The Lobo Legend

Vol. XXII Issue I

News

Genetics Mutates to Biotech

Lobo Legend

October 4, 2017

Copy - Paste [House] Students built a house over the summer that will soon be going up for sale By Parker Jones

Genetics class got updated this year after principal Wesley Paxton wanted to try and get more female students involved in STEM, (science, technology, engineering and math) classes. Students are learning health science practices as well as sterile lab practices.

Sports

Starting Sophomore Year Sophomore JR Hart started his sophomore year with the challenge of leading the varsity football team. As the season proceeds, JR is learning how his fellow teammates play in a game, and how to handle the pressure and responsibilities. JR, one of few young players on the team, is creating a new experience for the junior and senior football players.

Features

The student-built house stands at its final location on Surrey Drive. It is currently available on the market. “You should take a few minutes and drive over to Surrey Drive and take a look at what this house looks like, and then you’ll say, ‘Gee, high school kids made this?’” David Graham said. Photo by Taylor Mitchell

Juggling Pom Poms and Flags

Sawdust flies through the air and the bright glare of the sun reflects upon hard hats. The clackety sound of hammers coming into contact with nails can be heard, along with the shrill ring of electric drills. As the foundation of a house begins to fill the parking lot, the silhouette of Conifer High can be seen in the background. Last year, a class of 11th and 12th graders constructed a house in the school’s upper parking lot as a part of the Building Trades Program. In January, 2017, semi

Sophomore Caiti McAntire melds the band geek and poms girl standards into one as she juggles the two during football games. With merely seconds between performances, she has to change costumes and rush out onto the field. Although she had success at the first game she will only perform with one group for upcoming games.

trucks moved the house to its permanent location on Surrey Drive where it will soon be put up for sale. “We’ve had [students] involved since setting the first boards in, standing up studs and putting everything together, so they learn about all the construction trades,” David Graham, president of W. J. Graham Construction Company and head of the project, said. “And they get to do something which they will get to say at the end of it, ‘Wow, that’s cool, and I did it.’”

The Building Trades Program originated as the Evergreen Trades Program in the 1970s and existed until the early 2000s when it went on hiatus. The program involved taking a class of students and teaching them crucial construction skills through the process of building a house. Four years ago, there was talk of the program making a comeback somewhere in the hills. “I saw the opportunity to host it here since we have the perfect location with our temp building

in the parking lot and the interest from students,” principal Wesley Paxton said. “Students had also come to me and asked about the possibility of starting a Building Trades Program here.” Soon enough, the program was picked up and quickly joined by students aspiring to work in the construction business. They would work on the house alongside tradespeople, striving to create two halves of a house, or pods, that would eventually be transported to the final site and put together. Continued on page 3

Opinions

Students: Parking by the Numbers

Be Pennywise

By Carson Kennedy

Sewers, clowns and a group of best friends makes for a good movie. Teenagers from Derry band together to defeat the clown called IT and save the children that IT has taken, Bill Denbrough’s brother among them. The horrorturned heartwarming movie had audiences screaming one second and laughing the next.

Assigned parking spaces cause annoyance in the lots

It used to be just for sophomores, painted as a precaution to show that they were underclassmen, and didn’t have the same rights as juniors and seniors. Now, however, the assigned parking spots are there for everyone, and the confusion and controversy is high over what number students get to park in. Students always want the best parking spot, but now, juniors and seniors alike don’t have a choice concerning where to park.

The assigned parking spaces were intended to make the lives of students easier, but for some, like junior Paige Ringleberg, it became the opposite of easy. “They accidentally gave me a senior parking pass, and I didn’t realize that. I started parking in the back of the junior lot because I never realized I had a senior pass. Then, I heard from a TA in the office that security was looking for me because they saw I was parking in the junior lot when I had a senior pass. I got a junior parking pass, but then I realized that I was in spot 109, so I had to give up my good spot for a sophomore spot,” Ringleberg said. Continued on Page 3

Cars wait for their students who are in class and empty lots await the re-arrival of the kids driving to lunch. Numbers appeared in all the spots in both lots on the first day of school and students are now assigned parking spaces. Photo by Trinity Foreman

News

2

Genetics Mutates to Biotech CTE Class Genetics introduces students to health science practices By Mackenzie Orr

Genetics class got an upgrade this year. Science teachers Christine Stricker and Jessie McFadden have created a Genetic/Biotech class that introduces students to biotech practices and health science opportunities. The biotech class originated from Principal Wesley Paxton as a gateway for more girls to get involved in the STEM program. In past years, the Genetics class has been mostly female, so it seemed reasonable to change the class from just Genetics into a BioTech class that gives students more opportunities. The class still encompasses the genetics information, but it gravitates more towards a biotech curriculum. “The idea is to get them connected to health partnerships and health connections in the community, and to advance their skills in the health sciences,” Mcfadden said. The new course is being sponsored by a program called CTE, or Career Tech Education, which also sponsors classes like Eric Hallingstad’s STEM

classes and Leslie Thompson’s journalism classes. CTE requires classes to offer extracurricular activities to students taking the course. “The skills that we teach in the course are the skills that students can compete in at HOSA competitions,” Mcfadden said. HOSA, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America, is a nationally recognized club similar to DECA. However, HOSA is for students who have an interest in going into a health science career. As in DECA, students will use their skills and knowledge to compete in health sciencebased competitions. This year students will be participating in a biomedical debate as well as practicing sterile lab techniques and lab skills. “Our goal is to take what was Genetics and turn it into a yearlong Biotech class,” McFadden said. This year the science teachers are introducing HOSA as a club and are hoping to have four to five students in leadership positions. Looking into future years, Stricker and McFadden hope to see enrollment increase so they can have an increase in funding. They also hope to make the class year long.

Colored bottles filled with DNA sit on the counter as science teachers Jessie McFadden and Christine Stricker get ready for a lab in Genetics. The students were using samples to determine who committed a crime. The students used gel electrophoresis to single out the criminal through biotech practices. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

Ready. Set. Senior Year.

Safe Spaces with Familiar Faces Junior Peer Counselors Lead GSA By Taylor Mitchell

Seniors prepare for life after high school By Sarah Hager

For the class of 2018 the stress is mounting. From desired ACT/SAT scores to scholarship applications there is more than enough to be thinking about. But luckily help is not only offered, but given freely and often. “On a scale of 1 to 10 preparation-wise, I’d say the counselors have put me at a strong 9,” senior Colin Klinker said. Not only does the school employ Jolene Sadowski as a full time college planner, counselors Justin Neuenschwander, Kim Spease, and Joey Wilson have already visited English classes with handouts ranging from the Colorado Opportunity Fund to transcript request forms. “They gave out an index that showed me how I, personally, line up with Colorado schools and their admission requirements,” senior Tyler Maiocco said. “I know what I need to do, and I even have a time-line with deadlines.” Other students are not so lucky. “I feel lost. No one is giving us information. Everything I know about the application process I learned from parents or other students,” Heidi Erickson, a

Students visit with a representative from Montana State. Seniors Skylar Mattews, Andrew Wood, Rachel Elander, and Adam Burton learn about the school and some of the ski areas that are nearby. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

senior at Evergreen High School, said. Last week, after four class periods of drafting and editing, seniors turned in final drafts of college essays. “We haven’t even started planning our college essays, let alone narrow down our list of colleges” said Kit Hager, another senior at Evergreen. However, not all students credit their college preparation to the staff. Senior Audrey Dilgarde has been preparing for college all four years. “I tailored my class schedule to keep me on track for my top choice, Harvard,” Dilgarde said. “As much as the counselors have helped by answering questions, I think personal initiative is what has really helped with my application process.” Evergreen student Brian

Belrose has even resorted to taking matters into his own hands. “I’ve hired a personal college planner because I recognize the benefits of getting things done earlier rather than later. I want to be as prepared as I can be,” he said. Regardless of a student’s personal initiative, a helping hand goes a long way. “We want to give our seniors every opportunity to get into the schools they’re applying to, whether that means early action, early decision, or regular decision,” Neuenschwander said. “When it comes down to it, the most important part of my job is making sure students succeed.”

