Recent Scores
  • Dec 2 / Varsity Boys BasketballRock Canyon High School - 54, Mountain Vista High School - 49
  • Dec 2 / Varsity Girls Swim and DiveRock Canyon High School - 1st place, Big Cat Brawl Meet -
  • Dec 1 / Varsity Girls BasketballRock Canyon High School - 57, D'Evelyn High School - 41
  • Dec 1 / Varsity Boys BasketballRock Canyon High School - 59, Grandview High School - 54
  • Nov 29 / Varsity Boys BasketballRock Canyon High School - 85, Rampart High School - 54
  • Nov 29 / Varsity WrestlingRock Canyon High School - 11, Valor Christian High School - 57
  • Nov 29 / Varsity Girls BasketballRock Canyon High School - 71, Rampart High School - 30
  • Nov 10 / Varsity Girls VolleyballRock Canyon High School - 3, Cherry Creek High School (State Tournament) - 2
  • Nov 10 / Varsity Girls VolleyballRock Canyon High School - 0, Chaparral High School (State Tournament) - 3
  • Nov 10 / Varsity FootballRock Canyon High School - 14, Ralston Valley High School - 42
Rock Canyon High School's Student Newspaper

the Rock Online
Saanvi Kirdak ‘26, Ihita Kataru ‘26 and Mai Intongkam ‘26 sit side by side under the 8000s pod’s stairway and read “A Raisin in the Sun” during Honors English II Nov. 30. “A Raisin in the Sun,” a play written by American writer and playwright Lorraine Hansberry, depicts the lives of an African American family during the 1950s residing in Chicago. Students grouped up with their tablemates and assigned themselves roles from a list of characters in the play. The class was then divided into two halves, one remaining inside the classroom to read and the other going outside into the halls. Along with participating in reading with their peers, students also analyzed the text and completed annotation assignments. “I like this activity because it allows me to spend time with my friends and I’m learning at the same time,” Kataru said.
The Week in Photos: Nov. 25-Dec. 1
A graphic introduces the election results and article.
UPDATE: Review the Results with Post-Election Day Information
Grabbing onto climbing holds, Kayden Ozdemir ‘24 attempts climb 30 during the first competition of the climbing season, arranged by American Scholastic Climbing League, at Denver Bouldering Club South Nov. 11. Ozdemir’s highest ranked completed climb was number 28. He finished in second place within the individual category. “I feel a little bit gutted not being able to complete [climb 30], but with the progression of the season comes more learning opportunities, not just for myself, but the team, too,” Ozdemir said. “It definitely is one of the best feelings, throwing great attempts down at the hardest problems in the set.”
The Week in Photos: Nov. 11-Nov. 17
Black & Gold Yearbook Photography Editor Hannah Rozen ‘25, The Rock Online Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Claire Bauer ‘24 and Social Media Managers Elly Brooks ‘25 and Sanaa Sow ‘25 celebrate the publications’ national wins with a photo at the National Student Press Association (NSPA) Boston Convention Nov. 4. In total, The Rock Online and Black & Gold won 11 national awards, including two first place national wins from Bauer in Sports Game/Action Photo of the Year and in Photo Slideshow of the Year. “I can’t even begin to describe how I feel about the awards. Not only was I incredibly happy and humbled to receive my six national awards, but I am so, so proud of my fellow staffers who won awards, and honestly proud of the whole staff. They’re all amazing and fully deserve these awards,” Bauer said. “Our trip to Boston was incredible. We all learned so much from the sessions we attended and the people we met, whether that was other students and advisers or reporters and professors from top-notch groups. We were excited to represent Canyon, the district and Colorado as a whole so well.” Read the full story here. Reporting by Sanaa Sow
Achieving Awards
Zoology teacher Nikki Dobos dissects a frog during her second-period Zoology class Nov. 8. Zoology students dissected frogs and found things such as their eggs and past meals inside them. The class had five different dissections throughout the semester to learn about biodiversity and phyla. “I like teaching kids about animals and facts about animals they didn’t know before, but also the importance of biodiversity,” Dobos said. “I think more students should take [Zoology], especially if you love animals and dissections because you can learn more than just general [animal] knowledge.”
The Week in Photos: Nov. 4-Nov. 10
Varsity girls volleyball captain Addie Waller ‘24 hugs her teammates Julia Holmes ‘24, Gannon Figueroa ‘24 and Lindsay Heyliger ‘24 after winning in Regionals on Nov. 3. The team beat Lakewood and Denver South High Schools to qualify for State.
The Final Home Swing
Utah Valley University baseball commit Adam Smith 24, University of California San Diego baseball commit Austin Bowker 24 and St. Mary’s University MN basketball commit Daniel Cabeen 24 and more sign their letters of intent to play collegiate sports during Signing Day Nov. 8. Smith and Bowker were the only two baseball players to commit, and Cabeen was the only basketball player to sign.
Decided, Committed, Signed
Jonathan Gunther ‘25 swings the bat at the Unified wiffle ball game at Chaparral High School Oct. 3. Wiffle ball allowed each athlete to play at a similar level to the others, even though some could hit the ball farther than others.
Wiffle Ball This Fall
Varsity runner Dylan Laity ‘26 and fellow team members warm up with the state-qualifying Jaguar cross-country team before the final race of the 2023 season. The team jogged the race course together before racing.
Eat Our Dust
Varsity softball captain and shortstop Sydney Boulaphinh ‘24 swings to hit the ball during the fifth inning Oct. 3. Boulaphinh committed to play Division 1 collegiate softball for Stanford University during her junior year. This season was one of the worst seasons in Rock Canyon history, Boulaphinh said. I think this team had a lot of expectations and relied on many people to carry, and that never happened. I believe most of the games we lost, we could’ve won. It’s the little things that matter--when it came down to who got to 21 outs first, we weren’t the team.
Day in the Life: Game Day for Varsity Softball
French teacher Dayna Moore helps Sydney Boulaphinh 24 with her indirect objects worksheet during Access Nov. 16. Moore disliked not teaching students face-to-face during the Covid-19 pandemic. I cannot teach online. I like having connections with my students and I like playing games in class, Moore said.
