The girls’ basketball team had its ups and downs, but with this season coming to an end, the players’ minds are focused in on the learning experience and future. “The season was enjoyable; it was a fun combination of seniors and youth. But the end was disappointing,” head coach Terri Keyworth said. The team’s overall record was 13-7 (7-3 conference). They tied for second place in conference with Longmont High School. But for star seniors Sara Hunter and Courtney Mohr, ending the season with a second-round loss in the playoffs makes leaving a little more painful. “We hoped to go further in state. But what’s done is done. And next year’s team is going to be different with Sara (Hunter) and a lot of our height being gone,” junior Darci Rossiter said. With Hunter going on to continue her basketball career
If you look at the season from the outside, it may seem like a failure. But the team learned a lot throughout the season, so that makes it a success. - Sara Hunter, senior
at CSU, Rocky loses more than a four-year starter. Hunter was the team’s heart and soul, the state’s 8 th best 3point shooter, and a leader. “If you look at this season from the outside, it may seem like a failure. But the team learned a lot throughout the season, so that makes it a success,” Hunter said. However, the outlook on next year remains positive. “Next year ’s team has a bright future. A ton of young kids are coming back with the determination, coachability, and desire to win,” Keyworth said.
Pack up your basketball shoes, roll up the wrestling mats. It’s time for the boys’ spring sports: baseball, lacrosse, and swimming/diving. The baseball team seems to be super-charged with extraordinarily talented underclassmen and outstanding coaches. “I think most people are looking at us as a young team, but I think we’re good young. We will go out there and have success because we have good young players,” head baseball coach Scott Bullock said. The first regular season game will be played in Arizona during a spring break trip. The team is looking forward to kicking the season off right and then carrying it over to conference and state competition. “I expect us to do well in Arizona and really compete in regular season. Everyone on this team is clutch. There are no weak links,” junior Chris Capps said. Spring is also time for lacrosse. Boys’ lacrosse is a relatively new sport at Rocky
STEVE T URNEY
SPRING IN YOUR STEP: Varsity baseball coach Scott Bullock watches his team warm up in the outfield. The boys’ spring sports season is ready to begin.
and over the past three years, the Poudre School District Vipers, which consists of Rocky, Collins, and Poudre athletes, have been gaining experience and talent. Now, the PSD Vipers are ready to win it all. “There are a lot of seniors on this team that know the game and know what they want: the state title,” head coach Kerry Smith said. With good momentum carried over from the winter indoor practices, the Vipers are ready to show their stuff. “We prepared a lot in the offthis season with playing indoors and having a weight
lifting program over at Collins. So the season should be a great success,” senior Brett Koll said. Also, boys’ swimming and diving is ready to kick off the year and is focusing mostly on doing well and having fun. “We want to have ridiculous amounts of fun and to try to improve over the season,” senior swimmer Clint McBride said. This Rocky team has five talented swimmers and divers in seniors McBride, Jon Fidrych, Dylan Westfall, and Mike Schneider. “The most fun wins,” said McBride. “That’s a competition this team will always win.”
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Parry, track team start season with confidence by Steve Turney
Sports Editor
There is no playing around this year with the track team. Just like in years past, it has a chance to win state, especially with the huge number of outstanding athletes the team has this year. “We’re looking good. We’re pretty balanced,” junior Wil Buchanan said. The girls’ track team is led by obvious extraordinary athletes such as Julia Kloppe and Amanda Lawler. Lawler has already signed a letter of intent to compete in track and field next year at Texas A&M. Though Kloppe is going to CSU to play softball, she is still one of the state’s best discus throwers and has the potential to win a state title. The boys’ team has many strong runners this year that look to carry the team. “Joey Murphey, Aaron Braun, and Mike Lohr,” Buchanan said of the best runners on the team. “And Andy (Ghandi) Nguyen are good. They’re really fast.”
The team also looks to have successful throwers. Senior Todd Filkowski has the same potential as Kloppe to win a state title, his coming in the shotput. “We’ve got a lot more throwers out this year; a lot of young kids,” Filkowski said. “It might be boring at times, but I recommend to come out and watch us throw.” The strength of both the boys’ and girls’ teams are their runners, and Buchanan thinks a few relays in particular will compete very well. “(Mike) Lohr will do really well in the 400,” Buchanan said. “I think our 4x800 should be pretty good. Our 4x400 might be all right. And the girls, they’re just good at everything. They’re loaded.” The team performed well at a practice meet early last week, and the team and coaches seemed to be pleased with the way they each competed in their respective events. The teams’ next meet is Saturday March 20, at the Lancer Invite, and one week
Spring season sees girls’ teams ready, determined to begin by Steve Turney
Sports Editor
Entering the spring season, the girls’ soccer, tennis and golf teams have high hopes for their seasons and look to turn some heads in the conference. “The team is definitely going to be awesome,” junior Ashley Feller said of the girls’ soccer team. “We’ve got Lindsay Ralph, who is definitely a key player, and also Estelle Johnson and Katie Smeltzer keying the defense.” The team is coming off a 106 (6-4 conference) record last year and is confident that winning state is a reachable goal, and there is nothing that can stop them from winning state except themselves. “I think if we tried real hard and everyone worked together, we could win state,” junior Caitlin Long said. “But I just want to beat Collins. I think a lot of us just want to beat them.” As for the tennis team, they too are thinking a lot of good things can come out of their season, and the sky is the limit. “I think we’re looking pretty good,” junior Brenna Priest said of the tennis team. “We got off to kind of a rough start, but I think we’ll have a good season.” The team has many returning players from last year as well as some newcomers who will try to help fill the shoes of the seniors who graduated last year. But just as the soccer team, a main goal of the tennis team is to make sure they beat Collins. “We want to beat Collins, duh,” Priest said. “You know,
TOM G ILLAN
YOU GOT SERVED: Junior Sidra Montgomery serves the ball during a practice at the tennis courts. The girls’ spring sports teams are kicking their seasons into high gear.
we just want to be positive and encourage each other. We just want to have fun, and win.” Girls’ golf is also beginning their season and they will have their first match at the Skyline Invite on March 29 at Fox Hill. The soccer team begins its schedule on March 20, against Columbine High School, and its first conference match up is against Loveland High School, at Boltz Junior High School at 3:30 p.m. on March 30. The tennis team’s next match is at Greeley Central High School on March 16, and will face Poudre on April 6.
STEVE TURNEY
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Senior Ashleigh Morton (above left) competes in the high jump during a practice meet earlier last week. Senior Todd Filkowski practices throwing his shotput during practice last week. The track team has several strong runners and throwers this year with potential, and looks to compete well in most events this year.
later they have the Runners Roost Invitational on March 27, at French Field at 9 a.m. Filkowski and the team know that a track team is one large, collective effort of many individuals, and everyone needs to do well, and pull their own weight, in order for the team to do well. “You’ve got to have the individuals first,” Filkowski said. “So you have to do your part, and the team comes from that. It’s a team sport.”
