- May 27Slicing through Megastructures
- May 27Where Are We Traveling?
- May 27Top Of The Class—For Now
- May 27Senior Sign-Off
- May 20The Scenario
- May 18The Hantavirus virus has a 40% mortality rate, but what is the Hantavirus exactly?
- May 13Absolute Cinema V: A Farewell to Hosts
- May 11Biology vs Bias: Rethinking the fur Ban Debate
- May 5What is Coachella?
- May 4A Student’s Voice at School
![Alexander Oki ‘28 picks up trash in the lower parking lot Feb. 20. According to Keep America Beautiful, the majority of the trash found on both roads and waterways consists of fast food wrappers and packaging, receipts and plastic beverage bottles. Clubs like the National Honor Society (NHS) offer students the opportunity to earn service hours by cleaning up the trash in the parking lots. “[The trash] makes us look very unhygienic and unmotivated to be a proper school,” Emberlyse Vidal ‘28 said. “It makes us look like we just don't care about our students' environments.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260220_1355020-2-1200x904.jpg)
![Varsity girls soccer midfielder Leah Sheahan ‘24 hugs a friend during the Senior Night celebrations before the home game against Mountain Vista High School (MVHS) at Echo Park Stadium April 29. During Senior Night, seniors were given flowers and the opportunity to walk out and take pictures with their family as their future plans and favorite memories were announced over the speakers. The Jags tied 0-0, losing the Continental League Championship. “We were obviously the stronger team but just couldn’t find a way to score, but otherwise our connection and our intensity was really high so I’m proud of that. We just have to find the net,” defense midfielder Clara Geuzaine ‘24 said. “[Losing League] wasn’t the best. It’s better than last year and like, I know our team and we are doing really good. I don’t want to jinx it but like hopefully [we’ll do] good [in playoffs].”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Copy-of-DSC_4277-1-1200x868.jpg)
![In room 4101, Natalie Patterson ‘26, Ariana Magor ‘25 and Celina Salazar ‘25 create a poster in science teacher Kerry Reilly’s Chemistry Honors April 18. The three completed a worksheet and drawing to explain the implosion of a tank for their unit on gas laws. “At the start of class, we watched a video of the tank imploding,” Patterson said. “I think [making a drawing] is something new. I like more artsy activities.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_5019-1200x900.jpeg)
![Black & Gold Yearbook Editor-in-Chief Chloe Farson ‘25 works on a winter trends and events page for the yearbook during period four in room 4113 March 25. The deadline for the final version of the yearbook is this Friday, March 29. “Although I’m quite nervous and stressed about [the deadline], I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product more than anything,” Farson said. “I’ve found our book to be extremely unique from ones in past years, and it’s been so beautiful to work on. It’s wonderful to see it truly begin to come together, even though we don’t necessarily have all the time in the world to make it perfect.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_8224-e1711942407745-1200x1046.jpg)
![Ali Gustafson ‘24 accepts the “Good Citizen’s Award” in association with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) at the Castle Pines Library Feb. 17. According to DAR Good Citizen, the award “recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools, and community.” Gustafson was nominated by her counselor and chose to write a two hour timed essay on Nov. 28. “I am extremely grateful to have received this award as it had heavy emphasis [on] dedication and responsibility as well as patriotism. Without my time in yearbook, I would have never been able to speak to how amazing it is to be able to exercise the First Amendment. It also meant the world to have the Kristi Rathbun, Rob Rathbun, Ms. Thomsen, Ms. Dermody and my parents in attendance,” Gustafson said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_0900-1200x900.jpg)
![As the referee blows the whistle to start the match, varsity wrestling captain Noah Jadd ‘26 faces off against Boulder High School wrestler Abe Pomeroy ‘25 in his first match on day one of State Feb. 15. Jadd wrestled in the 144 weight class and lost 20-8, sending him to the first round consolation matches that took place Feb. 16. In his consolation match, Jadd wrestled Chaparral High School wrestler Dominic Cordray ‘25 and lost 5-3, which eliminated him from the tournament. “I was not happy with the outcome I had, but I’m glad I made it to State. I think [in] my first match, I didn't come out with the fire I usually have but I tried my hardest my second match. I tried my best with everything so I'm not super disappointed,” Jadd said. “[The support] made me feel really great, it added a little bit of pressure but I also felt at home with everybody and having friends and family and stuff [at State]. [Next year], I want to do better. I want to be back here and I want to go farther. I want to get on that podium.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/DSC_9341-1-1-1200x907.jpg)
