Red Ink December Vol. 14 Ed. 1

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12 Days of Russell the Elf

DEC. 22, 2021 Vol. 14 Ed. 2 114 Park Ave Eaton, CO 80615

pages 10-11

2 redreport December 22, 2021

Lights, camera, action!

Theater is back in action and the cameras are rolling

ashlenlivingston staffreporter Every year EHS students that participate in theater are given the opportunity to go to ThesCon, otherwise known as Colorado State Thespian Conference, an annual three-day convention held in Denver, Colorado. During the convention, classes such as acting, singing, and dancing are provided to the student and teacher attendants. Not only that, but high schools from all over Colorado competed in to have a chance to perform during the conference.

Teachers were also excited and eager to show their students the meaning behind the convention. The group got to see how other schools perform,

and how other teachers go about the production/curriculum. Theater teacher Kendra Hixon was especially excited about this year’s ThesCon but she also said “I was nervous about some of the shows because they tend to push the limits there because it’s Denver, but they were actually pretty tame this year. Typically there’s 4,000 crazy highschoolers there that are all theater kids.

It’s nuts, it’s like ComiCon, but smaller and a little crazier because there’s theater kids.”

For many theater kids, this is their first time attending the convention. ThesCon is a great way for those passionate about theater to do what they love. Students in theater

are aware of just how great an opportunity like ThesCon is.

Being surrounded by others who have similar interests in the arts can be an amazing time for students. Pam Holguin (24) attended ThesCon for the first time this year, and she had many things to share. Holguin said, “We got to watch Freaky Friday, and Clue, which was interesting because we did How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party and it had a lot of similarities.” Watching other high schools perform is a great and exciting experience to see. For some theater kids, this will be their last ThesCon, and they made sure to make it count. Peter Mongan (22) said, “ThesCon is a time where

people from all around Colorado can come together and express their love for theater, to learn new things, and be themselves within theater.”

Those interested in theater can greatly appreciate ThesCon for all the opportunity it brings.

Most extracurricular activities create some sort of conference

because it’s a great way to get young adults involved in something they’re passionate about.

EHS is lucky enough to participate in ThesCon each year which allows students to express themselves, build new relationships with people of similar interests, and re-evaluate our own theater.

EHS theater students pose for a picture at Thescon arrival

Band hits the stage

After a two year hiatus, band plays in the auditorium

ryleemartin staffreporter Eaton High’s winter band concert executed the final performance of the year beautifully. All four bands, including the Jazz Combo, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, and Symphonic Band, all played three to four songs with a special combined performance of all four bands at the end. The Jazz Combo group performed three songs: “Green Onions,” “Watermelon Man,” and “Blue Bossa.” A total of eight solos

Abby Whitaker (22) plays the drums

were performed for the Combo squad. Alexyz Hernandez (23), Cyrus Vanbriggle (25), and Dustin Abney (24) performed in “Green Onions.” Cody Greer (25), Gilbert Feldpausch (24), and Abney performed in “Watermelon Man.” Then, Callie Zacharias (25) and Feldpausch finished out with “Blue Bossa.”

The Jazz Ensemble group performed right after and had a total of eight soloists as well.

They played “The Chicken”, “On The Sunny Side of The Street”, “All of Me” and “Coconut Champagne”. Alex Rumley (23), Madelyn Campbell (23), Even Reichel (23), and Cameron Faust (22) were all featured in the song “The Chicken.”

Due to construction the band hasn’t been able to perform in the auditorium like normal, but the bands finally were able to play in there for the first time in over a year. Faust said,

“It was really cool because all of the lights were super bright and it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to play in the auditorium.” In the song “All of Me,” Faust was the only featured soloist while playing the trombone.

Completing the Ensemble performance, Charlotte Reynolds (22) and Abby Whitaker (22) had solos in “Coconut Champagne.” Ashlyn Crowder (22) said, “I would say that my favorite song was “The Chicken.” Crowder has always loved to perform and finishing her last winter concert was one to remember. With only two band performances left, the Concert Band played three songs called “Skygazer”, “Loch Lomond”, and “Epic Venture.. With no soloist to be featured in the Concert Band, the last group was the Symphonic Band. This squad played “A Childhood Remembered,” “Flight of Val-

Evan Reichel (23) and Christian Grashorn (24) play the saxaphone

or,” “Appalachian Morning,” and “Rephrygeration.”

As the bands wrapped everything up, Director Logan Doddridge came up with a special combined piece including all of the bands and they played the infamous “Sleigh Ride.” The festive piece was wrapped up with the band students wearing Santa hats with green and red lights on the stage.

Math teacher Derek Weigle attended the winter concert and said, “I loved seeing students that I have in class that I didn’t know were in band up on stage being band stars as well as math stars.”

As the Winter break is coming up, the Eaton High School students were definitely in a “jolly” mood after listening to the bands.

December 22, 2021

Teaching in 2021

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Impacts of post-pandemic, construction, and lack of subs

kasenhays staffreporter

Teaching in 2021 has been very different compared to other years.

During the 2020 school year the constant fear of another quarantine was filling everyone’s head, as well as the administration silently quarantining people. It felt like most people were quarantined at some point. The year before that it was somewhat normal except for the end of the year, when the entire school went home for spring break and then never returned for the rest of the school year, which didn’t help the feeling of unpredictability. 2021 has been just as chaotic, with all of the construction actively going on in the school and the extreme lack of substitutes.

With the renovations of the current high school and the new high school being constructed, it has been hard to get a grip on

the layout and stability of the current state of the high school. There hasn’t been a single day where construction workers aren’t working or construction wasn’t occurring.

Construction isn’t bad, but some of the underclassmen have said that navigation is confusing since classrooms are constantly changing locations. Everyone is eager for the construction to be done, mainly to see the final product, but to also relieve some stress from administration.

The lack of substitute teachers has also left the administration and some of the teachers in an awkward spot. When a sub can’t cover a class, Mrs. Selby is left to find a teacher to cover. As the year goes on and the school approaches Christmas break, it has become apparent that the building is constantly filled with substitutes and teachers trying to cover for other teachers. Ms. Green, a long-term

sub, said, “There definitely is a lack of substitutes in the building, which does take away our plan hours sometimes which is stressful, but it is good to see all the teachers come together and help each other out and pay it forward. This year has definitely had its faults but at least the constant fear of COVID isn’t altering everyone’s spirits.

This year has shown to be a year of progression and development.

The last two years have definitely been a challenge in the world of education, but this year has shown how strong the EHS community and staff is, and hopefully school will finally get back to normal, or at least as normal as possible.

This year has been very different compared to last year but it hasn’t all been bad. Some teachers find that this year has been a lot less stressful than the past year. Whether it’s easier to teach in person or seeing students face to face helps

the teaching process. Ms. Kirchoff said, “The biggest challenge for me last year was not being able to see my students’ faces, and this year it has made it alot easier to connect with my students.” Everyone

at Eaton High School can say that this year has been better and more organized than last year, and even amongst the chaos Eaton students and staff never fail to be the best.

Gabe Holguin

The importance of foreign language at EHS Large numbers create discrepancies in equal opportunity

logangullett staffreporter Since the most recent census in 2010, the town of Eaton has grown by 40.94%, with a staggering 19.3% of that just since 2020. That extreme level of growth is paralleled in the school system, leaving unique challenges for teachers and staff. As more students enroll at Eaton High School, there are not enough teachers in certain subject areas to teach the over-abundance of students.

Eaton Spanish teachers Aleena Griffin and Kendall Williams have felt the full effects of the overpopulated classrooms. Their classes in the modulars are filled to the brim with students. Griffin has had to go as far as moving one of her classes to the main building for a Spanish III class. With 31 students, even that room is packed.

Not only is there a struggle with the physical number of students in some classes, but the

foreign language department in particular is currently seeing the culmination of seven years of not having enough classes for the immense number of students. Historically at EHS, Spanish I has been a course that all freshmen take as they enter high school.

There are several reasons for this. In order to get an honors diploma at graduation, students must take at least three years of Spanish, with the option to take Spanish IV for college credit. For the past few years, the number of incoming students is so large that more and more freshmen are not able to get into the Spanish I course, forcing them to put it off until later years. This year, only 82 out of a staggering 175 freshmen are enrolled in Spanish, with no real criteria for which students get in and which don’t.