Ferris returns for the first time by Steve Turney
Sports Editor
Transitioning from being a two-time Final Four starter in high school as well as being an All-State selection his senior year, former Rocky basketball guard Collins Ferris has had to learn a different role throughout the last few years. Ferris helped the ’99 and ’00 Lobos to the state championship game against Palmer High School his junior year, a game which they lost by 19. He also helped the team to another Final Four appearance a year later in a game that the Lobos lost once again to the No. 1-seed in the tournament, George Washington High School, respectively. After graduating, Ferris decided to take a scholarship to Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, where he played for two years and had to work himself into the lineup throughout his time there. “It was good. It was a good time,” Ferris said. “There was a little growth period in there with my game, you know, and just trying to do it (play well) at the best level.” Ferris had limited time his freshman year at Northeastern, but became a valuable part of the team in his sophomore year before deciding to walk-on at the University of New Mexico. Ferris successfully made the New Mexico team, and has once again had to endure the tough task of being mainly a practice player and getting very limited time at the Division I level. But it’s a role he is willing to accept. “The role has been different, but it’s a challenging level,” Ferris said of getting his feet wet in D-I athletics. “It’s not a joke, you know, I just accept what I can get.”
It was exciting you know, I got the chance to see people again, and getting to play in the arena I grew up watching basketball in. -Collins Ferris, Rocky graduate
HIGHLIGHTER LIBRARY
SCORING MACHINE: Rocky graduate Collins Ferris looks to shoot during a game at Rocky. Ferris now plays for the University of New Mexico as a guard.
Ferris was given a rare opportunity that not many people get. Last Saturday, at 3 p.m. at Moby Arena, Ferris had the chance to come back and play in the place where he grew up. He had the opportunity to play in front of his parents, Craig and Mary, as well as his three older sisters, BreAnne, Shelby, and Corbey in a conference matchup against CSU.
“It was exciting, you know,” Ferris said. “I got the chance to see people again, and getting to play in the arena that I grew up watching basketball in.” Ferris entered the game with close to two minutes left in the first half. He received many cheers as the PA announcer told the crowd he was a player from Fort Collins. Though his playing time was short, he managed to grab one rebound. Ferris is excited for the rest of the season, and hopes for more playing time next year. “We’ll see what happens,” Ferris, a junior, said. “I’m just going to do my best and see what happens out there, I just don’t know right now. But we’ll see.”
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rockysports CLIMBING A OVER EDUCATION
Sports Editor: Steve Turney
Steve Turney Fistfight in a Phonebooth
Escort services and scholarships? Huh? Imagine being able to choose any girl you wanted and that girl would be your “date” for one or more nights? Well, if you get recruited to go to the University of Colorado, this dream maybe become reality. (Sounds a lot better than a free T-shirt, huh?) This kind of “recruiting behavior” is what has CU in hot water right now. Although no hard evidence has been found, there are allegations and an investigation on the subject has been going on for about two months now. But the real question in my mind is not whether or not CU actually used these tactics in recruiting potential players, but are teams and colleges too caught up in preserving winning seasons in the future and not focusing on introducing a strong institution as well as a competitive athletic program? I do understand that winning is important in college, and that you always want to have the best players in your program. But schools should recruit outstanding athletes with pride, not prostitutes. So it seems as if the words integrity, pride, school tradition have all been thrown out the door. I can’t place any blame on recruits because they most likely had no idea what kind of “visitation” they were in for when they went to visit CU. It basically boils down to schools who have lost sight of the true meaning of college athletics and will do anything in order to win more games. Athletes should be basing their collegiate decisions on schools’ coaching staffs, environment, campus, team goals, tradition, not which college has the best strip club. And any athlete who would be dumb enough to choose a college based on “sexual favors” received during a visitation has his head too far up a “crevace to be named later” and have sold themselves short, as well. So, whether or not the allegations at CU turn out to be true or false, the thought of using sexual tactics in recruiting is awful and flushes ethics right down the drain. Ultimately, if recruiters don’t have enough good things to say about their school, campus, community and tradition to be able to recruit outstanding athletes, then they need to get a new job. Steve Turney is a senior and the Sports Editor for the Highlighter.
Friday, March 12, 2004
HARDCORE FUN AND GAMES: Members of the Adventure P.E. class gather around a climbing wall at the CSU ropes course during a class last week as they participate in a group activity. Adventure P.E. is growing in popularity and is quickly becoming a preferred class by students.
LL
STEVE TURNEY
P.E. challenges students Injuries occur daily in Adventure P.E. mentally, physically by Joey Murphey
Asst. Sports Editor
Who thought school could be this much fun? It is hard to imagine scuba diving, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and water polo being part of school curriculum, but with Adventure P.E. class, this dream becomes a reality. “You get to experience new activities that you’ve never done in your life,” junior Andy Nguyen said. “You get to leave campus and do other things
besides being in the school.” For more than seven years, Adventure P.E. has been offered to students, giving them the opportunity to experience activities that broaden their educational horizons. “The concept in the idea is to try to create an adventure-based curriculum,” Adventure P.E. teacher Mike Dyer said. “It has also turned into recreational opportunities for students to do things of an alternative nature Jump to Character, page a6
by Steve Turney
Sports Editor
Adventure P.E. is one of those classes which tests your physical strength and concentration as well as your mind, but what people might not tell you is that sometimes if you aren’t paying attention, it can also test your threshold for pain. Adventure P.E. offers a wide variety of entertaining units that not many normal P.E. classes can accept. In Adventure P.E., students get the opportunity to
try such sports as archery, scuba diving, the CSU ropes course, as well as fun games thought up by the teachers such as broomball. According to Adventure P.E. teacher Mike Dyer, it can also offer a wide range of injuries, scrapes, bumps and bruises from time to time. “Over the years and over time, I’ve had a student break his wrist rollerblading,” Dyer said. “I’ve had one kid break his collarbone mountain biking, as Jump to Injuries, page a6
Intlekofer wins state title at Pepsi Center Wrestling team ends season with state champ, pride by Joey Murphey
Asst. Sports Editor
As good as it gets. Junior Dan Intlekofer ended his wrestling season in the best way possible. He became state champion in the 140-pound weight class. “It feels great (to be state champion),” Intlekofer said. It may have not been noticeable, but Intlekofer was able to overcome adversity and win this prestigious title despite a rib injury. “It hurts whenever I turn it a certain way,” Intlekofer said. “Half of the moves that I’m used to doing, I just can’t do. I
I had it tough my sophomore year, and I choked at state. Knowing what state was all about before I went there made it easier because I used visualization. -Dan Intlekofer, state champion
stayed to wrestling one style. I wrestled on my feet and took people down.” Being in front of 19,000 people at the Pepsi Centerat the state meet was not all that contributed to his success. “I had it tough my sophomore year, and I choked at state,” Intlekofer said. “Knowing what state was all about before I went there made it easier because I used visualization.” Intlekofer was chosen to be on the Colorado wrestling team and he will compete against
INTLEKOFER other state champion wrestlers in Delaware. Intlekofer’s final record this season was 31-1. He joins Jake Hibler (135 pound) and Kris Hocum (171 lb.) as the third Rocky wrestler to win a state championship in 12 months. Of the 10 Rocky wrestlers who went to the state tournament, Intlekofer and sophomore Kyle O’Brien (103-lb. class) were the only wrestlers who placed in the top six. Rocky finished 12th in the state tournament with 49 points. Ponderosa High School finished
first with 151 points. “I thought we did pretty good this season,” O’Brien said. “We could have done a little better at state.” Despite the mediocre finish at state, the team did have a good season. They were conference champions, finished 19-0 in dual meets, and won six tournaments, including the regional tournament. This is especially good because the team suffered many injuries and sicknesses during the season. “We had the worst series of illnesses that I can ever recall as a coach,” head coach Ken Taylor said. “We didn’t get people healthy until January, but then we ended up with some injuries along the way. We had to keep battling back and I’m really proud of the group to overcome what they did this year.”
