February 8, 2013

The fhsroyalbanner.com

Friday, February 8, 2013 Vol. 53 No. V

Fairview High School 1515 Greenbriar Blvd.

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Royal Banner Cover photo by Emily Ellis

news

obama’s second term: what’s up for discussion? 3 neal kornreich’s campaign journey 4

royal banner’s 2013 celebrity predictions 5

entertainment valentine’s day playlist 7 oscar predictions 8

grammy nominated album of the year review 9

opinions

nothing’s fair in love and war 10 hate valentine’s day? 11

in-depth

mental health = social health 13

moving forward on gun control 14

ohio football scandal unravels online 15

not even once: the struggle for atonement 16 señior oviatt: the silent killer 17

student life thoughts on valentine’s day 20 fairview grants a wish 21

Up & Coming Today

Friday the 8th: Basketball Vs. Horizon (Men at Home) JV Wrestling State Champion Holiday: Boy Scout Day

This Weekend

Sunday the 10th: Holiday: Chinese New Year

All Week

Bring Books for the Book Drive!

Next Week

virtual reality vs. virtually harmless 12

humor

Bits and Pieces

sports

sexy sports duos 18

winter sports report 19 (BONUS: crossword puzzle)

extras 6

knight memes

advertisements 22,

23 couples of the castle 24

Tuesday the 12th: Basketball Vs. Mountain Range (Women at Home) Holiday: Mardi Gras Wednesday the 13th: Knight of Transition Season Premiere: Survivor Thursday the 14th: Holiday: Valentine’s Day Pick up your Love/Friend matches at the top of the school - $2.00 Friday the 15th: Last Day to turn in books for the Book Drive!

Basketball Rematch Fairview vs.

Boulder (Fairview is away) Holiday: Singles Awarness Day

4-Day Weekend!

Monday 2/18: President’s Day Tuesday 2/19: Teacher In-Service Day Wednesday 2/20: Love Your Pet Day

In the future...

Course Selection - 2/25 to 3/1 Pops - 2/26 to 3/2 Spring Play - 3/2 to 3/4

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Royal Banner

News

Obama’s Second Term: What’s up for discussion?

By Sharone Goldman, Lucia Rose, and Rachel Perley In a political era defined by polarization and partisanship- staunch beliefs and unyielding stances- there are numerous controversial policies in 2013 to be grappled with. Here is a review of hot topics that Obama is bound to wrestle with in his second term:

Gun Control

Gay Rights

At a vigil held three days after the Newtown Elementary School shooting that claimed the lives of 20 children and 6 adults, President Obama told the crowd of grieving community members, “We can’t accept events like this as routine.”

The widespread discussion of gun control began brewing since Trayvon Martin’s death and the Aurora shooting and was only ignited more by the Newtown Elementary tragedy. Politicians, television reporters, and community members alike have sprung into action. The President said he plans to do so as well in his next term.

“I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators, in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this,” Obama said.

The 2012 election was a huge milestone in having LGBTQ representation in Congress. The Senate gained its first openly gay member, Tammy Baldwin. The first openly gay Representative from New York was elected, and previous openly gay Congress members were re-elected.

In 2013, same-sex marriage became legal in Maine, Washington, and Maryland.

Last year, when Obama said he supported same-sex marriage, he created an inevitable platform for discussing LGBTQ rights in 2013.

Obama addressed this topic in his second inaugural address by saying that America’s “journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.”

Immigration Reform

The DREAM Act, which stands for development, relief, and education for alien minors, will be reintroduced to Congress early this year. This legislation would allow youth immigrants who graduate from high school in the US to have an opportunity to receive green cards.

Obama addressed the issue in July of last year saying, “It is this constant flow of immigrants that help make America what it is... to this day America reaps incredible economic rewards because we remain a magnet for the best and brightest for people around the world. In an increasingly interconnected world....being an American is not a matter of blood or birth it is a matter of faith.”

New Term, New Jobs: Who is going to head to D.C. this term?

By Rachel Perley, Lucia Rose, and Elise Maclean

Age

Previous Job

New Position

Job Description

Replacing

Party

John Brennan

57

Deputy National Security Advisor

Head of CIA

Michael J. Morell

None

Chuck Hagel

66

US Senator from Nebraska

Secretary of Defense

Leon E. Panetta

Republican

John Kerry

69

US Senator from Massachusetts

Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton

Democrat

Jack Lew

57

White House Chief of Staff

Secretary of the Treasury

Direct and coordinate the CIA and its missions Head of Armed Services and US miliary Chief Advisor to the President involving foreign policy and matters Chief Economic Advisor to the President

Timothy F. Geithner

Democrat

from Wikimedia Commons Photos

Royal Banner

Neal Kornreich’s Campaign Journey

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News

By Melissa Cuddington Neal Kornreich, senior, was a field organizer for the 2012 Obama Re-election Campaign just last year. After putting many hours in as a volunteer in the Boulder Baseline office, he was promoted to a staff member on the campaign. He decided to skip his first semester of senior year and take the job. With the recent inauguration for President Obama’s second term, the Royal Banner decided to interview him on his experience.

RB: What did you do for Obama?

NK: I was staff, so I was a field organizer, so primarily organizing volunteers.

RB: What was the best part of the experience?

NK: Probably when the President came twice when I was on staff, once when I was an intern. We dealt with such large crowds of people and we really got to see our volunteers take on responsibilities they hadn’t before and organizing these masses.

RB: How did this experience change you as a person? What did you get out of it?

NK: I learned a lot of basic office skills and leadership skills on the campaign, definitely a different side of politics.

RB: How do you plan to stay involved with the administration?

NK: There is going to be a “campaign after,” I want to intern for it. I probably won’t do that much with it because I have to go to college. I hope to potentially jump on in 2014 with the Senate race.

RB: What are you looking forward to in Obama’s second term?

NK: There are a couple of pieces of legislation, one I am interested in seeing is immigration reform which we should see in a couple of months. I’m also interested in seeing any foreign policy development.

RB: Do you want to pursue politics as a career?

NK: Maybe. Possibly!

One benifit of Neal Kornreich’s work for the Obama Campaign was that he was able to go to the Inaugural Ball at the Convention Center back in January.

Photo donated by Neal Kornreich

Royal Banner

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News

Royal Banner’s 2013 Celebrity Predictions

By Shoshana Pollack and Sharone Goldman 1) Taylor Swift will go through at least four breakups, and subsequently come out with a new album and make millions. So basically what we’re thinking is that when T-Swift needs some extra cash, she goes out, finds a boy, dates him for a couple weeks and breaks up with him.

Also, since she is the new relationship advice columnist for 17 Magazine, we can safely predict that she will advise a lot of teenage girls to break up with their boyfriends.

