September 16, 2011

Fairview High School Vol. 52 No. 1

The

Friday, September 16, 2011 1515 Greenbriar Blvd. Boulder, CO 80305

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

2

News

New school year, new teachers

By PAIGE REISMAN AND MEGAN DEBRUYN

Mindy Anderson

Susan Stensrud

Royal Banner: Where did you come from? What’s your past teaching experience? Why Fairview?

Mindy Anderson, Orchestra (MA): After college, I moved to Niwot, CO, to be near my sister (a pianist) and pursued a performance career with various professional orchestras in the Denver area. I also maintained a private violin studio and decided to obtain my education license at CUBoulder. I student taught with one of Fairview's former orchestra directors, Stephanie Wallace, about ten years ago and she has remained an important mentor. Last year, I was working in Idaho, teaching strings at my former elementary school, junior high, and high school. The students have been very welcoming, and I am excited to help them grow in their music pursuits.

RB: What got you into teaching?

MA: Honestly...I love music and I love helping kids (I have three children of my own) and teaching music is the perfect fit for those two passions. I realized that music is so deeply embedded in my soul that it is what I am to give to the world.

RB: What do you do during your free time?

MA: My husband, children, and I love to be outside, preferably where we can take our two-year old lab/golden retriever, Ole (Nordic pronunciation, Oh-lee). We spend about two weeks every summer in Idaho and Montana camping, fly-fishing, and visiting family.

Aaron Hendrikson

Royal Banner: Where did you come from? What’s your past teaching experience? Why Fairview?

Aaron Hendrikson, Social Studies (AH):

Not only is this my first year at Fairview but it's also my first year as a teacher in general. Last year I student taught four AP US Gonvernment classes at Boulder High (hisss!). Teaching social studies at Fairview was really my dream job so I’m absolutely thrilled to be here.

Susan Stensrud (JORDON MEYER).

Royal Banner: Where did you come from? What’s your past teaching experience? Why Fairview?

Susan Stensrud, Social Studies (SS):

This is my second year teaching at Fairview - I taught part time here (two classes) last year and part-time at Southern Hills. I taught History/ Geography there for four years and English at Casey Middle School prior to that. I have been coaching tennis here off and on since 2002. (2002-03, 2007-present)

RB: What got you into teaching?

SS: I always knew I wanted to become a teacher- it was a calling for me.

RB: What is your favorite year/class to teach?

SS: My favorite class or age is any that I am teaching - I generally prefer to teach kids before they are driving. I love History and incorporate it into all of my classes (this year Geography and Government)

New Staff of 2011-2012:

Aaron Hendrikson (LEO LEONG).

RB: What do you do during your free time?

AH: In my free time (what little I have left of it anyway) I love to enjoy all that Boulder has to offer. I love to hike, bike, and hang out in the many coffee shops of Boulder. I also LOVE to play basketball and usually play two to three times a week. An interesting thing about myself is that I lived in the Central African Republic when I was a kid and have spent lots of time traveling around sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.

Ashley Houstin Drew Kent Matt Mowen Brian Schultz Jm Hensley Patti Meyer Kathleen Colwell

Scott Meyers Peter Szameitat Jessica Lyons Kyle Mason Laurence Delaunay-Masters Jared Riesel Mike Jaramillo

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

News

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Schedule Changes: The policy of the extreme

By MIAH YAGER

Do you know anyone who has been dropping any classes? If not, then you should read this article to learn about why people drop classes. If yes, please share your story with us (email me at miah.yager@fhsroyalbanner.com). Some people do drop classes but some like their schedules and don’t change them. I bet a whole lot of you make schedule changes because it’s common in any school. I spoke to Mrs. Digiacomo about this when I discovered that in the student handbook, there are no rules for dropping any classes. A lot of people have different views on this topic because it’s a challenge for all of us. It will blow your mind to see other people’s views about dropping classes and how Fairview handles it in the school year.

I surveyed some students to find out what they think about this, and I compared and contrasted the views of Mrs. Digiacomo and students about this topic.

The Positive Reasons to Drop Classes:

The Negative Reasons For Dropping Classes:

“ If you don’t have a off period, or you are in classes that are too hard or easy for you” (a student)

“ In order to get 220 credits, the freshmen and sophomores need 6 classes and the Juniors and Senior need 5 to graduate. WARNING: Students must have classes always” (Mrs. Digiacomo)

“ Involving inability in a class, or a need to be in another” (a student)

“ To let seniors and juniors take your place in class just because they are older” (a student)

“ Teacher problems in a course” (a student) “For some daily academic time. Sometimes students need to schedule time into the day to work on academics. If they have 7 classes, they have no time off ” (Mrs. Digiacomo)

“ Changing your mind about a elective choice you made” (a student) “Trying to line up your schedule with a friend” (a student)

Wow now you see something different here? As you can see, having a schedule change is a really huge step in anyone’s life. It can lead into something bad or something good, but in the end it’s you who decides the rest.

Natural disasters strike east coast

By JANET CHEN

The east coast seems to be having a lot of tumultuous experiences lately.

Three weeks ago, the east coast was rocked by what was considered to be the most powerful earthquake that has struck the region in decades. The earthquake was at a magnitude of 5.8. It hit at 1:51 pm and lasted about 45 seconds.

Storm approaching (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS).

Although its epicenter was in Virginia, residents as far away as Canada and Georgia felt the effects as well.

In fact, the effects were so strong that several monuments were closed on the National Mall. Most notably, officials announced that the Washington Monument will be closed for an indefinite amount of time because several cracks were found along the sides.

The earthquake caused 10 nuclear power plants to shut down, and also triggered an evacuation from both the U.S. Capitol in DC as well as an emergency evacuation from the Pentagon. It caused delays in traffic and resulted in 400 delayed flights along the east cast.

Kate Travis, Fairview’s 2010-2011 Head Girl, felt the effects. She now studies at the University of Virginia, close to the epicenter of the earthquake.

“All is well!” she reported. Travis describes how the building began to shake while she was in class. However, all of the students believed that the shaking was due to construction. There was no permanent damage done anywhere.

But the natural disasters weren’t over yet. A great storm hit Virgina a few weeks ago and officials ordered evacuations from several cities in Virginia. Virginia’s Governor McDonnell even declared a state of emergency, and many road and bridge were closed.

Banner’s believe it or not

By LEO LEONG

Alexandria, Minnesota- A woman from Morris reunites with her lost prosthetic leg after three years.

Beth Krohn, a resident in Alexandria was fishing last month on Lake Ida in Alexandria when her line snagged something heavy.

Krohn thought it was a dead body, but later discovered that the item she caught was a prosthetic leg. She turned in the leg to a prosthetic limb manufacturer in Alexandria.

The manufacturer later discovered that the leg belonged to Pam Rile, resident of Morris, Minnesota. Rile state that she lost the prosthetic leg while swimming in a Michigan lake.

She always pondered how a person would react if they saw a leg floating in a river.

Prosthetic legs (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS).

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

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Special thanks to Carson Kahn and Victor Chen for designing our front page logo. *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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Op/Ed

Late start traffic wreaks major havoc upon my morning 19 minutes. According to Google Maps, that is how long it should take to travel the 8.5 miles from my house in North Boulder to the Fairview High School senior lot.

Nice try, Google Maps.

Think again.

