The Rock Newspaper Senior Edition

5810 McArthur Ranch Road . Highlands Ranch, CO 80124 . 303-387-3000 . Volume 9 . Issue 6 . May 16, 2013 The Rock Student Newspaper @therocknews13 Online: RockMediaOnline.org

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the student voice of rock canyon high school

The Jag PackProfiles of Students in and out of the spotlight

(page 04-06, 12)

Where Are They Headed?Where the class of 2013 is going in the Fall

(page 08-09)

Salute to RCParting words from the senior class

(page 12-14)

Jungle...“

“I am going to miss my friends the most because I’ve been close to them for many years and it will be weird for me to make new friends.” -Taylor Broschat, ‘13

I remember our first assembly. There were only two hundred students, all having no idea what was going to happen. We were over at the middle school and we were ready to take an adventure. It’s amazing how far we all have come from there.”

-Kristi Piccone -- Science Teacher since 2003

“What I’m going to miss most is the small tight-knit community we have at Rock Canyon.” -Luka Henderson 13

“I’m going to miss the every-day people. People who I didn’t know too well, but still added to the feel of the school.” -Mackenzie Bacon, ‘13

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“I have been teaching here for seven years. Obviously other than just the natural growth of the school, I think we have started to build tradition, which is a good thing. When we first started, it was trying to teach the kids what tradition should look like for them. And so now we’ve really grown a lot at tra-dition which is pretty awesome. I would like to see it where these kids who are graduating now would be able to say, “Hey I was apart of that” and feel like there is a true legacy here.” -Chris Page--Teacher and Administratior

since 2006

“ Being a [school] that’s successful...being a place where kids feel safe when they walk in the doors of the school, that’s the big thing; we’re a respected school.” -Jim McClurg--- Technology Teacher since 2003

02 [05/16/13] Communitythe

03[05/16/13]Communitythe

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➔ Fall classes start August 19

➔ Contact Student Recruitmentand Outreach today toget started!

Edward Nance | 303.797.5657

EARN COLLEGE CREDIT –sign up for Concurrent Enrollment classes. You could attend Concurrent Enrollment classes this fall at your highschool and earn college credit.All interested students MUSTmeet test score requirements. Check with your counselor fortesting/registration details.

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Redefining the Renaissance Wom-By senior year most of us know where our fellow classmates’ interests lie and the numerous things that they’ve accomplished, whether it be through them telling us, social networking, or simply word of mouth. Nikki Pataroque’s accomplishments and versa-tility speak for her, but no one would know unless they talked to her

Rock: How did you get started with tae-kwon-do?

I started sophomore year. I did soccer fresh-man year and decided it wasn’t for me, and I stuck with it. The thing I enjoy most about it are my friends there and I like the different energy there. One of my favorite memories from high school is watching my friends try out for their Black belts. I’m currently a red belt and will probably be able to test for my black belt in the summer. I don’t compete, I just do it for the fun of it since the competi-tions are on Saturdays, which is difficult because I that’s when I work at KFC.

Rock: How do you become a part of All State Orchestra? How was the experience?

The All State committee which is made up of professional violinists listens to auditions on CD’s and score them, so the highest scores make it in. To prepare I had to practice through the whole summer. I started playing violin when I was in fourth grade. All State is my favorite part of orchestra because you meet people who are so passionate about music which is really inspiring.

Rock: When did you start blogging and where do you get your inspiration?

I started blogging in 8th grade just writ-ing about different aspects of my own life, but now I’ve started to explore more fiction because I wanted to write a book but it didn’t work out. For short stories that I publish, I find a picture and give myself a half an hour to churn something out to go with it.

Rock: Where are you going to college next year?I’m going to Creighton next year, I’m really excited. I like it because it’s a smaller school and has a strong sense of community and

focuses a lot on service.

Rock: What are you planning on majoring in?

I’m planning on going in Pre-Med or Pre-Pharmacy. I like to consider myself to be a smart person, and I really believe in using the gifts that I’ve been blessed with to help other people, and I feel like medicine is one of the best ways I can do that. It’s really technical and always changing, so it would stimulate my mind and help people as a direct result.

Rock: How do you balance all of these activities and school?

My parents really stress academics. When I was little I couldn’t join soccer or play an instrument until my school was set. In second grade they made me practice math problems outside of school, which I hated, but I’m glad that they were tough on me because it taught me to have a good work ethic. When I get home I do homework then tae-kwon-do, and with violin I know how to practice efficiently now so I don’t have to practice as much.

Rock: What are some aspects of Rock Can-yon you enjoy the most?

I really enjoy having lunch with my friends, our conversations are nerdy and I really like how my group of friends are accepting of me and others which you don’t see everywhere. I also love the teachers here because they try to connect with you on a more personal level and I know that teachers support me in what I do inside and outside of the classroom.

Rock: How do you want to be remembered by your peers from high school?

I want to be remembered as a genuine

person. I’m quiet, but keeping to myself, its just how I am. If there’s a big group of people I just sit back and listen, I like to listen to people, I can’t think very fast, the best way for me to think is to write things down. I like to think of myself as a happy person but most people think I’m serious. I really try to find

happiness in myself and my perspective. If I see two people walking down the hall having a good convo that makes me happy since they are. A lot of people who know me see me as hardworking as my dominant trait but I consider myself to be more cheerful.

Going Above and Beyond The future lies ahead of us, full of mystery and possibility. There’s a world full of un-certainty, but all we can do is try to make the best of it. Trying to guide our way in and hopefully come out alright. Meet Trang Tran ‘13. She’s stepped out of the high school shield and put herself into the true depths of the world. A self-proclaimed science nerd, Tran has accomplished a lot in her four years at Rock Canyon. Tran gained an internship at Aurora Community College for her Senior Studies Class with the help of Mrs. Fordham. “I have a paid internship with Tom Dillon, a microbiology professor at the school.” Tran said. “I’m planning on major-ing in forensic sciences and psychology as they go hand in hand with each other.” Being a self-proclaimed “science nerd”,

Tran has reached above and beyond the required science classes to have addition-ally taken aquatic biology, biotech, and zoology classes for the fun and thrill of science. “I didn’t always like science the way I do now. My freshman year, I took biology with Ms. Muniz and it has given me the motivation and interest to pursue into sci-ence.” Tran said. “Up untill then [freshman year], science was always book work. We started to do hands on work and it really opened up for me.” Finding her love for forensics on the popular show “CSI: Miami” and other re-lated shows, they have gone on to inspire her to learn and grow into the field. She is now on track to go and do what interests her most. “Through my senior studies class and

field trips I have taken thanks to biotech, I’ve been the blessed with the opportu-nity to see and experience the things that most college students have not been able to see,” Trang said. Trang, like any other student has been faced with stress and the other emotional roller coasters that are common. “My family and friends are always there to support and motivate me. My family has a hard background of living and dealing with the Vietnam War. When they came to America, there were new opportunities,” Trang said. “I want to go college and be successful, so I can support and make my parents proud.” Tran aspires to go into science in any possible field. She will continue to follow her passion with the upmost dedication.Trang Tran ‘13 works at a lab in preperation for her interniship and future scientific career.

Nikki Pataroque ‘13 practices her Violin, one of the various activities she participates in during her free time.

Trang Tran’ 13 has found her niche in an unlikely place and will take all the steps necessary to keep her passion going

[nishikavirmani]

[nishikavirmani]

[nicolecassou]

[nicolecassou]

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Leaving it on the CanvasFrom paintings to pottery, Chad Hayward ‘13 has taken the RC art scene by storm

The Bee-Waggle dance is the dance that bees do when they find a good flower source for pollen. They dance, wiggle, and communicate to bees where the flower is, and the intensity of the wiggle indicates how good of pollen source it is. This type of animal communication is what Senior Arielle Amos wants to study when she goes to college in the fall. As of right now, she has her hopes set on Cornell University. Arielle moved to Colorado at the beginning of her Senior year. But before Rock Canyon, she only attended public school for two years- she was home schooled until her Sopho-more year. “I really liked it, but I love Colorado so I was excited to move,” Amos said. “Original-ly, I was planning on going to college in Colorado so it was great that we moved.” What’s so special about Cornell? Well first of all, it’s an Ivy League school. In Ithaca, NY, it is freezing. While Amos was visiting the school, it even hailed on her. But the thing that stuck out most to Arielle was the people. “Every single person was so nice and so help-ful,” Amos said. “We were talking to this one guy and he said ‘oh just go to the Ecology House and knock on the door, someone will let you in.’ They didn’t just let us in, they gave us a full on tour of the entire dorm.”

The Busy Bee Cornell’s Veterinary school is one of the top in the country. Although she does not want to be a vet, Amos said that she would study other types of subjects having to do with animals- such as intel-ligence and behaviors. For undergraduate studies, Arielle’s plan is to study biology with a concentra-tion on neurobiology and behavior. She plans to go to graduate school for ethology. “The most interesting thing about me is what I want to do, it’s pretty unique,” Amos said. “You don’t usually just meet people off the street who want to

be an ethologist.” Since animals cannot speak, some may wonder what animal communications involves. Animal communications is studying the different actions of animals and seeing the responses. According to Amos, different studies have been done on bees, dolphins, and prairie dogs, as well as many other animals.

“They’ve done research with dolphins showing that dolphins have specific calls that are kind of like their names,” Amos said. Her secret to success is simple as working hard and studying a lot. Arielle has already been accepted to Cornell, but if she decides that Ithaca is not where she wants to be, Amos is pretty sure she will go to a school in Colorado.