features Features Editor: Kyle Herman
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Friday, March 12, 2004
Kyle Herman
I Have A Life, I Just Choose To Ignore It
Dates to mark in the calendar Get out you calendars people, National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day is TOMORROW! I am not making this up; March is full of these weird holidays that are recognized by the United States government. For example, for those of you who too often are telling lies, like I invented the question mark, March 15 is True Confessions Day. Maple Syrup Day is on March 20. This is the day where people all over the world will cover their bodies in maple syrup and run around their yard naked all morning screaming about waffles and pancakes. For those of you that continuously are getting yelled at by your teacher for “being clowns,” I have great news! March 22 is International Goof Off Day. You can go into your classrooms and sit on top of your table and play strip poker with your buddies…I mean, according to a responsible source we all know as “the Internet.” For those of you with a fancy for nuts, March 25 is coming, and you know what that means: Pecan Day. For those of you with a passion for science, March 31 is Bunsen Burner Day. I am not real sure what people do to celebrate Bunsen Burner Day. However, I do have some suggestions. Perhaps everyone should take their Bunsen Burner out for a little picnic and sing holiday songs like, Bunsen Burning the Midnight Clear, and I Saw Mommy Kissing Bunsen. For those of you who always wait till the last minute to do things, Procrastinate Day is on March 18, but usually doesn’t start till April 10. Lastly, for those of you who just can’t wait to celebrate a holiday, then Happy Middle Name Pride Day! Boy did this come up in a hurry. It seems like only yesterday when I was buying gifts for all my friends to celebrate this holiday. Today at lunch, I suggest anyone who is proud of his or her middle name shout it loud and clear. I’d join you, but I still have not recovered from March 9: Panic Day. Kyle Herman is a senior and the Features Editor for the Highlighter
AMERICANA This series of articles is on Americana, aspects of our culture which are truly American. The series will end in the May issue featuring baseball.
Model T started American life by Mike Schneider
extensive highway system, which Center Editor allowed for Americans to live Ever since the first Ford Model where they wanted. T was put on the market, “More people became Americans are, or seem to be, in dependent on transportation,” love with the automobile. said senior Matt Stermer. On Oct. 8, 1908, Henry Ford put “Suburbs shot up and people his Model T on the market for could live in different places.” $950. Ford used the concept of the However, up until the ‘70s and assembly line to produce and sell ‘80s, it was not common for cars at a relatively cheap cost for teenagers to have their own car. the manufacturer and the Math teacher Diana Martin never customer, as well. This landmark had her own car as a teenager. event had a profound impact on “I come from a family of eight. American life. It led to an We had one car,” Martub said. “You never got to Fast Facts about American Cars drive.” According to Martin, it w The First Model T was released on was even more rare to see Oct. 8, 1908, and sold for $950. a teenage girl with a car. “Girls never got a car w In 1939, Genral Motors introduced until they got married,”
the automatic transmission.
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surveysays 78%
of Rocky students drive a car on a regular basis.
30%
of students have customized their car.
67%
of students say the simple fact that their car runs is the most important aspect of an automobile.
10%
of Rocky students have changed the body of their car.
328 students surveyed
Modifying cars, good hobby for high school students, teens by Sarah Rupert
Reporter
Whether you have a need for speed or you just want your car to look cool, more people are r ealizing that modifying their cars will offer more speed as well as their
own unique look. “People modify their cars to create a unique style that they can call their own,” senior Grant Leatherman said. Though som think it’s about being original and unique, others tend to think
otherwise. “People modify their cars because they see other people doing it and they see it in the movies. They see movies like Fast and the Furious and they want to be like Vin (Diesel) and Paul (Walker),” senior
Tyler Yadon said. “But there are some people that just like to go fast.” Leatherman said that sometimes people tend to go to far though. “Unfortunately, people end Jump to Modify, page b2
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Dorsey living a dream started in by Erik Pinkston
Editor-in-cheif
The last two years have been a dream come true for band director Sandi Dorsey. While she may be in her second year at R o c k y, Dorsey taught at Cache La Poudre Elementary before leaving in pursuit of her dream. The Florida native had a selfdescribed “incredible background” with her music. However, entering the University of South Florida at Tampa with a music performance major changed her outlook on music for years. “I wasn’t ready at that time to focus on one area,” she said. “I wasn’t prepared.” Her experience at USF left her drifting. After getting married, Dorsey ended up in Oklahoma, where she had to make a decision about where her life was going. “When I decided to go back to school, I didn’t want to go into music,” she said. Remembering the terrible
teacher feature
Modify
DEBRA WILLIAMS
attitudes of students at USF, Dorsey made up her mind about becoming an elementary teacher. “I think attitudes are formed at a young age,” she said. “I thought I could make a difference, working with kids.” As an elementary teacher, Dorsey worked to bring music into the lives of her impressionable young students. It wasn’t until a former first grade student of hers asked for help with the flute in junior high band did Dorsey consider
FROM PAGE B1
up copying others and acting like the style is theirs,”he said. “There’s a limit to what can be done with each individuals budget.” Modifying cars has become increasingly popular in the past few years and more people around Fort Collins seem to be getting interested in modifying their cars. “I got into it around three years ago when I first started driving. My brother’s friends started working for PFI. The originality caught my interest.“ Leatherman
said. Modifying cars is quickly becoming a popular pastime throughout the city . “In Fort Collins, its growing,” Yadon said. “It’s not as huge as other cities but it is definitely growing.” Though some people modify their cars just for the appearance of their car, others do it simply for more speed. Either way, Leatherman feels that it is a good hobby to get into, especially for a teenager.
playing again. “I remember thinking, my kids don’t know I played flute,” she said. “They didn’t even know I used to play.” Playing with the Centennial Children’s chorus, a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York changed her life. “I decided I wanted to get my masters in (flute), which was crazy because I hadn’t played in five years,” she said. Dorsey received a full-ride scholarship to the University of Northern Colorado. She received her master ’s
friday march 12, 2004 ’73 Q & A: Breanne Thompson
MUSICAL JOURNEY: In 2002, band director Sandi Dorsey earned her Master’s degree in flute from the University of Northern Colorado. Upon recieving her degree, Dorsey completed a dream that started back in 5th grade. Prior to teaching at Rocky, Dorsey taught at CLPE, wanting to make a difference in the lives of children. The molding of children’s attitudes at a young age is what made her want to teach.
degree in 2002. “Getting my masters in flute was me finishing something I started in 1973,” she said. Her fulfillment of her dream has been a true-life example of the power of music to her students. “I think it is really inspiring for her to keep going on,” junior clarinet player Reann Smith said. Others agree. “I think it shows the power music has on person’s life,” junior trumpet Chris Pilsner said.
History
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said Martin. Nowadays, the majority of Americans over the age of 16 have their own car. Senior Rachel Conover conjectures that Americans like cars because they go well with our fast paced lives. “People hate to have to wait,” she said. “People have such a busy schedule, and we are always working on making things faster.” Having a car means many things to many people. Students
have a wide variety of answers to what their car means to them. Said Conover, “A lot of my guy friends think a car means success. Some people live in their cars and their car means home.” According to Conover, a car is important to her because it is her place of fun and entertainment. Martin concurs that a car to her means fun, as well. “I want it to have some zip,” Martin said. “It means fun and it allows you to get away.”
