When You Wish Upon a Star
Staring up at the stars on the ceiling of the ‘Wish Room’at the Make a Wish Foundation offices Feb. 13, Natalie makes her wish to go to Disney World with her family. Wish Week 2012 began Feb. 17 and ends today with an assembly this afternoon at 2:10 p.m.
Wish Week 2012 p. 12 [Laurenscheirman]
[02/24/12]
02
Finding a Voice
There are a variety of clubs that meet every Wednesday during access. Some clubs meet to plan cupcake bake sales, talk about Japanese Anime, discuss politics and some even get together to try and find a creative way to warn people of the impending zombie apocalypse. However, some clubs meet for more serious reasons; they meet to try and educate and support both students and teachers alike, who want nothing more than to be accepted for who they are. “GSA is a place where we support other gay members, along with our straight gay-friendly members,” club co-president Jenn Haigh ‘13 said. “Our mission is to help students and teachers get along in this -sometimes hostile-society; along with trying to educate the community and end a homophobic intolerance.” GSA or Gay-Straight Alliance meets every Wednesday morning during Access, and offers a safe place for students, regardless of their sexuality, to find support and to discuss how they wish to change stereotypes within the community.
“Half of the time is spent talking about the hard stuff, like what the community thinks about us and how we can spread our message,” Yuko Weirsma ‘13 said. “And then the other half is used for peer support and being there for each other.” All students are welcome to come to these weekly meetings. “I want kids to know that there is a safe place to be and feel supported and talk about and work through the issues,” club sponsor, Margaret Motz said. At its core, the club was formed in an attempt to combat stereotypes and enable students to understand that there is a place within Rock Canyon where they can be themselves; and anyone with any questions regarding the club and its activities is asked to email the club presidents at canyon.gsa@gmail.com. “It was very hostile when I came out about my sexuality, and it’s hard to do it; I don’t blame people for being scared,” Yuko Weirsma ’13 said. “We’re just hoping to end some of the stereotypes people have, and help people that are afraid to come out about their sexuality to be more confident in themselves and be happy in who they are.” [sydcharvat]
Swimming and Seatbelts
thenews Fiery New Year On January 26 the Chinese classes prepared for the Chinese New Year with a dumpling feast. To celebrate this event the students brought in fresh ingredients to make dumplings. A smaller version of the dragon head was also brought in order to re-enact the dance that the Chinese culture performs. Everyone was excited to get their hands dirty making the goodies. Laughing over the funny ones and gawking over the pretty ones; over 200 dumplings were made. The pod was filled with the sound and smell of sizzling skillets. While they cooked, the students watched a magic show. Even though many didn’t believe in magic, they were still blown away by this magician. Finally the dumplings were ready and everyone quickly ate up, enjoying the tasty outcome. “It was really fun to explore the traditional culture behind Chinese New Year. I was totally stoked for celebrations of the year of the dragon to start,” said EJ Katsoulas ‘13. Everyone had fun learning and being a part of the culture and the dumplings, which were sold during Access, and a big hit among the student body. [maerohrbach]
Apple Award Nominee
In his first year at Rock Canyon after being home schooled, sophomore Matthew Urban ‘14 traveled with his club swim team, the University of Denver Hilltoppers to Dallas, Texas for a swim meet. “I’m really enjoying it here at Rock Canyon, it’s definitely a new experience,” said Urban. On Thursday February 2nd,Urban’s team finally arrived in Dallas, after a minor setback. “Two of my teammates stole seat belts off the plane, which is a federal offense, so we were worried we wouldn’t be able to make it to the pool on time to warm up” said Urban. A Frontier Airlines administrator called
Once Upon a Mattress Over the years, Rock Canyon has seen a daring local outcast perch himself on top of a roof with a fiddle, an office of coffee-buzzed secretaries and cubicle workers sing out in desperation for caffeine, a Pharaoh rise to power, and even a group of greasers fantasize what it would be like to drive “Greased Lightning.” The latest musical, Once Upon a Mattress, follows the story of an unlikely princess as she attempts to find love in a kingdom ruled by an oppressive queen. “[Once Upon A Mattress] is about a princess named Winnifred and she’s coming to try and fill the spot for a princess that the kingdom has, and to marry Prince Dauntless--my character’s son and the Queen’s just not having any of it,” Quinn Kennedy’13 (Queen Aggrivian) said. “It’s basically just about Winnifred’s struggle as
the team’s head coach and informed them that they had to meet with the police. After meeting with the police and returning the seat belts, Urban and his team began their awkwardly silent drive to the pool. Despite this detour, Urban, a back-stroker and distance free-styler excelled in his events, especially his 200 backstroke where he had a great race with his fellow teammates. Urban is not planning on swimming high school this year, so he can focus on club, but is considering becoming a part of the Highlands Ranch High School co-op swim team his junior year. [nicolecassou]
she attempts to become the princess.” In the musical, Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (played by Aubrey Eggett ‘12) journeys from her home in the swamplands far away, to a kingdom in which marriage has been banned until Prince Dauntless (played by Matt Hopkins ‘12) finds a “suitable” bride. However, in order for a princess to be considered worthy of the prince, she must first pass a test administered by Queen Aggravian, Dauntless’s overzealous mother. “We were trying to find a musical that was a little bit different than anything we had done before,” Director Cindy Baker said, “and I thought that with this particular group of kids-since there are so many comedians-- that we really needed a comic’s musical. We also needed something without an overly difficult set.” The set itself has been designed to look like a medieval castle and consists of several major
photo by[maerohrbach]
feeder area who then are eligible for the final reward. “When I found out that students and parents had nominated me for the award, I was shocked and touched,” said Dale. “And then so many students came to tell me they had nominated me.” [seanmcgavin]
“I believe Mrs. Dale was nominated because she is one of the best teachers in the school due to her love for her students and more importantly her love of music and teaching,” Camille Prusse ‘12 said. Every year, one teacher is nominated by students and parents to be the Apple Award winner of the district, and this year’s Rock Canyon recipient was choir teacher Julia Dale. She teaches all choir classes, Theatre I and II, and Music Theory. The Apple Awards is an annual fundraising event that honors teachers who have demonstrated a superior ability to achieve excellence in education while helping the continuous improvement of student learning and the school environment throughout Douglas County Schools. After a teacher from each school has been nominated, the competition moves to the district level, where a selection committee of community members, school district staff, and [kaylaneil] past recipients choose two recipients from each Apple Award nominee Julia Dale leads warm-ups in her 7th period choir class.
parts including a drawbridge that extends into the audience, and a swing that drops from the catwalks in the middle of a musical number. “There’s so much work to do that you’re never really bored,” Costume Head and tech worker, Christina Enlow ‘15 said. “There’s always so much action, especially backstage, and it’s nice to get to know everyone who usually acts--since so many of our techies are in the musical and so many of our actors are working tech-- so it’s a whole different group of people that you become friends with.” The show itself was written by Mary Rogers and Marshall Barer in 1959, as a comedic parody to the children’s tale, the Princess and the Pea, and was first made famous on Broadway by Carol Burnett, and then later revived by Sarah Jessica Parker. “I like this musical because it accommodates a lot of roles. It’s not just five leads and
then the chorus,” Baker said. “I really like the quirkier musicals. I’m not one for pretty, elegant shows, and I really wanted to hit a nerve one way or another; dramatically or comically.” The show itself will run from March 8-11 at 7:00 p.m. each night, with a 1:00 matinee performance March 11. Tickets may be purchased at the door, or at seatyourself.biz, and are priced at $8.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. And despite which night you choose to attend, Once Upon a Mattress is sure keep the audience laughing through its two-hour run time, and the drive home. “I’m ecstatic to be a part of Once Upon a Mattress,” Morgan Hayes ‘12 (The Wizard) said. “It’s a fun, whimsical tale that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and gives the cast a great opportunity to hone their comic abilities.” [sydcharvat]
thenews
An Opportunity to Shine
Every year, the Rock Canyon Drama Department offers underclassmen and up-and-coming actors alike, the opportunity to show off their dramatic talents and gain both experience and confidence in themselves on stage. “I love the One Act festival because it’s a great way for freshmen and sophomores to explore the stage and decide if they enjoy it or not,” One-Act director and Drama Club Secretary Aimee Shnebeck‘13 said, “I loved getting to work with such great kids who were so excited about acting!” The festival itself occurred on January 26 and 27, and consisted of a series of 20-25 minute One-Act plays, that totaled to run time of approximately two hours. The plays themselves, The Love of Three Oranges, Employees Must Wash Hands...Before Murder, No Exit, Space Dirt, and The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darned World, were selected at the beginning of the year by Drama Club Vice President, Ellen Hefner, and were directed by upperclassmen who were ready to take on the challenge of putting on their own production. “I absolutely loved the show that I directed (No Exit) because of the uniqueness of the script and the abstract perception of Hell that it portrayed,” Director Katt Domingue ‘12 said in regards to the anti-realist play, “This show is the best experience with directing that I’ve had so far because of both the previous experience I already had with directing and also because I was able to use a lot of creativity--because it’s so different from most plays--and I had a great cast that was really fun to work with!” The shows themselves range in both cast size and in the demanding nature of the script. Some shows were more comedic in nature, whereas others really aimed to test the strength and abilities of the actors.
03 [02/24/12] Between fall plays, and the spring musical, the One-Act play festival offers an opportunity for actors to show off their skills on stage
“Because this One-Act is a drama, I think it really helped the actors (Claire Wang, Charlie Moore, Olivia Squalls, and Mia Mettais) gain confidence in their acting,” Domingue said, “Dramas are often more difficult to act in than comedies because of their intensity and the fact that dramas are so much harder to improv if you mess up.” However, although several of the shows, such as Space Dirt and No Exit, revolved around very serious subject matter, the remaining shows enabled both the actors and their audience to delve into both the weird and obscure and enjoy a few jokes fired at the immature kid in all of us. “The show that I directed was Employees Must Was Hands Before Murder (a play about a murder at a fast food restaurant) and once I read the script I knew this would be the perfect show to direct,” Director and Drama Club president Stephanie Higgins ‘12 said, “The show had great characters that would be fun and easy to develop, the set was simple yet fun and the story line was just so crazy that anything and everything could be played up. loved the cast I got to work with, they were the best! They were dedicated, funny, willing to experiment with their character and really connected as a cast.” This is the festival’s seventh year at Rock Canyon, and has gained a larger audience each year. With an audience turn out exceeding 150 people, the One-Acts proved to be a hilarious, touching and instant success. “My cast did really well with their show and I can see that they’ve gained a lot of confidence in their acting from auditions until their last performance,” Domingue said, “I look forward to seeing them in future shows!” Actors rehearse for the One Act Festival the week before the performances, which began Jan. 26. [sydcharvat]
Jags Make Scholarship History
For the first time at RC, two seniors have been chosen as finalists for the Boettcher scholarship
Aubrey Eggett
Q: Could you tell us a little bit about what the Boettcher scholarship is?
A: “The Boettcher Foundation Scholarship is Colorado’s most prestigious scholarship. It is basically a full-ride to any public or private four-year institution in Colorado. It is designed to ‘encourage Colorado’s best and brightest’ to stay in the state. The Boettcher Foundation invites certain students to apply for it; I believe the top 5 or 10 percent of any senior class is invited to apply. Several people from Rock Canyon applied so that was sweet! The main requirements include high academic standing and a LOT of involvement in leadership, community service and every kind of extracurricular.”
Q: What did you have to do to apply?
A: “In total, my application was 16 pages long including personal information about my family, grades, scores, athletics, activities, involvement in the arts, work experience, community service as well as a 500 word essay and three 250 word short essay responses. A little over 1300 students from Colorado applied. From there, 200 semifinalists were chosen including Jacob Dysart and myself from RC. Kelsey Babilon ‘11 was the only other semi-finalist in RCHS history! As a semifinalist, we had to have three people write killer letters of recommendation to help us stand out and elaborate on the kind of kids they see us as. I chose Mrs. Dale, Ms. Bloom and Mr. Abner--I cannot thank them enough! Our letters were submitted in the beginning of December and Jacob and I were notified Jan. 30 that we were finalists. All that’s left are interviews. March 6 I will be heading downtown to have an interview
with a panel of about 10 people I’ve never met-it’s pretty intense.”
Q: What message would you give to students who were invited to apply or who are interested in scholarships?