They will then go listen to Taylor Swift’s music, a she will make more money. We’re on to you Taylor. But hey, it’s good business!

2) Look out, humanity! There’s a new Kardashian on the way. Unfortunately for Kim, 9 months is a little longer than 72 days, and there’s no way she and Kanye are going to last that long. Face it: If Kim had an emotional meltdown after losing an earring in the ocean, she’s not going to be able to handle the agonies of childbirth. She won’t be able to stand the Kontractions and will have a K-Section. Poor kid, alone in a world of Kardashian women. You can’t feel too bad for the little K in the oven though. Kim and Kanye did just purchase an 11 million dollar mansion.

3) There will be a mass-movement to boycott “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” because society will finally realize that watching the exploitation of a six-year-old girl gorge herself on corn syrup is a grossly self-gratifying practice.

LOL just kidding. People will never cease to find sick ways to feel better about themselves, and besides, the show is kind of entertaining... not that we watch it... it’s just what people have told us...

Polls: Answer online at www.fhsroyalbanner.com!

By Rachel Perley and Lucia Rose

After Harry Styles’ break up with Taylor Swift, who will keep him “Up all Night?”

1) Selena Gomez 2) Carly Rae Jepsen 3) Liam Hemsworth

What will Lady Gaga’s most interesting dress be made of?

1) Chocolate 2) Jello 3) Wood

4) 2013 is the year Lady Gaga is finally going to go off the deep end. Except not. That happened like three years ago. I mean, have you seen the way she dresses? It’s really not fair though. Why does she make millions after wearing a dress made out of meat, but if I try to wear big plastic bubbles instead of clothing I get funny looks?

5) Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj will claw each other’s eyes out in this season of “American Idol.” After a leaked video of Minaj yelling “off with her head!” (in that British accent she tends to whip out every now and then), Carey admitted to hiring additional security measures to feel safe.

In spite of the feud, viewership will continue to decline. This show is awful.

How much money will T-Swift make this year?

1) 1 break up: $10,000,000 2) 2 break ups: $20,000,000 3) 5 break ups: $50,000,000

Photos from Wikimedia Commons

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Knight Memes

Memes by James Kiousis

Memes

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Entertainment

Valentine’s Day Playlist

By Eamonn Morris

Nothing is better on Valentine’s Day than a good love song (except an ungodly excess of chocolate).

Luckily, musicians seem to be just as interested in talking about the joys and pitfalls of romantic attraction as the rest of us, and just about every musician of our time has chipped in a love song of their own. So for Valentine’s day, we compiled a list of love songs of every stripe-- from orchestral ballads to Kiwi hip-hop. Enjoy!

Oscar Predictions 1) “Love”-- Joni Mitchell Good If you need a primer on exactly what we are talking about here- Mitchell defines love as “never look[ing] for love;/ love’s not puffed up, or envious, or touchy,” which rules out middle schoolers pretty quickly. Mitchell also sings about the need to recapture the innocent love of children. The best version of this song is on Travelogue: The lush strings help to underpin the Romantic conception of love present in the lyrics.

2) “Waters”-- Electric Wire Hustle If you are harboring a tentative crush, give this jam a listen. “Can we just test the waters?” is the rallying cry of Electric Wire Hustle (an electro- hip-hop-type group from New Zealand, of all places) in this dark, angsty piece about finding a suitable partner. The singer’s cold falsetto preaches the virtue of “trying not to judge too quick-” but the song’s languid (and frankly kind of despairing) pace suggests some folly inherent in waiting too long to take action.

3) “Good Vibrations”-- The Beach Boys Ever had that moment of dawning com-

prehension when you look at somebody a certain way, and they do it right back, and it changes your mood for the better the whole rest of the day? That is exactly what this song is about. Brian Wilson soliloquizes about “the colorful clothes you wear,/ and the way the sunlight plays upon her hair.” Then comes the famous (and catchy!) chorus about picking up “Good Vibrations-” that jittery, half anxious/ half elated feeling that comes when a sideward glance turns into something bigger.

4) “In Your Eyes”-- Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel tends to be pretty epic, and this anthem is no different- it is about finding completion and about filling in a missing portion of one’s soul in the eyes of the one you love. It’s typical 80’s stuff- big synths, reverb on the snare drum, and a soaring melody that stirs the soul. It does not get much more demonstrative than this masterpiece.

5) “I’ve Just Seen a Face”-- The Beatles You never forget Love at First Sightit’s one of those experiences that gets burned in your mind forever, for bet-

ter and for worse. Thankfully the Fab 4 themselves released a wonderful song to help you process the overwhelming power of instantaneous infatuation.

You will probably recognize this tune from the vibrant bowling alley scene in Across the Universe and the visual analogue is an apt one- in such a situation one definitely feels like releasing the energy in any way possible.

6) “I Would Do Anything For Love”-- Meat Loaf Rounding out the list is Meat Loaf ’s epic, overwrought power ballad, epitomizing everything that was both wrong, and right, with love in the ‘80s. The song’s title is actually a misnomer- the good ‘ol Loaf sings about how deeply in love he is and how he would indeed “Do Anything--” But he won’t do “that,” whatever that means, exactly. As over-the-top as the actual song is, the idea is not a bad one: Meat Loaf is essentially saying that we should stay true to ourselves, no matter how much we want to change for someone else. Check this oddball out for its message, if nothing else.

Who do you think will win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

Album of the Year 8 Reviews

Ke y Entertainment

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Oscar Predictions

By Eamonn Morris

Sunday, February 24

1) Best Picture - Lincoln- This one is a pretty clear winner to me. Just look at fellow historical biopic “The King's Speech” from two years ago, as well as director Steven Spielberg's previous wins with Schindler's List and “Saving Private Ryan” to see that this is a total shoe-in. Another important factor is the presence of renowned actor Daniel Day-Lewis in the titular role. While a case could e certainly be made for “SilveritLinings Playbook” and “Beasts of the Southern Wild” based on merit alone, “Lincoln” is the contender h with the most items ticked off on its Oscar-winner checklist. kW c a 2) Best Actor - Daniel J Day-Lewis It's not everyday you get a contender of Day-Lewis's caliber (since he is notoriously choosy about roles,) so this uone ss- seems like a pretty obvious choice to me as well. Joaquin Phoenix (in The Master) is, to me, the contender with the most d merit, erb but as I said above, the Academy is often looking for more than just a brilliant performance; and Day-Lewis has the n urefinement over Phoenix for sure. edge in Bl 3) Best Actress -Jessica Chastain- Since Kathryn Bigelow got snubbed by the Academy for Zero Dark Thirty, it's likely they'll make a concession to the film (which is supposed to be brilliant, by the way) by choosing Chastain as the winner in her category. Politics aside, Chastain is a brilliant actress who has shown her clout in a lot of A-list films recently (“The Tree of Life,” “Take Shelter”) and certainly deserves to be the top contender.

