The Flash Magazine | Volume 33, Issue 2 | December 16, 2025

FLASH THE PUFFS “The show was very uplifting and I was happy to have brought comedy back into the theater.” - Bella Gomes Off of Life Support (full story on page 09) This is Our Town (full story on page 35) Is It Cool to Be a Nerd? (full story on page 47)

VOL 33 | ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2025 Rocklin High School

07

SYDNEY VU

TABLE OF CONTENTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

45

33

GARRETT PEARD

MELODY GELLY

25

FEATURES 01. Table of Contents 03. Algo-Rhythms

FLASH Rocklin High School 5301 Victory Ln, Rocklin, CA.

05. Clash on Campus 07. Behind the Lens 09. The Price of Creativity 11. Faith Beyond Victory 13. Bathroom Passes go Digital

News Website: rocklinhsflash.net Instagram: @rocklinmedia X: @rocklinmedia Tiktok: @rocklinmedia Facebook: @rocklinmedia

15. Top Shots 17. Attention to Detention 19. Off of Life Support

Member of the NSPA Top 100

21. The Puffs 23. Law and Order ZHIXIANG YANG

31

25. Progression or Regression

SPORTS 27. Sports Preview 29. Pure Dominance 31. Bring a Buddy 35. This is Our Town

51

37. Passing the Torch

OPINION/REVIEW 39. Opinion/Review Preview 41. Fall Trend of 2025 43. A Considerable Cafe 45. Top Shots 47. Is It Cool to Be a Nerd?

49. Symptoms of a Digital Childhood 51. Wild Goose Chase 53. Editorial

SOFIA PATTERSON

2025 Sport Reaction Photography: Joshua Gunter, Third Place 2025 Social Media Campaign: Lev Rubinstein, Second Place

Editor-in-Chief Cole Broumas Eitan Rubinstein

33. Top Shots

BRADY KRETZMER

2023 NSPA Honorable Mention: Radian Hong - News Story 2024 NSPA Graphic Designer of the Year: Faith Reynolds, Bailee Sexton, Celeste Contratto - Sixth Place

Editors Zachary Burdick, Kaelyn Cunningham, Evan Gordon, Joshua Gunter, Ashley Kim, Brady Kretzmer, CJ Shafer, Bailee Sexton, Ian Valdivia Castorena, Tessa Wagnon.

Staff Sarah Bawa, Micah Bielling, Mark Bonitz, Kevin Feng, Carson May, Cole McCoy, Omer Mohamed, Sofia Patterson, Ellis Rogers, Larsyn Strait, Kaitlyn Tri, Sydney Vu Mission Statement: Intentional classroom relationships which result in timely, interesting and excellent coverage of our campus and community.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

01

Hi-Tones Record Store Photo by Sofia Pa SOFIA PATTERSON

ince the dawn of time, humans have been creating music. From ancient civilizations beating on drums to professional artists crafting songs with digital audio workstations, music is something that we as humans have carried with us for millennia. In the recent past, music was primarily consumed through radio stations and the buying of physical media. Since then, however, everything’s changed.

With the rise of social media and streaming services, much is different for both the consumer and the artist.

The question is whether this change is for the better or for the worse.

The first thing that comes to mind with the evolving music scene is the question of taste, and how today’s generation is interacting with music with the influence of social media. RHS sophomore Kenzie Gleason illustrates some of the cons of social media

02

in matters of taste, stating, “Social media will push the same things to everybody and then everything just becomes a kind of monotonous clump.” RHS freshman Cameron

“

Through social media, you definitely get to see a whole bunch of different sides of music

“

S

ALGO-RHYTHMS has video killed the radio star?

- Shelby Goode Gomes, while not having social media, agrees with Gleason, saying, “If you’re just scrolling, then you kind of get the same things over and over. So it’s not like you can experiment or you get introduced to something new.”

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

While social media’s algorithms can be limiting, they can also expand.

Christine McKenzie, manager of HiTones Record Store, a local familyowned record store in Rocklin, explains that “social media generates interest into different artists that people wouldn’t normally be exposed to. So we get more people from, you know, high school, college coming in, looking for different artists.” Shelby Goode, a senior at RHS, also adds, “I mean, through social media, you definitely get to see a whole bunch of different sides of music. Like I was introduced to certain songs when, for instance, ‘Arcane’ was really popular on TikTok.” Along with personal testimonies, TikTok’s newsroom, in collaboration with Luminate Data, released a study concerning American TikTok users’ trends in music. According to that study, TikTok users in the U.S. are almost twice as likely to find and

share new music on social media platforms. Forty-seven percent of American TikTok users also listen to non-English music, with U.S.-based users also being 33 percent more likely to consider having access to international music extremely important.

article from Music Machinery, meaning artists may make their songs more mainstream in order to collect streams.

Gleason also expands emotionally on the phenomenon, declaring, “It really is disappointing when a band or an artist strays from what they originally had just to fit an algorithm.”

Social media has also changed the game immensely for artists worldwide.

Some feel, however, that in some respects, the algorithm has limited artists. Goode explains, “When an artist grows popular because of TikTok and then they decide to switch genres, people don’t like that because they became popular through the first genre they were introduced by.” This can cause artists to fall into creating “algorithm-safe” music, which is exemplified by the fact that lyrics have gotten progressively simpler and more repetitive, supposedly in an effort to get more streams, according to an article from the journal Scientific Reports. This makes more sense when you take into account that the likelihood of a song being skipped within the first five seconds on Spotify is almost 25 percent, according to an

Even though social media can force artists to fit into a box, it can also create careers. Gomes states, “[Social media] can get your music out there to more people and that grows your following.” McKenzie also highlights social media’s power to amplify careers, stating, “I think that social media, especially TikTok, has increased outreach on certain artists that would have never really made it.” Another article titled “From Solo Performances to Social Media: Dissemination and Evolution of Pop Music Culture” from the Jilin Animation Institute also supports social media’s ability to create career opportunities for artists: “Artists no longer need to rely solely on record labels or radio stations to gain exposure. They can independently release their music, build a loyal fan base, and even launch crowdfunding campaigns to fund their projects.”

All of this change makes music more accessible for newer artists.

Though music has fundamentally changed with the rise of social media, its change can’t be labeled simply as good or bad. It may limit exposure to music and artists’ creative freedoms, but it can also expand music tastes and create careers for artists worldwide. It’s unknown how the music industry will change within the next few years, or even decades, but that’s the beauty of the ever-changing music industry. The future’s not ours to see.

By: Sofia Patterson Staff Reporter

rocklin’s favorite songs

vienna billy joel

creep radiohead

the spins mac miller

SOFIA PATTERSON

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

03

CLASH ON CAMPUS Clash Royale takes RHS students by storm Students play Clash Royale during lunch.

KEVIN FENG

“People just see other people playing… then [other] people start [playing,]” Acord said. Clearly, Jynxzi and other content creators playing CR caused the game to explode in popularity this year.

In CR, players use troops from cards

The reason behind this year’s trend was behind the popular streamer Jynxzi.

According to Smagh, Jynxzi “started playing [CR] on streams” and continued after the first time. Senior Christian Acord said that Jynxzi “really brought the game up to a height.”

04

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

“

Jynxzi really brought the game up to a height.

“

I

n the year 2025, the mobile game Clash Royale (CR) became extremely popular among RHS students. This was not the first time CR rose to the top apps among students, however. Another significant CR trend occurred in 2022. That year led sophomore Sahib Smagh to start playing CR. “All my friends were playing [CR] in eighth grade,” he said. This year is his third year of playing.

- Christian Acord

from their deck to destroy their opponents’ three towers. Some cards were given evolutions-a way to make the card more powerful-and every month one or two new evolutions are released. Other cards are balanced every month to make them not as overpowering as before. This year, the trends are mainly focused around new evolutions and balance changes.

“Everyone’s liking the balance changes right now,” Smagh said. “A lot of the new evolutions are also good.”

According to Smagh, October was the best season of Clash Royale. That update “brought a lot of much needed balance changes to different cards.”

Another major update of CR this year was when a card-called Furnace-was completely reworked, making it more prominent to players. “It really helped against some decks,” Acord said.

The impact of this year’s CR trend affected both students and teachers.

“Every lunch, break, or free period I get, I’m probably playing CR,” Smagh said.

“Anytime I have five minutes that I’m not doing anything, I hop on CR and play a match.”

“

People might be willing to pay for Clash Royale.

“

- Paul Werner

CR has also affected students’ behaviors in classrooms, sometimes in a negative way. “If you go into a classroom, there’s at least five people playing inside,” Smagh said. Paul Werner, a teacher who played for eight years, said that some teachers “may

what deck do you play? be bothered by the fact that devices are used during the school day when it could be a distraction.”

Classrooms aside, a downside of CR is microtransactions. Many players want to play cards that follow the meta, which constantly changes. “It’s really hard to get the meta [decks] unless you have a lot of stuff accumulated in the game,” Werner said. He said that “people might be willing to pay” for CR. He said “money is better spent in other places.”

While the future of the CR trend is debatable, Acord said that CR will decline in 2026. “I think the craze will go on…until there’s an update that people don’t like,” Smagh said.

By: Kevin Feng Staff Reporter

2.9 Hog Earthquake Cycle Provided by Adam Aboulhajal

3.4 Dart Goblin Bait Provided by Eshan Mukkamala

podcast royale!

A student wins a match in Clash Royale.

Scan the QR code to subscribe to Rocklin Media on YouTube, where Podcast Royale episodes will drop every week!

On Podcast Royale, we talk about balance changes, game updates, and commentate on matches.

If you are a RHS student or staff who actively plays Clash Royale and wants to be on our podcast, email the director, Kevin Feng at: kevin.feng@rocklinusd.org KEVIN FENG

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

05

BEHIND THE LENS

A look behind the scenes of the production of “The Friday Show”

M

any students at Rocklin High School don’t realize how much time and effort is put into the creation of the “Friday Show”. The advanced video production students spend numerous hours working on the show and come to school early every Friday to film it. Mr. O’Donnell oversees the students and directs the creation of the show.