Senior Arielle Amos is finding a way to help others find their voice...in an unconventional way

”“You don’t usually

meet people on the street who want to

be an ethologist

The majority of high school seniors have no idea what they want to do in the future because they haven’t discovered their passion in life. They hope to gain some sort of idea by taking college classes next year, and will probably end up changing their major multiple times. Chad Hayward isn’t one of them. “At first, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school,” he said, “But art gave me direction and a voice, it has definitely helped me through it all.” Hayward didn’t always know that art would become his passion. He spent time doodling in notebooks as a child but never thought any-thing of it. “I still remember the exact thing that sparked my interest. It was in 8th grade, someone drew a cartoon character in the corner of the whiteboard. I tried to copy it, and to my surprise it came out somewhat decent. From that moment, I was hooked” he said. Now in his senior year, he is taking AP art classes at Rock Canyon as well as classes at The Art Students League in Denver. “My favorite class I’ve taken so far is AP Ceramics,” Hayward said, “It has been great because I get to have more artistic freedom with the things I want to create.” Hayward works with a variety of mediums, but oil painting tends to be his favorite. Despite his incredible talent, he is very hard on himself and always pushes to do better. “By the end of a paint-ing or something, I usually don’t like it that much because I know I can do better,” Hayward said, “I’m always trying to improve my art.” Luckily, Hayward’s parents have been very supportive in his decision to pursue an artistic career. “So many people have helped me along the way. It truly does mean a lot and I am so apprecia-

tive to have so many great friends and family by my side.” However, one specific person has left a lasting impact over the last few years. “My biggest role model has definitely been Mr. Gonzalez, he is an awesome teacher and such an amazing artist,” Hayward said, “I am so grateful to have the chance to be his student I have learned so much from him this year.” Next year, Hayward plans to continue his artis-tic studies at the School of Art Institute of Chicago.

“It was a really difficult decision,” he said, “I abso-lutely love the city and SAIC is right in the heart of downtown Chicago.” Another influential aspect in his decision is SAIC doesn’t require students to choose a major, so they can experiment with many different classes and mediums. Hayward plans to spend the majority of his time in school focusing on painting. “In the future, it would be my dream to become a painter and support myself doing what I love.”

05[05/16/13]Seniorsthe

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Arielle Amos is talking to her friends about her journey to visit Cornell that she took earlier in the school year. When she vis-ited, the weather was so bad that she couldn’t help but laugh about it when she was telling her story. “When we were at Cornell visiting, it even hailed on us!” Amos said.

[virginiavaughan]

[virginiavaughan]

[nikkinewman]

[nikkinewman]

#fortheloveofthegameWhat it means to work hard, to live out your dreams, and to find what you love all on the soccer field

“There are defining moments in our life when we either have the thing we want, or the reasons why we don’t.” Senior David Boldt has lived and worked ac-cording this mantra ever since his high school career began four years ago. “It’s been a journey,” said Boldt “when I first arrived here as a freshman, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to end up. Whatever I did, I just knew I wanted to play soccer.” During his freshman season, David was named to the Varsity squad and helped Rock Canyon reach the 4A state finals by scoring the “golden-goal” in a double overtime semifinal victory over Mullen. “It was a moment I will never forget; all of my teammates tackled me and dogpiled, then we celebrated with our mohawks spiked up and the crowd roaring.” Sophomore year (2010), Boldt was named Captain of a young Varsity team that was un-able to qualify for playoffs. In 2011, the Jaguars came back with a newfound determination, under the returning leadership of Junior David Boldt. Unfortunate-ly, Boldt’s career in a jaguar jersey ended in a close state semi-final loss to the eventual state champs East High. “It was a difficult loss. I knew that this would be my final season playing high school soccer because of club restrictions. I wanted to take it all the way but I was still extremely proud of my team.” “David was a great leader. He constantly provided our team with the necessary spark. I am lucky to have played alongside him” said Preston Migaki, ‘14. In his time at Rock Canyon, Boldt was a three time Varsity letter-winner. In 2010, Boldt was voted to second team all Conference as a sophomore. Outside of Rock Canyon, Boldt has found success playing for his Club Team, Real Colo-rado Academy. “Although club soccer consumed a lot of my free time, I don’t regret a thing. Not only did it allow me to travel all over the country and play a wide range of competition, it also provided an instrumental avenue in the college recruit-ing process.” It was at a College soccer showcase in Bra-denton, FL that Boldt was noticed by his future school: Oregon State University. “When Oregon State came into the picture, it was a perfect fit. I loved Oregon and the Northwest, so an opportunity to study and play there was a dream come true.” This summer, Boldt will report to OSU early and begin training for the fall season where he will also begin his major in Chemical engineer-ing. “The past four years here at Rock canyon have been unforgettable and I hope the next four are just as memorable.”

[jakebattock]

Proud of his work in and out of the art room, Hayward stands behind a display of his artwork.

Senior Bayleigh Arey has had to mature a lot faster than most people her age. She has had to play a large supporting role in her family for many years. “It is hard. I didn’t choose this and either did she,” Bayleigh Arey ‘13 said. Bayleigh’s sister Madi is 14 years old and has Cerebral Palsy disease. Her twin sister Kinsey does not. Madi was diagnosed when she was a baby after she had a stroke. Madi has grown up with leg braces and walkers but what has really affected her the most is the way her brain functions. “Her brain is slow at the way she thinks and processes information, which has affected her growing up, because Madi gets upset a lot since her

brain does not always process the right way,” Arey said. “There is always a lot of yelling and stress in our house.” Bayleigh and Kinsey are able to do certain things that Madi cannot. For instance, Bayleigh can already drive and Kinsey will learn how to drive this sum-mer but Madi will have to sit back and watch. “It takes longer for her to do things and Madi does complain a lot but you just have to put up with it,” Arey said. “But I get it. It is a hard battle that she has to face every day. We just take one day at a time.” Even though times may not always be easy for the Arey family, they have stuck through it all and have many inspiring stories to tell, including one of how

When Bayleigh walks in the door from school, she doesn’t know what to expect; she could come home to a calm house or a busy, loud house

“I Was Supposed to Die...” Spring break should be filled with travel-ling, friends, and hanging by the poolside. It shouldn’t be spent in a hospital. Jenna Meibos ‘13 was in a wheelchair for four months her junior year, as if high school isn’t hard enough. “At the end of my junior year, I was forced into a journey I never thought I would take,” Meibos said. “It was exactly 10:45 pm on March 23rd when the accident happened. You know in movies when someone asks the character about what happened and all they can reply with is “I don’t know, it all happened too fast?” Well, that line they say is no lie. Five seconds of my life flew past me like it was running from death....I was supposed to die that night.” Jaley Meibos ‘16 has been with Jenna through it all. She was seen pushing Jenna in her wheel-chair around school, running to get her things, and just being as supportive as she could be. “At first I thought it probably wasn’t a big accident. It was really weird thinking my own sister could have been in a car accident,” Jaley said. “When we got there, there were a ton of lights from ambulances and police cars. When I saw the car I was really surprised at how messed up it was. I was really, really worried. I saw Jenna sitting on the ground talking to the police. I was just glad to see her.” The Meibos family was in Utah for their 2012 Spring Break visiting family. The first day they were there, Jenna was asked out on a double date with some of her friends. They went

Not All Things Come Easy

Sometimes it takes only seconds for a future to change- -for better or for worse

bowling and ate Costa Vida, and later went to the local “race track”. Many kids were there, and involved a circular road with lots of turns. After a couple of rounds, Jenna realized she forgot to put her seatbelt on. “At 10:44 PM the car drifted to the curb, hit a tree and swung around and hit a pole,” Jenna said. “Ty (my date) landed on my feet keeping me in the car. Since my seatbelt wasn’t on I was about to go out through the windshield and when everything was calm, I was halfway in the front and halfway in the back. I remember afterwards, when everything was calm, and all I heard was screaming to “get out of the car! GET OUT!” I would’ve, but I couldn’t move because my friend Ty (easily 200 pounds) was unconsciously on top of my feet. My hip to head was completely in the front seats and my hip to my crushed feet was in the back. The others who were with us helped Ty get out of the car and laid him on the ground. I crawled to the door and put my first foot down, not knowing they were shattered, and I fell to the ground. I didn’t suspect a thing. I crawled over to Ty to try and make the bleeding on his head slow down and before I knew it we were surrounded by paramedics and police cars. Ty was put into the ambulance while we filled out accident reports. I had absolutely nothing to say. Nothing. And for me, that doesn’t happen often.” After multiple surgeries involving plates and screws in both of her feet, Jenna was bound to her chair for months. Her whole life changed,

Hanging around the elevator at Dr. Cooperman’s Aurora doctor’s office in early May, Jenna Meibos ‘13 shows off her new leg accessories. After her surgeries, Jenna wouldn’t let her handicap ruin her sense of humor. “Something about Jenna is that she extremely happy and has a good sense of humor about things. She wouldn’t let people hear her say anything negative about her condition,” Jaley Meibos ‘16 said.