ChaSupporting Actress - Anne Hathaway- Hathaway had a standout role in the tear-jerking musical “Les Miserables,” and easily 4) Best el film's Frnnthe delivered Ora best and most authentic performance. Given that, I think she's an automatic choice, although Amy Adams in a n ngprovide k Omight “The Master” some competition. e ceanActor 5) Best Supporting - Christoph Waltz- A Waltz character in a Tarantino film is the ultimate guilty pleasure. Even if they went for it last time, I think it might be hard for the Academy to resist giving the Austrian actor the honor he so deserves fo his portrayal of the film’s gleefully amoral bounty hunter, King Schultz. Philip Seymour Hoffman is another very strong contender, as his turn as an L. Ron Hubbard-esque demagogue in The Master certainly turned a few heads.

6) Directing - Steven Spielberg OR Ang Lee- This one's a toss-up. Ang Lee gained a lot of attention for his apparently very good adaptation of Life of Pi, but Spielberg has history on his side with this category. As of now, the category is too close to call.

7) Best Original Screenplay - “Zero Dark Thirty”- There's no way this one can't win-- unless Silver Linings Playbook manages to edge it out. But Thirty garnered a ridiculous amount of praise, and most of it was centered around the power and realism of the story.

Who do you think will win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

Valentine’s Day Playlist

Oscar Predictions Photos from Wikimedia Commons

Continued from page 8

Who do you think will win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

“Mumford and Sons. Their music is so rockin! ” -Ella Ratliff, Junior

“Frank Ocean. He

sang “Thinking about you” and his high voice makes me melt.

-Jessie Merheb, Senior

”

“Frank Ocean. I enjoy

his music. I’ve been thinking about him a lot.

-Davis Wheeler, Senior

”

Photos by Alex Flynn

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Entertainment

Cha F nnel E

By E rank Oran Channel l Ca ge am mi O El Calbum Orange, the recent ami no - T onn Morcean ris from soul/R&B debutante FranknOcean, o - T he Bl is creating a huge amount of hype in the Grammy he B ack lac Keys community, and for good reason - the album is probakK bly one of the finest offerings of the entire year. It’s intelligent, eys

GrammyNominated Nominated Grammy Albumof ofthe theYear Year Album Reviews Reviews

heartfelt, unsentimental -- and really fun to listen to.

The album is notable for its lack of hyperbole; it’s heavy on introversion and focus on languid, slow-burning grooves. Also important are Channel Orange’s textures - the music is exceptionally clear, so it’s generally pretty easy to pick out the lyrics. From the time Ocean sings about his first love (who he identified as a fellow male in an open letter on tumblr) in “Thinkin Bout You” the album is an accumulation of soul-searching pathos.

The album’s standout track is “Super Rich Kids,” a collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt detailing the excesses of growing up in an affluent neighbore hood. Ocean makes the prescient point that all this material wealth and opheit W t i portunity doesn’t make much of a difference. The song is unsentimentally k acWh framed by a repeated piano chord, underpinned by a spare four-on-theJ s-acokff sJ Over the floor drum pattern, which allows the lyrics to be foremost in the lisu rbss-Evan e last ten years or so, rock tener’s mind. du udnerbBy JJ music has hit somewhat of a low as far l

Channel Orange will not be remembered for its posBun as innovation and creativity go. It has been some l itivity, but for its incredible level of power and craft.

B time since an independent blues rock album has caught With an album as good as this one, Grammy as much attention as Jack White’s most recent attempt. recognition is practically a guaran The first line of Blunderbuss, the debut solo album by Jack tee.

ChWhite, ann commences with a lyrical punch in the face: “I was in the showChF Ielcould Oranot tell my nose was bleeding.” It’s hard to expect where the aer,nrnso a n e nge from there. k Falbum l will proceed O O ran c r e a a nn kO

Lyrically, c ange “Blunderbuss” is a fearless and thrilling mess of thoughts about love, eloss, and life. White sings of truth and authenticity and elaborates El C extensively about his personal backstory. ami no The record is more down to earth than the infamous White Stripes. It has B some of White’s best pure songwriting yet, which sacrifices the potential for y Lu The B ke S commercially viable singles. chn lack K eide F o r eys

On “Blunderbuss,” White focuses on the pre-computer, post-hipr nearly a decade, The pie era of the 1970s. The style is comparable to the Rolling Stones, Led Black Keys was a band that managed to Zeppelin, and the Who, all of whom started off with the stripped keep its head above water through local gigs and down rebellion of the British Invasion.

Blunderbuss is quite simply a marvelous rock small club venues. These days it’s hard not to stumble album, one that, along with the Black Keys’ “El across one of their hits while scanning the mainstream radio. Since 2011 they have received several Grammy noms and Camino,” is injecting energy back into this year, their song “Lonely Boy,” the lead single on their new album an ancient art form.

“El Camino,” has been nominated for Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance, and Best Rock Song. “El Camino” itself is up for a pair of nominations as an album. Though stylistically the songs of the new release e t sound familiar to dedicated listeners, the album maintains a more upbeat i h W rock-and-roll tempo. “El Camino” achieves the classic, original blues sound All Album of the Year Grammy Nominations ckThe Black Keys a for which The Black Keys have become a centerpiece of the contemporary 1. El Camino-J s s scene.

Tracks such as “Lonely Boy,” “Gold On the Ceiling,” and “Little 2. Some bu Nights- Fun r e Black Submarines” have earned extensive airtime on stations here in 3.dBabel- Mumford and Sons u4.n Channel Orange- Frank Ocean Boulder, and have led to a resurgence in interest in blues music. These l B songs are simple, accessible, and catchy; in a way that is a typical 5. Blunderbuss- Jack White for Blues music and draws in younger listeners. “El Camino” earns high marks and should come away with some hardware at the Grammys this February.

O

Who do

Grammy Nominated Album of the Year Reviews Valentine’s Day

Playlist Valentine’s Day Playlist

Oscar Predictions Predictions Oscar

Who do you think will win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

Who do you think will win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

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Royal Banner Questions

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us at:

www.fhsroyalbanner.com Check out the online edition of the Royal Banner for real time coverage of school events, additional coverage of print stories, photos, videos, and audio.