Breanne Thompson is engaged to her boyfriend, and expects to get married when it is legal for her to do so. The soon-to-be wed sophomore says that although her friends and family think she is too young, she knows she is doing the right thing. Q: How long have you been engaged? A: Since Valentine’s Day Q: How long have you been together? A: For about a year. Q: How did he propose? A: He put rose petals leading into my bedroom. Q: When will you get married? A: When it’s legal for me, so probably when I’m 16 or 17. Q: How do you feel about being engaged so young? A: It’s kind of scary because you don’t know what will happen or how long it’s going to last. Q: What do other people think about you being engaged so young? A: They think I’m too young. They think it’s kind of ridiculous. They don’t really think we’re actually engaged, but that it’s more of a promise kind of thing. Q: Have you told your parents that you’re engaged? A: Yes. They say they hope that everything goes okay and they support it, but they’re nervous about it. Q: How do you know you’re fiancee? A: I met him through some of my older guy friends because they said it would be good.
friday march 12, 2004
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Will won’t admit to own brilliance EINSTIEN-INTRAINING: Tyler Will claims not to be as smart as people say he is, but English teacher Paul DeMaret will say without hesitation that Will is one of the smartest people he knows. Will is choosing between colleges like Cornell and Regis as to where he is going to go next year. Friends agree that Will is one of the brightest minds in our school.
by Megan Buettgenbach
Reporter
Even though he won’t admit to it, evidence strongly suggests that senior Tyler Will possesses an extremely high intelligence level. “He’s brilliant,” said Paul DeMaret, Will’s speech and Forensics coach. “He’s got a n extreme l y analytical mind, and as both a speaker and a writer, he has a natural skill with language.” Will, who is contemplating prestigious schools such as Regis and Cornell, is currently taking three AP classes, has an ACT scor e of 31, and a G.P.A. of a 4.0. But when asked about his label as one of the smartest kids in school, Will shook his head and said, “no, not at all.” Of course, that drew laughs from his friends. “I’d like to think I taught
student feature
MEGAN BUETTGENBACH
this kid everything he knows,” said senior Kevin Doss, a friend of Will. Doss and Will are partners in Policy Debate, an event which takes place within the school’s Speech and Forensics team. Will’s other major debate event is Student Congress, a competition in which
participants get the opportunity to simulate the role of congressmen through either debating for or against a made-up bill based on a real issue. Will won first place in the Jan. 30 and 31 Steamboat Qualifying Tournament, which qualified him for nationals for Student
Congress, which takes place June 13-18, in Salt Lake City, Utah. “I look forward to the opportunity to compete at N a t i o n a l s , ” s a i d Wi l l , who’s been a member of the school’s debate team since the fall of 2001. “It was great to qualify after working so hard (on it).” But for as much of an elation as this was, it was predictable. “It was expected,” DeMaret said. “I would have been shocked if he didn’t (get in).” “We all (Will’s fellow teammates) expected it,” said senior Edward Parker, a friend of Will’s. “He was an alternate last year, and he’s only gotten better.” Doss agrees. “It’s nice to see him go finally, when he’s been so close the years before,” Doss said. “He achieves because he has his own goals, not because he’s trying to prove anything,” DeMaret said.
2004 marks 20th anniversary of Mac What was life like before computers? Everything took 10 times as long to do. When I have to do letters to a database of 50 people , you’d have to type 50 letters, but you would have more desk space. -Sylvia Marshall,office manager
There was a lot less frustration. We are sitting for things to get done. We are waiting two minutes to run a transcript. I don’t know if it was slower to write something. -Char Mulnix, college/career counselor
Writing papers in college was much more difficult. We had to use typewriters, so if you made a mistake you had to retype the whole paper. With computers the process is much easier. -Joyce Caufman, counselor
by Todd Tarantola
Reporter
Twenty years ago, Apple Computer Inc. introduced the Macintosh during the Super Bowl half-time show. This ushered in the era of the personal computer. With 69 percent in American households, it is one of the most predominant pieces of personal technology next to the television, according to a study done by Indiana University. “It changed life as we know it. We now had a machine to do anything and everything we wanted it to,” senior Jake Long said. In effect, the commercial used robots being brainwashed by a sinister looking man, to symbolize masses of people being lead around by convention. Apple, characterized as an Olympic athlete, runs down the aisle with a sledgehammer and breaks through the conventional ways of Apple’s competition. “The Macintosh really made the computer personal,” Long said. The Mac was the first to offer a
GUI, or Graphical User Interface. These are the desktop icons and taskbars that are now common place in computers. Others have since caught up and have even become more successful on Windows-based machines with their competitive prices, software choices, and speed dominating the market. CISCO teacher Jamie Menefee said, “It’s changed my life in that it’s helped organize everything that I do.” With the introduction of the Internet, the personal computer became a virtual hub of information, changing the way people have fun and communicate with one another from their own living rooms. “It is fascinating how the PC has enhanced communication in my life. I email friends all over the world,” said Kathi Shaffer, student teacher at Rocky. Overall, the PC is here to stay and it has empowered new as well as older generations with its access to information and its ability to make life a little bit easier.
Dangerous Driving Despite sunny outlook, snow may still come for drivers by Kelly Reingardt
Reporter
Last year the sun came out, and the roads looked great. Then Fort Collins was caught off guard and was pummeled with nearly three feet of snow after spring break. Driving in the snow and ice can always be stressful. Yet there are many precautions that one may take to avoid accidents. According to VIC Road Safety, the best way to avoid accidents in the winter is to be
cautious and alert. You should also watch out for ice patches and winding stretches. “Just pay attention to what you are doing,” senior Katie Shaw said. “Pay attention to what other people around you are doing as well.” There is no extra schooling for winter driving, but many believe that new drivers just need experience. “There is no need for extra schooling,” junior Haleigh Schofield said. “People just need to experience driving in the snow with icy roads.” There are other ways to learn how to drive in the ice. Many suggest going out into parking lots and practicing. “If you could get a controlled
KYLE HERMAN
SLIP N’ SLIDE: Last year, just as the sun began to come out, Fort Collins was hammered with almost three feet of snow. This year, people need to be prepared.
driving situation that would be best,” Anthony Smith, a driver instructor for Mountain States Drivers Education, said. “It is good for experience before you go out on the busy roads.” People need to be prepared
when they start to drive in the snow. Mainly you should make sure that you are alert to what is going on. “Drive slow,” Smith said. “Teens usually start off too fast and brake too fast, so their cars slide out of control.”
Spring break brings families together by Kyle Herman
Features Editor
In a mere three hours, students all over Fort Collins will experience the glory and excitement of spring break. Students and teachers alike will get into their cars and drive on home with a huge smile on their face because they know that they don’t have to be back for a week. M a n y students consider spring break to be a fun vacation, where they can go on a road trip with their friends, to the CRAMER beaches of Cancun and Florida. But other students also consider it a time to spend with the family, enjoying other various parts of the world. Junior Hope Cramer has been spending her Spring Break with her parents every year since she can remember. “I go to Italy every year with my family as a tradition,” Cramer said. “We go to the Sistine Chapel, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, even Venice.” Cramer seems to have hit on the lost art of spring break. She sees it as a time to spend with the family, and not a time to go off and party with a keg and some friends. “I love spending time with my family,” Cramer said. “Hanging out with my brothers and my mom, it’s all a lot of fun.” Other students who spend time with their family also seem to enjoy their spring break just as much as the next guy. Take senior Joe Garcia for example. He and his family always have a new place to go for spring break, be it across the states, or across the ocean. “We’ve been to Japan, D.C, and this year we are going to Orlando,” Garcia said. Garcia believes that if it weren’t for spring break, he would just go insane. “Without spring break, school would be boring, because you don’t get to come back with all these funny stories to tell your buddies,” he said. Garcia relates one such story: “We went to a sushi bar in Japan, and we didn’t know it, but the sushi was all rotten. My mom got sick, but it’s ok, because they paid us quite a bit of money to keep quiet,” he said. Both Garcia and Cramer believe that spring break is fun, and both agree that it’s best to spend it with your family. Cramer believes that if it were not for her family, she wouldn’t have learned so much about foreign cultures. “My family has been dragging me to Italy since I was young, and at first I didn’t want to go, but when we get there, I am just too excited. I get to visit other places that increase my knowledge of other cultures.” The importance of spring break is obvious. Students agree that spring break is a perfect beginning to the last quarter of school, but many probably agree with Garcia when he says that, “It’s a little too short; they should make it a month long.”
