2270 Highway 133
Carbondale , Co 81623
October 2013
Volume 7 Issue 1
The Rampage
Students grab a hold of hands-on classes -James Long
Several new classes have landed at RFHS this year, and many involve hands-on, outdoor, and critical thinking activities. These classes have great appeal, as many students learn best when participating in hands-on activities. These classes include Outdoor Leadership, STEM, and Design and Build. The Outdoor Leadership class is designed to teach students life skills, which can be anything from positive decision making to goal setting. Activities in Outdoor Leadership include reading maps and solving problems through group collaboration. The learning doesn’t only take place in class; there are also overnight trips such as snowshoeing in Leadville. Students will be responsible for coordinating these trips and working within a budget. Outdoor Leadership is taught by Booke Tuveson, Experiential Programs manager for the Buddy Program. She believes, “It’s important for students to have the opportunity to learn real-life skills through school. Hands-on classes like Outdoor Leadership help students build communication skills, make decisions as a group, set goals, and expand their comfort zones.” Another newly added class is called STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. This class is composed of many design challenges which require critical thinking, arduous math work, and an immense amount of trial-and-error. One such recent challenge was for students to create the strongest and most efficient miniature bridge using a limited amount of toothpicks, marshmallows, and Photo by Cameron Doherty string. In the future, the class will Local educator Aaron Garland and architect be working with SEI (Solar Energy Donna Riley give feedback during a design critique of chicken coop models in Design International) and other schools to and Build. make solar power cars race around a track. Wendy Boland, a math teacher at RFHS, is teaching the STEM class this year. She believes that this class will improve not only the future of RFHS students, but also the entire country. She thinks STEM is beneficial because it involves “applied learning,” a preferred teaching method for many students. The last new addition to RFHS is called Design and Build. Students in this class develop meaningful structures with and for the community, while learning how to create models and understand the building process. Students will design the object, work out the kinks, then build it efficiently and affordably. The first project is creating a chicken coop behind RFHS. First, the Design and Build class will create a sketch and model of the design. After the design is ready to go, the building will begin. Design and Build is taught by Matthew Miller, a new member of the RFHS staff. He said, “Although vocational education has been lost in some part to decades of budget cuts, there’s a renewed interest in providing hands-on work that promotes creative, critical thinking.” These classes are all aimed for students of any type who want to be active and learn something that can be useful throughout life.
Photo by Sue Rollyson Zack Ritchie scores the game winning goal at the Roaring Fork High Schoool Homecoming game against Basalt. Rams beat Longhorns 2-1 in an epic victory.
RFHS soccer boys kick it into gear Sights set on state -Jake Kelley RFHS varsity soccer has started out with a strong record and looks to return to state playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Although they had to work out some kinks in the beginning, they’ve turned into a state-worthy team with their new head coach Nick Forbes. The team is looking good with 23 players of various experience levels, including nine seniors and eight juniors. There is talent on the team that can be spread out on the field for effective results. The defense has been very strong so far with only a few lost goals. Offensively, they have scored more than double the goals they have lost. Without a JV team, they remain concentrated on one goal. Coach Forbes does a good job at keeping the players fit to help them stay active and “on” one hundred percent of the game. RFHS had a first game loss to Basalt but got the ball rolling and went on an exciting three game winning streak against Moffat County, Durango and Aspen. From there, they hit a bump in the road with a tie to Delta 1-1. The next week, they won a thrilling game in overtime against Vail Mountain 4-3. Unfortunately, they then suffered a tough loss against Coal Ridge 0-1. Although they haven’t competed in any conference games, the team has expectations to go to the second round in state and hopes to make it to the third round. Defender Cameron Doherty believes, “We have a solid team with strong offensive and defensive weapons.”
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Feature
2 Rampage October 2013
World Travelers Club changes student lives -Jonny Aranda
Photo by Rachel Cooper The 2012 World Travelers Club strikes a pose in front of the London Eye. This is one of the many stops on last year’s European Tour.
Many students dream of being in another place while in school. Sitting in class during a long lecture, some kids wish they were visiting the Eiffel Tower or eating pasta inside a restaurant in Italy. The RFHS World Travelers Club gives students the opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Traveling all around the world, students get first hand experiences of different cultures and people. The club is organized by Ralph Young, a math teacher at RFHS. He enjoys the affordability of the program and conducts many fundraisers so any student can travel abroad. The club goes on a trip every other year, and their next expected trip is coming up in July 2014. “I don’t want people not be able to go just because their families can’t afford it. I want everyone to have the opportunity. It really can change your life and open you up to so much more,” said Young. Young’s colleague in this club is Rachel Cooper, a science teacher at RFHS. The students that are involved in World Travelers Club decide as a group which tour they want to participate in. The places they have visited in the past are both cultural and beautiful, including Ireland, Scotland, Costa Rica, France, Spain, and Germany. With this in mind, students at RFHS can take advantage of this opportunity that helps students grow as people and students. Becoming familiar with a different culture can inspire students to make a change whether be it in their own lives or in the lives of others. No one should wait - a thousand-mile journey begins with the first step.