Love and War

12-13 Staff

Editorial Board Print Editors-In-Chief Megan DeBruyn Paige Reisman Web Editors-In-Chief Janet Chen Eliana Goldstein

Section Editors News Sharone Goldman Opinions Kali Crossen Student Life Savarone Ammann Entertainment Alex Flynn Sports Cason McHose In-Depth Shoshana Pollack Copy Paige Lindgren

Staff Reporters

Lindsay Barnes, Natalie Bowes, Kimberly Brown, Owyn Cooper, Melissa Cuddington, Emily Ellis, JJ Evanoff, Conor Hall, Raine Kennedy, Elise Maclean, Keenan Marrinan, Eamonn Morris, Rachel Perley, Alex Ray, Lucia Rose, David Sachs, Luke Schneider, Ryan Shuman, Maddie Stachniak, Rebecca Vickers

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The Royal Banner Newspaper is a 12 to 24 page newspaper.

The Banner is written primarily for the over 2000 students attending Fairview High School and is distributed free of charge to all members of the school community. Accurate reporting of fact is the goal of the staff. Commentaries, opinion columns and letters to the editor are the expressed opinion of the author and not of

The Royal Banner and its Editorial Board or its adviser. *Disclaimer: Under Colorado law, no expression made by students in the exercise of free speech or freedom of the press shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy. No school district, employee, legal guardian or official of such a district shall be held liable in any criminal action for any expression made or published by a student. The Royal Banner sells advertisements for publicity and to pay for printing costs. We reserve the right to refuse to run any advertisement deemed inappropriate to the Fairview community.

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Opinions

By Eliana Goldstein In the middle of the most depressing, awkwardly short month of the year, the monotony of winter breaks in a lovely flash of pink, chocolate, and a laundry list of the most unrealistic expectations since some apocryphal caveman stuck his hand in a fire, hoping it would give him magical powers. This holiday needs no introduction, I am sure. For girls, it is a time to sit around and long for some Y-chromosomed individual to bring them pretty things. For guys, it is a time to panic about sending the right physical and emotional messages to whatever young lady has caught their eye, and God forbid if they screw up. Not much fun for anyone involved, honestly. However, the traditional Valentine’s Day parallels the unfortunate dynamics of heterosexual relations in a way that’s disturbingly perfect.

In cultures all around the world, since time immemorial, women have been treated as things that need to be bought. For a long time, they were bought from fathers and brothers by their future husbands. Now, in our far more “civilized” times, they are bought from themselves. For my whole life, in pop culture and in my family life, I have been shown that to gain my affection, men need to give me presents. I like presents as much as the next person but this particular cultural myth devalues my worth as a person.

I am not a commodity to be bought and sold, people. Nor should my comrades in ovaries see themselves that way. It is this romantic capitalism that allows guys to treat their girlfriends as furniture. He gives you a necklace? You’d better get his pants off ASAP!! It’s supposedly his right, after all. Worse yet is the delusion that a gentleman who cannot pay for dates does not deserve the time of day. When you are subtly told to ignore your own feelings because the object of your admiration can’t or doesn’t bring you flowers once a month, you are losing control of your own future.

On the other end of this problem are the guys who find themselves unable to snag a girl on the basis of their personality and natural talents. The whole facade of romantic gift-giving sets their value equivalent to what is in their wallet. It is a construct which is deeply unfair to both genders.

When women are treated as objects and men as wallets, no one is getting treated like a person. Women are things to be used and men are users. This cultural labeling makes acts like domestic abuse and rape astonishingly close to acceptable. If we stopped casting each other in these roles, we would stop giving others permission to abuse their assigned part.

So back to that aforementioned holiday. This year, guys and gals, change up the patterns we’ve been ingrained in for so long. Guys, do something that means more than a bunch of roses does. And girls, don’t be afraid to give that special guy something you think he’d love. Don’t wait for him to come to you. Appreciate your partner for who they are, not for how or if they meet your contrived expectations for the pinkest day of the year.

Royal Banner

H a t e

By Keenan Marrinan

11

Va l e n t i n e s

Opinions

D a y ?

Remember when February 14th used to mean something? When the ides of February were known as Lupercalia, a three day festival that would honor the creation of Rome. Whether you were sacrificing, skinning and wearing a dog and goat, or being blessed with fertility by two young men clad in goatskin and splattering you with goat blood, you could show your respect for the She-Wolf Lupa, mother of Romulus, founder of Rome.

Now it’s about St. Valentine and showing Love and Affection.

Today, Lupercalia has been, albeit poorly, disguised as Valentine’s Day, a “holiday” that claims to have nothing to do with Rome and uses a Saint of the Christian religion to justify showing one’s love for a special someone. Unfortunately this cult has succeeded in convincing the people that February 14th is about affection; in a survey of 62 students, 84% of them said February 14th was about St. Valentine and love, while only 13% said it was about the She-wolf Lupa, the remaining three percent said it was about commercialism and greeting cards.

Don’t you think Christianity has enough holidays? Shouldn’t we give Rome the respect and honor it so rightly deserves? I am not saying that we should all have a traditional Lupercalia on the upcoming ides, I am simply suggesting that maybe we should wear the skin of a goat that day and throw tomato juice at women. Doesn’t that seem like a better holiday than all this silly love nonsense?

Remember when Valentine’s Day used to mean something? When you could tell the important people in your life that you cared about them on February 14th? And how it used to mean the world to most people?

Now it means nothing except to the candy companies that flourish from the materialism.

Valentine’s Day is a commercialistic, materialistic, pointless holiday that no longer means “I love you” and now means “How much am I worth to you?”

If this day was to have any semblance of meaning anymore, it would only be a monetary benefit to people like Hallmark who profit on people trying to out-buy each other for the better gift.

People have become so selfish about this day and now I want nothing to do with it. Now everyone worries if they’re present is expensive enough to “accurately prove their love.”

And that is not supposed to matter. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be more than that.

Back in the day, Valentine’s Day meant a box of assorted cards that you just handed out to all of your classmates and everyone felt special? Now you have around seven classes each filled to the brim with 35 students and, well, “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Now there’s all this drama about who-hates-who, who-likes-who, who-is-dating-who and it is honestly not worth it anymore. And I mean that in both the monetary value and dealing with this ignorant behavior.

I am not saying that we should completely abandon the holiday. I am just hoping that maybe we can stop being so selfish and find our way back to when this holiday meant more than something with a dollar sign in front of it.

By Owyn Cooper

Royal Banner

12

In-Depth

A CULTURE OF VIOLENCE

Virtual Reality vs.

Virtualy Harmless Maddie Stachniak

In the aftermath of the tragic Sandy Hook shootings, gun control and regulation has now emerged as a main focus of politicians and the American public. However, according to the National Rifle Association, there are other culprits that may have caused this violence: video games.

Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons “There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people through vicious, violent video games with names like ‘Bulletstorm’, ‘Grand Theft Auto’, ‘Mortal Kombat’, and ‘Splatterhouse,’” said NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre at a press conference recently.

