The Catalyst Volume 21, Issue 7 April, 2017
Central bomb Chaning the world one dog threat at a time Page 3 Page 7
Fruita Monument High School
Senior Commentary Beginnig Page 8
1102 Wildcat Ave. Fruita, Co 81521
A Jump for the books Page 17
DIY GRAD PARTIES Page 19
Like the rings of a tree our marks and memories tell a story. As the years come and go, we leave our rings behind.
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The Catalyst
2 April 2017
More on Ephemeral on page 10 and 11
The bittersweet traditions of FMHS - Staff Editorial*
Writing this as a representative of the Senior class, and as one of the many that were excited for the senior campout, I would like to kindly express in the best way possible my own, and many others dissatisfaction with the senior campout being cancelled. Traditions across the world are practiced every day, and as far as FMHS traditions go, the senior camp out is one of the most highly kept traditions that every single person looks forward to being a part of at the end of a grueling 4 years of school. For most of us, the senior camp out was something we have looked forward to for longer than just our senior year. During high school every single year you look forward to being a senior, and every year you complete puts you closer. Eventually, senior year comes and all your excitement for the perks that come with the title of “senior” comes to the highest point it has been, because after years of anticipation you have made it. But this year, the suspense of building up to being a senior has been somewhat stamped out, because the senior camp out, the very last final event of our ever anticipated senior year, has been cancelled. Now, I’m sure that the admins have heard every single type of complaint about this issue, but nevertheless, the senior class is upset, and by ending a tradition all of us have looked forward to for years, it is basically an invitation for a lot of angry complaints. Can you blame us for being upset? 4 years of anticipation and waiting for this camp out has come to an abrupt, upsetting end, and though it may just be the end of one of our traditions, it was the most anticipated one, and by far the most important. The camp out was more than just what you see on the surface, it wasn’t just a camp out, it was also saying goodbye to high school, and all the people you may never see again. It was the last time you will see some of your classmates, and definitely a time where everyone celebrates that we made it through four crazy years of constant fun times, but also personal change, getting in trouble, learning lessons, and trying to make the most out of high school. This year, the senior class has been robbed of our most anticipated tradition, and in some ways almost a rite of passage into the future when you go to FMHS.
It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure. -Ernie Harwell If you would like to discuss this or other topics with the student populace or the newspaper staff then please submit a letter to the editors by either turning in a copy to Mr. Wuster room 307 or one of the editors listed to the right. Please sign the letter with whatever name you would like to be printed in the newspaper. *This is an opinion piece that represents the majority opinion of our editorial board.
Cover photo by Ethan Lovelace
The Catalyst Staff Managing Editors Jaren Gisner Journey Hart
Business Manager Abbie Kinder
News Editor Jaren Gisner
Commentary Editor Abbie Kinder
Features Editor Anika Roelands
Sports Editor Ethan Lovelace
Arts & Entertainment Editor Journey Hart
Online Editor
Anika Roelands
Copy Editors
Alexa Jo Willms Abbie Brown
Reporters
Alexa Willms Kade Thayer Abbie Brown Cody Baker Rylee Martin Odessey Stiff Rachel Meleski Mallori Powell Austin Miracle Campbell Atkins Lauren Benson Michelle Buffum Trey Dickerson Kobe Johnson Jori Moore Bethany Murray Morgan Daniels
Staff Adviser
Trent Wuster
Trent.Wuster@d51schools.org
The Catalyst is a publication of Fruita Monument High School, 1102 Wildcat Avenue, Fruita, Colorado. The Catalyst is published twice per quarter and is distributed free to Fruita Monument High School students and staff. Advertising rates and deadlines are available via e-mail at fruitacatalyst@gmail.com. Content of the student newspaper is an expression of First Amendment freedom of speech and press rights and do not represent the position or policies of Mesa County Valley School District #51 or of Fruita Monument High School’s administration or staff. As stated in School Board policy, school-sponsored publications are a public forum for students as well as an educational activity through which students can gain experience in reporting, writing, editing and more in the effort to promote responsible journalism. Content of school publications may reflect all areas of student interest, which may include topics about which there may be dissent or controversy. Comments, questions, suggestions, or letters to the editor are welcome. Unsigned editorials will not be printed. Letters may be edited for length and grammar. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors and/or MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service. Printed in the U.S.A. by Montrose Daily Press 3684 N Townsend Ave. Montrose, CO 81401
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April, 2017
by Mallori Powell, Reporter
ously because the informa- team forces Central High School’s logo with their would mascot, The Warrior in the center. 28th, Central High School tion was so specific.” After they received the call, break into received a threat that an tion has posed some larger the administration quickly the rooms in groups of individual with a bomb questions. We live in a put the school into a lockabout 4 or 5, and they were was in the school. As relatively low-crime, lowdown. Every police agency all carrying military rifles. students at FMHS, many violence town, and yet, was brought to the school, It was extremely intimidatof us didn’t know the exact we had a bomb threat at including forces from ing and scary,” an anonydetails about what was a local school. Across the Grand Junction and Fruita. mous student from Central going on. The big question nation, there have been told me. that everybody had many instances of shooting “The caller stated that he was in The SWAT team was, is the threat in schools, situations where cleared every room, real, and is there a bathroom with pipe bombs and people are killed while in a and the students and really a bomb at an AK-47. He was specific about staff were evacuated place of education. It brings Central? up the scary realization the weapons he had, and the from the school. They The school went that it is almost common to were taken to Paliinto a lockdown in location in the school.” see schools being targeted. sade High School, the morning when Should threats be something where they were they received an that is expected in schools? Grand Junction went into a held in the gym. In order to anonymous call from an Should we be taught that shelter-in-place status, even pick up their kids, parents individual who stated that violence and threats are had to come to the school, they were posing a threat to though there weren’t any inevitable in schools in threatening people at their show identification and the school. At Fruita, we have received school. The SWAT team “The scariest part of it all was that SWAT team multiple threats during the revealed that since all the police were at Cen- forces would break into the rooms in groups of school year and previous about 4 or 5, and they were all carrying military school years, yet we never tral, there was no one to be there at GJHS if usually go into a lockdown. rifles.” So why did Central go into something were to hapa lockdown because of this pen there. Therefore, they were instructed to stay check their kids out. While threat? Randy Powell, an today’s society? The recent in shelter-in-place. this was happening, every administrator at Central situation of a bomb threat at Along with the police, locker, bathroom, and room High School commented, Central has brought a heartall SWAT team individuin Central was checked “The caller stated that he breaking insight to what our als were called to Central. for anything threatening. was in a bathroom with society as a nation is like, However, nothing was pipe bombs and an AK-47. They quickly searched the and the growing prevalence school for anything or any found. It could be possible He was specific about the of violence in our world. person that was posing a that the threat could have weapons he had, and the threat. “The scariest part just been false. Whatever location in the school. We of it all was that SWAT the case, the whole situahad to take the threat seri-
Bomb Threat
On Tuesday, March
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News
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April, 2017
Features
High Seas in the Small Pool By Campbell Atkins, Reporter
From the quirky team names,
such as the Calcoholics, to the wordy boat names, like the Moby ‘Hicks’ or the SS-tential crisis, the annual cardboard boat races for the AP physics classes proved that even science and math can be a workout. “We apply a lot of the concepts that we’ve been working on all year, and we kind of manifest them in this boat race, where we compete against each other.” Says Tal Atkins, “It’s just a really fun activity that us physics kids get to do.” The boat races, which took place Wednesday, April 5 during SAT, attracted an abundant crowd of students, cheering on the unique and hilarious boats and their sailors. But the lower than normal succeeding rate didn’t stop the crowd from filling in. Dana Thomson, a physics student and the 2nd place winner in this year’s boat races said, “It was kind of a rough year for the boats. We only had four make it across the pool.” The students were
first told about this assignment at the very beginning of the school year, and they’ve been encouraged to plan ever since then. Most students spent about 2 weeks working on the physi-
cal construction of the boat, but the physics teachers have been preparing their students for this virtually all year. The many boat styles and techniques were unique to each group, but
FMHS AP Statistics students sink into the water while trying to navigate their boat safely across the pool.
actually shows off many concepts that we’ve been learning about all year.” She said, “I really enjoyed the boat races, it helps apply all of our new knowledge in semi- real world activities, and gives us, as students, a better understanding of the world and how it works.” Tal says, “It’s to not only learn about the world around us but to have fun while doing it”. All of their units they’ve worked on, they apply in the boats. As most people know, physics can sometimes go over many people’s heads, but the boat races are an event that all students enjoy and love. “It’s definitely the most wellknown thing about physics in Fruita, there’s a lot of people that come out to watch it.” Tal said, “And I think that that really shows the bigger importance of it, since we’re kind of getting the community involved as well, and they really like to come out and watch it, to see what we Campbell Atkins have to offer.”
surprisingly, Dana stated that she didn’t exactly have an extremely detailed outline. “We didn’t really have a certain tactic, per say, but we strived to minimize leaks and build a buoyant boat, which
Photo by
WARP: More than a Sewing Term By Jori Moore, Reporter
Warp. It’s a term for thread
used for sewing. It goes up and under; it holds the work together. WARP is also a club at Fruita Monument High School. It is fairly new and upcoming. They are a club that tries to bring the school together. It also wants to include Senate, dance, athletics etc. They are a club that wants to be a voice for the school and try to make the school a better place to be in. Mr. Pendleton is the one of the Vice Principals at Fruita Monument High School. This is his first year at this school. At the school he used to work at he had a group of students that would go do things around the school to make it a more fun place to be at. It’s a leadership group.. “I threw out the idea to Riley Trujillo and other kids. It’s for the whole school to get involved in. It doesn’t matter who you are. Just come and join and be a part of the school”, said Pendleton.