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friday march 12, 2004
Bryant, Tyson, Rose all admit to making mistakes
by Kelly Reingardt
ROSE
BRYANT
TYSON
Bryant has been an all-star almost all of his career and has led the L.A. Lakers to three NBA Championships. And Tyson has been the World Heavyweight Champion several times and put boxing back on the map of major sporting events. So why did these “great sport heroes” lose their crown and dignity in the eyes of so many people? To history teacher Charlie Ross, it’s their actions. “I judge people on their actions, but in terms of athletes like Pete Rose, they’re the type of people not to be.” Besides their action Ross also believes that it’s there motives. “Money is what they’re after, bottom line. Some athletes claim they’re after the championships, but they are
page
Students, media fancy their heroes ‘fallen’
Athletes fall from heroic image What do Pete Rose, Kobe Bryant, and Mike Tyson have in common, besides the fact that they don’t have to work a single day in there life and get recognized every where they go as heroes? They all have fallen from there pedestals. As you might see or read, Pete Rose has admitted to betting on baseball after years of denying it and now is challenging the National Baseball Association to induct him in to the Baseball Hall of Game. Kobe Bryant is on trial for allegedly raping a young woman in a Colorado hotel. And Mike Tyson is just the tip-top of the iceberg as he has been accused of beating his ex-wife, telling the media he will kill them and, of course, biting Evander Holyfield’s ear. On the other hand, Rose was a great in baseball. He led the Cincinnati Reds to countless victories, but more importantly improved the way baseball was played.
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friday march 12, 2004
Reporter
really just after the money. We’re making millionaires out of athletes that don’t provide for a healthy social fabric,” he said. Ross isn’t the only person who has beef with these athletes. Head basketball coach and business teacher Jamie Menefee feels like it’s too little too late. “Rose just can’t lie for so long and then come clean and think everything is forgiven,” Menefee said. With all the new attitudes and views to these “fallen heroes” will people ever forgive them for what they have done? “People make mistakes, and have to live with their conscience,” said Menefee.
Heroes can be defined as anything from friends and family to celebrities and professional athletes. People enjoy having others that they can look up to and respect. Although people like to have role models to look up to, they also like nothing more than to see their role models fall from their image of them. “ I have had lots of friends who were heroes to me,” sophomore Danielle Phebus said. “And a lot of them have fallen from my perfect vision of them.” While some people constantly have heroes, others have yet to have
one. “I don’t really have any heroes,” senior Alison Webering said. “I never really have.” Whoever your heroes are or aren’t people enjoy seeing their heroes fall. With all the reports of public figures getting into trouble, people have to wonder why the public is so obsessed with seeing heroes fall. What do we find so intriguing about the failure of others? “Seeing your role models fall is interesting because it gives you the opportunity to be as good as them,” senior Adam Phipps said. “It shows you they are human and everyone makes mistakes.” With the public thriving on failure, the media has no choice but to cater to the public’s interest. Recently the media has been swamped with stories and reports of public figures getting into some sort of trouble. Celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Kobe Bryant have been all over the news. “The media thrives on failure
because it is more interesting that success,” Webering said. “People want to hear about failures not success. Some may think it is funny.” Although failure is more interesting than success, many like to see public figures fall because it shows that they are human. “Hearing about the failures of public figures is interesting,” Phebus said. “The media makes them seem so perfect and hearing about their flaws shows that they are not that perfect.” Many feel that this obsession with public figures should be stopped. People feel that public figures need to have their privacy, as well. “I don’t think that a celebrity’s life is any of my business,” Phipps said. “I don’t need to hear about every little thing that they do.” Either way, the public is constantly obsessed with the failure of others and the public figures that surround their lives. “We are all human,” Webering said. “Not superheroes.”
80%
father
of students think it is important to have heroic figures and role models to look up to
is what the majority of students said a hero or role model was to them
life-saver is what the majority of students said they consider a hero
58%
Definition of hero often varies
of students said they have had someone they look up to fall from their image of them
Personal opinion, beliefs helps shapes own description by Heather Stevens
Reporter
Whether it’s someone who fights for the good in society or someone who can act or play basketball, different people have different views on what exactly defines a hero. Greek mythology has always been based on the lives of heroes. Heroes such as Hercules and Theseus helped as a foundation of what American literature considers a hero. These Greek heroes put themselves in danger for a good cause just like Natty Bumppo in the early American novel, Last of the Mohicans. Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as a man (or woman if a heroine) admired for his (her) courage, fortitude, prowess, nobility, etc. However, everyone has a different view on what a hero really is. “A hero is an individual who stands up for their beliefs and, in a sense, becomes selfless in order to provide for the common good,” junior Vida Houck said. So, in essence, heroes such as the
American soldier and Superman could fit this definition. Junior Megan Shaffer has a completely different view of a hero. She considers a hero to be a person who you can trust and someone you hope to be like. “I think a hero has to be someone you can trust and someone who’s a good influence and inspires you constantly,” Shaffer said. “I’d have to say my hero is my dad.” English teacher Judy Lilly agrees and believes that a hero is simply anyone who we look up to as an example. “A hero is someone or thing or character that we look up to, usually because of a brave deed,” said Lilly. “We all set goals and try to achieve them and the heroic part of setting goals includes being able to look up to someone or thing as an example.” Whatever one might think the definition of a hero is, it all depends on personal opinion and experience. When heroes screw up, they also have their own heroes to tell them to admit their mistakes.
54%
of students think that public figures should be looked up to as heroes or role models
GRAPHIC BY J AKE RUBIN
320 students surveyed
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friday march 12, 2004
Bryant, Tyson, Rose all admit to making mistakes
by Kelly Reingardt
ROSE
BRYANT
TYSON
Bryant has been an all-star almost all of his career and has led the L.A. Lakers to three NBA Championships. And Tyson has been the World Heavyweight Champion several times and put boxing back on the map of major sporting events. So why did these “great sport heroes” lose their crown and dignity in the eyes of so many people? To history teacher Charlie Ross, it’s their actions. “I judge people on their actions, but in terms of athletes like Pete Rose, they’re the type of people not to be.” Besides their action Ross also believes that it’s there motives. “Money is what they’re after, bottom line. Some athletes claim they’re after the championships, but they are
page
Students, media fancy their heroes ‘fallen’
Athletes fall from heroic image What do Pete Rose, Kobe Bryant, and Mike Tyson have in common, besides the fact that they don’t have to work a single day in there life and get recognized every where they go as heroes? They all have fallen from there pedestals. As you might see or read, Pete Rose has admitted to betting on baseball after years of denying it and now is challenging the National Baseball Association to induct him in to the Baseball Hall of Game. Kobe Bryant is on trial for allegedly raping a young woman in a Colorado hotel. And Mike Tyson is just the tip-top of the iceberg as he has been accused of beating his ex-wife, telling the media he will kill them and, of course, biting Evander Holyfield’s ear. On the other hand, Rose was a great in baseball. He led the Cincinnati Reds to countless victories, but more importantly improved the way baseball was played.
b5
center section
friday march 12, 2004
Reporter
really just after the money. We’re making millionaires out of athletes that don’t provide for a healthy social fabric,” he said. Ross isn’t the only person who has beef with these athletes. Head basketball coach and business teacher Jamie Menefee feels like it’s too little too late. “Rose just can’t lie for so long and then come clean and think everything is forgiven,” Menefee said. With all the new attitudes and views to these “fallen heroes” will people ever forgive them for what they have done? “People make mistakes, and have to live with their conscience,” said Menefee.