Although the other 93 students will eventually be able to take the class, the effects are residual. If a student does not get into Spanish I as a freshman, they will never

be able to take Spanish IV. Griffin said, “It makes me sad when I have students in Spanish I who really love to learn Spanish, but they are denied the opportunity to take Spanish IV because they did not get into Spanish until they were sophomores.” With a huge push toward inclusion and equity within education, students being unable to get into a prerequisite course, especially foreign language, presents a unique dilemma.

Williams pointed out that, “it is very important to expose kids to other cultures.” Especially within a small rural community, learning about different cultures is crucial.

In a school where over 20% of the student population is Hispanic, it is vital. Foreign language “helps people learn more about people,” Williams said. “Learning a new language helped me understand why there are differences among people because language really shapes the way your brain functions. People’s cultures are their

home life, their family, their traditions and their language.” Griffin added, “Every freshman at Eaton High School should have the opportunity to take Spanish I so they can broaden their perspective and learn to appreciate the different cultures within their community and their world.”

EHS Principal Jessica Grable realizes that the high school does have its limitations. Possible solutions have been brought up such as adding other foreign language classes or offering a Spanish I class at the middle school level.

Although the foreign language department desperately needs another full-time teacher, there are other subject areas that need attention as well. Grable said, “We are in this bottle neck of growing pains. But it’s important to try and accommodate to the best of our ability.”

Admin is only given a certain amount of money by the state to pay teachers, which can make it difficult to add additional

positions. Colorado is ranked in the bottom 10 states when it comes to education spending, as they fund schools with a meager $10,000 per pupil - only half the amount of #1 ranked New York.

Considering the fact that Colorado is ranked 21st in population, its school funding is surprisingly low. Without additional funding, admin is left to make tough decisions about when and where positions should be added within the limited amount of funding.

Without new teachers, students are not guaranteed to have Spanish I during their freshman year, causing them to potentially miss classes in the future. An additional foreign language teacher would also allow for less crowded classrooms, which creates a better learning environment for both students and teachers. Most importantly, though, this would allow for equality in that all students have access to the same course, providing all students with the same opportunities.

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Spanish IV takes on Colom bia Señora Griffin takes her students out for tacos and the movies

katiegomez staffreporter Señora Griffin took her Spanish IV class on a field trip to see the new Disney movie, Encanto, and to lunch at Los Chingones in Fort Collins on Dec. 14. The field trip was sparked by the movie being released at the same time that the class was learning about Colombia. Currently, Spanish IV is studying the culture and historical figures of Colombia. Señora Griffin said, “Right when we were doing this unit it just so happens that the movie Encanto was coming out into theaters, which takes place in Colombia and it shows their culture in the movie and clothes and the people and the food, but also is the theme of magical realism, which is the literary style Spanish IV is studying at the moment. I thought it would be really cool for them to see an example in action of what we were studying.” Magical realism is a genre in literature where the real world is influenced by magic. In the movie, the Madrigals were gifted a miracle in the form of a forever burning candle. This candle created their house which possessed magical powers and personali-

ties that interacted with and assisted the family. As the family lineage continued, each member of the family was granted a magical power when they came of age. The powers helped the family give back to the community they built and create a more powerful and tight-knit community. Thus, the miracle granted to them was each other and the wonderful haven they were able to create.

Going to see the movie was a great experience for Spanish IV students because the students were able to put everything they learned about Colombian culture and Spanish into use. The students were able to identify foods and words in the movie that they had learned in class. Señora Griffin said,“I feel like they have this appreciation for Colombian culture that they maybe wouldn’t have had otherwise because they get to experience it outside of the classroom.”

Taking the Spanish IV class has been extremely beneficial to the group of students taking it. Allyson Weichel (22) said, “ I feel like it’s good because you’re able to connect with other people and understand

Addie Burke (22), Emily Hogsett (22), and Abby Fetzer (22) enjoy lunch at Los Chingones.

Señora Griffin took her students to lunch at Los Chingones before taking them to see Disney’s new movie, Encanto.

other cultures in the world.”

Weichel isn’t the only student that has been positively influenced by taking the Spanish IV class. Scarlett Wray (22) said, “I work in an environment where you sometimes have to communicate with people whose first language is Spanish so it helps to understand those people and speak with them.” Taking Spanish has helped Wray and other students to not only understand and communicate in another language, but also understand another culture.

Wray said, “It’s very important to learn about their culture because there isn’t only American culture. You can understand people as a whole a lot more by learning their culture and you can understand current events in Latin American countries.”

Spanish IVstudents will be able to learn and use these valuable skills for the rest of their life.

Señora Griffin said, “I feel like a lot of the students who take Spanish IV are students who

go on to either minor or major in it because they recognize the value of being bilingual, and Spanish four is the best opportunity for them to expand their skills and take college-level Spanish classes.”

Lunch together at Los Chingones allowed students to bond with each other over Latin American food and Encanto helped students appreciate the culture of Colombia, and realize the importance of Spanish.

Blake Hays(22), Katie Gomez(22), Lucas Cass(22), Allyson Weichel(22), and Scarlett Wray(22) love bonding at lunch.

December 22, 2021

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Juice Wrld Fighting Demons Album released two days after second anniversary of death

dimitriusreyes staffreporter Deceased artist Juice Wrld has dropped his new album Fighting Demons, three days after the second anniversary of his untimely passing. The album has developed a lot of hype since it is the second album being released after his passing , the first being Legends Never Die in July of 2020. The hype met with widespread love since it was the second posthumous album release. Fans such as Karson Chadwick (22) said, “I think it was good and my thoughts coming up to the release was ‘It’s going to be good, it has to be good.’ And my expectations were met because the music released prior was good and what we got with this album was good

and it feels like it has been so long without any new Juice so now it feels like we’ve got it with this album.” The strong songs on Fighting Demons are “Burn”, “Already Dead”, “You Wouldn’t Understand”, “Rockstar in His Prime”, “Doom”, “Go Hard”, “Feline” (with Polo G & Trippie Redd), “Relocate”, “Until The Plug Comes Back Around”, “Feel Alone”, “My Life In A Nutshell”. Chadwick also said this about the album “The best song, in my opinion, is ‘Doom’, Just because of the way the song sounds, it gives me a vibe that is unmatched.”

Unfortunately,as a posthumous album, it is not as good in everybody’s eyes. Wesley Martin (22) said, “Some songs were good, but overall kind of mid in my opinion. I think the

songs that they put on there were not the best, especially since it was the second anniversary of his death. I think that they could have put better-unreleased songs, such as ‘Cigarettes.’ If they were put on there, then it would have made the album exceedingly better.

Coming up to the album I was excited based on the hype around it especially with Dylan Laswell (22) hyping it up. But I did like some songs on the album though, ‘Already Dead’ is the best one on the album even though they released it before the album.” The release of this album is a step in the right direction for fans of Juice Wrld, especially since there is a documentary about his life and struggles with drug addiction coming out on December 16th

and an alleged deluxe album for Fighting Demons coming out sometime in March 2022. There is also a crisis line

called livefree999.org made in honor of Juice Wrld dedicated to substance abuse and mental health.

Gabe Holguin

Adele’s 30 explores her self-love journey Pop artist releases her first album in six years charlottereynolds managingeditor

Adele made a comeback after six years with her

fourth studio album, 30.

The soulful British pop artist reflects on her personal growth as a mother, divorcée,

Photo by Simon Emmett from Billboard

and influential figure. “My Little Love” features recordings of the singer’s nine-year-old son debriefing divorce.

As Adele navigates loneliness, she is vulnerable and intentional through her songwriting.

She writes, “When you lay on me, can you hear the way my heart breaks?....My little love, I see your eyes widen like an ocean, When you look at me so full of my emotion I’m findin’ it hard to be here sincerely. I know you feel lost, it’s my fault completely.”

She expresses the weight she carries for her child in a broken home.

This work explores themes of grief, heartache, and the long and winding road to self love. The lead single of the album “Easy on Me,” highlights her gorgeous vocals as she made her return to the pop

charts. “Easy on Me” topped the US Billboard Hot 100 during its release.

To preface the release of 30, Adele performed “Adele: One Night Only,” aired on CBS alongside an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The audience included some of Adele’s closest friends like Lizzo and Melissa McCarthy.

“I chose to do the comeback this way to celebrate how special the process of making it was,” Adele told Oprah.

Adele continues to recieve recognition and merit in the music scene for her lyrical honesty and heart wrenching vocals.

As she matures, her audience does with her, making her songs all the more special.