After Sandy Hook, the NRA received a lot of flack from the media and American public alike. One may not be surprised that they are attempting to draw attention away from themselves, especially to something like violent video games, which have always been controversial. But do these games really cause people to become violent?

“This analysis does not find support for either a causal or correlational link between violent media and subsequent aggression in viewers,” said Christopher J. Ferguson and John Kimburn in “The Public Health Risks of Media Violence: A Meta-Analytic Review”.

More importantly, if violent video games do cause gun violence, then one would expect to see that countries that spend more on video games would also see an increase in violent crime. However, data has not supported this conclusion.

Countries like the UK and France, which spend around the same amount of money per capita on video games as the US have low gun-related murder rates, while America is at a much higher rate. In fact, according to The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with 0.07 people killed out of 100,000 in 2009, the UK has one of the lowest gun-related murder rates in the world.

The NRA’s portrayal of these games as violence-inducing hardly seems fair when these facts come to light. And it isn’t exactly a new argument. In the 1930’s, adults worried that comic books were turning kids violent. It seems that nothing but the scapegoat has changed.

Many people play violent video games as a form of stress relief, but these people, just average American citizens, could never fathom actually committing these acts. There is clearly not a correlation between videogames and gun-related murder in the US, and the fact that the NRA is using this as a distraction, rather than having an actual discussion about gun laws, is contrary to making any progress on this vitally important national issue.

Royal Banner Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons

13

Mental Health= Sociatal Health

By Raine Kennedy

Last summer, James Holmes walked into a movie theater and killed twelve innocent people. In December, Adam Lanza killed twenty seven in an elementary school, including twenty first graders.

There is a problem here.

Out of the 62 mass shootings since 1982, 61% of the killers suffered from a diagnosed mental health issue.

45 million people in the United States alone suffer from mental illness. Of those, 11 million cases are considered serious. Clearly, mental health is a problem for America, and the growing fear and stigma against mental illness is doing nothing to help this. If mental illness can be better dealt with in the future, the number of mass shootings we experience could decrease by more than half.

The majority of people who have serious mental health problems are not at all dangerous. They’re just normal people suffering from an affliction that they cannot control. They are living with a disease in the same way that a victim of a physical disease is. The first step to being able to prevent those few deranged people from committing devastating crimes is to look at mental illness with understanding and compassion.

Many believe that the isolating effects of the mental health stigma in fact contribute to violence from the mentally ill. According to Maia Szalavitz in her article for Times magazine, “[It is] the stigma of mental illness that provokes [violence], by exacerbating existing symptoms of delusion,

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disconnection from reality, social withdrawal and lack of emotion.”

People with mental illnesses are oftentimes shunned by society. In the U.S, many look at mental illness as a contagious disease that could somehow rub off on us if we stood near it for too long. According to data collected by the World Health Organization, people with mental illness in developing countries are actually much less debilitated by their disorder than people here. The reason? In most developing countries, mental illness is treated like a cold or flu, a short illness that should be tended to. These people are not abandoned by friends and family because of a mental illness they cannot control.

Not only does the stigma cause isolation for the mentally ill, it makes us less aware of the warning signs that could possibly be interpreted to save countless lives.

Mental illness becomes more confusing and hard to understand, for those who suffer with it and everybody else, because words defining serious mental disorders are thrown around in everyday speech. Have you ever heard somebody say, “I’m so bipolar, “ or, “you’re psychotic”?

Bipolar is an extremely serious mental illness characterized by mania, and extreme highs and lows (in some cases completely manic to catatonic). Unless you really feel like you are on this level of mood swing roller coaster, then don’t say you’re ‘bipolar’. By undermining the disease, we isolate those who have it, and decrease our own understanding of its seriousness.

I want to reiterate again that almost all of the people who suffer from these symptoms would never in their lives hurt anyone. But being aware of the symptoms can help us understand and recognize people who may be suffering from a severe mental illness. If we can give these people the support they need, we may see less violent crime.

In light of recent atrocities, many reputable news organizations, including CBS, have said that the disappearance of institutions for the mentally ill have contributed to the rise in crime. This opinion comes from a place of fear. Institutions are sterile, barbaric places that were shut down in the first place for the inhumane conditions, and the improper care of the children who resided there. The answer is not to lock all mentally ill people out of sight and thought, in the hopes of stopping the one who might do something terrible.

Continued on page 15

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Moving Forward on Gun Control

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By Alex Ray

Gun control is the hot topic of debate in the US at the present. With multiple recent mass shootings still in the memory of Americans, one can’t help but think that if the country had A woman protests at a march in stricter gun control regulations, those incidents Washington.

Photo Credit to Wikimedia may not have occurred.

Commons In the US, where only fully automatic weapons are banned,4.2 out of every 100,000 people are murdered each year. This is, by far, the largest murder rate of all developed countries.

Most developed countries in the world have much stricter regulations on guns than the US, and consequently have far fewer murders per capita.

Gunpolicy.org states that in Australia, where any private ownership, sale, or possession of guns is illegal, there are only 1.2 murders by any means per 100,000 people. In Germany, whose laws fall just short of a gun ban, there are only 0.8 murders per 100,000 people.

According to an independant study run by Kevin Smith, the UK only has 1.2 murders per 100,000 people with a total gun ban.

Looking at these statistics alone, it would be clear that a smaller number of guns equates to a smaller number of murders. However, there are still many contradictions.

In Great Britain, Kevin Smith stated that the murder rate has averaged 52% higher since the outset of the initial 1968 gun control law and 15% higher since the 1997 ban on handguns.

In Brazil, with regulations much like Germany, there are 22.7 murders per 100,000 people. After analyzing the worldwide statistics past and present, it appears impossible that increasing regulations on guns--or an outright ban--would have a negative effect on society.

The only problem with this is, in fact, the US itself. In a country that prides itself on personal freedoms and a relatively small government, it is not possible for any significant increase on gun regulations to take place. Even with the Obama administration, which has wholeheartedly backed gun control, pro gun representatives in Congress stonewall anything resembling process.

This leads me to another example: Switzerland. Both the United States and Switzerland are ranked in the top five

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gun-owning countries per capita and even with the gun regulations of the two countries unmistakably similar, the US has 4.2 murders for every 100,000 people while Switzerland has only 0.70 murders per 100,000 people.

The only difference between the two countries is that, in Switzerland, every male is given extensive military and arms training by the age of 20, and there is no such training or regulation in the US. If the US is to emulate its European counterparts without banning guns outright, it must do with the following: 1. Continue making significant strides towards (relative) economic stability. Obviously this is easier said than done, but a little wishful thinking can’t hurt. Brazil is a good example of the effect of economic stability on murder rate, as it has far less stable economic and social infrastructure than most of Europe and North America, yet has a murder rate close to six times higher than the US’s with stricter regulations.

