Eagleeye.2010-2011.no.2

Mountain Vista High School 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge

Highlands Ranch, Colo. | 80126 Issue 2 | Vol. 10 | December 13, 2010

www.vistanow.org

Life after high school

SisterRivalry

Two sisters, two schools

One goal, one winner

Hagans battle on the

dance floor BULLYING

16

COLLEGE

31

10

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2 eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org

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table of contents

WordShould we keep CONNECT?

9

CollegeTransitioning from high school to university life

10-11Snow | drivingTips on safe driving in winter weather

8

EditorialHow bullying really portrays the bad guy

15

School | spiritThe challenge for every Eagle this year

13

Applying | angstTime to chill out in the middle of the college application heat

12

BullyingStudents reveal their darkest moments

16-20

UndateableAre you worthy for that second date? Take this quiz and find out

23

SoulYogurtland v. Pinkberry: the best place for froyo

22

Drag | racingTechnology Student Association competes

27

HolidaysDifferent traditions you may not know about

24-25

MVHS | bandsGetting to know the bands you don’t

28WrestlingSupporting the sport everyone seems to forget

29Hagan | rivalryPoms: competition between sisters

31

GiftsFind your idea under our tree

26

Epic | photosCapturing Eagles in action

4-7

Photo courtesy of Rob Denton

| Vista graduates Rob Santini and Brian Vu, with seniors Forrest Hersom and Ian Woon of New Horizon. In the new album, “Make It Count”, “there are more complex harmonies,” Woon said. “There are more diverse feels and moods to songs.”

4

Tipping Point

| Stephen Chipman, junior, tips off against the Columbine Rebels Dec. 7. Basketball is Chipman’s second sport this year after running cross country in the fall. “I work hard every day, and the coaches notice that,” Chipman said. “I also think cross country really helped to get me in better shape.”

Photo by Trevor Zalkind

5Hammer Time

| Nathan Hammers, senior, performs “Silent Night” as the second chair for clarinets’. “(The band) puts 50 minutes a day into working on tempo, pacing and making sure the songs are in good shape,” Nathan said. “I occasionally practice at home on parts, which I have issues with.”

Photo by Amy Markowski

| Cammille Brown, senior, roots for the players on the varsity basketball team during the game against the Columbine Rebels on Dec. 7. “I paint my face and listen to Ke$ha.” Brown said. “It makes my game face.”


The cheering don’t start ‘til I walk in...

6

Loud ‘n’ Proud

| Rachel Obering, sophomore, cheers on another squad at the poms state tournament. The Vista poms team had to be at the Denver Coliseum for a total of 13 hours. Obering said, “the day of state is extremely tiring. But with the help of Gatorade Prime and sports beans, we manage to have enough energy to make it through the day.” Photo by Cody Enboden

7


Things to add to your vehicle for the winter

| Know the type of brakes you have. Anti-lock brakes work best when the brake is pressed on firmly (to avoid accidents). Traditional brakes must be pumped to maintain steering control. | Accelerate only when driving straight | Allow plenty of space between other vehicles. In icy and snowy conditions, it takes 4-10 times more

What to do while driving in snowyconditions

Winter

distance to stop. | If your vehicle begins to spin, do not press on the brakes. Steer the vehicle into the skid and accelerate smoothly. For vehicles with rear-wheel drive, steer into the skid and do not acceler-ate. | If your vehicle’s front wheels skid during a turn, lift off the accelerator and turn straight slightly in order to regain grip.

| Anticipate problems in order to increase reaction time. | Be aware of intersec-tions, hills, bridges and overpasses because these are typically the most slippery parts of roads. | Turn headlights on. | If stuck, floor mats can be turned upside down and used for traction. Sand or kitty litter can also be used.

| Test the road condi-tions. When nobody is behind you, determine how much traction is available by pressing on the brakes firmly until the wheels lock up. | If your vehicle begins to spin, do not press on the brakes. Steer the vehicle into the skid and accelerate smoothly. For vehicles with rear-wheel drive, steer into the skid and do not acceler-ate.

this had never happened to me before,” Pistilli said. Hitting one of two pillars lining the road on her car’s front left side, Sarah sustained a concussion, but did not lose consciousness. The initial damage was a bad dent in her car. “I couldn’t even open the driver’s door,” Pistilli recalled. Luckily, someone saw her crash and ran over. “We just called my dad and he came,” Pistilli said. “I started crying 20 minutes after it happened because he was yelling at me on the phone.” The cost of her speed in such conditions was $3,000 to repair her car. “The front headlight was broken and the bumper fell off,” she said.

“My first thought was my dad is gonna kill me.” These last five words reso-nated in Sarah Pistilli, senior, on Feb. 19 this year. It was her 17th birthday, and she crashed her Toyota Prius. Exactly a year after she ac-quired her license, Sarah drove down a snow-covered, icy dirt road. “I was going to ride my horse (in Castle Rock), so I drove there every day,” Pistilli said. “Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. However, I was going 45 mph, and the speed limit was 30.” When making a turn, she did not anticipate just how slip-pery the road was and began to spin. “I didn’t really know what was going on. I started spinning and I overcorrected because

Thankfully, there is a silver lining. Sarah prepares herself and her Prius for winter much better since the accident, not wanting to go through again the emotional roller coaster ride she did on Feb. 19. “I got better tires for my car, which I didn’t have last winter,” Pistilli said. What can be taken away from Sarah’s story is that even if used to driving in the snow, always take extra precautions and prepare accordingly. “I had done it a million times,” Pistilli said about snow driving, “but I was just hurry-ing. I do not speed when it is icy anymore. I go a lot slower.” |If you are not sure what to do in an accident go to vistanow.org to find out what to do after you get in one.

Ask Eagle | Eye

tune up

| Install winter tires on your vehicle| Get new shocks and struts if current shocks and struts are worn down| Have your battery tested| Replace regular wiper blades with winter wiper blades| Before driving, clear the entire vehicle from snow and ice, including wheel wells

Add the following to your vehicle: | blanket or sleeping bag | ice scraper | food and water | flashlights with extra batteries | first-aid kit | pocketknife | all necessary medica- tions | several warm blankets | extra jackets and socks | tissues | cell phone charger | tow strap | jumper cables

in a winter Pistilli almost totals car, but everyone can learn from her story

Jake | Smith Maggie | Williams

Graphic design by Emma Benton

Photo by Cody Enboden

CRASHING wonderland

Photos by Alex Hill

I

Many of the clubs at Mountain Vista joined together for one reason: The Giving Tree. The Giving Tree was a project spearheaded by National Honor Society (NHS), but with the help of other clubs such as Key Club and Leadership.NHS sought help from students to donate hoodies, socks, toys, diapers and other baby items. “We’re hoping to get

a lot of things,” said NHS president Brian Shin, senior. The Giving Tree was set up in the main lobby and students brought items to place under it from Dec.1-8. Shin said he hoped to get the whole school involved with the project. As NHS’s big holiday service, they partenered up with Urban Peak Youth Shelter, a shelter that

Word

MVHSEagleEye 9

If it were up to the stu-dents of Mountain Vista to choose, CONNECT would no longer exist. “I think it’s kind of boring because all we do is just sit there,” said sophomore Sydney Cohen. “It re-ally should only be like five minutes long.” Despite the students dis-approval, assistant principal Rob Peterson said CON-NECT is worth it in the long run. “CONNECT is just as the name implies,” said Peterson. “It’s a time where students can make connections with others and it’s not focused around academics.” Based on an Eagle Eye survey of 30 students from all grades, only six — 20 percent — would keep CONNECT if they had

the choice. Senior Kyre Smith said CONNECT is a waste of time. “It’s just another SOAR period,” said Smith. “We would be better off if we stopped CONNECT and added on an extra hour to SOAR, or (the ad-ministration) should move SOAR to the end of the day so we could go home at like 1 p.m.” Math teacher Anne Miller said she does not think that CONNECT does anything productive. “The classes are way too big and we only meet once a week,” she said. “I can connect with kids better during SOAR whether they’re in my classes or not,” Miller said. “If we were to get rid of it, it should be up to the students, not the adminis-

CONNECT: Should it stay or should it go?