6 redspotlight

December 22, 2021

charlottereynolds managingeditor

Tattoos are a way of expression for many. Especially amongst younger generations, tattoos have become widely accepted and appreciated.

Whether a tattoo has a significant meaning or is just for fun, every tattoo has a story.

Body art allows a person to showcase their personality and values.

Many students at EHS have chosen to adorn themselves with artwork.

Ashlen Livingston (22) has an outline of her dog Stella’s ears, a woman with a sunflower bouquet head, a crescent moon/ skull, and a Lil Peep quote in Kylie Griffin’s handwriting.

Livingston said, “I think tattoos are a beautiful form of body art because you are choosing something that holds great meaning to you and putting it on your body, on display for everyone to see. That can make you feel very vulnerable at times, but also beautiful and unique.”

A tattoo can spark a conversation about someone’s interests and artistic vision. Hailey Bangert (22) said, “I love talking with people about the meaning behind my tattoos and sharing stories about those I love.

I got my first tattoo with

Inked!

Ashlen Livingston (22)

Hailey Bangert (22)

Makenzie White (22)

Ashlen Livingston (22)

my mom, it says “I love you, I loved you first” in her handwriting alongside our birth flowers.

It means a lot to me to have shared that memory with my mom and now we match each other.”

Tattoos are a symbol of self love and growth, and a reminder to stay true to

oneself. “I have come a long way on my self love journey.

Being able to have reminders of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come really helps me when I’m feeling low,” said Livingston.

Self expression can be explored through cloth-

ing, hair, makeup, piercings, and tattoos. As young adults, growing into one’s most authentic self is crucial for success in their academic and personal lives.

Throughout high school, friends come and go, values are formed, and true sense if self is developed.

Autumn Hockley (23) said, “It is so fun to have doodles on myself that I love and cherish. With tattoos, I get to have fun and express different emotions and feelings, and I plan to get more.”

Rinoa Womack (22) said, “I’ve always wanted a tattoo so getting my first one was a great experience.

It is very empowering to put the things you love on your body.”

In past generations, tattoos have not always been accepted or understood, but they can be used to honor lost loved ones.

Dirk Duncan (22) said, “I got October 24, 2020 in Roman numerals tattooed.

It is the date when my papa Tim passed away, and he and I were super close.

I got it right above my heart because he was very special to me.”

Makenzie White (22) believes her tattoo is a declaration of her faith.

“My tattoo represents my beliefs.

My middle name is Grace, and I was saved by grace because the Lord saved my life. It symbolizes my love for God and everything He’s done for me,” said White.

Self expression and individuality are ever-present at EHS and deserve rec- ognition.

December 22, 2021

Toys for Tots goes local

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Christmas is a holiday of cheer, and the Marines are doing their blakehays staffreporter

Everyone remembers their favorite toy from when they were a kid, but many kids are not fortunate enough to receive toys for the holidays.

Christmas time is a season to spread cheer and gratitude.

The Marine Corps Reserve has created an opportunity to give toys to families that can’t afford Christmas gifts for their children. Marine Toys for Tots, owned and started by Lieutenant General Jim Laster, was created in 1947. The official website shows Toys for Tots (TFT) has provided 604 mil-

lion toys distributed to date.

The website also states, “The perfect toy means the world to a child in need.” Everyone can participate by going to the website and ordering toys for children.

Eaton High School is also participating in TFT, organized by veteran and EHS teacher Doug Preston,allowing everyone to participate by bringing in toys. (TFT) currently has 15 sponsors including Build-ABear, Delta, the UPS store, the Walt Disney Company, Hallmark, Hasbro, HESS, J Walter Thompson, Target, FedEx, Freeway Insurance, Funko, Frito Lay, LEGO and Pepsi.

All of these companies support this nonprofit organization for the less fortunate.

There are YouTube videos of the Marines going to the home and giving toys. “The joy of a toy” is a great example of a heartwarming video.

Preston is doing this for the school because of “the love for children and the importance of toys.” This is an example of a kid that received a bracelet from the TFTthe bracelets provided self-esteem and selfworth at a time when she resented her situation.

This little girl spent her days watching her younger brother while engaging in remote

learning because her mom spent days looking for a new job due to unemployment.

She noticed other children receiving gifts while she watched her mom struggle to put food on the table.

These bracelets lifted her spirits. “When she received those bracelets, I think she felt equal and it made her very happy,” Rachel said, “Sometimes it is the little things that make a difference.”

The toys collected by the students for TFT.

FFA hosts canned food drive Officers collect cans for families in Eaton blakehays staffreporter

Receiving food is always a wholesome feeling, particularly when hungry, which is why the Eaton club (FFA) Is doing the annual food drive for families in need. Food drives are incredibly important because the donations are going to the families in this town.

Christmas is right around the corner, therefore supplying families for the Christmas dinner.

FFA has done multiple events for Eaton’s community for example the auction as well as the food drive and many more that exist to sup-

port our town.

Every single advising class could participate in the food drive competition for most food items collected, which goes to Texie Jhonsons advising for collecting 530 food items.

Libby Schelich said, “The purpose of the food drive is to give to our community.” This is furthering the drive for a community-based food drive instead of normal drives that go to shelters and organizations. Food drives are also a great way to raise awareness about hunger in your community and encourage others to help.

The definition of a Food

drive is a way to raise awareness about hunger in your community and encourage others to help.

All schools in Eaton participated to collect overall 10,970 cans overall. The members

collected all the food and separated them into veggies, fruit, starches, desserts, etc. And split them into totes and then it is ready for distribution and delivery. There is a handful of students that

deliver to the families and see their “Priceless” faces when receiving the food tote. A special thanks to FFA for helping families with Christmas meals and feeding the less fortunate.

Libby Schelich (22), Cayden Martin (22), Wyatt Wiedeman (22) organize the food from collection.

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December 22, 2021

The joys of Christmas movies A view into the best holiday classics

gabeholguin entertainmenteditor It’s a cold winter night. You and your loved ones are all snuggled underneath blankets with hot cocoa and popcorn.

You turn on the TV and are now faced with the challenge of deciding on which amazing Christmas movie you all want to watch.

The best Christmas movies can vary on so many levels.

Everyone has certain Christ-

mas movies they hold near to their heart that are full of holiday memories for them. Usually, these holiday films are full of meaningful lessons, warm feelings, joy, and yuletide fun.

Classic Christmas movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Story, and Miracle on 34th Street, are full of dreams ready to come true by the end of the film.

On occasion, an adorable protagonist who is not human might take the spot of the

Christmas lead like in Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Christmas classics such as Santa Clause, The Grinch, Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Polar Express, Home Alone, and Christmas with the Kranks, were films high school students grew up watching, and are considered to be classics.

These movies serve as reminders to students about some of their amazing holiday

memories.

On the other spectrum of holiday cheer, there are Christmas horror movies such as Krampus, The Elf, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

These movies take all the joy and warmth of Christmas away and bring in darkness. Unless you’re a horror movie fanatic, these movies do not provide great holiday memories.

Holiday movies all have recurring themes, stories, and characters. Most people know

about the man of the season, but there’s so much more to it. There have been all sorts of lore and culture surrounding Christmas.

Not only that but there are so many different ways to celebrate the holidays through movies. Christmas movies are a win. The seasons have brought many movies that are known throughout the world, but nothing can beat seasonal greetings quite like Christmas movies can.

Gabe Holguin

December 22, 2021

The history of Hannukkah

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Students at EHS celebrate Hanukkah

logangullett staffreporter

The holiday season is largely dominated by Christmas. It’s evolved into a commercial experience with many songs, traditions, and decorations surrounding it. One of the holidays that often gets left in the snow is Hanukkah. The Jewish holiday is celebrated by about 6.4 million Americans, but not many people know how it works Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated during the winter season, typically in late November and December. It occurs on the 25th day of Kislev, which is a date on the Jewish He-

brew calendar. This calendar is not synonymous with the traditional Gregorian calendar, which is why Hanukkah occurs on different days every year.

This year, Hanukkah started on Nov 28th and ended on December 6th.

The origins of Hanukkah emerged from a miracle in the Jewish religion. In the second century B.C. (a little over 2,000 years ago), Israel was ruled by the Assyrian Greeks. A Jewish temple was conquered by these Greeks, and everything was destroyed except one vile of oil. When the Jews reclaimed this temple, they celebrated by using the oil to light a nine headed lamp called a Meno-

rah. According to the Jewish faith, this lone remnant of oil burned miraculously for 8 days straight. This is why Hanukkah lasts 8 days.