2. Universal health care is another deciding factor in the murder rates. While the debate as to whether or not to have universal health care in the US is a whole different discussion, nations with this commodity have a much lower murder rate, with or without guns, as is shown in Europe.

3. Proper training and education is the last major factor, as well as the one that I believe should be at the front of the gun control debate in the US. Switzerland is a prime example of the effect of proper gun education.

The control of the first two variables is something that most developed countries have been able to do with lasting effect with or without a gun ban. However, with those two issues in a completely different conversation in American politics, the third is the best option for immediate change in America.

If the states were to implement a drivers-ed-esque system for all citizens, there would be an immediate effect on all homicides, accidental and otherwise. Proper firearm education on a large scale is an immediate, effective answer to the high US murder rate given that there is no immediately possibility of a gun ban.

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Ohio Football Scandal Unraveles Online Elise Maclean

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In August of last year, the rape scandal involving a sixteen year old West Virginian girl and football players from Steubenville High School in Ohio went viral through pictures, videos, Twitter posts, and all forms of social media. According to the New York Times, an Instagram photo was posted online allegedly displaying the girl being carried out of a house by her wrists and ankles. In other pictures posted on Twitter, users used the words “rape” and “drunk girl.”

The two footballs players involved in the crime were star players at their high school. After police investigation, they reported that the night of the crime the girl became intoxicated and was sexually assaulted by Mays and Richmond, some of which was caught on tape and photographed. When the girl woke up, she had no recollection of the turn of events that occurred the night before, but both she and her family soon discovered the pictures, Twitter posts, and videos that were posted online the night of the crime. The case involved many people both in and out of the town.

“The thing I found most disturbing about this is that there were other people around when this was going on,” said William McCafferty, the Steubenville police chief in a New York Times article while talking about the events that were unfolded. “Nobody had the morals

Mental Health= Social Health

In-Depth

to say, ‘Hey, stop it, that isn’t right.’

Anonymous, a hacking group who focuses on revealing shocking information online, targeted the boys involved in the crime. KnightSec, a group within Anonymous that specifically targets rapists, threatened to release personal information of the football players who defended the accused men if there was no public apology issued to the girl. There was no apology by the hackers’ deadline, January 1st. A day later, a video was released of a teenage boy joking in a cruel manner about the sexual assault.

Many couldn’t believe that their star high school football players could commit such a crime. Some residents of Steubenville blamed the girl saying that she put the football players in the situation by putting herself in a place to be violated. According to the New York Times, the parents of the football players said that the boys were innocent and refused extended interviews. Their lawyers argued that the boys had been unfairly tried due to the online evidence and information already available.

Some believed that their society was built by football players who thought they could get away with anything and she was just a victim of that society. Over 100 people signed a petition on a website that demanded that the school as well as the football coach publically apologize to the girl.

Mays and Richmond spent two months in jail after their arrest on August 22nd. The kidnapping charges were dropped, but Mays was also charged with disseminating photographs of a nude minor. They remain under house arrest on rape charges until their trial on February 13th.

Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons

Contnued from page 13.

Research pertaining to serious mental illness is outdated. If we are going to help the mentally ill, and discover and stop that one person who may end the lives of countless innocent people, we have to start fresh. New research needs to be done.

Study into the causes and treatments of mental illnesses needs to be continued. Most of the many popular medications used by doctors to treat diseases like bipolar and schizophrenia aren’t even understood by modern science.

According to an article by Molly Edmonds for “How Stuff Works,” “...researchers may not know why one drug works and another drug doesn't.”

In other words, doctors are treating symptoms with medicine, and they don’t even know why that medicine helps their patient. Mental health has become a field of guesswork instead of science. We need to streamline the science, and make sense of mental illness, in order to create drugs that really improve quality of life.

Through understanding, through compassion, through new science and more funding, we can turn around the mental health crisis that has gripped our country.

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humor

The Court Jester Not Even Once: The Struggle for Atonement

By Maddie Stachniak

It starts off slowly: “I’ll only do it one more time,” you console yourself. “Maybe just one more, and then I’m done for good...” But before you know it, you’ve lost your job, family, home and everything you love most in this world. That’s right folks.

I’m talking about Netflix addiction.

Seven hour marathons of “How I Met Your Mother,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Psych”, followed by a couple hits of “30 Rock” in between. That’s all normal on Netflix. An undisclosed study that I made up has reported that six in every ten Fairview High School students suffers from this debilitating disease.

“It just consumes your whole life. I remember one particularly bad weekend when I woke up at 6 AM on Sunday just so I could finish Supernatural,” said one fictional Fairview student.

The struggle for media is all-con- Take a minute now and look around. Survey your surroundings. See that kid in front of you on his phone? He’s probably watching Netflix. You should glare at him in disapproval. OK, suming. Photo by Conner Hall. stop staring at him now or people will think you are weird.

If you pay attention, you will see that almost everyone around you is on their phones, ipads, and laptops, and I can guarantee that they are watching Netflix, just gorging themselves on bad sitcoms like the sickos they are.

“I see it everyday, everywhere I go,” said a concerned Fairview teacher that I also made up. “It’s like a plague. I believe that the only way to solve this problem is to bring in the DTN.” The DTN, or Death to Netflix organization, is a group sponsored by Blockbuster that has dedicated their lives to curing Netflix addiction, particularly in teenagers.

When asked to comment, the DTN spokesperson said: “If you are tempted to watch excessive amounts of Netflix, don’t give in. Maybe go out with friends instead. Or make friends. Seriously. Why don’t you have any friends?”

This addiction is becoming a serious problem not only to Fairview, but also to the world at large. It needs to end.

If you or a friend is suffering from Netflix addiction, you can reach the DTN’s anonymous hotline at 1-800-GOTOBLOCKBUSTER. Well, I worked for 30 minutes now. I guess it’s OK if I watch just one episode of Psych...

Comic by Eamonn Morris

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Humor

Señor Oviatt: The Silent Killer

By Alex Ray

Many students can name their least favorite teacher right from the get go. The answers vary (and I will not name names so I do not hurt any feelings). However, my one least favorite teacher is Señor Oviatt.

Don’t let his chiseled good looks and teddy bear-like heart fool you, underneath that beard is a truly scary cog in the education system.

The first thing that popped into my head thinking about Oviatt is his derogatory names.

Throughout my freshman year in 7th period PIB Spanish 3, he would call me espinoso (the Spanish word for spiky). This is obviously a derogatory term for those of us that choose the spiky hair lifestyle. In all honesty, it was hard for me to keep my resolve and stay spiky throughout this constant public humiliation.

