November
EneleahRuiz,StaffWriter
ThePalmerMountainBikingClubisanexhilaratingstudentstartedorganizationwelcomingallkids6th-12thgradewhoare passionateabouttwowheelsandtheoutdoors!
TheclubisproudlysponsoredbyMs.RobersonatPalmerHigh School,whohelpscoordinateactivitiesandensuresafe,fun, andeducationalexperienceforeveryone.
Oneoftheclub’scorebeliefsisthatmountainbikingshouldbeaccessibletoall.Theyhaveestablishedavery welcomingprogramthatincludesdifferentinstructorsfordifferentskilllevels.Thisensuressafetyandpersonalized coachingappropriatetocurrentabilities.ThecoursesaredesignedforGreen-beginnerswithverylittleexperience;Blueoffroadwithverylittleexperience;BlueF–confidentonallcolorleveltrailsadvanced;Blue\black-bluelevelwith someblackexpertswhichrequiresgooddecisionmakingwhenencounteringdifficultobstacles.Whileitisaninclusive clubformiddleschoolersit’sworthnotingthatcompetitiveracingisreservedforfreshmenandabove. Themajorityof thecoursesarebeginnerandintermediate-focused.Thecoursesconsistofeasy,slowdownhillslopestopracticesmooth riding.
Palmer’sMountainBikingClubbelievesthatfinancialbarriersshouldnotpreventanyonefromcomingonthetrails. This iswhytherearezerofeestojoin.
ThePalmerMountainBikingClubismorethanjustridingbikes.Itisaboutbuildingsupportivecommunitiesand buildingvaluesthroughthepassionforoutdoors.Ms.Robersonquotes,“Iliketorideallovertheplacebutmyfavoriteis PalmerPark.It’salwaysfuntorideoverthere.”
Comejoinusandexperiencethethrillofmountainbikingwithus!
WillaKalmanowitz,EditorinChief
Ms.SantosisabackboneofthePalmercommunity,butsofewpeopleknowwhosheisandwhatsheprovides,whether itistogetherhelportoshowtheirgratitude.
CarlaSantos,Palmer’scommunityliaison,isdedicatedtoservingthecommunity.“Myjobistoprovideresourcesfor low-incomefamiliesandhomelessfamilies,”shesays.“Ihelpanybodythatneedsassistance,sostudents,familiesand staff.”
AlltheresourcesthatsheprovidesaresuppliedbygenerousmembersofthecommunitysuchasPalmerstaffmembers andvariouslocalorganizationsandcharities.“Thedistrictdoesnotprovideanyfunding,soIhavetogooutintothe community.”Herdonorsprovidefood,clothing,hygienesupplies,andschoolsupplies.Theorganizationsshe mentionedincludeNewLifeDowntown,ChristmasUnlimited,BetheGoodintheWorld,andBombas.
ResourcesMs.SantoscollectgototheEaglebeakExchange.TheExchangeisaprogramthatshecreatedtohelpmeet theneedsofstudentsatPalmer.
Ms.Santoshopesthatherworkwillhelpalleviatestudents’worriesaboutaccesstoresourcessotheycanshifttheir focustoschoolwork.“Iwanttomakesureeveryonecanfocusontheireducationandbettertheirfuture,”sheshares. “I’veseenkidsbeabletograduate.Overall,thekidscangotoschoolanddobetter.”
Despiteherincrediblesuccessinthepastfewyears,herjobisbeginningtobecomemoredifficult.Studentneedshave becomegreaterthanwhatsheisabletosupply.Sheblamesthisonthecurrentfoodstampshortage.“Thereisahuge needforfoodrightnowandhygieneproducts.”
Evenwiththecurrentstruggle,Ms.Santosknowsitisallworthitbecauseoftheimpactshehasonstudents’lives. “Myjobishardingettingtheresourcesbutgettingthehelpforkidswhoknowthereareresourcessavesstruggling parents.”
“ThemostrewardingpartiswhenIgettoseeasmileonthekid’sface,andbeingtoldthatthey’rehappyI’mhere,that theydidn’tknowthattherewerealltheseresourceshere.”