On a typical weekday morning, the September Rachel Joyce sun is shining and the Editor-in-Chief birds are chirping. This goes completely unnoticed, however, as my sister and I sit in bumper to bumper traffic on Foothills Parkway, scowling at the chipped paint on a back of a Ford Escape which, for all I know, is in park. It is less than a month into the school year and I have already forgotten what it feels like to have the wind in my hair because I can only seem to drive fast enough to get a small puff of air through the window. I don’t dare imagine what will happen in the winter months when Foothills Parkway becomes a frost-covered parking lot and driving becomes even more tedious. I’ll probably use my gas money to invest in some quality ice skates; I could glide to school faster than this.

Last year, I could scuttle around my house in the morning, grab some applesauce and be out the “I’ll use my gas door by 7:15. Granted sometimes I would money to invest show up fashionably in some quality ice skates; I could late, but on a normal day I could easily be glide to school in class by 7:35 am. faster than this.”

This year, I left my house on the first day of school 38 minutes before first period started, figuring that was twice as much time as Google maps said I should need. But the head start did me no good. I showed up to first period 10 minutes late, sporting a dazed and confused look upon my face. The morning traffic had descended upon Boulder County like a menacing cloud, engulfing Foothills completely. Where did these people come from? Exactly which rocks have they been hiding under?

BVSD approved and implemented the late start schedule this year as an experiment in hopes that Fairview students would get a bit more sleep every night and hence, grades and test scores would improve, along with athletic performance. Yes, thank you Fairview, that extra 5 minutes of sleep really does the trick. I am waking up at exactly the same time as last year. Sports now finish practice close to six o’clock in the evening, meaning that my after school activities no longer include homework. I am staying up later than before in order to finish my work and then, as a result, falling asleep during class.

I have less free time and no energy. I now spend all my time behind the wheel, behind the pack of runners in cross country or behind in my classes.

As a result my social life takes a hit.

Let’s be honest, dark circles under your eyes that resemble war paint may scream school spirit, but they don’t exactly help you get a date.

They say in college you can have two of the three: a social life, good grades, or a good night’s sleep.

Welcome to your

new high school schedule. Now pick one.

Being a senior, I have been blessed with the safe haven of the senior lot. This means I am guaranteed a decent parking spot no matter how late I arrive. I know weekday mornings are even worse for sophomores and juniors, who “Unless you live within must off their classmates as biking distance or own they descend like some sort of time travc o f f e e - i n f u s e d eling DeLorian, there is vultures upon the no way win.” much lusted-after Greenbriar parking spots. It’s also a hard-knock life for parents who drive their underclassman to school and must wait in the daunting traffic jams just to drop them off. It seems that unless you live within biking distance or own some sort of time traveling DeLorian, there is no way win.

So, in order to avoid the angry swarm of granola munching, aggressively driving mothers and students that flock into the city limits, I have tested several early morning tactics.

Potential solution number one: Take 75th to South Boulder Road. This failed epically, however, as soon as I realized that A. Louisville has just as many early risers as North Boulder does and B. it has about 3 times as many traffic lights. Also, who knew, it is about 10 minutes out of my way to even get to South Boulder Road. So although traffic was a bit lighter, absolutely no time was saved.

Potential solution number two: Turn left off of Table Mesa and onto any of the 40-something streets, taking the back roads to Broadway. While sitting idly by one day, I decided to time myself to see if this route would be faster. I made a mental note of the oddly shaped blue car in front of me of Table Mesa and then veered off onto 42nd street.

It seems, however, that every upperclassman had the same idea as I did that day. Rather than saving time, this evasion technique produced a traffic jam of frustrated, short-cut seeking 17 year-olds. Touche, blue car. I suppose all is fair in love and traffic.

Potential solution number three: Go straight through Table Mesa and up Gillaspie. I was sure that my unparalleled brainpower had finally conquered the traffic problem. However, my creatively genius plan was foiled by the fact that apparently it was not very creative, nor very ingenious. I rolled up the hill by Viele Lake that morning to see about 20 moderately expensive looking cars at a complete stand still: aka a typical Fairview morning back up.

Many people seemed to be in the same boat as me; fed up with Greenbriar traffic. And, like me, many people decided to take the “creative” way to get to Fairview. It seems there simply is no way to win.

Because all of the aforementioned options have completely failed me, I have come to terms with

the fact that there is only one other plausible solution. Anyone who would like to join me in the least logical, last resort of the fourth option, feel free.

Solution number four: get to school at 7:35 and sleep in my car for 19 minutes. Thank you for the extra 1140 seconds of sleep, BVSD. Much appreciated.

Op/Ed

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

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The cell phone’s shifting role in the classroom When I was a Freshman here in 2008, the school was With the advent of the popular smart-phone, some teachers are now embracstill adhering to its futile expulsion of cell phones as a ing the phone. In the goings over of my many syllabuses at the start of this whole. The ringing of a cell phone in class was a grievous year, I have heard a common thread of consensus amongst many teachers from offence against the integrity of the school and confisca- multiple departments: we want you to use your smart phone in class. Not all the tions were regular. The faculty were under the impres- time obviously, but when the class is in need of fast and convenient information. sion that simple authoritarian pressure would eventually Teachers are letting slide the occasional google, wikipedia search, and image find. weed out portable devices from the classroom.

The justification for this appears Yet even then, no one followed the rules. to be that a smart “A phone would go off phone with InterIn every student’s pocked nested a cell phone net capabilities serves in class and no one, about the same Eli Boonin-Vail and an iPod. Texting in class was as regular if not purpose as a computer, teacher included, would which is allowed in Editor-in-Chief more so than it is today. In fact, the only cause for class. Frankly, I cannot argue with this line do anything.” concern regarding the things would come when of logic. It seems idiotic to propose that a student forgot to silence his or her phone and it would go off in class. one is acceptable while the other is not This would be immediate (and understandable) grounds for confiscation. simply because one has the added feature of a phone. A phone which, I might add, I myself did not own a cell phone until I was 15, and to this day despise texting, can be silenced audibly but not in presence. Kids have been bringing their phones but I understood early on the deeply problematic issue that texting presents for a to school for years. I have, my friends all have, and most people you know have. learning environment. Its practitioners are addicted and many. It is a silent activity Why not make the best of this and use smart phones to look things up in class? that requires little more than the tilt of the head, I’ll tell you why not: because the instant gratand it can be disguised in the blink of the eye. I ification of superfluous knowledge-grabbing have held the belief for some time that no amount doesn’t actually lead anywhere. The ease with of punishment will resolve the issue of texting in which one finds facts on one’s phone negates class simply because it is too difficult to weed out. the actual imprinting of said facts in one’s mind.

But there is a frightening new trend cropping up A man is more liable to remember something if in our classes that even my cyber-cynicism failed he has to climb a mountain to learn it than if he to detect: that of the phone ringing. As I stated simply has to lift 130 grams out of his pocket previously, phone-ringing was the only sure fire and poke away with his thumbs. I’ve lost track way to have your phone confiscated when I first of the times I’ve googled something only to attended this school, but as of late I have seen find that I’ve googled it before in my search things differently. I have witnessed, both in the history, meaning that I’ve let the facts of the early days of this year and in the closing days of last, first search slip away, requiring a second one. numerous times when a phone would go off in class Knowledge in the classroom derives from and no one, teacher included, would do anything work ethic, a sentiment which I think all teachIt’s a bizarre experience. The phone rings and ers will agree with. Why then, would some teachrings and everyone pretends like it’s just not ers allow for a promoter of fast, loose, and out there. The student, too petrified to acknowlof control information to scale the walls of their edge his or her phone’s obnoxiousness, remains very fortresses? The inevitable degradation of static, glued to their position with no hope of the naively authoritative educational stance on escaping and no prudence to turn it off. His or the cell phones has gone too far and begun to her peers, having been used to this sort of disdegrade the worth of knowledge itself. Teachers ruption for a good part of their high school cathink the issue is the cell phone itself, and they reer, show no interest in the slightest, having are tired of battling with it, for good reasons. been dulled to ringtones long ago. Most surprisBut the issue of the smart phone, and its accesingly, the teacher does nothing but stand there. sibility within the parameters of a class, relies I have witnessed instances in which a student’s less on the phone part and more on the smart. phone has gone off amidst a break of silence, as The majority of phones at high school are well as times when it interrupted a teacher talkwhere they should be: in a student’s pocket. ing, only for the teacher to continue on as if It’s the policy that’s not where it needs to be. nothing out of the ordinary had ever occurred.