In the advanced video production class, students are put into different roles. Junior CJ Shafer explains, “there’s the PSA Group, the VAPA group, there’s the crew that manages all of [the] gear, graphics, and anchors”.

Senior Audrey Guzman is the head of the whole show and is in charge of everyone. Her major role is editing the show. Guzman said, “People underestimate the amount of time it takes to actually do all that.” Because of her experience and skill, she is able to finish editing within an hour on Thursday night. Additionally, her exceptional talent made her come in second place in the regional film festival last year. Guzman said that

06

“it’s really freeing to be able to write stories and develop them with your own kind of creativity.” Guzman also wishes to continue her filmmaker path through college and is applying as a film and media television production major.

CJ Shafer is an anchor along with junior Dom Fitzpatrick, junior Heather Morton, senior Aubrey Giles, junior

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

SYDNEY VU

Ethan Doufer, and junior K.C. Roberts.

An anchor’s job is to be the face of the show and talk in front of the camera.

Shafer enjoys her job as an anchor and said, “That’s what [she] does the most in [the] class, just talk. So might as well just put it to good use.” However, there are some difficulties that come with being an anchor. O’Donnell explains, “it can be intimidating because [they] are out there with people looking at them

ALL PHOTOS BY SYDNEY VU

and we as humans judge.” To make it less scary, O’Donnell encourages students to “get out of a sort of a defensive mode”. Shafer said, “The whole school is watching, so it is really nerve-racking.” To reduce the stress for the anchors, they try to have fun and go off script sometimes. This

“

The whole school is watching, so it is really nerve-racking.

“

- CJ Shafer

makes them feel more engaging and not so robotic. Shafer said, “The lemon shot was my favorite”.

To come up with ideas for the “Friday Show”, all of the crew members come together and have a brainstorming session. Guzman explains, “[there is a] show board where we put all of our segments for each week in and

assign people to each segment.” A challenging part of this system is that many students slack off and don’t finish their segment. O’Donnell states that “[he] wants all the kids to participate”. This became an issue because some students decided to take the class because they thought it would be easy.

Mr. O’Donnell is the video production teacher and director of the “Friday Show”. He teaches different variations of the class, such as Video Production l, Intermediate Video Production, Advanced Video Production, Film making, and Sports Media. Mr. O’Donnell was originally a history teacher. He taught AP World History for 13 years. O’Donnell said, “[he] loved doing video with [his] history classes and in sports.” Later, the video production department fell apart, and Mr. Stewart asked him if he was interested in taking over. O’Donnell has now been teaching video production for eight years, and enjoys it even though it didn’t happen as he planned.

But the switch from teaching two very different classes was difficult for him to adjust to. O’Donnell explains, “99% of the kids in [his] AP class wanted to

be there, so they’re driven. But in [his] elective class, there is no drive.” His biggest challenge is trying to engage and motivate all of his students.

O’Donnell also said that “[he has] some kids who are just fantastic, but [he] can’t leave the rest of the students behind.”

By: Sydney Vu Staff Reporter

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

07

EVAN GORDAN

THE PRICE OF CREATIVITY Students who’s talent’s future is in their hands.

Pip Rogers is a Rocklin High School Senior who has loved art ever since they were young. “I’ve been doing art since like, third grade.” Rogers has an extreme passion for art that’s supported by their parents. “My entire family basically dedicated all of our

08

extracurriculars, everything about us to art.” It’s to the point that Rogers said, “You walk into our house, you look to the left, it’s a massive art wall of all of our different artworks. And then it

“

The only place that felt like home was being able to make art every day

“

T

oday, art comes in so many different forms, shapes, and brush strokes; moreover, we all have different opinions on art. Most people start when they are young, falling in love with the craft, while others get into it later in life with friends, classes, or just self-interest.

It’s always important to know that art is created with passion and creativity.

The term “everyone expresses themselves differently” couldn’t be truer in art.

- Anna Willard goes throughout the entire house.”

However, not everyone is interested in art immediately, as Rocklin High School

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

art teacher Anna Willard only started in the world of art later in her life. Ms Willard’s art career started in college, “when I started taking art history classes, and I just thought that it was so interesting to learn about symbols and iconography, and I just really got hooked,” Willard said.

A lot of students find that the joy of creating this art isn’t just about creation but the escape and freedom it brings. Whether it’s the quiet focus of sketching during free time or the excitement of trying a new medium for the first time, creating art allows people to slow down and reconnect with themselves.

Everyone consumes art on an almost daily basis, looking at videos, scrolling

through Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media sites. But is making your art viral as easy as we think?

Thousands of artists go unnoticed, being extremely talented, the lesson is that not all art can get popular, but that sharing it with the world is both vulnerable and exciting. Sharing art that represents something you love in the public eye.

Gaining followers, likes, and comments can cause one to be addicted to being validated for their skills. The problems of social media arise when artists can feel pressured to post regularly, struggling to balance quality and timeliness, often leading to fatigue or burnout.

Rogers experienced this burnout on their TikTok after amassing fans waiting for their posts and amazing art, “It took so much enjoyment that I had over art as it was like, Oh, this is a lot about view count. And the moment I started to really care about that, and not really the fun that I was having making it. I went, nope, and then I deleted my account.”

Chasing these views really was tiresome as school, life, and teen-hood caught up. On the other side of the spectrum, Oliver Salvotti, another RHS senior, enjoyed content creation, taking small commissions and posting art to a TikTok of over 500 followers. Where they don’t feel pressured to post to anyone or keep up with the demands

of social media.

Every artist remembers their first sale of art from the first request to the final product, it’s almost worth more than the money, having that fulfillment of someone really loves your art enough to purchase it. However, it’s a slippery

way too cheap for the quality they were giving, and two, that it kind of dampened their hobby a little bit.”

Her biggest advice for selling art is to not undersell oneself, treat it as a job where you are paid hourly, “and then what your materials cost as well as giving yourself a little markup.” She said.

COURTSEY OF OLIVER SALVOTTI

PIP ROGERS COURTSEY OF PIP ROGERS

OLIVER SALVOTTI

All in all, art is a quiet hobby, a digital performance, or a developing profession. The value of art is judged by the personal connection someone has to their art or someone else’s art. The pros and cons of selling art come from the artist’s own lives, but what remains consistent is the passion that people have for creating art.

COURTSEY OF PIP ROGERS

slope with many trials and errors, ups and downs, and experimentation.

Ms Willard talks about her concern with young artists selling “for 5 to 10 bucks, but they realized that one,

Rogers has experience selling art with commission from their experience, “It’s a lot of you have to do a lot of self promotion, especially if you don’t like work for a company” while the they also add “it’s difficult setting your own prices, because you kind of got to figure out what you’re worth, which can be a little awkward.”

Over time in content creation, they made over 300$ from small commissions, which was a lot for Rogers.

By: Evan Gordan Senior Editor

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

09

FAITH BEYOND VICTORY

COURTESY OF JENNY MINER

Behind Rocklin’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club.

FCA is a nonprofit Christian sports ministry to grow relationships between athletes and coaches using the platform of Jesus Christ and uniting them while continuing to spread the Gospel on a global scale. FCA provides for different levels of sports, including professional, college, high school, and youth sports. The organization engages with local communities that bring this club to campuses across the world, including the one here at RHS. However, throughout Rocklin’s history, FCA wasn’t the first club of its kind to be established. RHS teacher Mark Hardy, the club’s adviser, has seen similar Christian-related clubs throughout his teaching career. “I’ve been teaching at Rocklin High School for 32 years, and pretty much the entire time, we’ve had some form of

10

Christian clubs that have met in my classroom and so forth,” Hardy says.

“But I believe it was approximately seven or eight, six or seven years ago, that students approached me and said maybe it would be great if we could do a Fellowship of Christian Athletes [club]. We went ahead and kind of ran FCA concurrently with the Christian club that was going on at

“

I need to keep my identity in God and not in my sports… it all comes back to God, utmost before anything else

“

R

ocklin High School has a wide variety of clubs on campus, spanning language, culture, games, and even painting rocks.

But one club in particular provides something that can change lives for students and athletes who walk in looking for something positive to hear—not from a teacher, coach, counselor, or adviser, but from someone connected to Jesus.

Introducing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club.

- Hadley Jantz

the time. But then ultimately, because the Fellowship of Christian Athletes offered so many resources, so much support at the local and national level, we decided to kind of merge and basically make what was called the one club, now the FCA club, into one group.”

Since its beginning, Hardy has seen tremendous growth from students attending the club, which meets every

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

Wednesday at lunch. Several factors draw students in, the main one being free pizza given out at every meeting.

Hardy admits, “It’s a little manipulative or whatever, but it makes it more of a fun atmosphere. It makes it kind of more worthwhile in some ways. And hey, if that helps them to hear the Gospel, to hear Bible truth, you know, we’re really all for it.” However, Hardy is also seeing more students take an interest in learning about religion.

“Another thing I’m seeing is that a higher percentage of our students are really interested in growing in their faith. We have something once in a while called FCA core, where there’s no pizza, there’s no special guest speaker—you know, the things that might attract students—but what there is instead is we just get together, study the Bible, dig deeper into something about our faith, and so forth.”

FCA requires no formal membership; anyone can join at any time and listen to what they have to offer. Senior Zachary Burdick, one of the club presidents, explains a typical club session: “So everyone comes in, and we welcome them. If FCA is with us, we have a big banner that says FCA. We’re trying to reach everyone in the community so they know this club is happening. They’ll get their food if we

have it, and then we’ll pray for their food. And then a lot of the time, we have a guest speaker, whether it be a professional athlete or a youth pastor from a local church. We’ll have them come in and share a message from the Bible or from their story of how they met Christ. Then, at the end, a lot of the time, we have a prayer to receive Christ, or we also offer an opportunity if students want a Bible or if they want prayer. We always ask them if they want to talk to anyone we know, like our leaders or Mr. Hardy, who always wants to talk to them. And then at the end of the club, we pray out and then we’re basically done, and we just have community with them,” Burdick says.