Last school year, Diversity Day and the Gay-Straight Alliance worked together to educate students on the many issues in the world, with GSA focusing on equality and acceptance for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Now, the program is being taken over by two juniors, along with other peer counselors, and they plan to make an impact. Junior Chase Conlin, a peer counselor in training, is leading the club this year, and has high hopes for what it’s going to do for the students of Conifer, regardless of orientation. “I’m excited for there to be somewhere where kids, no matter what sexuality, no matter how they define, [can] feel welcome. I want there to be a space where everyone has a support system,” Conlin said. A main goal of GSA for the year is to educate students on all aspects of the LGBTQ+ community, along with creating supportive relationships between all of the members. “Education is a huge goal within the community. People in general, even LGBTQ+ kids, need to know how to be supportive of each other,” Conlin said. One of the workshops at Diversity Day featured speakers from Rainbow Alley, a group located downtown that strives

to create a safe place similar to GSA for the kids of Denver. One of the hopes of Conlin is that representatives from Rainbow Alley will be able to attend GSA meetings to give more support. “Rainbow Alley covers pretty much everything you’d need to know. We talk about pronouns, all different types of sexualities, genders, and gender expressions, and what it’s like to be in the community and to express yourself,” Conlin said. The most important thing to Conlin is the safe nature of the space. His hope is to create a secure place for everyone to go through any tough time. “I’m excited to have something like GSA in our school because I didn’t have that in middle school like I wish I had. It’s special now because I’m getting that and working to create it,” Colin said. The first meeting for GSA was held during one lunch on September 21, and Conlin hopes that the meetings will become a haven for kids. “We’re all creators of our own lives, but sometimes we need a that little bit of help, and that’s what we’re here to do. There’s absolutely nothing to be scared of at the meetings, because it’s a place to completely embrace who you are,” Conlin said.

News

3

Pond Problems: Fire Suppression System Broken Million dollar project to fix fire suppression system By Charlie Toppin, Teagan Josephson, Elijah Davidson, Melia Carvalho, Ava Dalton and Jacqueline Thomas

When daily evacuations at Conifer began around Thanksgiving Break last year, signaling a failed fire suppression system (FSS or sprinkler system), a million dollar project funded by the Jefferson County School District began. The pump, which is used to provide a steady supply of water for the FSS is located next to the pond. It was failing to hold water pressure within the FSS, and is currently undergoing replacement. “The building is still pressurized with water, but we don’t have a way of getting water from the pond up to [the school],” facility manager Gene Smith said. To replace the FSS, a coffer dam (a temporary dam used during construction) made of a steel frame and fitted with a vinyl liner was placed around the old pump which will be demoed. Leaks in the coffer dam have occurred three times, which could cause the project to extend past November 9, the projected end date. Divers from Port-a-Dam have

been called in to aid in repairs. “If you ask me how it’s going, it’s going very slowly,” principal Wesley Paxton said, “because the goal is to have it finished by November 9th, so it’s going to take about a year from when it first quit working to get it up and running.” Additionally, the lack of a running fire suppression system stops the fire department connection from working. The fire department connection, or FDC, is the node on the side of most buildings that fire truck hose lines are connected to in the event of a fire. “The fire truck has a hose that comes up to the water tanker, behind the building, and then they push that 5,000 gallons of water into the building,” Smith said. One of the costs of the developments has been the implementation of flaggers, which have helped to slow traffic and keep workers safe. As students know, the original solution was the installation of speed bumps, which endangered workers even more. “We’ve already had one, possibly two situations, where [workers] have almost

Towering over the pond, a crane sits in place waiting to install a coffer dam that will block the water so work on the failed fire suppression system can be done. Divers from the company Port-a-Dam are helping with repairs. The project should be finished by November 9. Photo by Trinity Foreman

been hit down there. We are required to provide a safe working environment for them,” Paxton said. Government agency OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is working with Himmelman Construction to make sure

that the company does not knowingly put workers in harm’s way. While the fire suppression system is being fixed, plenty of other safety measures have been taken. Students have experienced multiple fire drills and know where to go in the event of a fire.

Mediterranean Skies will have to Wait Spring Break trip to Greece Rescheduled By Mackenzie Orr

The spring break trip to Greece that Spanish teacher Linda Cannon and counselor Kim Spease are taking through EF tours has been moved to a date in early June as a result of an error with the cruise company that was lined up for the original trip. The cruise company will not be operating the multi-day cruise that was originally planned in early spring. As a result, Cannon and Spease have presented a change in dates to their travelers. “EF tours has created a new trip for us, including everything except the cruise,” Cannon said. Students have been offered a similar trip, but will be missing out on a few islands as well as the cruise. After contacting all of the students enrolled in the trip, the decision was made to change the dates rather than the itinerary. “I think it’s going to be nicer because of the weather. I’m excited. I don’t like to travel during the summer, but I think Copy - Paste [House] from page 1 “They were looking for an opportunity to get more involved in trade and learn more about the inside aspects of building a home,” Paxton said. “They learned a lot about the tools, the skills you need to build a house, the different trades, some of the vocabulary you use, and some of the math that goes behind building a house.” As soon as the semester ended, some 12th graders went the extra mile by continuing to work on the house as part of a postgraduation summer internship. The project left a lasting mark on those involved. “Last year, I had an opportunity to observe three of

it’s going to be a better trip,” Spease said. The original trip begins in Athens, and after a few days the students will travel by cruise to the Greek islands including Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Samos, Patmos, and Rhodes. Had the itinerary changed, students would only have visited Crete and Santorini by plane and ferry. “EF gave us the option to travel in the summer. The cost would be extra, but they would divide it in half. They also paid for an optional event,” Cannon said. The dates may be different but students will be reimbursed for different activities that the group will no longer experience due to the change of dates. Travel will take place sometime between June 7-14 2018 and the latest the group would return is June 23. Emails are flying back and forth as the travelers and the EF representatives work to finalize the plans. The final deadline for all student payments has been extended to March. our students do presentations on the Building Trades Program for their senior project,” Paxton said. “And those three students shared with the class and myself how impactful [the class was], that it was a big deal, and that this was something they wanted to do, especially after they graduated from high school.” The project will once again take place this year and should consist of the same course material as last year’s class. The class has already begun, and students will soon be putting on their hard hats to begin work on the project. “We just hired a new teacher and they’re in the process of putting the fence up again out

Mykonos is one of the many island that the group will be visiting on their summer trip. “I think that travel is a really important element in life to expand my knowledge about culture and different ways of life. Greece is beautiful and I love the architecture there so I figured it would be an amazing trip,” senior Krist Ellerbroek said. The hallway to enter Cannon’s room is decorated by posters from past trips that Cannon has taken. Cannon and Spease have taken trips to Spain, Peru, France and Italy, Ireland, Wales England and Scotland and are in the process of planning a trip for the 2018-2019 school year. Photo courtesy of Private Tours Greece

The two halves of the student-constructed house stand in the school parking lot, held above the ground with boards. They were put together upon reaching their final site on Surrey Drive. Photo courtesy of Leslie Thompson

here in the parking lot, and they’re going to be building the pods again for the next construction project,” Paxton said. “So the students who are enrolled in the class right now will be both finishing the house

that’s currently over in Valley Hi, and then starting construction on the new home which we’re hoping to have somewhere in the Aspen Park area.”

Parking from page 1 For other students, the assigned spots aren’t so bad. Junior Jessica Oudakker, feels bad for the perils of her friends, but isn’t upset about her spot. “I was lucky enough to get a spot right next to the stairs, so I’m not complaining. But then you hear about people like Paige and then you’re like, ‘Well, that’s stupid.’ Also, last year it was first come, first serve so if you’re early and on time, you get a good spot. Now, even if you’re early or on time, some people never get a good spot,” Oudakker said. Most students agree that they’ve always been excited about parking in their own preferred area. Junior Laurel Ainsworth, coming into this year, felt as if she was stripped from her right as an upperclassman. “I was looking forward to the freedom of choosing my own spot, and then I found out I had to park in a certain spot,” Ainsworth said. A majority of the students think the assigned parking is a waste of time, and isn’t needed. Though the parking can be frustrating, senior Joe Mead on the other hand enjoys the assigned parking spots. “I think the assigned parking spots are good. I like to have my own thing. I hated it last year when people would park where I would normally park,” Mead said. The spots have found ways to give reasons for students to stress as soon as they arrive at school. Senior Walker Dougherty is okay with the spots-as long as it doesn’t affect him and his classmates negatively. “I don’t mind it, as long as no one parks in my spot. If someone parks in your spot, you have to park in the back, find them and tell them, and if you park in someone else’s, it makes a much bigger problem,” Dougherty said. In all, the parking spots have been a pain for some, and great for others.