WARP club is meant to make the school a better place to be. “We start off with a vision and we will use it based on the way we feel about it”, Pendleton stated. At the moment the students that are involved in the club are just throwing around ideas and seeing how these might be accomplished. Their goal for this club is make the school an enjoyable community and to promote unity. This club also wants other clubs to be involved with it. If they have an event that they want to do they will work with Senate, Key Club, Spanish Club and any other group to have a certain part or job in that event. “We want to involve other clubs to work together on a shared vision, “stated Pendleton. Several students were a big part of putting this club together and they want to continue that. The students who are involved in WARP club have been throwing out some exciting and new ideas. A lot of students have come across the random blue shade cover that is outside of the school
and have wondered what it is and now we are there just brainstormwhat it is supposed to be. The ing ideas we are coming up a WARP kids have an idea to use plan,” Pendleton stated. this for concerts. They have an Pendleton has been enidea that every Friday they can joying this club just chilling eathave a little concert. It is coming pizza together and coming up ing in pieces, but eventually they with new ways to make kids be would like to have a stage for a little more excited for having students to come and play for to come to school. One of their other students. “We want to have ideas is maybe one day building fun. We are required by law to some sort of ropes course. be here so why The blue shade cover that Warp not make it enjoyable,” said club made possible. Pendleton. This young club needs more students to come out, have fun, hang out and come up with new and exciting ideas for the school to do. “The first week we offered free pizza so about fifty came and now we are down to twenty. Right
The meetings are on Mondays during lunch. “Go to the meetings see what it’s about,” said Pendleton. It is a place for leaders and all other types of students to come and share all their ideas and to let not only their WARP is not just used for sewing and knitting things together it is a club that brings people and the school together.
Photo by Rylee Martin
April, 2017
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Features
The Curse of the Grand Valley
By Kade Thayer, Reporter
O
ne week ago I don’t believe I had ever heard of the curse, but now that I have I feel compelled to ask questions about it. The curse itself is a strangely peculiar story that goes like this: the white settlers came to the Grand Valley and forced the native Ute tribe off their lands, and as they left the chief cursed the white men in the valley. The curse was that anyone born here had to always return back to the valley. To many people that’s more of a blessing than a curse, but to some that’s an absolute nightmare. Luckily though there’s a way to get away from the curse. All you have to do is bring the Grand Valley with you. To supposedly break the curse you must collect dirt from the Bookcliffs, the Monument, the junction of the Gunnison and Colorado, and the Mesa, so that wherever you go you’ll have the Grand Valley with you. I took a poll that consisted of 25 individuals from FMHS and learned that the majority of students do not
Dirt from the Colorado National Monument. Photo by Campbell Atkins
believe In the Curse. There is a somewhat small group of people who do believe in the Curse that
consisted of 5 of the previously mentioned people, which made up 20% of the entire population.
about its limited low quality games and unimpressive graphics (which were only red and black). The monochrome display caused players to suffer headaches and nausea. It was pushed to the market in its unfinished state after Nintendo wanted to
degrees. It was one of first VR technology to incorporate that. (Welsh, Eurogamer) After the Kickstarter which it had reached its goal of $ 250,000 but it went beyond so they instead got a whopping 2.4 million dollars! That’s ten times as the original
I often got the prevailing comment that it was only logical to come back to your home. And
another person who will remain unnamed said “they don’t achieve their dreams so they return to what they know.” This does make sense to me even though it does seem somewhat depessing. A teacher here at FMHS Tasha Castillo who teaches Special Ed said “I did move away and I did move back”, so there is evidence pointing towards the myth being true. After some study of similar beliefs I found out about the Boulder Valley curse, which was the nearly the exact same as our curse except that it involved different places, and involved a different tribe (the Arapaho). It shares striking similarities like the chief cursing the white man and the curse entailing that people could not leave. I believe that this incident in Boulder is where are Curse came from even though there’s no real way to know. Perhaps there curse came from ours or maybe even perhaps both developed individually. Either way the story is unique, and now it’s a part of the Grand valleys history. For all one knows perhaps it’s true.
Reality vs Fantasy By Kobe Johnson, Reporter
I
n August 1, 2012, a bizarre post that claimed to be revolutionary virtual reality, was posted at the funding platform, Kickstarter where people see cool things that’s in working phase, and donate money to boost the development of the thing they want to donate. The “thing” in question was mysteriously called Oculus Rift by the ambitious but, unknown company Oculus, which claimed to be a VR company. Many people thought it was just one of the elaborate scams, sadly common in Kickstarter. Many doubted that the virtual reality would truly catch on. After all, the video game industry once attempted creating virtual reality in 1995 and it flopped. In 1995, Nintendo once attempted to make commercial virtual reality system, but it was a commercial failure after critics complained
“Nobody wanted to touch virtual reality because everyone thought it was just a “failed attempt” on revolutionizing the game industry.” put more resources into its more successful console, the nostalgic Nintendo 64. Nobody wanted to touch virtual reality because everyone thought it was just a “failed attempt” on revolutionizing the game industry. It wasn’t until 15 years later, until Oculus dared to revolutionize the gaming industry. Oculus wasn’t Nintendo along with the fears associated with unsuccessful technology, so they decided to make a prototype in 2012, which could do 90
goal. Then in 2014, Oculus was bought by FaceBook for $ 2,300,000,000. I still remember that time I went to a comic convention where they were developing a game that was based on VR in 2014 with an Oculus prototype named DK2, or Development Kit 2, and I was so blown away. I was excited about the possibilities of virtual reality, I thought that VR was going to like the virtual reality in Matrix, where you can do anything in virtual space, you could be a
“I was excited about the possibilities of virtual reality...” superhero, astronaut or a soldier. But as time went on without any exciting development, the topic of virtual reality was eventually put back in my head, as “just a fad.” And a lot of people seemed to think the same, until in March 2016. After over 4 years of development, Oculus Rift was finally released in March 28, 2016. Many critics has criticized the platform for its hefty price of nearly six hundred dollars and draining your wallet even more, needing a beefy gaming computer that can run VR. Also, to put Oculus in even more perilous place, there’s now more competitors in VR technology than ever, such as Alphabet’s Google Daydream, Virtuix (which is developing a platform where you can move your virtual with your real body.) Sony and its Playstation VR, HTC Vive and hundreds of Chinese rip off VR headsets.
But VR isn’t all about gaming. Oculus has announced their plans to go beyond the gaming portion of virtual reality and use the possibilities of virtual reality, not “virtual gaming.” In future, VR could be used to treat PTSD in soldiers by exposing them with their triggers in safe environment, or educate students about astronomy, medicine and anatomy. You could go to a museum in virtual reality without having to go outside, and make plan or either go to the store and buy anything you want. (You could save your beloved one hours and hours of torture!) But that’s not the end of the history of VR. It’s still developing into fully recognized technology, like a sprout growing out of the ground and eventually, it will be a huge, strong tree. All it needs is nurturing, so the new and unknown technology can blossom into a viable entertainment platform.
A One-of-a-Kind Valedictorian
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April, 2017
Features
By Alexa Willms, Reporter
I
f you’re reading this, there is a good chance you are a student, or you have been one before. You go through the struggles of essays, chemistry calculations, finding x and y and wondering the question that has crossed all of our minds: Is it worth it? Milan Haupt, the valedictorian for the 2017 senior class at FMHS, has proof that hard work pays off. Milan did not plan to be valedictorian at the start of high school. She juggles whether sleeping or studying is the priority, just like any other student. Playing for varsity soccer, actively participating in the Interact club, keeping a sparkly 4.4 GPA, and being a good friend is a difficult schedule to follow. “I thought being valedictorian would be cool, but I didn’t want to do anything too extreme that would take up
Photo by Jeremy Poland
my entire life. After sophomore year, it really set in that I could be [valedictorian].” Her mind was in the same place as every other teenager. The most important part of high school is to make sure you don’t consume yourself with only
classes to her schedule. “I’ve always liked school, which makes me excited to take harder classes, especially science because I love it.” Taking 15 AP classes total in her high school career has set Milan up for a huge selection of life choices. “I don’t know where
“The most important part of high school is to make sure you don’t consume yourself with only one aspect of life. Students need to branch out and have opportunities to dip their feet into.” one aspect of life. Students need to branch out and have opportunities to dip their feet into. Once Milan realized that this opportunity was set in front of her, the competitive side took over and each success story had to be better than her last. This lead to multiple other untouched areas of experience and helped push her major task at hand. Milan began the process of adding more challenging
I want to go yet, but I want to be an engineer.” One of the most valuable lessons she has learned from all of her higher level classes (AP European History to be specific) is how to manage time. She advises to take high school one day at a time, know where your strengths lie and where they may need a little bit more construction. She knows that her science classes are the most important, but is
running, hanging with friends and the cheeky Netflix lazy days. She is capable of balancing all these things because she knows that work and play can go hand in hand if you give it the fuel it needs. “My hard work pays off and allows me to do stuff I really enjoy like soccer.” Being successful doesn’t have to mean reaching Milan’s almost perfect SAT/ACT scores. It can simply mean finding the thing that pushes you to learn something new every day. Milan found her thing and has motivated herself every day to chase that dream and dig deeper in the knowledge that excites her. “You have to find a reason other than just the grade. Find something that interests you, pursue something you’re passionate “Learning doesn’t have to mean all work and no play.” about.” Make sure to grab a seat at graduation to hear Milan give finale of each class, test or grade. her speech and say farewell to your senior class as they move on Learning doesn’t have to mean all work and no play. Milan to pursue their passions. still has time for hiking, skiing, also aware that those assignments don’t need as much brain power as another subject may need and is able to put her time to good use. Another thing that makes Milan different than others is her motivation. Some students have their parents yelling the endless threats in their ear every day that “if you don’t get good grades then...” That is where many students get their “motivation” to do well in school. Milan, however, does it all for herself. “Most of my success is just for me. My parents aren’t always on me about grades or anything like that.” The passion and satisfaction of achieving something is all she needs to push towards the
Milan Haupt, FMHS Valedictorian, posing for a senior picture.