Each day of Hanukkah, one of the Menorah’s branches are lit, and then the Menorah is typically placed by a window to shine on the rest of the world.

Other traditions include eating fried foods such as latkes (fried potatoes), playing Dreidel, and exchanging gifts. “Each day of Hanukkah we get a new present, so it was really exciting as a kid to get something new every day,” said Alex Williams (24).

Science teacher Molly Maguire enjoys some more modern Hanukkah traditions. “I usu-

ally listen to Adam Sandler’s ‘The Chanukah Song,’ and we love eating Latkes,” Maguire said. “We also have Hanukkah stockings which aren’t very traditional.”

Riley Drager (24) also celebrates Hanukkah. “My favorite tradition is to make Latkes with my family,” said Drager. “It’s basically a potato pancake but there’s many other ingredients.

It tastes best with applesauce or ketchup.” Williams said, “Latkes are super good, I love eating them with applesauce or sour cream.” Food is a big part of the Hanukkah celebration.

Being a lesser known holiday, Hanukkah typically gets lost in the Christmas hype. Maguire

said, “Hanukkah rarely gets talked about, and it’s definitely an unknown topic for a lot of people.” Although it’s not as widely celebrated, Hanukkah has jolly and warm traditions nonetheless.

A Hanukkah Menorah

The history of Christmas

Presents and Santa aren’t the only reason for the season

lucasstone staffreporter

Dec. 25 is the most popular Christan holiday all throughout the world, but not a lot of people know about the history leading up to Christmas in the world today. Most people think that celebrating Christmas is just for Santa and the presents, but for Christans it represents the birth of Jesus and a time to hang out with friends and family. Jordan Sidwell (22) said, “My family always goes up to my great grandparents and spends it up there and I haven’t missed a year of doing that.”

The PE teacher, Ali Duncan said, “I really enjoy Christmas movies. My favorites are Christmas Hallmark moviesyep, I’m not afraid to admit that! And, I also love watching Elf, Fred Claus and Santa Claus! We enjoy having family

movie night with Christmas movies - we finally get to slow down a bit and relish in the blessings of the season!”

Many Christmas traditions have symbolic meaning behind them. Even though Christmas is fun with presents, they symbolize the tributes made to Jesus by the Three Wise Men after his birth during the story of the Nativity. Also, people put up Christmas lights to show that Christ is the light of the world. People started by putting candles on Christmas trees, but later came to be just lights. There are many traditions throughout the holiday, and all represent something bigger than they seem.

Christmas was established as a national holiday in America on June 26 1870, but the first Christmas that Christans celebrated was Dec. 26 336. The

first Christmas started out by just celebrating the birth of Jesus, but as it evolved, new traditions became a huge part of the holiday. Duncansaid, “Christmas means a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas means a celebration of blessings and good fortunes we are grateful to endure.

Christmas means a strong family celebration of giving of love and continued kindness.”

Other religions celebrate different holidays around December, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, to honor their traditions. Hanukkah began on Nov. 26 and concluded Dec. 6 and is celebrated to represent the re-dedication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the lighting of candles on each day of the festival.

Kwanzaa starts Dec. 26 and goes until Jan. 1, celebrating

community, family and culture, established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African roots and heritage.

Christmas is now celebrated through songs, presents, lights, movies, and getting together with family and friends to rep-

resent the birth of Jesus. These traditions are used to enhance the holiday and make it fun for all the people that celebrate it.

The birth of Jesus created a popular holiday all throughout the world that is celebrated through many traditions that people have made.

Gabe Holguin

10 redspotlight

12 Days of Russell the Elf An Elf on the Shelf is a classic Christmas tradition that is here to spread Christmas spirit. An Elf only moves during the night, however, making sure to stay out of sight. If the Elf is touched, they need to head straight back to the North Pole. Eaton Red Ink is trying to help spread Christmas cheer around the high school.

For the second year in

a row, the staff invited an Elf from the North Pole to come and hide around the school. Russell is here to make sure that the students don’t get too out of hand. Russell’s girlfriend, Jingles, was here to watch us last year, and Russell knew that he had to come and check it out.

Each day, Russell has a new hiding spot, and the students of Eaton High School have to come find

him. The first student to find Russell and send a selfie with him to the Eaton Red Ink Instagram each day gets a candy prize. Eaton’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) also has an Elf hiding around the school, with an entry into a drawing for a better chance of winning their gift card prize. These elves sure have made their home here in the halls of the school.

After talking to Jingles, I knew that I had to come over and check out the infamous Eaton High School! Little did I know, I would make some great friends along the way! Not only are the students lovely to work with, but I’ve made a cute farmer friend as well!

SUNDAY

MOND

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Avery Gra

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Rinoa Wom

Page layout and story by Dakota Braucher

Who knew such a small school could have so many elves! The Christmas joy we are spreading is something you’ll never forget.

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Ella Keena

26 Gabe Holguin

DECEMBER

DAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

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ray (24)

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mack (22)

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nan (23)

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Karson Chadwick (22)

December 22, 2021

Philip Lawrence (22)

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Daisii Mendlik (22) Trent Salberg (23)

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Allyson Weichel (22)

Taylor Ross (25) Ms. Williams

Zoe Lampe (23) Ms. White

Lucas Cass (22)

Joseph Sisneros (22) Karson Chadwick (22)

Lexi Oliva (24) Shae Stone (24) Chloe Stevens (24)

Mrs. Guerra Mrs. Ross

Kyndal Chadwick (25)

Miranda Madrid (23)

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21 Ava Dorris (23)

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SATURDAY

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Teagan Joseph (23) Shelby Shuman (23)

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Dakota Braucher (23) Alex Williams (24)

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12 redview December 22, 2021

Neglected sports

Vondy’s View abigailvondy editorinchief

Student Press

The most valuable lessons I have ever learned were derived from both my Journalism I class and Journalism II, better known as the Eaton Red Ink newspaper. I recall having to memorize the First Amendment during my first few weeks in Journalism I. The United States Constitution states, “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.” Our first assignment was to know this amendment word for word. Although I don’t have it memorized in its entirety today, I am still incredibly thankful for being forced into such a task. The First Amendment is genuinely the heart and soul of this country.

When I joined the newspaper and fell in love with the class, I truly began to understand its importance. We have always been taught that journalism is one of the most important aspects of our country, simply because it is. The American Press Institute said that “the purpose of journalism is thus to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their government.”

Some people I know try to avoid watching or reading the news.

They explain that it is too negative for them. And sometimes I have to agree, but isn’t that the point? Sharing the negative allows the people of the world to gain awareness. That awareness grants the people the ability to make informed decisions about everything around them. Without exposing the negative, improvement is impossible. Criticism promotes growth.

This realization took a lot of time for me to completely understand.

As Editor of the Red Ink, I began to dig more deeply into the laws of a student-based newspaper. I was curious if the intention of a school-wide paper had the same purpose, freedom, and capabilities. Colorado has the Colorado

Revised Statutes Title 22, Education 22-2-120. These statues answered all of my questions, and I feel a deep desire to share them with the student body. Statute 2 states, “If a publication written substantially by students is made generally available throughout a public school, it shall be a public forum for students of such school.”

The Red Ink is considered a public forum and is, in fact, generally available throughout the school.

Due to us being a public forum, we are indeed protected under the First Amendment, just like all other newspapers in the nation.

Digging deeper, I found Statute 7, which expresses that “No school district or employee, or parent, or legal guardian, or official of such school district shall be held liable in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by students.”

The Red Ink is for the students, written by students. I am proud of my school and everything I have been able to accomplish through the opportunities it has provided for me. But, like everything else in this world, there is always room for improvement. And Statute 7 allows the paper to allude to this need for improvement without the school district being held liable.

Allowing students to have a voice is incredibly important in any educational system. Students are oftentimes not present during discussions that directly affect their learning experience. So, being able to voice an opinion through the press allows the students to be heard by the administration.

Not only that, but being able to exercise the freedom of press allows high school students to understand their rights and the impact their voice has on the communities around them. If students were unable to express their opinions in a professional manner, necessary change could never happen within their school.

I welcome the students and staff of the RE-2 district to email me at eatonredink@gmail.com with any questions or thoughts regarding any of our publications.

Letters to the editor are always encouraged.

