![On Oct. 30, 24 Eco Club members took a tour of the school’s solar panels on the roof. They were guided and taught by an employee from E Light Electric, the company that maintains the school’s solar panels, and learned about how the panels are maintained and cared for. “I was definitely very excited about being on the roof in general,” Eco Club member Olivia Fang ‘26 said. “[It was exciting to] learn more about solar panels and how they work and how they supply energy to our school.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/RCH_2632-1200x800.jpg)
![Ice and snow make it difficult for drivers on the road. During snowstorms, drivers have poor visibility, and frozen roads make it difficult to stay in control. “Driving home from Denver [on Friday], the neighborhoods weren’t plowed. By the time we got back they were only plowing highways. We spun out, nearly got stuck and fishtailed a few different times,” Connor Pugh ‘26 said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Untitled_Artwork-e1732045465987.jpg)
![Varsity girls soccer midfielder Leah Sheahan ‘24 hugs a friend during the Senior Night celebrations before the home game against Mountain Vista High School (MVHS) at Echo Park Stadium April 29. During Senior Night, seniors were given flowers and the opportunity to walk out and take pictures with their family as their future plans and favorite memories were announced over the speakers. The Jags tied 0-0, losing the Continental League Championship. “We were obviously the stronger team but just couldn’t find a way to score, but otherwise our connection and our intensity was really high so I’m proud of that. We just have to find the net,” defense midfielder Clara Geuzaine ‘24 said. “[Losing League] wasn’t the best. It’s better than last year and like, I know our team and we are doing really good. I don’t want to jinx it but like hopefully [we’ll do] good [in playoffs].”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Copy-of-DSC_4277-1-1200x868.jpg)
![In room 4101, Natalie Patterson ‘26, Ariana Magor ‘25 and Celina Salazar ‘25 create a poster in science teacher Kerry Reilly’s Chemistry Honors April 18. The three completed a worksheet and drawing to explain the implosion of a tank for their unit on gas laws. “At the start of class, we watched a video of the tank imploding,” Patterson said. “I think [making a drawing] is something new. I like more artsy activities.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5019-1200x900.jpeg)
Stroll around the 3000s, and you will spot classrooms with students busy learning English. Bright colors, twinkling lights, fun posters–it’s hard to beat the enthusiasm of the teacher.
Room 3550 stands out: a life-size Scooby Doo plush sits comfortably in a corner, the eyes of crazy cats on the walls follow you around and a red-headed educator greets you with six coffees’ worth of energy.
Elizabeth Romito is not shy by any means; her bubbly personality radiates from her beaming smile to her unique shoe collection. She teaches AP Language and Composition and English IV to juniors and seniors.
“I think that my passion and love for teaching definitely come across,” Romito said.
She tries to engage her students by introducing them to new writing styles and allowing them to practice analysis by breaking down essays into manageable sizes.
Romito loves her English IV seniors as much as her junior classes, but she enjoys teaching non-fiction material to her AP students.
“I don’t think enough nonfiction is taught,” Romito said. “My AP kids look at [material] in a completely different way.”
Romito is a perfect example of a teacher who not only cares about how well her students perform academically but also about the people they are becoming.
“I really try to sit with the kids and talk with them about stuff other than a rhetorical analysis or an argument essay,” Romito said. “I try to be silly and goofy [with them] because that’s just my personality.”
In her free time, Romito enjoys hiking, cooking, and reality TV. She has three cats: Diablo, Crazy Pants and Bug, whom she loves wholeheartedly. She lives over an hour away from school, in the mountains.
“I wouldn’t change my job for anything,” Romito said.
![Math teacher Austin Bennett observes seventh period students step to the board to solve Equation of Circle problems May 2. Bennett has been teaching for a total of four years, with only two of those years spent as a Jag. He hopes after his time as a high school teacher to become a professor. "[College math] is more challenging, and it's good to challenge yourself," Bennett said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_0147-1200x900.jpg)