“

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re young, but set an example in speech, life, love, faith and purity...

“

- Zachary Burdick

As a president, Zach also ensures that “every person that walks in is going to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and what He did for us, and whether they make that decision that day to give up their life and follow Him is one thing.”

For the athletes who walk into each session, the club is making an impact on the way they view certain topics.

Senior Hadley Jantz, a water polo player, has been showing up on a

consistent basis throughout the year.

When asked how the club changed the way she viewed sports, she said, “I think for me, it’s a good reminder that I need to keep my identity in God and not in my sports, or what I’m doing in my life day to day. I need to remind myself that my value is in place, and how good I’m playing in water polo, or how good I’m swimming one day—it all comes back to God, utmost before anything else.” As an athlete, Jantz mentions the struggle of “having practice so often. It takes up a lot of time, and it makes me feel really busy, and I don’t have time to sit down and maybe pray or read my Bible.”

However, she does not let that stop her from connecting with God. “Even if it means leaving practice an hour early to go to youth group on a Tuesday, that’s what I’ve had to do. And that’s made me realize that it’s more important to be at church and be learning about God than necessarily be at every single practice, if I can.”

Rocklin’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes is more than just an average club; it allows both athletes and students to build a deep relationship with God and view their sports from a different perspective. To Hardy, the club may provide free pizza, “but fundamentally, at its core, we believe that we offer the greatest gift that anyone could ever receive, and that is eternal God Himself, Jesus Christ, dying for you, that you might live. And that’s what people could find at FCA.”

By: Mark Bonitz Staff Reporter

early days of fca The Fellowship of Christian Athletes was founded by Don McClanen, a former basketball coach at Eastern Oklahoma A&M. McClanen sent out 19 letters to well-known sports figures, including Branch Rickey, who owned the Brooklyn Dodgers, as well as athletes such as Otto Graham, Carl Erskine and Donn Moomaw. In September 1954, the first advisory meeting was held, and FCA was officially formed.

After moving its headquarters to Kansas City, Missouri, FCA held its first national camp at Estes Park, Colorado, in 1956, drawing 256 athletes and coaches. Over time, FCA continued to expand with new camp locations, the establishment of a national magazine, and the addition of school-based groups called “Hurdles.”

Since then, several professional athletes and coaches from major league and minor league sports, as well as top-tier college programs, have engaged with FCA through camps, ministry events, guest speaking and ministry leadership roles.

COURTESY OF TALIA GRIDLEY

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

11

BATHROOM PASSES GO DIGITAL

Minga Case Study found a 80% decrease of time spent out of class because of digital systems.

Flexipass may save hundreds of hours of instructional time by limiting students to as little as five minutes for bathroom breaks.

Minga found 41 hours of additional instructional time.

KAITLYN TRI

12

system, “... replaces the sign-out sheet. So instead of putting your name on a piece of paper with the time in [and] the time out, you just digitally put your ID number in and click ‘Take A Pass’ and then return it when you come back.”

The FlexiPass system also introduces a timer that allows teachers to limit the amount of time students can be out on a pass. Sophomore Ashleigh Fosson thought that Flexipass “... got mad at me. If you go past the timer, it turns red, and it was like, ‘You went past the time,’ and then I got back and I couldn’t clear it.”

Having a time limit on bathroom pass time can create many challenges for students, whether it’s a long wait for the bathroom, an emergency, or a longer walk to the nearest bathroom.

On the flip side, the FlexiPass system gives students the opportunity to choose what Rocklin bathroom they attend, such as the L Building bathrooms, J Building bathrooms, or even the V Building bathrooms.

Freshman Ameya Banjara said, “You can pick what bathroom you go to, which is nice.” By giving students the choice to choose the bathroom

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

KAITLYN TRI

nearest to them, it combats the challenge of not having enough time to walk to the bathroom within the five minutes given.

“

I understand kids shouldn’t wander off during bathroom breaks, but I feel like I need to take my time using the bathroom.

“

S

tarting in the second semester of the Rocklin High School 2025– 2026 school year, a bathroom sign-out system much different from the long-used sign-out sheet was introduced. This new system, named FlexiPass, creates a digital version of the bathroom sign-out system.

FlexiPass is related to the FlexiSCHED system that is also used at Rocklin for scheduling FLEX. According to Rocklin math teacher, Emily Mitchell this new

- Riya Kishore As the new system rolls into Rocklin classrooms, students have mixed feelings. Junior Riya Kishore said, “I think the system, in theory, is a good idea. It keeps track of every student, so I guess it’s more for safety reasons.”

It’s the timer that students dislike.

West Catholic High School in Michigan had over 40,000 student created hall passes.

KAITLYN TRI

Banjara explained how the timer causes difficulty, “When I check out, it tells me that I have five minutes left, and sometimes things take longer than five minutes, and so it’s a little bit restricting.” Kishore went on to say, “I feel like [it] rushes me. You know, I understand kids shouldn’t wander off during bathroom breaks, but I feel like I need to take my time using the bathroom.”

The theory behind the timer is that limiting the time students have during bathroom breaks would be beneficial to the flow of learning in classrooms. It also helps reduce the common issue of using the bathroom as an opportunity to skip class.

Nevertheless, limiting a student’s time in the bathroom will surely become an unpopular practice. In the case of an emergency, a timer can feel restricting, and even in a normal situation, being timed can make it “unfair for students based on the amount of time they need to be gone,” sophomore Addie Savage said.

On the other hand, teachers Emily Mitchell and Tara McCollough both felt positive about their experience with the FlexiPass system. Mitchell explained that it made it easier on her end by saying, “There is a digital record of who is out, and it only allows one at a time [in my classroom], so I don’t worry about people trying to do multiple people at a time.”

Danbury High School in Connecticut saw a 9% decrease in hall passes.

Mitchell continued on to say, “This is better so we can understand patterns of our students and who’s out, and then there’s some safety [reasons], and there’s some things that I think students complain about as far as things that are happening outside during class time, that maybe this will help [with that].” She finished by saying, “I don’t think it’s to the detriment of the students. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, I just don’t think students should be worried about it.”

Similarly, Mrs. McCollough said, “I love the system because it takes me out of the equation. They still have to ask me if they can go, but then after that, it’s all student driven, which is convenient for me and it makes it very streamlined.” She even went on to say that the bathroom situation is “so much worse than it used to be. I used to be able to get through a class without anyone asking to go to the bathroom. And now, with the exception of my AP Calculus classes, it’s very rare.” Overall, both teachers agree that the FlexiPass system makes sending students to the bathroom much easier from their perspective.

The main difference between the current bathroom pass system and the new FlexiPass system is how purely digital FlexiPass is. Banjara said, “It’s very different from what we had in middle school. In middle school, we would just write it out on a pink paper and just sign out and sign back in.” The FlexiPass system brings a major shift in the usual paper-to-pen system that has been used in classrooms previously. Banjara went on to say, “I think we should just go back to the sign-in sheets instead of doing FlexiPass, or just pick one and stick with it, because it’s kind of hard on the students.”

By: Kaitlyn Tri Staff Reporter

KAITLYN TRI

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

13

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

GARRETT PEARD CONNOR HASSLER

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

ZHIXIANG YANG

ZHIXIANG YANG

ZHIXIANG YANG

VIOLET YANG

ZHIXIANG YANG

14

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

EVAN GORDON

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

TOPSHOTS

DOWNLOAD FREE UNLIMITED TOPSHOTS TODAY! GARRETT PEARDPEARD GARRETT

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

15

ATTENTION TO

ALL PHOTOS BY CARSON MAY

Bringing attention to the detention system at RHS.

D

etention, in most schools, means sitting in a room serving time as a punishment that most would say is a boring and monotonous period of time, usually lasting around an hour and typically taking place either before or after school. However, at Rocklin High School (RHS), detention takes on a new meaning among the punishments or consequences for one’s actions. These can be seen all around the school, such as at lunch, where students may help pick up garbage or assist the administration team in organizing the lunch line or making sure that people don’t walk into the incorrect entrance to the cafeteria.

with a job, you can’t just be late all the time. You know, they’re not just gonna give you detention; they’ll just give you a write-up.” Preparation for later life is a point Mrs. Cox wants to illustrate

When asked about how detention could help students, Detention Administrator Karen Cox said, “We’re just preparing you for future life. Like

to students at RHS, and with her point about future life, she shows that when it comes to giving detention, staff believe it’s in the best interest of a

“

16

“

We’re just preparing you for future life. Like with a job, you can’t just be late all the time.

- Mrs. Cox

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

student’s future workplace behavior. In most workplace environments, when a worker shows up late, not only are they costing a company money by not doing the work they’re expected to do, but they also face consequences being given to those who deserve them, such as showing up to work late.

While the preparation for a student’s future is a part of detention, the question is: Does detention actually work? When asked how he feels about detention, student James Naylor, a junior at RHS, said, “It’s like a reasonable action. Like, say if you cut a class or you miss a class because you’re tired, I think it’s a good step up, and I like how they have the system of amount of hours you get for like certain actions.” This is also a system Rocklin employs, in which you get more detention depending on the severity

Now we’ve seen the positives and good things about detention, but what about some of the more negative things students may say about it?

When asked how he feels about detention as a worthwhile punishment for actions such as cutting classes, senior at RHS Wyatt Nye said, “No, nobody learns from it. It just stacks up. Like, I’ve had times where I’ve had detention, and then next semester it just like magically disappears.” Wyatt brings up a good point, which raises a question: how do they keep track of everyone’s detention?