NHS reaches outto community with a Giving Tree

DECA students dominate

Kaylee | Heck

Riley | McCloskey

Photos taken 10:10-10:20 a.m. Dec. 1 of Mr. Lamb’s CONNECT classroom, an upper hallway and the parking lot display where students truly are when CONNECT is taking place.

DECA has 291 student members this year, making it the largest team in Colorado. “We’re on track for another great season,” said Sheri Bryant, a Marketing teacher and DECA sponsor. Last year, 93 members made up the DECA team, 64 of those members went to districts, 59 went to state, 21 went to nationals and Maggie Luhres ranked fifth in the nation. Bryant said she is expecting winners, including a state champion, and the first national champion. DECA students compete in a number of categories, including Automotive, Apparel, Hospitality and Travel and Tourism.

THE RESULTS| Nov. 12 | Wolverine66 students made top five and 13 placed 1st| Oct. 16-18 | Beaver Creek Invitational25 students placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd| Oct. 9-11 | Glenwood SpringsNine students placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd| Oct. 9 | CSU Invitational Five students won Top Test Score Award

tration.” “CONNECT could be improved if there was a larger, collaborative effort from both the students and

“I’m proud of it,” said junior Morgan Clark, “but I think everyone is making it a bigger deal than it really is.” Clark said Bryant is proud but still expects a lot of her. “DECA students work really hard,” said Bryant. “Those who win practice a lot.”

the teachers,” said Peterson. “The students should do their best to show up to CONNECT and try to engage with others, while

the teachers should create opportunities for the con-nection to happen. Some people may not like it, but it’s here to stay.”

Photo by Riley McCloskeyPhoto by Alex Hill Photo by Sierra Thornley

Riley | McCloskey

provides homeless teenagers with essential services and supplies. Heidi Schuster-Beckman, the NHS adviser, challenged each CONNECT class to make a fleece tie-blanket given to the shelter Dec. 1. “We want to collect any kind of supplies a family would need. The supplies need to be new or in good condition,” Schuster-Beckman said.

Graphic courtesy of Raven Mark

| The Urban Peak shelter provides services for homeless and runaway teens. There are donation and volunteer options to get involved For more information: www.urbanpeak.org

Ave ra g e MVHS S ta ts

Sinc e 2007: 84%

a cc e p ta nc e ra te.

GPA of a cc e p te d

s tude n ts: 3.75

ACT score of a cc e p te d

s tude n ts: 26

Na t io n a l ra nk ing: 94


UniversityofMISSOURIColumbia, Missouri

UniversityofKANSASLawrence, Kansas

TheLifeAfterHighSchoolMountain Vista graduate relates new challenges in a college lifestyle

“It’s up to you to make the decisions.”

The University of Missouri is a major public university that provides its students with a variety of undergraduate programs and research oppor-tunities. The Missouri School of Journalism, which receives national recognition as one of the top journalism schools in the country, headlines the variety of top-ranked programs available to students at the university.

On a September morning, Vista graduate Michael Fin-ger stepped up to the starting line at the Colorado College Invitational, his first cross country race as a freshman at Colorado School of Mines. During the race, Finger began noticing a slight discom-fort in his legs. He crossed the finish line to meet a sharp sense of pain in the heel and arch of his right foot. Finger later learned he had a partial tear of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, making it difficult to walk or run, he said. “(It was) something I really had to fix on my own,” he said. Since leaving home for college, Finger has dealt with the challenges of complete independence. “If I had torn my foot at home, I probably would have been taken to the doctor immediately.” However, Finger was responsible himself to see doctors, fill out paperwork and get an MRI in Denver before class started at 8 a.m. Finger attends a different college than his twin brother, Eric, who attends the University of Colorado. However, doing some of their own things in high school allowed a better adjustment in college. “It was sad to not have his support and help at school,” Finger said. Finger has three roommates, two of which are from New Mexico and Texas. Often, they have people over to study or do homework, and usually hang out on weekends. With a schedule of difficult classes, Finger averages three to five hours of homework a night — if he’s lucky.“I miss having a lighter work load for sure,” he said. “Although homework is usually never turned in, it’s in your best interest to do it in order to get good grades.” As a cross country runner, practice demands two hours of commitment every day. “The workouts have been very difficult at Mines,” he said. Although Finger enjoys the competitive atmosphere of his new college team, he misses the cross country and track team at Vista more than anything. With only five months of high school left for Vista seniors, Finger offers his advice: avoid “senioritis” by put-ting the work first, but finding a balance between school and fun. Visit schools and apply early to figure out where to attend. “Enjoy high school while you still have it,” he said. “I do think that college is a lot more fun, but there are a lot of aspects of high school you will never be able to go back to, so take advantage of them.” As Finger proved, college means it is time to take on the world as an independent individual. “You’re more on your own in college. It’s up to you to make the decisions.”

Out-of-State Profiles

The University of Kansas is a major public university that places an emphasis on research and teaching. Par-ticularly strong programs at the university include law and medicine. The school is widely known for its strong basketball program, which won the Divi-sion I NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship recently in 2008.

Macy | Morgan and Jack | Reeves


Sinc e 2007: 82% a cc e p ta nc e ra te.GPA of a cc e p te d s tude n ts: 3.38ACT score of a cc e p te d s tude n ts: 25Na t io n a l ra nk ing: 104


Word

MVHSEagleEye 11

“Keep your grades up, prepare for the SAT and ACT early, pay attention in class and be involved

in multiple activities, including some form

of community service.”

“A lot of kids start too late in the process. Colleges are essentially

businesses, and the earlier you apply, the

better chance you have of getting in.”

“I have seen college acceptances revoked

because of those second semester grades. D’s and F’s are giant red flags. If

they see your perfor-mance dropping, it

scares them.”

“I’ve seen students who go to an out-of-state school their first

year and then come back to Colorado. That feeling in your gut that says ‘this

is the one’ is really important.”IN-STATE

Profiles

The University of Arizona offers some of the top research programs in the country. Excelling in fields such as medicine and environmental studies, the university has been recognized by the National Science Foundation for its dedication to research in scientific and engineering programs.

Pepperdine, a Christian university located in beautiful Malibu, Calif., prepares its stu-dents for life after college with a strong liberal arts curricu-lum. Although Pepperdine is a private school, it still attracts a large number of applicants due to its scenic campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Pepperdine’s campus routinely ranks among the most beautiful campuses in the country.

ASKtheEXPERT: Counselor Aaron Ragon

1

2

34 5

Most popular Vista college choices outside Colorado.

Information compiled by Brad Richardson

PEPPERDINEuniversityMalibu, California

Sinc e 2005, MVHS

s tude n ts ha ve a n 81%

a cc e p ta nc e ra te .

The a ve rage GPA of

a cc e p te d s tude n ts from

MVHS is 3.46.

The a ve rage AC T score of


MVHS is 25.


CSU FORT COLLINS

Sinc e 2005: 60%

a cc e p ta nc e ra te

GPA of a cc e p te d

s tude n ts: 3.86

ACT score of a cc e p te d

s tude n ts: 29


Ave ra g e MVHS S ta tsSinc e 2005: 85% a cc e p ta nc e ra teGPA of a cc e p te d s tude n ts: 3.63ACT score of a cc e p te d s tude n ts: 26




Sinc e 2005, MVHS s tude n ts ha ve a 77% a cc e p ta nc e ra te .The a ve rage GPA of

a cc e p te d s tude n ts from MVHS is 3.64.The a ve rage AC T score of a cc e p te d s tude n ts from MVHS is 26.Na t io n a l ra nk ing: 86

CU BOULDER Sinc e 2005, MVHS s tude n ts

ha ve a 77% a cc e p ta nc e ra te .