“For students invited to apply, I would say to take advantage of the chance and go ahead and put forth the effort! Even if you are convinced you’ll be going out of state, the fact that you are a semi-finalist or a finalist is quite a big deal and an honor. Plus, you never know how much you’ll change your mind. APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS! They ease your parents’ minds and can open up a world of opportunity. Don’t limit yourself. Whether you are convinced of going to NYC or LA, realize Colorado can present so many worthwhile opportunities.”
Q: If you win the scholarship, do you plan on attending an in-state school? What out-of-state schools are you looking at that you may want to go elsewhere? “If I am lucky enough to receive it, I would most likely use it at CU Boulder, though I love Colorado College as well. I have interviewed with Princeton, Duke, Columbia and applied to Northwestern ... I’m just waiting my heart out.”
Jacob Dysart
Q: Tell us a little bit about what the Boettcher scholarship is and what it means to be a Boettcher Scholar?
A: “The Boettcher scholarship is given to 40 seniors that live in Colorado. To be one you have to submit an application that is literally 50 pages long that asks you to tell them every detail of your high school life. They make a cut and then you submit three letters of recommenda-
tion. They make a cut, and then they interview you. They make a cut and then you win. The Boettcher committee wants “well-rounded” students that serve their community, have top academics, show leadership, and are patient enough to fill out their application.”
Q: What are some of the benefits? How do you feel about your chances of winning it?
A: “The benefits of this scholarship are truly incredible. There are the obvious benefits of the full ride to any college in Colorado. They pay for all your meals, your computer, your books, and they even give you some spending money to cover other unexpected cost. You get to visit the Boettcher mansion for a dinner every month, which many past successful Boettcher scholars attend. The best benefit so far has been every school has had Boettcher Finalist days where they wine and dine us and tell us how great they are. There are 72 finalists and 40 people get it, so by the numbers, I like my chances of getting it.”
Q: If you win the scholarship, do you plan on attending an in-state school? What out-of-state schools are you looking at that you may want to attend?
A: “To be honest I’m avoiding about making a plan. I’m just going to wait to see what opportunities are given to me and then make my decision. Out of state I’m looking at Washington University in St. Louis, Harvey Mudd, Cornell, Claremont McKenna, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and Rose Holman. In state I’m looking at CC, CU, and Mines.” compiled by [sachinmathur] [maddiewhitten]
Boettcher Scholarship Since the beginning of the Scholarship Program in 1952, the Foundation has awarded over 2,200 Scholarships. Applications must be submitted online by November 1 to be eligible for consideration. Applicants must score at least a 27 composite on the ACT or a combined score of 1200 on the reading and mathematics sections of the SAT. Applicants must rank in the upper 5% of their graduating class. For classes smaller than 40 students, the applicant must rank first or second. Selection for the Boettcher Scholarship is based on superior academic achievement, a demonstrated commitment to school and community activities and strength of character. Scholastic eligibility requirements are minimums, not norms. In recent years, Boettcher Scholars averaged in the top 2% in their class by rank and scored 1440 on the SAT and 33 on the ACT. Boettcher Scholarship application information is distributed to Colorado high school counselors every September.
Source: www.boettcherfoundation.org
[02/24/12]
thenews
04
f.y.i.
RC Key Club Travels abroad
Location: Uvita, Puntarenas, Costa Rica (Southwestern, Pacific Costa Rica)
“The experience in Costa Rica showed everyone on the team the value of our education here in America and how much a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can help people.”
I
Teaching Material: Multiple curricula of Math, Language Arts, Science, and Geography Reading Material: 10 years of National Geographic Magazine Money: One-year’s salary for one teacher and cash donation of $8,900 (Total of $13,900). Team Members: Jacob Taylor (President) ‘12, Nick Merrill ‘12, Camille Brauch ‘12, Collin Kallery ‘13, Rachel Anderson (Vice President) ‘13, Maddie Landis ‘13, Savannah Slifer ‘13, Srish Sharma ‘13
-Nick Merrill ‘12
n the 2010 school year, over 20 million Americans enrolled in post secondary education, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In Costa Rica, it is considered unlikely for a student to get through the twelfth grade. Changing this issue is the goal of Escuela Verde. Escuela Verde is a primary school in Utiva, Costa Rica, on the Pacific side of the country that is privately owned and run by Americans Naomi Geer and Cheryl Margoluis. Geer and Margoluis started this school so students in Utiva have access to proper schooling. However, funding the school is a struggle, despite efforts from several American donors. This is where Key Club comes in. Four years ago, Social Studies teacher David Sapienza became acquainted with a project of similar status. A library in the same community of Costa Rica was starting up, and needed help with acquiring Spanish books. Just a few months later, a team of eight Rock Canyon Key Club members made the journey down to the library for the project. It was there that Sapienza met Geer and Margoluis, and learned of Escuela Verde. Since their meeting, Key Club has been down to the school multiple times to help set up technology and bring school supplies and necessities to the school. “Going to Costa Rica was a real eye-opener. It showed me how truly fortunate we are for the education we have and showed me how other nations live,” Collin Kallery ‘13 said. “I can truly say that this work in Costa Rica has been life changing for my family and myself. It has been an amazing experience to watch students through their involvement in the project over the years.” David Sapienza, club sponsor and project leader, said. “I am in awe of the talents of Group IV of this project. They did an outstanding job of thinking creatively to expand the fundraising of this project. I look forward
Key Club members pose for a picture with Utiva, Costa Rica as their background on one of the last days of their trip Jan. 17. From left: Jacob Taylor‘12, Srish Sharma‘13, Rachel Anderson‘13, Collin Kallery‘13, Maddie Landis‘13, Camille Brauch‘12, Savannah Slifer‘13, and Nick Merrill‘12.
to what this project will become for RCHS and Escuela Verde in the future,” This year, Key Club left on their journey for Utiva at midnight January 14 with eight students: Jacob Taylor ‘12 (President), Rachel Anderson ‘13 (Vice President), Nick Merrill ‘12, Savannah Slifer ‘13, Srish Sharma ‘13, Maddie Landis ‘13, Camille Brauch ’12, and Collin Kallery ‘13. Students applied for each position on the trip. Also on the trip were Sapienza, his wife Stephanie, who has helped lead the project, and Spanish teacher and club co-sponsor Catherine DeLaGarza. “[Costa Rica] was a lot different than here because it was so green and the school was very open with little air conditioning,” Slifer said. “By the time we left, we had catalogued over 1,200 books.” Before the trip, the club was able to wire $8,900 down to the school after a hard year’s worth of fund raising. The majority of the funds came from the auction selling vacation home trips in Costa Rica, at the pancake breakfast at Applebee’s, as well as other events throughout the year to boost their financial contribution. “Fundraising took place from August all the way until our trip in February. We really try to raise as much money as possible, considering that money directly translates into books and supplies for the school,” Sharma said. The money was enough to pay for a teacher’s salary as well as help pay for other expenses that would otherwise be burdened on the school community. Besides money, 22 boxes of supplies were brought containing bilingual Language Arts,
Math, and the school’s first Science curriculum. Additionally, they brought school supplies, a school sign, a laptop, an LCD projector, athletic supplies, and ten years of National Geographic (1998-2008) donated by the Merrill family. During the time at Escuela Verde, the team fixed up and restored computers, ran an English summer camp for the students in the surrounding area, and performed other tasks that the school was in need of. “We arrived at the school the morning of the camp to somewhat of a challenge, the power was out, and we had been planning to use it at the camp to teach English through technology; to benefit the kids in both respects,” Taylor said. “Thus, as with many things in Costa Rica, we had to think on our feet with only an hour to spare. We decided on simply giving the students a chance to have fun in the language, to play games, run and around and simply have fun with our team. It was three hours of an escape in which they just happened to speak English and get in some exercise.” Outside of their service work, the students had a chance to zip-line through the rain forest and relax on the beach. “It was a pretty good vacation too! We had a lot of fun,” Kallery said. “Overall, this was the most successful effort we’ve ever had within Key Club,” Taylor said. “And the passion for this project has been wonderful for Key Club.”
Sponsored by: David Sapienza, Catherine DeLaGarza, RCHS Key Club, Denver Tech Center Kiwanis, Applebee’s Castle Rock, Cold Stone Creamery Castle Rock, St. Thomas More Catholic School, St. Vincent DePaul Catholic School, Notre Dame Catholic School, Chris Page (Home Auctioneer), Daniel Gonzalez (art for auction) Source: RCHS Key Club Press Release
[kaylaneil] [jeremypurchase]
Top:“We need to bring eight or nine students a year on our trips, because we need bodies to transport boxes,”Key Club President Jacob Taylor ’12 said. “We don’t want to risk sending boxes in case they get stolen or lost, so we deliver them personally.” Bottom: The Costa Rica group poses with students from Escuela Verde during the trip. “The kids are so willing to take in education and are so excited to learn more and more every single day. They’re ridiculously smart and deserve a fighting chance in the world,” Collin Kallery said. photos compliments of Key Club
Key Club members pose in front of the nature of Costa Rica during their trip Jan 15.“This trip was a really great experience. I’d recommend it for anyone. It was the most life changing week of my life,”Rachel Anderson‘13 said.
Make sure to add the RCHS Key Club Facebook Page: “Rock Canyon High School Key Club” and visit the Escuela Verde Website: www.escuelaverdecostaballena.com
thenews
05 [02/24/12] EDUCATION PRESS CONFERENCE
AROUND THE STATE
Speaker Frank McNulty (R) discusses educational reforms in Colorado and addresses worries over budget issues at the CHSPA Capitol Hill press conference Feb. 10.
News from Colorado Metro Area
Pushing the Limits
Students’ right to free expression was tested when a Durango High School student fought the school over a questionable senior photo
S
adhere to accepted standards of decency”. Some think that because senior pictures are for the school, they should fall under this obligation, but there is no specific rule stating that a student’s senior picture must adhere to dress code policy. On the Durango High School website it is made clear that “Shoulder straps must be at least 1.5 inch-wide over the shoulder and ALL undergarment straps concealed”. In the case of Sydney Spies she has violated these dress code criteria, but the real question is whether these standards should be mandatory in her senior picture. “I bet she wants to be a model; this could help her in her career,” Gena Rumsey ’15 said. This directly supports Spies points in her proThis may seem to be a FREE EX“I’m fighting situation not worth the effort, test. PRESSION? it because there is 9 News reports no policy that says but a motivated Spies is that Spies’s senior pictures need mother, Mikki willing to fight for her senior to follow the dress Spies, was told by code,” Spies said to picture. principle Lashin9 News. sky that the phoOther students tograph violated feel that the whole protest is unnecessary. dress code and would not be accepted into “I don’t think it will fulfill her purpose. the yearbook as a senior picture. After reWho looks in a yearbook for models?” Connie ceiving this news the mother daughter team Xu ’12 said. along with some friends protested outside of the school on the following day. COMPROMISE This may seem to be a situation not Spies disagrees with these viewpoints. worth the effort, but a motivated Spies is She had a meeting with the principle of her willing to fight for her senior picture. school; principle Lashinsky, Jan. 6, three days “Some people might think it’s a little after her photo was rejected. bit sexy or inappropriate, but I think it’s “I don’t think [the principle is] going to artistic. I think it’s a good expression of who change her mind. I think she’s going to stick I am as a person” Spies said to 9 News. “I with her decision to not have this in the think that it is a good thing to represent yearbook,” Spies said. me and I think they are taking away my Spies’ prediction rained true for a few days freedom of expression.” later Spies had to submit a second picture to While, like Spies, we are all entitled to the yearbook. To her dismay this picture was protest, we are also entitled to our opinion. also rejected. It was of her in a small dress Students like Mitch Whitten ’15 have parthat showed her thighs, covered her midsecticularly strong emotions on how a senior tion, but still showed her shoulders. picture should look. Having a second picture turned down, “Put a shirt on; it’s inappropriate,” WhitSpies proceeded with her protests with her ten said. “She looks naked in it. I think it’s mother and her friends. disgusting.” Eventually Durango HS and Spies came to an agreement that Spies could buy an ad SCHOOL POLICY in the yearbook and place her pictures there. The controversy grows even more Spies agreed to this and plans on submitting a complicated when the actual dress code is senior picture that follows the dress code. considered. In the RC student planner it is [bricooke] stated that “Student’s school attire should ydney Spies ’12 goes to Durango High School, and she has a mission. She is currently a dancer, loves photography, and wants badly to be a model. The senior picture that she submitted to the yearbook reflects her goals, though the editorial staff seems to fear that it reflects a little bit too much of her. They decided, in fact, that the picture should be removed from the yearbook entirely. Jan. 3 Spies was notified that her picture would not be put in the yearbook; she would have to find another one. The picture Spies submitted was of her in a skirt with a small shawl to cover her chest, but because her shoulders and midsection were exposed, the picture was turned down.