Currently, RHS employs a system of digital reminders, such as emails, but does not have a known management system, such as a digital filing system for detention. Instead, the school uses a board that people can check to see if they have detention, but sometimes this proves unreliable. In certain scenarios, such as management of detention between semesters—and sometimes school years—detention can be forgotten or lost instead of being served in the ways provided by Naylor, frequently receives detention but regularly serves it.

the school. This may lead students who follow the rules to become upset because, if they hear about this, they may think: Why should one follow these rules if they’re simply going to be forgotten instead of properly enforced?

“

No, nobody learns from it. It just stacks up… next semester it just like magically disappears.

“

of the action, such as a cut class earning two hours of detention, while a simple tardy will cost one hour. This system allows for students, as James said, to have reasonable punishments for their actions.

- Wyatt Nye When asked about some of the people who may not come in and serve their detention, Detention Administrator Karen Cox said, “Yeah, and it could be with something that’s going on at their home or in their life, or something else, but all in all, we hope to just get everybody here.” With a consistent record of most people coming in to serve detention, Mrs. Cox has succeeded in her hope, as RHS students consistently come in and serve with an average of at least six people per lunch period coming in to serve their detention.

Design by: Bailee Sexton Senior Editor Story by: Carson May Staff Reporter

Nye, rarely receives detention and believes it should be better managed.

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

17

OFF OF LIFE SUPPORT RHS Medical Club is making a comeback.

Medical club members making tied blankets to donate to local hospitals.

Brooke and Kwok are working to create a growing, engaging club that gives students exposure to different career paths in the medical field through guest speakers, service projects for local hospitals, and hands-on medical experiences.

The club originally met infrequently and struggled with participation. When Kwok and Brooke decided to take over, they knew they wanted to transform it. “Me, Sophia, and a few other people decided that we wanted the club to be bigger,” Kwok said. “We just wanted to do more things.”

The group turned to Ekman who had briefly overseen the original club and asked him to serve as advisor. He gladly agreed, saying he wanted to give

18

students a space to explore careers and skills in medicine. “They take control; I’m just here to help,” he said.

“My goal is to create time and a place where students can learn the things they’re interested in.”

“

My goal is to create time and a place where students can learn the things they’re interested in.

“

A

fter spending years as a barely active club with only three members, Rocklin High School’s Medical Club was revived this year by co-presidents, juniors Sophia Brooke and Kaylin Kwok, along with their club advisor, Mr. Ekman.

CJ SHAFER

-Sophia Brook

Since the club’s relaunch, its leaders have focused on exposing members to a wide range of medical fields, from nursing to neurology to cardiovascular specialties. Brooke emphasized that the goal isn’t to push students in one direction but to help them understand their options. “My main goal is for our

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

members to come out of high school with an idea of how to get where they want to be,” she said.

Much of the club’s speaker lineup has come through Brooke’s family connections. “We’ve had a stroke coordination nurse come in,” she said.

“It’s mostly to give members an idea of what it looks like to take those steps after high school.”

Hands-on activities have also shaped the club’s identity. Early meetings included anatomy Jeopardy games and tie-blanket projects, which members donated to hospitals earning community service hours. The club also plans to introduce suture practice using fake skin. “We have these suture kits we’ve never used,” Ekman said.

“We just need fundraising and time” to expand hands-on opportunities.

In addition to hosting speakers, Brooke and Kwok want the club to become a place where students can support one another academically. They hope to create study groups for members interested in AP science classes or

those preparing for future medical coursework.

Kwok said the club could eventually offer peer tutoring or collaborative study sessions that help students build confidence before pursuing more advanced classes in college. The leaders see this academic support as another way to help members understand what it takes to succeed in medical pathways.

The club is also exploring ways to partner with local healthcare organizations beyond hospitals. Brooke mentioned early conversations about connecting with physical therapy clinics, dental offices, and vet clinics

to give members the chance to learn about lesser-known fields in medicine.

“We want people to see that medicine isn’t just doctors and nurses,” Brooke said. “There are so many roles that play a part in helping others.”

These partnerships, she explained, could eventually turn into volunteer opportunities or job shadowing experiences for interested students.

Although the club hasn’t launched major fundraisers yet, Kwok said the board plans to hold events such as Chipotle fundraisers to pay for supplies like blankets and medical kits. “We want to donate to hospitals like we have before,” she said.

Club promotions are primarily done through Instagram, run by member Gavin Blank, and a Remind chain managed by Kwok. The board meets regularly to plan activities and improve consistency, something Brooke is eager to strengthen. “Our meetings haven’t been super consistent, but we’re working on that,” she said. “We want to do substantial things where members learn something every meeting.”

The RHS Medical Club is steadily growing into the thriving, studentdriven community its founders hoped to build one meeting at a time.

By: Tessa Wagnon and CJ Shafer Editors-in-Training

1,800 students 3,000 parents They could all be reading your ad right now.

And you can support student journalism!

Rocklin students and families spend big for businesses that support their school.

Contact our business editor today to buy space in our magazine, podcast or website.

Email Senior Business Editor, Kaelyn Cunningham, at: kaelynsuecunningham@gmail.com or Advisor, Joshua Rubinstein, at: jrubinstein@rocklinusd.org

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

19

GARRETT PEARD

Behind the scenes of this years fall production.

T

he audience was watching wizards onstage, but magic was also happening backstage.

Cast and crew navigated through quick changes, missing props, and improvisations to make the world of Harry Potter come to life. This organized chaos took place from November fourth to the eighth, showcasing the wizarding world of The Puffs.

Junior stage managers Elliot Johnson and Isabella “Bella” Gomes believed the fall play was a success. Bella

EVAN GORDAN

20

especially enjoyed “the comedy aspect of it.” She said the show was very uplifting and that she was happy to have brought “comedy back into the theater.” Elliot felt that the “tech theatre classes did a really good job making the sets” because they helped the audience feel immersed in the Harry Potter world through detailed props and costumes.

Backstage, however, they said there was room for improvement in organization. Some people “kind of left their costumes and props around where they probably shouldn’t have,” which caused minor disorganization.

There were also “small props in the show,” and Bella felt the actors “didn’t take the best care of them.” Still, she said everything else backstage was organized, and those small issues did not hurt the show.

Much of the main Puffs crew and

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

tech team often rely on improvising or making the most of unexpected situations. For example, when one of the doors broke during a curtain close, they fixed it using a drill from stage left, and no one in the audience noticed. During another show, stage right missed a cue, but “actors and the other side of tech were able to help, run over, and change the scene too.”

Strong communication among the actors helped keep the play running smoothly.

The size of the tech crew also made scene transitions smoother. Stage left is larger than stage right, so having fewer people on stage right helped prevent its hallway from becoming too cramped—though it still was—while a larger group on stage left ensured there were enough hands to help with transitions. There were always people available to move the walls, discuss changes, and organize each transition.

Stage right is typically cramped

because it contains the dressing rooms, a stairwell, and a hallway, while stage left includes the entire scene shop, making it much larger. Stage right becomes especially congested when doors are opening, and people are moving through the hallway. Even so, Bella said the actors are always “super aware and alert” and quick to help anyone who needs it, creating a supportive backstage community within the limited space.

For Puffs and The Addams Family, the stage managers created an online set plot that benefited both tech and actors. The set plot listed every single scene change and assigned who was responsible for each set piece.

It also included every scene in order,

“

I think… the set was literally as perfect as it could be.

“

- Isabella Gomes

helping actors know where they were supposed to be, what was happening next, and how many scenes remained.

One thing many people overlook in theater is that the tech crew makes mistakes too, Bella and Elliot said. But they work hard to ask questions, seek help, and stay organized—something

GARRETT PEARD

they demonstrated this year and last year. Everything was laid out, printed, and available on their phones, providing numerous resources that increased the odds of a successful show.

This year was also Bella’s first time stage managing. Last year, she worked on Addams as a regular tech crew member on stage left. With the larger responsibilities this year, she put herself out there, asked questions, and stayed calm under pressure—though she joked that she likely bugged Elliot with all her questions. One major lesson in theater, she said, is that communication is key, and it’s one of the most valuable takeaways for anyone in tech.

GARRETT PEARD

By: Ellis Rogers Staff Reporter

GARRETT PEARD

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

21

LAW AND ORDER Exploring whether Mock Trial or Speech and Debate class best prepares students for a career in law.

DIMITRI EIRAMJIAN

Mock trial simulates courtroom experience, giving students hands-on practice as attorneys and witnesses.

Students learn how to present arguments and respond under pressure confidently. Speech and debate focus more on argumentation and presenting their ideas persuasively, helping students refine their communication skills. Speaking skills, communication, problemsolving, and teamwork all apply in both mock trials and speech and debate, both good for becoming a lawyer

22

“Speech and Debate cultivates and develops certain types of debate skills, speaking skills that will be helpful with being a lawyer, but they don’t tie those skills to any area of the law,” said John Ogata, the attorney coach for the Rocklin High School (RHS) Mock Trial team. Mr. Ogata graduated from RHS in 2009 and attended UC Davis, where

“

Mock trial is beneficial because you are able to take speaking skills and connect them directly to a legal setting.

“

D

ebates, trials, and public speaking are only a few of the challenges students face when preparing for a future in law. For the students interested in a legal career, there are only a few options that can be beneficial for them: mock trial and speech, and debate. Both clubs can help form important speaking skills and connections that last a lifetime.

Mock trial, speech, and debate offer a future attorney critical thinking, analytical skills, and good public speaking experience.

- John Ogata

he started his own mock trial team. He then graduated from law school and is in his second year helping the team as a real attorney coach.

“I think mock trial is beneficial because you are able to take speaking skills

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

and connect them directly to a legal setting,” said Ogata.

Ogata’s background in both activities gives him a clear view of how each program builds different skills for students interested in law. “[Speech and debate] prepares you for law school in the sense that if you understand a component of how trials work, you will have the ability to understand in a more in-depth way.” There are benefits to both mock trial and speech and debate, but it depends on which one is more beneficial for you based on what skills you already have.