Roaring Fork High School spices up curriculum -Grace Brown To kick off the school year strong, RFHS has introduced an abundance of new classes to returning students, including multiple Advanced Placement (AP) subjects and over six Colorado Mountain College courses. The students who enroll in AP classes have the opportunity to take the AP exam, created by College Board, at the end of the class. Those who score between a 3-5 on the test earn college credit for that course. One of these new classes is AP World History, taught by Matt Wells. “Anyone can be an AP student, they just have to have the desire to learn and challenge themselves,” Wells explained, “It’s not just about being smart.” Mr. Wells took on a sizable portion of the new classes including World History, Comparative Religions, and African History and Culture this year. To Mr. Wells, the new classes are a great addition to the curriculum; they challenge students intellectually as well as give them the skills they need in everyday life. “Memorization of information and test scores are secondary to me. AP classes teach students to transfer the skills they learn here into the real world, that’s what matters most,” said Well. RFHS has also focused on offering more challenging courses for the more creatively inclined members of the student body. Cathleen McCourt has taken on the role of teaching AP Art. In order to teach this course, McCourt had to take a class of her own over the summer.
“The class I took explained that in order to challenge the students, I needed to give less examples and direction. I was scared at first,” she admitted. Not long after the first class, McCourt’s fear was replaced with excitement as she saw the talent and ideas that came from her students. “It’ll be a fun year; we’re all going to be trying new things and getting through them together,” said McCourt. Because of the freedom that comes with AP Art, students must be willing to work hard as well as demonstrate skill and creativity, which also applies to a lot of the other advanced programs. In addition to the new AP classes including AP Calculus and AP Literature, RFHS now holds six courses through CMC. Junior Emily Fuller chose to enroll in Human Growth and Development, one of the new CMC classes offered in the building. “I decided to take the course to expand my knowledge of the world around me. I know I’ll use what I learn from this class, even beyond high school,” she explained. For students to succeed in these AP and CMC classes, they must persevere and overcome challenges. “Grit” is a word that has echoed through the halls since school started. To some it may mean strength of character or fortitude, but to RFHS it means challenging students and having the determination to be the best they can be.
“Anyone can be an AP student, they just have to have the desire to learn and challenge themselves.”
Photo by Cameron Doherty McCourt asked students to interpret a barcode for AP Art. These pieces are showcased in the RFHS commons.
News
3 Rampage October 2013
Rams’ Day canceled -Tavia Teitler Every year, Roaring Fork High School’s Homecoming Spirit Week is kicked off with Rams’ Day, a day of community service and fun for RFHS students. This year, however, due to scheduling conflicts, Rams’ Day failed to take place. Usually, Rams’ Day occurs on the first day of Spirit Week and gives students the opportunity to show their school spirit and give back to the community. Annually, Roaring Fork students wear their class colors and volunteer in different ways around Carbondale. Rams’ Day has been around for as long as most people at RFHS can remember. It used to happen only once a year in the spring, but more recently it has become a twice-a-year tradition. The Fall Ram’s Day often includes community service in the morning and games in the afternoon. Last year, student volunteer activities included harvesting potatoes, reading to elementary students, and painting store windows around town.
RFHS math teacher Melissa Reynolds says that despite all of the work it takes to put on Ram’s Day, it is always worth it. “I love seeing everyone get into community service,” she says. This fall, however, to the shock and disappointment of many, Ram’s Day did not happen. The cancellation of this day was due to scheduling conflicts. The school district scheduled an Instructional Development (ID) day for Monday Sept. 23, the day before Potato Days and the intended date for Rams’ Day. The RFHS administration had no say on the date of either of these events, so it was just an unlucky coincidence that both events happened to fall on the same day. An effort was given to try to reschedule Rams’ Day at a different date this fall, but there was no realistic time to do it. To help make this decision, the administration distributed a survey to the teachers asking their opinions about rescheduling Rams’ Day. The majority of teachers voted to cancel the event. Despite the lack of a Rams’ Day this
“I love seeing everyone get into community service.”
Photo by Sue Rollyson Natalie, Joselinne and Alondra harvest potatoes at Sustainable Settings during last year’s Rams’ Day. Rams’ Day is a great ouportunity for students to help out buisinesses in our valley.
fall, Rams’ Day will still take place in the spring as planned, and the tradition only seems to be growing. RFHS Vice Principal Barbara Mason has big plans for next year’s Rams’ Day.“Not many people are aware of this, but September 11 is National Service Day,” Mason said. This holiday was named in honor of lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and Mason has plans to incorporate this into Rams’ Day. Mason believes that if we are able to tie National Service Day into Rams’ Day, it will become a more meaningful experience for everyone. “Rams’ Day is one of my favorite days,” Mason admitted, and though Rams’ Day failed to take place this fall, the tradition is still burning bright and in no danger of ending anytime soon.
