![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)
The “Best Student Section in Colorado:” Love it or Hate it?
Spectators discuss the student section at basketball games – is it really the best in Colorado?
media by Elly Brooks
Tyce Shelburn ’26, Cooper Ueland ’26 and Preston Duman ’26 cheer as a varsity basketball player scores a three-pointer at the home game against ThunderRidge High School (TRHS) Jan. 27. The student section theme was a “white-out.” “The basketball games are super fun and the student section is always fun doing all the crazy chants,” Shelburn said.
February 19, 2023
You feel the heat engulf you as you walk into the crowded gym. The voices come from all directions as you start your ascent up to the bleachers. You push and nudge, feeling the sweat and anticipation of the game.
Suddenly, you hear the Golden Boys, the student leaders of the student section, start a chant. Countless others join it. The feeling of the rumble and shake of the bleachers meet your feet as people jump and cheer with all their hearts. The booing and cheering against the other team continues to bounce around the room.
The parents’ eyes scan the student section, but despite the looks, the chants continue, the recognition fueling the fire of the section as the chants get louder and more aggressive
There are many different opinions about the student section. Love it or hate it, there are varied viewpoints on it and students, teachers, and cheerleaders explain why.
MJ Mejia ‘25
Q: How many basketball games have you been to?
A: I have been to four games because my friends like to go.
Q: What’s your opinion on the crowd of basketball games?
A: I feel like they’re very disrespectful. They’re unkind and distracting to the other players and to our players.
Q: How do you feel about the chants we do to the other teams’ student section?
A: I feel like the chants are loud and they’re annoying and no one likes to do them. They’re mean, and I feel like it’s only a small number of people who actually enjoy doing it. Everyone else gets annoyed and they want to leave. It makes everyone hate it. Horrible.
Payton Shank ‘25
Q: How many basketball games have you been to this year?
A: I’ve got three. Some I have cheered at, some I’ve been in the stands, and they are very different. Feeling the energy of the student section and being able to be a part of that is really cool.
Q: Since you’re a cheerleader at the games, what’s your opinion on our student section?
A: I really like them. I think they’re really fun and they make me laugh. And it’s just a really good atmosphere. I enjoy seeing the players up close and personal and having my team with me as we cheer. I also enjoy the way everyone comes together and dresses up to be an amazing student section. Sometimes I think we can be a little bit out there, but I feel like it’s just fun to get into school spirit stuff, so it’s good.
Q: Do you feel like there’s a different experience being a cheerleader than being in the actual student section?
A: Yes, I do very much. I feel like when you’re a cheerleader, you’re kind of just like, sitting there. You can hear everything that’s going on. But, being a cheerleader is a different experience, because you can look upon the section and see the facial expressions of everyone. And everything that’s going on in the game and in the student section. I feel like the student section has more freedom to go and do what they want.
Kylie Fisher ‘25
Q: How many basketball games have you been to and what’s your opinion on our student section?
A: Probably a few in my time. Honestly, I love our student section so much. I think it really adds hype to the basketball team and so I feel like that helps them win in a way because it’s like, they know that they’re good because we’re being hyped and we’re like, hyping them up, you know?
Q: Would you change anything about the student section?
A: Oh, absolutely not. If anything, I would like us to be louder. I feel like we don’t cheer enough, especially at football games.
Q: What’s your favorite cheer we do in the student section and why?
A: My favorite cheer is probably the “do it” cheer because it’s just fun to see who participates the most and people get really into the cheers.
Game Announcer Brian Lamb
Q: What’s your opinion on our student section?
A: I think that overall, for boys basketball games, our student section is very supportive. They show up in great numbers. I wish they would show up the same for girls basketball and other sports like wrestling, football, and all the other sports. I think we’re lacking in that sense.
Q: What’s your opinion on the cheers we do?
A: Their cheers are not timed very well. I think their cheers during varsity are very good at rallying the players and that gives them more motivation at times. But, I think they need to be a little bit smarter about when they do certain cheers. I do think they do a good job of supporting our team, the basketball boys basketball team, for sure. I don’t understand the “Si Papi” cheer, I think it’s kinda weird.
Q: What’s your opinion on the overall feel of the section?
A: Overall I do like the vibe of the student section and how they come to support the players. But I think when they go and say inappropriate stuff that becomes obnoxious, obviously. That’s something that the administration would definitely like to curb. They talk to the Golden Boys about different cheers and stuff.