Sports

4

BRIEFS Football

Volleyball

The Lobos varsity football team won 40-7 in their latest game against the Steamboat Springs Sailors, making it the first game the team has won this season The Lobos have an overall win-loss record of 1-3. The team has yet to begin their league play and will begin on Friday, October 6, against Green Mountain at Conifer at 7 pm. On September 29 the team will be heading to Rifle to play the Bears.

The Lady Lobo volleyball team won their most recent game at Arvada in 3 sets. They are first in their Colorado 7 league and their overall win - loss record for the season is4-10. When the girls went up against Evergreen they fought to trying and get the lead but lost in 3 sets.

Softball

The Conifer High School Varsity softball team is in first in the league right now. The overall record for the team is 12-3. Their current league standing gives them a good chance for playoffs this year.

Varsity won their last game 16-1 against Weld Central on September 21. The girls played against Ft. Lupton on September 28 and won 24-5 to secure the League 7 Championship.

Soccer

On Thursday September 28 the boys soccer team lost their game against Ft. Morgan 6-2. JV won against Ft. Lupton3-2 and varsity won 2-1. Conifer has won three out of seven games this season. When the team played Evergreen they lost 3-1 varsity makes it to league they have a chance of redemption against Evergreen.

Golf

The varsity Boys Golf team sent freshman Dakota Dolph, sophomores Tucker Lack and Landon Wallace, and senior Hudson McCarthy to regionals. Dolph and Wallace led the team with scores of 87. Dolph had an average score of 87, followed by Lack with an average score of 89.

Tennis

Boy tennis led the CO 7 league heading into the league tournament at Dakota Ridge HS on Friday September 29. At press time the boys were in the lead at the tournament. They are league champions.

Lobos Defeated at Homecoming

Lobos lose homecoming football game by five. By Mackenzie Orr

Homecoming, the week filled with silly spirit days and the anticipation of the football game on friday and the dance on Saturday. The homecoming game this year did not end as hoped or anticipated. The Lobos were defeated 14 -19 by the Woodland park Panthers on Friday September 15. “I was pretty heartbroken because it’s one we had in our grasps and let slip away by mistakes, and in top of that it was homecoming,” senior running back Kasim Rana said. It was a tough loss for the

Lobos. In the first quarter the first touchdown went to Woodland park as a result of a last turnover. The team were only down by a few at half time and felt confident they could catch up to them in the second half. “We were trying to fight back into the lead the whole game but that didn’t happen because our offense didn’t execute until the end,” senior guard Clayton Skurski said. In the fourth quarter the teem had some good drives and managed to gain yardage and score. At the end the team was close to gaining possession again. At the end of the game the team tried an onside kick, which is a deliberately kicked short but must reach ten yard in order to gain possession.

Sports Injuries Stop the Season By Carson Kennedy

The banner shreds as senior Kasim Rana runs with his team onto the field before the Homecoming game against Woodland Park. Students, faculty and community members filled the stands for the big game. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

“We have a tough game against Rifle coming up and after getting a win in Steamboat we want to carry that momentum over into

the rest. That starts with a win on Friday win against Rifle,” Skurski said.

Starting the Future of Varsity Volleyball Elena Eddy begins her freshman year as a varsity starter for the Lady Lobos Volleyball

By Carson Kennedy

In the midst of the sets and the spikes, the sound of the spirit leaders chanting, “She’s a freshman,” echoes throughout the gym, and the energy spreads across the entire crowd. On the court, Elena Eddy, the only freshman in a starting position on the varsity team, smiles. “It’s great being the freshman on varsity. It was super crazy the day I made it. It’s so much fun, and I love the team,” Eddy said. Eddy, the only freshman on varsity, took on many challenges along with the starting spot. She has only been with the team since the pre-season skills camps, leaving only so much time to get to know the team and routines. Along with these challenges, she deals with the excitement of her peers, knowing that she’s the only young one on the team. “The pressure is pretty evident, but I try to handle it pretty well, and my main goal is to stay calm and collected through it,” Eddy said. Eddy has been surrounded by volleyball her entire life. Motivation to make it to varsity as a freshman and keep her team going, isn’t just coming from the crowd, but also her family. “Along with my family, I impressed myself making varsity as a freshman. My mom made

Injuries Stop the Game

varsity her freshman year of highschool, and so did my sister, so it was really cool to be able to carry on the trait,” Eddy said. Eddy was a brand new student to Conifer high, not knowing may students and players. When volleyball season started, being drafted to varsity was a huge eye opener. “There’s a lot of hard things. Being a freshman, playing up on varsity is pretty hard in itself because it’s so much to live up to. Coming to a new school, and not knowing anyone, especially on the team, was also really hard too,” Eddy said. The varsity team is nearly all juniors and seniors that rarely are able to play with the future of Conifer. Along with Eddy they are getting to know the older girls on the team, the varsity players also had to adapt to a brand new player coming onto their team upon short notice. Junior Alana Giles saw Eddy joining the team as a way to keep the team smiling, and bring a positive vibe forward. “It’s really awesome to have Elena on the team because she’s always so positive, and she doesn’t let anything get her down. She’s really fun to play with,” Giles said. Running through the tunnel, is freshman Elena Eddy excited and full of anxiety for her first volleyball game against Evergreen. The lady Lobos came up short of the victory, and lost in three sets going 0-3 Photo by Walker Doughetry

As soon as the ball snaps, the bat swings, or the whistle blows, the risk of injury for an athlete begins. Athletes strive for their sport. They practice every single day of the season, putting in hard work on top of the difficulties of their everyday lives. For some, the game stops in its tracks because of injury. From the second that students sign up to play, dedication becomes a daily virtue that each of them follow. Their parents and fellow students stand behind them. Junior Mikey Stein played only few games before he was forced to stand on the sidelines, bringing his junior football career to a halt. “I landed on my knee wrong, my knee cap popped out of place, and then popped back into place. I go to the doctor soon, so I hope I can get back on the field.” Stein said. Stein’s junior football season was cut off early, forcing him to miss things he was really looking forward to. “All of it. The homecoming game for sure, the dance, muscle match, the whole homecoming week,” Stein said. Some athletes aren’t privileged with even the first few games. The first game of the season is exciting, and it proves everything. Freshman Andrew Waisanen was another victim of injury, snapping his arm only minutes into his first high school soccer game. “I broke my arm. I was running with the ball, and a big player kind of body slammed me, and I landed on it wrong,” Waisanen said. High school soccer has always been something to look forward to for Waisanen, making the injury in the very first game even more devastating, especially in his freshman year. “It pretty much sucks. You’re known for the sport you play, and it’s embarrassing when that gets thrown away,” Waisanen said.

Sports

5

Starting Sophomore Year off Right

Sophomore JR Hart leads Varsity football By Carson Kennedy

The crowd cheers as the sound of helmets slamming together echoes beneath the lights, and the players on the sideline chant and yell in an effort to hype up their team, things that most Lobo football players are used to, except for one. Sophomore JR Hart is getting his shot at starting varsity quarterback, and this means being able to feel the energy of the crowd behind him. “It’s exciting. It’s a pleasure to work with our older guys, and it’s always been a dream of mine to be starting early years, but we have a lot of work to do,” Hart said. Hart was on the team last year, but played on the JV and freshman team, spending the games on the sidelines of the varsity games. Now, he’s not only on the field, but he’s a leader on a team of guys older than him. “As a sophomore playing quarterback, I’m trying to get to know the older guys and my fellow classmates who are playing up top at varsity. We’re a young team, so it’s about leading the guys that I’m going to be working with for the next couple of years, and doing the best I can for my

senior class before they leave,” Hart said. Hart has had to catch on to the tempo of practice and work in a short amount of time. “It’s a lot of new stuff, a lot of new things thrown at me real quick and we’ll work on that. Week one’s over; week two, and come the end of the season, I hope to just have it down, not making a single mistake,” Hart said. Hart has set many goals for himself and his team so that they’ll achieve everything they dream of. “My main goal is to get better, better at reading defenses, better at running the ball, better at throwing in the air, just become a weapon and make everybody else a weapon so we can go to state,” Hart said. Along with having many goals and hopes for himself, Hart is also devoted to making sure that the Lobos have an amazing season. “I’m looking forward to a lot of things, looking forward to getting better as a whole, I want to come out with a winning season, and [I’m] of course looking forward to playing Evergreen,” Hart said. The varsity team is made up of a majority of juniors and senior

players who have always been led by a quarterback their age. “It’s different but fun at the same time. It’s fun to train a new player and work with the future of Conifer, and make an impact on the lower levels and work with them. JR’s doing a good job,” senior Kasim Rana said. Hart has worked his whole life towards football and having the varsity team behind him. It’s one step forward for him to finally be able to do this. “Football has been a dream of mine my entire life, and we’ll get better as we go, and see how it goes for the rest of the season. I’m going to work harder, and get better,” Hart said.

