![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)
We Believe in Michael’s Wish
As Wish Week concludes, take a look at the week in review and the long term effects that it has had on the wish kids and their families
media by Emily Wilson
Michael McGuire lifts and kisses his son, Wish Kid Michael McGuire during the closing assembly in the gym March 8. The closing assembly celebrated Michael and his wish to go to Disney World. “I think Michael was my favorite part about Wish Week. My favorite part was when he stole the microphone at the opening assembly. I think he’s got spirit, is a great kid and it was really cool to meet him and his family,” Principal Andy Abner said.
March 25, 2019
Wish Week expands beyond one student, one grade, or even one school. Wish Week means bringing one exceptional Wish Family into the Rock Canyon community, and treating them as part of the jaguar family.
“The cheer that erupts through the gym when the Student Council members hold up the signs with the grand total raised makes the whole week worth it. It gives everybody in the school the chance to see how Rock Canyon came together all in support of one family,” Audrey Fears ‘21 said.
Students from all grades gathered for the closing assembly in the gym to celebrate Michael and his wish to go to Disney World. Throughout this past week, the student body raised enough money to grant Michael’s and seven other Colorado Make-A-Wish kids’ wishes with a grand total of $62,086.99, with over $11,000 being solely from the Miracle Minute.
“I really loved getting together with my friends and going to all of the events because I knew we were supporting a really great cause,” Logan Tarutis ‘20 said.
Throughout the week, students partook in various nightly events– from blacklight dodgeball to smashing pies in faculty members’ faces, the week was full of spirit events and making wishes come true.
“I definitely think my favorite part so far has been all the closing assemblies just because you get to wrap up everything you got to see throughout the week and how exciting all the different events were and it’s just awesome to see the whole school come together as a community and be able to see all the wishes we get to grant,” Caroline Frahm ‘19 said.
During the 50-minute closing assembly, students saw all the previous Wish Kids together as well as a video produced by RCTV highlighting each Wish Kid’s experience. Principal Andy Abner expressed his pride in the RC family. Michael’s mom, Venus McGuire, thanked RC for putting on Wish Week.
“It’s incredible to put yourself aside and do such a selfless act that you guys do to come out here and play basketball, silly it is, play dodgeball, silly it is. It does so much for these kids. It does so much for the families you guys are involved in. It’s a time to put away the fear, to find something good in something so awful. You guys have changed our lives, and Michael’s kind of sad that this is the end of wish week. You guys have not only impacted us, you’ve impacted his life, his sister’s life, all of our lives,” McGuire said.
Closing out Wish Week, Michael and his little sister, Genevieve, played in the confetti after it rained down, covering the floor in blue. There were laughs, smiles, and tears, and all through it all, Michael was smiling.