Policy tells us both that cell phones seen in Nothing out of the ordinary did occur. class should be confiscated and that valuables A phone going off in class is simply not out cannot be left in lockers, leaving no options for of the ordinary any more, and just like the stustudents who need to make phone calls and text Illustration credit: Zoe Polano dents have stopped giving any interest in it, the in between classes and after school hours (an teachers have as well. They have recognised the sheer impossibility of stop- undeniable majority). Cell phones, according to policy, are supposed to exist in a ping a force of nature as bold as a group of highly socialized teenagers with the Kafkaesque state of bureaucratic limbo where they are not banned de jur but are most instantaneous social devices known to humankind. They have given up. de facto, yet no one actually cares enough to put them there, and no one should.

As a teenager, this is excellent news. As a student, this is unacceptable. The What should instead happen is an adoption of understanding and conchoices for teachers are not between enforcing a fascistic anti-cell-phone regime siderate policy on behalf of the teachers who cannot and will not enin their classrooms and allowing students to walk all over them. They are teachers! force ridiculous rules and students who will, rules or no rules, have The standards of their classes are theirs their cell phones in class. Policy must acknowledge the existence of cell and theirs alone! Of “The faculty were under course there are district phones in class, but denounce the rudeness they present when they go off. policies supposedly the impression that sim- governing the issue of Ultimately, this is a simple misidentifying of causality on the part of policymakcell phones in class, ple authoritarian pres- but in reality no such ers. Seeing a cell phone cannot be grounds for zero-tolerance guns-blazing all-orthing is occurring. sure would weed out I’ve had teachers deal nothing justice, for a cell phone as an inanimate “Policy must acwith cell phone re- portable devices from lated offenses in radi- object poses no threat to learning. The threat cally different ways every year I’ve been of disruption that a cell knowledge the exis- phone presents stems the classroom.” here. Practice is ignorant of policy when from rudeness on the tence of cell phones part of the student, eiit comes to this field, and that’s just fine. It ther through allowing his in class, but de- or her phone to go off should be up to you, the teachers, to judge for yourselves on your own principles in class or texting under nounce the rudeness their desk. It is this, not how cell phones are dealt with in class because it is your habitat, your environ- the cell phone, that needs they present. to be clamped down ment. You could chose to continue with the outlandish policy of see and take on. This trend is already in motion in practice, and that’s supposedly enforced throughout the district (though I doubt many teachers it’s time that policy stopped living in a past that never existed and acknowledge it. would), or you could find your own more lenient, human, and considerate policy.

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

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Student Life

Homecoming Carnival Your guide to asking, rejecting, and having a wonderful “knight”!

Page and Stories by: Megan DeBruyn and Paige Reisman

Have your friend dress up as Bowser and kidnap the girl you want to ask. Then you dress up as Mario and fight Bowser to save the girl. After that, she’ll have to go to homecoming with you!

(Matt Koch, sophomore)

Things to Keep in Mind: - Guys tend to ask girls to Homecoming (Winter Ball is girls ask guys). So boys, hunting season has begun! Start thinking about who you’d have a fun time dancing the night away with. Meanwhile, ladies don’t be damsels in distress! Turn your flirt on.

-Don’t ask a stranger. Odds are, if you’ve never talked to him/her before, he/she will probably say no.

- It’s a smart idea to talk to the friends of your possible date before asking them. They can help you decide whether or not it’s a good idea to ask that someone, as well as helping you with how.

- Go big or go home. DO NOT ask a girl via facebook or text. If you’re going to ask someone, do something interesting.

HOW TO: Turn someone down The time may come that someone asks you...that you simply are not into.

Perhaps you have someone else in mind that you want to go with. Or maybe the person who asked you is a dud, because of body odor or a bad haircut or whatever reason, and you wouldn’t want to get caught standing beside him in formal attire. Whatever your reason, you need to find a way to say no.

-Tell him you were hoping to go single, in a big group of your friends -Assure him that it was sweet of him to ask but that you think of him as a friend and you think that going as a date may be awkward -If you are holding out for a different guy to ask you, say that you already promised a friend you would go with him. Sigh, if only he had asked you sooner!

o e t h is Ta ll t Yo u Mus t B l e e r r is Wh R ide t h e Fe

h b e r 24 t , S e p te m y a d r u t Sa :00 8:00-11 t C e n te r de n u t S S H F e rs o n rs p e r p 20 do ll a

HOW TO: Deter a Dud A smart boy will try to gauge your interest in him by asking you about your homecoming plans, who you’ll be going with, if you want to go solo or you’re looking for a date. This is the ideal situation, as you can deter your suitor before he gets too serious. It’s a good idea to either mention how excited you are to go single, or drop the name of the guy you’re interested in.

My sister’s friend got asked with a bunch of tennis balls in her locker and there was a note that said: “I finally got the balls to ask you to Homecoming.”

(Kathering Burns, freshman)

Make a trail of chocolate kisses in the girl’s house all the way up to her bedroom. At the end of the trail leave a note and 2 rocks.

One must be a heavy boulder that says “No” and the other a little pebble that says “Yes”.

The note says “Homecoming?” and instruct hers to bring her answer to school.

(Anna Bulow, sophomore)

Check out our website for more asking ideas!

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

In-Depth

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g n i f v o i r e h d i T s t u O

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Illustration credit: Zoe Polando

Royal Banner

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Friday, September 16, 2011

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

In-Depth

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Enhancing the safe zone

By Eliana Goldstein with contributions from Alex Flynn, Piper Salvator, Kali Crossen and Sharone Goldman

Transgender community at Fairview gains growing acceptance

You have likely known who you are your She (pronouns are used according to the whole life. From the time your gender was identified gender, not the biological one, printed on your birth certificate, you have or the pronouns used are gender neutral) at least had that portion of yourself as a would feel uncomfortable entering the certanity. Now, try to imagine that wasn’t men’s room, since for all intents and purtrue for you. Imagine, if you will, that poses she is psychologically a girl, but the the gender, the names, and the stereo- women’s could potentially be just as awktypes that society has assigned to you feel ward, and far more inconvenient. wrong. You feel the need to “practice” beTo tackle these challenges and create ing whatever gender you are biologically. a safe environment for transgendered You feel a fundamental disconnect be- students, Fairview teachers attended a tween who you believe you are supposed training the Friday before school started to be and who you know you are. this year. The training was designed to With this confusion of identity comes help teachers understand the needs and feelings of loneliness, of abnormality, and perspectives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, of being simply transgender, and “wrong.”

This questioning is the struggle “This isn’t just a girl who wears (LGBTQ) stuboy’s clothing (or vice versa); faced by thoudents at Fairsands of youth rather, this is a biological girl view, with a daily as they who identifies completely as focus on the question wheth- male.” struggles of er or not they transitioning were born in the students. Faircorrect body. People who face this strug- view has its largest number of transgengle, whether they entirely identify as the dered students ever this year. BVSD’s opposite gender or just don’t particularly Safe School Coalition and Principal Don identify as either, are “transgendered.”