Defenders surround sophomore quarterback JR Hart scrambles to find a pass trying to gain yardage. The Lobos came up short of Glenwood Springs on September 8, losing 13-20. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

As the ball leaves the hands of quarterback JR Hart, sophomore Sam Dunivan runs up field keeping his eyes on the ball and looking to make the connection to gain the lead over the Panthers. The Lobos came up short against Woodland Park, losing 1419. Photo by Carson Kennedy

Lobo Regiment Takes First Big win at Jeffco Marching Festival

By Johnna Smith

Sun beating down and winds blowing hysterically, the soft thud of feet in time is all that is heard as the anticipation and focus grows on both sides of the 50 yard line. First competition of the season, show uncomplete and weather turning against them, the Conifer High Lobo Regiment

pulled through and took 1st place at the 2017 Jefferson County Marching Festival. The school scored a 55.35 beating rivals Evergreen High School by .25, as well as Green Mountain High School, and Standley Lake High School. In the Music Performance and Visual Performance categories the band fell short scoring an average 11.60 and 10.45 but jumping ahead and earning a 33.30 in the General Effect of the overall show.

“It was really windy and it was kind of a rough show for the band, but we pushed through and did really well,” senior Rachel Shirlaw said. “I think it set us up for a really good season and shows us where we are and how much we have to work to achieve our goals for state.” Currently, the Regiment is working on completing and cleaning up their show, Dark Magic, before the next competition, Saturday, September 30. The Lobo

Softball Sets Eyes on State Girls softball has good chance at making it to playoffs then state

Current Scores Football

9/1 Frederick 0-16 (L) 9/8 Glenwood 13-20 (L) 9/15 Woodland Park 14-19 (L) 9/22 Steamboat 40-7 (W)

Softball

8/22 Arvada 21-0 (W), 8/24 Alameda 23-3 (W), 8/26 Golden 6-5 (L), 8/29 Evergreen 20-9 (W), 8/31 Skyview 19-0 (W), 9/1 Kennedy 11-1 (W), 9/5 Englewood 13-3 (W), 9/7 Ft. Lupton 16-3 (W), 9/8 Pomona 12-6 (L), 9/12 Weld Central 12-7 (W) 9/14 Alamdea 11-1 (W) 9/16 Denver North 23-3 (W) 9/19 Skyview 23-4 (W) 9/20 Thomas Jefferson 13-6 (L) 9/21 Weld Central 16-1 (W) 9/28 Ft. Lupton 24-5 (W)

By Alex Ainsworth

The varsity softball team has set their standards high this year for playoffs. Last year, the softball team had high hopes going into regionals, but they lost just one game shy of making it to State. After the defeat, they became even more determined to make it to the State playoffs this year. “I feel like we will go undefeated in league which will take us to the regionals and our goal is to make it to state,” junior Laurel Ainsworth said. So far, the varsity softball team has dominated in league play, going undefeated against all league opponents. Their only loss this season has been against the 5A Pomona varsity team. Even against Pomona they played as if the season were on the line. After a rough first inning, it almost seemed as if there was a different team playing defense. A combined pitching performance

Regiment will compete in five more competitions this season. “We have a strong show and original music that sets us apart from other bands in our division,” Color Guard instructor Christie Hambright said following the competition. “We still have a lot to work on, but I personally feel we have a solid chance on making it to finals this year as long as we continue to fight for it.”

Soccer

8/24 Kennedy 8-1 (L) 8/29 Thomas Jefferson 2-1 (L) 8/31Summit 2-1 (L) 9/5 Denver South 1-0 (L) 9/7 Wheat Ridge 1-0 (L) 9/12 Elizabeth 1-0 (W) 9/16 Woodland Park 2-1 (W) 9/22 Evergreen 3-1 (L) 9/26 Ft. Lupton 2-1 (W) 9/28 Ft. Morgan 6-2 (L)

Tennis In order to break up the double play, junior Elizabeth Betsch slides into second base after the ball is hit to the pitcher. The Lady Lobos played Skyview High School at home on August 31. Conifer run ruled Skyview 19-0 after four innings. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

between Josey Nichols and Jaden Cates allowed just five runs in the last six innings. On Thursday, September 5, Conifer showed their dominance once again. They ended up beating Englewood 13-3. The softball team continued their

winning ways against Fort Lupton two days later as their bats led them to a 16-3 win. At this pace Conifer will win their league by a landslide and cruise into Regionals and hopefully the State playoffs.

8/22 Golden 7-0 (L) 8/29 Evergreen 6-1 (L) 9/7 Arvada 7-0 (W) 9/11 Standley Lake 7-0 (W) 9/12 University 5-2 (L) 9/14 Alameda 6-0 (W) 9/15 Longmont Invitational 9th of 9 9/18 Bear Creek 9/19 Arvada 6-0 (W)

Volleyball

9/7 Kennedy 3-2 (W) 9/9 Harrison 2-1 (L) 9/9 Vista Peak Prep 2-0 (L) 9/9 Erie 2-0 (L) 9/9 Fountain- Ft. Carson 2-1 (L) 9/9 Pueblo Centennial 2-0 (L) 9/12 Golden 3-2 (W) 9/14 Ft. Morgan 3-0 (L) 9/19 Evergreen 3-0 (L) 9/21 Skyview 3-0 (W) 9/23 D’Evelyn 2-0 (L) 9/23 Frederick 2-0 (L) 9/23 Skyline 2-1 (W) 9/26 Denver South 3-0 (L)

Homecoming Powder Puff

Seniors beat juniors in annual Powder Puff game By Parker Jones

White and black jerseys flash across the field, figures diving for each other’s yellow and red football belts. Dark clouds dominate the sky as a whistle is blown. The seniors had won the game. In the annual girls Powder Puff football game, seniors quickly took the lead and stayed at the top until the end, with a final score of 14-7. However, the match was called early due to an approaching lightning storm. “[We feel] like gods. I feel awesome. We feel like senior gods right now,” player Shawnie Wilde said. “I’ve been looking forward to this since the beginning of the year and now it’s here… we had a couple practices and mainly we were just like awesome seniors, way better than juniors.” The tradition of Powderpuff football extends much farther back than just Conifer’s history. The first documented Powderpuff football game was in the early 1940s at Eastern State Teachers College in Madison, South Dakota. Eastern had cancelled many activities for the duration of World War II, such as the Homecoming dance and football game, so the war’s end put those activities back on the schedule. Due to the draft, only three men were enrolled at the school, so a football game was carried out by all women players. The spirit of that first game still infects Conifer’s students. “I think [the game] has just a super good vibe, everybody’s having a good time, the chanting is getting pretty loud out here,” sophomore Dillon Turner, one of the chant leaders, said. “I just wanted to get everybody amped up because, you know, it’s always better when everybody’s having a good time.”

