![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)
Sayonara Seniors
July 15, 2020
Sayonara Seniors
The final stretch. The last semester and the last quarter. During this last long trek, there is a light at the end of the tunnel that can’t approach soon enough. While allergies claim the noses and lungs of many, the widespread phenomenon Senioritis claims the GPA of students. With seniors only having just over two months left in their high school careers, glazed eyes and unfinished homework are the new normal. However, Senioritis doesn’t affect just seniors. Teachers and students of every grade are basking in the spring sunlight and counting down the days until freedom.
“I have honestly given up. My college doesn’t require an end of year transcript so homework is no longer my problem and I am living my best life,” Free Sally ‘20 said. “As soon as my ACT was submitted and I accepted my college, I burned every old worksheet and notes as a pre-summer bonfire.”
Teachers and faculty are also feeling the effects of Senioritis, counting down the days until they can get reprise from their jobs.
“Working with high schoolers is great until it’s not,” school counselor Hall Monitor said. “I have told so many students over these past few weeks to stay on top of their grades but at this point even I have given up trying to get students to stay on top of their work. Heck, I can’t even stay on top of my own work anymore either.”
While there are some who are able to resist the urge to give into the abyss of Senioritis, its siren call is present and parents are taking measures to convince their children to stay strong.
“My parents had to start bribing me with Chick Fil A and ten dollar bills,” said Needah Nuget ‘21. “I let my grades drop pretty low but Chick is life and I’m willing to work for those nuggets and those dollar bills. Last week I got an A on my math test and I was able to get an eight count meal with a large milkshake and even an ice cream cone. It was fantastic.”
Douglas County School District recently ran a statistical test to see how many kids on average let their grades drop during the last semester before summer. While Coronavirus affects about 3.4% of the population, an astounding 89% of students saw a drop in their grades from their first semester.
“It’s crazy to me that this happens,” Douglas County board member Hardon Studens. “I know Summer is right around the corner but I don’t think that’s a good excuse.”
As students count the days until summer, percentages are also counted to see how little studying is necessary to get the grade. With such little time until summer, students and teachers alike have mentally checked out and some believe there is nothing that can be done.
“I am so close to being done that I just laugh at my grades now.” Donne Caring ‘20 said. “I have a midterm this Friday that I’m not studying for, and I currently have four C’s, one B and one D, but hey, that’s enough for me to walk at graduation and that’s all that matters.”