Ethan Dufour, a third-year member of the mock trial team and executive board member, has also taken the speech and debate class. “In speech and debate, you get more of the argument aspects of being an attorney. But in mock trial, you get directs, crosses, and argument aspects as well,” Dufour said.

He explains that speech and debate improved his speaking skills, but

mock trial provided him with a broader understanding of legal work.

“As someone who took the class, it definitely helped my argumentative skills; however, I would still say mock trial helps more because you get a more general aspect of the career.”

Working in a mock trial allows students to practice professionalism by preparing their witness statement, to cross-examine the opposing counsel; it can be a beneficial system for future attorneys.

Another past member of the speech and debate class, senior Tanner Martin, said, “Speech and debate in general will make you better.”

Both activities are unique in their own way, and they both have their own benefits as well, whether you want to become a lawyer or not. Feeling bolder and more yourself when speaking to even a class is a great starting point for a future lawyer. “Mock trial would give you a unique experience, but I think speech and debate give you a lot more to work with.” Speech and debate prepare students by having them think on their feet and using persuasive techniques to win their point. “Mock Trial gives you a unique courtroom experience, but speech and debate give you more to work with, including writing and presenting, which helps beyond just law,” said Martin. He says that by joining speech and debate, students can learn how to

make a great speech while still keeping the audience entertained.

Both activities help students improve their confidence, communication, and critical thinking, but they do so in different ways. Mock trial provides hands-on courtroom experience and deeper insight into certain legal matters. For the county competition, the RHS Mock Trial team goes to the Santucci Justice Center to face other schools in hopes of winning the county and qualifying for state. Mock trial also has scrimmages against other schools as well, where both schools dress formally and present their arguments to their attorney coaches.

They also have a judge sit in and watch to give valuable feedback. Conversely, students in speech and debate mainly focus on presenting their arguments in front of the classroom. The students need to know facts, have confidence in front of the class, and have certain persuasive strategies planned for their argument. The students who participate in either activity learn how to hone their speaking skills and communication with others through structured practices that translate directly to real-world situations.

By: Cole McCoy Staff Reporter

DIMITRI EIRAMJIAN

what’s the difference? mock trial Mock trial is the program where students take on the roles of attorney’s and witnesses in a simulated courtroom case.

The two teams defense and prosecution, prepare opening statements, perform direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments based on the official case packet for the year. Then around the end of January this year county will take place where the RHS mock trial team goes against the other schools in the district, and the winner makes it to state.

speech and debate The Speech and Debate class at RHS teaches students how to communicate clearly, confidently, and persuasively in a variety of situations. Students practice delivering different types of speeches to the class, such as informative, persuasive, and original speeches. They build their arguments and respond to opposing points and also learn essential skills like writing speeches, presenting to an audience and working together with classmates. The class builds their arguments through weeks of researching their specific material.

They have to study both sides of the argument and don’t know which side they are given until day of the debate. Students are given their prompts and then have to present their ideas and opinions to the audience and the teacher Mr. Grace who portrays the judge during the debate.

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

23

COLE BROUMAS

PROGRESSION OR REGRESSION

ZHIXIANG YANG

Has music gotten worse, or is it just new?

Y

ou always hear it from your mom or dad, that they “don’t make music like they used to,” that music has lost its soul and passion.

But has it? What did their parents say about their generation’s music? It’s easy to feel like music is getting worse; with the ease and accessibility of studio-level production from home, it feels like anyone can make a song and become a pop star overnight. Anyone can tell you that art and music are going through a major change, but is it a renaissance or a recession? The debate has been going on for ages between both generations and genres.

Rock purists insist that rock has lost all meaning and technique, classical artists detest new-era styles, and hiphop old-heads don’t even consider new rap to be music. But where does

24

the hate for new music come from?

Is it warranted, or is it just people missing times past?

Jeffery Hayman, the Rocklin High School instrumental instructor, offered his opinion on how the change has affected his most listened-to genres. “I listen to mostly classical and orchestral music and a little bit of folk,” he said, especially “late 19thcentury Central and Eastern European orchestral music, like the Russian Romantics, the Austro-Hungarians and the Czechs.” Even in folk, he leans toward the old world: “I kind of like a Jewish folk jazz called Klezmer, and, you know, Hungarian folk styles… mostly European folk styles, and some bluegrass.”

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

For Hayman, classical music peaked long ago. “The peak was definitely in the late 19th century. It was the height of expressiveness and lyrical beauty before modernists took over.”

His main concern is with technology’s dominance in the current music industry. While he recognizes that “technology has helped music sound increasingly refined,” he also believes that “it has made music less deliberate and more automated…the humanity in music has been substituted for production efficiency.” The result, he says, is “a musical product that’s more homogeneous, less creative and less personal.”

Hayman also thinks it’s important to separate production quality from artistic beauty. “The standard for

While Hayman believes music’s peak is in the past, Jaden Lue, chamber choir singer and jazz pianist, sees a more complex situation. His tastes include “a lot of jazz, but then also like J-pop, some soul, some rock… I listen to some, like, country with my dad.” He gravitates toward jazz traditions from the past, rooted in the 1960s and ’70s — “spiritual stuff, or like, free music, which is less subject to Western harmonic standards.”

But technology, for him, has done more good than bad for music. “Now… we can just listen to whatever we want, and there’s so much online that we can actually study that it actually is probably beneficial if we know what to find.” Thinking about the peak of jazz, Lue says, “Currently, we are at a little bit of a recession… Jazz used to be kind of like the pop of music, but now it’s more of an underground scene.”

But he still believes there is hope for jazz musicians: “The current players are at an all-time high.”

He says that music should be looked at subjectively, almost like a set of different languages. “If you treat music like language… what really is going to

speak to you is the modern language.” But he still admits that nostalgia has a big part to play. “People that are in their 20s… are gonna look at the music in the 2000s… and be like, oh, that’s the good stuff.”

For Kaeden Chu, chamber choir singer and guitarist, a person’s music taste is going to be defined by their generation. “I listen to a lot of indie music, but my favorite rock band is the Beatles.” Like many artists, he points to the late ’60s as a major turning point. “I think that the peak was probably in the late 1960s, when the Beatles released their ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.’ I think that really set the bar for what an album could be.”

“

It has made music less deliberate and more automated...It’s ugly and unlistenable.

“

NG YANG

production is much higher… It creates a very specific set of expectations that require excellence, but that’s more about the production quality than, say, the music quality,” he says.

The consequence of this is that “it creates a situation where you have less diverse music that sounds more like itself… It just kind of keeps selfproducing more music that sounds the same.”

- Jeffery Hayman He believes technology is a doubleedged sword. “It’s definitely made production easier and more accessible… but I think it made it a little worse because… it makes things a little too polished, not as raw as you’d want it to be.” He says that because it’s so convenient, artists have gotten lazy.

“People are getting lazier…

You can ask AI now to make you a backtrack or make you an entire song by just giving it lyrics. I think it definitely lowered the standard, but… good music can still be produced.”

COLE BROUMAS

ZHIXIANG YANG

like a melting pot of different genres… the variety in sub-genres definitely leads to more innovation, so there’s not really any downsides.”

The progression of music reflects the current culture; for some, that new culture has dulled music down to pure production. For others, the new era of music is a sign of hope in creativity and art. Many genres of the past stayed exactly there, and as a consequence many people cling to music from the past because they don’t want to let go of it.

Chu said, “I think definitely, depending on where you’re born, or when you’re born, it definitely depends. Like, for my dad, he thinks that the 1960s, like Elvis and the Beatles and Frank Sinatra — he thinks that was the peak of music, and it’s the same for me. Listening to the radio in the Bay Area when I was a kid, I thought Imagine Dragons was the best music ever, but it definitely changes over time. I still think that early 2000s music is still really good.

I think it’s better than the music that’s coming out now, but obviously I’m biased because that’s when I was born,” admitting that, at the end of the day, the music you’re born with is the music that stays with you forever.

Story By: Omar Mohamed Production Staff Design By: Cole Broumas Editor-in-Chief

Chu’s opinion on subgenres is the opposite of Hayman’s. “It’s

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

25

26

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

27

PURE DOMINANCE

RHS Volleyball makes a dominant run in the CIF Open Divsion State playoffs.

IAN VALDIVA

28

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

Seniors Devon Schweitzer and Abigail Mahnke, four-year members of the program, said the victory in the section championship came from discipline and preparation. “We went into the game with a clear plan, and we executed,” Schweitzer said.

Both seniors emphasized that their game plan all year was simple: to get better every day. They formed the team’s tight-knit culture, built from the freshmen and seniors on the team, helping them earn their goal.

Freshman Iliya Little played a crucial role in the section championship match after senior Addy Scheitlin went down with an injury. “I was nervous, but everyone supported me,” she said.

“

We do what we’re told. We win.

“

G

irls varsity volleyball made history this season, winning league for the third year in a row and following that up with a dominant run to the section championship, taking a sweeping victory to advance to the open division playoffs. Their dominance continued as they fought their way to a state championship appearance against Mater Dei.

- Abigail Mahnke

“They told me ‘you got this,’ and then I wasn’t scared.”

The Thunder swept Woodcreek 2513, 25-20 and 25-21, crowning them section champs. The team advanced to the state playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the open division. They continued their dominance with a sweep in the first round and then won a close fiveset match against Branson, making RHS the first public high school to reach the open division state championship.

ZACH BURDICK

RHS ultimately fell to Mater Dei in the finals, but this does not discredit their historic and generational season.

By: Zach Burdick & Ian Valdivia Senior Editors

IAN VALDIVA

IAN VALDIVA

ZACH BURDICK

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

29

BRING A BUDDY Junior Mitchell Green holds up the bolts as he gets ready to take part in the unified soccer match

BRADY KRETZMER

A Look Back on the Unified Soccer Game

O

n Halloween day, Rocklin High School (RHS) students met forces with Whitney, Nevada Union, and Roseville High School to participate in the Unified soccer game.

