![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)
Up-and-coming alternative/indie star Shane Boose, also known as Sombr, recently hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative songs for his hit “Undressed,” released March 21, 2025. “Undressed” is a part of his debut album “I Barely Know Her,” which was released Aug. 22. It reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart Sep. 2. (Billboard, 2025).
Sombr’s music isn’t on the charts without reason. He has become my, and millions of others, favorite artist since he knows how to connect with how Gen Z is feeling. His lyrics hit straight into the heart.
One of Sombr’s songs “Never Find U” is one that has lasted with me since it came out in 2023. The purpose of the song is to show that he can’t find anyone that fills the space, or acts like how the person he’s missing did. He says the words that everyone wants to say in a late night text. “I still look for you in everyone. But I’ll never find you”
Boose started making music in early 2020 in his bedroom studio during high school. His first single, “Nothing Left to Say,” was released on Oct. 1, 2021. The start of his breakthrough was when he released “Caroline”, June 15, 2022. “Caroline” was made to portray the addictiveness of relationships and a form of metaphor showing that love can be just as addicting as drugs.
After “Caroline,” he produced 15 more songs, none of which got as much recognition as “Back to Friends,” which is a part of his new album with 753 million streams on Spotify. Sombr continues to connect with his fans through his engagement on TikTok. According to Greenwood, D “The stars of the ’70s didn’t have TikTok to play with, but Sombr does and he uses it well. His online presence is knowingly silly and self-satirizing,” (Can Sombr save rock ’n’ roll?). Aug 18. 2025
“I really like Sombr and his music because I’ve listened to him since 2022 when he released “Caroline”. Maggie Butler ‘27 continues, “It was the first song of his I ever heard and I loved it immediately. I relate to his lyrics and love singing and listening to his music overall is fun to listen to and makes me happy.”
With fans like Butler finding joy from Sombr’s music, it goes to show that his songs impact more than just the charts. He combines passionate stories with upbeat outcomes, allowing him to relate to fans worldwide.