State Politics
Real World Journalism
Student journalists from high schools all over Colorado attended a press conference at the Capitol, and learned real world skills in the process
W
e spend hours listening. We spend piece, but the competition is fun,” Regis our weekends on location, wandering High School newspaper student, Danny around, sometimes aimlessly, scouring the Gerard ’14 said. area for a story, for a topic, and for a voice. Oftentimes, we do not get the opportunity PRESS CONFERENCE to cover events and people that make naThe press conference itself was spent tional headlines, but sometimes we get the with Speaker Frank McNulty (R) as he dischance to see news in action. cussed several issues prominent in Colorado, We are student journalists. however the majority of the discussion was Feb. 10, 2012, a mock press conference concerned with addressing recent educawas held by the Colorado High School Press tional reforms, such as his view on statewide Association (CHSPA) at the Capitol Buildbudget cuts, voucher programs and how ing in downtown Denver. The conference such problems are going to be solved. featured speakers Nancy Mitchell, editor of “Students must want to succeed, but we EdNewsColorado.org and Speaker of the need to have schools that help encourage House, Frank McNulty (R) and was hosted students to achieve,” McNulty said, “and in by Journalism Education Association executhe years of detive director Jack clining state and Kennedy. local revenues, It was kind of surreal, just “Our job [as this has become journalists] is a challenge. Just learning about what they do in to ask better money in there and seeing it first hand throwing questions so that in will not be the we can get the solution.” is exciting. answers to tell This proved Legacy High yearbook student to be such a viral better stories, so Claire Cleveland ‘13 the number one topic amongst thing for me is the journalists learning about asking better questions,” present, that the reporting of the event itself Kennedy said. quickly proved to help provide fodder for
“ ”
REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
The conference itself was held in an attempt to enable high school journalists to experience a real press conference with local politicians and to teach them press conference protocol. “It goes quickly and you have to take whatever information they give you and turn it into a story and make it in by the deadline,” Valor High school newspaper adviser Leslie Bogar said. From across Colorado, approximately 67 students representing their school publications came out to participate in the conference and to engage in a journalistic competition following the event.
THE COMPETITION
The competition itself asked students to work in pairs and draft a news story in under two hours consisting of both their response to the conference as a whole, and how they feel that the experience has helped them as journalists. “It’s hard having a two-hour timeline, usually you have more time to work on your
the competition following the end of the conference. “I definitely came prepared and educated about the issues that we were going to discuss,” Rocky Mountain High School student, Christine Gravelle ’12 said. “I was able to learn more about the current issues in Colorado from the input of other students and my own curiosity.”
SENATE DEBATE
However, the intensity of the competition and the conference was just the tip of the iceberg. Students and advisers had an opportunity to crowd into the Senate Chamber and observe a Senate debate— headed by Senate President Brandon Shaffer (D)—over the passing of Bill 115; a piece of education legislation that aims to enable children of illegal immigrants to attend college in Colorado. “It was kind of surreal, just learning about what they do in in there and seeing it firsthand is exciting,” Legacy High School yearbook student Claire Cleveland ’13 said. [sydcharvat] [samcarrell]
[02/24/12]
thenews
06
APPLE PREPARES FOR MAJOR PUSH INTO LIVING ROOM As the departed Steve Jobs’ last massive project, rumors of an Apple TV refresh circulate throughout the technology world Apple currently offers a product called Apple TV which allows consumers to watch and purchase TV shows and movies through the iTunes store. Apple TV connects to a television set purchased from a third party. It’s rumored that Apple is working on their own television set, negating the need to connect to a television set manufactured by a different company. The product is predicted to use voice recognition in place of a remote control, and be a central point to connect with other Apple
products. It’s likely that it would use Apple’s iCloud service, released last summer, to sync apps, music, movies, and TV shows to the center of the living room. Although nothing has been announced yet, analysts have noticed that inventory of the current iteration of Apple TV has been declining, signaling a spring release of the product refresh alongside the release of iPad 3. Apple’s media-relations department did not return The Rock’s calls for comment.
AT A GLANCE Apple posted $46.33 billion in revenue last quarter, their best quarter ever. iTunes Store is the largest music store in the United States. Almost 25 billion apps have been downloaded on Apple’s App Store.
[zachanderson]
STUDENTS FLOCK TO POPULAR MICROBLOGGING SERVICE TWITTER Facebook. MySpace. Tumblr. All these sites have passed through the social radar. Now Twitter is taking the spotlight.
the
TECH beat
If you listen in the halls, you might be more likely to hear “Follow me” than the typical “Add me”. Students use Twitter to follow celebrities, bands, authors, classmates, and even teachers for updates on class work. “I love following celebrities, and seeing all the trashy gossip!” Rachel Zetwick ‘14 said. They also tweet messages to their friends throughout the day, and, according to some students, during times when they feel that they should otherwise be studying.
“I like to use Twitter for school, but I also use it to procrastinate,” Derrick Trotman ‘13 said. Twitter may be filling up a space in students’ lives, but not everyone is “giving in” to making an account. Even with Twitter’s rising popularity, some don’t get the point of why they’d want to see what everyone is doing 24/7. Whether you’re a Facebook loyalist, Twitter fanatic, or just aren’t interested, Twitter has caught our attention and it’s here to stay.
AT A GLANCE 2.5 million tweets were sent during the first hour after the news of Whitney Houston’s death. It’s estimated that Twitter has over 500 million users. Lady Gaga is the most followed person in the world, with 19.3 million followers.
[catieyanchak]
PINTEREST BECOMES CREATIVE OUTLET FOR STUDENTS Pinterest is the go-to website for students to plan their future weddings, learn recipes, and imagine places they might live “I like [Pinterest] a lot. It is a great way for me to get ideas on fashion and is one of my major sources for recipes,” Stephanie Marcus ‘13 said. This new phenomenon helps students post their own pictures and re-pin pictures taken by other users. It is also a place where students create their own boards to show their interests. “It’s something that everyone is talking about, except for the guys. Basically it’s exclusively for the girls at the school, “ Katey Nyquist ‘14 said.
Despite the explosive popularity of the site, joining Pinterest is not as easy as it seems. First, students have to send a request for an invite to join. Then, they wait. Some students have had to wait for weeks to join the site. If one has a friend that’s already a member of the site, then the process to join becomes easier. Members of Pinterest are able to send invites directly to friends, effectively bypassing the queue that others must wait in. Sign up for Pinterest at www.pinterest.com. [demriscott]
AT A GLANCE Pinterest hit 10 million unique visitors in a month more quickly than any other site in history. Most Pinterest users are from midwestern and southern United States. 80% of Pinterest users are female.
theimage
07 [02/24/12]
TCAP
What You Need To Know Dates: March 5-8 Times: 7:40 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
1) Your assigned room number will be posted prior to testing. 2) Make sure your calculator is approved for the Math test. 3) Leave electronic devices at HOME or in your LOCKER during the test. 4) Eat a good breakfast and get a good night’s sleep. 5) Bring a book or magazine for any extra time you have. 6) No food or drink around test. “I’m glad that I get to sleep in and not take the test because it’s kind of a waste of time and only for the government.” -Sydney Powell ‘13
“I don’t think that it will be that hard. I’m fine with it...plus I don’t really know why they changed the name.” -Matthew Sanchez ‘14
“TCAP and CSAP aren’t that different. The tests should feel and look the same, with the same number of tests as well the same type of questions. The students will feel like they are taking the same test. It will be nothing new.” -Dean Nick Laatsch
[02/24/12]
08
Second to None
Q
*Compiled from Jeff Prior
How did the season go for the program last year? Did it go how you expected it too?
A
Q&A
Last year was kind of a rough year. We had trouble as a team, you know unity wise. We didn’t mesh, and it’s obviously a team sport so you have to have everyone there. You have to have all nine players, and all in and bought into the same idea.
Q
Q
How did last season go for the team? Did you accomplish what you wated to for the year?
A
Q
How are the preseason workout’s going? Do you feel like you’re doing what you can to prepare for this upcoming season?
A
Well we definitely have improved on our team chemistry; it’s kind of like a family. We’ve got a lot of guys, and nobody has issues with anyone and we’re definitely going to be a lot closer of a team. We’ve worked for seven months now and we’re definitely going to bring our hard work to the field and have it pay off.
A
“They’re rough! But in the long run it will help the team improve.” - Cameron Gill ‘13 “I’ve been working really hard to make sure my first season on track will be a successful one.” - Hannah Peterson 13’ Hurdler/Sprinter
Q
What can fans look forward to seeing this season? Anything different?
What’s this season’s outlook like? What do you hope to accomplish as a team?
A
One of our focuses is always hard work ethic and we know that one of our mottos is, “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” So we know that we’re not the most talented team out there but we know that since we work so hard, we’re going to be good this year. [jeremypurchase]
* Compiled from track athletes and coaches
“Across the board the distance crews (boys and girls) had a good year. For the sprinters, last year was not as successful as we did not send a sprinter to state for the first time in the last couple years.”- Coach Chris Page
What can the program bring to the field this season, as improvements from last season?
Q
thegame Going the Distance
A
“I think we will do well this year. We have a lot of potential, and I hope I can make state.” - Gill
Muchas Garcias
“Last year our team was very young, and that means that we can expect a strong showing from our team during the season and at state.”Coach Page [jakebattock]
In his first year at Rock Canyon, freshman Tyler Garcia has wasted no time making himself a part of the Jaguars basketball program - earning Varsity minutes
Tyler Garcia ‘15 shoots a free throw as the Jags took on Pine Creek in the 1st round playoff game at RC.
Garcia dribbles the ball up the court to set up the offense for the Jaguars.
Garcia runs out to cover the Pine Creek point guard in the full court press defense.
For the past four years, the Jaguars Basketball Team had a star in its midst. It wasn’t at the High School level, but in the Gold Crown Feeder Program. Playing a year above his level every year, this star’s high school arrival was much anticipated. Now in 2012, the wait is over. Playing at the Varsity level for the Jags this season is freshmen, Tyler Garcia. Garcia plays many minutes on
the JV team as well, and it was his impressivness on the JV level that landed this freshmen a rare spot on a 5A varsity team. On the Varsity level, Garcia has 87 points, with 42 of those points coming from threepoint land. He also ranks 7th on the team in points per-game with 4.8. Not bad for a freshmen coming off the bench. Garcia’s stats may seem like he is unphased by the age and size difference of his opponents, however
in reality there are still a few nerves brewing when he steps on the court. “It’s fun but also can be nervous,” said Garcia,”they (opponents) are bigger and stronger so it can be scary.” With his freshmen season winding down, Garcia’s career is just getting started. “Size is an issue for me, but I usually tend to work around the outside so I don’t get blocked like I do when I go inside.” Said Garcia. Garcia trains everyday, whether at practice or on his own, and for his next three years of high school he plans to get bigger, stronger, and taller. While this season for the Jaguars has had it ups and towns, there is more to look forward to in the future. Currently there are six freshmen on the JV team (including Garcia). This is more than any of the past years since the school was in its early stage.
The Jags will also lose seven seniors at the end of this season. A young varsity squad is mostlikely the reality for the next season, however there is no shortage of talent from the underclassmen on their respective teams. This year’s JV team consists of six freshmen, one sophomore, and three juniors, while also holding a winning record in conference play. Garcia started at point-guard for the JV team all season, and also impressed many at the varsity level while at the same time battling a size and strength difference. Look for Garcia on the court for the Jags down the road. With Garcia and a dominant freshmen class, the road to great success could very well be opening up for the Jags. [andrewbohren]
thegame
09 [02/24/12]
Capturing the Game: 1 2
Jag B-Ball
1. The Canyon Crazies come out in numbers for the whiteout boys varsity basketball game against Mountain Vista. The Jaguars lost to the Golden Eagles 63-56 as over 1,400 spectators packed the gym to watch. 2. Lady Jaguar Morgan Roos ‘13 jumps for the ball at the opening tip off between Rock Canyon and Castle View. The Jaguars pulled out a close win despite a series of unexplained events in the 4th quarter. 3. Sophomore Lexy Thorderson d’s-up the oncoming Regis piont guard as the Jaguars took on the Red Raiders midway through their season, losing 76-41
4
3
4. Jordan Koslosky ‘12 reaches out to disrupt the shot of the Heritage basektball player as Rock Canyon succesfully avenged their early season loss to the Eagles by winning on the road 78-61.