Students and teachers came dressed in costumes and helped add to the festive Halloween vibe.

Students of Mr. Harter’s PE Leadership class were given this opportunity to participate in the soccer match.

Justin Kachmar, a senior here at RHS, said, “I personally wanted to go to it because I’m in the PE Leaders class, I thought it’d be really fun to share that experience with them.” Independent Living Skills (ILS) students of Mrs.

30

Meeks’ class met with the PE Leaders and took a bus to Whitney High School’s gymnasium. The Thunder came game-ready and quickly got to warming up. This gave Leaders the chance to help remind students what they have been practicing in PE and instill some confidence before the game. Many high-fives, smiles, and laughs went around as students circled up and passed the ball to each other.

duking it out on the court. Despite not being in the game, students still felt engaged the whole time and never got discouraged. Junior Ryan McCoy said, “It allows [special needs students] to feel really included and not to make them feel like they only have one class to be in… They’re allowed to connect with other students.” Come Rocklin’s turn to play, students were eager to get on the court and show off their skills.

The game commenced, and the two teams faced each other at a time.

While the Thunder started in the bleachers, the energy remained high as they cheered for the other schools

Each student got a chance to start the round with a kick off, followed by quick defense and hustle. While the leaders were on the court with the students, it was important to make sure each

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

student felt independent. Leaders helped pass the ball to students and made sure everyone was engaged and participating. Kachmar said, “I was just trying to make sure that, pretty much like anyone who was sitting down or sitting out, was also getting included.

I tried to put the ball in the

EZRA AYALA

Mr. Purdy high fives junior Ezra Ayala after his second goal of the day

2 GOALS ALL SMILES TEAM PLAYER

middle, or in someone’s possession, and I made sure everyone was getting the ball.”

While the game was fun, and it gave students a chance to get some fun physical exercise, the real joy was found in the moments shared between the students and leaders. For 3 straight hours, every student had a smile on their face and got to spend time with their friends in full Halloween spirit. The relationship these students and leaders develop is the most important part of the Unified game. Mr. Harter said, “Inclusion is a big word in education, and being able to deliver the opportunity for our students to get together, whether they’re in special education, resource, or whatever their disability may be, with general ed Green and senior Justin Kachmar throw up the deuces.

BRADY KRETZMER

students, is what it’s all about.”

It is encouraged that new students join PE Leadership every year; the bonds formed between students are truly special. Interaction brightens not only the students’ day, but the leaders’ as well. Not only will you walk away with multiple new relationships, but multiple meaningful ones. Mr. Harter recommends the class to “anybody who’s got a kind heart, somebody who enjoys making people smile, enjoys watching and developing relationships with anybody that comes across different walks of life. It’s a PE that isn’t

“

necessarily geared towards fitness, but is geared towards healthiness.”

ILS Students now get to look forward to their Unified basketball game that happens early next year.

By: Brady Kretzmer Senior Editor

And the student section goes wild!

People are people, and the more we bring everybody in...The better life is going to be for everyone.

“

- Jeff Harter BRADY KRETZMER

BRADY KRETZMER

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

31

TOPSHOTS

DOWNLOAD FREE UNLIMITED TOPSHOTS TODAY! AIDAN CALHOUN

32

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

ELI ANDERSON

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

SOPHIE SCHULTZE

GARRETT PEARD

SEAN THANDI

ELI ANDERSON

KIANA BARNES

ELI ANDERSON

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

33

PHOTOS BY CONNOR HASSLER, EITAN RUBINSTEIN, AND JOSHUA GUNTER

THIS IS

OUR TOWN How two high schools share one city.

PHOTOS BY AMANDA MORGAN AND DHRUVA JAGADISH

34

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

KIANA BARNES

Today, almost every family with students lives inside that rivalry.

Rocklin High School (RHS), the original campus, carries the city’s name and its long history. Whitney, newer and across town, has built its own identity with different colors and student traditions that feel distinct from Rocklin’s. Both schools share the same city, streets, and landmarks, but represent two separate campuses on opposite sides of Rocklin.

Senior Brody Saunders is one of the students who has lived on both sides. He started freshman year at Whitney and transferred to Rocklin after one semester, largely for football and proximity to home. The move changed how school felt for him. “At Whitney, it felt like we were part of a team,” Saunders said. “Here it feels like family.”

He also noticed differences in the classroom. Saunders said RHS classes felt more challenging and engaging.

He described many of his Whitney courses as heavier on reading and lecture, while RHS teachers often use activities and more hands-on work.

“

It feels like family here.

“

W

hen Whitney High School (WHS) opened across town, Rocklin didn’t just get a second campus. It gained a crosstown rivalry that shapes how the community sees its schools.

- Brody Saunders

The gap between schools shows up most clearly in teaching style and campus life.

Beyond individual experiences, the rivalry runs through sports and activities. The two schools compete in league play across multiple sports, and matchups between RHS and WHS often draw larger crowds than regular.

Student sections prepare signs and chants while performances from the

band, cheer, and dance add to the atmosphere. However, football still provides the clearest public stage for this rivalry. Quarry Bowl fills social media with posters and draws packed stands to the stadium. The game gives the winning team a year of bragging rights and the chance to claim the town’s name on the field.

Off the field, Rocklin and Whitney students share club sports, jobs, churches, and friend groups. It’s common for students to know people at both schools and see each other at practices and local events.

“It’s not very cutthroat,” Saunders said. “I have friends at Whitney. It’s more just about who gets to represent Rocklin.”

That balance keeps the rivalry central to local life. Rocklin remains one community with two high schools and a shared spotlight on how both campuses compete and grow.

By: Ashley Kim Senior Editor

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

35

PASSING THE TORCH

BRADY KRETZMER

Mr. Harter takes the head coaching position

A

fter a historic season of winning the section championship, followed by the graduation of 11 seniors and the retirement of longtime head coach Steve Taylor, this year’s basketball team is nearly unrecognizable. What was a veteranheavy lineup has transformed into one of the youngest teams the program has seen in years, with underclassmen filling the roles that experienced seniors once held, all under the leadership of new head coach Jeff Harter.

whether we were successful or not, especially in our first year.” Instead, Harter focuses on the culture he is building and ensuring each player has a good experience.

After spending several years as an assistant coach, Harter enters his first season as head coach knowing “success can be defined in many ways… win and loss is just one thing, and I wouldn’t hang our hat on that if we were going to be determining

Along with introducing new plays, new traditions were also established. Two items, the Charge Chain and the Ball Belt, were introduced this year.

36

The difference between last year and this year is “immeasurable,” said junior guard Josh Cardines-Bell.

“Coach Harter has put in a whole new offense and defense while keeping the core values of hard work, hustle and accountability” that Coach Taylor set over the past 25 years.

Assistant coach Telles said, “You take a charge to get the Charge Chain, and

SPORTS FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

the best player in any given game will get to take home the Ball Belt.”

Senior Nathan Thorndyke said, “They add a fun reward each game and add a positive twist after each game. Even if we lose, there is something to be happy about.” In the first game of the season, Nathan took a charge and was the first player ever to take home the Charge Chain.

Not many people expected much from this young Thunder team, but they have had a strong start to the season, starting off 3-0 and looking to continue this streak and follow in the footsteps of last year’s team.

By: Zach Burdick & Ian Valdivia Senior Editors

IAN VALDIVIA

BRADY KRETZMER

“

IAN VALDIVIA

We are hungry and want to build something of our own.

“

- Mathew Green

IAN VALDIVIA

BRADY KRETZMER

IAN VALDIVIA

SPORTS ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

37

RE 38

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

REVIEW OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

39

FALL TRENDS OF 2025 what’s popular this fall?

NIKOL SANAYEVA

drinks, fashion, and more!

SIMAR RANDHAWA

F

all 2025 is stacked with everything from new seasonal drinks at Starbucks and Dutch Bros to a blend of hoodies, oversized sweaters, and the vintage revival Hollister is bringing back this year. Add in trending Halloween costumes and the early rise of Christmas music, and together these elements set the tone for a fall season that’s fuller and more fun than ever.

Secret Angels, and another big one was ladybugs. There were a lot of ladybugs.” Matthew Wojciak, also a sophomore at Rocklin High, shares another popular costume. “I also saw a lot of vampires, me and a lot of my friends were vampires.”

In terms of fall fashion in 2025, it’s easy to see that sweaters have overtaken any other clothing item this year.

During this fall, I have seen both girls and boys wear a variety of different sweaters as they become the most popular fall fashion item. Carrera Roman, a sophomore at Rocklin High School and an employee at Hollister, agrees. “I would say the sweater and jean combo. I think that would definitely be the most popular.”

I never went to Bishop’s Pumpkin Patch this year, but it was definitely a busy spot for fall fun. I asked Roman, who went to Bishop’s this year, what she did. “Me and Harper went, and it was, oh my gosh, it was so fun. Oh, and the apple cider slushy was so good.” I’ve heard a lot of people talk about the slushy, but I’ve never tried it, so I was curious. What’s the hype around it?

Roman explains, “It’s really just slushy apple cider with ice cream mixed in.

I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s delicious. However, it made my stomach hurt so bad. I was dying on the walk to the pumpkin patch.”

Halloween is a huge factor of fall, and each year, costumes seem to follow a trend. Last year, it was clear that cheetahs were the most popular.

Almost every girl I knew was wearing something cheetah print for Halloween.

Roman shares what she saw the most of this Halloween. “I feel like the trend this year was definitely Victoria’s

This immediately made me think of the chai drinks from Starbucks. I love them so much, but I’ll drink them and immediately feel sick. Roman adds, “Same with any Dutch drink, it ruins my stomach.” Clearly, these delicious fall drinks we have grown to love and look forward to every year are really not the best for our stomachs.

40

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

NIKOL SANAYEVA

MATTHEW WOJCIAK

While on the topic of fall drinks, I was curious about what new drinks they have brought back to Starbucks.