FRIDAY FACULTY FEATURE: Mysteries of Madame Moore
Saanvi Cooduvalli ‘26 studies Honors Chemistry in room 4101 Nov. 9. Many students sat in the high chairs and studied material from their chemistry courses as well as completed homework from other classes. Honors Chemistry teacher Kerry Reilly went around assisting students who had questions about their assignments and quizzes. “The chemistry room is very refreshing,” Cooduvalli said.
Study Spot or Flop?
This graphic depicts the log-in screen of College Boards new digital testing platform Bluebook which is replacing all of College Boards traditional pencil-and-paper exams.
Out With The Old, In With The New: Meet College Board’s “Bluebook”
Brady Kempf ‘24, Dylan Owens ‘24 and Alex Kohl ‘24 work together to complete a study guide for math on Aug. 28. Many students have visited teachers for help during Access like Mrs. Hunt, who teaches algebra. It usually depends on the assignment, but I enjoy working in a group because we can all bounce ideas off each other and help everyone understand the subject,” Kohl said.
Strategy and Sociality
A graphic introduces the next piece in the column Odds and Ends. Contact Ally Kelley!
Odds and Ends: Screaming Sirens or Soft Speech?
Battle of the Bands starts at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20. The event takes place at the Skylark Lounge and there is a $15 entrance fee. A QR code leads participating bands to a sign-up sheet. Media courtesy of Happy Crew
Battle of the Bands
A photo and title introduce Adis Recipes, starting with Dalgona coffee.
Adi’s Recipes: Fresh Dalgona
A close-up of Ella Heimers 25 sketch, 2-D Gorillaz.
Singer, Sketched
Kyle Walsh’s 25 car sits on the side of the road with dents all over from the storms hail June 22. No windows were cracked or broken. “When we realized we needed to take shelter, every spot was already taken so we had to huddle with a group under the trees,” Walsh said. “All I could hear was the thunder and people screaming. Everyone was getting pelted on their backs from the hail. It left marks.”
Having “Faith in the Future”
Stella Catalano ‘24, playing Irena Synkova, checks for a tattooed number on the wrist of Lily Moon ‘24, playing Raja Englanderova during the final dress rehearsal of the fall play “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” Sept. 26. Opening night took place 7 p.m. Sept. 28, followed by two more nights of the play Sept. 29 and 30. Tickets were $5 for students and $7 for adults. The play followed Jewish children and families in Prague during the Holocaust, and featured real characters, pictures and poems. “Being the lead has been absolutely insane. I want to accurately represent these stories and honor every individual that’s mentioned in the show, and I’m beyond honored that I get to tell these stories,” Moon said. “Take note of the meanings you see in this play. There are so many interpretations, and take yours to heart. This story is one that needs to be heard, and I hope the audience can really learn from our telling and grow from what they see.”
“I Never Saw Another Butterfly” Takes the Stage by Swarm
Zoology teacher Nikki Dobos dissects a frog during her second-period Zoology class Nov. 8. Zoology students dissected frogs and found things such as their eggs and past meals inside them. The class had five different dissections throughout the semester to learn about biodiversity and phyla. “I like teaching kids about animals and facts about animals they didn’t know before, but also the importance of biodiversity,” Dobos said. “I think more students should take [Zoology], especially if you love animals and dissections because you can learn more than just general [animal] knowledge.”
The Week in Photos: Nov. 4-Nov. 10
A graphic introduces the next piece in the column Odds and Ends. Contact Ally Kelley!
Odds and Ends: Screaming Sirens or Soft Speech?
A bright chemical flame bursts from the “Mole Cannon,” fired by Colin Sun ‘26, during Kerry Reilly’s Honors Chemistry class in the 4000s Oct. 24. Chemistry students celebrated Mole Day on Oct. 23 and 24 through a variety of labs and activities including sidewalk chalk, mole making and the firing of the moles from the cannon. “It felt awesome! I felt confident, and I felt powerful,” Sun said.
The Week in Photos: Oct. 21-Oct. 27
A close-up of Ella Heimers 25 sketch, 2-D Gorillaz.
Singer, Sketched
Reva Mehrotra ‘26, Ridhi Bandla ‘26, Puja Kotapati ‘26 and Bianca Saju ‘26 pose with CEO of Lady Trailblazer Inc. and Program Facilitator Carletta Stewart at the Girls’ Persist award ceremony May 16. At the ceremony, members received certificates recognizing their participation and achievements in the club. “Girls’ Persist has helped me gain confidence in my ability to speak to people even if I’m not as prepared as I wish I was,” Kotapati said.
Girls’ Persist: The Rise of Something New
A graphic introduces the second article of the column “Mental Health Mondays.”
Mental Health Mondays: Students and Social Media
Cash Geist ‘27 sketches out an idea for a 3D art piece in his sculpture class during seventh period Sept. 12. Lindsay Hubbard’s class worked on their polymer clay projects, where they were assigned to use a piece of trash or old material to make it seem like it came back to life. “My favorite part has been experimenting with the clay,” fellow classmate Mackenzie Lawson ‘26 said. “I’m still deciding what exactly I’m going to make but I’m really excited to see how my project turns out.”
OPINION: Science vs. the Arts
Assistant Principal Mandi Zimmerman uses car markers to write messages in support of passing 5A and 5B on cars in the upper lot during Parent Teacher Conferences Oct. 12. As Assistant Principals, Zimmerman and Karli Bloom did not need to meet with parents, painting an estimated 40 cars. Teachers and parents marked their cars with sticky notes if they wanted their cars painted. On the evening of conferences, Ms. Bloom and I were not officially working that evening, we had prearranged absences. We were using our personal time to write on the cars with Mr. Abners permission, Zimmerman said.
Editorial: Make or Break Vote Takes Place This Tuesday
Sophia Miller 25 poses for a creative photo. The text and darkness convey the negative emotions and thoughts given to us by others. In a world full of negativity, these ideas ingrain themselves into our lives and contribute to the isolation so prevalent in everyday life.
OPINION: The Worst Mistake Humanity Has Made
The Secret Of Life column logo, created with Canva.
The Secret of Life: Planners, Plans and More Planning
Rock Canyon High School's Student Newspaper