Stensrud hoped to help generate a safer, The Fairview community has had sev- more comfortable environment for any eral transgendered students in the past, and all students who are dealing with isin many different stages of the transi- sues revolving around sexuality and gention. This year, the school again has der identity. transgendered youth in its student body.

The new superintendent of the Boulder The school, as well as the Boulder Val- Valley School District, Bruce Messinger, ley School District as a whole, seeks to is entirely supportive of the program. “We make the lives of these students easier by are working to create school climates that increasing acceptance, assistance, and un- are not tolerant towards bullying type derstanding in schools. behavior, harassment, or threats towards To begin to understand the position other students regardless of the reasons and viewpoint of a transgendered stu- that they might initiate that,” he said in a dent, one must understand what being recent interview conducted by the Royal transgendered means. A transgendered Banner. “We want to be welcoming to person is one who identifies themselves all students and create support in their as the gender that is not their biological learning environment so that they can be sex. This isn’t just a girl who wears boy’s successful.” clothing (or vice versa); rather, this is a During the training, teachers were biological girl who identifies completely told about both the science of sexuality as male, or a boy who identifies as female. and gender identification, as well as the They may express this by wearing clothes raw personal experiences of a student traditionally worn by the gender they who went through this transition their identify as, changing their mannerisms junior year. The teachers were especially and name, and even undergoing surgery impacted by the presentation of the and hormone therapy to align their body’s student, Ace Eckstein. external appearance with their internal Eckstein attended Fairview until the identities. This difference in identity can middle of his junior year. He told teachbe a difficult one to handle in a gender- ers about his experiences as a transtioning centric society where, for instance, bath- student and helped explain to them what rooms are separated by biological sex. So a transgender student goes through menhow does a boy who identifies themselves tally and emotionally. He discussed why as a girl handle something as seemingly a student struggling with identity might simple as answering the call of nature? also begin to struggle with school. Teach-

ers were determined to be more sensitive in the building, including teachers placing and accomodating to students’ personal emphasis on the Safe Zone signs in their issues. classrooms and more unisex restrooms.

Scott Peoples, history teacher, had EckLibrarian Jim Lefebvre also wants to stein for two years, once as a girl and once emphasize the fact that Fairview’s library as a boy. “Because that student had been is a great resource for students who are in my class for two years, I kept thinking struggling with personal issues. “We have ‘where did I go wrong?’” he said. He is de- lots of books on lots of topics,” said Lefetermined to ensure that he is never a con- bvre. He encourages students to come tributing factor to a student’s departure talk to him about a new policy he is imfrom the school. plementing regarding books that cover In addition, the training enlightened sensitive topics. many teachers about small, but potenNational attention also has been drawn tially offensive things. Peoples said that to the high occurrences of victimization the training “made me more conscious of and suicide among LGBTQ youth. In pronouns” and served as “a good reminder particular, the suicide of Tyler Clementi, that we do have a diverse clientele.” He last September catapulted homophobia said that he had never realized that his and its consequences into the media spotuse of honorifics such as “Miss” and “Mis- light. Clementi, an 18 year old student at ter” could be offensive. Eckstein pushed Rutgers University, jumped off a bridge for recognition of this fact. He wanted after a roommate posted video of him and “they,” “them,” and “their” to be used as another man on the internet. The same non-gender specific singular pronouns. month, four other openly gay teens also Teachers are focusing on being as ac- took their own lives. In reaction, columcepting as possible. Jim Hensley, a recent nist Dan Savage created a YouTube video addition to the English department, said, with his partner, Terry. The video tells “I try to create an open environment their stories. It does not gloss over the where students feel challenges they at ease.” He always faced as openly keeps in mind the “Fairview was the pilot school gay high school fact that all students for the training because of its students, from go through issues and open environment, firmly encruel students deserve to be treated forced polices of acceptance, to dismissive adwith equality. ministrators, but and its strong anti-bullying In t e r v e n t i o n i s t and harrasment rules.” it promises that Rose Lupinacci, who “it gets better.” is the adviser for the The love they Gay Straight Alliance chapter at Fairview, clearly share and the acceptance they said that the school is ready and eager have received from their families gave the to work with what they discussed at the national community hope. The ball was training, although the school “still has a rolling. lot to learn.” Eventually, the faculty hopes Over the past year, the It Gets Better to do a school-wide training regarding Project has posted well over 20,000 vidthese issues. eos on YouTube. The videos come from The need for the training was first per- everyone including big companies, sports ceived around four years ago, when Fair- teams, celebrities, and ordinary, conview had student transitioning. It became cerned people. The celebrity names are apparent that the school needed to take varied - they include President Obama, measures to make the lives of transition- Ke$ha, and Anne Hathaway, among a ing (and already transgendered) students host of others - but the videos all send easier. It was decided that this ought to the same message: push through. What include a training to encourage teachers comes later is worth it. to think about issues faced by their stuAll these efforts, locally and nationally, dents. Fairview was the pilot school for paint a picture of a community coming the training because of its open environ- together to support individuals whose ment, firmly enforced policies of accep- needs have too long been ignored. In tance, and its strong anti-bullying and ha- the future, it will hopefully be easier to rassment rules. “Its important to do the be whomever one is without fearing the right thing at the right time,” said Sten- judgement of the rest of the world. srud.

The training session influenced changes

Interview with BVSD superintendent

By Sharone Goldman

Royal Banner: What are the Boulder Valley School District, principals, and teachers doing to support and protect the community of students of Fairview High School-and other schools in the district- who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender?

Bruce Messinger: Our overall approach to this is to create a learning environment in all of our schools, including Fairview, that is accepting to all students and adults who work in the diverse population, and to make sure that they are supported in their environment so that they can be successful. Also, (we want to give) the right kinds of support and training so that we can be successful with (creating an accepting environment.)

RB: What is the zero tolerance policy? How does it protect students who are bullied or feel victimized at school for being different?

BM: Our approach towards tolerance around behaviour and conduct in our campuses is that we want to be welcoming to all students and create support in their learning environment so that they can be successful. If there are incidents or actions that disrupt that, or create a threatening condition, then we will address that immediately and deal with all students who are involved.

RB: What can you say to all students in general regarding the issue of bullying? Be it the victim, bully, or the “innocent bystander”?

BM: We are working to create school climates that are not tolerant towards bullying type behavior, harassment, or threats towards other students regardless of the reasons that they might initiate that. We would want students who are struggling-being bullied or being threatened- to go to an adult in the building, or to someone they trust, to seek assistance so that we can appropriately intervene and stop the behavior and also so that we can deal appropriately with those who are initiating the inappropriate contact or the bullying to other students. So, really, it is about being proactive or intervening and allowing adults to respond before it gets out of control and someone gets hurt.

“To me, transgender is anyone who does not currently identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. Gender queer means identifying outside the gender binary, so not as a man or a woman. I first heard the term gender queer when I was fifteen at a queer youth support group. I had always felt uncomfortable fitting in as a girl, but I knew that I did not identify as a boy either.

When I heard this term, it gave me something to work with. I came out as gender queer when I was sixteen. I did not “transition” from male to female. I see it more as a process of more authentically understanding and expressing myself. I think the biggest struggle of that has also been the biggest joy. So many people are unaware of what gender queer means, that I find myself being a full time educator. There are some people who will never understand my gender and will always ask ignorant or even rude questions, but I have learned to accept that. Being able to educate people about my experience has also opened me up to some of the most welcoming reactions. I feel truly blessed to have those reactions far outnumber the negative. I am so appreciative of Fairview letting me speak at the training before school started and am honored by the incredible work of your faculty and staff to make Fairview an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.” -Ace Eckstein

Famous advocates for “It Gets Better” Since this project began, it as been supported by politicians, singers, actors, and various organizations.