Madi’s wish came true. It all started when Madi and Kinsey went to visit Carlos Bakery, home of the reality TV show Cake Boss in New Jersey. Walking into the bakery Madi was just expecting to experience the store and walk away with a few pastries but instead something that she has always dreamed of happened. After Buddy spoke with one of his sisters on the phone and was told about Madi and her condition and love for the show, Madi and her family were invited over to the Carlos Bakery warehouse to meet the family. “Everyone was extremely nice to my entire fam-ily,” Arey said. “They really cared about Madi which meant a lot to her.” Besides just meeting Buddy and the rest of his family, Madi and Kinsey also got to each decorate their own cake with Buddy and they will be featured on an episode of Cake Boss later this year, near win-ter time. Madi and the Arey family were also invited to come back and be on another episode of Cake Boss in 2014 after Madi is recovered from her major leg surgery happening this summer. Most of Bayleigh’s life does revolve around her family but she is also involved in a lot of other activi-ties that have lead her to major accomplishments. Bayleigh has been “Jag of the Month” twice dur-ing her time at Rock Canyon, once during her sopho-more year and again as a senior. She has also been on the Douglas County Student Advisory Group for two years and she has lettered in Student Council all of her four years at Rock Canyon. “I see Bayleigh as a leader who takes the extra time to make sure she understands who she is working with. She puts in the time and leads with love and care,” Student Council advisor Kate Hart-line said. Recently Arey won the Douglas County Federa-tion Student Award for Rock Canyon. One senior from each Douglas County High School is honored for their responsibility, creativity, academics, school and community improvement and cooperation.

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[maddiewhitten]

[kelceybeckman]

and so did her family’s. “Jenna would have to wake up earlier in the morning to take a shower, get dressed, and get up the stairs,” Jaley said. “She had to wear pants that could fit over her casts, and shirts that her arms could move around in. She moved a lot slower. Now my parents had to drive her every-where, plus the added time of taking apart the wheelchair and putting it in the car. We were late to most things like school/seminary and church. She also got lots of stares in the hallway, which she had to get used to. Jenna couldn’t do a lot of the things she loved: like swimming and hanging out with friends (unless they made the drive to visit her).” But Jenna has never stopped fighting for herself. She was supposed to die, and she was determined to take advantage of the life she’d been given. “I grew stronger and confident. When you see a girl in a wheelchair, you can’t help but stare, I would know,” Jenna said. “I know this because I was at the other end of the stick for four months. I learned that I can’t always be independent and I will need help from others at some point in my life. This experience helped me grow as a person and made it so I can talk to others about their troubles and I could relate easier than others. Though this may sound weird, but I am grateful for this experience.”

Bayleigh has learned so much over her past four years at Rock Canyon. She has stepped out of her comfort zone, grown spiritually, became a stronger leader and she has found her passion, through a missions trip to the Dominican Republic, which is to help people. “Ever since Bayleigh was little she has always been compassionate, always drawn to help others. I think it became even more clear to me when we went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We started a tour in a very poverty stricken area and the people just gravitated to her. She had a light and they saw it. It was evident to people even with a language barrier,” mother DeeAnn Arey said. “I definitely think having a sister with CP opened her eyes to other people in the world with disabilities. She has an amazing heart.” Currently Bayleigh plays and coaches volleyball for South Metro. The Arey family all share a passion for volleyball. Kinsey is the big volleyball player in the family and Mr. and Mrs. Arey coach as well. Bay-leigh is also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Students club at Rock Canyon, as well as her church and youth group at Castle Pines Community Church and she has been interning at an assisted living facility The Vi. Arey will be attending CSU in the fall where she will major in human development and family studies, in order to pursue her dream of becoming an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital, where she can continue to be a leader and work with people. “Something that I think is really cool about Bayleigh is that she is so social and can talk to any-one. She likes making personal relationships with people. God has given her this gift to be comfortable with everyone,” close friend Kaity Ross said.

[maddiewhitten]

[courtesy of the arey family]

Bayleigh Arey poses with her family for a Christmas picture this past seaon.

07[05/16/13]

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08 [05/16/13]

Jonathan Allen- ACC, Computer Network TechnologyViginia Allen- Univerity of Wyoming, Mechanical EngineeringArielle Amos- Cornell, BiologyRachel Anderson- University of Oregon, Environmental ScienceBraden Anton- Could not be reachedDeanne Apke- CU Denver, 3-D AnimationBayleigh Arey- CSU, Human DevelopmentJacob Armstrong -UNC, Education Luke Armstrong- UNC, EducationSean Babcock- Adams State University, UndecidedMackenzie Bacon-Metro StateDesiree Bakker- CSU, KinesiologyGeo� ery Ball- CU Boulder, Mechanical EngineeringKrista Barry-CU Boulder, CommunicationsAustin Beane-University of Virginia, Systems EngineeringAdam Beede- Western State, EngineeringRachel Behnke- UNC, NursingHope Bell- Utah State, Interior DesignSophia Bensoman- CU Boulder, Arts and SciencesKarli Benson-CU Colorado Springs, GeneticsMcKenna Benson- DU, UndecidedCasey Bergeron- CU Boulder, Business and MarketingColin Biebel- DU, EconomicsMichael Blanton- CSU, BiomedicineJohanna Bloom- Biola University, AnimationBenjamin Bochner-CU Colorado Springs, Computer ScienceKevin Bogard- CU BoulderAllison Bohus- Metro State, Psychology/Fine ArtsDavid Boldt-Oregon State, Chemical Engineering/SoccerChristina Bommarito- CSU, Chemical EngineeringAnnabel Bonner- CU Boulder, CommunicationsRyan Boryla- Bridge ProgramBrooke Boyles-UNC, Art EducationBailey Bremner-CSU, Animal ScienceTaylor Broschat-Creighton, Pre-MedMandy Brown-Metro StateKyle Broyer- Ozark Christian College, Business/MinistryAshley Brunatti- Cosmetology SchoolAbby Buckland- University of Missouri, UndecidedAllison Buckley-UNC, Elementary EducationAndrea Burdon-Teaching in GermanyNicholas Ca� rey- UNCColby Cameron-UNC, CommunicationsBrian Canitz-Florida State, MusicKaitlin Carrasco- Metro State, PsychologyAriel Cartin- CSU, UndecidedCarter Cashion- CU Colorado Springs, EnglishDominique Casias- UndecidedNicole Cassou- DU, Swimming/Political Science/JournalismCecilia Castro-University of Wyoming, NursingDylan Centola- Metro State, UndecidedChancellor Champine- CSU, Construction ManagementSydney Charvat- Boston University, Journalism/ScreenwritingNicole Chirban- CSU, Environmental EngineeringKennedi Christenson-CU Denver, BusinessTi� ani Clark- Fort Hayes State, Organizational LeadershipCarston Clay- CU Boulder, Computer ScienceAlexander Coe-CU Boulder, EngineeringMorgan Colander-Lee University, Elementary EducationJoshua Cole- University of California-Berkeley Sean Colter- UndecidedBrandon Cooke-Metro State, HospitalityMeagan Cooney-Stony Brook University , BiomedicineBryan Craver- Western State Colorado University, CommunicationsAdam Cree- University of Wyoming, Petroleum EngineeringChristopher Crum- Bates College, HistoryLawrence D’Agostino- Air Force Academy, Aeronotical EngineeringNicholas Dagner- CU Boulder, Accounting/FinanceAlysan Dahl- CU Boulder, Biochemistry

Benjamin Daley- Kansas State, Nuclear EngineeringMatthew Dalton- DU, Finance/AccountingHenry Dau- Colorado School of Mines, EngineeringAlex Davenport- Could not be reachedJack Davis- Arizona State University, AccountingWalker Davis- US Marine CorpsTaylor Deck- Baylor, UndecidedAngelica DeFranco- CU Denver, Acting Ari DePaola- University of Missouri-Columbia, UndecidedAndrew DeSilvey- East Tennesee State, Electrical EngineeringDavid DePetro- UNC, FootballWilkins Dismuke-Johns Hopkins University, LacrosseDrew Dodd- US Marine CorpsJennifer Druva-CU Boulder, ArchitectureLily Du� y- CU BoulderCurtis Duncan- Metro StateAndrew Dunn- Fort Lewis, UndecidedMiranda Dunn- Baylor, Pre-MedAima Echie-University of California Davis, UndecidedAndrew England-Colorado School of Mines, Petroleum EngineeringBrock Engle- Colorado Mesa University, Criminal JusticeJake Erickson- Colorado Mesa University, UndecidedMeredith Evilsizer-University of Kansas, UndecidedAustin Fabry-CSU, Business AdministrationAlexandra Fairchild- BYU, Graphic DesignDarrian Felsen- CSUPayton Fields- Metro State, UndecidedSidney Fleecs-University of Utah, Preoccupational TherapyJonah Flores- U.S. AirforceBlake Foley- UndecidedColin Foley- CSU, UndecidedKyle Forrester-CSU, Mechanical EngineeringCourtney Frahm-University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Advertising/PRBrendon Frazier-UNC, Finance/AccountingIan Frazier-Colorado Mountain College, Fire ScienceAlexander French-UNCRiley Fuhrman- University of MiamiLoren Gaby- CSUJustin Galbraith-Aurora University Illinois, Business/LacrosseBrooke Gallagher-TCU, Biology/Pre-MedJoshua Gardella-Masters University, Golf/Business ManagementDanielle Gilbert- Regis University, AnthropologySaylor Gilbert- Air Force Academy, BiologyCameron Gill-Western State Colorado, Track/SociologyLindsey Givin-Indiana University, UndecidedHannah Go- CU Denver, BiologyBrian Goldberg- Pennsylvania State, FinanceDiego Gomes-CU Boulder, Aerospace EngineeringJohn Gordon- UCCS, Mechanical Engineering/BusinessZoey Gray- Metro StateConnor Green-Metro State, HospitalityKelly Grega- CU Boulder, JournalismBlake Greiner-University of Miami-OhioCaleb Gui� re-Taking a year o� Adrienne Gullia-CU Boulder, Architecture/Environmental DesignLindsey Hackbarth-Colorado Mesa University, ChemistryAllison Hadjis- CU Boulder, Mechanical/Chemical EngineeringKelly Hagan- Chapman University, ScreenwritingHannah Hagen-CU Boulder, Integrative PsychologyJennifer Haigh-Colorado School of Mines, PhysicsZachary Hallett- Metro State, HockeyKarianna Hannon- Aveda Beauty School Cassandra Hardy-Drake University, Biochem/Cell and Molecular BiologyAlexander Harlan-University of Michigan, UndecidedAshton Harrison-Liberty University, CommunicationsTommy Harrison-Miami University of Ohio, BusinessTrevor Hartwig-University of Oregon, Environmental ScienceJonCharles Hawkins-UNC, Business