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Journalists Go to J-Day

Newspaper and Yearbook students go to Colorado State University for the annual Journalism Day and come back with new knowledge and awards.
by James Bogue, Reporter
September 22, 2023
Members+of+the+Rock+Online+and+Black+%26+Gold+pose+with+Jack+Kennedy+and+their+awards+at+the+end+of+J-Day+Sept.+14.+Kennedy+was+Colorado+Student+Media+Association%E2%80%99s+%28CSMA%29+former+Executive+Director%2C+and+previously+taught+at+Rock+Canyon.+Im+so+proud+of+our+staff+and+the+awards+we+won+because+we+truly+give+it+our+all.+This+time%2C+it+was+especially+special%2C+because+this+was+the+newspapers+first+online+All-Colorado.+Weve+won+All-Colorados+for+print+and+hybrid+before%2C+but+this+year+was+our+first+one+for+online%21+My+favorite+part+was+probably+when+Jack+Kennedy+sang+the+First+Amendment+at+the+closing+ceremony%2C+hes+an+inspiration+and+a+great+singer%2C+Editor-in-Chief+Claire+Bauer+24+said.
media by Courtesy of Kristi Rathbun
Members of the Rock Online and Black & Gold pose with Jack Kennedy and their awards at the end of J-Day Sept. 14. Kennedy was Colorado Student Media Association’s (CSMA) former Executive Director, and previously taught at Rock Canyon. “I’m so proud of our staff and the awards we won because we truly give it our all. This time, it was especially special, because this was the newspaper’s first online All-Colorado. We’ve won All-Colorado’s for print and hybrid before, but this year was our first one for online! My favorite part was probably when Jack Kennedy sang the First Amendment at the closing ceremony, he’s an inspiration and a great singer,” Editor-in-Chief Claire Bauer ’24 said.