As the Conifer student body chants and claps, Samantha Anderson, Caiti McAntire, Gabby Jamison, and Despina Norway perform during the Homecoming pep rally. Photo by Bailey Sessions Striking college boy poses, freshman Andrew Flanagan, Zoe Peters, Sasha Sneed, Alyssa Klinker, and Willa Bowen, are excited and suited up for their first high school frat day. Photo by Bailey Sessions In the center of the gym, surrounded by the student body and teachers of Conifer, juniors Logan Coffey and Alana Giles compete in an activity to prove who’s the best homecoming couple. The couple went on to win royalty for the junior class of 2019. Photo by Carson Kennedy With the juniors and seniors waiting for the serve in the iconic Muscle Match, senior Antonio Lucero steps up to serve in order to disappoint the juniors. The seniors came out to win the Muscle Match against the juniors, and went 3-0 winning each set. Photo by Carson Kennedy

Don't Knock the Magic The Spirit of Door Decoration By Carson Kennedy

Homecoming week is a way for students to show their school spirit and how unique they are as people. The students are highlighted throughout the school, competing grade versus grade to show who’s the champion of school spirit. This year, the teachers were a part of the race; they competed for the most decorative and creative door throughout the school. “The idea of the doors was to boost school spirit and to get everyone involved, instead of just the student body,” freshman Luke Schiffers, student government member, said. Students take some motivation from teachers and their fellow students when it comes to dressing up and showing spirit, which doesn’t come easy. On the other hand, the teachers went all out, and leaped to the opportunity to compete for first place, get involved, and spread the spirit all throughout the school. “There was a prize involved, but mainly it shows that the teachers here want to be involved, and it really boosted school spirit. One of the main differences we saw between the students and the teachers is that more teachers participated in their spirit, overruling the amount of students that participated,” Schiffers said. In the past years, teachers have been unrecognized and left out of spirit week. Despite the fact that they would dress up and show spirit, it was never a known thing for the teachers to be the “go getters” of spirit. This year is their time to shine, with the doors being a brand new addition. “Our main motive was to get teachers involved. In spirit week, we do all these things for students, but we never really gave the teachers an opportunity to get involved,” Mr. Paxton, head of student government said. Through the competition of the doors, a majority of the teachers that participated saw it as a new experience, a way to show creativity, a way to be recognized, and to win. Mrs. Mizenko swung at the opportunity, and came out on top. “I really liked the doors, I hope we can do it next year, but not have it as theme specific so we can show our true creativity. I love being creative and I think school spirit’s really fun, and the day off work was the best prize you could get,” Mizenko said. Mizenko is very involved when it comes to school spirit, and loves being a leader to step in and showcase the creativity for homecoming week. Along with proving herself through the doors, she also gives her fellow teach ers a chance to be recognized during homecoming week. “Along with the doors, Mrs. Bahl and I have been teaching the teachers a dance to show off to most of our pep rallies, so that’s been that’s been my new found role in the school, to get the teachers together and do fun things for the kids,” Mizenko said. The doors brought the teachers together, showed creativity, and gave recognition for the ones who do the most, and now we look forward to next year's homecoming week to see what opportunities can rise for the teachers.

Opinions

8

Mother Earth Bites Back

Two Devastating Hurricanes Point to Climate Change

By Audrey Hayes

Hurricane Harvey left all those in its wake speechless and overcome with the tragedy that struck. Along with flash flooding in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas, Harvey made itself known as a Category 4 hurricane according to The Weather Channel. Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 hurricane, followed on the heels of Harvey, striking the Florida Keys and ravaging parts of the Caribbean. With these two horrific hurricanes, the question is asked if climate change is to cause these two disasters back-to-back. From evidence of rising sea levels to major flooding, the answer is a blinking, red-flashing yes. Scientists attributed Hurricane Harvey’s ridiculous rainfall and flooding to the amount of deaths and damage it caused. Atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel explained that with the planet warming up, the atmosphere is able to hold more moisture, and in turn, have heavier rainfalls. “We think that [Hurricane] Harvey-type of rainfalls will become noticeably more frequent as the century goes on,” Emanuel said. “Water is the big killer in hurricanes, not wind.” With the planet heating up, more water from the soil evaporates into the air and leaves the Earth with dry land. This can be directly linked to droughts, said Lai-yung Ruby Leung, climate modeler at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. “The Pacific Ocean is one of the important factors why a lot of climate change models, when they project into the future, show drying in the southwestern

United States,” Leung said. The recent wildfires, in Oklahoma, Texas, the Carolinas and more, can be linked directly to climate change. While scientists don’t like definitively saying wildfires are caused by said climate change, they do make many possible links between the two. While scientists don’t like definitively saying wildfires are caused by said climate change, they do make many possible links between the two. Author W. Matt Jolly, and six other scientists, employed at the US Forest Service, published a study in the journal Nature Communications July 2015 on droughts, forest fires, and climate change. “Wildfires occur at the intersection of dry weather,” Jolly wrote. “Weather is the most variable and largest driver of regional burned area.” The study shows that fire season has gotten longer for more than a quarter of Earth’s vegetated surface from 1979 to 2013. Fire weather season has increased by nearly 19%, contributed to the large amounts of carbon in the atmosphere. Furthermore, these ravaging fires burn trees that absorb the carbon in the atmosphere, causing the carbon already there to stay. The question no longer constitutes whether climate change is real; rather, how do we help heal our planet?

The Evidence Doesn't Add Up Is it Climate Change?

With the recent hurricanes that have devastated Houston, Florida, and some Caribbean islands, there’s been talk of a correlation between climate change and the intensity of the recent hurricanes. There was an article published on Politico.com, in which author Eric Holthaus stated, “Harvey is what climate change looks like.” While Mr. Holthaus is entitled to freely express his opinion under the First Amendment, there is no clear evidence that links the intensity of Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent hurricanes that followed, to climate change. This is a case where correlation does not equal causation. In the Politico article, Mr. Holthaus made the claim that, “In all of U.S. history, there’s never been a storm like Hurricane Harvey,” so therefore climate change must be to blame for the intensity of Hurricane Harvey. But all roads do not lead to climate change as Hurricane Harvey’s maximum rainfall of 49.32 barely surpassed that of other hurricanes of its magnitude: Tropical Storm Amelia in 1979 (48”), Hurricane Essay in 1950 (45.2”), and Tropical Storm Claudette in 1979 (42”). It’s worthwhile to mention that Tropical Storm Claudette poured 42 inches in 24 hours (a feat that took Hurricane Harvey 3 days to accomplish). Since there have been similar storms that match the likeness of Hurricane Harvey, it would be under false pretenses to claim that climate change is the culprit. Suggesting that today’s extreme weather, regardless of what kind of weather occurred (the Colorado flood of 2013, the Mexico City earthquake of 2017,

the Portugal wildfire of 2017), is somehow a result of climate change without any significant proof to uphold that assertion would be what philosopher Karl Popper called, “pseudoscience.” In his book, Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge, Popper defined pseudoscience as “theories [that] appeared to be able to explain practically everything that happened within the fields to which they referred.” There’s a popular phrase that raises questions about perception and observation: “If a tree falls down in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Climate change wasn’t on the global agenda until Wallace Broecker published his 1975 scientific paper, Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming? This means that events that centered around extreme weather before 1975 were not dubbed as “climate change,” or even “global warming.” In fact, there were just given names describing the event that had occurred. For example, the Little Ice Age, and Medieval Warm Period. When Hurricane Easy occured in 1950 and brought 45 inches of rainfall to Cuba, Florida, and Georgia, climate change was not blamed for its occurrence (or intensity) because the idea of climate change did not exist in 1950. 25 years later in 1975, Wallace Broecker introduces the phrase “climate change” to the masses and suddenly, every extreme event is a result of climate change. If a theory can explain everything, it can’t be tested and therefore is not scientific.

