Rock Canyon High School's Student Newspaper

the Rock Online
The Week In Photos: August 14-22
The Week In Photos: August 14-22
Three, Two, One - We're Done
Three, Two, One – We’re Done
As of May 2025, College Board will be changing 28 AP exams to either hybrid or fully digital tests. 13 of the school's offered AP exams will be fully digital, and 11 will be hybrid digital.
Time’s Ticking
Spring arrived on March 20 and warmer temperatures are expected in April and May. According to nbcnews.com in Spring the sun's rays are more concentrated than they are during winter, which creates warmer temperatures and less snow. “Spring is my favorite season because the temperatures get warmer but not too hot so its a great temperature,” Sienna Russo ‘27 said.
Do Not Fear, Spring is Here
From Feb. 14 through March 8 three French exchange students attended classes.
The Exchange Experience
State President Medha Kuntamukkla ‘25 gives out a backpack at the HOSA Store Feb. 18. Backpacks and water bottles were free for SLC attendees and exchanged for red tickets given to students at the beginning of the conference. Other HOSA merchandise was available for purchase and could be bought throughout the conference. “I had to make sure everything was running smoothly and be there as support for the members,” Kuntamukkla said. “If they had any questions, I would direct where to go, and also just helped out with registration, making sure all the chapters were checking in okay and they were all getting their rooms.”
Healthcare of Tomorrow
Wide receivers Joey Dodge ‘26 and Kai Ingrassia ‘26 celebrate during the Chaparral game at Echo Park Stadium Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. Last season, Ingrassia was a stat leader with three receiving touchdowns according to Maxpreps. “The game went very and I feel like we showed the state that this is a new era of Rock Canyon Football, and we have the chance to be very great this year. I definitely think we are heading in the right direction. There are obviously things we need to clean up and be better at, but if we stay the course, we have the ability to shock the state this year,” Dodge said. “I don’t think I would have changed anything it was a great first game.”
The first Friday Night Lights Jags vs. Chaparral Wolverines: Photo Recap
The Highlands Ranch Co-op Swim & Dive team poses for a photo after competing in the Continental League championship May 1. The team secured their 12th league championship within 14 seasons, and had multiple swimmers place within the top ranks of individual events. (Media by courtesy of Melissa Krol and Erin Backman)
Co-op boys swim team Jags bring home commendations and wins
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.”
Shining and Spinning Through the Season
Graphic depicts the NCAA Tournament bracket.
The Final Four Showdown: March Madness
Varsity Guard Brooke Harding ‘25 goes up against Cherry Creek High School Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. Harding finished off this season with a total of 380 points and will be attending Colorado Mesa University next year for basketball. The game ended in a 69-55 L. “Every win is definitely a team win. No game is won because of one person. We all need each other, and it’s amazing that we are all close because it definitely helps our chemistry,” Harding said.
Day in the Life of a Varsity Girls Basketball Player
During girls tennis tryouts Feb Anika Kaja ‘28 hits the ball while working on her forehand hits. “I thought the tryouts were really fun and I got to show my talents,” Kaja Said.
Girls Tennis Tryouts 2025
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.”
Not My Fault
Thirty-nine French students participated in Le Grand Concors, a National French Contest sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French, showcasing their skills in various aspects of the French language from Feb.14 to April 8. The annual competition evaluates participants on their oral proficiency, written expression and listening comprehension abilities.“I like to practice French outside of school and get practice quizzes, then I do the extra practice that my teacher assigns. I feel really good and proud of myself for getting first place and it's like one of my bigger accomplishments for the school,” Keren Bantshi ‘26 said.
