![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)
One of the Guys
Josie Manning is the kicker for the Rock Canyon Football Team this season, but the kick is: she is a girl.
media by Mia Brown
Josie Manning ‘22 kneels with her team for an injured player during the Homecoming football game at Echo Park Sept. 20. Manning and her teammates lost the game against Mountain Vista 24-12.
November 7, 2019
Softball, volleyball, field hockey, cheerleading, soccer and football. All of these seem like women’s sports right? Except for football, or so you thought. Josie Manning ‘22 has been kicking for the football team this season.
Manning had been kicking the soccer ball around since she was five. This last year, she decided to kick the bucket on soccer and start up football. She has been starting on JV and kicking back on the bench for varsity.
“I was playing soccer for a while and wanted to change it up, so I decided to try out for the football team because I can kick,” Manning said.
Around school, people have been swept up and surprised with the news that their kicker is a girl. “People are really surprised when I tell them,” Manning said. “It seems like every knows me because I’m the girl kicker.”
The team has made Manning feel at home this season so far.
“We have taken her under our wing…We have adopted her into our brotherhood,” Defensive End Gannon Schafer ‘22 said.
Manning has become one of the guys now that she is kicking for the team. She has already played five games, kicking for JV and dressing for Varsity.
The brotherhood stands up for Manning and supports her in everything she does. In the games they will cheer for her, pick her up, and put the other team down if they hurt her.
“If she has a big hit we hype her up… if someone one is messing with her we will take their head off,” Schafer continued.
Other than the required differences like locker rooms, Manning believes there is no difference between her and the men on the team.
“There is not much difference, I’m just one of the boys,” Manning said.
Manning lives up to her expectations being perfect on all PAT attempts and adding on two tackles and one forced fumble.
The team has taken Manning in and she’s played to expectations this season. Manning hopes to have a successful and fun for the rest of the season.
“At the end of the day we just want her to have a good time and enjoy her time playing,” Schafer said.
Students have had a positive attitude about Manning being able to have this opportunity. Students have continually praised Manning for being able to be the kicker.
“I was kind of surprised at first, but props to her for going out and trying out for the football team,” Bella Acker ‘22 said, “I find it cool that she does what she wants and doesn’t care what people think.”
“I find it very cool that she is the kicker…very good for her,” Chloe Jarrett ‘22 said.
The football team still has four more games left to play. That’s four times to go out and support something you don’t see everyday, a female kicking. Manning hopes to end the season on a kick.
Originally published in the Rock’s October 30 print issue. View the electronic version of the issue here.