April, 2017
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Features
Changing the World One Dog at a Time
By Abbie Brown, Reporter
H
ave you ever walked by a service dog and felt that horrible pang as you remind yourself harshly that you can’t pet that sweet animal with the wagging tail? Those deep puppy eyes seem to stare straight into your very soul, knowing you perhaps even before you know yourself. The Grand Junction District Attorney’s office realized this connection that dogs can have with people and acted on it with Tilly: our city’s new facility dog. So what exactly is a facility dog? You’ll be delighted to know that Tilly is the rare exception to service dogs around the world. Because unlike seeing-eye dogs, Tilly is there for the sole purpose of being pet by a long string of loving admirers. Her job is to accompany victims of child sex assault on their journey through the terrifying mess that is our legal system. Court can be a very scary thing for anybody, especially children, and just having a dog beside you to stroke takes just a little bit of fear out of the whole ordeal. It was arranged that Tilly would partner with Western Slope Center for Children and attend all of the children’s forensic interviews to bond with the young victims. Tilly would then accompany each child through Court as their loyal companion. Tilly’s task is an admirable one: helping the children of our community and abroad simply by being there with them through everything. Loyal and omnipresent even when they are apart.
Photo by Abbie Brown
practically inseparable. As Raley says, “From then on…we’ve been attached.” Because Tilly is not owned di-
“...Tilly is there for the sole purpose of being pet by a long string of loving admirers.”
Tilly was raised and trained by the Canine Companions for Independence organization in California to serve her purpose as a Yellow Labrador facility dog. She was partnered with her handler, Kathi Raley, just last year, and the two are
rectly by Raley herself, Tilly has a complicated set of instructions that must be followed exactly in order for Raley to keep her. Some of these include brushing Tilly’s teeth every day, keeping her vaccines up to date, practicing her specific commands and training every day, giving Tilly a bath ev-
Tilly, the facility dog, posing for a picture.
ery other week, and participating in a test ensuring that Tilly and Raley can both continue serving their community. When I arrived to interview Raley, Tilly had in fact just gotten back from a well-deserved “spa day” in celebration of their one year anniversary. She has been employed on the Grand Junction District Attorney’s team for a year now, making this time of year something special. Raley explains their bond saying, “This is a job for her. So it’s my responsibility even to make sure she goes to bed at a certain time. So it’s just like she’s a child.” Tilly relies on Raley for everything, even coming into the bathroom at a certain time every day
in preparation for her daily tooth brushing. It’s something like this friendship between Raley and Tilly that makes Court seem just a little bit easier.
unable to revisit the horrors that had been done to her for the sake of testimony. Her next trial, a little while later, was completely different. This time Raley brought Tilly with her, and the judge even permitted Tilly to sit quietly at the witness stand next to the little girl. Raley speaks of the event proudly, a defining moment for both dog and girl, “It was like a totally different person. She walked up there like she knew what she was there for and how to do this, and this will be Tilly’s legacy.” Since then, Tilly has journeyed to schools with Raley to deliver speeches as well as serve as the office’s stress reliever. Raley recounts the multiple times attorneys have come in to sit with Tilly, take her out for a walk, or throw the ball for her simply because they need their “Tilly time.” In the stressful work environment that is the county courthouse, attorneys are dealing with awful cases every day, and the chance to just go pet a dog for a while is more than appealing. “It’s impactful for me just to know what she’s doing… and that I’m a part of that,” Raley tells me of her loyal partner. “She’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. I wouldn’t trade her for the world.” Tilly’s impact on our community has left a lasting image in our eyes and a forever paw print on our hearts. Her task, though not an easy one, she performs with gentleness and trust so that every child can feel safe. Her presence in the courtroom brings a reassuring light, and her efforts in schools across the valley are not forgotten. As part
“Tilly’s task is an admirable one: helping the children of our community and abroad simply by being there with them through everything.”
But the impact Tilly has on her community is well worth the countless hours spent training. Her first case involved that of a young girl who was a victim of child sex assault. On her first trial, the girl had trouble speaking. She was scared, unsure, and
of the Grand Valley community, allow me to give a huge thanks to both Tilly and Kathi Raley for their heroic work on the front lines of the legal system.
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April, 2017
Commentary
It’s Been a Trip By Bevan Clauson, The god of thunder
Since caring about embar-
I’m glad it happened. It has made me into who I am now: someone rassment and image has taken up who doesn’t crack with heat. I’ve so much of my life already I’ve grown from the experience and decided to live life without. It learned how to deal with embarseems like there are ten people rassment. I’d tell you my method for every person on this planet. but it won’t work for you; it’s not You can’t please them all so I supposed to. say: don’t The bad motry to please “Be careful with that. ments in your any. Be who Fragile bones shatter life are there you see fit easy. Let your peers find to make you to be and who you act on your themselves as you would into are. morals. Do like to find yourself.” not act yelWhere low in social ever there is circumstance because people’s light there are shadows. Wheropinions are fickle and unimportever there is good there is bad; ant. They who do not agree with it’s just the rule of the world. you don’t have to be in your life. I do not regret that bad things You must not involve with those have happened to me because who take from you. it made me who I am; someone I’m not liked very much; I don’t stronger than I would be without speak when I should and won’t adversity. Ask C.S. Lewis and shut up when I shouldn’t talk. he would say “Hardships often Your opinion doesn’t matter to prepare ordinary people for an me. Hopefully soon no one else’s extraordinary destiny.” What has opinion will matter either. happened to me has prepared me. I’m thankful for the experience A group of girls were in a public school, life and circumcircle talking about me. Yes, they stance has given. Appreciate your were, I’m not just saying so. I life for what it is. No one’s going know because they told me. to take you seriously if you “We think you’re really attracdon’t. Take experience as tive” They said. They didn’t. a method of growth and They only said so because they discovery. There isn’t bad wanted to mess with me. and good there is only “Do you think we are really atwhat happens. tractive,” They invited. I didn’t know what to say. What is there I was in the middle to say when you’re twelve in of shop class, sanding middle school and chubby? Us on a piece of wood chubby type haven’t seen much and cutting paper for feminine attention and when it a design I thought was comes around, especially for the spectacular when he first time, it’s a shocker. I said came up like a black “Ok” and left. flash and poked me It came around the next day as in the side. Where well. Their empty words, were did he come from? nothing but a nuisance. It got His thick sausage old when it came about the day figures jabbed into following. Not only the girls now the under of my ribs but the guys too. After every like a splinter under a session of physical education finger nail. I fell to the they would meet me in the locker opposite side of the jab room and ask if I thought they and caught myself before were hot. It became a game. hitting the floor with both People saw that I allowed social hands. When I rose he took pressure to encumber me. It bethe scissors off the counter I came a struggle to talk to people had been working and held because no one took me seriousthem from me above his ly. Eventually I avoided everyone head. It was bait and I and isolated myself. The rest of fell for the year was shadowed by my new description: the weak kid.