Heroes can be defined as anything from friends and family to celebrities and professional athletes. People enjoy having others that they can look up to and respect. Although people like to have role models to look up to, they also like nothing more than to see their role models fall from their image of them. “ I have had lots of friends who were heroes to me,” sophomore Danielle Phebus said. “And a lot of them have fallen from my perfect vision of them.” While some people constantly have heroes, others have yet to have
one. “I don’t really have any heroes,” senior Alison Webering said. “I never really have.” Whoever your heroes are or aren’t people enjoy seeing their heroes fall. With all the reports of public figures getting into trouble, people have to wonder why the public is so obsessed with seeing heroes fall. What do we find so intriguing about the failure of others? “Seeing your role models fall is interesting because it gives you the opportunity to be as good as them,” senior Adam Phipps said. “It shows you they are human and everyone makes mistakes.” With the public thriving on failure, the media has no choice but to cater to the public’s interest. Recently the media has been swamped with stories and reports of public figures getting into some sort of trouble. Celebrities such as Martha Stewart and Kobe Bryant have been all over the news. “The media thrives on failure
because it is more interesting that success,” Webering said. “People want to hear about failures not success. Some may think it is funny.” Although failure is more interesting than success, many like to see public figures fall because it shows that they are human. “Hearing about the failures of public figures is interesting,” Phebus said. “The media makes them seem so perfect and hearing about their flaws shows that they are not that perfect.” Many feel that this obsession with public figures should be stopped. People feel that public figures need to have their privacy, as well. “I don’t think that a celebrity’s life is any of my business,” Phipps said. “I don’t need to hear about every little thing that they do.” Either way, the public is constantly obsessed with the failure of others and the public figures that surround their lives. “We are all human,” Webering said. “Not superheroes.”
80%
father
of students think it is important to have heroic figures and role models to look up to
is what the majority of students said a hero or role model was to them
life-saver is what the majority of students said they consider a hero
58%
Definition of hero often varies
of students said they have had someone they look up to fall from their image of them
Personal opinion, beliefs helps shapes own description by Heather Stevens
Reporter
Whether it’s someone who fights for the good in society or someone who can act or play basketball, different people have different views on what exactly defines a hero. Greek mythology has always been based on the lives of heroes. Heroes such as Hercules and Theseus helped as a foundation of what American literature considers a hero. These Greek heroes put themselves in danger for a good cause just like Natty Bumppo in the early American novel, Last of the Mohicans. Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as a man (or woman if a heroine) admired for his (her) courage, fortitude, prowess, nobility, etc. However, everyone has a different view on what a hero really is. “A hero is an individual who stands up for their beliefs and, in a sense, becomes selfless in order to provide for the common good,” junior Vida Houck said. So, in essence, heroes such as the
American soldier and Superman could fit this definition. Junior Megan Shaffer has a completely different view of a hero. She considers a hero to be a person who you can trust and someone you hope to be like. “I think a hero has to be someone you can trust and someone who’s a good influence and inspires you constantly,” Shaffer said. “I’d have to say my hero is my dad.” English teacher Judy Lilly agrees and believes that a hero is simply anyone who we look up to as an example. “A hero is someone or thing or character that we look up to, usually because of a brave deed,” said Lilly. “We all set goals and try to achieve them and the heroic part of setting goals includes being able to look up to someone or thing as an example.” Whatever one might think the definition of a hero is, it all depends on personal opinion and experience. When heroes screw up, they also have their own heroes to tell them to admit their mistakes.
54%
of students think that public figures should be looked up to as heroes or role models
GRAPHIC BY J AKE RUBIN
320 students surveyed
b6 entertainment Code explores Downtown fiction, history Students reveal
page
Contributor
With all the hype surrounding The Da Vinci Code, it may seem overplayed by now. However, any book that has sparked religious controversy and caused reluctant readers to madly fly through the pages deserves some attention. This thriller by Dan Brown offers an eclectic mix of murder mystery, fast-paced action, religion, and art history to form an intelligent novel that speaks of the past while being grounded in modern times. Although controversial in religious circles because of its claims about Mary Magdalene, this novel must be interpreted as an effective blend of historical fact, fiction, and speculation. The novel begins with Jacques Sauniere, curator at the Louvre Museum in Paris, being murdered by a mysterious stranger in the museum’s Grand Gallery. As the sole surviving key to one of the world’s most anticipated and valuable secrets, Sauniere must scramble to leave its clues behind in the last moments of his death. After Sauniere’s body is discovered in an eery, seemingly gruesome scene, an American symbologist, a French cryptologist (Sauniere’s granddaughter), and a British historian embark on the quest that Sauniere has laid out for them; unexpectedly, it is the search for the Holy Grail. Fittingly, some of the novel’s most controversial claims
bookreview The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown $25.95 Doubleday Publications 454 pages
involve a history of the Grail that is far less main stream than the story of the Cup of Christ. The Grail story involves the culmination of the book’s early explorations of the lost pagan tradition of the sacred feminine, a central belief of a secret society called The Priory of Sion. The Sion’s purpose is to protect the truth about the Grail, which went underground after the Catholic Church proclaimed Jesus Christ as the messiah. In countless paintings and writings, most prominently the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, the story of the relationship between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene is told. Mary Magdalene completes the balance between male and female, the sacred feminine half of a whole and the carrier of Jesus Christ’s royal bloodline. Dan Brown skillfully intertwines an ancient story revealed through forgotten symbols and hidden messages with a modern, fast-paced mystery involving diverse and unpredictable characters. Because of this double offering, the novel is capable of interesting people with different backgrounds and different tastes in literature. A-
favorites
their favorite Old Town spots by Natalie Grimm
Reporter
SOHO: 15 Old Town Square SOHO, a jewelry and accessory store downtown is not very common among students at Rocky. NATALIE GRIMM However, SOHO is a really THE PRICE IS RIGHT: Junior Jessica Ehrlich shops at SOHO, a popular shop in downtown interesting store with a variety Fort Collins. The store specializes in selling jewelry and other fashion accessories. of jewelry and accessories. “I found these dandy glasses imports from Nepal and Tibet. convenient as possible. “For one, the entire crew is there and they have tons of The clerks are a little hard to awesome hats, too,” junior communicate with and the store decked out with tattoos and is a little overwhelming with all piercings. The guy that did my Karla Haskell said. Things are easy to find of the items for sale inside. The piercings took his time and made throughout the store. The wide selection of beautiful sure I was comfortable the entire entrance is not very appealing, imports makes it all worth it, time, unlike mall piercings but the inside is easy on the eyes though. You can get virtually where the people get you in and with artwork on the wall above anything from Nepal Tibet, from out as quick as possible,” junior each section. Jewelry is the postcards to Buddha sculptures, Tiffany McCoy said. “I’m really main focus, with everything purses to candles, and decals to satisfied with their service. My piercings are, in the words of from costume jewelry to silver incense. Katie Atwood, ‘frickin’ rad!’” and gold. Prices vary Millenium: 211 Jefferson Ave. Millenium Tattoos and Body Millenium also sells shoes and depending on quality. Nepal Tibet Imports: 129 S. Piercing is a favorite of students’. clothing for both girls and guys Practically any piercing or tattoo with popular brands like Volcom College Ave. The explanation is all in the can be done at Millenium with the and Vans. It’s a one-stop-shop name. The store consists of friendly staff that makes it as for a new look.