ForanystudentthatneedstheservicesMs.Santosprovides,herdoorisalwaysopen.Theycanalsoreachherbyemail, throughateacherorcounselor,orsimplyleaveanote.
Foranyoneinterestedindonatingresourcestoher,specificallyhygienesupplies,oranyclubswhowouldlikeadoa driveshouldcontactheratcarla.santos@d11.org. IssueTwo November2025-2026
MentalHealthinSchool
LeahSmith,StaffWriter
AtPalmerHighSchool,studentsaregivenacounselingofficeandacounselor,butwhatifstudentsneed somethingelsetofeelsafeandhappy?Studentsallaroundtheworldaresufferingwithmentalhealth;some peopledon’tliketotalkabouttheirfeelingsandneedothercopingskills,sothebigquestionis,whatcanour schooldotohelpstudentsfeelsafeandhappy?
Somestudentsshouldgetheadphonesformusicandnoisecanceling.Formanypeoplemusichelpstocalm theirbrainsdownorgettheirmindoffofthebadthings,andsometimeswhenateachersaysnotoastudent’s copingskills,music,drawing,headdown,readingetc,itcanaffectthemandeitherupsetthemmore,oranger them.
Teachersneedtobemoreopenwhenitcomestoastudent’smentalhealth.Sometimestheydon’twantto share,soaskingiftheyareokaysometimesdoesn’thelp.Ifastudentsays,“Ifeeldown,Ineedto(putmyhead down,draw,listentomusic)becauseithelpsmecalmdown,”teachersshouldallowthat.Atschoolstudents canfeelmoreoverwhelmedandupsetbecauseofbullying,lackofwhattheyneed,andbeingawayfromtheir safeplacewhichformostpeopleistheirhomes.
RyanSmithusedtoworkwithrunaways,mentalhealthfacilitiesandmuchmore.
Hesays,“[Theschoolis]takingcareofthestudentswell,althoughIthinktheyneedmorefundstomakesure studentshaveALLofwhattheyneed.”
Hiswife,RebeccaSmithsays:“IthinkPalmerisdoingagoodjoboftakingcareofstudents’mentalhealth.You, mychild,seemtohavesomeonetotalktoandsomewheretogowhenyouneedto.”
CurrentlyPalmeroffersacounselingofficeandpeopletotalktostudentsinneed.Theycandomorethough.
RyanSmithsays,“Theyshouldhaveaclassteachingaboutmentalhealthandallthetruestrugglesofit,howto getbetter,andhowtouseyourresources.”
Thisclasscouldberunbyacounselor,asanelective.
Palmer,andotherschoolsneedtocreateandsupportahealthyenvironmentandprovidewhatisneeded For example,Palmercouldcollaboratewithmentalhealthprovidersforstudentstogetreferralswhenneeded.
MarjorieSwearingenEricksonandPalmerHighSchool
CapriLynnVankerckhoven,Staffwriter
MarjorieSwearingenEricksonhashadalongconnectionwithPalmer’shistory.
ShewasborninColoradoSprings,grewupinDistrict11thengraduatedfromPalmerHighSchoolin 1957.ShetaughtinaD11elementaryschoolfor39years,retiringin1999.
StartingatPalmerHighSchoolwasabigevent.Shewasthepresidentofthefutureteachers.Inherjunior yearshehadherfirstassemblytellingaboutCarolJegend.
PalmerHighSchoolischangingalotovertheyears.Inthesummerof 2025theytookdowntheoldEagleWing(builtin1984)andtheVocational Building(builtinthe1950s).MarjorieSwearingenfeelsreallystrongly aboutthenewbuildingsatPalmerHighSchool.
“Tobehonestit’ssuchahistoricalbuilding,andIreallybelievein maintainingthehistoryofourtownasmuchaswecan,”saidMarjorie Swearingen.
SheandherhusbandgotmarriedinPalmerHighSchool.Theyweregoing togetmarriedunderthetowerbutitwasrainingallFridayonthedayof theirwedding.Sotheygotmarriedintheschoolauditorium.Shethought itwasamazingthatsomanypeoplecametoseeherbecauseshewasa
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