At Colorado State University (CSU) at 8:45 a.m., Sept. 14, 1200 students attended Journalism Day, otherwise known as J-Day. 15 of those were Jaguars.

The day began with an opening ceremony, which immediately was followed by four class sessions taught by professionals, media advisers and student editors.

The classes consisted of topics ranging from press rights to improving your writing and photography, etc.

After this, students came back together for a closing ceremony. There, the Rock Online Newspaper and the Black & Gold Yearbook both were granted All-Colorado Awards for their work in the 2022-2023 school year. In addition to this, Newspaper placed second place in the Best of Show 5A Online News and Yearbook placed third in Best of Show 5A Yearbooks.

“This was my third year going to J-Day, and it is an amazing experience every time,” Editor-in-Chief Claire Bauer ‘24 said. “I love meeting all the different students from around the state and learning so many new things. I went to sessions about the rights of student journalists, improving your stories, and covering social injustices, all of which were interesting and helpful.” 

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Saanvi Kirdak ‘26, Ihita Kataru ‘26 and Mai Intongkam ‘26 sit side by side under the 8000s pod’s stairway and read “A Raisin in the Sun” during Honors English II Nov. 30. “A Raisin in the Sun,” a play written by American writer and playwright Lorraine Hansberry, depicts the lives of an African American family during the 1950s residing in Chicago. Students grouped up with their tablemates and assigned themselves roles from a list of characters in the play. The class was then divided into two halves, one remaining inside the classroom to read and the other going outside into the halls. Along with participating in reading with their peers, students also analyzed the text and completed annotation assignments. “I like this activity because it allows me to spend time with my friends and I’m learning at the same time,” Kataru said.
The Week in Photos: Nov. 25-Dec. 1
A graphic introduces the election results and article.
UPDATE: Review the Results with Post-Election Day Information
Grabbing onto climbing holds, Kayden Ozdemir ‘24 attempts climb 30 during the first competition of the climbing season, arranged by American Scholastic Climbing League, at Denver Bouldering Club South Nov. 11. Ozdemir’s highest ranked completed climb was number 28. He finished in second place within the individual category. “I feel a little bit gutted not being able to complete [climb 30], but with the progression of the season comes more learning opportunities, not just for myself, but the team, too,” Ozdemir said. “It definitely is one of the best feelings, throwing great attempts down at the hardest problems in the set.”
The Week in Photos: Nov. 11-Nov. 17
Black & Gold Yearbook Photography Editor Hannah Rozen ‘25, The Rock Online Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Claire Bauer ‘24 and Social Media Managers Elly Brooks ‘25 and Sanaa Sow ‘25 celebrate the publications’ national wins with a photo at the National Student Press Association (NSPA) Boston Convention Nov. 4. In total, The Rock Online and Black & Gold won 11 national awards, including two first place national wins from Bauer in Sports Game/Action Photo of the Year and in Photo Slideshow of the Year. “I can’t even begin to describe how I feel about the awards. Not only was I incredibly happy and humbled to receive my six national awards, but I am so, so proud of my fellow staffers who won awards, and honestly proud of the whole staff. They’re all amazing and fully deserve these awards,” Bauer said. “Our trip to Boston was incredible. We all learned so much from the sessions we attended and the people we met, whether that was other students and advisers or reporters and professors from top-notch groups. We were excited to represent Canyon, the district and Colorado as a whole so well.” Read the full story here. Reporting by Sanaa Sow
Achieving Awards
Zoology teacher Nikki Dobos dissects a frog during her second-period Zoology class Nov. 8. Zoology students dissected frogs and found things such as their eggs and past meals inside them. The class had five different dissections throughout the semester to learn about biodiversity and phyla. “I like teaching kids about animals and facts about animals they didn’t know before, but also the importance of biodiversity,” Dobos said. “I think more students should take [Zoology], especially if you love animals and dissections because you can learn more than just general [animal] knowledge.”
The Week in Photos: Nov. 4-Nov. 10
The girls swim and dive team partake in the annual Trunk or Treat event Oct. 30. The girls decorated their car and dressed as skiers for the Halloween event, handing out eight bags of candy and spending around $10 total. “The car decorations did not take too long because we planned what we were going to bring beforehand so it was easier when we got there,” varsity swimmer Sarah Myers ‘24 said.
A Trick for a Treat or a Treat in a Trunk

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  • A

    Anna Bauer • Sep 26, 2023 at 11:28 am

    So proud of these hard-working students!

    Reply
    https://rockmediaonline.org/11639/news/journalists-go-to-j-day/#comment-52
  • A

    Anna Bauer • Sep 23, 2023 at 4:06 pm

    Reply
    https://rockmediaonline.org/11639/news/journalists-go-to-j-day/#comment-51