French Students ranked nationally in Le Grand Concours
This picture depicts the symbol representing Autism Spectrum Disorder according to Autism Learning Partners.
It Really is a Spectrum
Varsity Guard Brooke Harding ‘25 goes up against Cherry Creek High School Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. Harding finished off this season with a total of 380 points and will be attending Colorado Mesa University next year for basketball. The game ended in a 69-55 L. “Every win is definitely a team win. No game is won because of one person. We all need each other, and it’s amazing that we are all close because it definitely helps our chemistry,” Harding said.
Day in the Life of a Varsity Girls Basketball Player
At the 2024 AAU Junior National Championships in Orlando, Florida, Riva Linga ‘28 takes the court as a middle blocker for Relentless Volleyball Club (RVC) on the 14 Z’s Nationals team, which proudly secured 64th place out of 186 teams nationwide.
Overcoming the Struggles: How Injured Students Navigate the Challenges of School
Half night sky and half day sky with clock, cloud sun and moon.
Spring Forward or Spring Fail?
Episode XI, The Summer Spiel, covers various new hot topics, being the first episode of the 2025-2026 school year.
The Glitch Podcast Episode XI: The Summer Spiel
This quiz makes you question which book genre you are. Take this quiz to find out.
What Book Genre Are You?
The main character “Mickey”, made up of different shapes, surrounded by different quotes from the movie.
“Mickey 17”: Oscar Worthy?
“A Minecraft Movie” directed by Jared Hess, released on April 4, made over 300 million dollars during its opening weekend.
What’s with “A Minecraft movie”?
This graphic depicts the events within Jorge RIverra-Herrans’ Epic: the Musical. There will be a total of 40 songs, with 10 total sagas.
Review: “Epic: the Musical” A Three Thousand Year Old Tale
Halloween Quiz
Halloween Quiz
The Night Aspect, a boss from Elden Ring Nightreign, cuts through the night sky. This boss is highly praised for its aesthetic and game design.
Pixel Perfect: As Night Falls
This image depicts the area of “Limgrave” from Elden Ring. This is one of the first vistas that players see as they start their journey through the “Lands Between”.
Pixel Perfect: By the Grace of Gold
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.
Lesbihonest About Lesbian Visibility Day
This graphic depicts the stress and responsibilities of students who are taking on more than they can handle. Whether it’s a job, a sport, an activity, volunteering, school or home life, there are a plethora of things that students are expected to handle, even if it affects their mental and physical health.
How Much Is Too Much?
This is a generative AI image made by Adobe Express depicting colorful flowers emerging from a tissue box, a sunset and another tissue box.
Bring Tissues, Spring Sneezies on the Rise
Graphic depicts the student parking lot during the day April 18.
The Lot Thickens
Episode XI, The Summer Spiel, covers various new hot topics, being the first episode of the 2025-2026 school year.
The Glitch Podcast Episode XI: The Summer Spiel
Episode X covers various new hot topics, being the last episode before Summer vacation.
The Glitch Podcast Episode X: Delays, Doom, Departure
This episode covers the fine details of Mario Kart World, discussions about “A Minecraft Movie” as well as game remakes and adaptations.
The Glitch Podcast Episode Nine: Mario Kart, Minecraft and More
This episode covers the fine details surrounding the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, featuring English teacher Peter DeFilippo
The Glitch Podcast Episode Eight: Direct Deep Dive
The Glitch Podcast Episode Seven: Shadows Success, Minecraft Movie and Nintendo News
The Glitch Podcast Episode Seven: Shadows Success, Minecraft Movie and Nintendo News
This episode of the Glitch Podcast covers recent BAFTA awards nominations and charitable actions by Bethesda.
The Glitch Podcast Episode Six: BAFTAs and Bethesda
Rock Canyon High School's Student Newspaper

