![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)
FRIDAY FACULTY FEATURE: How Katerina Casas Helps Others
This week’s look into the life of Counselor Katerina Casas.
![Counselor Katerina Casas talks to Ally Kelley '26 in her office. Casas enjoys helping high school aged students, which is why she became a counselor. "This [age] is the pathway of getting to where you want to go and helping you mold into who you want to be. And so I can help in any part of that. I am happy to," Casas said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/177D9E5F-E1D5-44B3-8878-70BBFC1853BE-e1667002296198-900x569.jpeg)
media by Renya Schymik
Counselor Katerina Casas talks to Ally Kelley ’26 in her office. Casas enjoys helping high school aged students, which is why she became a counselor. “This [age] is the pathway of getting to where you want to go and helping you mold into who you want to be. And so I can help in any part of that. I am happy to,” Casas said.
October 28, 2022
In the halls of the counseling office, room 1540 is sprinkled with art pieces on the walls and a zen garden on the table. This room belongs to school counselor Katerina Casas, who counsels students with last names P-SCH.
Q: How long have you been counseling?
A: This will be my fourth year as a counselor, my first year here at Rock Canyon.
Q: So, how do you like it so far?
A: I am loving it. It is great. It is a great atmosphere. Everyone is very positive, and very upbeat, which I really enjoy.
Q: What is your favorite part of counseling?
A: My favorite part of counseling would be the diverse parts of my day, getting to know different kinds of students and seeing where people want to go in their futures and how I can best prepare them for that. And then anything that is going on currently in their lives that they might be wanting some help with too. So that kind of diversity.
Q: Why did you choose to become a counselor?
A: Well, I kind of felt like the job chose me. I really enjoy helping people and I think it is important, especially at this time of life. A lot is going on and having someone to bounce ideas off of or just vent to [is important]. This is the pathway of getting to where you want to go and helping you mold into who you want to be. And so I can help in any part of that. I am happy to. It is super inspirational.