Red Raid
1234
Whiteout
With the bleachers practically overflowing in a sea of white, the Jaguar student section was amped up for an exciting “whiteout” basketball game between Rock canyon and Mountain Vista. The mountain Vista fan section included colorful neon attire. Both schools were ready for an action packed game. After being down early, the Jags came back in a first quarter that witnessed several lead changes and saw the jags finish with a 16-14 lead. The second quarter was fiercely contested and the jags went into halftime down by three, 24-27 to the Golden Eagles. After the break, the Jaguars were able to keep the game somewhat close, but a series of unanswered 3’s by Vista silenced the Jaguar crowd and put the Jags down 34-43 going into the final quarter of play. Leading to a dissapointing, finish for Rock Canyon. Although the jags made it interesting in the fourth quarter, thanks to the explosive play of freshman Tyler Garcia, it simply wasn’t enough to match vista’s 63 points. [jakebattock]
Strange Win
The Rock Canyon Girls Varsity team was ready to go into a home matchup against the Castle View Saber Cats, as they went into the game with a winning record of 10-2. The place was buzzing, and the fans were adamantly into the game. Filing in through the doors, there was almost an equal ratio of Castle View fans to Canyon Crazies. “Honestly, I expect every player on this team to score a three pointer tonight,” Bruno Trindade ’14 said. After an intense first half of full court press, tight zone defense and lots of passing, the second half was set for a stunner. Coming to a close, the Jaguars were down, and the game got chippy. Contesting for a ball with a Saber cat’s player, Kimmi Roth dislocated the Castle View players arm. In the stands, Rock Canyon student Matt Schneider ’13 fainted out of the stands, knocking over the Gatorade jug resulting in it spilling everywhere. In the end, the Lady Jags pulled out the win with a 51-49 victory against Castle View.
[jeremypurchase]
Sweet Revenge
Coach Robbie Ballard led his Lady Jaguar team into what could be the most hostile environment in Colorado girls high school basketball history. Regis High School’s gym greets its visitors with a pleasant reminder of exactly what it means to be a top team above the entrance door hangs a sign that reads “Home Court Record: 81-9”. On the last day of January, unfortunately, despite hot shooting from Seniors Chloe Thorderson and Taylor Huppert late in the first half, there would be no changing of the guard in the Red Raider’s gym on this night. Regis dominated the offensive glass and settled for easy layups all game with the occasional jump shot finding its way in - combining to give them a 21 point lead at halftime. Regis survived a brief scoring streak from the Jaguars and ultimately held them off to win the game 76-41. Rock Canyon had to shake it off and head to Legend high school for their next game. [chrissafran]
February 16 was one of the biggest games of the year for the Jaguars, as a win over the Heritage Eagles guaranteed a home playoff game in the first round of the State playoffs. This game was extremely tough as they had to travel on the road to face Heritage and a very large and loud crowd. Earlier in the season, the Jaguars lost to Heritage 48-34, and this was clearly on the Jaguars mind as they got out to a fifteen point lead after the first quarter. However, this massive lead was short lived as Heritage cut the Jaguar lead to a measly two points at half.This was certainly troubling for the Jaguars, but Coach Jim McClurg found a way to re-energize the team at the half as the Jaguars routed Heritage in the second half and ended the game with a dominant 78-61 win. The star of this highly important match up was Austin Noyes ‘12 who shot an amazing 80 percent from the field and scored a whopping 27 points, a season high for him. [michaelshapiro]
theimage
10
[02/24/12]
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thegame
11 [02/24/12] What’s
HOT NOT What’s
RC Bball
After strong starts, sharp declines, and late season strides - Boys and Girls Varsity basektball teams brought the vibrant and electric atmosphere of playoff basektball to Rock Canyon by earning home playoff games in the first round of the State tournament. The 7 seed boys beat Pine Creek 72-56 Tuesday night sending them to Rosten Valley Friday night, while the 5th seeded girls were pitted against Westminster on Wednesday.
LinSanity
Not too long ago, point guard Jeremy Lin was sleeping on a fellow New York Knick teammate’s couch. The undrafted free agent out of Harvard spent his days either on the bench, or on the trading block. Until he went absolutely “Linsane” against the NJ Nets in his first appearance with the Knicks. The Knicks have now won 8 of 10, in which Lin has averaged 25 points, 9 assists.
Signing Day
Wrestling
Despite what the record shows Rock Canyon actually has a great wrestling team. There is just one problem - they dont have enough people. Every weight-class filled by one team and not the other will result in a forfeit - and that has been the achillis heel of wrestling this season. Tell your friends to tell their friends to wrestle next year.
MIA Flips bird
The Superbowl halftime show truly will never be complete without some type of controversy. If you were asked to name who performed at the last 6 halftime shows - youd be able to name two. Madonna (because it was 3 weeks ago) and Justin Timberlake (because he de-clothed Janet Jackson). Rapnobody MIA decided she wanted her place in halftime hall-of-shame and gave the camera the finger at Superbowl XLVI.
The Weather
The weather is the exact opposite of hot - it’s freezing. And aside from making the early morning walk from your car to the school miserable - sports teams like girls soccer and baseball are foced to train inside the school. The groundhog saw his shadow - so were doomed to 6 more weeks of the tundra nightmare.
On National Signing Day, eight Rock Canyon seniors committed themselves to a college-life of sports. All the athletes posted impressive performances in their Junior and Senior years and caught the eye of college coaches across the country. 6 different sports were represented at the RC signing.
Spirit
Rock Canyon spirit is at an all time high. Whiteouts, Blackouts, or even the random “dress-like-yourfavorite-superhero” day appear at almost every RC home game - and even some away games. The Canyon Crazies can also be followed on Facebook or Twitter @CanyonCrazies.
RC Soccer Future With six seniors graduating, the boys soccer team will have to recruit some new talent from the lower levels next year. Plenty of JV athletes are ready to play at the Varsity level - but have chosen to take their talents to a club soccer league instead for whatever reasons. Chosing to not rep the Black and Gold next season - definitely a NOT. [chrissafran]
[02/24/12]
wishweek
12
[ashleypark]
A Twinkling Star Natalie is this year’s Wish Kid -- a five year old girl battling Leukemia
I
t all starts with the clanking of thousands of coins being flung into the ten plastic bins aligned across the gym during the Miracle Minute of the opening assembly, the gym bleachers filling with students that are decked out in gear supporting their favorite Dodge Ball team, and students saving their tips from work so that they’ll have something to donate. This is the energy that leads to her big brown eyes filling with wonder as the tall towers of Cinderella’s castle glimmer high above her. The crackling of fire Works as they explode with color above the palace. Her favorite fairytales strolling along the sidewalk – waiting by a tree to meet her. This is Natalie’s wish – a trip to the magical world of Disney in Orlando. This week, students are aspiring to grant this wish, and make Natalie the happiest kid on earth. This five year old girl, who twirls around in her pink sparkling tutu and sings “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” was diagnosed with Leukemia June, 2011. The same girl that loves sledding in the snow and playing dress-up with Barbies, has had eight blood transfusions and twelve rounds of chemotherapy in the past nine months. It all began last May; Natalie kept coming home from preschool exhausted. Memorial Day Weekend, they went camping at Rampart Range. Half-way through a walk, Natalie got so
Leukemia Glossary Cancer: An uncontrolled growth in an abnormal cell (tumor cell)
To work some fun into the process, Natalie named her meditired she took a three-hour nap. Then, at her cousin’s birthday cines after things they remind her of -- the “banana one” the party, she wasn’t acting like her usual energetic self. She stayed on her mom’s lap, and her skin started to turn yellow. “pink one” the “rainbow one” and “rock star” for her methotrexate. Even the needles have been named: “I’m ready for my “About two weeks before we took her in [to the Sky Ridge bu-dder-fwi,” she exclaims before injections. Emergency Room], I had a dream that Natalie came to me in “Though Natalie never complains, we can tell the steroids the middle of the night to tell me she had Leukemia when she are really hard on her. She began to swell and got very puffy can’t even actually pronounce it,” Natalie’s mom Danielle said. “I knew the symptoms and was -- in just one month she gained ten pounds,” Danielle said. always worried, but that day, the And there have definitely been doctor confirmed my fears.” challenges. Natalie was diagnosed with Towards the end of her induction, Leukemia June 18 at 9:00 p.m. Her Natalie got pnemonia. She was in the red-blood cell count was so low, an ambulance immediately transportPIC-U for nine days where she underDanielle (Natalie’s Mom) went a surgery to implant a camera ed her to the Denver Children’s and tube into her lungs. From there, Hospital where she was given three Natalie was quarantined to a special room on the seventh floor pints of blood. They put a medi-port in her left shoulder and of the Children’s Hospital for another week. Isolated from her started her on chemotherapy, immediately. For the first month, she had daily treatments as part of the “induction phase.” siblings and with a few occassional visits from her parents, one of Natalie’s only sources of entertainment was painting on a mat Her family immediately turned to their faith. nurses would lay out for her on her bed. “Everyone worked to keep this experience positive. Our “Doctors and nurses wore yellow long-sleeved aprons and families and our church family have all been praying for Natamasks while they were in the room with her and there was a lie,” Danielle said. “We’ve been praying for Natalie, and Natalie outer room with vents that pulled things out of the air such as has been praying for everyone else.”
Leukemia: cancer that starts in the blood-forming tissue
Methotrexate: a drug used for chemotherapy
“
I knew the symptoms and was always worried, but that day, the doctor confirmed my fears.
Chemotherapy: a drug that kills fast-growing cells -sometimes can’t tell the difference between cancer cells and healthy cells so chem patients tend to have a low white-blood cell count, destroying their immune system
”
Induction phase: patient recives chemo daily for the first month after being diagnosed if cancer is too advanced to explore other options PIC-U: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Partial remission: cancer cells have responded to treatments but are not completely removed from the body
[karlyhanson]
wishweek
13
[02/24/12]
Twirling Through RC
Top from left to right: Natalie twirls her new Barbie “Star”the Foundation gave to her as a welcome present when she arrived Feb. 13. Ready to be introduced to the school, Natalie stands at the beginning of her favorite song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” that the student body sang in her welcome to the school. Bottom from left to right: Natalie bites into a specially made cookie Student Council Adviser Kate Hartline brought decorated with the Make- A- Wish logo in bright blue and white frosting. Hanging on to Chloe Thorderson’12, Natalie travels around the school to meet a few teachers before the assembly Feb. 17. At the end of the Vision Photo shoot Feb. 15, Natalie dressed up in pink with student council members Casey Burgeon’13, Nancy Hunt’12, and Chloe Thorderson’12 to snap some final shots with her newly-made friends. Clinging on to Student Council Adviser Kate Hartline, Natalie points in the direction she wishes to be carried during the Vision photo shoot Feb. 15.
photos by [laurenscheirman]
viruses,” Danielle said. “For the first few days all she would do was paint and pretend with her dolls, but as she started feeling better she was able to play and dance around the room.” Natalie understands that she needs her medicine, and doesn’t hesitate to remind her mom for her nightly dose. She plays as much as she can, and rests when she gets tired. “Natalie knows what’s going on, and never complains or argues. She’s never asked ‘why?’ or said she doesn’t want to do it. We’re blessed with that,” Jarrett, Natalie’s dad, said. “It was a hard adjustment at first; the kids spent a lot of time with their grandparents so one parent could always be at the hospital with Natalie,” Danielle said. On Day 28, things started looking up. Tests revealed that Natalie had less than .o1% of blasts in her blood, qualifing her for partial remission. She’s currently scheduled to recieve chemo every twelve weeks for the next two years. As long as her counts keep improving, when she hits the five- year mark, she will officially be considered cured. “Her spirit and happiness just blew me away. No one has ever changed my life in such a short amount of time,” Student Council member Casey Burgeon ’13 said. Natalie was nominated for her wish by her nurse Ms. Kristen. While most families prefer keeping their story and wish private, Danielle and Jarrett are willing to share her journey with our school. For them, it’s a way of giving back to the Foundation. “After everything that has been done for us, we couldn’t say no to participating in Rock Canyon’s Wish Week. It’s amazing what this school has done; we wish every school
had a desire to help others as a whole student body,” Danielle said. Student Council has been working closely with Natalie’s family to make the week as special as possible for her and her family. Nancy Hunt’12, Chloe Thorderson ’12, and Casey Burgeon ’13 met Natalie and her parents and baby brother Giovanni Feb. 13. “She melted my heart,” Hunt said. “So much work goes into this week, and it definitely gets to be stressful to make all of the little pieces fall into place. But when I take a step back and remember who I am doing this for, it’s 100% worth it.” This week is about more than bringing together the Rock Canyon family. It’s about bringing together Natalie’s family. “I’m looking forward to getting away from the treatments, and creatinging memories as the six of us,” Danielle said. “This is a once in a life time expereince, and it’s for all of us, not just Natalie, which is the cool thing.” If everything goes according to plan, Natalie will be leaving for Disney World March 23. If our student body comes together as we have for the past two years, Natalie will get a vacation from chemotherapy, hospital beds, and needles. In just one week, we can make her the happiest kid on earth. [karlyhanson]
As of 7:00a.m. Feb. 22, RCHS has raised $15,872.77 and granted not only Natalie’s wish, but the wish of at least one other as well.