Wojciak explains, “They always bring back, obviously, the pumpkin drinks, but they also had that pecan drink, whatever that was.” I think I tried it once, and I just really didn’t like it. In my opinion, Starbucks’ nutty drinks are never my favorite. While talking

about Starbucks, I became curious as to what Dutch Bros brought to the table for fall drinks this year. Roman explains, “For Dutch, I know they did this cherry Rebel, and it was supposed to look like blood, and it actually looked like it. And then, right now they have the Mistletoe Rebel, and it’s a red Rebel, and it has this green goo on top of it, and it literally tastes like slime.” It looks like if you’re looking for a delicious fall drink this fall, it seems like Starbucks is the way to go, unless you

“

fun, and it really has put me in the fall mood. I also asked Roman what she tends to listen to during the fall, and her answer surprised me. “I honestly just listen to Christmas music during the fall.” I know that a lot of Christmas and winter trends show up early during the fall season, but throughout the years, I’ve seen this pattern grow more and more. Could fall be getting overshadowed by the Christmas spirit?

want fake blood and green goo in your festive drink.

Wojciak helped me by making a list of a lot of fall trends this year. The first thing he said was about hoodies and where people are getting them from.

Roman added, “I think people mainly get their hoodies from Hollister, White Fox, Alfreic Eden, Abercrombie, Brandy Melville, and Essentials Fear of God.” Roman also added an interesting point.

“I feel like men’s hoodies are always better in general.” I agree with this because my favorite hoodies in my closet are all actually men’s. I think men’s and unisex hoodies tend to focus on comfort more than women’s hoodies do.

Something that always puts me in the fall mood is a good fall playlist and fall songs. The French teacher at Rocklin High School, Madame Arino, has had a fall playlist that she has put on for her classes for the past few months. Personally, being in her class throughout the fall has been so much

After talking about all of these fall trends, you have to ask the question: Where do people get all of this from?

Roman explains, “Definitely either TikTok or Pinterest. In the morning, if I have no idea what to wear, I’ll definitely look on Pinterest, and I’ll remake an outfit with some of the clothes I have.”

The 2000’s look is definitely coming back.

“

- Carrera Roman

I also feel like people have started to only get their inspiration from TikTok influencers. I think whenever they see them wearing something new, that’s just what becomes the trend.

A staple of fall clothing this year was the Hollister vintage revival. They brought back their 2000s fashion. For example, the fur-lined jacket and its tightly fitted sweaters. I asked Carrera Roman, who is an employee at Hollister, what she thinks of the trend and what she has seen come of it. “I have seen so many different people buy it. It’s really cute. I also see so many moms come in and say they used to wear those clothes. It’s so adorable, I love it.”

It seems like Hollister’s vintage revival has been a hit for many age groups.

By: Sarah Bawa Staff Reporter

NIKOL SANAYEVA

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

41

A CONSIDERABLE CAFE A review of Four Sisters It’s a Cafe

I

’m not a big fan of breakfast food and never really have been. I eat it occasionally, usually because my family prepares it for me. So when my friend invited me to eat at Four Sisters Café on a Saturday, I was looking forward to spending time with him more than I was looking forward to eating. While the restaurant also serves lunch items, I thought it would be more appropriate to order breakfast foods.

my first trip To start my dining experience, I ordered the “White Grapefruit Juice.”

After a couple of minutes, I received and tasted it. I’m normally not a big

fan of grapefruit, yet the drink was pleasant. I finished half of it before my first dish arrived.

I received my first course, the “Oatmeal Brulee,” less than 10 minutes after I had been given the grapefruit juice. While the plating was nice, the portion size was slightly disappointing for the price. Nonetheless, I began by breaking the brulee layer and taking a bite. I noticed that the oatmeal was slightly warm and the flavor a bit bland. The blackberries, though minimal, and the bananas provided the flavor the dish strongly needed, though it still wasn’t enough.

I was excited to try a unique spin on oatmeal, but ultimately, I felt somewhat let down.

My last course for the day was the “Mango-Stuffed French Toast.”

For this dish, the temperature was more appropriate, the flaky croissant strongly complemented the cream cheese, the coconut provided a unique texture and flavor profile, and each component added something positive to the dining experience.

One takeaway was that mango is a central component of the dish, though its presence was lacking in the flavor profile. Other than this, it was very pleasing.

my second trip I returned to Four Sisters Café about a month after my initial visit. I already knew what I wanted, so I began my order almost immediately. Two very friendly people swiftly helped me with my order and made it an enjoyable experience. I ordered a drink and two breakfast items, all of which were ready in less than 15 minutes. I tasted my lemonade

42

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

immediately, which had an authentic flavor, tasting more strongly of lemon than most other lemonades without being too overpowering.

About 10–15 minutes passed before I tasted the corned beef hash, which had cooled considerably. The dish consists mainly of potatoes and corned beef, topped with two eggs.

The soft potatoes had a muted flavor and mixed well with the tender beef’s saltiness. The dish is garnished with grilled onions and bell peppers, deepening the flavor profile and making you want to go back for more.

It was very satisfactory overall and worth the price.

Before it got any cooler, I decided to try the Garden Benedict, served with a tasty hollandaise sauce. I’ve always heard of eggs Benedict, though I have never tried it. I noticed that the dish’s plating was orderly. Toasted tomato slices, spinach, avocado, and egg were layered on two toasted focaccia slices, then topped with chives and, optionally, hollandaise sauce. As a result, I got right into dining, making sure to grab each component. It was an enjoyable explosion of flavor. Each component of the dish elevated the experience, making it enjoyable overall.

Four Sisters Café is a cozy spot for breakfast and lunch dining. Most menu items are priced below $20 and generally have proper portion sizes.

With good food and great service, Four Sisters is a spot I recommend for people looking for an enjoyable dining experience.

By: Micah Bielling Staff Reporter

Oatmeal Brulee

Garden Benedict

Mango-Stuffed French Toast

Lemonade & Biscuit

Corned Beef Hash

ALL PHOTOS BY MICAH BEILLING

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

43

SIMAR RANDHAWA NATHAN THORNDYKE

EMMA BUNIVA

MELODY GELLY CODY CADIMAS

PARKER BALL

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

44

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

ELLIOT FARREN

SEAN THANDI

TOPSHOTS

DOWNLOAD FREE UNLIMITED TOPSHOTS TODAY! ELI ANDERSON

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

45

IS IT “COOL”

TO BE A NERD? BRADEN WRIGHT

DHRUVA JAGADISH

W

unpacking the rise of nerd pride.

e often stigmatise nerds for being knowledgeable about a particular subject and being obsessive about it. But are today’s nerds cool? I think back to 2014, when mentioning Anime was shunned and looked down upon. Even playing a video game was less unheard of, with most gaming just emerging with games like Fortnite and Roblox for us kids. But something changed in recent years; the popularity of Anime in Google search terms skyrocketed, with many people becoming more interested in the niche subject.

People started watching it and giving it a try, slowly integrating it with regular TV. Netflix, the popular video service, recently took on much of anime, with it even reaching the top 10 of shows on Netflix’s home screen, like One Piece. Gaming has transformed into a billion-dollar industry with new games

46

BRADEN WRIGHT

coming out every week. People’s interest in different styles of games, casual and competitive, has become a common ground among groups.

Almost everyone plays video games nowadays, which has changed what people consider to be nerdy. For example, Pokémon used to be a nerdy hobby due to the collecting and strategic nature. But now Pokémon is a huge franchise with almost everyone hearing or partaking in something with the collectable monsters. Collecting Pokémon cards has become one of the most popular hobbies in the past 6 months, showing no signs of slowing down. People in schools carry Pokémon cards in their phone cases and flex them on their Instagrams and YouTube channels. The games sell millions of copies to fans, with the

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

search term Pokémon reaching top searches during events and game releases. The line of what is “acceptable” has shifted majorly. There are still games that are considered nerdy but are still widely played.

​ erd as a title in today’s world is N thrown around more jokingly than ever before. A survey and study from Lombardo Homes, a home sales website, states that 35% of all homes decorate their rooms with what they consider to be “nerdy”. An astonishing 43% of all homes own decorations from popular media like TV shows, movies, games, and books. This shift in culture is brought about by mass consumerism, by products created by the companies of the franchises.

People are starting to show their uniqueness through these decorations and clothes. ​ The gap of nerds has also been bridged with sports games, companies like EA Sports making FIFA and FC and other games like Madden NFL have turned avid sports fans into gamers. Companies like Epic Games capitalised on this with the game Rocket League being a hybrid car soccer game where players score soccer balls in goals using cars. It’s a game that traditional gamers and sports gamers can enjoy alike. ​ Why have these niche subcultures become so popular? Well, one reason

is due to the internet and social media making these subcultures more discoverable. Another reason for this rise could be social acceptability and being tolerant or even starting to take part in the subcommunities that have existed underground for a long time. It also comes from the want of uniqueness in our society today, where everyone wants to find that difference and separation from others by being cool being different. ​ This culture of nerdy things has now crossed that boundary of being niche and mainstream, with thousands of people now expressing their love and individuality for these underground subcultures proudly.

EVAN GORDON

Story By: Evan Gordon Senior Editor Design by: Bailee Sexton Senior Editor BRADEN WRIGHT

KEVIN FENG

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

47

SYMPTOMS OF A DIGITAL CHILDHOOD

hool Rocklin High Sc 12 20 g in Homecom EZ BRI JIMEN

G KAELYN CUN

NINGHAM

48

en Z was probably the last generation that grew up “offline.” All the slang we learned came from siblings, friends, school, and the occasional exposure to Vine or Musical.ly. Around school, you heard things like “Can I get a hooyah,” “TWENTY-ONE,” “What are thoseeeee,” the constant hum of fidget spinners,

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

and unsuspecting kids getting 5-starred. These “trends” lasted months or even years for us, with new memes or trendy items emerging only once in a while.

Today, Gen Alpha is running wild.