Trigger Warning

Why I am Not a (Third Wave) Feminist

By Parker Jones

As long as you believe that men and women should be equal, you are a feminist. Congratulations! You now have the power to dictate the thoughts of women all over, the right to complain about anything that goes wrong and label it a “women’s issue,” and most importantly, you now have the complete and total responsibility of being a victim. Feminism started up in the United States and Europe back in the 19th century when women in masses decided to take an official stand against the oppression they had been facing for centuries. This first wave of feminists sought women’s suffrage (the right to vote), along with the ability to hold higher social, political, and economic standings. The important thing to understand about first wave feminism is that women of all parties, ages, and backgrounds were united in one common goal. It didn’t matter if you were a Conservative Christian or a radicalist, everyone shared the same endgame. Now, compare that to modern feminism. When was the last time you heard about a Conservative/ Republican feminist who sincerely felt that they were being oppressed (who wasn’t living in a padded cell)? I can’t think of it either. The second wave of feminism came around in the 1960s. This ideological movement widened the scope of what gender equality really entails, focusing on issues concerning sexuality, the workplace, reproductive rights, and domestic violence. This was the age of radicalism. Songs like “I am Woman”

by Helen Reddy climbed the charts and feminists began to dominate pop culture, asserting their rightful spots in society. This brings us to the third wave of feminism, where things start to turn toxic. This wave began in the early 1990s and has continued into the present. Unlike the first two waves, the purpose of the third depends upon who you ask. A broad definition would be “a movement all about stopping whatever you think is oppressing you, on the basis of your feelings and gender.” Feminism has always looked at things from the female perspective. It’s defined as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.” This makes a lot of sense considering that feminism originated in a time in which women were systematically oppressed by society. Today, we are not living in the same scenario in the United States, which would imply that a new perspective is necessary. Women in the United States have all of the same rights as men do, but feminists have continued to revert back to that expired definition. So now it’s all about coming up with new ways that women are oppressed. For instance, the wage gap. The classic wage gap statistic claiming that women make 77 cents to the dollar has been debunked on numerous occasions, yet feminists still relentlessly spread the stat. Another example would be the made up United States rape culture. Rape culture is “a society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse” (Oxford dictionary).

This perfectly describes the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. This does not describe the United States. Contrary to claims that feminism supports gender equality, men’s issues are nearly always blatantly ignored. Yes, you read that right. Men, the great oppressors and power giants, actually do have issues that are almost never discussed by third wavers. For instance, a University of Michigan study found that men receive prison sentences that are, on average, 63% higher than women’s for the same crime committed. Men die by suicide about 3.5 times more than women do in the US (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). Women and men suffer almost equally from domestic abuse; there are over 1,500 battered women’s shelters and only ONE for men. American women have a life expectancy of 81.2 years, while men have one of 76.4 years. I do not intend to invalidate the issues of women, but if a serious conversation about gender equality is going to be had, men’s issues need to be in the picture. Feminism attacks the family and the decisions that women make. Somewhere in the process of women’s liberation, it was decided that you cannot be an empowered woman if you are not independent. Quotes like, “Don’t be a woman that needs a man… Be a woman a man needs!” now fill feminist social media pages, dictating who a woman needs to be if she is to be accepted into the feminist mindset. But isn’t feminism supposed to be all about supporting the choices of women everywhere, no matter

Parker Jones is a reporter for The Lobo Legend. Follow her on Instagram @ parkerthemeninist for opinions, editorial pieces, and views on current news. Photo by Carson Kennedy

what they are? Guess not. Because now the importance of intellectual diversity has been surmounted by that of symbolic independence. Now, the big question: how can feminism possibly be fixed? The answer would be that feminists need to stop making women out to be the ultimate victims of society’s scathing talons and start addressing real issues that are hurting women both in the US and in other countries. A 2015 census showed that more than 16.9 million women in the US are living in poverty. About one in eight US women will develop breast cancer. Women in Middle Eastern countries are actually being systematically oppressed. These are evidently not the priorities of most third wavers. Feminism has clearly devolved over the years and its truepurpose has been lost. It’s time to take it back.

Opinions

9

A New Spin Staff Editorial Careful About Your Keys, You Aren't By Friends Anymore on the Old We’re surrounded by numbers three minutes to their walk, thirty, their parking space would Wonderland at Conifer. First lunch or second? which isn’t a huge deal, but it’s still be at the back. If someone A Review of Heartless By Marissa Meyer By Chloe Penrod

Heartless by Marissa Meyer is an amazing story filled with pumpkins, marriage proposals, and revenge. A twisted fairy tale based on Alice in Wonderland, Meyer’s story is as deliciously crafted as her main character’s sweets. One might recognize her name from the Lunar Chronicles, but Heartless stands apart from the crowd. The book comes to life in your hands, playing out the story of Catherine Pink - The girl who just wanted to bake. You can hear the Jabberwocky’s cries and taste the dream-lemons and pumpkin pie. You’ll feel Cath’s ambition and hope and pain. If you’ve read a lot of Alice in Wonderland re-dos, or basically any twisted fairy tales, you may be tired of hearing the phrase ‘This isn’t the Wonderland you know.’ But this is Wonderland, same as ever. The only change? The story takes place prior to Alice. The Red Queen isn’t a queen, the Mad Hatter is saner than ever. It’s the same characters everyone knows, as no one knows them. If you haven’t read Marissa Meyer’s Heartless, you’re missing out on the best Wonderland story you’ll read in this lifetime.

The Lobo Legend Staff

Taylor Mitchell - Editor in Chief Johnna Smith - Web Editor Trinity Foreman - Photo Editor Audrey Hayes - Social Media Felix Randol - Designer Mackenzie Orr - Designer Alex Ainsworth Alyssa Rebello Aspen Schroeder Ava Dalton Carson Kennedy Charles Toppin Chloe Penrod Elijah Davidson Ellie Carroll Jacqueline Thomas Jesse Parslow Melia Carvalho Parker Jones Riley Patton Sarah Hager Teagan Josephson

If you find an error with a story, fact, graphic, or a point needing further clarification, please contact the staff at

Lobo Legend Staff c/o Conifer High School 10441 Hwy 73 Conifer, CO 80433

Is your free seventh or eighth? Now, we’re adding one more to the mix, and the opinions on it range from love to hate: assigned parking spaces. The intent of the numbers assigned to the students is a good one: it keeps people from hanging out in the parking lots because they aren’t next to their friends, and there’s no risk of a feud over the spot. Unfortunately, it seems to have created more of a problem than a solution. More than one junior has been given a senior pass, and these students have two options: park in the senior lot and risk getting keyed, or park in the worst spots in the junior lot and add another

still annoying. Because there isn’t room left in the junior lot, any students that want to purchase a parking pass for this year better hurry. The sophomore spots are filled with the cars of juniors, and soon, there won’t be any space left for new drivers. The incoming freshman are the biggest class that Conifer has seen in years, so when they become drivers, how will they fit everyone in the parking lot? Another problem with the location of the parking spaces is the elimination of a first come, first serve basis. Most students aren’t thrilled with the fact that even if they get to school at six-

who arrives early to school decides to park anywhere they want, the entire system is thrown off, and nobody gets to park in their spot. One more worry of a lot of kids is who they’re parked between. If a student isn’t around to watch over their car and glare at the possible door-dingers and window-scratchers, their car could possibly be in danger. This system also gives kids a reason to not like each other; if the person to the left of you is always over the line and you’ve never had an interaction with them before being space neighbors, your opinion of them will drop quickly.

Along with the cons of the new system, there are pros. Though it can be irritating to not be by friends and to be at the back of the parking lot permanently, gone are the mornings worrying about where to park while driving up the hill to the school, and gone are the stolen parking spaces after going off for lunch. For kids that have a new license, it’s a bit of a relief to not have to worry about where to park and if they’ll steal someone’s spot on accident. The time consuming trek up to the school and back down if someone is parked in your spot is a little tedious, as are the faraway spots given to people who procrastinated buying a parking pass, but there’s good intent behind the annoyance.

Review: Splatoon 2

New ideas, same game By Riley Patton

The shooter genre has been done time and time again. However, on May 28th, 2015, Nintendo released their paintslinging Splatoon on the Wii U. It was extremely well received worldwide, with competitive play still going strong until a few months into 2017. In March, Splatoon 2 was released to Nintendo Switch owners in the form of a playable test for anyone wanting more, unknown to the fans of the series the release of the game was right around the corner. Splatoon 2 was released on July 21, and everything worked and went as planned. The player count was high and it was one of the cleanest game launches of the year, next to the launch of the Switch console. The game comes packed with six game modes, each one different from the last; Turf War: The original game mode. Try to cover the map with more ink than the other team. Splat Zones: The goal is to cover

a certain area of the map and keep it covered, similar to King of the Hill. Tower Control: This mode consists of riding a moving tower into the enemy team's spawn. It’s like a payload game mode (push a cart to the end), except both teams are on attack. Rainmaker: Like reverse capture the flag, the objective is to carry a special weapon into the enemy team’s spawn. Salmon Run: Two to four people work together to harvest golden eggs in a wave based, playerversus-enemy game mode. Infiltrate Octo Canyon: The single player mode in which the goal is to rescue one of the characters from the original game. The gameplay in TV mode is very smooth and looks great, and the gameplay in handheld is near perfect; it’s smooth and looks even more polished. The Switch’s capability to go into handheld mode gives players more freedom, so taking

Splatoon 2 on the go is very convenient. However, all good things have their downsides, like the matchmaking, the system is fast, but the average player be placed in the same lobby as people who just bought the game or be placed in the same lobby as a professional player. So having a team with three brand new players versus competitive level players which is quite unfair.