President Barack Obama

Daniel Radcliffe Ellen DeGeneres Adam Lambert Hillary Clinton Ke$ha

Anne Hathaway Collin Farrell Sarah Silverman Joe Jonas Photos from Wikimedia Commons

4a

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

In-Depth

By Rose Lupinacci (Guest Contributer)

This space RESPECTS all aspects of PEOPLE including race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, age, religion, body shape, size, and ability.

Recently the Fairview faculty attended a training sponsored by the Boulder Valley Safe Schools Coalition to increase our awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual and specifically transgender students. One piece of the training I really reflected on was a discussion about the Safe Zone Poster. The poster is everywhere, but do we truly have a safe zone? What do the signs really mean? I hope it means all students can feel safe to be who they are without the fear of derogatory comments, insulting remarks, personal attacks, or lack of acceptance. The safe zone poster ought to indicate that you are entering an area of the school that welcomes and celebrates everyone.

Last year over 600 Fairview students participated in the “Breaking down the Walls” presentations. This program taught us that we never truly know what a person is dealing with on a day to day basis. We don’t always know their history, their experiences, or their story; but at times we still stereotype and assume we know who they are based on superficial evidence.

During the training, teachers were given ideas and tools to make our school and classes more inclusive. Students can also work toward making Fairview a more inclusive environment. In November the Fairview Diversity Panel Project will begin to make presentations in Freshmen Seminar classes. If you haven’t seen these presentations, I suggest you check them out.

Hearing a person’s story and learning about the amazing people we have in our building is very inspiring. Seeing these interesting and courageous students can expand your views and help you be a better ally to your peers. If you are interested in being on the panel- see me and I will tell you more about it.

There are some simple ways to be an ally to your peers:

Don’t make any assumptions. There is always more to a person then what you can see.

Get to know - go out of your comfort zone and try to meet people. Recently I saw a facebook status update that several people were circulating around their profile pages. It states: “Special request to all kids returning to school.

If you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because they don't have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most "in" clothes, PLEASE step up. Say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside of school. Your kindness might just make a BIG difference in someone's life!!”

Be careful what you say - saying things like “that’s so gay”, or any other derogatory comments can greatly affect not only the person you are saying this to, but the others around you. Words are extremely powerful. Please be aware of how you use them.

Jokes aren’t always funny - Jokes that focus on degrading a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation get old and can be hurtful.

If your friend needs help- know where to go. You can start with the Counseling Office or a trusted adult. But if you don’t know where to go you can contact: Mental Health Partners Crisis Line: 303-413-6388, For LGBTQ youth- the Trevor Project: 866-4-U- Trevor, SafeToTell: 877-542-safe.

Please see me if you need any other resources.

Fairview is a wonderful, dynamic and diverse community. We all have a stake in making it a Safe Zone.

Rose Lupinacci Intervention Specialist at Fairview High School 720-561-5861

An FHS student on coming out as gay

By Caroline Kruger

Molly Marcus and Daryn Copeland celebrating Boulder Pridefest a few weeks ago. (DONATED)

Royal Banner: What was it like coming out to your family and friends?

Molly Marcus: Coming out to my family was a relativley easy experience.

I was raised knowing that it is okay to be gay, which is wonderful and is a privlage many don't have. When I told my mom she took me in completley and accepted the me she wasn't yet used to.

My friends knew I was gay before I did.

When I came out to my best friends I got an,"Oh, I know."

RB: How old were you when you realized you were interested in the same sex?

MM: I grew up always looking at the princess in the movies, not the prince.

I knew I liked girls by the time I was in 2nd grade, but came to fact with the term that I don't like boys when I was in 9th grade actually.

RB: What is pridefest?

MM: Pridefest is a gathering and celebration of diversity celebrated by the LGBT community and its allies.

It's an event full of love and fun with different booths promoting healthy sex, relationships, and self esteem. But the most fun part of Pridefest is the parade. Once a year in many cities a parade very much like the Fourth of

July is held on a main road in a big city with rainbows seen in every directions.

Floats pass by remembering those we lost to AIDS, diversity friendly churches, or just giving thanks to our great allies like Lady Gaga. It's just a day where you can truly feel like you are loved, gay or straight, but not everybody feels this way. Protesters come and tell us that the way we were born is wrong and it just downs the whole celebration. But through positive thinking Pridefest can be the greatest holiday of the year.

RB: What would you recommend to others who want to come out?

MM: Come to GSA, talk to someone you know about their experience coming out, go to OASOS, or come to me honestly. The most important thing when coming out is to know who you really are. Be confident, you were born just how you should be and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

RB: Any other additional information?

MM: GSA is held in room 812 every Wednesday block lunch, we are having pizza one of these days so if you drop by there might be a chance to get some free food...

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

Student Life

7

FRESH MEAT: Welcome to the World Don’t Put Your Reputation at Steak!

of n front i d n a t Don’t s e paper Ladies: nk next to th d si an the one do your hair ually o t act towels Some people ! o. makeup -drying to d d n have ha

Just because ho mecoming techni cally starts at 8 pm, don’t roll up until around 9.

You don’t want to be the only pe rson on the danc e floor! Plus they play the best song s at the end of the night anyways

Freshmen, you need to face the facts. All the upperclassmen can tell you’re a freshman from a mile away.

Embrace it! Don’t try to be cooler than you are.

d n i

Inside the M

By: Sarah Joyce

Meaty bits of advice By: Megan DeBruyn & Paige Reisman & Rachel Joyce

nd grade a h t 8 f to the resh ou ? Good, keep F : gh s o r an B en thou bucks v E . r a Freshm ke a million f sli get you flirt succes o feeling e up. It will t nc ng how st completing confide inally learni ce is ju ess. Wait it f i o e v r a r u u yo yo lin dds are cent into man irl in your o , y l l fu eg des amous th grad me drooling f 9 n i e t e u h c t i for the waste your t o G . t u t o n’ o. lass, do math c senior in phot e over th

man at F h s e r F a of

How short can I possibly make my skirt?

Do I have any missing assignments? I can’t go to study table!

air

Where should I stand in the student center?

vi

ew

What if the bus gets back late? Abo’s Disney has it all wrong. Upon entering High wasn’t worth it!

School as a Freshman, they would have you believe that you will be thrust into a world where Zac Efron will pop up from behind a trash can and everyone will start singing that, indeed, “we’re all in There’s a secret this together,” Sadly, High School is not like that, Finishing The staircase?

WHERE? despite media fueled fantasies. Sometimes, there Odyssey on time is a boy in your science class that resembles Zac Efron but realistically, High School is a lot harder than dancing on table tops and making 3 pointers.

How do I get on the On the first day of your Freshman year, you take roof? a deep breath and walk through the two front doors.

You think that the seniors are going to eat you, and Getting a Date to walking across the senior balcony is out of the quesHomecoming tion. It seems as if Homecoming is as big a deal as pushing past them.

Walking up and down the World War Three, and sprinting through the halls is the only option to make it to class on time. The ramps will burn off the calories nightly homework load has quadrupled since when from the frappuccino you bought you were in middle school, and all the eighth grad- at lunch. People can tell if you are a Freshers are now exceptionally beneath you. The threat man, and it’s a good idea not to deny it; merely of having to go to study table is ever present. The enjoy it.