The a ve rage GPA of a cc e p te d

s tude n ts from MVHS is 3.19.

The a ve rage AC T score of


MVHS is 23.

Na t io n a l ra nk ing: NR

UNC GREELEY

UniversityofARIZONATuscon, Arizona

Graphic by Tori Dorrell

Photos used with permission from universities, MCT CampusPhoto by Trevor Zalkind

W

eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org12

W

A Around this time every year, on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, swarms of bull elephant seals swarm the beaches to con-test an epic, life-or-death battle of male supremacy. The winners, of course, get to continue living, but the ultimate prize is the permission to mate with the females on the island. The champions earn the right to pass on their genes by proving to be the fittest specimens of the area. A few thousand miles to the east and several air-plane refreshment refills later, a similar spectacle is unfolding at Mountain Vista High School. Hold it right there. I know where you’re going, and no, I was not referring to an adolescent, uproari-ous melee in the halls of our school, full of male students clamoring to secure dating rights. I was talking about college. It is that time of the year when the seniors at Mountain Vista compete with each other and with students across the coun-try and world over that sacred acceptance letter to college. In a perfect world, everyone would get into whichever school they wanted, whether that be Colorado State, North Carolina or Harvard. As this is not the case, stu-dents unfortunately must contend with friends, foes and strangers in order to please admissions officers enough to get accepted.

While the elephant seal analogy may exaggerate the situation, it seems to me that the ever escalating pressure to go to the “best” school has created unneces-sary tension and added to the already crammed stress-backpack riding the shoulders of most upper-classmen in the Mountain Vista hallways. The prospect of paying for a college education is

one of the biggest concerns. The continually skyrocket-ing costs of both public and private schools has added extra worry to kids to try to find scholarships and gener-ous financial aid packages in order to pad their pockets and take a load off the checkbooks of the parents and themselves. Many kids are forced to take out loans to finance an education. Upon gradua-

tion, however, these loans burden the lives of students trying to start a career. College should not be a time of worry. It should be about the opportunity to find a passion and carry the hard work and preparation of an education into the working world. I am a believer that every college has something to offer no matter the size, location or selectivity. I

am sick of the stress and worry students place upon themselves to go to the best schools. The college experience will only be as good as the positive effort we put into it. Let’s not let the pressure of meeting inane expecta-tions weigh down the real celebration of moving onto a new stage in life.

The

Showdown

CollegeWhy so serious?

Ryan | Winter

Graphic by Tori Dorrell

13

Vista

MVHSEagleEye

We be MV...Or not, the choice is yours

When the clock read 00:00 and it was finally made official that the Mountain Vista/High-lands Ranch/Ponderosa/Rock Canyon/Thunder-Ridge/Valor field hockey team had won its first state championship, the crowd could not wait to storm the field and support the players’ combined effort. After the soccer team’s near-perfect season came to an shocking end, the crowd at Dick’s Sport-ing Goods Park gave the team a standing ovation to congratulate the team on its extraordinary season.

In both these events, the support the teams received

was tremendous. Football coach Ric Cash made a fan bus for all the football play-ers at the field hockey game and wrestling coach Frank LaVoie did the same with the wrestling team for the soccer game. My only questions are: why can’t we show this much support at every sporting event? Does it really take a state champi-onship game for Mountain Vista to draw a big crowd? Granted, we don’t need to make a fan bus for home games, but we need more support from students as teams go out to represent Vista. “It’s disappointing to see our rival schools with with a bigger crowd than us in

big games,” senior Isaac Archuleta said. When Archuleta and the rest of the football team squared off with Thun-derRidge and Highlands Ranch earlier in the year, it was clear that there was a lack of numbers from the Vista student body. “We don’t come together as a school in our spirit,” junior Curran Lavery said. “Other schools go crazy. We don’t compare.” Now, I’m not saying that there is no Eagle Spirit at Vista — we have our fair share of barrel men and body-painted fans out there, but we could do better. When the school sets up two fan buses to go to a game, we need to fill up

more than half of a bus. We need students flooding out of the emergency exits. When the cheerleaders start the “Do It” cheer, we can’t have students just bouncing up and down on their tippy-toes. We need a full on mosh pit (while keeping everyone safe). When the theme for a game is a white-out, there can’t be any stragglers wearing black sticking out like a sore thumb. We need the student body to look like a blizzard of white. We need to set apart our differences and forget about what she said about so-and-so during third period and instead unite as one to cheer on the Green and Gold to victory.

This winter season I challenge every student at Mountain Vista to attend a game or match from every sport, even if you know nothing about that sport. I’m sure many of you who attended the field hockey game had no idea why a whistle was blown half the time or what a “bully” is, but you went anyways to support the team as they vied for a state title. It is this type of school spirit that we need to exem-plify at every event. You’re not there to just watch a game, you’re there to support your fellow Golden Eagles in which you share a common bond with. Mountain Vista.

WKyle | Tosch

Upcoming sporting events for December 2010 and January 2011Wrestling

Dec. 15 | ThunderRidge at Mountain Vista

Jan. 6 | Heritage at Mountain Vista

Girls swim and dive

Jan. 6 | Mountain Vista and ThunderRidge at Northridge

Jan. 13 | Mountain Vista and Rock Canyon at Northridge

Boys basketballDec. 14 | Horizon at Mountain Vista

Dec. 17 | Rocky Mountain at Mountain Vista

Jan. 4 | Mountain Vista at Cherokee Trail

Girls basketballDec. 14 | Mountain Vista at Horizon

Dec. 15 | Mountain Vista at Bear Creek

Jan. 4 | Cherokee Trail at Mountain Vista

Photo by Alex Hill

W

Showdown

Why so serious?

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Winter Break Classes in Westminster & Louisville! Highlands Ranch!

Flocking is coming to Mountain Vista

in January!If you are a junior or senior, in January be on the lookout for pink or green fl amingos landing in your yard and a letter and envelope taped to your front door. Donations may be placed in the envelope and re-taped to your front door. We will return the next night to collect the fl amingos and the envelope. Would you like to help us out and be a “Flocker”?

Contact Susan Tosch at [email protected]

Bill Lyons piano for all occassions

303.249.5423

2,000Students will see this ad.

Call 303.387.1500

Vista

15eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org

Eagle Eye staffCO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kyle ToschRyan Winter EDITORS Val Buccio Joanie Lyons Macy Morgan Erica RasquinhaZack Smith Caleb WilliamsCaitlin YoungPHOTO EDITORAmy MarkowskiADVERTISING Jordan LaeyendeckerPHOTOJOURNALISTS Alex HillSierra ThornleyTrevor Zalkind