Staff Editoral Athletes are some of the hardest working people that will ever enter a high school. Whatever sport they may play, many athletes will work day in and day out to perfect their craft. Although they know that being recognized for their accomplishments isn’t always a guarantee, recognition proves to be of vital importance for some athletes to do their best. There is no doubt that when an athlete or a team gets recognized for their achievements, it can push them to further their work, and keep them working to be the best they can.

At Eaton High School, some sports seem to get more recognition than others in certain cases, whether this be because of the level of achievement each sport achieves, or because of the level of importance that each sport is seen to have. Every athlete deserves to be recognized for what they do.

Eaton track and cross country runner Andie Rasmussen (24) said, “It is sometimes discouraging to see when sports like cross coun-

try are overlooked…[Recognition] definitely makes you feel like what you’re doing is important and it helps motivate me to do my best.”

A feeling of importance in athletes of all kinds is necessary for a school. Not only for the general performance of the athletes, but for the encouragement that they can receive from their peers, and their teachers, and the community in general.

In the past, some sports have received “walk-outs,” where the entire student body leaves class and lines the hallways to clap out a team when they are on the way to state, while other teams are simply overlooked and left to head to their state tournament in solitude.

Volleyball player Connor Wilson (24) said, “I think that a strong student section for any sport can be very encouraging for some athletes.” When an athlete has their school behind them, and they know that what they do is important and can make a longlasting impression on their school, it often sparks something in them that can help them achieve their aspirations.

Track and cross country coach Jaryn Guerra said, “High accomplishment in any sport inspires and motivates people to want to be a part of that culture and of

Gabe GabeHolguin Holguin

that team. More visibility of a sport could lead to more athletes coming out or trying to get to events.”

On the other hand, promotion of events is largely in the hands of the students, even though some events and sports make participation of viewers difficult. Eaton High School’s student section creates an atmosphere that is unforgettable, and filled with energy.

A good student section can completely shift the atmosphere of the environment. Unfortunately, the student section seems to only get behind select sports.

Of course, support can be shown in ways besides simply attending events. Guerra said, “Recognition could be improved, because things happen and people don’t even know that they happened…successes could be promoted more and recognized more after the fact.” School support could include the holding of assemblies for all sports’ accomplishments, or the town’s participation in always leading the state team or players out of town with police cars and fire trucks, to show them that they mean something to the school, and the community.

Some of these happen to certain sports here and there, but there should be a school-wide policy put in place that makes the school’s recognition of every sport’s accomplishment consistent rather than sporadically for a select few sports.

When athletes train and work their hardest, they shouldn’t expect recognition, but they should feel support from their community members so they feel like what they’re doing is for the right reasons. To have a high school and a community behind them can make all the difference. Not only does this end up looking good for the school, but it can give confidence and a voice to athletes that feel like they don’t have one.

Nobody’s hard work should be dismissed just because of the fact that they play a different sport.

Bringing athletes alike together to support one another could be a great way to strengthen the importance behind what it means to be an Eaton Red.

December 22, 2021

redview 13

Deadliest school shooting since 2018 abigailvondy editorinchief Yet another school shooting has shaken the country. On Nov. 30, a sophomore at Oxford High School in Michigan brought a 9mm Sig Sauer SP pistol to school. After exiting the bathroom at around 12:51, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot 11 people. Four students were killed and seven others were severely injured. The four students include: 14-year-old Hanna St. Juliana, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, 16-year-old Tate Myre, and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.

According to Education Week, the Oxford High shooting was the deadliest school shooting since May 2018. This time lapse in school shootings is unfortunately a direct result of the COVID pandemic. In 2020, schools across the nation were learning remotely. The decrease of school shootings is due to the small number of students attending in-person education for the last two years. Now, as the world slowly returns to some form of normalcy, students are attending school more regularly. And the statistics prove it.

According to Education Week, since January 2021, there have been 31 school shootings. 23 of them were after Aug. 1. In one year, 65 people have been injured or killed in a school shooting.

In 2020 there were 10 school shootings with 12 people injured or killed. In 2019 it was 24, with 40 people injured or killed, and in 2018 it was 24 with 114 injured or killed.

2018 was once considered the deadliest year for school shootings. But as the numbers rise and shootings continue, the year of 2021 is on track to beat it, and quickly.

In 1999, the Columbine High School shooting stopped

the country in its tracks. But as time progressed, school shootings became increasingly more common. The nation is now desensitized to these horific murders. In 2021, such an event is considered as just a headline in the news. It is just another shooting, just another kid who brought a gun to school.

According to the New York Times, Oxford High shooter Ethan Crumbley was called to the office the morning of the shooting to discuss a drawing one of his teachers discovered.

Only three hours before he shot up his school, he and his parents consulted with administrators. Concerns had developed from “a detailed drawing of a gun, a person who had been shot, and blood everywhere with the written words: ‘Blood everywhere,’ and ‘The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.’’ After Crumbley’s parents dismissed the concerns, Ethan continued to walk the halls that day. It is also assumed that during the meeting, Crumbley

already had the pistol in his backpack.

15-year-old Ethan Crumbley has been charged as an adult with 24 counts, including four counts of first-degree murder and terrorism causing death.

His parents are also being charged with involuntary manslaughter, having gifted Ethan with the pistol.

His parents are being charged based on the following evidence: - Failure to store the gun in a locked safe - Failure to sound alarm to police and school authorities about their son’s concerning behaviors - Failure to disclose Ethan Crumbley’s desire to purchase large amounts of bullets According to Daily Mail, it is rare for the parents to be prosecuted for involvement in school shootings, but with the profound amount of evidence, prosecutor Karen McDonald feels it is necessary in order to

Photo by Eric Seals from US Today Network

invoke complete justice.

2021 has now seen the deadliest school shooting since 2018, and the statistics show the high probability of more.

After two years of isolation and fear, mental health is suffering more than ever. Schools all across the nation need to open their eyes wider, and listen a little more. For each of the deadliest school shootings in the nation, there have been warning signs: - Sandy Hook shooting, Dec. 14, 2012. Adam Lanza killed 27 people, including himself.

Lanza had previous mental health concerns including concerning pieces of writing and one event where he had shown his teacher cuts on his arms during class.

- Virginia Tech shooting, April 16, 2007. Seung-Hui Cho killed 33 people, including himself. Cho had written two extremely concerning and violent plays for his English class.

A note was also found that said “you caused me to do this.”

- Parkland High shooting,

Feb. 14, 2018. Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people. Cruz was always violent as a kid. Getting angry over video games would result in him punching walls, throwing things, and stabbing the couches with knives. Cruz was also caught by his mother blaring “Pumped Up Kicks” with his shotgun pretending to shoot people.

The list continues in the most horrifying fashion. There were warning signs for every single shooting. Signs that should have been recognized and handled.

For the past two years in a pandemic, teachers and staff all over the nation have put an emphasis on mental health.

But with these statistics, it looks as though it is all talk.

Schools must recognize the warning signs and provide these children with the means to get help.

Mental health is now more important than ever. Something must change before 2021 becomes the deadliest year for school shootings.

14 redspotlight December 22, 2021

Jurassic

Ink

Construction workers are seen using scaffolds to building part of the new wing at EHS in 1988. A fence was installed to prevent student intervention with the construction.

Construction through the years katiegomez staffreporter

Eaton School District board members are looking at plans for new construction on the highschool in 1962. The plans were for a new gymnasium, pool, and junior high.

Construction supplies left out in September of 1987 show how much work was needed for the construction of the new wing, which included a new gym, band and choir room, library, and lockers, that was finished on July 10, 1988.

December 22, 2021

Shooting for the stars

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Eaton students showcase their talents in competitive shooting

logangullett staffreporter Eaton is home to athletes of every degree, and an unconventional sport that many Eaton students excel in is competitive shooting. Using firearms and bows, these athletes compete recreationally in shooting competitions of proficiency, speed, and accuracy. These athletes shoot competitively for organizations like 4-H, the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), and USA Shooting.

Grant Hernandez (23) competed at the national event for Junior Olympics International Skeet in Hillsdale, Michigan.

“Nationals was really cool. I got to shoot with Olympic gold medalists and national champions. I was able to place 10th in the junior category (under 21),” Hernandez said.

The top six qualify to compete in the World Championships.

Hernandez also got invited to go to the Olympic Trials and other Junior Olympic events, but he decided not to go.

“I like that shooting offers a lot of versatility. The environmental conditions can change everything on how a target looks,” Hernandez said.