James Haworth- Baylor, Neuroscience/PsychologyChad Hayward- School of Art Institute-ChicagoAustin Healy- CSU, Marketing and Sports EntertainmentJordan Hegre-US Marine CorpsJordan Heifetz-Graduated EarlySarah Heimbrock-University of Montana, EducationDavid Heller- CSU, EngineeringJacquelyn Hemphill-CU Boulder, BiochemistryLuka Henderson- Air Force ReservesTyla Henderson-Returning to New ZealandJacob Henry-CSU, Mechanical EngineeringAdam Hilzer-CSU, BusinessLuke Ho� mann-CSU, UndecidedNatalie Holthaus- CU Colorado Springs, Elementary EducationJordyn Hopkins-WorkingBrooke Horsting- South Carolina University, UndecidedStacee Horwitz-CU Boulder, Integrative PhysiologyChase Houghland- Taking a year o� Ryan Howard-UNC, BusinessChandler Hughes- DU, UndecidedHannah Hughes- UNC, BiologyChristina Hulett- UNCKatlyn Humbarger-CSU, Political ScienceMallorie Ihme- Colorado Mesa University, Kinesiology Charlene Jackman- BYU Idaho, PsychologyMadison Jackson-Westmont, UndecidedKaitlin Jarrell-Whitworth University, PsychologyCuran Jasbeck- US Air ForceTy Jensen-UNC, BiochemistryTianna Jordahl-UndecidedJared Jordan-CU Boulder, Aerospace EngineeringEric Jung- CornellGreyson Junggren-DUCollin Kallery-CU Boulder, PsychologyCarlie Kapp-Augustana College, Special EducationEJ Katsoulas-CU Boulder, Environmental Engineering

Ashlyn Keil-CSU, EnglishErik Keil-Colorado Mesa University, UndecidedGrant Keller-CU Boulder, Leadership/EntrepreneurshipQuinn Kennedy-Boston Conservatory, Music TheaterAllison Kerth-CU BoulderKayla Kesler- WorkingAustin Kiel- Texas Tech, Agricultural EngineeringAshley Kisner- Pursuing a career in singing Kyle Knight- Could not be reachedMadeline Landis-California Polytechnic, Biomedical EngineeringJames Landrum- CU Boulder, EngineeringNathan Lang- CU BoulderBrandon Larsen-LDS Mission trip to Mozambique, AfricaAxel Larsson-CU Boulder, Mechanical EngineeringRiley Lawlor- UndecidedMaxwell Lee- John Hopkins University, UndecidedHayden Lena-Metro State, EngineeringScott LeVigne- Could not be reachedShannon Lieber-North Platte Community College, Elementary Education/SoftballKelsey Lindemann-BYU Idaho, CommunicationsEvan Lisano- US NavyDavis Livingstone-CU Boulder, Design/MarketingDaren Lobben- Could not be reachedJake Locker- University of Arizona, Business Maddison Long-CU BoulderStephanie Lucas- College of St. Rose, Special EducationJonathan Lusk-University of MarylandKatie Mackey- Webber International University, Undecided

RC Nation Senior

09 [05/16/13]

Emily Manganello-UCCS, UndecidedJe� ery Manion-US Marine CorpsAnn Manto-University of Alabama, Consumer MarketingStephanie Marcus- University of Arizona, Elementary EducationSpencer Marshall- Fort Lewis College, UndecidedTrevor Marshall-Tulane University, Biomedical EngineeringLizzy Marthouse-CSU, PsychologyJoshua Martire- US ArmySachin Mathur-Colorado College, Political ScienceMakayla McBride-UNC, Nursing/SoccerCaitlin McCann- University of Oklahoma, Pre-Nursing Assist.James McCarthy- Bridge ProgramAlison McCloskey-UNC, Business/SoftballAshley McCubbin-Western Washington, Law/Psychology Nicole McDaniel-DU, Pre-DentistryAlexis McKenzie-Cornell, Environmental EngineeringJenna Meibos- Getting CNALara Melkjorsen-CU Denver, Biology/Pre-MedStephanie Mendez- CU Denver, AnimationBryan Metze- Fort Lewis College, PhysicsJustin Michaeli-UNC, Restaurant ManagmentAmanda Miller-University of Missouri-Columbia, NursingMorgan Miller-University of Oregan, Journalism Robert Monroe- CU Boulder, Aerospace EngineeringEli Montano- UndecidedSara Moore- UNC, Early Childhood EducationCarli Moran- Metro State, Forensic Science

Kailyn Morrato-Community College of Denver, Dental HygieneAndrew Morris-CU Boulder Nicolas Mueller-Oklahoma State, Fire EngineeringJenell Murphy-St. Louis University, Interna-tional BusinessTaylor Murphy- Point Loma Nazarene University, BiologyMarkus Navo-UNC, BiologyHayden Ne� - CSU, Biomedical EngineeringKayla Neil-CSU, Forensic PsychologyAustin Nelson-Metro, UndecidedDavid Nelson-CU Boulder, AerospaceJustin Nelson-University of AlabamaOlivia Nelson-UNC, EducationAllie Newell-CU Boulder, Integrative PhysiologyMichael Newman-CUBoulder, Political Science/Biology Sarah Norris- International College of AestheticsKelsi Oddo-CU Boulder, Chemistry Bryson Olejnik-Adams State, BusinessKerstin Orgill-BYU Hawaii, BiologySerina Owens-Missouri Valley, Soccer/BroadcastingAshley Park- CSU, BiologyThomas Pastore- UndecidedDominique Pataroque - Creighton, Pre-medHannah Patton-Colorado Mesa, NursingJacob Patton- Taking a year o�

Lauren Payne-Western Washing-ton, Education

Alek Peters-Ithaca College, Business/Laccrosse

Jordan Peters- CU Boulder, Computer Science

Hannah Peterson- Colorado School of MinesJoshua Peterson- Bethel College, Business

Mia Piccolotti- Metro State, ArtLauren Posey-Fort Lewis College, Undecided

Sydney Powell-Austin College, Pre-MedTyler Powers- LDS Mission

Anastasia Quarles-Creighton, Bio/Pre-MedSydney Qui- CU Boulder, BiologyChristopher Reed- Embry Riddle Aeronautics University

John Rehl-UC Santa Barbara, SoccerSamantha Reiman-UCCS, UndecidedMorgan Richmond-CSU Pueblo, Nursing

Trent Riddle- Hastings College, Pre-LawJacob Riedel-Kansas State, Law/Foreign Relations

Kaylyn Riggs- University of Alabama, Business/FinanceLindi Riley- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, CommunicationsMatthew Ringenberg- Could not be reachedRandy Ritter- ACC, Undecided

Rachel Roberts-UNC, EducationJusten Roecker- UndecidedMae Rohrbach- UCCS, NursingAndrew Romano- San Jose State, Finance/GolfSarah Rosenkrans-Oklahoma State, Sports Mgmt. and MarketingKaitlin Ross- CSU, BiomedKimberlee Roth- Lamar, BasketballSydney Roth- CU Boulder, Political ScienceMorgan Royal- CSU, Political Science Benjamin Ruh- Arizona State, Business ManagmentMitchell Rush- LDS MissionAustin Ryburn-Fort Lewis, ChemistryTristan Sagar- CU, BusinessMonica Sandoval-CSU, Undecided Logan Sant-LDS Mission to San Antonio, TexasZachary Sartor- US MarinesSteven Sattem- University of Kansas, Finance/LeadershipDillon Savich- Metro State, UndecidedKevin Schmeits-CU Boulder, Business Aimee Schnebeck-University of Oklahoma, Media BroadcastingMason Schneider- Could not reachedQuincy Schurr- SMU, Computer Engineering/Business Jordon Scott-Colorado Christian, Biology Srish Sharma- Davidson College, Pre-MedMichael Shepard- North Central College-Illinois, Economics/Finance/FootballJames Sherrill-UNC, BusinessWilliam Showers- Could not be reachedSavannah Slifer- Florida State, Media ProductionFaith Smith-BYU, Bio StatisticsJacob Smith-Undecided Matthew Sneider- CSU, Biomedical SciencesChaison Snyder-CU Boulder, Biochemical Engineering Erin Snyder- CU Boulder, Humanities Coleman Squalls- University of Arizona, BusinessMeagan Stack- CSU, Business Managment Ciara Stamper- University of ArizonaZachary Stazick - Metro State, Environmental ScienceNicholas Steenhoek- Could not be reachedRyan Stewart-University of Arizona, MarketingCamille Stillman- University of Alabama, Dance/Biology Morgan Storch- Minnesota State, Accounting/Soccer Cameron Striech-Fort Lewis, CommunicationsTy Strimbu- CU Boulder, Communications