Plus, monthly Splatfests, are so systematically broken that one team will win even if they don’t play against the other team. Aside from the few complaints I have, I love this game.. It has so much charm, and once you start playing, it’s hard to put down. Splatoon 2 is for sure one of my favorite multiplayer games of the year.

Photo Courtesy of Nintendo

Be Penny-Wise and See Pennywise Review of the New Hit IT By Taylor Mitchell

Walking into the theater expecting the worst, I bought my ticket for the nine-thirty showing and walked down the hallway that led to theater three. After seeing the trailers and reviews, I had high hopes for IT, a recent horror film about a group of bullied kids banding together to fight a demon that takes the shape of a clown. I hadn’t ever seen the original film or read the book by Stephen King, so everything that came next was a surprise. In the film, the town of Derry is terrorized every 27 years by a tragic accident or strange happening. When the younger brother of Bill Denbrough goes missing, he recruits his friends to

help him find the culprit. Any time a movie mixes fear with comedy, it becomes better. The rag tag feel of the group of thirteen year olds reminded me of Goonies and The Sandlot, two movies that I’ve always loved and always will love; their joking nature with the rest of the group was wonderful, and I wouldn’t mind a series of them in high school, even without a clown involved. Though the situation in IT was a little more serious than getting a baseball back from a huge dog, the feel of the group was the same, and I enjoyed it a lot. Clowns have never seemed to be all that scary to me, but the sadness of the main character

losing his brother to a demon made the movie better. I tried to keep in mind that it didn’t have to be a clown, that was just the form that the demon had taken on; this helped make it less silly and more sad, which is what seemed to be the goal. The realistic teamwork aspect of the small town kids made the fight seem relatable, even though I’ve never fought a demon with five of my friends. The biggest criticism I have is the use of a clown as the main horror component in the film. I understand that the big smile and sickly-sweet voice is supposed to be creepy, but to me, it seems overdone and unoriginal. Though Stephen King’s book most likely called for a nice clown to lure the

children into the sewers, it was overdone in the film and made the challenge of defeating him seem like a small issue. I would give IT four out of five stars. The best part of the film was undoubtedly seeing the kids grow up a little through their scary experiences, and they made the film amazing with their jokes and love for each other. Overall, the movie was great. It was funny and tasteful, but the clown aspect could have been done better. The kindness of the clown to the kids made the film seem a little more childish than the director was probably intending. Regardless, I absolutely recommend seeing IT, even if horror movies aren’t usually something you enjoy.

Features

10

Caiti McAntire, Juggling Pom Poms and Flags Sophomore Balances the Life of Being a Cheerleader and Band Member By Johnna Smith

The crowd goes wild for the small poms team of six as they finish their set, and all of the team is congratulating themselves on a job well done. All but one. Sophomore Caiti McAntire can only absorb it for a few moments before she bolts. Her heart racing fast, she makes it to the end zone, tears daring to flood her eyes. The nerves coursing through her aren’t from performing in front of so many people, but for fear of time. McAntire runs toward the two nervous color guard captains, seniors Heather Hansen and Rachel Shirlaw, standing beside the home temp building, holding a rumpled pile of clothing. McAntire meets the two as they dash out of view. In the cover of darkness the girls made haste, tossing various clothing items and replacing them with others. “We had about 40 seconds to change with Heather and Rachel helping me.” McAntire said of the quick change from her poms outfit to her color guard uniform. The sophomore has always had an affinity for performing; she has been a part of theatre, choir, and numerous sports over the past several years. This last year her family moved from their home in Missouri to Conifer and her love of performance didn’t cease. “I wanted to do poms because I love cheer and have done it in the past,“

McAntire said, “but I wanted to do guard because I started it before I moved out here and absolutely loved it and wanted to keep doing it.” Juggling these two came to a head during the first football game of the year on September 1. “[The poms team was] very supportive but pretty indifferent and not very stressed since they wouldn’t be waiting for me like the band,” McAntire said. The poms girls cheered her on in the parking lot as she marched down with the band. The two stereotypes, cheer squad and band geek, came together through the support of McAntire. The band held at attention, waiting as the girls raced through the quick change and onto the field. Set by set she made it through the first movement of the Lobo Regiment’s 2017 show, Dark Magic. “I felt almost like crying as I went through, [and] somewhat stumbled through the choreography. I messed up a lot of the work even though I knew it'" McAntire said. Despite her errors, after the show there was nothing but high praise for McAntire. Once the band had been dismissed, her fellow guard members hugged and congratulated her for the stressful feat. Tucker Ewer, the band director, found her and commended her for her amazing

effort and stamina. As the season continues on, an agreement has been made following the first football game to allow McAntire to perform with just the marching band during home games. While doing both

poms and guard are obviously feasible, it’s in the marching band’s best interest to do one at a time. “I'm just glad to have the opportunity to do both and have both teams be so supportive,” McAntire said.

Sophomore Caiti McAntire dawns a six foot flag and cape as she marches down to the football field for the homecoming game on Friday, September 15. Photo courtesy of Wesley Paxton

Cowboy to the Bone

Conifer Bull Rider out of the Saddle After Injury By Felix Randol

Tanner Sander holds onto the bull during a competition at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. Holding on for dear life, he tried to meet the eight seconds that would win him a place in the competition. Moments later, the bull riding accident that ended his career took place. Photo courtesy of Jerry Gustafson

Dirt flying behind him, and the bucking bull under him, Tanner Sander loved every moment of the experience. After almost a year of bull riding, Sander had a severe accident at the end of last year. After which Sander’s future as a bull rider was called into question. “Bull riding was like a therapy for me. It helped me relieve anger and stress in ways that nothing else did. It was a big part of my life, and it sucks now that that part of my life is over,” Sander said. Bull riders face injury every time they step into the saddle, and they ride again and again despite that. After Sander’s injury everything changed for the Conifer rider, leading to a whole new chapter in his life. “I came out of the chute, and at about the second kick I slid back in the bull’s rear end and didn’t let go when most people would have,” Sander said. “I tried to ride it out, but in doing so I went over his head as he reared. At about the time he did that, I hit his horn with my arm and body full on. It crushed and tore my muscle in my right forearm in half.” Sander scrambled out of the ring in order to escape the rampaging bull. Once he reached safety he assessed his injuries and made a shocking discovery. “At first, I was worried about my ribs being broken, because I knew that I got hit hard,” Sander said. “After I got off of the gate, when they put the bull back in the pen, it finally hit me that my arm was really burning. So I looked down at my forearm, and it was busted and swollen twice its usual size. At first, I thought, ‘Oh, I can come back from this, it’s just a broken bone.’ It would have been easier if it was just broken.” Tanner was taken to the hospital along with two other riders. The doctors were able to shed some insight as to the extent

of his injuries. “I had to get surgery to remove the crushed and torn muscle and to make sure it didn't kill off any other muscles around my forearm. I went to a chiropractor and found out that my back was also deviated, and had at least three to four vertebrate twisted. That was the big ‘no more for you’ from the doctor,” Sander said. Overall, the experience left Sander with mixed feelings. “I feel both surprised that it happened and like I kind of deserved it. I had every chance to let go before I destroyed my arm,” Sander said. “I would've just hit the ground really hard. Overall, I feel like it was fun while it lasted, but good things sometimes come to an end, especially with a sport like that. There’s a point when you have to figure out if this is truly what you want to do, and if you are willing to make the sacrifices, or if you want to find something else in life that’s not as bad.” With his injuries as bad as they were, Sander had to make decisions about his future and where he wants to go next. After considering his options he decided to fall back on one of his old dreams. “I’m going to go to college, and I might stick with my lifetime dream of becoming a fireman,” Sander said. The world that Sander chose to participate in was one that many people misunderstand and misinterpret, and through his experiences he got to see it for what it truly is, and to take those life experiences with him leading into his future. “It’s all fine and dandy to want to become a cowboy but when it comes down to doing real cowboy things, that’s when you rule out the ones who don’t have their heart in it,” Sander said.