POLICY Eagle Eye, a legally recognized public forum for student expression, is published six to nine times a year by the Newspaper class for students of Mountain Vista High School. Expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of speech or freedom of press is not an expression of Douglas County school board policy. The views expressed in Eagle Eye do not nec-essarily represent the views of the entire staff, adviser, MVHS administration or the Douglas County School District administration. Board policy regard-ing student publications (JICEA and JI/JIA) is available in the journalism/publications room (Room U328) or in the principal’s office.LETTERS TO THE EDITORS Eagle Eye welcomes and encourages letters to the editors. This is a chance to express your viewpoint on important issues. Letters should be limited to 250 words. Letters will be edited for space and legal consider-ations, but not for inaccuracies, grammar or spelling. Letters must contain information pertinent to the students of MVHS. The staff retains the right to not publish any letter not meeting these requirements. Unsigned letters will not be published. Please submit typed letters in person to Room U328 or via mail or e-mail.CONTACT Eagle Eye, Mountain Vista High School, 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126. Phone: 303- 387-1500. FAX: 303-387-1501. Adviser e-mail: [email protected]. Publication e-mail: [email protected] COST Single copies are free. Where available, additional copies of this paper are available for purchase for 50 cents each. Contact Eagle Eye for more infor-mation. Taking more than one copy of this paper with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading this edition of the paper is prohibited (C.R.S. 18-4-419). Violators, subject to prosecution and penalty under C.R.S. 13-21-123, will be prosecuted. OPEN FORUM CONTENT Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service. ©2010 Eagle Eye/Mountain Vista High School. All rights reserved.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

GRAPHICJOURNALISTSEmma BentonTori DorrellREPORTERS Nick BlackCarrie BrownJon de WerdKaylee HeckRiley McCloskeyGabbi MirandaMegan ObergMegan OrserJack ReevesBrad RichardsonPamela ShapiroJake SmithTheland ThomasMaggie Williams Austin Young

ADVISER | Mark Newton, MJE

Editorial

In TV shows and movies, high school is depicted as a wretched place full of drama, snappy lines, roving squads of cliques and of course, bullying. On TV, the steroid-pumped, obviously not high-school aged jocks and cheerlead-ers/bratty, rich, cool girls who are always in uniform wreak havoc on the life of some lame/different/gay/new kid by slamming them into lockers, playing mean pranks and beat-ing them down with compliments that are actually biting insults. In real life bullying is much more subtle than this. There is not much of that slamming into lockers crap. It’s gos-sip, vulgar and deroga-tory words and mean looks. It’s cultural insensitivity, ignorance and misunderstanding. Kids talk all the time, not thinking about the consequences of their words. But others take these words to heart and are insulted by what is said. Bullying is mostly intentional, not just the light-hearted jests of a friend, but things meant to be hurtful. It is a display of insecurity or a deep-seated hatred. People who have low self-esteem think that it’s OK to put down someone

who is different. Many have been inad-vertently taught by people in authority, like their parents, that it is acceptable to be prejudiced against minorities and diverse or “different” groups in society — a belief that must be destroyed. Consequences of words and actions go overlooked as unimportant when in

reality what people say and do is extremely relevant to others and the running of society. People need to respect everyone on earth as human and eliminate insecurity and bullying in all forms — the cliques slamming kids into lockers and the real kind seen and heard every single day within the walls of our school. Next time you feel the urge to say or do something mean or offensive, stop and

think about how it might affect whoever it is directed to. Bullying always affects people negatively and prolonged bully-ing could eventually lead to depression and the alarming suicide rates recently seen in Colorado. If you bully or stand by while somebody is being bullied, you could be contributing to the epidemic instead of helping to solve the problem.

“Consequences of words and actions go overlooked as unimportant. People need to respect everyone on earth as human.”

Bullying: the true disgrace of societyEveryone knows a bully. Everyone has probably been a bully in some way at some time. People don’t necessarily understand the harmful impact bullying can have on the target. In reality, this behavior only reveals the insecurities of the bully. Let’s rise above the need to disgrace.

I


“I have seen girls be so mean to each other it is unreal,” counselor Aaron Ragon. Lucy said at the end of her freshman year her close group of friends all turned their backs on her spread-ing “dirty” rumors. She said as the rumors were spreading, the students were looking at her differ-ently than who she really was. “This taught me that when you become com-fortable with yourself and your friends, it can change in an instant,” Lucy, a sophomore, said. “You have

to choose friends you can count on.” Lucy said she tried transferring to Thunder-Ridge High School her freshman year because she wanted to get away from all the dirty comments towards her. Unfortunetly, Thun-derRidge was unable to accept her into their school because it was at capacity. Lucy said others than just her were trying to transfer as well due to bully-ing. She said she needed a new start so she began hanging out with kids at different schools to get away from the bullying at Vista. “Sometimes kids change their schedules to get away from students that pick on

them,” Ragon said. “You can’t hide from (bullying),” Lucy said. “Ev-ery school has it.” Ragon said bullying has a big impact at Vista and everyone is affected by it one way or another. Lucy said the bullying continued into her sopho-more year but finally ended after a tragic event. A few of her old friends who bullied her apologized and their friendship is getting better. “It is just sad it took something so bad to end (the bullying),” Lucy said. However, Lucy and her best friend from last year are not on talking terms anymore, she said. Lucy said she talked to

counselor Wendy Strait, health teacher Lindsey Jaffe and her mom in order to get past her rough times with bullying and the trag-edy. “You just have to let it go,” Lucy said, which is advice she got from talking to adults. Jaffe said the hardest part about being bullied is telling someone about the situation instead of keeping it to yourself. She said it won’t go away unless it is taken care of by an adult. “If you’re an adult you can walk away from situa-tions easily, unlike students in high school where they can’t leave,” said Jaffe. “My brother is 18-years-old and he is the one person

I can turn to and talk to about anything,” Lucy said. “He always has my back.” Lucy said people bully to get power and be popu-lar so those being bullying should be phased. Ragon said kids bully because they have internal lack of personal power. “People think they are joking and don’t realize it’s bullying,” said student body president Brady O’Donnell. “I have bullied and I regret it now that I see how they felt, now that I got a taste of it,” Lucy said. “I try to be the nicest person I can now because I experienced it and don’t want it to hap-pen to anyone else.”

Is a death what it takes to end

Bullying?

“Anything can change in an instant.”

Valerie | Buccio Caitlin | Young

Editors’ Note: Because of the sensitivity of the issue, the name of the student in this story has been changed at her request.

Scope

17

Is a death what it takes to end

Bullying?Valerie | Buccio Caitlin | Young

MVHSEagleEye

Photo by Valerie Buccio

| MY EXPERIENCE as an obersever “My cousin has autism and I realy love her, But I didnt tell my friends about her disorder. Later There were three of my friends who came to my house and realized my cousin had autism. One friend was really nice and listened to my cousin when she talked, the other friends mocked her. Some of them made fun of her to her face, And then they began to talk behind her back while I was right there. I did not fiand it funny and made them leave. they mocked her for her laugh and called her pregnant for a deformity bulge that she could not help in her stomach. One of my friends apologized and felt bad and is now really nice to her. It changed her outlook on things and was sincere. My other friend was rude and now we aren’t friends anymore because she still makes fun of my cousin. My friend didn’t realize how much bullying affects people. It really hurts the person that they bully, and it also hurts their family members. She realized that people don’t understand how much pain it brings to all people including friends and family of the person being bullied. It has changed her outlook on bullying and she is more keen to notice when it is happening and to try to help when she can.”

“It all started in fourth grade where I did not have very many friends because

it was 30 minutes away from where I lived. Because of that I kept to myself and spent most of my lunch time reading alone. When people started noticing tha

t I was by myself instead of asking me to “play” or talk to them, they decided to pick on me and call me a loser, bookworm or take every action that I took as weird or strange. Soon things esc

alated and worsened by the day until it got

to the point that I

would be cornered in hallways, wrestled to the ground, a

nd kicked until I could not

breathe. It is not something easy to forget and

easily shaped the behavior that I took from there on after. At first it made me scared and weak, but soon after, I rose to the challenge and began to stand up for myself.”

| MY EXPERIENCE in elementary school

19 MVHSEagleEye

The Numbers:

36%highschool students say they don’t feel safe in schools.

8%

A Bully: A person who hurts, torments or frightens someone who is weaker and smaller.

students miss one day of class per month for fear of bullies.

1/3students ages 12-18 felt they were being bullied at school.