Brittany Strosahl - Colorado Mesa, Business Mgmt.Bradley Stroz- Could not be reachedAlexis Sunshine - SMU, UndecidedErin Sunshine- University of Washington, BiologyAlexis Svenson- CSU, International BusinessMatthew Tannyhill- BYU, BusinessZoe Tartz- UndecidedSteven Taschner- Washington University- St. Louis, Biomedical Engineering/Computer ScienceAmy Taylor- University of Arizona, Undecided Samuel Taylor- CU Boulder, Computer EngineeringTaylor Thomason- CSU, UndecidedEmily Thornburg-Illinois State College, Education Abigale Thumann-CU Boulder, PsychologyDylan Tibby- CU Boulder, BusinessJenny Tran-CU Boulder, Chemical Engineering Trang Tran-Community College of Aurora, Forensic ScienceDerrick Trotman-LDS Mission to Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaWesley Truong- Metro State, Mechanical EngineeringKyle Typher- Fort Lewis College, UndecidedHunter Tyson-CU Boulder, UndecidedAlison Uralli- Fort Lewis, EnglishRyan Uselman- Colorado Mesa, Biology/ForensicsIan Vail- LDS MissionBrandon Varland- Fort Lewis College, Graphic DesignKassidy Vatter-CU Boulder, UndecidedVirginia Vaughan- University of Virginia, Media StudiesFransisco Vazquez de Mercado- Bridge ProgramLauren Veltri- CU Boulder, UndecidedKevin Vest- Colorado Mesa University, UndecidedBrooke Wake� eld- North Platte Community College, SoftballJacob Walker- Taking a year o� Kiana Wallon-ACC, Associative ArtsGarrett Waltermire- CU Boulder, Leeds BusinessClaire Walton- BYU Idaho, NursingClaire Wang- University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, EngineeringJake Warnecke- Colorado Mountain College, Fire ScienceJackson Watkins- Brown University, Civil Science/Urban StudiesLauren Wearsch- CSU, Music TheoryErin Webb- Missouri University, Pre-med/SoccerCarli Webber- CU Boulder, UndecidedLucas West-Colorado Christian University, Business Managment/Cross CountryMerrick Wheeler- US Marine CorpsSamantha White- CSU, Biomedical EngineeringTaylor White- University of ArizonaMaddie Whitten-BYU Provo, EducationHope Witworth- UNC, NursingYuko Wiersma- UNC, Nursing Ty Wiest- Columbia University, Economics/BaseballMaximillian Will- CSU, BusinessEric Williams- CSU, Business/FootballTaylor Williams- Regis University, NursingBailey Wilson- University of Arizona, Biology/Consumer ScienceNikolas Wilson-Metro State, Graphic DesignClaire Wilt- SMU, Pre-Med Cambel Winkler- CSU, Biomedical EngineeringBennett Yaskin- TCU, Economics/FinancePeter Yeung- Colorado Christian, UndecidedSyrus Yeung-CU Boulder, Integrated Physiology Thomas Yi- Arapahoe Community College, PsychiatrySummer Youssef- CU Denver, ArchitectureDylan Zbylski- UNC, HistoryDaniel Zdeb- Metro StateNicholas Zdeb- Arapahoe Community CollegeNicholas Zindel- Drexel University, Mechanical EngineeringSpencer Zulkoski- US Navy

Map

10[05/16/13] Community

the

11[05/16/13]

Have you ever had a passion that you lived for but in the end you saw it disap-pear before your eyes due to an injury? Every time you wind up to pitch a baseball only to have you arm snap? Not long after the “snapping began,” Jonah Flores ‘13 went to the doctor to get it checked out, it turned out he had worn out his arm by to the point where his bone was chipping off each time he would pitch. As one of the starting pitchers on Rock Canyons baseball team, he was throwing four to five innings every game and prac-tice which eventually lead to the snapping. What was his biggest passion up until then was ended by a blown out rotator cuff. The injury itself was an impingement, meaning that it will never completely go away even after surgery, which Flores plans to get in the future. “It felt really horrible because baseball was my life at that point, “ Flores said after hearing that he could no longer play. “ I played for junior varsity freshman year and varsity sophomore year and then in junior

year I hurt my shoulder. So then in junior year I was a manager of the team.” For an athlete it can be devastating to see your teammates play while you’re stuck in cast on the bleachers not out on the fields but Flores had something that not everyone has, faith. Although he was in cast because this injury was an impinge-ment, it will never completely go away even after surgery. “Knowing that I am loved by my won-derful parents and the God that I believe in, that he would never let me down was something that when I was at a low point I had something to look up to and get back on my feet with,” Flores said. Faith has impacted his life in many ways and because of that he was able to get back up and focus his attention elsewhere. Even getting a celtic cross tattoo on his forearm. It basically symbolizes my faith and serves as a reminder on my shoulder that whenever I see it or glance at it that I or when other people see that I want them to

Sometimes you need something to happen in your life to put you on a new pathOn a Different Path

It’s safe to say that the common goal of hard work is to ultimately achieve success. To each stu-dent, success is defined in different terms. Maybe it’s a 4.0 grade average, a lead role in a play, or maybe, it’s complete and total involvement in athletics, while keeping the future in mind. Jenell Murphy ‘13 chose the latter, putting her dedica-tion and spirit into a loaded set of school related sports, namely, field hockey and golf. Murphy has played on a combined Douglas County varsity field hockey team for all four years of her high school career and has played on the Rock Canyon varsity golf team for the past three years. The payoff for her hard work has already come and it shows no sign of stopping yet. “I was Denver Post ‘Athlete of the Week’ and that was amazing. It was super exciting to be rec-ognized and interviewed for the paper,” Murphy said. The soon-to-be-graduated senior will continue on to play field hockey at Saint Louis University where she has received an academic scholarship, majoring in International Business. “I think it’s going to be a lot of hard work on and off the field, managing my time and deal-ing with all the workouts our coach will put us through, but it will be worth it,” said Murphy.Even though the accomplished athlete has her eyes set on the future, she still feels the struggle that so many of the senior class share; the reality of leaving the past behind. “I’m going to miss the familiarity of all the people in high school,” Murphy said. “We’ve been together since middle school so it’s going to be really weird not seeing their smiles in the hallway. I just have to focus on what’s ahead.” Hard work comes in many forms, and out on field, Jenell Murphy has shown it her all. It’s a perfect reminder that responsibility and devotion can bring anyone success. All they have to do is want it, try for it, and try hard.

Playing the FieldSenior Jenell Murphy focuses on high school sports with her eyes set forward

Rock: How did you decide to start playing the violin? What did you like about the violin?

Bloom: “I started playing violin ten years ago when my parents told me and my three younger siblings that we all had to choose an instrument to play. I chose to play the violin because it looked pretty.”

Rock: Besides playing in the Chamber Or-chestra here at school, what other musical organizations are you involved in?

Bloom: “I’m in a youth orchestra with Valor, called Valor Symphonics, and a semi-profes-sional orchestra, called Musica Sacra Cham-ber Orchestra. It’s in Denver and I got into that through the conductor from Valor.”

Rock: You have so much stage presence when you perform. Has that always come naturally? What do you like best about performing,and which is your favorite piece to perform?

Bloom: “So when I started, I just played for fun and then, as I did it more, I realized how much I loved performing. My goals currently when performing are just to entertain my audience as best I can. I am definitely more motivated to practice when I know I am go-ing to be performing. I like manipulating an audience’s emotions and seeing them react. My favorite performances were when I have performed a piece called “Millionaire’s Hoe-down” during this year’s talent show and in Albania over spring break. It’s an audience fa-vorite so it’s one of my favorites as well. When I was little, performing was never a problem, but then I developed perfectionism and I would get really nervous performing in front of an audience. But then I kind of learned that I didn’t have to be perfect to have good performance. So now I just have fun with it though I still want to do well.”

Jo of All TradesFor Johanna Bloom ’13, life is a balancing act. She juggles a number of activities while staying on top of her school work. She is passionate about a number of activities, but her dedication is most evident in her violin performances

Jonah Flores’s first of many tattoos, a celtic cross. “ A regular cross doesn’t have a lot of detail and I wanted the cross to have lots of detail . Plus with this celtic cross, it specifically has a lot of knots in it which I like because it reminds me of links, linking me to everyone in the community and in my family” Flores said.

Rock: You have a lot of interests outside of playing the violin. How do you balance all those activities and do you want to con-tinue some of your interests in college?

Bloom: “I’m a competitive horseback rider and also enjoy writing and drawing. I con-sidered trying to get into an orchestra that played movie scores but it takes a lot of work to get to that level, and since I really like art, I thought that would be a better fit so I want to pursue animation in college. I am not going to make a career out of music but may continue playing in college, maybe with small groups. I may continue to play after college too. I think the more things you are involved in, the easier it is to stay on task because you don’t get bored doing one thing for too long. My hobbies motivate me to do my homework quickly.”