Suddenly you’ll see that the floor of the student reward is an exciting, newly found freedom that you ball games, the quickest bathroom routes, the bell can actually leave campus for lunch, even though center reads “FHS,” and the tiles are not in a ran- schedules, and even how to “accidentally” run into you haven’t quite figured out the buses yet. When dom order. Going to a school dance is equally as fun someone in the hallway. you don’t know how to break the awkward silence with a date as going just with your friends, and wearAlthough everyone may not sing and dance in uniwith the person sitting across from you in art class, ing sweat pants won’t kill your chances. The library son, your High School experience can be as fun as you’ll say “Wait, what middle school did you go to?” is a utopia that allows you to get your homework Disney would have you believe. There will be late done, so you don’t feel a twinge of guilt when you go These are all small parts of being a Freshman. nights, football games, plenty of homework, snow Toward the end of the year you come to the real- on Facebook later that night.

Being a Freshman is something that everyone goes days, school dances, maybe even teenage love, and ization that everything is not as big a deal as you once memories you will never forget. Welcome to High thought it was. Walking alone in the hallway is ac- through; a rite of passage. It’s a lot to take in at first, School. ceptable, and upperclassmen don’t pummel you for but over time you’ll know the school like the back of your hand. You’ll learn all the cheers for the foot-

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

8 Rock on Rock R.H.C.P. – “I’m With You” The Red Hot Chili Peppers have shuffled through nearly a dozen different guitarists over their almost thirty (!) years as a band. Shockingly, John Frusciante told the other Chilis to kiss a train in ‘09, and their ‘07 backup Josh Klinghoffer was the only practical replacement.

Klinghoffer’s playing style is... different.

It’s less prone to yield those signature RHCP Sam Rock head-thrashingly rawkin’ songs, and it’s noticeably more jazzy than Frusciante’s. Perhaps as a result of this, “I’m With You” has an extremely energetic, freewheeling feel, and though the songs may be superficially robust, they lack any super-catchy hooks. And frontman Anthony Kiedis (who apparently really digs the Kip from ”Napoleon Dynamite” look) doesn’t help by belting out some pretty silly lyrics, e.g.: “she was the cutest thing that I ever did see / a drink in her hand and I don’t mean tea.”

Devout RHCP fans may find this record tolerable. Flea is and always has been a talented bassist, and his funky rhythm may be the only good part of “I’m With You.” And who knows, some fans might like Klinghoffer’s jazzy style. Even so, most will not find the overly enthusiastic “I’m With You”-RHCP as good as the muddier, frenzier 80’s RHCP. 4.5/10 Lil Wayne – “Tha Carter IV” Lil Wayne delayed the recording sessions of “Tha Carter IV” after 2008’s “Tha Carter III” so he wouldn’t follow an incredible album with a potentially substandard one, at least right away. And ostensibly, Lil Wayne hasn’t caught the “gotta-makean-even-better-album” plague for the fourth “Carter” installment. He’s aware he’ll never make another record as good as “Tha Carter III.” However, a lot of similar elements from “Carter III” carry over to “Carter IV.” “A Milli” had some fat beats, and Weezy tears up the woofers again on this album’s highlight “6 Foot 7 Foot.” Tres had a dozen guest stars, cuatro has a baker’s dozen.

But the similarities end there—this album is untidy and unambitious. The worst offense is the T-Pain duet, “How to Hate,” which apparently intends to dis (and yes, hate on) an ex. The rage falls short of life-altering breakup and settles somewhere closer to forgetting to Tivo last night’s “Jersey Shore.”

All things considered, Lil Wayne is a great rapper. Even though “Tha Carter IV” may not be as inspired as his masterpiece “Tha Carter III,” and this certainly isn’t a collection of his most genius songs, at least he isn’t telling himself it is. 6/10 Wilco – “The Whole Love” Anyone want to take a wager that Jeff Tweedy & Co. have been listening to some Radiohead lately? Much like Radiohead and their tendency to produce electronically-infused, rhythmically complex songs, Wilco has put the laptop to good use on “The Whole Love.”

The opening track, “Art of Almost” is the record’s most experimental song. It builds up with the bleep bloops, plateaus with a short verse-chorus-verse part, and ends with a long and totally bazerko Nels Cline fracas on the guitar.

After a string of very good, archetypal Side-A songs (“Born Alone”), the album begins to sag a lil’ bit in the middle. The country-esque “Capitol City” and the new-agey “Standing O” are basically second-rate material.

However, a few of the latter songs on the record are just as good as the ones that started it off, and even manage to alleviate the second-rate material inflicted nose-wrinkling. The mellifluous acoustic closer “One Sunday Morning” may be one of the finest post-”Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” Wilco songs.

With some cover art that resembles something you’d maybe see on the walls of an urban Chipotle, “The Whole Love” showcases a lot of new sounds from Wilco, and reaffirms that they’re still eager to experiment. Yet underneath the peculiar surface lies deeply melodic songs, something you can expect from this talented group of veterans who rarely ever disappoint. 8/10

Entertainment

AN INTERVIEW WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DJ, ZACK WENTZ

By SAM ROCK

Fairview senior Zack Wentz currently holds a position as a live DJ for the Boulderbased community radio station KGNU 88.5.

Check out the killer answers he provided to some questions about his personal musical tastes, how he got into DJ-ing, and his career as a solo bassist below.

Royal Banner: How many nights in an average week do you DJ, and what is your time slot?

Zack Wentz: It really depends on what is available. Right now since I’m the only student at our station, KGNU, they mostly rely on me on a need-based basis. I’m in the process of trying to get a regular slot on the show “Jazz and Beyond” (on KGNU 88.5 FM 10pm-midnight Thursday nights and 9-midnight Tuesday nights), but for now I kind of just take whatever is available. Usually a regular slot for a DJ doing the jazz show would be once or twice a month, which with the slots the Music Director at KGNU assigns me, tend to work out to be about that.

RB: What inspired you to get into DJ-ing?

ZW: I was actually asked by the Music Director at KGNU to become one. Since about July of last year, I would help John Schaefer, the music director at KGNU, with filing CDs in the music library at the Boulder studio. When I’d be filing these CDs, I’d often chat with John about either new jazz artists I’ve heard, or talk about my participation in Fairview’s jazz band, so he recognized at one point that I was really into jazz. KGNU has always lacked DJs oriented in jazz, so many slots on “Jazz and Beyond” would be filled with DJs without much jazz expertise.

Knowing this, John personally told me that if I went through the Radio Training class and got certified, I could go directly to doing the Jazz show. One of my dad’s friends from Cleveland is a DJ on a community radio station there as well, WRUW 93.1 FM Cleveland. I’ve sat in on shows of his while on family vacations there and have always been intrigued about what goes into making a radio show.

RB: What steps did you have to take to become a DJ? ZW: There is a (not so) rigorous process to becoming a DJ on KGNU. Basically you start out by taking a radio training class, a four hour class explaining how to use the mixing board, load CDs and use the CD player, and talk into the studio mic, the key element of what’s called a ‘voice break.’ If becoming a music DJ, the training instructor then tells you to make a demo track, which is basically composed of 3 cross-fades (transitions between two songs) and one voice break, where you must say the station’s legal I.D. “KGNU Boulder/Denver 88.5 FM, 1390 AM,” and talk briefly about the music that was just played. In most cases after this, John

Fairview student Zack Wentz consults a switchboard in KGNU’s studio (ELI BOONIN-VAIL).

