![Minutes before the Activities Fair in the gym, president Abhi Gowda ‘26 prepares the stall for his club Helping Hands, Sept. 4. A relatively new club, Helping Hands was co-started by Gowda and focuses on assisting the homeless, and just last year they succeeded in raising a couple hundred donations to send to shelters. This year, they have goals to expand, with hopes to increase volunteer opportunities and take in-person trips to shelters, as well as extend their help beyond just homeless people. “The Activities Fair gives a lot of underclassmen the opportunity to really get to know the Canyon culture, and it gives them many opportunities for service and volunteering,” Gowda said. “[Through the Activities Fair,] I hope to find a bunch of new and passionate members about our club and just get our name out there and spread awareness to the cause that we’re fighting for.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1-2-1200x885.jpg)
![The winter guard team makes fifth place at the state championship finals in the Denver Coliseum, March 30. The team performed to Barnes Country's “Glitter and Gold,” lead by coaches Margo Sanford, Blair Bickerton and Anna Orgren. In their class there were a total of nine groups participating, and the top five who made it to finals received a plaque. “[Walking onto the stage] is very nerve-wracking, but also very exciting as well. When you first start color guard there's a lot of anxiety and uncertainty when you first perform in front of an audience, but once you've done it for a while, it starts to become the best part of the season,” Ella West ‘25 said. “It's very fulfilling to see an audience react to something you've put your heart and soul into.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Both-socal-media-nd-website-main-1-1200x846.jpg)
![April marks the 25th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, created by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC). This month is to spread awareness of the harassment, assault and abuse that happens around the world. The symbol that represented the month was a teal ribbon; however, some survivors of assault create different symbols and movements like the TikTok trend in 2022, where survivors would tattoo Medusa on their body, in honor of her backstory in Greek Mythology. “I don't think [this month is known] at all. I rarely see anybody talk about it. I rarely see much of an emphasis on posting it online, or much discussion about it, and I feel like there needs to be way more discussion,” an anonymous source said. “I think just validating every experience that a person has gone through, regardless of the degree of it, the severity, is an essential step into making sure that people are aware that this is a very real problem in a society and that we need to do better in addressing it.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0011-1200x900.jpg)
The 2024 Wish Week was an impactful event for Wish Kid Kiki and her family.
Between a multitude of events, donations and wish kits, the student body was able to raise a record-breaking $94,921.91 and grant Kiki her wish of going to Hawaii and having a tea party with princesses, alongside 11 other Wishes. Kiki’s older brothers even participated throughout the week, playing dodgeball with Student Council. Demetri, Kiki’s older brother, helped finish the week off by donating his hair at the closing assembly.
When walking into the gym for the first time, Kiki warmed the hearts of many when the student body met her Friday, March 1.
“The first time I saw Kiki, my heart melted. She was such an adorable kid with a huge smile,” Kate Anderson ‘27 said.
Kiki was all smiles when walking into the gym. She then was able to walk through the halls and see the decorations lining the walls. Many decorations were loved by Kiki, but her favorite was the Disney castle drawing on the 9000s pod wall.
Kiki wasn’t the only family member who had a great week. Kiki’s mom Desiree was happily surprised by how much went into Wish Week.
“Wish Week has meant so much to us. It was way more than anything I was expecting. It was incredible, and I’m so grateful for everything, all the effort you guys put into this and it’s very apparent that the care and love that came from every person here it was so it’s so felt by us,” Desiree said.
Desiree also attended many events hosted throughout the week.
“I love the opening assembly but I’ve loved everything… all of it’s been amazing,” Desiree said.
Desiree also noticed happiness and excitement in Kiki throughout the time they spent here for Wish Week.
“Everyone’s made her feel like a star and she is literally said to me every single day, ‘are we going to Rock Canyon today?’” Desiree said. “She has really truly loved it.”