Rock: You mentioned that you used to be scared of performing, how has your fam-ily supported you and how do you stay motivated?

Bloom: “My family is the reason I still play the violin. I would not be at the level I am today if my parents had not encouraged me. For my family, my violin is a huge priority, my parents are supportive of everything I do but they leave the rest of my hobbies up to me to decide pacing and how focused I want to be but my violin is my job. A few times, I got tired and wanted to quit. I get motivated after I perform and get bored if I play too long by myself.”

view me and me to view myself as a godly person and to remember my faith.” “I think that there are other things in life that you can make an impact on, “ Flores said. “Like interacting and helping others and that is why I want to go to school for counseling, to be able to share what God does for me onto others. “ His plans are to attend Arapahoe Community college for two years then transfer over to Colorado Christian University.* After finishing college at CCU he would like to join the military. “ Preferably the United States army and work with the ptsd patients there, for counseling, like a post traumatic syndrome, psychology.” Flores said. Without this injury he might have gone in a whole other direction, not realizing his passion for helping others specifically going into marriage counseling when he get’s older. *Jonah has since decided to join the U.S. Army post-graduation

Caught up in her music, Bloom is all smiles while auditioning for the Tri-M Talent Show March 18. With her performance, Bloom won first place and $100.00 April 5.

[quincyschurr]

[quincyschurr] [tristansagar]

[maerohrbach]

[maerohrbach]

Seniorsthe

[05/16/13]12

Building the FenceWhat it truly means to overcome the walls we put up, and to � nd a way to meet people and live our lives on the other side of the “fence”

Come August, I will be preparing to take on the college life. Come August, all my things will be boxed up, color coded, and ready for new beginnings. Come August, will I be ready to follow suit? Sure all my stuff will be coming with me, but those people who have contributed to the development of my character, morality, and self will not be making the trip to college with me. The next four years are something I’m going to have to start by myself. As I begin to come to terms with the fact that I may never talk to some of my current classmates and friends ever again, I can’t help but question if these friendships and relationships were worth it. Was making friends in high school worth the time and effort? What was the point of every smile or wave to someone in the hallway? Were my efforts wasted? In the past years I’ve continually answered those questions yes, but in recent months, as my future has been fast approaching, the answer is no. The friends I have had during the last four years may not all follow me to college or even talk to me in six months time,but their in�lu-ence is going to make the transition to college a lot easier. My friends haven’t entirely changed the person I was four years ago on the �irst day of high school, but they have helped me in many ways. I’m still terri�ied to talk in front of a class. I’m still never going to confront people about problems. I’m still shy when it comes to sharing my opinions. But after four years, I’m a bit more con�i-dent, a bit happier, a bit more involved, and a bit more dedicated to not just school, but to my activities and my friendships as well. The people I’ve chosen to surround myself with for the past years have encouraged me to do things I would have never thought about trying four years ago. Because of them, I auditioned for choir, I re-joined the swim team after an injury, I joined newspaper, and applied for leadership positions. So don’t just throw away your high school friendships. Don’t go out of your way to not talk to people just because they may only be in your life for four years or less. Smile at that kid in your math class when you see them in the hallway. Be sure to step out of your comfort zone and talk to people you haven’t yet. It’s a nice feeling when you walk down the main hallway from the of�ice to the 9000s and you’re able to say “hi” to a number of people who participate in a variety of activities. Come August, when I unpack my stuff and settle into my dorm room, my friends will still be right there with me, pictures on the wall, as a reminder that I’ve come so far in the past four years. The things my friends have taught me will only bene�it me throughout my college career. I know I’m going to enter campus with the mindset that a smile and a wave can make all the difference. In time I hope to have pictures with my new friends to join the wall of high school memories.

When my family moved into our current house, the fence was a sorry sight. I have seen sturdier creations made out of Lincoln Logs. However, the fence was short, which was great for socialization. My sister and I would stand on our trampoline and converse with our neighbor Connie while she watered her garden. She would pass her minia-ture schnauzer Jackson over the fence so that he could run around and go ballistic with our dogs. Someone could’ve made a short �ilm about it. It was magni�icent. After about six years, however, of this beautiful relationship, the fence got replaced. The Old Fence (condu-cive to friendship and communal dog ownership) was replaced by a giant New Fence, which we shall now refer to as the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall was six feet tall, with no gaps for peeping, no room for dog-passing and certainly no margin for chatting. Occasionally we’d hear rustling on the other side and yell “Connie?”, only to realize we were conversing

What Next?

with a squirrel. We had hoped that the New Fence would keep out the coyotes. It didn’t. They still managed to get in. You knew it was coming…meta-phor time. I think after a certain age, we construct our emotional fences. No one can get in without being invit-ed. Sometimes, we think something

wonderful is going to happen, only to realize it’s just a squirrel. This is my last commentary for The Rock and I don’t want to use this time to preach about unlocking

your emotional fence. I want to thank all of the people who burned down mine. I have met some brilliant people in high school; brilliant artists, math-ematicians, humanitarians, singers, actors, scientists and writers to name a few. But more than that, I’ve met brilliant human beings. People who know when to back off and people who know when to climb the fence and bring snacks while they’re at it. I’ve been let into people’s homes (literally…it’s actually a problem

Finding a way to take the � rst step out of high school, and into the rest of our lives

how much house-crashing I do) and met people who are willing to drive forty-�ive minutes to play some stupid eighties board game that my grandmother bought at a garage sale. I could go way over this word count listing all of the odd little things that have made my days. We often put up barriers to keep the coyotes out. In the process we block out the friendly neighbors and the lap dogs. And yet the coyotes still manage to get in. That’s scary. And I’m grateful to have had people

who will come and chase the coyotes away with tie-dye duct tape and VHS Disney movies. This is the end of an era I suppose. We’re all going to head off into the world next year and start construct-ing scraggly fences and preconcep-tions. But mine will never be as high as it was before, because gosh darn if I didn’t �ind people who thought it was worth climbing over that fence.

Attention Freshman! You will be a different person by the time you leave these halls. It’s a fact. I know, this is scary. Maybe you like your-self now. Chances are, you don’t. That’s good though! High school is the time to change yourself. Not to sound cliche, but the saying is true: High school helps you �ind out who you truly are. Its no fairy tale though. Discovering your-self is very dif�icult, and a process. Anyone who says they are perfectly happy with themselves is ly-ing. The hardest part? As you are seeing who you really are, so is everyone around you. Because of that, you most likely will not be best friends with the people you started out with your �irst day. For me, that’s the part that really and truly sucked. I have had to change my “friend group” every year. Some of those “breakups” were not pretty, with people taking sides and never even looking at a certain person ever again. But most of them were a gradual goodbye. As I grew into myself, I grew apart from those people. Sometimes, our interests just didn’t match up and we never saw each other, or our core ideologies didn’t coincide and we couldn’t move past it. It was easy, and it seemed to happen before I was even aware of it.

Best Friends Forever I can �inally say now that’d I’m pretty con�ident in who I am. I still have some work to do, but I know where I stand. I’m not a squirrely, insecure freshman anymore. Hal-lelujah. But now that my progress is stable, so are my friends. It took me until this point to �ind them, but the waiting made it that much more worth it when I did. I know for a fact that my best friends right now will be in my life after graduation. I feel lucky, since this doesn’t happen often. Some people go

through their entire life with-out �inding those people. But if you want it that much, you will �ind them. And sometimes, they’ll �ind you just when you need it.

This announcement is over, freshman, carry on with your lives. But just know, the friendships will come and go. But in a sense, so are you. Don’t think you’re the weird one when you have many different friends, or none at all. Embrace the change, and the change will embrace you back.

The real reason why “forever” is a loaded word

schurr as can be

runningerins

the whitten word

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Takethe

13[05/16/13]

I’m currently not pulling my hair out. I’m not picking at my nails nervously. I’m not obsessing over whether whoever reads this will like it, and what they will think of me. This is the image I’ve had of myself writing this commentary, anticipating how I would de�ine my high school experience. It seemed so �inite. Daunting even. Like my outlook about my time at Rock Canyon would truly mark the end of high school, and who I was as a young adult. During these past thirteen years of education I’ve always envisioned myself

Senioritis RedefinedTake

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as this shiny �inished product once I graduated high school, a person that I would remain for the rest of my life. As if deciding on what college to attend would cause a miraculous epiphany, that would answer personally de�ining questions like who my real friends were, what kind of person I was, and what kind of journey I would take this self-assured person on. I’ve continually been told by family and friends that I have an old soul, and perhaps it is that notion that has caused me to be-lieve that being con�ident in who I was by my high school graduation would be easily attainable, as I was “so mature” to begin with. I continued to hold

Is our disenchantment with high school just a mask for our uncertainty about our time at Rock Canyon?