Natalie Fast Facts
-Natalie is most looking forward to seeing Cinderella’s castle in Disney World -Her birthday is January 8 and her favorite present this year was a Tinkerbell doll -Natalie prefers playing ‘Princess’ to playing ‘Batman’ -Her favorite movie to watch in the hospital is Despicable Me -Natalie’s favorite dance move is twirling -- her brother Lorenzo twirls her, and she twirls her Barbies -She has a pink room full of new flower- covered accessories such as a bed and dresser that she inherited through her clinic -Natalie sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” on stage at her church in honor of her baby bother Giovanni’s dedication -Natalie likes to play hopscotch and tag -She is excited to return to school in the Fall as a Kindergartner after a year off for treatments - Natalie is the second oldest of four kids. Isabella is the oldest at 6, Lorenzo is 3, and Giovanni is the youngest at 2 months -Her parents, Danielle and Jarett grew up in Colorado and then moved to California for Jarrett to attend college. When They had Isabella his senior year, they decided to move back to Colorado.
[02/24/12]
thenews
14
20 42 17 7 6 62 15
Meeting STUCO
While at the first meeting for Make a Wish Nancy Hunt ‘12, Chloe Thorderson ‘12 and Casey Bergeron ‘13 sit in the Wish room with Natalie on the first visit. Bergeron and Aubrey Eggett ‘12 make a list of Disney songs to play in the commons during lunch. Adrienne Gulia ‘13 ties a baloon to Mandi Zimmerman, (math teacher) sons arm while blowing up the ballons to decorate the school Thursday Feb. 16. Student Counsel collects money in the cafeteria, during the benifit concert for wish week. Robbie Purdy’12 counts money after the Miracle Minute. “After carrying a full tub of change and cash, I knew that this Miracle Minute was definatly going to start wiah week 2012 on the right foot.” It took the employees at the bank over 40 minutes to count all the change which ended up being $4,500 in change.
“
What They Have to Say...
Student council members share their expereinces with their busiest time of year -- “Wish Season” Advertising Committee
“We went and found resteraunts and businesses to give them a percentage of their proceeds to wish week, and for the posters we wanted to get their up to date logos” -Darrian Felsen ’13
Dodgeball Committee
T-Shirt Designer
“Abbey Reagans mom did it. We asked her to include Make a Wish and Wish Upon a Star because that’s our saying this year. They turned out great!” -Casey Bergeron ’13
Meeting Natalie
“I had a lot of fun announcing the event and planning it from scratch with my commite The event was a sucess we raised a lot of money for Natalie like we had hoped” -Tyler Wagstaff’12
“She was so outgoing and she just wanted to run areound and play! She was such a sweetheart and her parents were so appreciative.” -Chloe Thorderson ’12
“It’s a super magical time at Rock Canyon” -Katherine Hartline ’12
“Student Counsil was so excited for the school to be able to meet Natalie and for the school to be excited” -Issey Koelemeijer ’12
The Adviser
Wish Week Head
“It’s been really stressful, but so much impact in knowing we truly changed lives. The work that has gone into it has been infathomable, but so worth it” -Nancy Hunt’12
Setting Up the Assembly
Decorating the School
“Helping set up was great becasue wish week is the greatest week of the yearand the most life changing week. It’s when the school comes together and aachieves great heights” -Paul McNally ’12
By The #’s The number of hours Student Council spent decorating the school for Wish Week. Students in Student Council. Thousand Wish Week Shirts were made this year. Beam posters made for the main hallway. Hours to decorate the posters in the hallway. Class periods of Student Council workede on wish week E-mails to Make a Wish center
12 25 6 10 15 116
thousand dollars made on the first day of Wish Week 3,000 more than last year.
4 8 4 3 7
Class periods missed by Student Council in preperation Wish Week
Letters sent out to resteraunts Hours for each poster Big bottles of glitter used for the beam posters Chipotle Burritos eaten while decorating the school for Wish Week Ballons blown up for Make a Wish
Resteraunts involved in Dish for a Wish Months of planning goes on for Wish Week Hours spent folding the wish week t-shirts As of 7 a.m. on Feb. 22nd $15,872.77 was raised
theimage
15 [02/24/12]
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Interested in volunteering for Special Olympics? please see Mrs. Fordham in 5100 for information on the RCHS Special Olympics Kickball Game!
[02/24/12]
indepth
16
“ I’m not 100% sure on which candidate I support yet, but I do know I’m going to vote Republican. I don’t know much about Newt Gingrich, so it will probably be either Romney or Santorum.” -- Sean Swierczewski ‘12
“ I’m a strong Romney supporter, I think he has the strongest platform compared to the rest of the Republican candidates. I also think he has the best economic recovery plan, and will help get the country back on track.” -- Jordan Hegre ‘13
“ I have no Idea! I don’t know much about the candidates, and really haven’t given it much thought. I might vote Republican because that’s what my family does, but I’m still not sure.” -- Kaylyn Riggs ‘13
“ I’d like somebody with a good Healthcare plan, because my dad works as a pharmaceutical salesman, but unemployment is an important issue to me as well.” -- Austin Moore ‘14 “ I don’t really know much about the election, I’ve seen it mentioned on the nightly news, but it doesn’t really matter to me because I won’t be able to vote, so I will just stick with who my parents decide to support.” -- Kristi Howard ‘14
“Who are the candidates? I guess I will just go with who my parents chose to support.” -- Anonymous
Making it Count
[Photo by: sydcharvat]
Thus far, the journey to the polls has taken us through a melee of negative political advertisements, a series of political debates, and even caused a number of Americans to follow the presidential nominees on Twitter. The race for the presidency has already been classified as a critical election, however, on November 2, when millions of individuals across the country find themselves standing in a small, starks-white voting booth, it will be up to them to decide which box to mark, or to even mark it at all A Student’s Opinion: streets. In the 1960’s African Americans ourselves out of a hole we’ve been put in by informed and educated about their deciFour years ago, most people in the country were thinking two things. Thank God those last four years are over -- or -- thank God we get to vote again in four years. No argument divides people more than politics, and no matter your stance on one thing or another, almost everybody finds something to disagree with when it comes to the future of our country. The reality of it is, that last statement couldn’t be more accurate. It is truly the future of the United States that is at hand every time a pencil fills in a little bubble on that ballot sheet come November. The gravity of this decision is often overlooked, sometimes people take this constitutional right for granted, but those who are well
sions come election time are well aware of the situations at hand. So now: decision time has come. And trust me, despite the political ads taking over commercial time, despite the weekly debates and caucuses, despite the ongoing media barrage of every potential candidate in the running: this is simply the calm before the storm. This election is setting up to be the nastiest in American history. On one side of the fence, the Republicans are hoping to regain control of the White House to rewrite the wrongs of the current administration and prevent what they see as a complete government takeover. Democrats, on the other hand, have seen the last four years as a means of digging
past authorities, and look to preserve the status quo for the next four as they look to President Obama to return the USA to the superpower state it once was. “Not caring” is an infectious state of mind that is running rampant across the American youth -- and if those who have the ability and the privilege to become informed and vote accordingly choose not to take it, they have nobody but themselves to blame if they don’t like the outcome. Across the country, students that are eighteen years of age will finally be able to take full advantage of their constitutional right to vote. In the 1900’s, women fought for their right to vote by taking their cause to the
used means of peaceful protesting under the leadership of figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And today, reforms such as the Occupy Wall Street movement and the efforts of countless individuals to win legislation to legalize gay marraige are shaping the American political and social landscape every day. However, in spite of whatever history may define as being a cause to vote, in the end, it is up to the individual to decide whether or not to make their voice heard. Democrats and Republicans alike would agree that this is a year of change. Now we just have to select a leader to take us through it.
[chrissafran] [sydcharvat]
indepth
17
The Democratic Perspective -- Fulfilling the Promise of “Change” “ The very core of what this country stands for is on the line ... The basic promise of no matter who you are, where you come from, this is a place that you can make it if you try. That’s at stake in this election.” --Barack Obama
With a Democratic president in office, the Democratic Party will not go through the nomination process like their Republican counterparts. Although they do not have to select a nominee for the General election, they still have an opinion The Voice of Young Democrats: Club President, Sachin Mathur’13 “Watching the Republican presidential race so far is like jazzercise. Sure, it may invigorate us a little bit, and sure, it may be good for us, but it’s still awkward and a bit uncomfortable, a few of us are fairly certain there are better options of getting what we need as American citizens. And most importantly, it’s just making people kind of cranky. The Republican nominees thus far have promised us little outside of moon bases and new economic policies; the sole concern seems to be toppling President Obama, and
they’re too bound by the unconditional demands of their party: such as abortion, banning gay marriage, that the about 45 million Americans who lack health insurance can only blame themselves, and that any form of gun control is unconstitutional. To be fair, they probably need to throw on the tank top and yoga pants, because the only way a Republican candidate can be truly viable, is if they become flexible.”
[sachinmathur]
[02/24/12]
The Democratic Ideology Abortion: Pro-choice Gay Rights: Support Health care: Public option Immigration: Traditionally support a secure border and amnesty programs Voucher system for private schools: Traditionally opposed Religion in schools: Against Afghanistan: Supported the invasion Iraq : Democrats were split almost down the middle over military action in Iraq Gun Control: Supports laws and restrictions on firearm ownership
The Candidates -- “And Then There Were Five ...”
Before the General election in November, the Republican party must select a candidate to represent their party against current president and Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama. Four nominees are currently in the running for the position
Name : Governor Mitt Romney Previous Experience : Republican candidate in the 1994 U.S. Senate At a Glance: Massachusetts Governor Romney is commonly referred to as a “moderate”republican, meaning that he strongly supports the Lincoln-era ideals of community, compassion and intellectual honesty. He aims to reduce taxes and government funded programs.
Name : Congressman Ron Paul Previous Experience : US Congressman (1976-1984) At a Glance: Congressman Paul identifies himself as a Libertarian, meaning that he supports the values of the Libertarian Party (a Republican splinter party that advocates liberty as a means to govern a society). Paul opposes the concept of “big government”and wishes to reduce taxes.
Name : Congressman Newt Gingrich Previous Experience : Unsuccessful runs for Congressional Office in 1974 and 1976 At a Glance: Congressman Gingrich is most famously known for his victory in being elected as the Speaker of the House in 1994, which lead to a Republican majority in the House for the first time in forty years. He aims to decrease taxes, strengthen the value of the US dollar and cut spending.
Name: Rick Santorum Previous Experience: U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 - 2007 and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 -1995. At a Glance: Senator Santorum is a conservative who believes in the preservation of traditional values. He is pro-life, opposes gay marriage, and seeks to end the teaching of Darwinian evolution in public schools.
Name: President Barack Obama Previous Experience: President of the United States (2008-2012) At a Glance: In this election, President Obama’s platform is focused upon the same issues as his platform during the 2008 presidential election. He advocates the raising of taxes on the wealthy (Americans who have an income of $250,000 or more) pro-choice policies, and gay marriage.