There are many different types of shooting including trap shooting, skeet shooting, international skeet, bunker trap, sporting clays, and many more.

To make sure he’s at the top of his game, Hernandez is constantly putting in work. “In the off season, fall and winter, I train two to three times a week.

During the season, I train five days a week. I tend to go through 150 to 200 shots per season.” Hernandez also got to hold an Olympic gold medal from Amber English. “That was pretty cool,” Hernandez said, “The medal was actually kind of heavy. It was such a surreal experience.”

Hernandez participates in skeet shooting, where the marksmen use shotguns to shoot clay targets that are thrown in the air by spring devices called traps.

Skeet shooting is often con-

Olympians during their respective seasons. Fetzer said, “Shooting is also the only sport I know where you get to compete alongside Olympians and make a genuine connection

Grant Hernandez (23) poses for a photo with Olympian Amber Williams (left) and other national competitors in Hillsdale, Michigan.

fused with trapshooting, as they both involve shooting targets from traps. In skeet, the traps are set in two different diagonal directions, making it difficult for the marksmen to hit the targets. The traps are placed in towers called trap houses, where targets are thrown at the marksmen. After 25 shots, the round ends, and whoever hits the most targets wins.

“A lot of people overlook the physical fitness that is required for shooting,” said Hernandez, “We need to have lots of muscular endurance to hold the gun steady for long periods of time.” To maintain his fitness, Grant likes to go to the Eaton Rec Center to lift weights.

Abby Fetzer (21) also shoots competitively on the national scale. “I like shooting sports because it is a team sport and also an individual sport. You meet so many amazing people through shooting that all share something common: a love for shooting,” Fetzer said.

Both Hernandez and Fetzer had the opportunity to meet

with them.” Hernandez got to hold an Olympic gold medal from Amber English. “That was pretty cool,” Hernandez said, “The medal was actually kind of heavy. It was such a surreal experience.”

Fetzer has achieved lots of success in her shooting career.

She has competed nationally at the Junior Olympic level, which is quite a rare achievement for a high school athlete.

“I am most proud with how far I have come from when I first started. I have put a lot of time

and money in shooting and it’s really refreshing to see that it has all paid off,” said Fetzer.

While Hernandez uses a shotgun for his competitions, Fetzer uses an air pistol. She shoots at traditional stationary targets as compared to clay targets in trapshooting. Fetzer can choose to shoot at distances of 10 meters, 25 meters, or 50 meters.

Just like Hernandez, Fetzer puts in a lot of practice to hone her shooting skills. Fetzer said, “I train everyday anywhere from 1-2 hours. I definitely think the work has payed its dividends. Shooting is a sport where you don’t have an off season. You have to practice year round everyday if you want to go somewhere with it.

With that being said, I never would be where I am today if I didn’t train as much as I do.”

Aaron Lampe (23) shoots archery for the Weld County 4-H. “My favorite part about shooting archery is the people who I shoot with. The challenge is what sets it apart from other sports. Not only do you have to be strong to pull back the bow but you have to be consistent with accuracy at different distances.” Aaron competed at the state archery

Abby Fetzer (22) aims her air pistol at a target during a competition.

Grant Hernandez (23) aims for a target at nationals.

event over the summer where he placed 19th.

Shooting is often overlooked as a sport, but it requires tons of preparation and training just like any other sport. Shooting also allows for many opportunities and pathways including national competitions, and even the olympics. With multiple state and national competitive shooters, Eaton is home to a talented group of athletes. Whether it’s shooting a basketball or shooting an air rifle, Eaton students can get the job done.

16 redzone December 22, 2021

EHS student entrepreneurs aubreyledall staffreporter

Being a high school student in 2021 isn’t always easy, and running a successful business on top of scholarly activities presents its own set of challenges. Multiple students at Eaton High School acknowledged the difficulties that would come with being an entrepreneur and pursued their interests. Seniors Charlotte Reynolds (22), Emily Hogsett (22), Alonzo Zubia (22) and junior Shelby Shuman (23) all have their hands in entrepreneurship.

Shuman is an auctioneer and runs a primary benefit auction company. She’s been involved in countless auctions and is surrounded by those in the auction community that have helped propel her towards success. Auctioneering is a learning-based industry and she has had the opportunity to learn from her dad, Scott Shuman, who is also an auctioneer. Shuman said, “My dad has been an auctioneer since he was in high school and I’ve always looked up to him… I would watch him conduct auctions, which then inspired me to follow in

his footsteps.”

Another female auctioneer, Haile Behr, who is just ten years older than Shuman, has inspired Shuman through her drive and exemplary actions.

Like most students at Eaton High School, Shuman is involved in many extracurricular activities; she’s an officer for the Eaton FFA chapter, a LINK leader, and an athlete on the tennis team.

Auctions for Shuman usually take place on Friday or Saturday nights but can also happen any other day of the week. “The hardest part [of balancing school and auctioneering] is that my weekend can have anywhere between 1-3 auctions.” Starting mid-afternoon/evening and going until close to midnight means that Shuman has to balance her auctions as well as her academics, extracurricular activities, and her social life. Shuman has had to take on many challenges since 2017 when she started professionally auctioning but because of her motivation she’s a successful student, athlete, leader, and young entrepreneur.

Shelby Shuman (23) calls during an auction.

style and showcases her work to potential clients flawlessly.

Along with Instagram, Reynolds uses her own website that familiarizes people with her name and provides them an opportunity to book a session with her. Reynolds believes that ambition, independence, self-advocacy, and passion are important characteristics for an entrepreneur to have and she is living proof that when applied to life, success is inevitable.

Charlotte Reynolds (22) standing with her camera in hand.

Reynolds is also a high school entrepreneur. Being an active leader at EHS, she participates in student council, LINK, four different bands, and the RedInk. While balancing these extracurriculars and school, Reynolds also runs her own photography business.

She is a couples, senior, and marketing portrait photographer and uses her camera to capture meaningful moments and showcase her passion and ability to work with people.

During quarantine she quickly became interested in photography and made a business out of it in July of 2020. Reynolds said, “Through my boredom I started taking photos of my friends for fun and realized I really loved it.” Reynolds’s photography business is setting her up for future success and she believes that, “there’s a lot of value in entrepreneurship and pursuing something you’re passionate about.” Striving for success as a young person takes a lot of courage and marketing a new business can be laborious. However, platforms like Instagram have made marketing for photographers like Reynolds a little simpler; it’s set up gallery-

Emily Hogsett (22) smiles next to her treats.

Hogsett has been baking and decorating cakes since she was eight years old but has made a business out of her confectioneries this past year. She used her involvement in 4-H to practice baking and decorating cakes and knew this sweet skill was for her when she found out her mom also decorated cakes in 4-H as a teen. Her hard work has helped her thrive and her time management skills have given her the ability to put hours into her work. “It takes a few hours to bake and more than that to decorate. A lot of times I bake on Thursday and will stay up super late on Friday decorating for an order on Saturday,” said Hogsett. Like Shuman and Reynolds, Hogsett uses multiple methods to

get the word out about The Sweet Pea Bakery. Instagram and business cards are helpful to Hogsett but she said, “I have found the best way to share my business is by word of mouth.

That’s how I get most of my customers.” Starting her own business has posed challenges for Hogsett but her experience as a student entrepreneur provides her profit from her skills and a lifelong hobby.

Senior Alonzo Zubia is also a high school student entrepreneur. He runs an automotive detailing business and got interested in keeping vehicles in the best condition possible when he saw others doing it on social media. AZ Detailing has been in business for a year and a half and Zubia uses Facebook and other social media platforms to market what he does. His real inspiration for becoming a student entrepreneur was his parents.

“My parents are the biggest entrepreneurial inspiration to me because they own and run multiple businesses; they really gave me the motivation to start my own thing,” said Zubia. Zubia’s parents own a food truck, towing company, cleaning company, and gutter cleaning company. He believes that time management is crucial for success in the business world and what he is doing as a student entrepreneur has given him “the sense of how the real world is.”

He knows that by running his own detailing business he is able to deal with aspects of the real world while being a high school student.

The future is bright for these student entrepreneurs, they’ve a cknowledged the difficulties that would come with being a young business owner and took on the challenges alongside scholarly activities.