Scope

“I’ve always been made fun of due to the origin of my last name. Although lots of people just joke about it and call me a “terrorist” and a “Muslim,” and I laugh it off, it hurts. I’ve had to deal with this ever since I started telling people my nationality. Now, I usually do not talk to others about my nationality, because I do not want to deal with their crap anymore. I can honestly say I’ve never intentionally bullied someone. I cannot vouche for when I was a little child, because at that age we do not understand that words can hurt. Having been bullied myself, and knowing the detrimental effects it can have, I strive to not bully others.

| MY EXPERIENCE: bullied becauseof my nationality

Photos by Sierra Thornley

Source: National Institute of Health

| MY EXPERIENCE as an observer The first day of Link Crew there were freshmen not cheering in the stands and some other kids were trying to force them to join in. I asked them what they were doing and told them that if they don’t want to cheer, they shouldn’t force them to. You can’t pres-sure someone to do what they don’t want to do.

| MY EXPERIENCE as an obersever “My cousin has autism and I realy love her, But I didnt tell my friends about her disorder. Later There were three of my friends who came to my house and realized my cousin had autism. One friend was really nice and listened to my cousin when she talked, the other friends mocked her. Some of them made fun of her to her face, And then they began to talk behind her back while I was right there. I did not fiand it funny and made them leave. they mocked her for her laugh and called her pregnant for a deformity bulge that she could not help in her stomach. One of my friends apologized and felt bad and is now really nice to her. It changed her outlook on things and was sincere. My other friend was rude and now we aren’t friends anymore because she still makes fun of my cousin. My friend didn’t realize how much bullying affects people. It really hurts the person that they bully, and it also hurts their family members. She realized that people don’t understand how much pain it brings to all people including friends and family of the person being bullied. It has changed her outlook on bullying and she is more keen to notice when it is happening and to try to help when she can.”

“It all started in fourth grade where I did not have very many friends because

it was 30 minutes away from where I lived. Because of that I kept to myself and spent most of my lunch time reading alone. When people started noticing tha

t I was by myself instead of asking me to “play” or talk to them, they decided to pick on me and call me a loser, bookworm or take every action that I took as weird or strange. Soon things esc

alated and worsened by the day until it got

to the point that I

would be cornered in hallways, wrestled to the ground, a

nd kicked until I could not

breathe. It is not something easy to forget and

easily shaped the behavior that I took from there on after. At first it made me scared and weak, but soon after, I rose to the challenge and began to stand up for myself.”

| MY EXPERIENCE in elementary school

eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org 18

A Bully: A person who hurts, torments or frightens someone who is weaker and smaller.

Editors’ Note: Every year, many students are impacted by bullying. These people are most likely the ones whose voices are left unheard. In this issue, we tried to give a voice to those who have been wronged. No one deserves to be mistreated, but in order to help those who suffer, we need to recognize their experiences. Hopefully, these personal accounts bring to light students’ hidden stories.

Scope


Seven years ago, before I came to Colorado, I en-tered junior high school. At the time I looked forward to school, but during the three years that followed I was bullied more than any student should have to endure. Between classes, the passing periods were hell. I would either be tripped shoved, or jeered at—you name it. I recount being tossed into the mud once because four guys that were big-ger than me felt this would be funny. Compound this with having little to no friends, and you’ve got an easy target. They picked on me probably because

of the fact I was reclusive and different. I never really wanted to mesh with the norm because it never felt right to me. When I did theater the stage was my release each day. Yet, because I did this I was looked down on and disliked by my peers. The final night after a sold-out crowd to our musical, a party had been arranged by fellow actors for after the play. Guess who wasn’t invited. You could say I lost my mind that night. Why do I remember the day May 18, 2007? This was the night I told myself I would never act again. I remember going to bed and staying up the

whole night, depressed and crying, hating my life and who I was as a person. People that have never been treated this way need to know that bullying can have the long-term ef-fects. Put it this way: the only two times I will ever set foot in our auditorium are for school plays or my Link Crew kids. The effect was that bad. I have no inten-tion to remember and I don’t want to remember. My overall message to you students at Vista: Think twice before pick-ing on someone. You never know what the conse-quences for that person may entail.

Bullying |continued|| MY EXPERIENCE bullied for being in theater Need Help?

Advice forstudents bullied| Don’t put up with

mistreatment. Stand up for

yourself.

| Do not let yourself stoop

down to their level.

| Tell an adult or teacher, they

only want to help.

| Join a new club or activity

to find people with similar

interests.

| Don’t take it on yourself.

| Talk, sing, or write about

your experience.

| Let your voice be heard.

Check out this website for the “It Get’s Better” campain started by college student Zach Page. http://tinyurl.com/28wgnqq

WWW.DRGARYHOLT.COM(303) 798-0928VISIT THE ONLY INVISALIGN TEEN PROVIDER IN THE HIGHLANDS RANCH AREA!Complimentary Consultations

COME VISIT HIGHLANDS RANCH’S ONLY INVISALIGN TEEN PROVIDER

GOTBRACES?

eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org 21

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eagle.eye december.13.2010 www.vistanow.org

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| If I were gay, I would date myself.

| That stuff is the bombcom.

| OK, let’s not go any further than there.

| My teacher’s voice is like a lullaby. It puts me to sleep every single day.

| What kind of psycho locks his door one minute after the bell rings? I’m going to maul his face off.

Yogurtland A

| Juniors having CSAP sometime in the future.| All the construction going on around Highlands Ranch.| North Korea bombing South Korea and the U.S. getting involved. | Josh McDaniels for not even lasting half hiscontract and for the video taping scandal.| Lack of snow this winter.

| Poms for winning state in jazz.| Cheerleading for a good showing at state.| The thespian committee for letting Vista host the all-state musical.| Steve Johnson being an awesome principal and now becoming director of high schools education.| CONNECT classes making blankets for the less fortunate.

Props

Flops

hallwaytalk

A

| This December, the clubs are joining together to try a new method at aiding our community. The Nation-al Honor Society is leading a school-wide drive for clothes and toys this holdiay season. The giving tree was up in the front lobby until Dec. 13 as a symbol to encourage all students to come give donated items and place them on or under the tree. The theme of the generous clubs this year is to aid the children of the world. Proceeds from the Giving Tree wil go to Toys for Tots and Urban Peak teens. I think it is great that the student leaders are trying to address the entire student body in their outreach. I hope the results show the genorosity of our school. I am also looking forward to helping orphanages in Zimbabwe dur-ing Hero Week next semester!

| The Spanish Literature class is one spirited bunch of people —three in fact. Seniors Kendall Turner, Katie Koch, and Jonathon (JR) Lee are the conformants of Linda Hammerton-Morris’ Spanish Litererature, but also the teachers for the last two minutes of Spanish V. Each day these bril-

liant students come out of their “cu-erva cómoda,” or comfortable cave to read “el frase español de día.” After they recite the spanish phrase of the day, the class repeats it. It is fun for us and thoughtful of them to perform

for us everyday. Sometimes with with wigs, too!

| My first visit to Yogurtland left me skipping out of the store and treasur-ing the tasty treat in my arms. The 16 flavors blew me away, and I took a considerable amount of time deciding on chocolate twilight and strawberry yogurt. While there could have been more fruit available, I was altogether happy with the nonexistent line, rea-sonable pricing and I didn’t feel pres-sured to make any quick, unpondered decisions. For $2.32, I am happy and I would say I got my money’s worth.

Holiday Student Outreach B

| The first impression I had of Pink-berry was the long line. As I moved forward, I saw all the different choices and then the high prices. I was happy with the goodly amount of toppings, but didn’t like the taste-tested green tea or regular yogurt. Both were too sour for me. I finally chose coconut which was just sweet enough and with chocolate chips on top! The downside of the deal were the high prices and the distance it took to get all the way to County Line and I-25.