Another thing that really grinds my gears is his teaching style. Señor Oviatt actually teaches Spanish to his students; it is unbelievable. Instead of allowing his students to go outside, do copious amounts of (completely legal) drugs, and kill each other, he somehow believes that a relaxed learning environment is the key to a student’s success.

Finally, if a student is late in his class, harsh corporal punishment is administered. As many as 20 push ups have been given as a result of Photo by Maddie Stachniak slight discrepancies in attendence records.

Despite his comforting mannerisms, there is nothing worse than taking a step into Señor O’s torture chamber of knowledge.

What Lurks in the Depths of Your Locker’s Bottom

By Alex Ray One of the prevailing questions in 21st century schools is what resides at the bottom of the insatiably hungry crevices known as lockers. To many, these are simply the devices with which to store your ex’s hair, suggestive smurf figurines, and those promiscuous pictures from homecoming. Yet Fairview students are surprisingly unrevealing about the contents of their lockers.

A respondent that wishes to remain anonymous said “weird brown stuff ” which seems to be the most common predicament among today’s youth. A senior who also does not wish to disclose her identity recounted when “I had a hard boiled egg in my locker for two weeks.”

Along with food, various animal parts were abundant in the metal jungle. “I

had a live dog at the bottom of my locker for a while,” said one anonymous junior. “Yeah! My cat used to stay in there!” said another.

Other students have reported slightly less savory friends.

“I guess there could’ve been mice and spiders in there,” testified one Freshman when pressed about the contents of her locker.

Dr. Strode claimed that in his locker in high school, he had a “holy cow.”

Here at the Court Jester, we are assuming that this was his locker partner.

Photo by Raine Kennedy

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Sexy Sports Duos

By Megan DeBruyn

Eric Decker and Jesse James Professional Football Relationship Rating:

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Hope Solo and Jerramy Stevens Professional Soccer Relationship Rating:

Hope Solo, a goalkeeper and double Olympic gold medalist has caught the public’s attention not only for her tremendous performance on the field but also for her outspoken beauty. In this past year, she began seeing Jerramy Stevens, a former Seattle Seahawks tight end. However, it was reported that Stevens went to court earlier this year for assaulting Solo, who, strangely enough, accepted his marriage proposal the very next day. This athlete couple has sure got the looks but the rushed engagement after only two months of dating and the potential court case took a drastic blow to their overall rating.

A.J. McCarron and Katherine Webb Eric Decker, the wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, has earned a special place on the hot list not only because he wears the sacred orange and blue jersey but also because he has been my long-time celebrity crush. Although I was devastated to discover that he was recently taken off the market for good, I resisted letting my own personal obsession interfere with the relationship rating. Especially because his new fiance is none other than the beautiful and talented country singer, Jesse James. Talk about a dynamic duo.

Seimone Augustus and LaTaya Varner

College Football Relationship Rating:

A.J. McCarron, a quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide, has led his team to a National Championship two consecutive years. However, the championship prize isn’t the only trophy McCarron comes home to. His girlfriend, Katherine Webb, is this year’s Miss Alabama beauty queen. Needless to say this couple gains rating points based solely on the possibility of all the beautiful children that they would make together. On the contrary, the constant publicity centered around the idea that Webb’s victory may be tied to her connection with the football player knocks their overall rating down a few bars.

Professional Basketball Relationship Rating:

Misty May-Treanor and Matt Treanor Seimone Augustus is a 28 year old shooting guard playing for the Minnesota Lynx. She was awarded MVP honors for leading her team to a glorious WNBA championship in 2011. In May of 2012, Augustus popped the question to her long time girlfriend, LaTaya Varner who works as a fashion stylist. The couple has earned themselves a few bonus points having just taken their relationship to the next level with marriage now on the table. Additionally, Augustus’ audacity in coming out this year as well as delivering countless speeches encouraging other closeted athletes to join her bumps up the score for this inspirational couple.

Photos from Wikimedia Commons

Professional Volleball Relationship Rating:

The 35-year-old Misty May-Treanor is a three-time Olympic gold medalist beach volleyball player. She was extremely successful in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 summer Olympics and even when the cameras were pointed at her after another one of her breathtaking volleyball matches, she continuously cheered for her husband, Matt Treanor, a catcher for the Dodgers. This kind of support and dedication throughout an eight year marriage between these two extraordinary athletes definitely bolsters their overall relationship rating.

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Winter Sports Report

By Ryan Shuman

(Above) Both teams prepare for a race. (Below) Ray Ryan begins her drive for the FHS dive team. Photo by Emily Ellis.

9-3 is their overall record and they are 4-1 in league play as of press time.

Your Fairview Knights Boys Basketball Team have high hopes as they head into the halfway point of their season. Saturday January 19th marked the halfway point in their season with none other than the crosstown showdown at Coors Event Center.

This was also

Valor-Christian transfer, Austin Sparks, first game back from his suspension.

Originally the South Dakota signee looked rusty and entered foul trouble early in the game, but after coming off the bench in the second half Sparks came to life.

Fairview went on to win the game 76-63.

BOYS BASKETBALL

people don’t realize how intense girls swimming has become in Colorado over the last few years,” replied Lupo when asked about what it will be like to swim against four time Olympic Gold Medalist, Missy Franklin.

Franklin will be competing in the state championship along with her Regis teammates. Fairview will have to work hard to overcome challenges similar to her.

GIRLS SWIMMING

Still undefeated as of press time, your Fairview Girls Swim Team is heading into the CHSAA 5A state championship very strong. With college bound senior swimmers like Louisville recruit Abby Houck and Northwestern recruit Lacey Smith, the Knights have a big chance of placing in the top three at state.

“It’s really nice to be part of a team with so much depth and so many stars,” said Junior Ellie Lupo. “A lot of

Sports

Across 3. This years location of Super Bowl 7. Ravens Quarterback 8. Last name of both head coaches 9. There is four of them 10. AFC Champions 11. Three points 13. Number of the Super Bowl, Latin Down 1. NFC Champions 2. 6 points 4. 2 points 5. The Pigskin 6. 49ers Quarterback 12. The trophy received for winning Super Bowl

Cross-Word Design by David Sachs

(Above) Austin Sparks runs out of the huddle for the first time this year. (Below) The Knights Prepare last second before the game. Photo by Emily Ellis.

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Student Life

Thoughts on Valentine’s Day

By Kimberly Brown Hearts. Candy. Flowers. Cards. Whether it makes us melt or gag, we all know the day. As mid February rolls around, the sunshine comes out and the smell of pheromones lingers in the air. At Fairview, there is no question that it is the month of love.