Your opinion will always be it. He, with one solid push, threw me to the ground taunting me by relevant to someone (not me, but someone). Be careful with that. saying, Fragile bones shatter easy. Let “Come and get them,” your peers find themselves as I stood and grabbed at the scissors. Dogged another fist and hit you would like to find yourself. Be kind and resourceful to your him in the gut. The victory was classmates. Respect that they short lived, however, when he long to fit in as you do. Class of snarled with anger and stabbed 2018, if I ask anything at all of the scissors into my stomach. Thank God they were safety scis- you: be yourself. Take experience as it is. You are not mean. You do sors because I could have been not have to dress as they say you on the floor bleeding rather than should; nor have to speak as they on my knees want you waiting for him “Hardships often prepare to. Use to stop. your voice ordinary people for an This was the and your start of physical extraordinary destiny.” thoughts. bullying that -C.S.Lewis Be grateI had begun ful for to endure and everything that comes your way. the first bully I had held a fist Be loud if you’ve always been against. Not only did the experiquiet. Trust in your class mates ence teach me that self-defense and teachers, Fruita has some was important but also that good ones. There are problems sometimes the bully wins: you to overcome. Don’t complain. can’t conquer every Goliath by Don’t drag your feet. Grab your yourself. Still, I’d say let the bullies roam, for they strengthen chest, take a breath of air, and charge. the weak and weaken their own strength. Mrs. Miller, Your warm and bubbly personality reassures us that you’re always here for us. You welcome us into your classroom every day with a smile and conversation. I’m going to miss this. Herring, you once told me to never forget my goofy side. You were loud obnoxious and confident in yourself. I’m going to miss this. Rutkowski, when I had no idea what was happening in math class, even if it wasn’t your class, you’d help and it would make sense. I’m going to miss this. George, you made math
fun. How? I’m definitely going to miss this. Mr. Hayward, you’re not an easy teacher. You’re tough and real. You’ve help me grow. One lesson wasn’t enough for you, every day you helped me improve even if it was difficult. I’m going to miss this. Stockert, you permit me to be a fool. You entertain and explore the thoughts of your students. Learning with you wasn’t textbook, it was involved and meaningful. I’m going to miss this. Mrs. Hayward, you praised me when I blundered. You helped me by telling me I was worth something. I only found my passion for writing because of your encouragement. I’m going to miss this. Stanco, you support my wild writing and thoughts. You helped me hone in what I am and helped me create something prolific. You are always there at the end of the day if I need someone to talk to. I’m going to miss this. Wuster, you reasoned with me, talked to me as person and not just a teacher. I’m going to miss this. Morales, you’ve taught me so much about being who I want. I’m going to miss this. Ethan, a friend out nowhere, a person to rely on and trust. Someone who shares my interests and morals. Thank you for trying. Until college. Cole and Alex, you welcomed me to be your friends and always gave me joy when talking about the most absurd things. You were hospitable every time we met. Nate and Peaches, you’re great people that only have time to grow. Keep being who you are, please. Matt, I know we had a falling out but you were the best friend I could have wished for in that time of my life, thank you. Wayne, can you feel your legs? Erica, you are sweet and generous. You don’t always have motivation but you always go and do. If you ever find out your secret tell me. Randall and Jack, sharing a smile is second nature for you. Thank you for always giving me a bit of time of your day. Whoever you are and whoever you will be thank you all for being a part of my story.
April, 2017
Page 9
Commentary
It only takes a Miracle By Austin Miracle, Reporter
This is story of a young
After study skills, he went to his art class. He introduced man who is now 20 years old and himself and said, “I am a new is a senior at FMHS. This man student.” “My name is Austin is Austin Miracle. He has two Miracle. And Mrs. Sturrock said moms who love him dearly. My “Thank you for introducing yourbrothers and I are gradating on self and welcome to FMHS.” May, 16, 2017. This story begins Because, it was a better school with 10th grade at FMHS. than my last school. This is when he moved to a After Art class, he went to the different school than Palisade high school and moved to a small south gym. He met a weight teacher named Mr. Mulvey. He town called Mack. met his When the bell rang “When the bell rang I weight I realized I had lost buddy track of time, and I realized I had lost track in south was late. His study of time, and I was late.” gym. skills math teacher This was named Mrs. weight C’s. She said “why you were buddy was with a black beard. late?” I said “I got sidetracked.” And with muscles. At lunch time, You have lunch detention at I ate alone for 3 weeks. Friday after school.” I am just I know all of FMHS stukidding,” said Mrs. C. Mrs. C dents. Because they know me. I impacted me with kindness and have class with them almost all taught me the ways of math, life of them. Talk to them during, and future.
before, and after school. Talk during lunch. And after lunch. 4 years later, I am now the senior in high school for now. Senior year is once a Miracle, but you finishing with all your class. You will miss some friends that you care about. Some people you will see in near future. I have 3 favorite high school moments. A young lady named Brenna Graves asked me to be her valentine. Because I gave her a huge teddy bear and skittles for her birthday. My 2nd best moment of high school was running for homecoming king not once but twice. Because the first run I wasn’t serious, but I ran again and it was more of a challenge than ever. I tried to defeat Ty bird, but realized that he won the race with his homecoming queen Ashlynn Garcia. I was happy for him and for a good race.
My last moment of high school was when I took their mask off in dark.in the south gym. It was the best moment I ever dream of because, I was proud to take off the masks. I did SCH with them. It was dope. I love doing the secret comb handshake. In the near future, I will become a pastor by going a Christian college in grand Junction, Co I will live by myself and then with my future wife as a married man with kids. I will go to instep to learn with money by skills. Fix this a bit confusing. To my girls in future keep the legacy going when I am gone. I want to pass on what have learned from secret comb handshake. I got along with everyone. Because, they know I was a new student at FMHS. It represent to everyone I care the most. Good luck next year without me.
Austin Miracle expressing his love for a fellow student.
What I learned A
ll our lives we’ve been told that we should be grateful for our education. We’ve been told that we shouldn’t complain about school because a lot of people don’t have the opportunity to go to school even though they want to. When little 10year-old me heard that I didn’t understand why anyone would hate school. My whole perspective changed when I got into my freshman year. I dreaded waking up every morning and having to go to a virtually windowless prison where we were taught that
okay to be alone. Other people our grades aren’t always going to be able were more to eat with you or go see that important movie you’ve been dying to see. than actually It’s okay to do things without a learning. The squad or someone to be with you only thing that made this when you do anything.. Doing things on my own has helped bearable, to a freshman that me to know how to stand on my just had a rude own feet and not find happiness in other people. When I was a awaking, was freshman I found happiness in friends. other people; I rarely found it in I had myself. Now I’m about to gradusome amazate, and I have learned how to be ing friends. happy on my own. I thought we The worst thing that I ever would be did to myself was trying to close forever conform to someone else. I and nothing became so unhappy and I started would ever really change. doing things that were just not what I wanted. I was always too Of course scared to do what I wanted to do things never stay the same. because I didn’t want to lose my friends. If I didn’t do what they I learned quickly that other did I didn’t know if they would people changed and so do I. I still want to be friends with me. also learned that it’s okay. They It’s okay to challenge yourshouldn’t have to change into self. who I think they Doing things on my own Taking should be, and I shouldn’t have to has helped me to know easy classes change for them. how to stand on my own was a People come in feet and not find happi- mistake and out of our because lives, and it’s ness in other people. I never okay, just don’t wanted make yourself to come unhappy for to school. It’s okay to chalsomeone else who is just going lenge yourself even if you don’t to change. succeed, as long as you tried. I I’ve also learned that it’s
learned that in a lot of my classes, like newspaper. You were pushed to get things done on time even when you had a thousand other things to get turned in. The best part about high school is I learned to be myself. I learned to do what I like and let whatever happens happen. I may not remember a lot from my classes, but I do remember the lessons I have learned and the friends I’ve made. I’m grateful for the chances I’ve had and the close friends that I have made. I’m excited to start a new chapter of my life with them.
By Journey Hart, A&E Editor
Senior Apologies “Ira, I’m sorry for “disrupting” the library.” -Konrad Behrens “Mr. Hayward, we’re sorry for being late to your class everyday this year.” -Randall Fox, Ethan Lovelace
“I’m sorry all my assignments were late.” -Brandon Piechota
“Ron, I’m sorry I parked in the teachers’ lot every day.” -Katie Crites
“Ira I’m sorry for never signing in.” -Allison Stanton
E
m e e r h a p l Pronunciation: [Ah- fem-er-al] Definition: Existing only briefly
What should stay in high school The time in High School is coming to a close for some of us. A lot of seniors are moving on into college, military, or maybe even straight into work. There are a lot of habits we have picked up in high school or things that only high schoolers do. There are a lot of things we do that should stay behind in high school. Here’s a compiled list of things that should be left behind: - Petty drama - Impulsive actions - Your stress - People that only bring you down - Negative influences - Any stereotypical ideals you have
Im going to miss....
Senior Trips 1.) Road-Tripping It! A less expensive way of travelling, this vacation allows for you and all your friends to pack up, drive across the country, and see the sights life has to offer. Whether you’re the kind of person that’s more into quiet trips to Moab or the person that was born and raised on hours and hours of family road trips, driving from state to state is a great way to socialize, meet new people, and experience the world first hand. Trip sizes range from however small you want them to be, to hitting every state in the continental United States!
Nick Laubscher: “I’m gonna miss the smell of the chicken farm every morning” Sydnie Maynard: “I’m gonna miss smelly hallways early in the morning, butt crack, and jelly sandwiches in the cafeteria”
Senior most likelies
Lauren Hale: “I’m gonna miss how obsessed people are with everyone else’s lives.” Alli Stanton: “I’m gonna miss Ron’s dank Christmas kicks”
2.) Journey to Europe! History finds its home in the heart of Europe, and anyone can find themselves enjoying strolls by the Eiffel Tower, boat rides in Venice, and Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Let yourself be swept up in the marvelous sights of Europe, and travel to as many of the countries as possible! While this particular trip is quite a bit more expensive, one can still make it a summer to remember at an affordable price with just a little extreme rationing and careful strategizing. 3.) As Bill Nye says, “Science Rules!” If you’re that small percentage of people that sincerely enjoys science class, perhaps this will suit your fancy. The Monarch butterfly migration! Yes, this is a thing. Though maybe it’s not necessarily a summer kind of excursion, you can still spend a winter following those brilliant orange colors all the way to the Southern United States. Not your thing? Understandable. Why not something a little more tropical? Take a trip to Hawaii to watch the volcanoes, identify hundreds of different colored insects, or learn about sea turtles. Hawaii is home to some of the most beautiful biomes on Earth, enjoyable for even those of us who aren’t so gifted with biology studies. These are just a few ideas to get you started, but there are plenty more opportunities for you to go see the world that don’t involve planes, quirky road trips, or expensive resorts. Always keep exploring, adventuring, and travelling to wherever you can to gather all the knowledge you can rather than just hearing about it.