Schaefer will schedule you for a late-night time shift from either midnight-3am (Sleepless Nights) or 3am-5:30am (Restless Mornings). I lucked out however—since the Jazz show was in need of DJs, my first show was a slot on “Jazz and Beyond.”

RB: Describe what a typical set list looks like during one of your shifts – does it reflect your personal tastes? Do you play mostly recent music or older music?

ZW: It very much does reflect my personal tastes. I think of play listing for a radio show much like writing a tune. The order of which you play songs creates a whole new unique ‘musical collage’ that hasn’t been heard before. Your show as a whole needs variety and needs to be thought out in a creative manner, much like a tune needs to represent your creativity and have enough diversity to keep the listener interested. So I play music that has inspired me musically, new and old material. Although I will sometimes put on tracks that are from artists I’ve heard about before but haven’t actually ‘heard’ before; doing this helps me make new discoveries as well.

RB: Who are some of your favorite bands?

ZW: Some of my favorite artists are: Aaron Parks, Bjork, Brian Blade, Bela Fleck, Matt Skellenger, Primus, Talking Heads, Porcupine Tree, Steve Reich, D’Angelo, Radiohead, Christian McBride, Colin Stetson, and Kneebody, just to name a few.

RB: What is your personal favorite song of all time?

ZW: “Careless Whisperer” by George Michael… Haha, no, not quite. Being a DJ, this has got to be just about the toughest question of all time, because one aspect of being a DJ is... Continued on Page 9

Entertainment

Royal Banner Friday, September 16, 2011

9

Band Ten-hut! Fairview marchers prep for competition

By ELIANA GOLDSTEIN

The hills around Fairview echo with the pound of drums, the blasts of trumpets, and the trilling of flutes. On the football field, just over one hundred students stand to attention, their instruments reflecting the pure white glare of the field lights. Orange and red flags flutter gently among their ranks. ‘Tis the season of the Knights. The Marching Knights, that is.

The Marching Knights rehearse on the turf at Fairview (ELIANA GOLDSTEIN).

Multicultural Madness This year, Fairview’s marching band is performing an Asian extravaganza of epic proportions, entitled simply “The Dragon.” The show includes taiko drums, colorful uniforms, and even its namesake - a Chinese dragon. Band director Travis Keller said that the show was inspired by the performance of the band from Texas’ Round Rock High School that he saw last year. “I contacted their arranger and asked him if we could lease the show from him, and the rest is history,” he said. He did note, however, that all the percussion and visuals were custom-tailored to Fairvew’s band.

Kathryn Sullivan, senior and color guard captain, was particularly enthused about the aesthetics. “The guard is going to have completely white faces with really dramatic red eyes,” she said, “kind of like the Kyoshi warrior thing in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’”

The show promises to be a feast for both eyes and ears as competition season draws near.

Instrumental Intrigue The band community is an extremely close one. Students focus on their fellow marchers as the best part of band. Cody Kennedy, senior, thinks that the Marching Knights helped him acclimate to the school his freshman year. “You don’t feel as scared of high school as other freshmen who don’t know anyone,” he said.

Beyond the social element, band members love the fun and unity of their

FAIRVIEW DJ ZACK WENTZ ON DJ-ING From Page 8 ...constantly having to keep your mind open to hear new stuff that would sound good programmed together. I’ve put in a fair share of time trying to figure out the chords on Radiohead’s “Everything in It’s Right Place,” but no single song in my mind “outperforms” another. It really just depends on your listening mood and in terms of radio, where in the playlist it falls.

RB: Do you plan to continue working as a DJ once you have graduated from Fairview?

ZW: Definitely. College radio stations are very similar to community radio stations like KGNU. You have play listing freedom, get to run your own show… I learn so much from being a radio DJ. Being a DJ gives me better communication skills, helps me discover new music, helps you deal with stress and public speaking in a low-key, but real-time environment… The benefits of it are endless, except for staying up ‘till 3am and waking up 2 hours later for class, haha.

competitions. “We get to spend way too long hanging out with each other,” said Emily Randall, senior. “And marching under the lights is really fun.”

Band is not without its struggles though. Some students are dissatisfied with the interactions that take place between the adult coordinators and the student body of the band. “I wasted the last three years of my life in this program,” said one student, who asked to remain anonymous. The student believes that the teachers don’t respect the kids but rather, “pretend to so that they can keep their jobs.”

Fairview’s Flashy Flags The Marching Knights have yet more showmanship to offer beyond the shiny saxes and crisp steps. Color guard, the band’s quick-stepping, flag-waving cohort, is vital in adding interest and motion to the show. Though they don’t face the challenge of playing an instrument as they move in step around the field, they drill just as hard as the musicians. Their coach, Justin Sparks, demands perfection.

“Don’t be sorry, just be right!” Sparks yelled at his silk-swinging troops, encouraging them to adjust their formation. Despite all his bellowing, however, he said that he loves his job: “It’s really nice working with a group of kids who are really dedicated to the program.”

This year’s color guard is almost exclusively female, with the sole exception of Devin Fitch. Fitch is unusual in more than just that respect. He is an eighth grader at Early College of Arvada. He was roped into color guard by his older sister, junior Katie Fitch, and loves it, although he said that “it can be a little challenging because Justin [the coach] is so used to working with just girls.”

Drumroll Please!

Fairview’s marching band also incorporates a drumline. This entirely male assembly keeps the beat for the band, banging on drums which are settled in thickly padded, fifty pound harnesses that hang heavily from their shoulders.

The drumline has a special kind of camaraderie that only a pack of teenage boys can have.

Drumline captain Sid Schiff, junior, says that, as one might imagine, the hardest thing is keeping his crew in line. “We’re kinda immature, but we get the job done,” said drumline member Austin Moore, sophomore.

The Marching Knights will first perform “The Dragon” on Saturday, September 24th at CU Band Day. The event showcases marching bands from around the state. It is open to the public for a small entrance fee.

Junior Koji Endo and senior Ivy McDermott (ELIANA GOLDSTEIN).

RB: What advice do you have for any other aspiring DJ’s out there?

ZW: Get going with it as soon as you are interested. I thought the process of becoming a DJ would be very difficult, and once I became one that I’d be “too amateur” to make an impact. In reality, the training required for community radio is very easy, and community radio stations are very welcoming to students. But the longer you put it off, the higher the stakes become. Whether you’re into music, news, or something else, the skills you can learn from being a DJ, are crucial skills that’ll help you in life.

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MKJ SPACE

Nothing less than a game As the Royal Banner’s newest in a long line of qualified and passionate By MATT JOHNSON Sports Editors, I believe that sports do not really matter. That’s right. In the “grand scheme of things,” as the clichéd expression goes, sports don’t really contribute to society and, in my opinion, they do suck valuable money out of the economy that could be used for much higher purposes.

That said, I still love sports. And there must be a reason why, right? Millions of Americans paint their bodies, waste thousands of hours at work, blow off their girlfriends, and set themselves up for constant melancholy simply by choosing to follow sports. But once again, why?

The reason is that, despite sports’ relative unimportance to greater society, Fairview, Boulder, Colorado, the United States, and the world are all better off because of the beauty, distraction, and personal connection that sports provide.

The beauty of athleticism that pervades the highest levels of sports is a majestic work of art just as much as Picasso’s finest painting or Mozart’s greatest symphony. Anyone can appreciate the breathtaking wonder that comes from watching Kobe Bryant unveil a flawless fadeaway jumper, witnessing Carlos Gonzalez unleash his sweeping swing to belt a fastball into the third deck, or beholding Wayne Rooney suspend himself upside down in midair to create a bicycle-kick goal. As humans, we appreciate beautiful things, and sports bestows upon us artistry in countless and unparalleled forms.