With technology and contemporary thought engulfing us, it is hard to imagine living in the difficult war culture of the Roman Empire. Soldiers were training from dusk till dawn and drafted by the thousands, all forbidden from being married. Despite all this, a man named Valentinus believed in love and the privilege of marriage. In secret, he wed soldiers and women. He was later persecuted for this and imprisoned. Legend tells that while in jail, he healed and fell in love with the daughter of his jailer and right before he was executed he wrote her a letter and famously signed it “farewell, from your Valentine.”

Thinking about that kind of commitment to the devotion of love is inspiring. It is this that our February 14th celebration is based on, a day that marks the death of this saint.

Numerous students, mostly girls, have expressed their distaste for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, “being single” has taken away some of their enthusiasm for the day.

“It’s dumb if you aren’t in a relationship,” Holly Huggins and Ajanma Lamsal, juniors said.

On the other hand, “I like giving people valentines,” said Freshman Lauren Adler, “It’s a good holiday.”

It is well known that Valentine’s Day is meant to be a day to show our affection and appreciation toward loved ones, but what does that really mean to Fairview students?

So as the bright pink and red colored paper starts being stuffed into our lockers, we at Fairview make a decision on whether to roll our eyes and crumple it up or smile quietly to ourselves and think about all those who we love and all who love us.

Valentines Day Quotes: “It’s kind of a Hallmark holiday, but still a happy day. People should tell each other that they love each other everyday.”- Owen Martin (senior)

Post Winter Ball Tweets

By Rebecca Vickers and Natty Bowes

“I like giving people valentines, it’s a good holiday.”-Lauren Adler (freshman) “I’m going to hang out with friends, eat chocolate, and make paper cards.”-Madison McCambridge (freshman)

“It’s dumb if you aren’t in a relationship.”-Holly Huggins and Ajanma Lamsal (juniors)

That awkward moment when your feet hurt and its only been 10 minutes in heels #winterballprobs. -Emily Miley (Junior) Got down at Winterball yo! #getatme -Ellie Lupo (Junior) Best night with my best friends. Keeping it classy. #nothingbutclass -Madeline McCarthy (Junior)

It was awesome! The change of venue was nice and more roomy.

The best part of the night was the casino!

All and all this years winter ball was the best dance I’ve been to in my time at FHS. #allin #winterballrocks -Kyle Kihn- (Junior)

Only we would do a U.S History themed Winterball... AND I GOT A COOL FEDORAH! #YOLO -Jessica Merheb (Senior)

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Student Life

Fairview Grants a Wish

By Savarone Ammann

$7,840 raised by one community, for one boy, who had one To complete such a enormous project is no easy task. It requirwish, a Disney Cruise with his family. On Friday January 18th ing vast support from an entire community and endless dedicaFairview High School came together as one community, in a col- tion. laborative effort, to grant a wish for Finn, a six year old boy who Stephanie Enright, a senior who organized the project, exhibwas diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of two. ited great dedication for this cause and constantly reminded the The entire school stuffed into the gymnasium and there was school to keep Finn in their minds.

Finn, center stage, enthralled by 2000 smiling high schoolers, The students’ response was staggering, raising money in diwho gathered to support him. With his mother, Kate Hines, verse ways and spreading the word among every avenue the close by, he walked out onto the hardwood to address everyone. school had to offer.

He spoke with confidence The first event held was at the and thanked the school for Boulder vs. Fairview football game. helping him make his wish “Both student councils worked tocome true. gether to ask the community to doHead basketball coach and nate. Just that night alone we raised Athletic Director Frank Lee $744.74,” said Enright. and the basketball team preAfter choreographing a flash sented Finn with a basketmob dance at the school assembly, ball signed by all the players Enright was able to raise another along with a football hel$247. Money flowed in from sports met, a hat, a jersey from the events to choir performances, school, and countless high collecting donations from every fives. branch of the school, a true and Few students expected utmost collaborative effort. From such a tear-jerking assemFairview’s musical alone, $1539 bly. Mrs. Hines gripped the was raised, greatly advancing the microphone with one hand run to $7500. while wiping a tear away with The week Finn was arriving Photo by Joey Heilman another. She announced that Finn Hines shows Stephanie Enright and Fairview’s stuproved to be stressful, as another she had news to share with dent body a magic trick. $1600 was needed to reach the long the community. As of last awaited goal. Enright took charge week the doctors had disand decided to do a huge last mincovered no trace of the disease in Finn’s bone marrow and he ute fundraiser. was now free of this horrific disease that overwhelmed and shad“This is really when Fairview’s heart came out. For two days owed him his entire life. The amount of cheering and clapping straight every person in the school donated everything they at any professional sports match would never have compared to could. It was amazing that I had the trust in my school to leave the noise audible in the gymnasium during that moment. The an empty bucket out and come back an hour later to see it filled students left the gym moved by the power of unity, realizing how with money. This really showed the integrity we have in our large of an impact people can make on one another. school,” said Enright, praising her peers.

Principal Don Stensrud, who was thoroughly impressed by After seemingly endless hard work the collective efforts paid his students and their efforts in this event, spoke with gratitude off. about the Make a Wish Foundation and its plethora of wish“It brings out the best in people,” said Stensrud. es granted for children like Finn, who could use something to While he addressed the importance of global charity, he excheer them up. pressed that making an impact locally is very important and “For that one week you get to be like every other kid in the much more personal. world,” said Stensrud.

“Sometimes it’s nice to put a face to a charity,” he said.

Fairview is one of few schools that was able to raise the comEnright was also aware that choosing someone nearby to supplete amount of money for the project, reaching the $7500 mark port would increase the chances of success and greater heights on the day of the assembly. would be reached through donations. With four cases to pick “I thought it was a hard goal, but a reasonable one,” Stensrud from, she chose Finn. “Finn caught my attention and I fell in said about the thousands of dollars raised. His satisfaction with love with him,” said Enright. along with Enright the school also the student body stood out above all else. “The students’ reaction fell in love with Finn. It was the power fueled by this love that to Finn shows that our kids are very compassionate,” he said. made his wish come true.

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Photos

Couples of the Castle A Valentine’s Day special featuring some of Fairview’s cutest couples!

Photos donated and taken by Lindsay Barnes and Paige Lindgren

Wyatt Dessel and Olivia Bryce Greenwald and Kois (freshmen) Cree Lawrence (freshmen) Sean LaVine and Mari Jewell (junior, sophomore)

Kyle Lund and Taylor Davis (seniors)

Daryn Copeland and Molly Marcus (juniors)

Alex Waters and Jessica Merheb (seniors) Mariah Durment and Harry Holmes (sophomores)

Pyrenee Steiner and Gabe Tierney (juniors) Cameron Fraizer and Monica Gronseth (junior, sophomore)

Natalie Sprowl and Anders Hill (juniors)

Josie Russell and Steve D’Epagnier (sophomores)