The Republican Perspective -- Primaries, Caucuses and Campaigns...Oh My! The Republican Ideology Abortion: Pro-life Gay Rights: Ban same-sex marriage Health care: Encourages individualized health care reforms. Immigration: Discourages amnesty and wants to tighten border security Voucher system for private schools: Wishes to expand this program Religion in schools: Supports voluntary student-initiated prayer in schools Afghanistan: Supported the invasion of Afghanistan Iraq : Supported military action in Iraq Gun Control: Upholds the Second Amendment right to bear arms Information Courtesy of http://www.balancedpolitics.org/ideology.htm
With the General Election looming in the all too near future, the Republican party is having to make concessions in order to ensure its success The Voices of Young Republicans: Club President, Bailey Bremner ‘13 and Vice President, Ashton Harrison’13
The Republican nomination race has been characterized and defined by a series of national caucuses and primaries, all held in an effort to select a nominee for the General Election in November of this year. “I’m optimistic for a change in office,” Young Republicans Vice President, Ashton Harrison ‘13 said. “I want a fresh outlook from someone with more experience than President Obama, and I think that a majority of the country would agree with me on that.” The race, which initially began with seven candidates, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, has now been narrowed down to four, as American voters steadily make their voices heard
as to who they would like to see in office. “I think that, out of the four candidates left, Mitt Romney has the greatest chance of winning,” Young Republicans Club President, Bailey Bremner ‘13 said, “but I do think that it is interesting that Rick Santorum is in the lead.” After recent victories in states such as Colorado and Minnesota, Rick Santorum has emerged as a viable candidate against Republican frontrunner, Mitt Romney. However, with several months remaining in the nomination race, only time will tell who will be chosen to run against Democratic incumbent President Obama in November.
[sydcharvat]
“I know that in this process, we’ll be going after each other...We’ll be going back and forth and then when it’s all over, we ought to be able to hug and go to work to get one of us elected President of the United States.” --Mitt Romney Page Design by: sydcharvat Additional Reporting by: sachinmathur, bryanmetze and cambelwinkler Information Courtesy of http://www.balancedpolitics.org/ideology.htm
[02/24/12]
indepth
18
How to Live Like the 1%...
The Top Flicks
(Without being the 1%)
With piling prom debts, lunch regrets, and waning summer savings...It’s that time of year again. Here are some quick tips to survive the mid year slump -- live it up and save up Must See...
Red Tails Flies into Theaters With romance, action, and a few unlikely heros...It’s just another day in Hollywood Red Tails, directed by Hollywood newcomer Anthony Hemingway, is full of wicked action scenes and a cast of actors that brought the script to life. Set during World War II, fearless fighter pilots who were willing to put their life at risk, were in need to secure the skies of Italy. At this time, the U.S. military created the Tuskegee Airman Program (TAP) which recruited a group of young, undaunted African Americans. They had passed the training program with ease, but still faced segregation in the military and were considered incompetent to fight against the Luftwaffe. Under the direction of Colonel A.J. Bullard (Terrance Howard) these men became a part of saving lives and fighting segregation. They became a distinguished group of fighters after painting their planes red and receiving the nick name “Red Tails.”
The characters, although fictional, connected with the audience and were charming despite being emotionally one dimensional. They didn’t grow or evolve with the movie. They did, however, do a wonderful job with the lines that were put in front of them. There were attempts to incorporate romance, which instead only lead to a weaker subplot among others that didm’t carry enough potential to take the movie to the top. Since the aerial fighting was action packed it quickly took the dominate role in the film. The red tails painted on the planes created a dramatic effect. In the end, I would only rate the movie at three stars but it is worth a few dollars for anyone interested in high paced action scenes or World War II fighter pilots.
Must Taste...
Casa Caliente Spices it Up
A hip, new restaurant located at 8800 South Colorado Boulevard, Highlands Ranch, 80126 (http://casacalienterestaurant.com)
There’s an App For That (Continued) If you and your friends are at a loss for unique (and cheap) lunch ideas, download Yelp at the Itunes app store, the top app for finding out the hottest restaurant ideas in your area that will leave both you and your piggy bank full and smiling.
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms
Plot: In a post-apocolyptic society, Katniss Everdeen is forced to take part in the Hunger Games--an event that follows a group of teenagers as they fight to the death for both glory and fortune. However, the aim of the game isn’t just to win, it’s to survive.
Plot: A twelve-year-old boy named Ted wants nothing more than to impress the girl he loves, Audrey. Living in a society where everything is made of plastic, Audrey hopes to, one day, see a real tree, so Ted ventures out to make her dreams come true.
Release Date: March 23
Release Date: March 2
“The books are really good but I don’t think it will get as big as Harry Potter. It has the potential but you won’t hear about it as often. “ Megan Stack, ‘13 Who’s Going to See it?
“I want to see a kids movie since they’re always fun to watch. And I’ve always like d Dr. Seuss, even when I was a little kid. It’s good stuff. “ Desi Baker, ‘13 Who’s Going to See it?
Seniors: 7/10 Juniors: 5/10 Sophomore: 8/10 Freshman: 10/10
Seniors: 6/10 Juniors: 3/10 Sophomore: 2/10 Freshman: 1/10 [maddiewhitten]
Must Shop...
[maerohrbach]
“Let’s go for Mexican!” doesn’t quite work while trying to “mix it up” in the mid-year lunch slump, when everyone has pretty much been there, done that. But with prom around the corner, every cent counts and while getting sushi or Peruvian may not be an option for you (or your piggy bank), it has become clear the local, high school friendly Mexican dining scene has much to offer beyond Chipotle. Casa Caliente in Highlands Ranch, is a snug restaurant that is tucked behind the hill where the rumbling of Colorado Boulevard is silenced. Though the atmosphere is more family oriented, with dimmed lights and sit down booths that surround a cantina bar, the food (and the prices) are teen friendly as well. Its 19th century Mexican style mixed with the buzz of a modern American bar; there is a balance between traditional Mexican and the safe, yet cozy style that is characteristic of Highlands Ranch.
From animated storybook revivals, to futuristic struggles, 2012 is shaping into a good year for film. The Hunger Games Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
It serves a variety of Mexican foods, from the typical make-yourown burritos($5.50), to their one of a kind menu items from chef Tony. The salsa is traditional style, balancing the sweet tomato with a kick of spices. The mango salsa, though a tad blander than its usually sugary counter parts, is fresh and the perfect alternative for the “spicy hating” members of your party. At only $8, a set of two bean burritos decked to the nines with crisp lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa (meat can be added depending on your preference) is large in portion and astonishing in price. For those on a budget diet who want some variety, the daily special keeps prices low--on Tuesdays two tacos plus rice and beans are a mere $4; on Fridays all appetizers are 50% off.
[danielleburrage]
To save cash, empty your cabinets instead of your wallet. Use Epicurious, a free app for iphone and android, to feed your inner chef. Whether you are the next Wolfgang Puck or just learning how to boil water, this app supplies quick lunch tips.
Uptown Cheapskate 8223 S. Quebec St. Centennial, 80112
Sometimes opportunity calls, and sometimes opportunity might send an SMS message to your phone. My opportunity came when Uptown Cheapskate, a hip discount boutique that revives the old and discounts the new, sent me a 20% discount coupon to my cell phone Saturday morning. With prices already hovering just above $5 for accessories, shirts, and shoes, the down fall of digging through haphazard racks of fabric seemed like a minor set back in the greater picture of cheap chic. For those who want a full spring wardrobe as well as a full wallet (heck, at these prices, might as well get a new wallet) Uptown Cheapskate is a high school student’s wardrobe heaven.
[danielleburrage]
Forever 21
8557 Park Meadows Center Dr. 80 124
A massive crowd of eager teenagers and their friends piled into the new and improved Forever 21 store at Park Meadows mall, for the official opening Jan. 28. “The new Forever 21 is like Heaven. There are new features to the store like the men’s section, children’s section and a whole wall of jewelry,” Haven While ’15 said.
[kelceybeckman]
If you want updates for Uptown Cheapskate’s cheapest deals, sign up for their emailing list on www.uptowncheapskate.com or go in the store to receive SMS updates on coupons and sales. [danielleburrage]
elsatyr
The GOP: The Baddest and Bestest
As the time to select a GOP candidate comes nearer, conservative politicians everywhere are revving up their Super PACs and frantically waddling across the nation, attempting to win over as many Americans as possible. Let’s take a look at our candidates
[art by zachanderson] Name: Newt Gingrich Height: 5’8 Weight: 240 lbs. Memorable Quote: “By the end of my second term we will have the first permanent base on the moon...and it will be American.” At a Glance: The world needs its heroes, the world needs its villains, and then the world has Newt Gingrich. Gingrich--although possessing experience in conservative leadership--has had a scandalous ride thus far. From the open marriage talks , insider money laundering, and of course, the promise of a moon base after his second term--Space Cadet Newt’s got spunk. He is an impenetrable wall of American leadership and he makes promises that we can assume he’ll keep. And he’ll do it all in a space suit.
Name: Mitt Romney Height: Just tall enough to look down on you! Weight: Approximately 3 Ron Paul’s (or a 1/3rd of a Gingrich) Memorable Quote: ”PETA is not happy that my dog likes fresh air.” At a Glance: Mitt Romney is a prime example of the American dream, a true rags to riches story. Sure, those rags were worth 2.6 million dollars but still, Mitt Romney is considered a fine piece of prime rib in the Republican party butcher shop. He’s got the smarts, he’s got the rhetoric, and he’s got that pearly white smile that only a conservative could love. In the end, Romney’s wealth and desire to mend America’s economic wounds just may take him to the top.
Name: Rick Santorum Height: Insignificant Weight: Insignificant Memorable Quote: ”Drill everywhere...There is no such thing as global warming.” At a Glance: Men go down in history in many ways, some get buildings named after them, and others are named after a mixture of gross body fluids. Santorum’s surely the most conservative of our candidates. Contraception? Nope. Global Warming? A conspiracy. Science in general? Pfffft. Santorum’s recent sweep of Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado proves that he is a viable candidate, let’s hope he has the traits to back it up. *Ron Paul has been omitted from this story due to the fact that he will most likely be running again in the 2016 race... and the 2020 race.
[sachinmathur]
New“Spanx”Cause Riot in Downtown Denver
19 [02/24/12] Satyrically Yours
This year, the NCAA was pleased to create even more bowl games so that great football programs-- such as the UCLA Bruins -- could end the season on a positive note. Sadly, there couldn’t be a bowl game for everybody. Many bowl proposals were rejected by the NCAA’s administration board. Here are a few of the rejects: • The Christian Church Te-Bowl B.P. Oil Bowl live from the • The Superdome • The Michael Vick Kennel Club Bowl • Kim Jong il Memorial Bowl • The Golden Corral All-You-CanEat Bowl • The Jersey Shore Orange Bowl
• The Steve Jobs Memorial iBowl • The Lebron James Fidelity Investments Tough Decisions Bowl • The Tiger Woods In-Fidelity Bowl • The DCSD Budget Bowl (No scoreboard or balls though, they were part of the cuts)
[andrewbohren chrissafran michaelshapiro]
Due to the recent evolution of “As Seen on TV” infomercials into relatable advertising ploys, consumers are becoming growingly agitated with the failure of the products to live up to their brand-name promises. A group of angry middle-aged women stormed the Denver captiol Jan. 15 bearing a large banner emblazoned with the words, “One Size Does NOT Fit All.” The pro-formfitting group claimed that the new Fleecy Body Spanx recently released by the Love-U-Snug Clothing Corporation-- most famously known for their infamous Pajama Jeans—did not live up to the promise of their “one-size fits all” slogan. “All I wanted was something that suited my fast-paced PTA lifestyle, and catered to my, uh…unique shape,” wife and mother Sharon DaCotton said. “The Fleecy Body Spanx claimed that they could help me look cute even though I was really only wearing a tight-fitting fleece body suit.” The women have been protesting the company for several weeks, and have set up a large tent, (mockingly constructed out of Fleecy Body Spanx) on the capitol steps. “The Denver Equal Opportunity Clothing Commission has its central office in the capitol building,” protest leader Polly Ester said. “They are refusing to meet with us because they claim that our suit is baseless and illogical. We are determined to wait this out, after all, we paid good money for these things; we deserve for our voices to be heard.” The product was released in December of last year and promised to serve as a priceconcious alternative to its rival, yoga pants (which commonly sell for $20.00 per pair). Although their pocketbooks may have been feeling slightly lighter after purchasing the
$19.95 Body Spanx, the emotional baggage onset by the disappointment of the Spanx has, for some, proven too much to bear. “My mom bought the zebra-colored one for herself,” college student and daughter Sane N’ Lovinit said, “but it didn’t fit her at all; it made her look more like a Muppet than a person, so I told her to stop wearing it…we haven’t spoken since.” The Public Relations representative of Love-U-Snug claims their advertising campaign is not to blame for the product’s individual shortcomings. “We never promised that the Body Spanx would be flattering on every shape,” representative Nick N. Stitch said. “Our product was intended to keep people warm inside the safety of their own homes; we did not anticipate that women would substitute them for everyday clothing.” The advertisement itself depicts people from a wide range of ages, socio-economic groups and body types, wearing the Fleecy Body Spanx to sporting events, on outings at the mall, and even suggested that you throw a party at your house in which everyone in attendance would wear their own pair of Body Spanx. “We understand that our advertising ploys may have been deceptive,” Stitch said. “Our advertising program was headed up by Danned Smert, who is most widely known for his conception of the first-ever Snuggie commercial.” Although the women—who have joined
[photo by: sydcharvat] together to form the “Snug You Spanx!” Group—have since filed a lawsuit against Luv-U-Snug, true justice will only be served once the wearing of fleece garments in public is formally outlawed. “I’ve always trusted commercials to let me know what’s ‘okay’ to do in public,” Taylor said. “After all, times have changed, and I know that in today’s world, it’s all right to bring a Shakeweight on the subway, and wear my Cami Secret to work….If I can save any woman the grief that the Fleecy Body Spanx have caused me in my workplace and in my own home, all of our efforts will be worth it.”