by Kevin Izard
“The Facts of Life”
by Randall Stone
“At School”
AUDRA ROSE FLORAL AND GIFT SHOP
We’ll make your Prom and Graduation flowers special! FRESH AND SILK FLOWERS
PLANTS FRUIT BASKETS S TUFFED ANIMALS BALLOON ARRANGEMENTS
COUPON
by Cassie Bohlmann
friday march 12, 2004
50¢ off any boutonniere or $1.00 off any corsage Offer good only at Audra Rose Floral. Not valid with any other coupons or offers. Cash value 1/20 cent.
484-7778 2170 Drake Road In the First National Bank Plaza, near Safeway
topten
This month’s topic: Most ridiculous school mascots in the United States 10. Sugar Beeters (Chinook, Montana) 9. Rocks (Rock Island, Illinois) 8. Pretzles (Free Port, Illinois) 7. Bunnies (Omaha, Nebraska) 6. Midgets (Hurley, Wisconsin) 5. Wooden Shoes (Teutopolis, Illinois) 4. Purple Cows (Williamstown, Massachusetts) 3. Thunderchickens (Albany, New York) 2. Corn Jerkers (Hoopeston, Illinois) 1. Lambkins (Fort Collins, Colorado) Compiled by Tom Gillan, Courtney Mohr, and Megan Buettgenbach
friday march 12, 2004
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Wingin’ It Jim’s Wings soars above rest in spicy battle of chicken wings
COURTESY OF F OX SEARCHLIGHT P ICTURES
WELCOME TO THE CLUB: Actors of Broken Lizards’s Club Dread gather on the island before being slaughtered in this comedic-murder-mystery. The film is rated R and showing at Cinemark 16.
by Steve Turney
Sports Editor
Fort Collins is a hotbed for buffalo wings these days, but the only question is: Who’s got the best wings in town? In my opinion, there are three contenders, with one clear champion. The contenders are Jim’s Wings, Ruby Tuesday, and Jackson’s Sports Bar and Grill Bronze medal: Ruby Tuesday, 110 Boardwalk Drive (223-6299). Ruby Tuesday is a fine establishment with pretty good food. But when it comes to buffalo wings, they just aren’t up to par. They serve you a nice quantity of wings, a little over a dozen, with some different degrees of hot sauce. The wings don’t taste bad. I’m not saying you shouldn’t eat there, but when it comes to wings, they don’t quite compare to the others. Service: A Wings: BSilver medal: Jackson’s Sports Grill, 925 E. Harmony Road (229-0017). Jackson’s is an aboveaverage sports bar with lots of TV’s, a huge bar, and plenty of friendly faces. Their food is good, as well. Their wings come in two flavors, hot and mild. Not much of a selection compared to Ruby Tuesday and Jim’s Wings, but the wings were a lot better than at Ruby Tuesday. The wings had more sauce for the wings to soak in, as well as coming with fries and ranch/bleu cheese dressing. Service: A Wings: A
Tech
Broken Lizard’s latest proves to be ‘Dread’ful Reporter moviereview by Kelly Reingardt
Gold medal: Jim’s Wings, 1205C W. Elizabeth (493-1103). Jim’s Wings is by far the winner. Their wings range from mild all the way up to Ram Hot (with about five other choices in between), and also in BBQ and teriyaki. Their most popular day of the week is M o n d a y, when each wing costs only 25 cents. The wings always come with plenty of sauce on them, and with celery and ranch or bleu cheese dressing. They are the highest quality wings, the best tasting, and overall the best wings in Fort Collins. Service: A Wings: A
FROM PAGE B8
“I think they are super cool,” said sophomore Dani Spitz. “They are fun to mess around with and take candid camera pictures with.” However, recent news reports show that camera phones are being used for such things as pornography, typically voyeurism. Some local businesses have outlawed camera phones in certain areas such as the locker rooms at the Fort Collins Club.
Cell
“There are some raunchy people out there,” said Rutherford. “I guess I never thought about using those phones in that way, but maybe it’s just me.” Recently, there has been talk of phones coming out that help parents track their kids. The phones use a Global Positioning System to pinpoint the location of the handset. Most students seem to believe that parents who will buy these
phones simply do not know the meaning of trust. “It’s a little ridiculous that parents need to have a tracking device for their kids,” said Rutherford, “but whatever.” With all of the new technology coming out for cell phones, Taylor Manning concludes that it has become a little too much. “I think it’s awesome,” said Manning, “but a lot of it is unnecessary.”
FROM PAGE B8
back to prohibiting cell phones. “I think we need to go back,” Druse said. “Teachers used to have contests to see how many phones we could take away.” Morris believes that they can often be a problem in class. “I hear one go off at least once a day,” said Morris. “But I think more people use them for text messaging in class than for anything else.” Text messaging (a feature enabled on most cell phones)
Rubin
teachers and students alike believe has replaced passing notes in class. However, like most other cell phone features, this technology does not come without a cost. Last month Conover said her cell phone bill was $373.88. “You don’t realize how quickly it all adds up,” said Conover. “I wouldn’t doubt if my last bill killed three trees.” Druse said she thinks the amount of money teens spend
on cell phones and service is “out of control” despite that her brother is one of the top salesmen for AT&T wireless in Colorado. “I have other things to spend money on. I’ve got kids–they’ve got to eat,” said Druse. While in this day and age not having a cell phone might seem absurd to some, Druse said it does have its benefits. “It will be interesting if they cause cancer,” she said. “I’ll be hanging out by myself.”