Most, if not all, of their slang comes from TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and any online content they can get their hands on. You walk past a group of young kids and hear “6…7,” “Only in Ohio,” “He’s got rizz,” “Did you see her gyatt,” and they’re all holding iPhone 17s and Stanley cups. Every time you turn around, there’s a new trendy item everyone has to have and a new slang word that no one even fully understands.

D

Slang, memes, and trends used to be a generational experience shared among peers, something only certain groups understood. But today, we’re all infected by the 6–7 pandemic. I’ll give this upcoming generation the benefit of the doubt: They did experience core childhood years during the two-year COVID shutdown, and their only way to connect was through social media and the digital world. However, if we don’t recognize the greater harm this can have on us, our future will be run by sticky iPad kids who speak solely in brainrot.

DO YOU HAVE

RIZZ?

The slang today isn’t organically spreading like it used to. “The Algorithm” is force-feeding it to us.

Every time you open a social media platform, you’re met with an overflow of random memes, microtrends, and catchphrases you didn’t ask for. The Algorithm decides what’s funny, and sure enough, the next day you’ll hear it echoing through the halls.

This is truly the first generation that has grown up fully online. While the digital age has opened up countless new avenues for learning, according to The Impact of Digital Technologies, “virtual learning environments and distance learning have opened up programmes to students who would otherwise be excluded”—there are also many consequences to this new era that we should be aware of, even if

T

AR ST

Have you ever fumbled the bag?

NO

Do you have huzz?

YES

NO Do huzz tend to come up and talk to you?

YES

Have you ever ghosted someone?

NO

YES

According to the National Library of Medicine, in an article on the effect of excessive screen time on child development, their study shows that “excessive screen usage has detrimental effects on social and emotional growth, including a rise in the likelihood of obesity, sleep disorders, and mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.” These are very real and honestly quite obvious effects that can happen to the children of today.

We’re never going to be able to erase technology; if anything, it will only continue to grow and develop. But what we can control is the way we expose ourselves to it. In the grand scheme of time, technology is still incredibly new, and our challenge now is learning how to use it for good and teaching younger generations to use it in ways that help them learn and grow, not hold them back.

By: Kaelyn Cunningham Senior Editor

NO

Do you text huzz often?

Do you get think being mysterious = not answering?

NO

Have you gone on a date with said huzz?

YES

fire Rizz

You walk into a room or slide into DMs and instantly gain everyones attention. Every word lands, every look hits, and somehow everyone’s lowkey obessed - thats RIZZ

YES

YES

NO YES

we don’t yet know their full long-term effects. Social interactions, public speaking, individuality, and emotional sensitivity are the first things that come to mind as areas likely to be impacted.

NO

Do you post stories in hopes they view it?

NO

YES

Mid RizZ

You try, sometimes it lands, sometimes it flops. You’ve got some charm... occasionally. Not bad, not iconic somewhere in the middle of the rizz spectrum.

Do you send a text then immediely unsend it?

YES

L RIZZ

Bro... the univere gently wihispers ‘try again’. Every attempt at flirting end ins awkwardness, ghosting, or self sabatoge.

You’ve got heart but your rizz is on airplane mode

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

49

WILD GOOSE CHASE

T

Their fall seasonal menu consists of the usual pumpkin spice and caramel apple flavors, but also features more unique flavors, such as their blueberry latte and banana Foster latte. At The Grazing Goose, they make all of their coffee syrups in-house, meaning all of the flavors are personally handcrafted to complement their coffee. I had the opportunity to try one of their blueberry lattes, pictured above. Apart from the gorgeous presentation, the latte was incredible. The blueberry flavor was strong yet still allowed room for the coffee to shine, and it was perfectly sweet. The latte, overall, gets a 5/5 from me.

I also tried their white pumpkin chai, pictured next to the blueberry latte.

The chai was a little less sweet than the latte, but it complemented the spices wonderfully. The drink was not overly pumpkin-y, again allowing the chai to take center stage. However, I do wish there was slightly more chai concentrate in the drink, though that’s my own personal preference. I would give the chai a 4/5.

50

finding success after disaster

SOFIA PATTERSON

The food is another highlight of The Grazing Goose, with many pastries, pies, breakfasts, and more available.

“

We wanted another way to touch base with the community.

“

he Grazing Goose, a Rocklin catering company, recently opened a bakery/café storefront in the Rocklin Commons, serving baked goods, drinks, and breakfast.

Their transition from catering company to storefront was fueled by “[wanting] to connect with the community more,” according to store manager N. Lynn. They expanded on this, saying, “We wanted another way to touch base with the community.”

After opening in May 2025, the staff was hoping to have a successful first year of business. However, disaster struck when a water line burst and caused a flood, putting the café and its staff out of commission for two months. Despite this setback, the café is back and better than ever, with a rotating seasonal menu.

- N Lynn

chocolate-chipless chocolate chip cookie usually serves as a warning against a bakery. Thankfully, this is not the case with The Grazing Goose.

Their chocolate chip cookie, though not served warm, is huge, gooey, and, of course, full of chocolate chips. Truly a masterpiece among pastries. I give the cookie another 5/5.

The customer service and atmosphere are also impeccable. I was greeted by front-of-house manager N.

While there, I tried the West Coast breakfast sandwich, featuring avocado, heirloom tomato, pickled red onions, bacon, an egg, and cream cheese, all on an everything bagel. There’s no other way to say this: This was the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had. The sandwich is savory, crunchy, creamy, and delicious all at the same time. It goes without saying that this sandwich gets a 5/5 from me, and I would be willing to cross the desert for it.

However, The Grazing Goose not only serves breakfast but also an array of pastries. I decided to sample a chocolate chip cookie, which is the true test of a bakery’s skill. A stale, over- or underbaked, nearly

OPINION FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

SOFIA PATTERSON

Lynn, whom I later interviewed. The store, when I visited, was thoroughly decorated for fall with leaf garlands, pumpkins, and more. The inside of the restaurant is very inviting and comfortable, even though it is not

your new favorite bite

SOFIA PATTERSON

especially warm. Both the customer service and atmosphere warrant a 5/5 from me.

SOFIA PATTERSON

The Grazing Goose has been through a lot in just its first year of opening.

Surviving a flood is an impressive feat, though I believe what I experienced with the food, drinks, customer service, and atmosphere is even more impressive. Overall, I would give The Grazing Goose a 5/5.

By: Sofia Patterson Staff Reporter SOFIA PATTERSON

SOFIA PATTERSON SOFIA PATTERSON

OPINION ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

51

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

52

FEATURE FLASH - DECEMBER 2025

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

EITAN RUBINSTEIN

Please put money where it actually matters.

R

ocklin High School is preparing to make changes, and this time, students are part of the conversation. Administration recently sent out a Google Form asking for input on future campus projects. We appreciate that they asked what students think. It feels like a real chance for student voices to help shape what comes next on our campus.

Right now, the basics still need attention. Every day, students walk under leaking ceilings and sit at cracked or wobbly desks. They pass closed or unreliable water fountains.

Many restrooms feel outdated and poorly maintained. These are not small hassles. They shape how comfortable students feel on campus and how proud they are of RHS. That is why many students are less excited about ideas like new fences, expanded announcer areas, or more decorative walkways. Those kinds of projects might look good on a campus tour or a flyer, but they do not help a student find a clean bathroom between classes or refill a water bottle on a hot day.

Students also notice what is working.

More lunch tables have eased crowding and made it easier to sit with

friends. The beach volleyball court and scoreboard add energy to games and give athletes a real home court. Bottlefilling stations are popular because they are fast and practical. These are the kinds of improvements students actually use every day, and they point to them when they talk about what feels helpful on campus.

Future projects should build on that.

Renovations should focus first on practical fixes that support daily life at school. Bathrooms need regular upkeep so they stay clean, stocked, and open throughout the day. Water fountains and bottle-filling stations across campus should work reliably so getting a drink is simple, not a scavenger hunt. Ceilings should be repaired before leaks spread, and broken desks and classroom furniture should be replaced or fixed so students can work comfortably and safely in class.

This is not a new campus. RHS first opened in 1993, with more permanent buildings completed in 1998. For almost three decades, thousands of students have moved through the same halls, sat in the same rooms, and used the same restrooms. There is real history in these floors. Keeping what makes RHS familiar should go hand in

hand with maintaining and updating the spaces students use every day.

The heart of RHS is its students and staff. They are the ones who fill the stands on Friday nights and stay after school for sports and clubs. Facilities should back up that work. When students ask for working fountains, better bathrooms, more shade, and repaired ceilings, they are not asking for luxury. They are asking for a campus that supports the time they already spend here.

We want to recognize that asking for feedback is a meaningful step. It tells students that their opinions matter and gives them a way to speak up about what they see every day. The next step is to let that feedback shape the order of projects. We encourage school and district leaders to keep talking with students as plans develop. Explain which projects are required and which are flexible. A campus that takes care of students’ everyday needs is one that people are proud to represent on the field, in the classroom, and long after they graduate.

By: The Editorial Board

FEATURE ROCKLINHSFLASH.NET

53

PASSING THE TORCH “Coach Harter has put in a whole new offense and defense while keeping the core values of hard work work, hustle and accountability. accountability.”

Story by Ian Valdivia and Zachary Burdick - pg. 36

UPCOMING DATES: 12/25 Christmas Day

1/16 Heavenly Dance

1/1 New Years Day

1/19 MLK Day

1/9 Runaway Rally

2/2-2/4 College Admission Seminar

We have a video podcast! Scan the QR code to watch our most recent episodes which are recorded live at RHS.

Our amazing 2025-26 FLASH production staff

We will hand deliver a copy of our print magazine to you for FREE! Scan the QR code to sign up.

We have a RHS news website!

Scan the QR code to access up to date coverage written by your fellow students.

Interested in advertising in our podcast, magazine or website? Contact our business editor at: kaelynsuecunningham@gmail.com

FLASH