Features

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The Main Man

Black Box

New Blackbox Theatre By Charles Toppin

The new black box theater at StageDoor Theatre opened earlier this summer with a one act production of the show Feiffer’s People. The idea of a black box theatre is to present a show in a smaller space, with a smaller cast and audience to present a more intimate show. This presentation is supposed to strengthen the relationship between the performers and the viewers. Many of the actors who performed in the show were used to large scale plays and musicals. “The Black Box was more personal and made me more nervous because [the audience] was so close,” StageDoor actor Maryn Rafdal said. Another actor in the show felt more connected to the crowd. “You could get so much closer to the audience and play off their reactions,” Ian Booth said. The production team originally thought of the idea of the black box theater. They worried they had too many people to comfortably work and perform together. “We were interested in creating a smaller more intimate setting for shows, which also offers versatility depending on the type of performance,” Steffany Toppin, StageDoor Board Member, said. The small stage allowed the audience to be more involved. “I was able to watch the show comfortably and it let me feel like I was a part of the story,” audience member Helen Erickson said.

Stage Manager to Director By Taylor Mitchell

A concert attendee films a performer on their phone while dozens of other people dance around them trying to do the same. Over the summer and throughout the year, shaky videos taken at concerts bombard social media websites. Photo courtesy of SplitShire

Summer Concerts

The meaning of live music to students By Parker Jones

Whether it’s the multi-colored flashing lights or the bodyshaking bass, the ambiance of a concert is like no other in the eyes of many. From Red Rocks to Fiddler’s Green, and from seat A412 to the pit, the experience of live music can be thrilling. With school out and two months of freedom to take advantage of, the summer months are filled with loads of pastimes, concerts being a common favorite. Some attend for the vibe and others just to appreciate the raw music. “The reason I like to go to concerts so much is that the music is different from the way you hear it on the album,”

sophomore Jacob Frye said. “You can listen to it on the album and it sounds really cool, but then in person, you can really see them just work with this thing that they’ve created. And it usually makes a different sound or they add different solos and things to it, and it’s a lot more interesting to hear.” Anyone who has been to a few concerts can likely list off a good deal of experiences that they had and memorabilia that they have collected. Sometimes it’s a piece of confetti that flew into the crowd, or it’s as intimate as a pick from the lead guitarist. “Having the music just be rawly sent to you, you can hear

everything and you can hear them really just putting their hearts and souls into it,” Frye said. “You get cool experiences. I have a bunch of stories, and you get concert merchandise, which is fun. I have a pick from Slash, when I saw them. ” In an amphitheatre or room filled with thousands of people from all walks of life, everyone is able to come together in the shared appreciation of an artist. “Live music is the best,” math teacher Kreg Tritsch said. “It’s improvisational. The audience is part of the recording, and the actual creation of the music.”

Leaving school and going directly to theater is something that a lot of Conifer students do, but for the new drama teacher Jo Gerlick, it’s the opposite. Gerlick has been in the theater industry since he was five. After triple majoring in theatre, English, and history, Gerlick did acting and stage managing before working at Stagedoor. “It was kind of a shock, because I've never taught before. At Stagedoor I was more of the support team for the directors, and here it’s all me,” Gerlick said. “It involves learning the school system and how everything works. I have freshmen through juniors, some who have had no theatre experience, and some who have been doing it for almost as long as I have. That’s the challenge and the opportunity.” Gerlick told his class about his lack of teaching experience in a school and his hopes for the year. “I have a great group. I was really open to them and told them it was my first year teaching, and they’re really creating the class with me,” Gerlick said. Though coming into a new school is scary, Gerlick has been taking it in stride and is excited for this year. He hopes to see more kids join as the program continues. “It doesn't matter what experience level you're at. Everyone has a story to tell,” Gerlick said.

Steamboat Springs to Teaching Degrees

The Journey of New Science Teacher Corey Puffett By Parker Jones

Corey Puffett supervises a bustling science classroom, watching as a Bunsen burner is lit and a flask is filled with various chemicals. She strolls through the room, checking in with students and helping them calculate the densities of different objects. It’s her third year of teaching, but her love for science burns as strong as it did on the day of her college graduation. Puffett grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and attended CU Boulder, at first majoring in astronomy. She stayed there for only a semester before coming back to Steamboat Springs and obtaining her associate degree at Colorado Mountain College. After switching her major around multiple times, she discovered her passion for science. “I realized, ‘Alright, I do love science, I love biology, and I love chemistry, and I love all these things,’ so I went to CU Denver and got my bachelor’s in biology there,” Puffett said. “But I was a learning assistant for organic chemistry, so I would have gotten a minor in chemistry but I just

didn’t want to take that much time and I was already taking forever to get my degree. So then I was like, ‘What am I going to do now? I do love working with kids.’ And so I decided that maybe I’d try out the whole teaching thing.” She then received her master’s degree in teaching from CU Denver and her first teaching opportunity was at Green Mountain when they needed extra help due to a surplus of students. This year, she saw an open position at Conifer and took it on. “I saw Conifer had a position and I like the community here a lot. It reminds me of my hometown,” Puffett said. “It’s different [coming to a new school], it’s challenging. Not the students or anything like that, but just learning the ins and outs of the school and certain customs and the culture of that school, I think is always the most difficult thing.” Despite the initial challenge of adapting to a new school, teaching has helped Puffett form

life-changing relationships with her students. “I think the most impactful [part of teaching] is... being able to be a support for [students] in the classroom and outside of the classroom when they need it. A lot of things are going on and

just having that relationship with students [is impactful],” she said. As the year goes on, Puffett plans to continue sharing her devotion to science. “The best part of teaching is that I don’t have to be in an office all day,” Puffett said. “I’m not in

a little cubicle typing on my computer. I’m interacting and usually having a lot of fun in the classroom with my students.”

Science teacher Corey Puffett mixes chemicals in a beaker with a stirring rod. Her class consists of many experiments and labs that involve the use of hazardous chemicals. Photo by Parker Jones

Entertainment

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WANTED: Claim Your Prize Up Next: October 2 - November 3 Monday

2

Tuesday

3

Wednesday

5 Softball- 4pm

6 Buffalo Creek

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13

9

10

11

16

17

18

23

Soccer Volleyball

24

Conifer Day PSAT/SAT Parent/Teacher Conferences

Late Start

25

Volleyball- 6, 5, 6:30pm

30 JV Football, 6pm

The Lobo Legend is like a meerkat- we get pictures of kids making

crazy faces, texting under their desks, and sleeping in class. Check here every issue to see if your picture made it! If this is you, come to room 201 to claim your prize. Photo by Mackenzie Orr

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Friday

4 Late Start

Tennisregionals Soccer- NAAC, 7pm

Soccer- 6pm Volleyball

Thursday

JV Football6pm Volleyball- 4, 5, 6:30 Soccer Football- 7pm Volleyball 4:30, 5:30, 6:30

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Football- 5pm Volleyball

NO SCHOOL!

20 Cross CountryRegionals Mountain Bowl- 7pm @ Evergreen

26 Late Start

27 One Lunch

2 Fr. Football,

3 Football, 6pm

Football Volleyball 4, 5, 6:30pm

1 Late Start

Soccer Football- 7pm

Football

6pm

Paws and Claws PAWS to softball and tennis for being League Seven champs

CLAWS to the walk up from the junior lot

PAWS to speed bumps being taken out

CLAWS to strict no-phone policies in class

PAWS to fall drinks at Starbucks

CLAWS to senior responsibilities and forms

PAWS to Seth Sankey and Jordan Griffin for winning King and Queen PAWS to people who already bought their yearbooks

CLAWS to the Evergreen Cougars- just because CLAWS to six week grades being put in