[sydcharvat]
El Satyr El Satyr realizes that it is the product of misinformation and exaggeration. If you were insulted, hurt, or shocked while reading this page, El Satyr does not apologize. Also it’s not spelled wrong. Google it. therock is not an affiliate of El Satyr.
[02/24/12]
theopinions
20
Touching the Paintings
Did you ever go on a field trip to the art museum? I could probably recount the entire experience, right down from the paper bag lunches to the docents with the red blazers. But the most vivid thing that I remember about these excursions was the Golden Rule of Art Museums: You DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, touch the art work. We were all convinced that each painting had an alarm system that would go off if we got close to it. There is nothing more captivating than a really heavily painted scene that you are not allowed to touch. The dried paint licks up like waves, taunting little fingers to run along the ridges. It’s a small but profound longing. I’ll get back to that in a minute. When I was in the seventh and eighth grade, I had an English teacher named Katie (At my crazy little school we called our teachers by their first names). Being the sheltered eleven-year-olds that we were, we saw Katie as some sort of exotic hero. She had a tattoo, was a single mom and could make American History more interesting than the Disney Channel. We were scared of her at first, she was very unlike the motherly, earth-tone teachers we
running erinds
were used to. I was one of the first to actually have a class with her and remember joyfully declaring to anyone and everyone, “She’s not actually scary!” No, Katie was not scary. She regaled us constantly with tales of her son and her clumsiness. She made us laugh so hard that one kid started keeping a quote book of things she had said. The best thing about Katie was her faith in us. Her class was like a kaleidoscope of intellectual windows. We read Sylvia Plath poetry. We studied sexism and found gender profiling in modern media. We debated the death penalty and abortion rights. We put on the play Inherit the Wind about the right to teach evolution in schools. And we read. Oh my goodness did we read. By the time I graduated middle school, I had read everything from To Kill a Mockingbird to Bless Me Ultima and Things Fall Apart. Nothing was off-limits. Nothing was too adult for us to handle. We read about creativity and culture, but we also read about suicides, racism and labor camps. Katie would do annotation checks, to make sure that we were scribbling in our margins and underlining pearls of wisdom.
The Snooki Sequence Negativity is much easier to come by than positivity, and perhaps nowhere else is there a greater example of good ole’ fashioned, Rick-Perry style mud slingin’ than the halls of an upper-middle class suburban high school in the United States. We here at Rock Canyon have plenty of names to call each other, but there is one that resonates with a certain pizazz: “fake”. When we hear the word ‘fake’, we all usually conjure up the same visual example of a ‘fake’ person. They’re usually a girl. They usually have a not-sonatural skin color. They usually have nice clothes. And they usually have a way of making people angry. But here’s the thing we forget when we so boldly call each other ‘fake’: we mimic the same superficiality for coming up with such a lazy description, because it lacks any true insight on that person’s life, and just goes to emphasize our insecurities as young people. Adolescence is usually a time where humans reconcile how they
sachin such
perceive themselves versus how others perceive them, which is a prime enabler for insecurity, and there’s no better selfdefense mechanism against those insecurities than to dismiss somebody that you can’t stand than to dismiss them as ‘fake’. Our youth culture today revolves around authenticity. To be respectable is to be yourself, but consider how much of a paradox that is when we assess specific elements of our culture: one of the most popular shows out there is Jersey Shore, which is a group of people with fake tans and scripted lines pursuing their ‘shallow’ interests of onenight stands and getting wasted. Some of the most popular, chart-topping songs are of somebody talking about how real they are and how they can’t stand fake people, while that song itself was produced by a room full of writers (I’m looking at you, Nicki Minaj). Our media tells us one thing, and our minds tell us another, so what happens
[zachanderson] A truly read book, she would tell us, is one that has been inked to death and dropped in the bathtub. Katie often told us that her goal in life was to make it on the Banned Books list. Books are not banned for sugar-coating. Books are banned for telling the truth. When I started Katie’s creative writing class in seventh grade, my stories were horrifically romantic and cliche. Depressed men found joy. Selfish women fell in love with orphans and reformed their lives. Slowly, Katie taught me how to tell the truth. She didn’t destroy my childish optimism, she just reworked my naivety. She showed me that to say how things should be, you had to first admit how things are. I remember asking Katie if it was okay to swear in a story. She told me that yes, it was okay if it was justified. If the character would have sworn, he would have sworn. In the eighth grade, I turned in a story with a curse word in it. It wasn’t even an assignment, I just wrote it and gave it to her to read. I remember how terrified I was and how exhilarating it was to use a forbidden word. The “swear word” was “freaking”. I’m sure that I’ve forgotten a lot of the things that Katie taught me. Some of the
novels that we read have blurred together in my head and I don’t remember the eleven Universals of Culture. It doesn’t matter though, because I remember the important parts. I remember how it feels to synthesize the emotions contained in the pages of a novel with your own insignificant problems. I remember the thrill of declaring yourself. Most of all, I remember that it’s okay to tell the truth. Katie let us touch the paintings; not the physical ones, but the metaphorical paintings. She let us touch life. She let us run our hands all over it and study the contours and the swells of the paint. And then she let us sit down with our sparkly spiral-notebooks and write poems and stories about it. Real poems and stories- the kind with swear words. Life is not full of happy endings. If you want to change something, you have to meet people where they are. Life is real, people are real and sadness is real. Someday, I would love to be on the Banned Books List. I would love to say something so real that someone will not be able to handle it, because the people who can handle it will understand it.
In when we try to balance the two? We hide who we are. We’ll put on the fake tans, and the not-so-comfortable clothes, and we will act different. And it isn’t fake - it’s a real human being stumbling through the very real turbulence of adolescence. Speaking of growth, a human being you call ‘fake’ isn’t even physically ‘fake’. They exist. They consist of the same organs, flesh, and other body juices that make a human a human. They share 99.9% of your DNA. Biologically, from the epidermal layer to your most complex cells, we are alike. Our evaluations of a person, our likes, dislikes, and opinions are governed by a .1% disparity in our composition, plus or minus a few years of psychological tumult. Chances are, you faced a similar experience too. So even in our disdain for somebody, he or she is still alike to us. He or she have - and he or she will - experience love and loss, or triumph, or a fall to tragedy. They are - we are - human.
The Hunger Games Beyonce’s Baby The New Forever 21
Going Out Twilight
Decent Literature
Betty White
Whitney Houston
Love Culture
Quality Clothing
Jeremy Lin
Kobe Bryant
Wish Week
Terminal Disease
Jimmer Freddette
Tuberculosis
theopinions
21 [02/24/12]
140 Characters or Less On Last Words
Rockarazzi
Since the beginning of time, words have been suppressed and held back to prevent Over the last few years Rock Canyon has been swept up by uproar and keep opinions quiet. But, in fact, regardless of what others may believe, events such as ABC, Rachel’s Challenge, and Wish Week . These everyone can be heard...Even in 140 characters or less. serve as a constant reminder that you never know which day or which words may be your last. When I was little, I was unbelievably shy. up the pages in agitation, claiming that I
that’s what she syd
was a terrible writer and that nothing I said meant anything to anyone. Ironically, Anne felt the same way. She and I bonded between the pages of a beat-up library book, and we understood each other. But, by the end of the novel, I knew that we were different. Anne didn’t give up. She knew what she wanted from life. She knew that she wanted to publish a book. And she knew that her words were powerful enough to change the world. And she did. Everything we say, think, and write, has meaning. It defines us as people, and lets the world know that we all have a voice, regardless of what other people tell us. And, in spite of whatever public institutions or even our peers, may say, our ability to speak can never be hindered by what other people think. We are lucky enough to live in an age where things like Twitter and Facebook, enable us to connect with other people and publish our thoughts and feelings onto a template that lets thousands of people into our lives and understand who we are as people. But, we have to learn to utilize them in such a way that enables them to become the outlets that they were conceived to become. And whether that may mean typing out a meaningful status update in the Newsfeed, or drafting a 300 page novel under the Notes link; it still lets the world see who you are and hear what you have to say. “And if I don’t have the talent to write books or newspaper articles, I can always write for myself. But I want to achieve more than that...I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met...And that’s why I’m so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and express all that’s inside me! When I write, I can shake off all my cares...But, and that’s a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?”-Anne Frank The truth of the matter is, you don’t have to be a journalist and you don’t have to be a writer. All you need is a voice, and the words will come.
Friends, peers, and teachers, tive-- components is that life is I originally intended this comdynamic, always changing, and mentary to be on a completely people can enter and leave within different subject. I wanted to an incredibly brief period of time. write something This principle essentially bitter and critifuels Wish Week at Rock cal of others, Canyon, a collaborative something that attempt to sustain the would make me positive outlook on life sound intelwhen it is pushed to its ligently cynical most critical extremes. while pushing readers into an How we treat others is what the unspoken state of argument, thus world remembers when our lives provoking whatever norms I saw diminish, and it is immensely fit. However, a concept far more important to capture whatever meaningful has presented itself, goodness we can before that chance and I hope it is seen as such. escapes us. Whether it’s Wish To this day, I still don’t remem- Week, Rachel’s Challenge, or any ber the last thing other chance to I ever said to my improve humanity, How we treat grandmother. I it all begins with others is what the can’t even rememaccentuating the ber the last time purity of what is world remembers I saw her before said. when our lives her death in 2008. So regardless of diminish And although my mood, I always I have plenty attempt to make of good memories to represent the last thing I say to anyone I care everything she was, I don’t have about something real. It may be even a vague image of what she just in my character. But I think it is last left to me, what I last gave to more likely a way for me to make up her, or whatever final emotion of for the fact that my grandmother’s which I was supposed to hold on. last words are lost in my mind, Lung cancer took us all off-guard, and prevent that same fate from and yet, no matter how hard I try, ever happening again. Should they the last day is something that is no prove to be the last words I ever longer there and there is nothing I say to that person, they better be can do about it. something true and pure. For this reason I try very hard to keep life in perspective. One of the most intriguing--and destruc-
once you go zach...