Opinion Successful students form a successful school -Rampage Staff
As the leaves begin to change, a new school year is in full swing at RFHS. Last year, with new administrative leadership, RFHS saw a change in not only its student body, but staff as well. Although most changes were positive, there were also negative ones. To optimize the next nine months, the Rampage staff have thought of some recommendations for students, teachers and the administration to make this school year great. First, for students, we would like to see an uprise in school spirit. We would like to see this not only at school sporting events, but also in our day-to-day school activities. Come to school with a positive attitude, and use grit to tackle any challenges the day presents. Along with this, we would like to see more student participation at school events, like pep rallies and dances. To better our school, we have to have students involved and willing to put in effort. For students to be more willing to come to RFHS, we need teachers who are excited to teach. Teachers need to engage students through fun learning tactics. Interactive activities that stimulate students' curiosity are key for an enjoyable learning environment. Teachers and students alike need to show integrity by maintaining a strong level of respect for one another in order for RFHS to be a safe and exciting place to learn. By having a fun yet challenging learning environment, students will catch the learning spark. Communication is key, and to further improve our school unity, we need to have good communication between the administration and students. Cutting out big school events, such as Rams’ Day, surprised many students. Students were angered and couldn’t help but blame the administration. Homecoming week coincided with Potato Days as well and could not be changed. This is a logical explanation, but students did not appreciate that the the administration was unable to communicate such news to students beforehand, or even simply offer an explanation as to why. To fully have support from the student body, the administration needs to make sure they communicate. These recommendations are key to having a successful school year. With students, teachers and the administration willing to follow these recommendations, this year is sure to be prosperous. With all of this in mind, let’s strive to make the 2013-2014 school year a success.
Sports
4 Rampage October 2013
Rams football starts season out strong -Caitlin O’Gorman
Although last season the boy’s varsity football team won only three out of six games, they have started out well this season. They beat rival teams Basalt Longhorns and Aspen Skiers. Due to their wins, the boys are excited for the new season. Tory Jensen, the head coach of the varsity team, is very proud of their success. “They are a sharper and more unified team,” he said. Jensen likes to think that all the players are important pieces to making a great team. During practice, he concentrates on both the fundamentals of football and going through plays. “I need to help the team as a whole and the individual skills of the players as well,” Jensen stated. The football team has 36 boys, so they are hard to keep focused during practice. “Before a big game, sometimes I like to tell the boys a story of another person’s accomplishments or their battle,” Jensen said. Senior Kerwin Hirro said, “The best part of playing for the Roaring Fork Rams is play-
ing with my friends, but I miss coach Holly.” Regarding Coach Jensen, Hirro claimed, “[He is] very creative because he pulls his plays right out of the NFL, which works out well for the team when we run them right.” Other players on the team such as junior Edgar Villasano also believe that the team is doing better than last year. “We support each other by not putting each other down. We’re all improving,” he said. Sophomore running-back Max Slack likes that they are playing as one brotherhood. When he plays, Slack shared, he is representing school spirit and his community. Coach Jensen and his players are aiming to go to the playoffs this year. The varsity football boys haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006. The team is starting off the season focused and undivided. The boys display leadership, teamwork, school pride and a sense of unity among Photo by Sue Rollyson one another, both on and off Senior kicker, Alex Fisher, celebrates the big win against the Aspen Skiers with teammate. The football team anticipates a the field. successful season.
New volleyball coaches enforce fundamentals
-Lucy Stevens
RFHS has welcomed two new coaches into the volleyball program for the 2013 season. These coaches have so far strived to improve the team and prepare them for years to come with their extensive volleyball experience. Kristin Hall, the new JV coach, was a Ram, and Rebecca Moller, the new C-team coach, played all four years at Rubidoux High School in California. Hall volunteered to
train the girls because she has a deep love for volleyball and wanted to support her daughter Ashley in her first high school season. Moller confessed that she “lucked out” when she found out that RFHS needed a coach. “The JV players have chemistry and put each other above themselves,” Hall was proud to say. She believes that her job as a JV coach is to “develop fundamental skills to prepare the girls for varsity.” Moller also believes her team is on the right track. “The C-team players are very supportive,” she said. Moller’s philosophy is to “keep them focused and have fun.” To challenge the girls, Moller facilitates fun drills, complemented by some running. Both coaches want every player to do their best. The new coaches agree that the teams haven’t been winning as many games as they could be. They think this is due to lack of communication and solid fundamentals. As Moller said, “The girls need to know how to communicate when there are difficulties... It’s a safe environment and they need to speak up.” Good communication is important for the coaches to practice, too. “Coaches aren’t perfect either, and they need to
Photo by Cameron Doherty New coaches Kristen Hall and Rebecca Moller look forward to a great season with the volleyball team.
speak up if they don’t like something. They can’t stew in it,” Moller added. The girls are working on their weaknesses with the help of the new freshmen on JV who are spirited, athletic, and have great passion for the sport. With some effort, both teams should be able to develop more communication skills and keep working on the basics. The girls are ready for the new season and are excited to show everyone the results of the hard work they have put in.