I am the whitest kid I know. It’s the truth -- liter-ally every single contemporary stereotype or cul-tural norm that can be applied to white people can be applied to me. Go onto the website StuffWhite-PeopleLike.com and literally about 90% of that list relates to me. To drive my point home, I realized that I was the whitest kid I knew while I was watching an indie �ilm in my basement while drinking fair trade cof-fee. I was wearing a �lannel shirt and corduroy pants. But my whiteness is a problem. Despite my white-washing, I am not white. I’m brown. I am Indian. And in the eons that my ancestors and their descendants have walked this Earth, there is not a single drop of whiteness in the gene pool that spit me out; but I have lived in mostly white communities since the day I was born, and here today in Highlands Ranch, I am still not one of the norm. No matter how white I joke about being, I am not. I never can be. I am a statistically distant dot from the rest of the data that composes Rock Canyon society. I am an outlier. “But Sachin, if you feel so distant from the rest of the white kids, why don’t you hang out with the other South Asian kids? There are quite a few here.” Because I am not one of them, either. I don’t think I’m brown enough. My Hindi is poor, at best; my family stopped going to the temple years ago, a com-mon place for other brown families to meet; and in the vast armies of my South Asian peers that wish to become doctors or engineers or businessmen or scientists, I wish to be none of those -- math and

science have never come easy to me. So this is what I am -- I am a con�lict, a problem. Too white to be brown, too brown to be white. I am the bud of a seed with wayward roots growing in split ends. My life is one internal battle between wanting to explore my Indian heritage and Hindu re-

ligion or eating a gigantic steak. My whiteness and my browness have both been thrown onto the wall and swirled together like chocolate and vanilla pudding cups; I am a mixture -- beige, perhaps. I am the beige sheep. And being the beige sheep at Rock Canyon has been both wonderful and frustrating: for each new brown face I see on

campus or for every single lesson involving the his-tory of the Indian people that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, I’ve also had the chance to be asked the following: “Are you the feather Indian or the dot kind?” “Can you speak Indian or Arabic?” “Why don’t you wear a turban?” “How often do you eat curry?” My favorite one: “Have you ever seen “Slumdog Millionaire?” A few things: if you use shapes or objects to �igure out race, you probably need to redo high school... Or life. “Indian” is not a language, and neither that nor Arabic are spoken by Indian people. And no, I have not seen Slumdog Millionaire, but I do know what Freida Pinto looks like, and that’s really all I need to take away from that �ilm. But the curry one is the worst. That’s the one that makes me want to scream, “You idiot! I never eat

curry! We prefer pizza! PIZZA! Just like the rest of you! Why can’t I be you??” Indeed, beige sheep like me live lonely lives. Even though we all have identity crises, mine has always felt different. Yet, I am not the only beige sheep. I am not the �irst, I am currently not the only one, and I will certainly not be the last. And to my fellow beige sheep Jags (is this animal metaphor getting out of hand yet?), you should know that despite its �laws and occasional ignorance that can torment and anger you, Rock Canyon is a beau-tiful place for people like us to thrive. There are very few high schools (and I mean VERY few) in the United States where an Asian band geek that runs the National Honor Society also becomes Prom King; where the Nepalese valedictorian is not only one of the smartest kids, but one of the most social. Or maybe your beigeness has nothing to do with race. Maybe you just don’t �it in. And that’s OK too. When I �irst moved here in middle school, I thought my peers were the standard clique-ish high school nucleus: jocks, nerds, the “popular” kids, and every-thing in between. I’m happy to say I was wrong; that is not the experience I had. Because what I did -- and what you must do, too -- is embrace beigeness. Use your nuanced and inde�inable character to your advantage. If you don’t belong anywhere, venture everywhere.

If you ask a high school veteran about his experi-ence, he will generally have two lessons for you: that high school is “what you make of it”, and that be-neath the grime of a school is a lovely wonderland. Or, that high school is a mountain, with freshman year being a lowly and miserable base camp and senior year being the peak of your experience. They are correct, but only to an extent. High school is not just about climbing mountains, it is about walking on fences. It is about learning that

you may not indeed �it in per-fectly like a corresponding puzzle piece, and that you must -- abso-lutely must -- not fall over to ei-ther side of the fence, consumed by the perfectly-�itted norms that have rejected you. The world is not a perfectly-�itted place, and therefore it only makes sense that those who change it aren’t perfectly-�itted either -- and they are OK with that. I am proud to say that no mat-ter who I become or what I do,

that my perplexed framework that made me will always be there. Blackness or whiteness or anything in-between, I am ok with being some weird, inter-dimensional creature, as long as I may speak, and people will listen. Because all I’ve ever wanted is for people to hear me.

In Sheep’s Clothing

on to this goal even after years of experiences that proved that I really wasn’t really as old and know-ing as my ever so slightly biased parents made me out to be. As cliche as all of these de�ining goals might sound, I �igured a few cliches would be only �itting as re�lect upon my senior year of high school. The af�liction that plagues nearly all of us in our senior year is what I’ve come to think is what serves as a coping mechanism for these de�ining questions that we seem to expect ourselves to �igure out with heroic-like grace and certainty. I would de�initely agree that this disease named se-nioritis derives a great deal of its symptoms from the exhaustion of the same monot-onous schedule, seeing the same teachers and peers everyday on an in�inite loop, and our desire to be a part of something new. However, I also believe that senioritis is also caused by a completely opposite outlook; whether or not you are truly ready to be done with high school. Thinking did I get it right? Did I accomplish all of the things I wanted to? Is it possible that our inevitable disenchantment with high school is really just a mask used to conceal our ambivalence about ac-cepting who we are and what we’ve done during our time at Rock Canyon? Perhaps our outlook of being “over” high school and our detached dispo-sition is caused by our desire to be done with high school quickly, ripping off the band aid that is our acceptance of our experiences and who we have become. After re�lecting upon my unorthodox theory, I’ve had an epiphany after all. The reason I’m not pulling my hair out, or obsessing over this com-mentary and the daunting �inality of graduation isn’t because I’m completely satis�ied with my high school experience, or that I’m even really

ready for the rest of my life, or even because I’ve partially gotten over my sometimes exhausting perfectionist mentality, it’s because I’m happy with who I am right now, and I’ve �inally accepted that graduating high school doesn’t have to mean an end, but rather a continuation of our learning and experiences. I don’t have one concise and meaningful state-ment that encompasses what I believe about my time at Rock Canyon, but what I do know with absolute certainty is that it has been an experi-ence �illed with both good and bad memories, that have left me with great friends, a new sense of con�idence, a life outside of swimming, and an

arsenal of knowledge that goes far beyond what I’ve learned in the classroom. Maybe I really am baked at eigh-teen years old, and perhaps I won’t become an honorary member of the Spice Girls, qualify for Olympic Trials in swimming, become major

news network producer, or learn to live in the present. There is indeed a great chance that I will only accomplish a few or none of these goals, or will decide that those milestones aren’t what are important to me. It is also quite probable that I am completely off base with this entire notion, but I’ve decided that I’m ok with that because despite my previous convictions, I know I’m still learning.

”“So this is what I am --

I am a con� ict, a problem

”“High school is not

just about climb-ing mountains, it is about walking on

fences

What it means to be a Rock Canyon student, Indian-American, and forever bound by the hyphen

anicolefor your thoughts

sachinsuch

[05/16/13]14

My Life in ClichesIf I’ve learned anything in 17 years, it’s that you can apply a cliché to any-thing. However, sometimes, nothing else is more fitting When I was little, I always skipped to the last page of the book. I was convinced that -- even though there were 286 pages between the first page and the epilogue -- jumping straight to the end would not only save time, but it would spare me the guilt and melancholy often associated with becoming too attached to fictional characters. So, book after book, I read on as Bella and Edward made the jump from awkward sweethearts to vampires with a demon baby (the logic behind which still confuses me to this day), as Victor Frankenstein underwent the overnight change from brilliant scholar to dis-sociative hermit, as Winston shifted from an ambivalent freedom fighter to a submissive member of the Party, and even as Harry Potter outgrew “The Boy Who Lived” in exchange for “That Guy Who Married Ginny Weasley”. I somehow had it in my mind that “skipping the details” would help me grasp the essence of the book without actually devoting time and effort to un-derstanding the characters themselves. I thought that thumbing through all of the heartache, joy, despair, grief, jubilation, love, and loss would save me from having to undergo any of the trials that they did. I wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I didn’t want to see what it took to get there. High school is a lot like reading a book. We begin as characters totally foreign to our audi-ence and spend the first few chapters doing everything in our power to find our friends, figure out who we are, and get an idea of where our story is going to go. Then, once we get to part two, suddenly everything changes; our friends change, our classes change, our outlook on life changes, and even our perception of ourselves begins to change. Somehow, everything that was once so perfect begins to crumble around us and we find ourselves scrambling to pick up the pieces in time to make it to the final chapter.

However, no matter how hard we try, all of our efforts prove to be completely in vain. For whatever reason, life consistently finds a way to trip us up and to lead us to believe that everything would probably be a lot easier if we just gave up and crawled in a hole for a few weeks. We spend what feels like days trying to col-lect ourselves; mending relationships, finding a way to succeed in class, finding the strength not to cry when-

ever someone asks you if “something’s wrong”, and even working to ensure that--in spite of it all--tomorrow will be better…even if the future seemed bleak. But finally, once we’ve sobered ourselves with experiences we wouldn’t wish upon anyone, we begin to see the silver lining. Suddenly, the heavens open up (metaphorically, of course), our friends come back, our lives begin to pick up, and all of the darkness that we fought through tirelessly for over a year finally begins to clear. With the end of the

novel in sight, we begin to see the pos-sibility of living out a happy ending. Granted, we may never have the chance to ride off into the sunset on a white stal-lion, or to slay a dragon amidst a crowd of adoring townspeople, but we do have the chance at making it into the college of our dreams, falling for the person we love, and

setting the stage for ourselves to live out the life we had always hoped for. At the end of it all, maybe we’ll be able to see how far we’ve come. Maybe we’ll be able to see that without the struggle, without the heartache, and without the pain, that noth-ing is worthwhile. If life simply flies by without so much as a passing glance, then what’s the use in fighting for 285 pages if we don’t get to see an end result on page 286? I guess the answer then, is simple; without all of the pages -- the experiences, the laughter, the memories -- we can’t make it to our happy ending. Without all of the details, we don’t have a story.

that’s what she syd

These are the things I hear when talking to fellow seniors: I can’t wait to get out of here. I hate high school. College is way better. Please get my out of here. Why isn’t it graduation yet. It ends up sounding like a depressing, monotone record tape that’s stuck on the same song playing throughout the last quarter of senior year. Don’t get me wrong, I truly do understand the excitement about going to college in the fall. I can’t wait to be in a brand new place and experience things that I’ve never had the opportunity to before. I get it. But unlike the majority of my peers, I don’t know if I’m ready to leave high school.