December 22, 2021

redzone 17

Lady Reds swimming starts off strong Swimmers already have eyes on state qualification times

maddiefisher opinioneditor The Eaton Lady Reds swim team is back with a normal year and a great athlete turnout. The Lady Reds lost some great swimmers from last year, leaving the strong incoming class of ‘22.

With a grand total of only two seniors, the upperclassmen of the team are ready to lead the swimmers into a successful season. Lexi Bruntz (22) and Adie Burke (22) have stepped up to be the role models of the Lady Red’s swim team and they couldn’t be happier to take on leadership roles.

“I’ve been having a great time so far this year, encouraging the younger girls. I know how important it is to have a good role model and I’m trying to be a great one for them!

They are all talented and I know this year will be great,” said Bruntz (22), who has had a successful season and couple of years so far.

Hattie Carlson, the swim coach, said, “These girls both want to have a successful last year and they are a very strong incoming class.” and the girls are indeed strong as Lexi Bruntz went to state last year as well.

As for new athletes, there are six freshmen. With Sophie Morgan (25) and Dharma Perkins (25) as great additions.

“I would say being new on the team was much easier than I expected. Being a freshman is always scary, but the upperclassmen are really welcoming, everyone is so friendly, and supportive. The seniors set a standard for practice and always push us to do our best,” said Sophie Morgan (25).

The first meet for the Lady Reds was in Estes Park. Three of the Lady Red swimmers finished in the top 12 overall,

As for new athletes, there are six freshmen. With Sophie Morgan (25) and Dharma Perkins (25) as great additions.

“I would say being new on the team was much easier than I expected. Being a freshman is always scary, but the upperclassmen are really welcoming, everyone is so friendly, and supportive. The seniors set a standard for practice and always push us to do our best,” said Sophie Morgan (25).

The first meet for the Lady Reds was in Estes Park. Three of the Lady Red swimmers finished in the top 12 overall, starting off the season strong.

The second meet was a home meet, against Frederick High School.This time the competition was a little harder for the Lady Reds.

“With a larger team than Eaton, they are still in the process of being built to their best, so they have a lot of potential. We were still able to beat them with our small numbers, but bigger depth of talent,” Coach Carlson said.

At this meet, Bruntz (22) swam a 2:15:54 for the Women 200 Yard Free, receiving first place. She has a lot of pressure on her back considering the state qualification time is 2:16:00.

As for the freshman, Perkins

(25) got first place in the Women 50 Yard Free, with a time of 27.85 and the pressure of a state qualification time of 27.80.

Recently, on Dec. 13, 2021 there was a league relays meet, in Fort Collins, against five other teams. This meet was one of the larger ones as the five teams were the ones in their league.

It is called league relays as the girls only swim relays and not individual events. These types of meets are what the girls consider more “fun” kinds of meets and there were fast times posted. Overall at the league relays, the Lady Reds placed second and gave their best effort into the teamwork aspect of the meet.

Coach Carlson has been with the Eaton swim team for a while and loves seeing each of the grades swim and accomplish their goals.

She always has great words of encouragement and advice, “ I always talk to the girls about race techniques and to trust their training.

We have been going through a 30 confidence book that I encourage them to draw from,” said Coach Carlson.

Overall, the Lady Reds are looking forward to a great rest of the season.

RedInk Staff Editor-in-Chief..……...........................…abigailvondy Managing Editor……........………...…charlottereynolds News Editor…….............….............……emilyhogsett Sports Editor..........…............……......……jadenstone Entertainment Editor…..................…….gabeholguin Feature Editor........................................ryleemartin Staff Reporter..........................................blakehays Staff Reporter......................................maddiefisher Staff Reporter..........................................kasenhays Staff Reporter.......................................aubreyledall Staff Reporter....................................dimitriusreyes Staff Reporter.......................................logangullett Staff Reporter.........................................lucasstone Staff Reporter..................................dakotabraucher Staff Reporter.................................ashlenlivingston Staff Reporter.......................................kaitiegomez Adviser………..........………......................jarynguerra The Red Ink is a public forum,School-sponsored and student generated, which encourages the free exchange of ideas and information.

All opinions made in the exercise of freedom of speech or press are the sole opinions of the writers and are in no way to be considered the opinions of Eaton High School, administration, Board of Education, or Eaton School District. The Red Ink strictly adheres to School Board Policy JCEA and Colorado Revised Statute 12-1120.

The Red Ink and eatonredink.com are members of the Colorado School Media Association, Journalism Education Association, and Quill and Scroll.

The Red Ink encourages reader feedback. All letters to the the editor can be submitted to eatonredink@gmail.com

Emily Hogsett

Emily Hogsett Sophie Morgan (25) swimming during her Women 100 Yard Fly.

Lexi Bruntz (22) preparing to dive.

18 redzone December 22, 2021

Reds take first at Charlie Lake tournament Dirksen and Castaneda take first in their bracket

Dakota Braucher Preston Smith (24) pins University’s Couper Payne at the dual against University

emilyhogsett newseditor Two years ago, Eaton wrestling took home the 2A State Championship. Last year, the Reds were runner-ups at state, and this year, Eaton’s wrestling season has started off strong with the Reds dominating the mat.

The Reds’ season started with the Chuck Annand tournament in Akron, followed by a home dual against the University Bulldogs and the Charlie Lake Duals and Invitational tournament at Cheyenne East High School.

As of Dec. 6, CHSAANow ranked the Reds wrestling as first in 3A teams. Alex Castaneda (22) ranked first in the 132 division, Ryan Dirksen (22) ranked first in the 170 pound division, and Ryder True (23) ranked fourth in the 220 pound division.

The Reds won their dual against the Bulldogs 59 to 6 in team points. Castaneda, Preston Smith (24), Jake Hergenreter (23), and Quirt Carroll (24) won their matches by pin, earning the Reds six points over the Bulldogs.

“Based on the past four years, as a coaching staff we have very high expectations. Obviously, the goal is to have as many state champions as we can and bring home a team state championship,” Head Coach Tony

Mustari said. “We schedule other classification teams, like 4A and 5A schools, in tournaments just so we know what kind of competitions we need to train for, and where we need to get as a team.”

The Reds traveled up to Cheyenne on Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11.True, Cal Sidwell (25), and Lucas Cass (22) made it into the finals, earning second place.

Dirksen and Castaneda won their weight classes - winning them each a medal and assisting the team in their team victory at the tournament.

“We did really well on scoring bonus points. When we had guys on their back, we were pinning them, and if we needed to get a major decision, we scored another take down,” Coach Mustari said.

True said his hardest match was his “finals match because that kid was really good, and he was a state runner-up. It pushed me a lot, and it was a tough match. I pushed the pace and showed how conditioned I was and it pushed me to be better.”

Castaneda wrestled in the 138 pound weight division during the tournament. His round one match and quarterfinals were won by pin. Castaneda was able to pin his quarterfinal opponent in 1:30. His semifinal and first place match

were both won off of decision, earning Castaneda first place in his weight class.

“On Friday, during the duals, I had a really tough match against this one kid from Colorado that I lost. The next day, I just made a better mindset to beat that kid in finals the next day,” said Castaneda.

“The match I am most proud of was the match where I beat the kid that beat me the day before just because I wasn’t feeling too good, had to weigh in at a lower weight than everybody, and had all the odds against me almost. I came back and beat that kid. When I threw him to his back in the very beginning of the match, that was a good press for me.”

Dirksen dominated his bracket at the Charlie Lake Invitational tournament by pinning all of his opponents. His fastest pin occured in his semifinal match where he pinned his opponent in a little over a minute. Dirksen won a personal championship title two years ago when he was a sophomore.

The Cheyenne East tournament attracted teams from Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. The Reds overcame all these teams with 139 team points. Second place went to Thompson Valley with 135 points.

The Reds season will continue with the Reds traveling to the University of Northern Colorado over Dec. 17 and 18 for the Colorado Christmas tournament. After Christmas

break, the Reds are scheduled to battle the Highland Huskies on Jan. 6.

As the Reds wrestling season is off to a great start, Eaton is hoping to continue to have a prosperous season and end the season with titles in their hands. With their first place ranking and wrestlers in high ranks, only time will tell what is in store for the Reds this wrestling season.

Emily Hogsett Alex Castaneda (22) holds his opponent on his back during his first match at the Charlie Lake tournament

Emily Hogsett The Reds wrestlers gather for a team photo after winning the Charlie Lake tournament

December 22, 2021

redzone 19

Boys basketball stays undefeated The reds are on a 3-0 winning streak after defeating the Highland Huskies

ryleemartin featureeditor Eaton Reds boys basketball comes out hot with three games and three wins. On Saturday Dec. 4, the boys went up against the Wiggins Tigers and won by a 40 point difference with a final score of 83-43.