![With his arm around his opponent’s head, varsity wrestling captain Ryan Banks ‘24 competes against a Thomas Jefferson High School wrestler at a home dual meet Jan. 31. Banks wrestled in the 215 weight class and lost 9-8. Before the dual, the team hosted Senior Night, where math teacher and sports commentator Brian Lamb announced the wrestlers’ post-graduation plans and shared their favorite memories from their wrestling careers. The meet ended with a final score of 48-21 L. “A moment that has made wrestling worth it to me this season is when I wrestled at Battle of the Ranch,” Banks said. “Going into the tournament, I had just moved up a weight class, so I wasn’t too sure how it would turn out. However, I ended up pinning two out of [the] three guys [that] I wrestled, and it felt like all [of] my work was finally coming together.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CYeater_WrestlingSeniorNight_1_31-093-1200x800.jpg)
![Grabbing onto climbing holds, Kayden Ozdemir ‘24 attempts climb 30 during the first competition of the climbing season, arranged by American Scholastic Climbing League, at Denver Bouldering Club South Nov. 11. Ozdemir’s highest ranked completed climb was number 28. He finished in second place within the individual category. “I feel a little bit gutted not being able to complete [climb 30], but with the progression of the season comes more learning opportunities, not just for myself, but the team, too,” Ozdemir said. “It definitely is one of the best feelings, throwing great attempts down at the hardest problems in the set.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AAaAGustafson_RockClimbing_11.11-25-1200x800.jpg)
![Zoology teacher Nikki Dobos dissects a frog during her second-period Zoology class Nov. 8. Zoology students dissected frogs and found things such as their eggs and past meals inside them. The class had five different dissections throughout the semester to learn about biodiversity and phyla. “I like teaching kids about animals and facts about animals they didn’t know before, but also the importance of biodiversity,” Dobos said. “I think more students should take [Zoology], especially if you love animals and dissections because you can learn more than just general [animal] knowledge.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_4677-1-e1700112293406-1063x1200.jpg)
![Owen Williams ‘25 holds a stick coated in a copper mixture over a Bunsen burner to complete a Chemistry lab Oct. 2. Students in Bradon Hommel’s Chemistry recorded the flame colors of various metals to better understand the differences in energy between types of ions. “[The lab] was really fun because I got to see a lot of cool colors and reactions,” Williams said. “I really liked the [copper reaction].”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_0270-1200x900.jpeg)
![JD Freivogel ‘24 practices guitar while looking at sheet music in Benjamin Dale’s period seven Guitar II Sept. 5. The class worked on various sheet music compositions and presented finger exercises. “It's nice just having a class that's kind of like a break from everything. I originally started taking it because I figured [that] practicing by myself wasn't that fun, but if I forced myself to practice, however many times a week, then I could get good at it,” Freivogel said.](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_5175-1200x1200.jpg)
![Reagan Kerstiens ‘24 works with Ella Bendle ‘24 to brainstorm school spirit events at the inaugural Continental League Fall Super Summit at Chaparral High School Aug. 26. The summit ran from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and consisted of free breakfast, three 40-minute morning sessions, lunches from truck lunches and a final fourth session for each school to discuss what they learned that day. Over 55 Jaguars attended. “We went around listening to different speakers or student-led discussions. The first one talked about advertising and how schools have different strengths. Then, I went to a business panel with a few speakers, most of them in the construction industry, talking about the struggles of running your own business and the importance of networking. There was also a speaker, he was ex-military, telling us some of the important characteristics of leaders,” Kerstiens said. “I think [the summit] was a good opportunity, I’m glad I got to learn some new things.”](https://rockmediaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-9184-1007x1200.jpg)