Life is hard. Everyone knows it, and most everyone experiences it. But if the difficult times in life are the ailment, sports are the cure. Sports remove us from economic hardship and poverty, political chaos, natural disasters, and wars. Sports are the constant when everything around us seems to change and slide downhill. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Yankees, donning caps with FDNY lettering instead of their interlaced NY symbol, went on a playoff run all the way to the World Series. This run provided much-needed hope for New Yorkers and Americans alike, and helped demonstrate the ability of baseball to be the strong hand to hold onto when Americans felt like everything was falling out from under them. That World Series gave President Bush the opportunity to flash his famous thumbs-up sign before he threw out the first pitch of Game 3—an action that, besides being one of the most poignant moments in sports for me, spoke well-beyond party lines and exhibited the hope that helped America recover so quickly.

Continued on p. 11

Sports

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Rockies Edition A feature from the Royal Banner’s past Tulo and CarGo

Despite the Rockies’ woes this season, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez have once again turned in stellar years, each finishing with 90+ RBI and smacking more than 50 combined home runs. If only Rockies pitching didn’t have the sixthworst ERA in all of baseball....

The Rockies’ recent acquisitions

Less-than-mobile third-baseman Ty Wigginton has left a lot to be desired, batting only .246 so far this season and notching only 44 RBIs through August (he finished with 76 last season with Baltimore).

And after second baseman Mark Ellis got off to a sizzling start upon his arrival in Colorado, he notched only one home run and four RBIs in the month of August.

Pitching (all of it)

If you’re a Rockies fan, you had to know this was coming. The pitching, both starting and relieving, is simply not getting it done.

Besides that abysmal team ERA, the Rockies also rank third-worst in the MLB in quality starts and sixth-worst in batting average against.

The Good

The Bad

The Ugly

ALL PHOTOS (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS).

Edelman has time of her life in Turkey

By JAKOB OLSEN

CU commit Nicole Edelman has been around the block when it comes to volleyball, whether that be with recruiting, high school matches or even US national teams.

Recently, Edelman spent a month outside the state of ColoNicole Edelman (JORDAN MYRES). rado training and then eventually venturing all the way to Turkey to play with the US women’s U-18 national team.

“It was probably the most amazing experience of my life.” Edelman said. “I’ve been out of the country before but never to Europe and especially not to play volleyball. So that made this time extra special.”

After training for two weeks the team headed to Turkey for what was a twelve day volleyball grind.

Placed in a tough pool, the US had their work cut out for them. Nevertheless the team had some success.

“We had a good record,” explained Edelman.

“But two teams in our pool both meddled, so they knocked us out early.”

These were the only two losses for the US in the entire 12 days.

“After those two losses we came back and won the bottom of our bracket and eventually took ninth in the tournament.”

The work isn’t over yet for Edelman. The day she got back she began working with Fairview’s varsity for the upcoming season.

“I’m really excited.” said Edelman.

The squad only lost two players from last years team, so there is a lot of experience coming back for the Knights this fall. Senior middle Kendall LaVine and junior libero Alex Flynn are some returning players to watch this fall.

LaVine, who recently committed to the University of West Virginia, joins Edelman now as the second Division-1 commit for the Knights, as Edelman is committed to the University of Colorado.

Look for the Knights to have an exciting squad in the Front Range League the rest of the fall season.

You can catch Edelman and her teammates on the court throughout the year for their home games in the Dungeon.

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Buffs flyin’ Hawaiian style Fairview student Josh Brown (nephew of CU defensive coordinator Greg Brown) was in Hawaii for the September 3 showdown between the Buffs and the Hawaii Warriors. Luckily for us, he took along a camera. Check out his photos!

Nothing less than a game (cont. from 10) The personal connection we all have to sports, I think, is the greatest reason why millions of us are so inspired by and enamored with sports. At some point in our lives we are all athletes. Whether it is four year-old junior soccer, T-ball, that high school sport you played (that you eventually got cut from), or even college and professional athletics, we have all played the games or know someone who plays. As players, it is very gratifying to increase our skill level, and mostly, to win. Sports are the source of that elusive feeling of dominance that is the reason why we, after losing, crying, and swearing off the sport, stumble back again to try it one more time. As watchers of sports at any level—from Pop Warner to the NFL— sports fill us with pride, happiness, and a sense of belonging; a sense of being part of things. The feeling of accomplishment felt by parents when a son or daughter succeeds in sports can quell thousands of

Female Athlete of the Issue Kendall LaVine - Volleyball

Female athlete of the issue, Kendall LaVine (MYRES).

The senior middle hitter recorded eight kills and two blocks in the Knights’ loss to Lakewood on September 1, leading the team in both categories. The next week she notched five kills and three blocks against Cherry Creek.

worries that surge and swell in each father’s and each mother’s frayed mind.

And when your favorite player provides that spectacular play to win the game, you can’t help but say to yourself, “That’s my guy!” and imagine yourself in his shoes, taking in the glory of the ephemeral yet unforgettable limelight.

For these reasons, sports will continue to capture our interest, our attention, our time, and our resources for a long time to come. I believe we will keep playing and watching everything from high school basketball to Olympic water polo, just because of sports’ indefinable “call of the wild” that always brings us back. From cramped, smelly gyms in the humid states of the South to the cold, dirt-encrusted rinks of the Northeast, we will keep hustling, keep giving our all, keep cheering, and keep hoping—with a tenacious spirit that is the hallmark of sport.

Male Athlete of the Issue Shane O’Neill - Boys Soccer In the Knights’ 6-0 romp over Green Mountain on September 2, the senior accounted for half of Fairview’s goals, notching a hat trick.

Male

athlete

of

O’Neill (JOHNSON).

the

issue,

Shane

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Sports

The Pop-Culture Grid

A Fairview tradition (certainly not copied from Sports Illustrated) comes back for another school year...

This issue we asked some of Fairview’s fall sports athletes how they felt about everything from T-bow to TV. Photos (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS).

Johnny Combs (Boys Tennis)

Kendall LaVine (Volleyball)

Photo (JOHNSON).

Photo (MYRES).

Party Rock Anthem is...

...By LMFAO

...Every day I’m shufflin: doo doo doo doo dee doo doo dee doo doo doo doo doo doooh

I say bro tank, you say...

...Gun Show

...Sean LaVine + Emma Lazaroff = laxbromance

The Athletes

Brad Ziegler (Cross Country)

Kelsey Piper (plus Betty Yi & Kristen Witt) (Cross Country)

Bryan Windsor (Boys Soccer)

Daria Caraway (Softball)

Kevin Wohlfarth (Boys Golf)

Photo (SPARKMAN).

Photo (JOHNSON).

Photo (JOHNSON).

Photo (ROCK).

...overplayed but good

...long and overplayed

...classy

...overplayed

...shufflin’ everyday

...not a fan

...Tuesday

...not for everyone

...lax bro Emma Laz

...bro yeah?

Photo (MYRES).

How many Not 13 games will CU football win out of 13?

I don’t know....ask 7 Hawaii

5

Around 14

3

Hopefully 7

If your life were a TV show, it would be...

...Entourage

...Strange Addictions

...That 70’s Show

...Dream Team

...Ninja Warrior

...Whose Line Is It Anyway?

In five words or less, how do you feel about Tim Tebow?

Should be a tight end

IwanttoseehimHe’s really good inabrotank...Wow! Four words left

Cute, Christian, sucks at football

Very classy

Could not care less

It’s Tebow time baby!

...Jersey Shore