FROM PAGE B8
Brother has begun its crusade to sterilize radio. Not only does this compromise the room for creativity, but also some freedoms of speech. It’s no wonder that more and more of the best programming appears on subscription-based programing like Sirus and XM for radio or HBO and Showtime for TV, where
creativity never comes second to censorship If Big Brother really wants to do something about the sad condition of radio, perhaps they should revise the Telecomm Act to prevent the media giants like Pig-Vomit from owning nearly every newspaper, television, and radio station as they have purposed to do. This is just one of many
A paradise full of sun, fun, and all the drinks you could want. This is what Coconut Pete (Bill Paxton), a washed up singer, creates in the movie Broken Lizard’s Club Dread. Pete creates a place called Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island it controlled by the staff whose job it is to make sure you have the best time of your life. Fun Policeman Sam (Erik Stolhanske) is constantly walking around with a Tequila-filled water gun to make sure that the good times never end. But that fun ends when a killer starts picking off the staff one by one. Each time the killer strikes he leaves a message on the victim. Soon the staff realizes that the words are coming from one of Coconut Pete’s old songs. Now the staff must figure out what the lyrics of the song, that Pete doesn’t even remember making, mean. As the killings become more frequent the staff begins to panic. Their boats are gone and there is nothing they can do to get off the island. The staff
attempts to stick together, but soon ends up going their separate ways. While the movie offers some laughs, it doesn’t really fit together well. It seemed choppy and disconnected at some parts. It seemed as though the writers focused more on the killings than they did on the motive for the whole thing. Not only was this film choppy, but it is extremely predictable. You always knew what was going to happen. Understanding that this film was a joke on those horror films, it still did not keep me guessing or intrigue me at all. The acting was one of the better parts of the movie. These actors have acting like fools down. Soter is hilarious as an ecstasy crazed fool, and Chandrasekhar makes you laugh every time he talks. Although the acting was good, the movie overall was not wonderful. While lines from the movie will be immortalized the overall movie will not be. Club Dread offers a few laughs but an overall disappointment. C+
Play
FROM PAGE B8
Rocky production that Fanning has performed in. He played the comic relief character Francis Flute in last year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “I’m more of a serious character (in this play),” Fanning said. “(I’m) more down to earth and a hopeless romantic than my last character.” For junior Grace Hanley, who plays Anthony’s lover counterpart, You Can’t Take It With
You is her first Rocky production. “I think everyone in the play is really wonderful,” Hanley said. “I encourage everyone to come. I think the play is hilarious.” “I think actually in the end,“ Cron said. “(The play) proves the title, that money is an earthly possession and that you can’t take it with you.”
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STUDENT SPECIALS things that Big Brother and Congress should be worrying about instead of new “decency standards.” They seem to be ignoring the vital fact that, although not the case in the Janet-second, people have the power to monitor decency themselves. It’s called turning off the radio. Jake Rubin is a senior and Entertainment Editor for the Highlighter.
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b8 entertainment
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Entertainment Editor: Jake Rubin
Friday, March 12, 2004
Jake Rubin
71%
of Rocky students own a cell phone
44%
of students’ parents pay for their cell phone usage
48%
of students use text messaging on their cell phone
Jew Stew
Radio station owners next ‘Big Brother’ While I rarely listen to music on the radio (mostly because I don’t enjoy hearing the same 15 songs every halfhour), I do occasionally listen to humorous talk shows. Or what is left of them. Because of lovely radio corporations, particularly Clear Channel (which owns 16 of Colorado’s radio stations and five in Fort Collins alone), most radio programming takes place in large metropolitan cities such as Los Angeles or New York, and then is piped to “local” stations like KISS FM with a few regional “DJs” taking calls between the 15 minutes of music and 35 minutes of commercials. Clear Channel (who I shall now refer to as “Pig-Vomit” in honor of a DJ they recently suspended) is able to operate like this due to the brilliant Telecommunications Act of 1996, mandated by the FCC or as I like to call them, “Big Brother.” Basically, this act allowed media consolidation, which has been most prominent within radio. PigVomit, along with their rival Infinity, have gobbled up nearly every local or independent radio station and begun their reign of radio leading to very few talk shows that aren’t being broadcast from elsewhere in the country. Now Pig-Vomit, under heavy pressure from Big Brother, is “cleaning up” their airwaves by firing or suspending alleged “shock jocks” such as Howard Stern. Pig-Vomit expects that Stern “conform to acceptable standards” before they pick up his show again. Like him or hate him, you have to admire Stern for creating a career that resonates on being unconventional and not conforming to the other familiar talk show formats. Yet Big Brother suddenly deems this offensive as if his show hadn’t been around for years. Meanwhile, other babbling idiots like Rush Limbaugh and Doctor Laura, who I find equally “outrageous,” remain on the air. In response to the halfsecond Americans were exposed to Janet’s breast, Big Jump to Rubin, page b7
17% 31%
of students use 300 to 700 minutes a month of students commonly use their cell phone at school to call their parents
PHONES
247 students surveyed
Cell phone popularity soars by Jake Rubin
Entertainment Editor
When the first mobile phone was introduced over 30 years ago, it weighed more than two pounds. Over the years, as cell phones have quickly become significantly smaller, their number of customers has skyrocketed. Today, cellular phone plans are more affordable and popular than ever, causing the majority of Rocky’s population to carry a cell phone with them. “Pretty much everyone I know owns a cell phone,” said junior Anna Morris. “They have definitely become more popular for teens in the past few years.” According to a study done by Teenage Research Unlimited, nearly 45 percent of American teens, aged 12 to 19, own a cell phone. This number is almost three times the percentage reported in 2000. “It has become the cool thing to have,” said sophomore Megan Rental. “That’s why
Students embrace new technology
If I’m that important, I’ll have someone take my calls and chauffeur me around.
by Mike Schneider
Center Editor
-Laura Druse, English teacher
most people get a cell phone.” Rental says she believes that cell phones has become more of a fashion accessory than a communication device. “Some people only want to have a good looking cell phone so they can show it off to their friends,” she said. Senior Rachel Conover believes otherwise. She says that over time, the function of a cell phone changes. “I think during your sophomore year, it is the big trend to have a cell phone, but now as a senior people have jobs and other activities so they need one to communicate with each
Complete with a camera, color screen and a Swiss army knife (well, maybe not yet), cell phones today contain some almost too-convenient technology. The cell phone industry today has made numerous technological advances in the last few years. A couple of years ago, cell phones included a green LCD screen and a couple of games and ring tones. Now, cell phones come equipped with such things as other,” said Conover. However, English teacher Laura Druse said that wireless phones are a commodity that high school students don’t really need. “If I’m that important, I’ll have someone take my calls and chauffeur me around,” Druse said.
a color screen, realistic ring tones and cameras. There are even palm pilots which double as a cell phone and play MP3s as well. “There is more stuff coming out for cell phones every day,” said senior Caitlin Rutherford. “In my opinion, it is a little excessive.” One of the most popular trends in cell phone technology today is the camera phone. Many students concur that camera phones are fun and entertaining to use. Jump to Tech, page b7 Like Druse, many teachers say that cell phones pose as a distraction in the classroom. The current Code of Conduct states that cell phones are allowed at school but can only be used outside of class. Druse believes Rocky should change its rules Jump to Cell, page b7
Spring play begins rehearsals by Megan Buettgenbach
Reporter
JAKE RUBIN
‘TAKE IT’ AWAY: Senior Trevor Banta, juniors Zac Roeling and Jonathan Fanning, and sophomore Lucy Burgchardt rehearse for the spring play You Can’t Take It With You. The play will be performed on April 29, 30 and May 1 at 7 p.m. Regular tickets are $7 or $6 with an activity pass.
Since You Can’t Take It With You, you’ll have to come and see it. That is, you’ll have to come and see the school’s spring play, You Can’t Take It With You, a comedy written by Moss Hart and George Kaufman, which will be performed on April 29, 30, and May 1. “It’s basically your story of star-crossed lovers,” director Larissa Cron said. You Can’t Take It With You, which is set in the 1930s, is a play about two differing families: one wealthy and snobbish; one poor and free spirited. The son, Anthony Kirby Jr., of the wealthy family, falls in love
with the daughter, Alice Sycamore, of the poorer family, and the whole play revolves around their relationship and Alice’s anxiety about Anthony’s family meeting hers. “It’ll be a night full of fun, romance, and crazy families,” Cron said. “We have an incredibly strong cast, too.” This cast practices three times a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:30 to 6 p.m. “It’s a good show,” said junior Jonathan Fanning, who plays Anthony. “I like it a lot. I think it’ll be really entertaining.” You Can’t Take It With You is not the only Jump to Play, page b7