With an outstanding game, Haythorn scored 20 points and had six rebounds. The young talent in this year’s 2021-22 should not go unappreciated.

Lucas Stone (24) and Haythorn are two prominent athletes for the Reds and will be key players for years to come.

During the first half the boys started off a little slow outside of the key with only 13 points in the first quarter, but once

the boys started to get back into the groove, they scored a high of 25 points in the second quarter. By scoring 45 points in the second half, the boys secured the win for the Reds against the Tigers. Head coach Dean Grable said, “The team is playing extremely well on the offensive end of the floor, sharing the basketball and taking care of it.” Looking towards the next game on Friday, Dec. 10 against the Highland Huskies, Coach Grable said, “Our goal is to get better on the defensive side of the floor and play the best basketball we possibly can in every single possession.”

After a full week of practice and time to reflect on the week’s previous matchups, the boys started to develop a game

plan for the Highland game.

Going into the week with only one game, the boys knew that their focus had to be solely on the rival game to come.

L. Stone (24) said, “We tried to get into the mindset that the game was going to be challenging and in order to come out on top we have to work together.”

The defense for the Reds is still a work in progress as it’s still early in the season but improvements were definitely made compared to the last two games for the Reds..

Leading the Reds for points was Martin with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists. Following Martin in points was the standout sophomore Haythorn with 25 points, five re-

bounds, and four steals. Trailing in the first quarter, the Reds were down 19-21. As the game progressed, the boys scored 24 points in the second quarter to pull them ahead of the Huskies by halftime. The second half started and it was a nail biter to say the least. By the end of the fourth quarter both teams were tied and Z. Grable had accumulated his fifth foul and was out of the game. In overtime, W. Grable also fouled out, and two key players for the Reds were now both out of the game. Keeping the fans on their toes, the Reds came out on top with a 86-83 final.

The boys are now off to a 3-0 start and are heading to Yuma to play two out-of-conference games against the Yuma Indi-

ans and the Limon Badgers.

To stay tuned with the Reds’ progress make sure to watch on NFHS and check for recaps on eatonredink.com. w

Emily Hogset Walker Martin (23) dunks the ball.

Lady Reds basketball follows suit All momentum is with the girls as they begin the season 3-0

jadenstone sportseditor The Lady Reds basketball season is back and in full swing and the team has moved to 3-0. After they wrapped up their annual Roundball Classic Tournament defeating Bayfield High School and Riverdale Ridge High School, they took to the road on Dec. 10 to take on the Highland Huskies.

The five minute drive resulted in excitement on the floor.

The Reds mounted a big comeback after going down 14-17 in the first quarter, and the Huskies kept their momentum going through the second quarter where they went up 27-33.

Leyah Scott (22) said, “We just kept working together and didn’t get frustrated at each other, we knew we were the better team so we just had to get out of our own heads.”

After halftime, the Reds couldn’t cut into the lead until the

fourth. The fourth quarter started with a score of 41-47.

After a back and forth last quarter, the Reds were able to come out of the game on top.

“Shots weren’t falling, but we focused on the other things, but we didn’t give up,” Scott said.

They defeated the Huskies 5856 after holding Highland to just nine points in the fourth. “We worked as a team and we didn’t give up,” senior Ahana Leffler (22) said, “we had the lead at the right time at the end of the game.”

The team was led by Leffler who was the teams highest scorer with 12 points and also led in assists with four in the game. Scott also had 12 points, which matched Leffler’s double digit game.

Scott hit four 3-pointers in the game, giving her all 12 of her points. Emily Maske (23) also played a big role in the game, pulling down nine rebounds and tacked on nine points in the victory. Leffler said, “Our biggest strength in the game was having

depth within our team.”

After the undefeated Reds take on the Mustangs from Fort Morgan on Dec. 15, they will head to Yuma for a Holiday Tournament from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18. Leffler said, “We want to improve our

team’s confidence in running our offense.”

The tournament will host two games for the Lady Reds where first they will take on the Limon Badgers, and their other game on Saturday is to be determined based

on a Reds win or loss.

A win will be a spot to play for first place and a loss would mean they will play for third place.

They will look to use their 3-0 momentum into the next three games before break.

Emily Hogsett The Reds huddle up before the game to prepare for the first half.

20redzone December 22, 2021

Football takes back-to-back state titles Reds end season undefeated after battling Brush in championships

emilyhogsett newseditor In 2000, Eaton’s football program won their first ever State Championship. 20 years later, the Reds added another title to the books. On Saturday, Nov. 27, the Reds made history becoming the first ever backto-back football State Champions on Saturday. Eaton battled Brush for a tight game, which ended in the Reds’ victory of 26-14.

The Reds dominated in the regular season to be undefeated and ranked number one in 2A football. Eaton battled Kent Denver and University in the playoffs, bringing them to the State Championship to play number seven ranked Brush.

At half time, the Reds and the Beetdiggers were tied at 7-7. Coming out for the second half, the Reds were ready to leave their mark and make history. In the third quarter, the Reds were behind 14-13.

Eaton’s win came down to the fourth quarter when they gained momentum and scored 13 unanswered points against the Beetdiggers.

Ethan Florez (22) made two touchdowns for the Reds followed by Ryder True (23) and Ryan Dirksen (22) with one each. Florez’s first touchdown was made in the first quarter off of a five yard run to score Eaton’s first touchdown.

Head Coach Zac Lemon said, “I am really proud of them living up to the expectation. We started out as number one, the expectation was that we would be number one all season, and really it was that if we didn’t win a championship it would be kind of disappointing, so that made it hard.

It made it a very challenging season, and I am pleased with how the guys overcame that expectation and lived up to the

Emily Hogsett Ethan Florez (22) proudly holds the Game Ball after the game

expectation.”

At the end of the night, the Reds celebrated their back-toback victory with each other, family, and fans. Florez was then crowned MVP of the game and given the game ball.

Florez said, “I was not expecting to get the game ball. There were so many things going through my mind - happiness and knowing that it is all over.

That was my last high school game of playing football with the team that I love. It was both happy and sad.”

Florez gained 70 rushing yards and made nine total tackles for the Reds during their battle against the Beetdiggers.

Over the entirety of the game, Florez took ownership of 12 points for the Reds.

Dirksen gained the most yardage for the Reds with 103 rushing yards, followed by Florez’s rushing yardage. His tackle was made in the third quarter with a 42 yard run.

True and Dirksen led the Reds in tackles followed by Florez’s nine tackles and Morgan Tribbett (23) with seven.

Brogan Barr (22) made an interception for the Reds in the first quarter and ran the ball for eight yards.

To celebrate their victory, the football team was welcomed back into town with a police

escort followed by fireworks with fans lining the streets of Eaton.

“It was amazing seeing fireworks go off and the whole town there celebrating,” said Dirksen. He said his favorite memory from the season was “the locker room after the state game when everyone was dancing. Even the coaches joined in and started dancing.”

Walker Martin (23) led the Reds in seasonal stats with 1335 passing yards. Dirksen leads the Reds in rushing yards with 954 yards followed by Florez with 953 yards.

Defensively, Dirksen leads the Reds with 113 tackles, followed by True with 112, and Florez with 91. Dirksen also leads the Reds with sacks for a total of 13.5 followed by Morgan Tribbett (23) with 9.5 sacks.

The All State football game will be held on June 10. Representing the Reds will be Florez, Dirksen, and kicker Jose Lopez (22).

Eaton football was invited to attend the Denver Broncos vs. the Detroit Lions game at Empower field on Dec. 12.

All the champion teams from across the state were able to attend the game and were recognized throughout the game.

For the graduating se-

Emily Hogsett Walker Martin (23) runs the ball around the outside on an option play

Emily Hogsett Jose Lopez (22) kicks the football on a PAT attempt against Brush

niors, Lemon said he hopes “C.R.E.D.I.T. still sticks no matter what - everything you do that applies. So, I hope the lessons from football just makes them more productive citizens, help them in their further education, further careers, future families, and all of the above.”

C.R.E.D.I.T. stands for Commitment, Respect, Effort, Discipline, Integrity, and Toughness. Through their back-to-back State Championships, the Reds have used and exemplified this acronym perfectly.