the Rock Online
Rock Canyon High School's Student Newspaper

the Rock Online
On Oct. 30, 24 Eco Club members took a tour of the school’s solar panels on the roof. They were guided and taught by an employee from E Light Electric, the company that maintains the school’s solar panels, and learned about how the panels are maintained and cared for. “I was definitely very excited about being on the roof in general,” Eco Club member Olivia Fang ‘26 said. “[It was exciting to] learn more about solar panels and how they work and how they supply energy to our school.”

You are My Sunshine

by Bella Lin, Editor-in-Chief
November 8, 2024
At the activities fair in the gym, Advait Iyer ‘26 waits to describe his “Entrepreneurship and Business Innovators” club to various students in attendance Aug. 27. The activities fair took place during access and allowed for student-made and chapter clubs to describe their goals and activities to potential new members. About 80 clubs participated in the activities fair. “I think it’s so important for high schoolers to join clubs because it gives them a community to rely on, and it gives high schoolers more structure,” Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) club member Anouck Doublet ‘25 said.

Discover, Commit, Belong: The Activities Fair

by Rosie Benson, Chief Operations Editor
September 5, 2024
Jane Murphie ‘27 adds flavoring to her shaved ice at the Kona Ice truck by the rock in the lower parking lot April 25. Kona Ice was available to students from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with $1 from each purchase going towards renovations of schools in Ghana, Africa. Interact Club worked with the Rotaract Association in Ghana for the past three months to plan the project and is fundraising money to meet their $1,000 goal through direct donations and partnerships with Kona Ice April 25, Twisted Sugar April 26 and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck next Tuesday, April 30. “I saw the posters about Ghana and I love Kona Ice because it tastes good so I chose the blue raspberry flavor,” Murphie said.

The Week in Photos: April 20-26

by Staff
April 28, 2024
A graphic depicts the words "Building up to Nationals" with a dotted pattern in the background to introduce the article.

Building Up to Nationals

by Claire Yeater, Reporter
March 12, 2024
Holding his second place DECA Glass in the category of Automotive Series Marketing, Aditya Khanolkar ‘25 stands atop the Broadmoor stage at DECA State Feb. 27. Khanolkar is a veteran DECA member of two years, but this was his first time qualifying for an international competition.

Jaguars take on DECA State

by Aditya Khanolkar, Reporter
March 5, 2024
With State President Moksha Nemalipuri ‘24 being the last one to enter the stage, this year’s State Officer Team of HOSA waves to the crowd at the opening ceremony after their introductions Feb. 19. Each state officer’s introduction was accompanied by a displayed slide with their photo and a chosen quote. Following the greeting, the state officers proceeded to welcome competing students and undergo the process of officially starting the 2024 HOSA State Leadership Conference. “It felt great being in an environment with all future healthcare professionals,” Cooduvalli said. “However, meeting the State Officer Team was the coolest part about the opening ceremony, as they all stood and spoke so confidently.”

Competing from the Heart

by Bella Lin, Editor-in-Chief
March 4, 2024
After being pied, Colorado TSA President Shreya Ganesh ‘24 screams and takes a tin off of her face Feb. 23. Ganesh raised the most money in their officer donation bins which led her to be selected for the conference’s “Officer Pie in the Face” event. “I think that the pieing had to be one of my favorite parts of the 2023-2024 State conference, as not only was it a fun and casual event that the members could enjoy, but the funds from the event are being used to create scholarships to send underprivileged chapters to nationals,” Ganesh said.

TSA Takes on State

by Dee Lee, Editor-in-Chief
February 27, 2024
Rebecca Uchyn sits at her desk as she grades student work during seventh period AP Statistics Nov. 9. When she’s not up at the board teaching her class, Uchyn spends most of her time at her desk, where she is surrounded by decorations and lights. “I think a workspace is defined by the people in it. At Rock Canyon, the staff are incredibly dedicated to not just their students but also each other. We are supportive and encouraging through all the ups and downs of the school year. At the end of the day, work is work but being surrounded by really awesome people makes all the difference,” Uchyn said.

FRIDAY FACULTY FEATURE: Rebecca Uchyn’s Ride with Stats

by Quinn Barton, Chief Operations Editor
February 23, 2024
The graphic displays the Battle of the Bands advertising poster with a "POSTPONED" sign over it. The event was cancelled in November, with no specific future date announced.

A Battle of the Bands Update

by Baylie Van Horn Turnidge, Reporter
February 7, 2024
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.”

The Week in Photos: Jan. 27-Feb. 2

by Staff
February 5, 2024
Zoe Kandel ‘27 lays on the stage floor to dramatically act out her character Jan. 17. Members of Improv Club came up with ideas on spot, and practiced how to act them out fully on stage. “Improv Club is all about community and learning and having fun together. I recommended it to anyone and everyone,” Kandel said.

Introducing Improv

by Baylie Van Horn Turnidge and Rosie Benson
January 30, 2024
Saanvi Kirdak ‘26, Ihita Kataru ‘26 and Mai Intongkam ‘26 sit side by side under the 8000s pod’s stairway and read “A Raisin in the Sun” during Honors English II Nov. 30. “A Raisin in the Sun,” a play written by American writer and playwright Lorraine Hansberry, depicts the lives of an African American family during the 1950s residing in Chicago. Students grouped up with their tablemates and assigned themselves roles from a list of characters in the play. The class was then divided into two halves, one remaining inside the classroom to read and the other going outside into the halls. Along with participating in reading with their peers, students also analyzed the text and completed annotation assignments. “I like this activity because it allows me to spend time with my friends and I’m learning at the same time,” Kataru said.

The Week in Photos: Nov. 25-Dec. 1

by Staff
December 3, 2023
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