Senior Advice “It’s not that big of a deal to turn in an assignment late if you’re working hard on it.” - Crystal White
“Be smart about doing stupid stuff.” - Randall Fox “You’ll get out what you put in.” - Jenny Garland
“Join the newspaper for a fun time.” - Nic Clifford
“Work as hard as you can and it does pay off.” - Ethan Schweissing
“Don’t be a biscuit head.” - Kaleigh Moschetti
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Commentary
April, 2017
Finding Happiness Where You Are By Lauren Benson, Reporter
In the next few short months, I
the people in Elementary school will be leaving to a new academ- who welcomed me with open ic chapter in my life. It seems for arms when I was new, to the as long as I could remember, I’ve friends I have now who I’ll consider some of my best for the wanted to leave Colorado. Now that it’s finally time to go, I’d like rest of my life. Because of their amazing example of friendship, to give my thanks to this place I’ve discovered who I truly am I’ve called home for 10 years and who I want to continue to be. and share some senior words of The funny thing about my exwisdom. perience is that it is interchangeFirst of all, I’d like to thank able with so many other people. Colorado for Colorado is giving me a “It is interchangeable our home, new perspecand we tive on the with so many other shouldn’t beauty of the people.” take advanoutdoors. tage of those Thanks to the things we Monument for have come accustomed to. To providing me with fresh mountain air and the sky for letting me those who have still not found the beauty in Colorado, here see the stars so clearly at night. Thanks to the desert trails and the are some words of advice from someone who has: hot summer days that will make • Take a walk and just apprecisaying goodbye so hard. I wish ate the nature around you. It is a I hadn’t taken for granted all the proven fact that the more grateful aspects of the valley that made a person you are the happier me who I am today. you’ll be. I’d like to thank Colorado • Go on a hike with just you and for the people I’ve met and the your friends and talk about life. friends I’ve made who shaped You’ll regret not spending time me into the person I am. From
with your friends once you leave. • Blast your favorite music and drive up the Monument and acknowledge the sights we’ve been so lucky to live by. • Go camping in Colorado at least once. Not in an R.V. park, but in the middle of nowhere with no distractions. • Try new things. If you’ve never been mountain biking, hiking, or anything else you’d never want to do, do it! You’ll have a better appreciation of Colorado once you do. • Last, and what I think the most important thing is, make even the most normal and boring situations fun. Life is what you make it. If you’re one of those people who hate doing things and thinks everything’s dumb, then it will be. If you change your perspective and create fun things to do out of nothing, your whole world will shift and you’ll get a much better experience in Colorado. Never take for granted the place that has made you, YOU. One day it will be gone; so make the best of it.
Lessons Learned By Jaren Gisner, Reporter
High school, what can I say
about high school? The culmination of thousands of kids constantly buzzing around a compact building, somehow seemingly has made me ready for the future. In a sense of academics, I learned nothing in comparison to the life lessons that high school has taught me. Those essential learning experiences are the real reason we are here. Those experiences and lessons are the ones that will actually impact our lives. Finding the cosine of theta will never help me as much as the maturity I have gained and lessons I have learned from showing up here every day, but nevertheless math is still important, don’t get me wrong. When I reflect on high school, I am reminded every time of where I started, to where I am now. As a freshman I was really only a kid compared to now. Over the past 4 years, some of the biggest changes in my entire life have happened, not necessarily changes that have shifted the entire course of my life by force, but changes in myself that have grown my perspective on life, and in turn have changed the way I handle every situation that comes my way. My viewpoints
home, that I’ll be in a city four on things have changed, and I am not so naive and unknowing. hours away, and that I will be on my own. But the biggest realizaIn the past years, things I have tion is that I will be away from learned have taught me how those I am closest to in Juncto make better decisions and tion. Even though leaving Grand handle things in a more mature Junction and moving away from way. No longer do I just cruise those closest to me is sad, and through life not thinking about will be a major adjustment, just a single decision I make, reality knowing that I am moving on to started to hit me more and more college and pursuing something through high school, and that was an adjustment. Learning life bigger and better will make the whole process better. Plus, I’ll lessons, getting in trouble, and visit a lot. But never the less, this just experiencing makes this experieverything I could “I have grown ence bittersweet, and through these four years has changed up in these past while I can’t wait to see what the future me and I believe 4 years” holds for me I also this is something know that I’m going that every senior to miss every single can relate to. I person that I am moving away think I represent a majority of from in Grand Junction. But I the population of seniors when I say that I have grown up in these believe that graduation should be past 4 years and never want to go a happy occasion and it is. Graduation will be the celebration of back. the start of every one of our new Moving through my senior year of school has been a strange lives, moving on to new experiences, for some another 4 years of experience. At the beginning of the year it hadn’t hit me that this homework, and for other working was my senior year, and honestly or other types of schooling. Either it still didn’t hit me until this past way, regardless of the amazing times I have had in these past four week. Strangely enough I got years, May 16th is approaching through the majority of second fast. I couldn’t feel more confisemester without even truly dent about being ready to move realizing I’m leaving in not too past high school in my life. long, I won’t even be living at
April, 2017
Page 13
Commentary
10/10 comments from a 6/10 guy.
Give it to me; I’m worth it,
kind of, not really at all. If it weren’t for the threats received from my parents and the fear of working in fast food till I die, I probably wouldn’t be writing this article. I spent four years of my life tumbling about but holding on to the funny things that I found in high school. When you’re straight out of private school, you first of all think that everyone you knew during that time in your life will stay with you, but I now only talk to three of the kids I basically grew up with. You also think the world is going to be a secular nightmare. I’ll give it to tubby, prepubescent me on that one. If you’ve ever spoken to me in real life, you’d know exactly what happened to me after I left the shelter of my parents love and entered the real world and if you don’t just give the rest of this story a read and you can draw your own conclusion. You’ll also think your education is better than every other freshman’s, again with the whole talk to me thing, you’ll realize pretty fast that this was not the case. I definitely jumped in the deep end when I began high school and I’m still trying to learn how to swim. For those of you unfamiliar with the woeful tale that is and was my coming of age story, you should know that slowly but surely I learned that people thought I was funny (and extremely uncouth). I also learned that there was very little enthusiasm to spare when it came to school. Throughout my education at FMHS, I have encountered the dangers of fake friends, the power in destroying those with your words (I never threw hands because I’m a coward and I own that), the relief of having a reliable network of friends, teachers that will do what they can to help you in times of need, the beauty of knowing that life is actually short and you have control over your destiny, dances are actually fun. And lastly (and most importantly) some of the best music groups, possibly in the history of the world, always have
one person go solo and become better than the rest. While this list could go on and on, I thought it would be best to try and leave something of value behind, besides my valuable behind, for the current and future classes to revere and utilize (but mostly revere). Here are my top tips for
all high school- Senior Cody ers. These will ensure an easier time in perhaps one of the lower points of your life. 10. Don’t believe anyone that says high school is the best time of your life because when you think about it, those people are usually chumps and if this were true that would mean you have 60-70 years of some pretty bad times in your life ahead of you. 9. Branch out from your main squad, or try and have a couple of different ones. When you stay committed to one group of friends, it can sometimes back fire and leave you lonely. (I was the Beyoncé (or Camila) of the group so it didn’t really happen with me, but it will probably happen to you if you’re reading this.) 8. Don’t bash on the hicks. They may be annoying at times and have a fixation on cousins and flags but who do you think is going to be there when you need
a jump because your car won’t start at lunch? 7. Avoid roasting any senate members at any special gatherings (Christmas parties for example). You may not regret it, but there are better times to do such things, like at lunch or church.
By Cody Baker, Reporter
3. Parties aren’t all that they’re cracked up to be. They’re usually awful, gross and dirty. Your friends act like completely different people and if it’s promised to be a huge party like a bash or something, sometimes only like four people show up.
2. Bring spare pants with you to dances. I’ve split my pants three times, I won’t stop dropping it like it’s hot and you shouldn’t either. Therefore, bring the pants. Your social life will thank you. 1. Do as much as you possibly can. Despite the fact that everything you know about high school may suck right now. You’ll want to look back someday and see something that will make you smile. Trust me. A special thank you to my senate family. Thank you for supporting me and helping me grow into my amazing, flawless, perfect in every sense of the word (you get the idea) skin. Seniors thank you for being such good sports about my humor and the roasts. I suppose some juniors and some sophomores too, deserve to be a part of that thank you as well. As for the rest of you, I hope you grow a thicker
Baker showcasing his great sense of humor.