I adore Rock Canyon and the multitude of memories I’ve made over the last four years. I like going to basketball games and screaming my

head off when Mitch Lom-bard scores a 3-pointer. I thoroughly enjoy going to Saver’s to find the best spirit day outfits. I wouldn’t miss a school dance, and even in their

low point, you could find me doing the YMCA on the dance floor. Of course, the whole learning aspect of high school hasn’t been the most exciting. I doubt I’m going to miss those never-ending block days. But I am going to miss the incredible teach-ers I’ve had, and the chance to build relationships with them. Another unique aspect of high school is the opportunity to try out for a sports team. I don’t plan on playing

in college, so this is the last time I will ever play lacrosse on an organized, competitive team. There are no words to describe the friendships I have created on and off the field. It seems as though teammates form a bond that it’s hard for anyone else to under-stand; partly because we rise and fall as a team, and partly because we are forced to spend way too much time together. Then there are the clubs. I’ve been lucky enough to gain two families over the last four years: Newspaper and Student Council. Despite heated debates and occasional tears, we stay together in the hope of making Rock Canyon a more enjoyable place for it’s students. It’s a pretty incredible experience to be a part of. And if there is one thing all seniors can agree on, it’s that we’re going to miss the hell out of our friends next

year. I can honestly say that I’m ter-rified to be so far away from my best friends. I’ve done some pretty weird and stupid things over the last few years but they’ve always stuck by my side. I’m not so sure I’ll be able to find friends like the ones I have now, but I am so incredibly grateful to have been blessed with people like them. Although college may be the best four years of your life, there is abso-lutely nothing like high school. There will never be another time when we’re forced to spend 8 hours a day in a building with almost the exact same people you’ve known since 6th grade. Friends have come and gone over the years, but the same faces pass in the hallways. I feel a comfort in Rock Canyon that I doubt I will ever experience again. I finally understand the room numbers. I know where to go when I lose my

Takethe

keys. I know to park in the teacher parking lot when the other one is full. I even know where the wrestling room is because I’ve taken an AP test there. So here’s my cliche aspect of this: take advantage of every moment of high school and enjoy every it. Not be-cause I have any regrets, but because I loved every second of it, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It might not feel like it, but time goes by way too fast. I don’t know if I will ever be ready to pull my tassel from one side to the other, but I know that when the time comes, I won’t hesitate. I will forever miss Rock Canyon, and the oppor-tunity I was given to have the best pos-sible high school experience I could imagine.

Moving the Tassle to the Left

vaughan with the wind

Why I’m not freaking out about the end of my time in high school

Into the Unknown

It’s hard to write something like this without coming off as cliche because, for the most part, everyone’s general high school experience is the same: a transition from a timid young teenager into a near-adult who has learned some things about themselves and the world along the way. One could say that this is a slow, heavy transition in response to life events, but I disagree. You see, the day I grew up was the day I cut the curly locks from my head. Long hair was a staple of my childhood. From be-fore the fifth grade, I was rocking a matted, twisted mess of fur which rested on the top of my head like an eagle’s nest. It became what I was known for. I was “that kid.” Friendly nicknames piled up over the years, being compared to the fabled Corbin Bleu or former American Idol contestant Sanjaya Malakar. Middle school spirit days would be celebrated with a straightening of the almost-afro into a somewhat disturbing mop of hair that fell far past my eyes and shoulders, simply for the laughs I knew it would garner. Now, the one thing I can’t deny is that I loved the hair. I loved the way it made me so recognizable. It made me unique. I loved the way that people accepted it as a symbol of me. I felt like it was an in-separable part of who I was, as if it was the very fabric of my being. It became pivotal in my self image, so much so, that when my enjoyment with it began to fade, I had no intention of changing.

High school influences a lot of people. Opinions change, new trends take place, and people tend to grow up. I don’t know which guided me, but bit by bit, I wanted to remove the built up manifestation of my character. One thing stopped me: fear. Sometimes, it seems like I fear change as much as I fear anything else. The unknown is a widespread array of possibilities that can come from any end on the spectrum of positivity and negativity.

We fear the unknown because we’re afraid it will be inadequate and we sometimes fear the future because it is unknown. I didn’t want to lose myself, and everything I had

become, to a surge of confidence. I ended up cutting my hair eventu-ally and, to be honest, I don’t know what it was that motivated me to step past that barrier. Maybe my fear became all too unrealistic or maybe a push from those close to me helped to make the change. The one thing I do know, is that it caused me to learn one of the most important lessons life could ever bring me. As I enter into a new unknown this next year, I will fear nothing, because the only thing worse than an undesir-able future, is a monotonous present. Change evolves us into who we are meant to be and I could never be who I am today if I hadn’t swallowed my doubt, accepted the current, and shaved away my youth. I am a product of the changes I have made.

listen totristan

Why not to fear the onset of the future as we begin to leave the present

15[05/16/13]Communitythe

Calendar16 the[05/16/13]

10 Yearbook Early Distribution

3:00 p.m. Commons

Girls Varsity Tennis Tournament8 a.m. Gates Tennis Center

Boys Swim/Dive Meet Vs. Highlands Ranch

TBA p.m. @ TBA12 Boys Lacrosse

Banquet 6:30 p.m. Commons 14

YearbookRegular Distribution

7:35 GymStuCo Banquet6 p.m. Commons

15

Senior Celebration6 p.m. RC Parking Lot

Current seniors huddle up after defeating the sophomores during the 2012 Ru� n’ Tu� game. The girls of ‘13 have made a tradition painting their face every year they’ve played together, with the coaching of fellow seniors Drew Dodd, Eric Williams, and Chance Champine.

1819Yearbook editors Lauren Payne ‘13 and Sarah Rosenkrans ‘13 unload the yearbook boxes o� the truck May 7 during lunch.

21

2325 26

Throwing back to Homecoming2012, drum major Adam Beede ‘13 directs the band during the half time show of the Homecoming Game against Doherty, which RC won 41-7.

Current Senior boys Austin Beane, Dylan Zbylski, Brian Goldberg, Eric Williams and Chance Champine pose for their winning picture at the 2012 Wish Week Dodgeball game Feb. 12, in honor of Natalie.

Seniors Courtney Frahm and Darrian Felsen enjoy their morning at the Senior Sunrise Breakfast Aug. 29.

Girls Golf InvitationalVs. Cheyenne Mountain

1 p.m. @ Broadmoor

Baseball Banquet6 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn

YearbookRegular Distribution

7:35 GymPublications Banquet

5:30 p.m. Commons

Girls Tennis Banquet6 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn

16 SENIORS’LAST DAY

Senior Check Out8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Senior Hand Prints1:30 p.m.

Senior Reception7 p.m. Inverness

HotelTrack Banquet6 p.m. Commons

Senior Honors Night

7 p.m. Gym

24 NO SCHOOL

GRADUATION9 a.m. Shea Stadium

NO SCHOOL

28 FINALS: DAY 3

29 FINALS: DAY 4

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

MEMORIAL DAY

POOLS OPEN

THROWBACK THURSDAY

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Moving On Assembly2 p.m.-2:50 p.m.

Sta� 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 � rst three copies of The Rock are free, ad-ditional copies are available for 50 cents each.

The Rock invites your comments. Letters to the editor and commentary submissions are en-

couraged. You are also encouraged to submit coverage ideas, cartoons, photos or anything

else you wish to see in The Rock. Opinions of the sta� 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. The Rock is a forum and welcomes content from our readers.

Rock Canyon High School 5810 McArthur Ranch Road

Highlands Ranch, CO 80124

Phone 303-387-3000/Fax 303-387-3021

Virginia VaughanMae Rohrbach

Bri Cooke Jeremy PurchaseMichael Shapiro Sachin MathurAndrew BohrenKelcey Beckman

Cecilia CastroErin Snyder

Cambel WinklerJacob BattockQuincy Schurr

The Rock Newspaper Sta�

Non-Voting Adviser: Kristi Rathbun

Nicole CassouAlexis Svenson

Nishikia VirmaniLuke Ho� mann

Natalie HolthausLinnea Melbye

Bri BradleyNicole Newman

Lauren PayneMaddie Whitten

Tristan SagarQuentin BooseJulia Henning

Art By: Liam Kelley

Editor in Chief: Syd Charvat

Managing Editor:Kayla Neil

Reporting:

The Rock is a member of

the National Scholastic Press Association and

CHSPASeniors pose for pre-prom pictures in anticipation of the “Casino Royale” prom at Palazzo Verde April 13.

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FINALS: DAY 1

FINALS: DAY 2

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