Pinkberry C+

December Student Fun and Activities

AP Spanish Literature, The Tres Amigos

D

D

D

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Are you dateable?Take the quiz to find out

Dating is about finding a person who fits well with you and your personality. In high school it is less likely that you will find the person you will marry (although high school sweethearts are still around and awesome for those who do it.) High school is a time about finding yourself so don’t think it is a priority to have a boyfriend or girlfriend right away. It isn’t something to rush into, but if an opportu-nity arises then take it. For most people in high school, dating is for figuring out what characteristics you may or may not like in another person or even yourself. A main point while dating is to simply be yourself so that the person you are see-ing gets to see the true you as opposed to a masked version of you. Some people, when it comes to dating, try too hard and let go of themselves which is the opposite of what you need to do. The beginning of dating is crucial in setting yourself up for a re-lationship that will last longer than a week. After surveying both guys and girls from all four grades, here are some ideas to con-

7 8 965431

What is the first thing you notice on a guy/girl physi-cally?a. Hairb. Proportionc. Curvesd. Eyes and smilee. Muscles/Absf. Acne

What type of per-sonality do you look for in a guy/girl?a. Funny-Michael Cerab. Nice-Ellen Dege-neresc. Serious-Obamad. Stupid-Paris Hiltone. Intelligent- Einsteinf. Sarcastic-Will Fer-rell

What personality trait is most like you?a. Funnyb. Nicec. Seriousd. Stupide. Intelligentf. Sarcastic

What sport do you play?a. Baseballb. Gymnasticsc. Footballd. Soccere. Otherf. Who plays sports?

Where is the ideal first date?a. Dinner and a movieb. Putt putt or bowl-ingc. Ice creamd. Avalanche gamee. Atticf. Daniels Park

Do you pay on dates?a. Yes, alwaysb. The girl always paysc. I offer to payd. The guy always payse. No, am I supposed to?f. We split the price or no second date

Are you a clinger?a. Yes, I text them again if he/she doesn’t reply in five minutesb. Yes, I always have to know where he/she isc. No, I couldn’t care any less for this persond. No, I give them their spacee. What is a clinger?f. At a party I never leave his/her side

Do you play hard to get?a. I wait 10 or more minutes to reply to a text or not at allb. I reply right away to textsc. I make excuses about availabilityd. I would take a frog if it asked me oute. Playing hard to get is stupidf. I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not, I’m consistent

sider: | Have a fun interactive first date. Do something that is somewhat active both of you can participate in. The point of a first date is to get to know one another, not sit and watch a move. Just a tip: Don’t go to the movies on a first date. When surveyed, most girls said that they did not want to go to a movie on a first date. Something such as bowling or mini-golf would be a good place to start. | Let’s be polite, people. On a first date, try to be as respectful as possible. Pick up the person for the first date not having them drive themselves and meeting you there. The car ride is a part of a first date where you can talk and see what music each other enjoy. Boys, open the door (car door or building door) for your date and girls and offering to pay would be nice. (A true gentleman will kindly decline the offer and pay for everything on the first date, but the gesture is appreciated). | For most people, being too clingy is not desired. Sending a second text mes-sage five minutes after the

first one because they did not respond is generally not wanted. And, sending the same text twice is going overboard. You may say your phone accidentely sent it and does that all the time, but we both know that is not the case. Find the middle ground of spending time with them but also spending time with your friends. Keep a balance in your life. Just because you have a girlfriend or boyfriend does not mean that you lose all of your time with your closest friends. Do not get jealous when the girl or guy chooses to hang out with their friends instead of you, it all comes down to who he said he would be with first. | Keep your identity. Remember to be yourself while you date others. Do not attempt to be like the movies where the person fits the mold of what they think the other person will like. If you change who you are to impress them, chances are the relationship will not last due to the fact that the fake identity will be discovered. If the person doesn’t like you for who you are, then they are not worth your time.

10QUESTIONS | 40 points Blue is four points | Purple is three points | Orange is two point | Green is one point | Red is zero points

It is clear that you are excellent at dating! You seem to grasp how to respect the other per-son while staying true to yourself. You are great with the opposite gender and posses top notch dating skills. Dating seems to be a quality of yours so do what you do best!

| 31-40 points: Top Notch

You are beginning to get the hang of it but there is room to improve. Continue to stay true to yourself and things will work out. Make sure to not be too focused on the superficial aspect of the relationship too much. You are getting the hang of it, just keep working at it.

| 11-20 points: Room to Improve

You understand how dating is supposed to work. You gener-ally know how to be yourself and have fun. There are just little things to tweak to become the best at dating that you can. You have the concept down for the most part, so keep it up.

| 21-30 points: Got it Down

It is evident that it is time to rethink how to approach dating. It is time to think a little less selfishly when considering a relation-ship. Just be mindful of both parties when you are involved in a relationship. Don’t fret because your date-ability will only improve from here.

| 0-10 points: Time to Reevaluate

When is it okay to start kissing?a. First dateb. Neverc. Second dated. Girl makes the first movee.Right awayf. Boyfriend/Girl-friend (FBO)

Tips to Dating: From the experts

What would you buy him/her for his/her birthday or holiday?a. Cologne/perfumeb. Teddy bear and chocolatesc. Jewelryd. Make somethinge. Something personal and has meaningf. Nothing

Valerie|Buccio Nick | Black

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“We decorate the outside and inside of our house with candles and lights to symbolize the story behind the significance of the Diwali,” Chinmay Upadhyay, senior, said while explaining the process in preparing for the Hindu holiday. Diwali, the Indian new year, is a big celebration in the Hindu religion. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. This year, Nov. 5 was the day of the festival, uniting Hindu and Indian people all over the country. The Indian epic says the king and hero of the land set out to rescue his wife who had been kidnapped. After successfully saving his love, the people of his land welcome them by decorating the entire city with

lights. Lights symbolize the meaning of good over evil and light over darkness.

At the festival, people are encouraged to dress in Indian clothing or formal attire and there is dancing, food, performances and visiting with family and friends. “Diwali is a very important day in our religion and is like Christmas,” Upadhyay said. “Living in America, we do exchange gifts on Christmas day to feel more integrated with American culture. It’s just not a day of celebration.” For Diwali, the typical gift is money from the elders, whereas Christmas is actual gifts. On Diwali, the lucky number in the religion is 1, so, for example, people receive $21 instead of $20. Other students who celebrate Hindu and Indian traditions have similar practices. Surrounded by the holiday spirit in December, they explained how Christmas has become a part

of their life in some aspects. Neeme Patel, junior, and Shivani Jhaveri, senior, both celebrate Christmas but not as a religious holiday. Instead, the day is more of an adoption of American tradition and showing gratitude to family and friends through giving gifts. Jhaveri said her family does put up a Christmas tree and other decorations to be apart of the holiday spirit. “I love the feeling of Christmas and how everyone just seems happier around the time,” she said. “It may not be my belief system, but I still enjoy being a part of the fun and excitement.” These religiously diverse families manage to stay faithful and loyal to their own unique traditions while also adopting the national celebration of Christmas.

Chinmay Upadhyay reflects on practicing Hindu traditions while maintaining Christmas spirit

| Many Hindu holidays are based on the cycle of nature.

| Hindu holidays are known to purify and divert evil influences.

| Shivaratri festival, March 3, 2011Hindus attend the nearest Shiva temple and give the ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey and water. Some people choose to go on a diet of fruit and milk.

| Festival of HoliMarch 19, 2011People welcome spring during the festival of Holi as they splash colorful paint, powder and water on each other. This festival honors Holika with the power of his devotion.

| Raksha BandhanAug. 13, 2011Celebrated with the love and affection for a sibling, this festival underlies the moral that everyone should live in harmony.

| Ganesh Chaturthi Sept. 1, 2011The celebration of the birthday of Lord Ganesha (to the right).