6. Join a CTSO club. They may sound lame at first but clubs like FCCLA, FBLA and FFA bring a lot of opportunities that you wouldn’t expect and I promise they have something for you. 5. Take advantage of all the time you are given. Go out with your friends, do the homework before the due date (this can be followed loosely, trust me), check out the football and basketball games and take lots of pictures because you’ll want to look back one day and know you did a lot of great things in high school. 4. Respect those that are older than you. It could be that teacher that gets on your nerves or the nerdy senior you’re standing in front of at a game. Either way, pipe down or move around.
skin, sorry I shattered your ever so fragile self-esteem. Megan Hicks thank you for bringing joy and spreading kindness in everything you do. I don’t know what I would do without my Marvel/baking buddy. Morgan Bond, thanks for always making me feel uncomfortable at dances and teaching me that there are boundaries in every joke (I don’t follow them but it’s cool to know that they’re there!). Ethan, Alexa, Mallori and Amber, thanks for being the best tier 2’s a guy could ever ask for, welcome to tier 1. Liv, I don’t know how I could have survived senior year without our constant, inappropriate banter, movie and song references no one else understood and the H.A.T. alliance. Thanks Taylor Barrios for making sure to always walk behind me. Shout out to Mrs. Ludwig for being the most patient English teacher I’ve ever had (my mom didn’t have a stroke and I think that’s a victory for both of us.). Thank you to ProStart for showing me that I actually want nothing to do with the hospitality industry. Thanks to my old squad for some of the best memories in high school and some of the worst, without you I wouldn’t have made it this far and with you I wouldn’t be doing so well currently. And lastly thank you, class of 2017, if you weren’t so great and simultaneously awful I wouldn’t be so committed to coming back 20 years from now successful and happy. Leaving these behind I’m happy to say that I’ve learned since freshman year that you keep only the important people in your life. The world is a nightmare and it’s up to you to make it a dream and how I’m educated is completely up to me. I hope that someday I can look back and find the humor that resonates with me currently about quite possibly the most uneventful part of my extremely eventful life. Cody B out.
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Commentary
April, 2017
W A N T E D
By Rylee Martin, Reporter
Bigfoot has been a big part
of my life for these past few years. I have always thought of him as a mysterious being. He always sparked a hunger for the unknown in me. I think of the way he eludes thousands, what kind of courage that must take. I cannot take it anymore, his mere mystery is not enough… I need to FIND him. He is out there, I have no doubt of that. If you don’t believe it… you are lying to yourself. (See my multiple other articles on him.) Bigfoot must be found, if we could find him we could prove so many things and our minds would be opened to wide new horizons. Other countries have Bigfoot...or their different versions of him and imagine what it would be like if we were number one in exploration of the unknown and number one
Rylee Martin continues her hunt for the ever elusive Bigfoot.
Since Cryptozoology is not a everywhere else. I love America major you could get at a college, and I love it when we are doing cool stuff. Finding Bigfoot would I’m planning on studying Wildlife Ecology to learn all about how be one of those things that falls wild animals interact to their into the cool stuff section that environments and hopefully that America does. Finding Bigfoot would change will give me some good background into how the world. Maybe Bigfoot is surviving he has some extra“Finding out there and where terrestrial wisdom. he is surviving. Maybe he could tell Bigfoot would When I get older I us when aliens were change the promise you will going to unleash catch me outside nuclear warfare on world.” looking for him. us. Maybe he would I’m going to miss tell us that aliens just want to be my days here at Fruita Monufriends but need for us to reach ment, and am positive no part of out to them. Bigfoot, or Sasquatch as some my life is ever going to be the same but I’m ready to step into like to call him is one of the ten mysteries of the world, right next the unknown, and ready to go explore the unknown. to crop circles and out of body experiences. The world has ques- If anyone has any information on tions about him and I have ques- the guy feel free to let me know tions. Now I’m ready to do what at 1-800-HELPRYLEEFINDBIGFOOT it takes to solve my questions.
BIGFOOT HEIGHT: 6.5-12’ EYE COLOR: BROWN HAIR: BROWN/BLACK/WHITE SMELL: STANK KNOWN FOR RESIDING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BUT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ALL OVER
April, 2017
News
Page 15
Bloom where you are planted By Abbie Kinder, Commentary Editor
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“ ife is short”….. “False, life is the longest thing you will ever do.” I just want to take a moment to consider the concept of time and what a beautiful gift it has been. I often find myself reflecting on the endless hours I spent watching “The Office” with my brothers and hearing the laughter of my father echo across the warm walls of our home. As Dwight and Jim spent their days putting staplers in jell-o and arguing about which bears are best…. “Bears, Beats, Battlestar Galactica” doing jobs that they didn’t love, the thing that really mattered was the people they spent their days with. The moments that turned into hours and the acquaintances that turned into friends. As I wake up at seemingly odd hours of the morning and see my friends still asleep on my couch, I’ve finally come to understand the influence that people have in our lives. I never dreamed that I would become the type of person that abandoned homework to spend time wreaking havoc with friends, and in heart racing taking in the my last year of high school world with your eyes and I have made being within more memo- “I’ve finally come arm’s reach ries with to understand of people people that the influence that who are gomatter and people have in our ing through spent more similar things time avoiding lives.” and just trying homework to make it out than I ever alive. thought possible. I’m still Maybe we don’t have trying to find the balance 9 years to spend filming between having a great so- a documentary with the cial life and still being suc- people that we go to school cessful in academics, but with every day, and maybe my final months at Fruita none of us have a cousin Monument have taught me named Mose that works on that it is definitely okay to a beat farm, but we have ditch the books sometimes each other and we have five and learn how to live with days a week for 144 weeks real breath in your lungs of high school. The number
last four years and I realize that by this time next year I may be in a different state and or a different country with different people I have come to understand the tangibility of time. I wonder how many of the precious days and class periods I wished to be over and how much time I pushed away wishing I was somewhere else with someone else doing something else. The one thing that is beginning to resonate with me more and more as time flies past me on wings of lighting is that it is essential to be able to bloom where we are planted. Jim Haupert never thought that he would be the top salesman at a paper company and maybe hoped that he could have been more successful somewhere else, but where else would he have found the love of his life or had to answer to a boss like Michael Scott? There are so many small seemingly insignificant pieces of life that make it worth living and though it is sometimes hard to recognize, we are being watched over and taken care of. One thing I hope to be better of people that we have the own families. able to execute as I continue opportunity to interact with With 7.6 billion people my journey forward is the and the things that we can on the planet it may feel ability to really listen and do with those moments are as though you have been endless. Let’s assume for thrown into an ever swifter see. To take in the world around me in all its fullness a minute that you have 8 moving sea with expectaand use my experiences to classes each of those five tions set before you that days and that in each of seem impossible to accom- truly become the person those eight classes are 25 plish. So where does it end? I am destined to be. The new people. Which part of most beautiful flowers often “It is essential to bloom in the rockiest of That’s 200 this endless ravines and amongst the people that you be able to bloom blue sea can spines of cactus. So while come in contact where we are I stake my it may seem hard to thrive with each day claim on and planted.” just at school. call my own? among the day to day monotony I pray that we will That doesn’t The endless remember that we are here even begin to mention expanse of our world and to fulfill a divine purpose the people you see at the the people and the things supermarket, the students in it often feels eternal and and that each day we are able to open our eyes is a who make up your sports endless, but as I walk the gift that we should make the teams, or the people you go halls of the school that I most of. to church with or even your have called mine for the
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April, 2017
Commentary
the wolf of wallflowers By: Ethan Lovelace, Editor
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thought of myself as an optimist before, but now I go beyond finding the good in the bad. I now see the bad as good. Bad makes good better. I’ve grown to appreciate conflict when it comes. In story telling conflict is an essential piece to a great narrative. I believe we’re all capable of living great stories and the best stories have a character who wants something and overcomes a conflict to get it. This idea that conflict is essential to a great story has changed how I perceive pain, fear, and heartache. It’s so much easier to enjoy a moment when you’ve suffered for it. Don’t numb yourself. It’s important to hurt because pain is a motivator. It drives you to change your circumstances. We want to be the underdog, we want the American dream but we don’t want to hurt. The quality of your story is the sum of what you do with your pain. So I dare you to hurt and I dare you to overcome. I’m an awkward kid. I used to be super shy too. I’m certainly not shy anymore but I’m still awkward. I don’t know that I’ll ever get around that. I don’t know that I want to. The thought of being “normal” terrifies me. I think society encourages us to dream but not too big. Like, you can fly to the moon but don’t fall in love with Saturn. So we make attempts at being different but not different to the point of being disliked or mocked. This is why our world gets so stagnant. If you want to live a truly great story you have to be different and you have to be okay with being different. The idea that you can change the world and receive immediate acceptance from it is a total myth. Naturally most people don’t like change so it takes us a bit to warm up to the people set on changing the world. The Dutch writer, Alexander De Heijer said, “You don’t inspire people by showing them how great you are, you inspire them by showing them how great they are.” If you want the most fulfillment out of life, you have to live for others. This isn’t a difficult concept to understand but it is difficult to take
action. Make people feel important. People are important. Give them your attention and do them favors. When you shift the focus of your story from yourself to your audience, your audience will expand giving your story longevity. My favorite quote is from Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you did and they’ll forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.” I think it’s only appropriate that I address how I’ve made people feel. Throughout high school there’s people I’ve made feel good and some I’ve made feel bad. If you fall into the later I’m sorry for the way I treated you. You deserve better. I believe everyone has the potential to live a great story but it’s not an easy task. A great story requires embracing pain, being different and making sacrifices for others. I spent too much time trying to blend into the walls. I spent too much time trying to be liked. I spent too much time focusing on myself. However, this is only the exposition. Thank you to all my teachers, especially Mr. Wuster, Mr. Hayward, Mrs. Miller and Mr. Morales. You’ve helped me discover and develop my passion for storytelling. Thank you Mrs. Rutkowski for being the world’s best guidance counselor and Mr. Rutkowski for going to my soccer games and for showing genuine interest in your students’lives. You guys are awesome. Thank You Conn Smith, Randall Fox, Dain Miller, Jack Wilkinson, and Carl Mosnes. I couldn’t imagine conquering high school with a better group of guys. Thank you Bevan Clauson for always keeping me thinking. Thank you Cody Baker, Mallori Powell, Alexa Willms and Morgan Daniels. I can always count on you guys for a good laugh. Thank you to the Young Life squad. Keeping loving people and keep loving Jesus. Thanks for the invite. Finally, thank you God for giving my life purpose. Thank you for showing me through your son, Jesus’ life what it looks like to live a truly great story.
