![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)
![Lesbian Visibility Day is April 26, and it’s a holiday to celebrate the lesbian community of the world. Lesbian Visibility day was established in 2008 by many queer activists and organizations who sought to raise more awareness for lesbian history and culture. “So this is why during Lesbian Visibility [Day] we celebrate and center all lesbians, both cis and trans, while also showing solidarity with all LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary people,” Linda Reily, in an article written by her, said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lesbian-Visibility-day.jpeg)
![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)
There are many types of teachers. From laid-back to more strict, each teacher has their own personality. But, if you are looking for a teacher who matches the sass of his students, head to the 9000s pod to seek out Geometry and Algebra II teacher Austin Bennett.
Bennett’s aspirations to become a teacher began at a young age. His mother and grandfather both worked in education, exposing him to the profession early in his life. Later, during his senior year, Bennett signed up for a teaching program through his high school, Castle View.
“I always wanted to go and work with the youth,” Bennett said.
After graduating from Castle View, Bennett went on to attend two colleges in Colorado.
“I went to the Metropolitan State University of Denver,” Bennett said. “As well as [Colorado State University], and then came back to Metro to finish my degree, which I believe is in mathematics. Then I got a concentration in secondary education.”
After finishing college, Bennett was set on teaching high school, even earning a concentration in secondary education.
“Middle schoolers are scary, and they’re mean. And I would make a lot of elementary kids cry,” Bennett said.
Bennett went on to student teach at Douglas County High School, and immediately after finishing, he applied for a position at Castle View and was accepted. After a year of teaching at the high school he attended, Bennett switched to teaching Jags, following a successful interview.
“I applied to Rock Canyon, and the interview was so positive that I felt the need to accept the offer,” Bennett said.
When asked about his favorite memories from his career, Bennett admits he doesn’t have any yet, only being a teacher for four years, including student teaching.
“Other than getting pied in the face here, which wasn’t teaching, I don’t think so,” Bennett said. “[That] sounds really boring, but that’s just how it is. [Most of my favorite memories are] just my fellow colleagues bullying me.”
Bennett doesn’t recall all bad memories from his colleagues, revealing he and fellow math teacher Tony Koy will occasionally spend time together outside of school.
“Mr. Koy and I are friends. God, I hope he doesn’t see this. We’ll go fishing in the summer, or probably plan on going on a hike and then we work out together after school,” Bennett said.
Bennett believes that teaching fluctuates, some years being better than others.
“You have your up and your down years,” Bennett said. “Last year, for me, it was honestly one of the best teaching years that I’ve had. This year seems a little more stressful and a little more busy. It’s hard to follow up a great year with another great year. That doesn’t mean this year is bad, it just means it’s different. You still love all the students that you have equally as last year.”