Celebrating Hinduism at Vista

Photos courtesy of Neha Jhaveri / Graphic by Tori Dorrell

Megan | Oberg

Ea ch pe rson lig

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ca ndle ca lle d a diya on the

n igh t of Diwa li

Four wome n cre a te de signs using br igh t ly co lore d be a ns a nd r ic e

India n towns pe o p le ligh t

li tt le diya s

W

Se n i ja wi th M

aja and Ele na

in their o ld

home in Pittsbu

rgh,

Chr is tma s Da y

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long,” Paich said. They enjoy a cesnica and a cicvera as foods with a tradition that can bring good luck for the year. The cesnica is a bread with a quarter in the middle, and after it is spun three times (representing the Trinity) the family pulls at the bread, and the person to gain the quarter gains the luck. Similarly, the cicvera is a practice with polenta where each person closes his or her eyes and scoops polenta into their soup, the biggest scoop of polenta wins the luck. Even who is invited to Christmas has a specific meaning when it comes to tradition. Practicing Kumovi, a Serbian tradition, the Paichs invite Alex Buck’s family and other friends. This is so that they can honor close family friends through baptism and a best man or maid of honor. As she continues to prepare for the upcoming holiday season, Paich said she loves her family traditions. “I am proud that we have kept to them all these years.”

While many people enjoy Christmas on Dec 25, junior Senija Paich and her family are at the movies. This family tradition is because Paich and her family are a part of the Greek Orthodox faith leading them to celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7. “Our holidays are based off of the church (orthodoxy) calandar, so the days that we celebrate Christmas and Easter are different,” said Paich. Actually, all throughout the month

of December, Paich family members; Maja, her husband Alex Buck, Elena, Senija, Dessa and their parents prepare

for their Christmas with fasting and celebrating the religious holidays. Before the Saints Day, which is known as Sveti Nikola (Saint Nicholas) on Dec. 19, Paich and her family fast. This practice of giving up certain foods and products means no meat and dairy for the family. “As I get older fasting gets easier because I know that it is purifying my body to get ready to receive the body and blood of Christ,” she said. On Sveti Nikola, after the family goes to church they eat dinner, which includes a cod-like fish called Bacala and Kolach, a sweet bread with a cross on top that is blessed by the priest. “Every year my mom tries to get us to eat the fish but she’s the only one who eats it,” said Paich. “We also get one present

| Dec. 6 was the feast of St. Nicholas when presents are exchanged. This lasts through Jan. 6, which is the feast of Epiphany (Baptism of Christ).

| In Greece, St. Nicholas is known as the saint of sailors. It is legend that his clothes are drenched with brine and his beard is dripping with seawater.

| After 40 days of not eating meat, eggs or dairy products, pig, lamb and goat are served during a feast and women usually bake ceremonial pastries.

Junior Senija Paich relates unique preparation for the customs of her faith during the holidays

Pride in Greek Orthodox Traditions

each from Sveti Nikola, which is usually an ornament, but that’s more of a family tradition. After this day, the fasting continues from Jan. 2-6. As Christmas Eve arrives on Jan. 6, Paich and her family go to the Badnjak service. At the service they collect straw and hay to put under the dinning room table in order to represent the manger. There is also a statue of Sveti Nikola set up in the Paich’s dinning room to honor the patron saint. On Jan. 7, Christmas Day, the family goes to the Božic service and following that Paich said they just enjoy spending the day together. “Once we get back from church we all get back into our pajamas,” said Paich. “Maja and Alex get to go downstairs and look at the presents first and then they go wake Elena up to go back downstairs with them. When they continue the same process with me and Dessa, we all go into our parents room to wake them up. “After opening presents in my room with my parents video taping everything, we all march down the stairs in order. It’s sort of like the Sound of Music but without the singing.” Paich also said that while completing this family tradition, there is a table of cookies and Serbian pastries awaiting them. For Christmas dinner, Paich and her family feast on foods like ham, but also diverse items that are a part of Serbian culture as well. “It’s so nice to have this meal with my family after we have been fasting for so

ko la ch - tra di t ion a l bre a d

e a te n on Chr is tma s Da y

( Ja n . 7)

The four sis te rs on

De ssa’ s firs t Chr is tma s

Erica | Rasquinha

Information compiled by Pamela Shapiro

Photos courtesy of Senija Paich

26Graphic by Emma Benton Information compiled by Sierra Thornley

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Gudmundson leads the way for the TSA

Mountain Vista’s Tech-nology Student Association team recently spent an afternoon at Rock Canyon for the First Douglas County CO2 Dragster Competition.

Ten MVHS students attended, and Jeremy Gudmundson, senior, took second in the competi-tion. He took home a $10 Starbucks gift card for the two hours of work it took to craft his dragster.

The competitors were students from Mountain Vista, Rock Canyon and Chaparral.

“The competition is mostly calm until the races begin, then everyone shouts for their team and cheer or groan when the cars cross the line,” said Gudmundson.

TSA is a co-curricular club like DECA or FBLA. It is tied in with Tech I, Tech

II, Tech III, and Engineer-ing. The club meets after school on Wednesdays and constructed the dragsters during this time.

Technology teacher Kent Allison, TSA sponsor, said the club really ties in with engineering class. “In engineering you have constraints, like you would if building a bridge,” said Allison. “The technical specifications are con-straints for building the dragsters.”

“It isn’t difficult to meet the specifications,” said Gudmundson. “As long as you’re careful.”

Jeremy | Gudmundson

HOW TO MAKE | A CO2 Dragster1. Draw a design meeting the State’s Technical Specifications

2. Draw the design on the block of wood with pencil

3. Cut out the basic shape with a band saw

4. Drill a 3/4-inch diameter hole that is 1 5/8 inches deep with a drill press. This will be the engine shaft in which the CO2 cartridge will be placed.

5. Drill two holes completely through the sides of the clock about ¼ inch above the ground. The axles will be placed here.

6. Shape the details of your car’s design. Add color and decorations with paint and stickers.

7. Screw the eye screws into the underside of the car. Officials of the race may dictate the screw’s placement. Place them as closely as officials will allow without piercing the axle sleeves.

8. Push the CO2 cartridge in to the engine shaft with the

cap out, and prepare to race!

Riley | McCloskey

What is STEM?STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school, community, work, and the global enterprise. It is designed specifically for those students who want to pursue additional science and/or technology coursework.

TSA meetsafter schoolon Wednesdaysin room 214

“I only lost by two-hundredths of a second.

Jeremy Gudmundson takes second place at dragster racing competition

Photo courtesy of Dillon Hoock


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MVHSEagleEye

After a standout performance at last year’s Battle of the Bands competition, Mountain Vista based pop/rock band New Horizon began the steady climb every musical group faces in spreading its music to local ears. After releasing its first EP “Make It Count,” New Horizon began becoming more than a passing act by already attracting high local attention. “Recording the EP was really time consuming,” said bassist/vocalist Ian Woon, senior. “We spent about one straight week doing nothing but recording and mixing.” Woon added that they spent about one-two hours recording bass, about four hours recording drums, near 12 hours recording guitars, and a whopping 20 hours recording vocals.