“
Editorial
Editor in Chief: Lauren Scheirman News Editors: Kayla Neil, Charlie Melbye In-Depth Editors: Danielle Burrage, Syd Charvat Sports Editors: Alex Pedrinan, Chris Safran Opinions Editors: Andrew Charap, Allie Cole Online Editors: Charlie Melbye, Chris Safran Business Editor: Cecilia Castro Art Editor: Zach Anderson Guest Commentator: Erin Snyder Non-Voting Adviser: Kristi Rathbun
“
I hated to talk and I loathed the thought of having someone tell me that my opinion was stupid or irrelevant. So, I would spend the majority of class sitting with my book open in front of me, while everyone else was busy in their second grade reading groups buzzing about the latest installment of the “Juny B. Jones” series. Occasionally, I thought about chiming in with a comment about how I “really, really liked the fact that Juny wasn’t afraid to wear an obnoxious purple bow to her first grade graduation,” but I was convinced that, if I talked, anything and everything I said would be misconstrued in such a way that people would think my views were “weird” or “uncool”...And more importantly, think that I was “weird” and “uncool”. Eventually, my teacher realized that I was spending what should have been my most obnoxious and annoying year of life as a silent wallflower, and decided to intervene. In the middle of class one day, she walked me to the library and pulled a copy of, The Diary of Anne Frank off the shelf. Holding the book reverently, she looked me square in the eyes and said that, “there are only two things in this world that will live on after you die; the difference that you make, and the words that you say. Everything else will be spent away, wear away, or fade away... But your words,” she patted the book, “will never wear away, and will never, ever, fade away.” For the rest of the semester, I forgot about “Juny B. Jones and the Super Smelly Bus,” and instead read, The Diary of Anne Frank. When I first started reading the book, I didn’t realize that Anne was a real person, and I actually envied the fact that she seemed to know herself so well, and be so unrelentingly confident in herself and her actions. But, as I read on, and the layers of happiness, charisma, and lightheartedness began to peel away, I realized that she and I weren’t all that different from one another. We both had dreams, had crushes, felt that the world around us was limiting, and we both prayed that someday, somehow, we would make a difference in the world. I used to dream of being a writer. I would sit in my room for hours on end, and write stories, comedy sketches and even plays, all in hopes of someday getting to see my name on a board or a screen somewhere, where everyone could see it. For a while, that dream left me. I would re-read my writing and throw
-“Is it okay if I just spam you real fast with cats?” -“I hate when my computer gets a yeast infection.” -“It’s because you made that cake. Now look at your future.” -“Landshark. Christian Bale is a landshark.” -“Are you fishing with your computer mouse?” -“My socks look like the popcorn jellybeans...or like someone peed on them.” -”I’m just going to google sweaty puerto ricans.” -”You’re being extra spicy today.” -”So. Many. Marshmallows.” -”If looks could impregnate, she’d have like octuplets.” -”Bro, gimme’ back my Koala bear.” -”I’m Catholic, but I don’t really know what the ash-onthe-forehead thing means. I just did it because I feel obligated.” -”It’s like she has a baby spawning in her head or something.” -”Wait... I thought Joe Biden was like a baseball player or something.” -”It’s so acidic and hostile in here.” -”Lay off me! My boyfriend’s in prison!” -”We hit that... note.”
The Rock Staff Reporting
Zach Anderson Jacob Battock Kelcey Beckman Andrew Bohren Sydney Boyle Megan Boyles Nicole Cassou Brianna Cook Karly Hanson Natalie Holthaus Sachin Marthur Linnea Melbye
Sean McGavin Bryan Metze Christian Nicholson Rylee Portman Jeremy Purchase Mae Rohrbach Demri Scott Michael Shapiro Virginia Vaughan Cambel Winkler Caitlin Yanchak
Rock Canyon High School 5810 McArthur Ranch Road Highlands Ranch, CO 80124 Phone 303-387-3000/Fax 303-387-3001
The goals of The Rock, the student newspaper of Rock Canyon High School, are to inform, educate, and entertain the readers as well as to provide an educational opportunity for the students who produce it. The first three copies of The Rock are free, additional copies are available for 50 cents each. The Rock invites your comments. Letters to the editor and commentary submissions are encouraged. You are also encouraged to submit coverage ideas, cartoons, photos or anything else you wish to see in the Rock. Opinions of the staff are presented as editorials. All editorials are at least the majority view of the editorial board. We also feature a number of columnists and commentary writers. Their opinions are their own.
theopinions
When you wish upon a star...
22[02/24/12]
Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman, welcome to Wish Week. Welcome to the one week of the year when Rock Canyon High School gravitates to stardom as we simultaneously fight for Natalie, her wishes and the aspirations of terminal patients across the nation.
[zachanderson]
Staff Editorial: As Rock Canyon embarks on Wish Week 2012 we celebrate Natalie, her bravery in the face of Leukemia, and her unfailing spirit that drives students to give generously and grant a wish.
Life in Ink
It’s time for you to make a statement. Your statement isn’t of protest or anguish, at least not in the literal sense. Instead, it’s a statement on behalf of Natalie -- our Wish kid. At the age of five years old she was diagnosed with leukemia, and has been battling it ever since. She and her three other siblings came to Rock Canyon through the Make-A-Wish foundation with a simple and endearing goal: to go to Disney World, where dreams -- and wishes -- come true. Natalie, in many respects, is the embodiment of what Wish Week and the Make-A-Wish Foundation are all about. She’s a girl subjected to an ailment she didn’t deserve and didn’t ask for. And while it’s easy to stand from a distance and pity her, it would be an insult to her bravery . She has remained a figure of hope in her battle against Leukemia. But the war against Leukemia is a war of attrition. The disease is as symbolic as it is destructive. The stoic defenders of the human body, the white blood cells, start appearing in excess, and as their numbers grow so do the dangers. Soon, the bloodstream becomes so inundated with these defenders that things take a turn for the worse. The growth of the white blood cells soon becomes out
of control and the resources to feed them as well as the functioning cells depletes rapidly. Siddhartha Mukherjee, in his bestseller The Emperor of All Maladies, A Biography of Cancer, describes cancer not as “something, but someone.” And it truly is. Much like us, cancer morphs to its surroundings. It withstands tribulations and adapts. It desperately wants to be unique from those around it, and transforms its image to do so. Its only goal is to survive at any cost. But every day, we fight back against its insidiousness. We assemble in masses to show that they will not back down through events such as the Race for the Cure. We don pink clothing, ribbons, and bracelets like battle. If doctors are the generals of the army that fights against cancer, then they are the warriors. Because for every scared and confused patient standing in the throes of a sickness, there are thousands of anonymous defenders standing rank-in-file behind them, waiting and willing to support them. That’s what we are for Natalie and the multitude of other children that will be graced by Rock Canyon Wish Week spirit. We are an amalgamation of students who will go to the end of the earth to raise money to grant a child’s wish that we’ve only known for a handful of days, and we couldn’t be happier while doing it. That’s what Wish Week is all about. It’s not about breaking records or flaunting how charitable we can be, it’s about Natalie and Taylor and Harley. It’s about the humility we feel when we are graced with such fortune compared to
these brave spirits. Standing up against Leukemia is much like standing up for Wish Week. It doesn’t just show bravery or courage, it shows that one is willing, against a mountain of odds, to fight the good fight. Whether through the trials of chemotherapy or a Friday night dodgeball game, the fight is fought on multiple battlefields. While none of us may have the magic of medicine at our fingertips, we possess a different type of magic. As corny as it may sound, we possess the magic of Rock Canyon. And nowhere else was our magic more evident than one year ago this week, when our school showed Taylor Easterberg our boldness. While Mr. Gonzalez’s short hair and Mr. Doan and Mr. Sapienza’s shaved heads were certainly rewards for our efforts, our true trophy was the fact that a suburban school of 1600 kids shattered a stereotype for greed and vanity and, in doing so, granted seven children a wish. And if granting wishes wasn’t magic enough for Rock Canyon, then The Rock doesn’t know what is. You see, granting wishes used to be the stuff of fairy tales. A fairy godmother granted Cinderella her wish to go to the ball. Aladdin rubbed his lamp and was granted three wishes from a genie. And all Pinocchio ever wanted was to be a real boy. What do all three have in common? Well, besides a granted wish, all of them are denizens of the Happiest Place on Earth. Indeed it seems as if Disney World truly is the land of wishes come true. Natalie will fit right in.
[zachanderson]
theopinions
Thank You, Apple In this technological day and age, it is nearly impossible to find someone not tweeting or texting on their iPhones, iPads, iTouches, iWhatevers. When you take a look at it - the world would be nearly unrecognizable without the presence of technology. Companies like Windows and Apple have revolutionized the way people get through their daily lives. As the attention-span of our generation goes down, the number of songs, games and apps skyrockets - and now - Apple’s new rage is the concept of the “In-App Purchase.” These apps are disguised as freebies in the App-Store and then expose the downloader to a world of upgrade options to be purchased. You see the idea behind it is simple: you can
safrancisco
now choose to either play a game by working your way up through the ranks of various difficulties whilst gaining the necessary experience to destroy your future opponents - or you could simply just “purchase” your way to success. Even the most uncoordinated, inept person could pick up a game and be an instant sensation - if they can afford it. There’s really only one thing I have to say about the this new craze: Thank God. Finally I no longer have to actually put any effort into anything! Throw the ideas of hard work and persistence out the window - and just drop you (or your parents) hard earned cash on instant superstardom. Apple has finally hit the nail on the head.
A Matter of Perspective One of the most disappointing moments I have experienced during the course of this whole “big sister” thing was when I was given the last season of Boy Meets World on DVD for Christmas this past year, and my 14 year old brother asked, “What’s Boy Meets World?” After this question, I just couldn’t handle the responsibility of being related to him. When Boy Meets World quit airing re-runs on Disney channel in 2007, I was old enough to miss the stupid Eric moments, the life les-
ay-oh kayla
sons under 30 minutes, and, most importantly, the biggest and most intense Bromance in history. However, my brother was only 10 and being introduced to shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place. Thank goodness they replaced a quality life-lesson-filled show like Boy Meets World with something as unrealistic and ultimately meaningless as Hannah Montana. Why would they want to teach us the importance of lifelong friendships, (Cory and Shawn should come to mind right now), or love (Cory and Topanga), or just how
23 [2/24/12] I - a privileged child from Highlands Ranch, CO - simply don’t have the time and patience to work my way through a whole game of skill and trivia, more or less stomach defeat at the hands of my friends who are more experienced at a game that I just downloaded yesterday. I couldn’t be more excited at the fact that Apple is finally catering to the fact that money truly can buy happiness and success. Games such as “Flick Homerun”, “NFL Pro 2012”, and even everyones favorite “Temple Run” are adapting to this new style of paid success - and apps can even be categorized by the “Top In-App Purchases” so I know which ones involve me actually having to make an attempt to get better. More companies in this world have something to learn from Apple: why value the
long-time morals of competition and effort when you can exploit the wealth and laziness of America and earn yourself some extra cash in the process? The time that would be spent at the lower ranks of the game can now be attributed to beating the crap out of poorer, under-qualified fellow game-players or explaining to my parents what the $10 and $20 charges are to their credit cards linked to my iTunes account. Apple banked on the fact that making the game almost impossible to succeed in at first will motivate the majority of young buyers to quickly spend their ways to superiority without regard for the lack of experienced gained during the process - and they were 100% right.
to be a good person in general when they could instead teach kids how to manage life when you’re a secret pop star? Or, better yet, a wizard. I can only wish those shows had been around when i was 10. They would have so greatly impacted my life. I have no idea how I’ve lived to 17 without the important lessons these shows teach kids. I hope the sarcasm is evident enough for you. I consider myself very blessed to have been born just those 33 months before my brother. Because as insignificant as they have seemed to me the last 14 years, they are
the wall between Mary-Kate and Ashley and Miley Cyrus. Full House and Drake and Josh. Even Stevens and iCarly. Tiger Cruise and The Cheetah Girls. Zenon and High School Musical. Boy Meets World and Hannah Montana. But then again, who’s to say that this won’t just happen to the next generation of shows? Whatever dry series that follows Spongebob Squarepants or Pretty Little Liars may be at the end of the same criticisms just a few years from now. I suppose it’s all just a matter of perspective.
CONGRATULATIONS NATALIE! YOU’RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! Congratulations Student Council on another great Wish Week!
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Jaden Emmeluth ‘11 Shirt: Avon
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Wish Week
2012
Natalie becomes a member of the Jaguar family as Wish Week kicks off February 17 1. Natalie whispers “can we bring out the toys now?”into Bridget FitzPatrick, the Development Associate for Make a Wish, ear Feb. 13. after StuCo members first met Natalie. 2.Natalie blows out the candles on her Minnie Mouse cupcakes as she makes a wish at the Student Council breakfast before the first wish week assembly Feb. 17. 3. Jarrett ,Natalie’s dad, hands Natalie the Barbie she received from the Make a Wish Foundation Feb. 13. 4. Student Council Adviser Kate Hartline gets dragged across the Vision Photography studio by Natalie and 3-yr-old brother Lorenzo Feb. 15 . 5. Traveling aruond the school to meet the teachers,
Natalie’s 6-yr-old sister Isabella runs and gives Math TeacherTony Koy a hug hello in the hallway before the assembly Feb. 17. 6. Chloe Thorderson’12, Casey Bergeron ‘13, and Nancy Hunt’12 watch as Natalie draws on the Make a Wish Foundation’s signing wall Feb. 13. 7.Natalie’s mom Danielle smiles while she tells a story about playing Barbies with her sister Isabella Feb. 13. 8.Paul McNally ‘12 holds on to Natalie’s brother Lorenzo during the opening assembly Feb. 17. “Whenever the crowd got loud for Natalie he would say ‘that’s my sister!’It was really cute to see the little brother love,”McNally said.
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[laurenschierman]