April, 2017
COLLEGE SPORTS
By Morgan Daniels, Reporter
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hether it is watching or playing it, whether it is a college football team, or your high school basketball team, sport lovers are usually pumped about both. Many senior athletes are wrapping up their senior year and are excited to see college opportunities for competition present themselves. Some senior athletes feel as though they are prepared for what college has to bring. College athletes may have something different to say. Alexia Chapman, Track star at CMU feels like the biggest difference between high school and college is, “It really is like two separate worlds. You could have some semblance of a life outside of your sport, but that all goes away in college sports; everything that you do revolves
“It’s fun doing something as simple as running and jumping, and you get this really good rush feeling.”
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Sports
around your sport, your team, and your coach. And that adjustment becomes especially difficult when you add in the fact that you are no longer the best one on your team. Most college athletes go from being the best in all their pre-collegiate athletics, to just being another member on a team, which can be a pretty hard transition.” Some high school seniors may not be ready for the atmosphere of college, yet it is something an athlete can get used to. Starting with tryouts, high school tryouts are of course stressful, but you most likely know the coach. He/she may have been a past or present teacher, and you know the athletes you are trying out with. College tryouts differ a bit. The tryout itself may be in
VS SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL
team relationships change. You a different in state, or town. You might be going to a bigger colmight not know a single person lege. This affects the amount in the gym or on the field. The of people you know. With most coach might just know you as a college sports there is a competinumber. “It can be scary going tive team, and the practice team. from small meets with a couple If you are on either team, there of schools to the biggest meets in the United States. I had to learn might not be time to get I had to learn to be to be confident to know your other teammates, this can have a big confident in who I am as an athlete, in who I am as effect on your team relationships, “The team dynamic and I had to learn an athlete.” is super different between to trust my coach a high school and college because whole lot more than I ever did in it has to be. Your team really high school.” Alexia Chapman does become your family in colexpresses lege because no one understands Team relationships also may what you are going through change. In high school, “you are better than your teammates. You like brothers” says senior, Baselive together, train together, eat ball player, Cade Oxford. You can together, and travel together, reach a new level of friendship everything. But just like with all with some of your teammates. your families, you fight. More You can consider your teammates with your college team than you your family. Now with college,
ever do with your high school team.” Alexia Chapman Overall sports bring joy to many athletes, and it may be a way to separate yourself, or “just be in your own little world” says sophomore basketball player Rilley Flinn. Even though college sports change from high school, it is not something to be worried about. Chapman expressed her final thoughts. “Overall, I’m super thankful for my high school and college experiences. They were very different from each other, but they were both good. Every team and program is going to have its good and bad sides, but I am super thankful for the opportunities I have had to compete at the highest level, and it has been great to be able to see myself develop as an athlete.”
A JUMP FOR THE BOOKS By Michelle Buffum, Reporter
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Fruita’s long jumper Gunner Rigsby Photo by Mallori Powell
uita Monument High school Senior and long jumper Gunner Rigsby can probably jump the length of about 4 people, 4 people if they all added up to 22 ft. and 2 ½ inches. Rigsby has not been jumping in track for long. He started this on the track team last year and he said that he could “jump pretty well” so would just try and see. Rigsby said pretty enthusiastically that he “never thought this would ever happen,” in references to being placed second in the nation for high school long jumpers. Rigsby has played sports his whole life so working hard is something he has down. He expressed that he plans to take it with him to college as well. Rigsby says he is going to college for track and plans to keep doing long jump. He has been talking to some colleges but has not been offered any scholarship money yet. Eating is a big part of how you perform in sports and life and some athletes eat really healthy things before they go out and do their game, things like proteins and starch foods. Rigsby said what he ate before a meet, he replied ever so slightly with “red vines, I eat red vines.” “It’s fun doing something as simple as running and jumping, and you get this really good rush feeling,” said Rigsby. Some couldn't imagine being second in the state for anything, let alone being second in the nation. “It’s really amazing and something I never thought I would do, and then I tried it and ended up being really good at it and it feels really great to be good at something.” Gunner feels that his family is excited for him and are really supportive. Gunner doesn't have any superstitions like don't wash your socks because their lucky, or you have to be wearing all Nike. He just goes out and does his thing “Winning in long jump at State is his ultimate goal. He’s working hard and hopefully going to reach his goal and represent Fruita Monument at State Track “My biggest fear is failing, and never reaching my goal, but I know if I work hard enough I will eventually get there,” says Gunner. There you have it Fruita Monument, if you work hard enough and push yourself anyone can achieve their goals.
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April, 2017
A&E
Beauty and the Beast Undone By Michelle Buffum, Reporter
It’s said that an original story,
humor to the sadness, this movie was brought to life. one so old that no one had faith in it The main character who played but in this day and age it was done. Belle (Emma Watson) brings you Who ever said that was wrong. her world and she does a great job Bill Condon (Director) hit the spot of playing this innocent, smart on this beautifully remade movie. bookworm we all love. From her From beginning to end your attenmind set to her hope for the world, tion is captured, sometimes you Belle is the person everybody even sing along to the music. wants to be friends with. Gaston From the moment you see the beau(Luke Evans) was tiful bright colors the amazing at playing the townspeople wear and “with a coldhearted self-lover, how they act, you fall booming who only cared about in love with the beauty looks and beauty on of the small town in voice and the outside rather than France. The music hit ridiculously the inside. Dan Stevens spot on and delivers played the Beast, you to a brilliant musihuge library” who took this brutal characcal the movie was very ter to the next level with good at depicting when to put in a a booming voice and ridiculously song. huge library. This movie was great on so many This beast is not how we all relevels, this movie can make you member him. The Beast creates this laugh, it can definitely make you alarmingly beautiful scenario with cry, and most of all this movie his rose and his mirror he uses to makes you incredibly happy. From see the world. He has lost all hope the music to the colors, from the of ever returning into a human until
Belle with her kindness and ability to see beyond the skin, beyond the beauty of a person. Belle can see Beasts personality, she sees through the fact that he is a hideous beast. As the movie goes it explains to the audience, beauty is on the inside, and to never judge a book by its cover even though that is what most people do. I grew up with these characters and “Beauty and the Beast” was my favorite movie growing up. I had very high expectations for this movie going in because it’s an original Disney movie and it takes a lot to make something better than the original. But my expectations were filled to the very best standard this movie was gorgeously made with the characters, the scenery, and the animations to make this movie happen. Beauty and the Beast is a masterpiece of love, life, and being brave. I give this movie a 9/10 for its imagination on animated characters, and the story that brings it to life along with the actors.
Art under the sky By Kade Thayer, Reporter
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s people of the Grand Valley, we go everyday on our usual routes, and we pass things like art without seriously analyzing them. This seems so normal and casual to most citizens of the Grand Valley, but shouldn’t we take more time to smell the roses if you will. I understand that most people have better stuff to do, but still it seems that we have lost something. That’s where Murals come in. They are big, are illuminated and tell a story. Forget about appreciating the small things, (yes I know that’s still important) and look at the big picture. Literally, look at the big picture. That’s what a mural is; we look at it and we understand it. When we look around we realize they are everywhere to serve us for the purpose of beatification, and fascination. They are almost everywhere in the western U.S. Like in Moab, Montrose, Grand Junction and our very own city of Fruita. As a living embodiment of our culture, their actions speak louder than our words. In Montrose, on Main Street there’s a man who sits alone on a bench relaxing and watching bystanders walk by. This is my favorite mural near-ish to us as it almost speaks to you as you walk by him. It’s full of life and says this is what you’re missing in your life. Another of my favorites is one in Cisco, Utah that has become almost real. The building its on has partially collapsed leaving a mix of emotions. It goes from a peaceful serene valley to a mass of broken rubble, which makes you realize just how fragile the world we live in is. So to all the watchers who seek to settle back, remember the lessons to be gained from our artwork. Also this is contracted artwork and, not graffiti, please do not just paint random walls. So when walking out and about enjoy the artwork and find what it tries to tell you.