POP/ROCKBrian Vu: Lead Vocals/GuitarRob Santini: Lead GuitarIan Woon: Bass/VocalsForrest Hersom: Drums

Daily BasisPOP PUNKDillon Hoock: Guitar/VocalsJoey Tripple: BassKyle Konishi: Drums/Vocals

Sounds Like: Blink 182, Sublime, Foo FightersCurrent Activity: Recorded 4-5 original songs, planning tentative show at Moe’s BBQWhere To Listen: www.myspace.com/dailybasismusic

ALTERNATIVE ROCKHunter Hooks: Lead Vocals/BassDonnie Miller: Lead GuitarMichael Kelvin: Rhythm GuitarCooper Leith: Drums

Sounds Like: AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Disturbed, Red Hot Chili PeppersCurrent Activity: Playing gigs at local parties with newer lineup, couple of original songs recordedWhere To Listen: www.facebook.com/startoutsomewhere

Michael Rupert: Lead Vocals/GuitarTommy Cassidy: Bass/ScreamsCalvin Lee: Keys/SynthesizerConner McCasland: Drums

Sounds Like: A Day To Remember, Silverstein, Asking AlexandriaCurrent Activity: Covers of “Downfall Of Us All” and “Buried Alive,” written first song entitled “Déjà Vu”Where To Listen: www.facebook.com/bringbackthecentury

Rob Santini, Forrest

Hersom, senior,

Brian Vu, Ian Woon,

senior

Caleb | WilliamsA

Photo courtesy of Rob Denton


Photo courtesy of Don Miller

Unknown Bands “Mixing vocals was the hardest part of anything we did on the EP,” Woon said. “Mixing everything together towards the end wound up taking 40-plus hours.” Employing the recording studio and assistance of Marc Workman, the father of former MVHS student Josiah Workman, New Horizon finished “Make It Count” in August. Fresh from their most recent show at The Marquis Theatre last week with The Righting Rite, The Courtesy Bandits and Youth in Conflict, New Horizon is rapidly placing themselves on the map of Colorado’s rising local musicians. “It was incredible,” said vocalist/guitarist Brian Vu. “Seeing members of the crowd sing along with songs you wrote is one of the best feelings you can experience.”

of MVHS

Start Out Somewhere

Bring Back The CenturyPOST-HARDCORE

Sounds Like: The Heyday, John MayerCurrent Activity: First EP “Make It Count” released in August, Dec. 8 show at Marquis Theater with The Righting Rite, The Courtesy Bandits, Youth in Conflict.Where to Listen: www.facebook.com/newhorizonmusic

W

1 | With the championship belts and podium in the background, senior Jeremy Brown grapples

with his opponent.2 | Brown attempts to turn a

wrestler from Mitchell High School.

1Pulse


“We are the red-headed step-child of sports at Mountain Vista,” wrestling head coach Frank LaVoie said. Individuals on the wrestling team said they do not get enough support from the student body. “Some people support it pretty well, but (students) just don’t care,” sophomore Brandon King said. King said most of the time only parents and siblings attend matches. Wrestlers, who are encouraged by their coach to attend all girls’ volleyball home games, said it is unfair other sports do not return the favor. “We put in the effort to support other sports in our school, and we would like it if they did the same for us,” sophomore Bo Clements

said. Although support for their sport may be lacking, wrestlers are optimistic about the season ahead. “I think we’ll have several of our first state places,” LaVoie said. “This year we’re sacrificing team goals for individual goals.” Junior Robert Mitchell said Vista wrestling will be the best it has ever been. “We’re going to have a successful season with several suc-cessful wrestlers,” he said. However, Mitchell said more support from the school and students will help the Golden Eagles do even better. “I feel like more support from the students would make the atmosphere more exciting,” he said. Students who have attended a wrestling match said the lack of student

support was

With wrestling slated for a monster season, the team talks about the need for student support.

2

The “redheaded stepchild”

noticeable. “It was just like every other at our school.”

Senior captain Nick King assures the student body that its support would be appreciated. “More people attending matches would be an incentive to perform better and help the team

get pumped up,” King said.

sporting event except for there were no students there,” sopho-more Kyle Kaufman said. Sophomore Niko Verras, who has never attended a match said, “it doesn’t seem like it is a big deal

“This year we’re sacrificing our team goalsfor individual goals, and I think we have potential to win the state title.” | Frank Lavoie

Photos by Amy Markowski

Senior Dylan Seniw wrestles his opponent, getting one step closer to the state title.

Austin | Young Jon | de Werd

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Sister Rivalry handle.” “Our parents are still supportive us if one does better than the other,” Heather said. Even though all this may seem picture perfect, it is hard to not get a little upset if one does better than the other. “It’s really hard to have a conversation about poms without us getting mad at each other,” said Carly. After the league competition, both sisters did not talk to each other for three days. Despite Carly’s thoughts about competing against her sister, Heather has a more positive outlook on the situation, saying it has been a good learning experience. “No matter how hard it is to compete against my sister, after high school we will still be sisters no matter what,” said Heather. “It’s always hard to see one person do better than the other, especially since Carly is my younger sister, but I’m still happy for her.”

Joanie | Lyons

Originally, the Hagans’ lived in Highlands Ranch and went to Sand Creek Elementary. During Heather’s sixth grade year, the Hagans’ moved to Lone Tree where they attended Acres Green Elementary. Heather then contin-ued into middle school where she went to Cresthill, which feeds into Highlands Ranch. Carly and younger sister Natalie, a seventh grader ended up not liking Acres Green, and continued schooling at Sand Creek, which feeds into Mountain Vista. Heather said at first their parents hoped that the family would never have to choose which daughter to root for if both were com-peting against each other. “We (HRHS) would always do jazz and Carly would always do poms and both of us would be win-ning at the same time,” she said. Keri Trimble, the coach of the MVHS varsity poms team, said the Hagan’s are such a strong fam-ily. “They support both daughters regardless of whichever team wins or loses and its nothing the family can’t

Carly Hagan, sophomore at Mountain Vista, and sister Heather, seniorat Highlands Ranch, battle it out in poms.

Anxiously waiting for the winner of the Jazz division to be announced, the Mountain Vista Poms team members closes their eyes and squeezes

hands, hoping for gold. “My body becomes

numb,” says sopho-more Carly Hagan.

Carly and her sister Heather Hagan, a senior at Highlands Ranch High

School, have competed in four poms competitions against each other so far this year, (league, two regional performances and state). Next up: nationals next February in Florida. So far, Mountain Vista has placed first in the jazz division in all competitons. Highlands Ranch placed second at state in the jazz division, third at leagues and fourth at regionals. “Since our school is already rivals for every single sport anyways, we get really competitive,” said Heather. “Both of our teams are really good friends outside of poms and it keeps the competi-tion going.”

The Dahlquist sisters, Karissa, sophomore, Kaaryn, junior and Kyla, junior at Colorado Univer-sity have a thriving, special bond that keep their fam-ily tight-knit: a passion for swimming. All three sisters have had strong presence in

the Mountain Vista swim program. Kyla Dahlquist, now swimming for the CU-Boulder club team, has shattered MVHS records in five individual events and two relays. As she started at a young age and continues her love for the sport bal-anced with the rigors of col-lege, Kyla sets an example for her younger but notable sisters.

Kaaryn Dahlquist is cur-rently a junior captain on the varsity swim team. “Being one of three very successful sisters in this program is re-ally cool. It’s definitely huge shoes to fill following a sis-ter and a swimmer like Kyla, but swimming is something we can share and enjoy as a family.” “It’s nice having swim-ming in common,” said Karissa Dahlquist. “We work

out together and always have something swim-re-lated to talk about whether it be times, practices or meets.” “We are all grateful to have this built-in support,” Kaaryn said. “We look out for each other and want the best for one another. It’s an opportunity for some competitive, but friendly, sister rivalry.”

Gabbi | Miranda

Photo by Cody Enboden

Megan | Orser

OTHER COMPETITIVE SIBLINGS AT VISTA

| At age two, Heather, Carly and Natalie started dancing. Both Heather and Carly have danced together at Starstruck Dance Academy. The three sisters have also done trio dances as shown in pictures to the left and right.

Photos courtesy of Carly Hagan

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