When we look around we realize they are everywhere to serve us for the purpose of beatification, and fascination.
It goes from a peaceful serene valley to a mass of broken rubble Photos by Kade Thayer
April, 2017
News
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Broke but fancy:
A Food Metamorphosis By Cody Baker, Reporter
If you’ve ever taken a look at
college tuition, fees and cost of housing you probably have some understanding of how most college students live while battling this crippling debt. Among the differences between posh parental support and the chaos of being an independent student is diet. With some needed inspiration from a fellow reporter, I thought it would be fun to take the sub-par food consumed by your average college student and class it up using my God-given talent in the kitchen. Our culinary adventure begins in the classiest of stores in town, Target. My mission is to find the cheapest items I possibly can that could pass as food. My restrictive ($15) budget made this difficult apparently, despite my simulated penniless budget, I still have ridiculously high standards. I caroused the aisles hoping I would find something to create a masterpiece with and found a few things that I could use. I ultimately swallowed
my pride and left with about 9 about glamorizing a sad situation), items and successfully stayed under I began layering wafers, pudding budget at $12. I have target-brand and strawberries creating a dish food products to thank for pulling similar in taste and appearance to off such a feat. My bags were filled what I can imagine is the trifle from with canned sea food, pudding, Friends. Despite this, I continued vanilla wafers, strawberries, Riceto create my monster and my end a-Roni and toasted rounds (which results weren’t awful. Snack Pack is off-brand for Ritz). pudding doesn’t create an amazing When I sat down and stared at taste when mixed with things, but what I had just purchased, I came it’s something you could stomach. to the conclusion that this was My risotto was not a San Francisco probably one of the treat, but it brought poorer choices I’ve “This was prob- some interesting made. After wallowtogether and ably one of the flavors ing in self-pity for texture. I topped thirty minutes, I set a poorer choices it with the golden pan on the stove and rounds crackers and I’ve made.” began my work. Fun sriracha (a college fact: Rice-a-roni can staple), both of these be used like actual brought complexities rice. This little discovery opened that raised the dish up two points on the door to a few more options, my taste scale. Overall it was about and I chose to make a seafood 7/10 on my food scale although I cheddar risotto with the rice and probably wouldn’t suggest doing canned tuna and oysters. While my something like this at home. The rice was soaking up stock (I know, Catalyst isn’t responsible for stomcollege kids don’t have it but this is ach pumping.
It’s not gourmet but it’s a meal fit for a college student Photo by Cody Baker
DIY Graduation Parties By Anika Roelands, Reporter
Graduation is an exciting time full of friends, families and celebrations. However, they’re not all fun and games. Graduations parties can not only be stressful but overly expensive. Many people feel as if they have to buy brand new… well, everything. Brand new decorations, outfits, expensive “Congrats Grad!” plates and cups, are bought every year by excited families trying to make their grad’s ‘goodbye party’ special. Some even go out of their way to find venues aside from their houses. But what people don’t always consider is that these things add up fast, and can end up being very costly. So what if you’re on a budget, or want to make your special celebration more creative? 1.) Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and even some junkyards (choose wisely) have great vintage-looking wood and/or metal pieces to
make picture frames for your well-deserved senior pictures. 2.) Cheap yarn or twine can be easily made into a photo line by using clothes pins to pin your pictures on a home-made “display line.” 3.) Walmart has cheap outdoor activities such as volleyball nets and corn hole that can be easy and affordable activities to occupy kids and other guests attending your party. 4.) If you want to go the cheaper route still, a bonfire is just as good of an activity as volleyball, and can make your grad party have a very “chill vibe”; add some twinkle lights and music and a total of maybe $20 and you’ll be set. 5.) Tables and chairs are an issue for many people as well. Many places such as American Rental Specialties rent out plastic tables and chairs that will work for any event. Otherwise ask around- you never know who will have supplies already on hand! 6.) Don’t bother with catering- Head to Sam’s Club or City Market to buy some hot dogs, hamburgers and sides in bulk, get your family grill out, and create your own buffet. Also, there’s no shame in asking some close friends to bring a dish to provide if they’re able and willing. 7.) If you’re looking to make your grad party a bit more formal… go with decorations such as streamers hung from banisters or ceilings and paper lanterns. Make homemade punch with fruit and a desert table to add a fancier feel as well.
There are so many options out there to make this time of year stay within your budget. Combining cheaper decorations to create a one-of-a-kind party can be easy and fun, and can turn out looking just as good as an expensive one. Remember, a grad party is just a way to spend time with people and celebrate your success, it’s not a competition, so do what you think is right. How to do your own graduation party. Photo by Anika Roelands
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A&E
April, 2017
What makes a classic a classic? By Trey Dickerson, Reporter
I will never forget the memory of the first time I saw the giant letters rising from the screen saying “Star Wars” or being pulled into the world of the “Wizard
of OZ.” You don’t forget these things in your life because they were magical, like when a little boy flies his bike over the moon with is alien buddy “E.T.” For a long period of time, I’ve looked back and rewatched cinemas greatest classics and wonder what truly makes them a classic. We all know or have heard of these movies, but what’s the secrets behind them? The definition of classic is “judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind.” It’s my job to go behind the scenes and to dig up what are the classics that need to be seen. I believe that a classic needs to connect to or impact you in a way. They usually have a very special place in our hearts for a number of reasons. Either it was the first time seeing the movie we remember seeing, or that the movie watching experience is connected to some other emotional event in your life. But what truly brings us together are the amazing characters. We can all connect to the characters because we ether picture us in them or see us through them. We can all picture us running for love like “Forrest Gump”, or to try to get out of hard times of the past or present like Will Hunting in “Good Will Hunting.” They move us to ways we would never be moved because we connect with them, and have impacted us in ways that we are never going to forget. Or what if it’s the music behind the scene, or the soundtrack that make us cry. Why is it that we know the “Indiana Jones” theme by heart or the dreadful “Jaws” theme? It’s because of the memory we share and how it grabs ahold of us. These 5 films are truly Hollywood’s greatest and most remarkable classics.
5. “The Breakfast club” is written a directed by John Hughes, and the story of 5 very different high school students forced to spend a pre-
cious Saturday at school in detention. The “Breakfast Club” does everything right from start to finish with its unique characters and story. I can easily recommend this film to any high school student because they face the same troubles any high school kid faces. We’re placed with an Athlete, a nerd, high school princes, an outcast and a troublemaker and get to see their life story come together through the eyes of a high schooler. Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez and Anthony Michael Hall all do an outstanding job showing us how school is truly a treasure to behold. The reason why “The Breakfast club” is a classic is because if you ever see this movie, you will see yourself in any of the student’s shoes and will never forget that feeing.
4. “The Sound of Music” is a tuneful, heartwarming story of a widowed naval captain with seven children, who hires a young lady to take
care of his children. Little does he know that she brings a new love of life and music into his home. Look I’m a guy who like big action movie with big explosions and superhero movie madness. But let’s be real here, I love this movie. “The Sound of Music” is beautifully directed by Robert Wise and is stars Julie Andrews as Maria. Julie Andrews is the best or one of the greatest actress who has ever lived. I mean she’s Mary Poppins for god’s sake. The reason why this is a beloved classic is because of the music and grand storytelling that moves you in a very special way. If you haven’t seen “The Sound of Music” then what’s the matter with you?
3. “Jaws” is directed by Steven Spielberg and is the thrilling story of one massive great white shark that has invaded a little Island over
the Pacific Ocean. “Jaws” stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw in one of the greatest films of all time. To begin with, I bet your thinking that Jaws is that cheesy shark movie with a crappy looking shark. Well it may look like that today but back in 1975 “Jaws” was the highest grossing movie and was the first ever blockbuster. What truly makes “Jaws” a classic is the acting and story telling that traps you in for a wild ride. This is the movie that truly started the great Steven Spielberg career for directing and it shows. What “Jaws” does so right is the connection between are 3 heroes. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw do an amazing job setting the stage for favorite shark. Also John Williams’s theme for “Jaws” is one of the best in cinema history. Please give “Jaws” a try and you won’t be disappointed. See it before you go swimming.
2. “The Shawshank Redemption” is one of or the best pieces of cinema ever made, and is directed by Frank Darabont. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman deliver some of the greatest lines of dialog in cinema history. This is the amazing story of a man going to prison for a crime he did not commit. Then it’s his story of redemption with his great friend Red. I love this movie in every way possible. Every scene and piece of dialogue has a purpose. The reason why this is now a beloved classic is because of its amazing story, and its beautiful connection of what life really looks like in prison and what it means to be truly free.
1. The greatest classic ever made and will stand tell the end of time is “The Godfather.” This film is the perfect example of a
perfect movie and outstanding acting. This is the tragic story of a crime family in New York that is turning away from all of the other crime familys. Al Pacino and Marlon Brando both steal the show and truly show how to keep your family close during times of death and struggle. This movie will stick with you for weeks to come because you’ll keep thinking what just happened. “The Godfather’ is the beloved classic that needs to be seen by everyone. The reason why it’s so beloved is because you care for everyone in the family and scared to see what will happen next.
All these film and much others are the reason why I love film so much. I hope that you all will get to see all of these films and much more. These are the top 5 classics and the building box of how to make a classic. I’ve told you what makes a classic, but what do you think; what makes a classic a classic?