Sean Woodworth poses stoically with his new haircut.

Kurt Luce revels in his newfound semibaldness.

No matter how good one’s study habits are, it’s unavoidable that he or she enters a period of cramming shortly before finals.  However, some students were not only adjusting the contents of their heads. 

Among a few other students, Sean Woodworth (left) and Kurt Luce (right) entered finals week sporting a new ‘do.  Shortly beforehand, the duo sheared off their hair for authentic mowhawks to inspire themselves and others to conquer their tests. 

Said Luce, “I just kind of wanted to shake things up.” 

However, now that finals are over the two have cropped down to the buzz cuts shown here.  “I had to wake up really early to style it,” Luce refers to his more hirsute time.  “It was too much work.” 

Woodworth explained, “I had to crouch down to drive to school in the morning.”  He could also be seen in chemistry, attempting with difficulty to don the required safety goggles. 

When asked, Luce professed not to miss the style.  “I feel like this [buzz cut] could lead to great things.”

     Tuesday, June 1^st is where the “fun” begins. A modified silver day schedule is planned, with access starting at 7:15 and classes beginning at 9:00. The day after is where the most difference will occur. The school website shows class for Wednesday June 2^nd, beginning at 7:15 with access running until 8:30. Lunch will begin at 12:05 which will last until the end of the day at 12:30.

      So have fun former seniors while the rest of us have a better time in school!!!

On Wednesday, May 19, hundreds upon hundreds of students rushed into the gym to pick up their copies of the 10th anniversary of the Ralston Valley Stampede yearbook. The lines were nearly out the door, but in the end, all students who ordered a copy walked away satisfied, yearbook in hand.

The book, which is put together all year long by the students on yearbook staff, with the help of adviser Jeff Fleischman, commemorates not only a year in the life of Mustangs, but also the school’s 10-year anniversary. Included are the usual student ‘mugshot’ photos, sports and student life coverage, as well as senior baby advertisements. The book has lots of new photography from yearbook staffers, Fleischman and Xpress Managing and Photo Editor Ashley Pajor.

It also includes the video yearbook, which was compiled by the Mustang Video Production digital video class.

Students who did not order a yearbook may still be able to receive one. A book (if they are still available) costs $60 and can be purchased in the financial office.

The annual tradition started at Standley Lake High School has now become a district-wide phenomenon. This year’s event included celebrations at each of the district’s high schools, middle schools and elementary schools, culminating in a student-directed no hate rally at the North Area Athletic Complex Friday night.

The DWOH celebrations at Ralston Valley included free hug-givers outside the school, decorations in the lobby, passing period challenges that encouraged students to be more loving and less hateful, and a huge number of students who wore white to celebrate the day.

DWOH is a grassroots, student-conceived, student-run and student-oriented movement that promotes love and peace and hopes to counteract violence and hate, especially in schools. It is important to note that Jeffco is no stranger to school violence. The district has seen two school shootings in 11 years: Columbine High School in 1999 and Deer Creek Middle School last February.

Check out the print version of the Xpress on Friday, May 21, for in-depth coverage of Day Without Hate.

The parent objected to the book for its adult content and proposed to the Board that it consider banning the book from Jeffco shelves.

Book challenges are in no way new. In fact, the American Library Association receives thousands of challenges every year (and they don’t catch wind of every challenge).

Essentially, a challenge is simply a member of the community proposing to a library that it shouldn’t carry a certain work. More often than not, these complaints are leveled against schools, but public libraries have also fielded challenges. Once a book is challenged, the governing body (in this case the Jeffco School Board) must make a decision whether or not to ban.

The Jefferson County Board of Education’s policy is for challenges to be reviewed by a committee comprising school administrators, teachers and parents, who pass a recommendation on to Superintendent Dr. Cindy Stevenson. This recommendation is then passed along to the Board for a decision.

At the Thursday night meeting, Board members discussed the merits of censorship versus the book’s value in education and in simple reading pleasure.

But never fear, Stephen King fans, It won’t be leaving Jeffco library shelves any time soon. The Board decided that the dangers of censorship oughtn’t to be toyed with.

Now that it’s budget season once again, the district must identify those services that may no longer be necessary. Here are the cuts that affect RVHS most directly. For more information, visit http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/finance/budget_development.html

1. Reduce Teacher-Student Ratio: This would change the number of teachers at each school to 41.5 teachers/1000 students, thus increasing class sizes and causing some teachers to be laid off.

2. Reduce .5 Counselor: Basically, one of Ralston Valley’s five counselors would become part-time only.

3. Reduce 1 Secretary: One of RVHS’s many secretaries would be laid off for next year.

The remaining cuts would not directly impact Ralston Valley, but could affect students who take buses to school or who need to make up credits (summer school is on the chopping block).

Check out the complete list at the link above and make sure to stay active in your education. Write to us if you have a comment on one or more of these cuts. Your opinions deserve to be heard.

Image from the Scholastic Art Awards of Colorado website. Click to follow link.

Ralston Valley, as per usual, joined in the Scholastics Statewide Art Competition and, also as per usual, we did pretty well.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is coordinated by The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a not-for-profit organization.

Since 1923, program has fostered the creative development of teenagers across the country. This is done by identifying emerging artists for college scholarship consideration and by showing their work to a national audience.  So the kids named here are eligible for scholarships, I suppose.

Honorable mention goes to Brooke Lee with a drawing and Shannon Baker with a photo.

The Silver Key was won by Alyssa Schwartz and Allison Leitz for jewelry pieces, and Kelly Euser won two for a drawing and a painting respectively.

Sam Rucker and Chelsea Triolo both had outstanding drawings that won Gold Keys and will go on to participate in the National Championship in New York.  Good luck you two, and nice work!

On Thursday night, Jan. 21, Ralston Valley and Arvada West student governments will be hosting a competition at Chipotle (64th and Ward Road in Arvada). Just come buy dinner and mention the school you wish to support. The proceeds from the evening will benefit the 2010 Veteran’s Wheelchair Olympics. The school with the highest contribution will win a secret prize at the Jan. 22 basketball game.

Also on the night of the boys’ basketball game vs. Arvada West (which will be held at Ralston Valley at 7:30), Ralston Valley and Arvada West CARE Teams will be sponsoring a food drive competition between the two schools. Come with canned food to support the Arvada Food Bank and your school.

Starting again in December Drama club will be ready to go again. It will be from the same time 3-4 after school on wensdays.  There will be new improve games and and acting out scenes. Also trips to shows will try to be scheduled so we can go experience theatre at diffrent areas.  New memebers are always welcomed. So far this has been the biggest drama club group ever so, keep ading onto the group. Drama club will need to take a break though when the musical comes around but try out for the musical to keep up with the theatrical fun. Just look for signs in the music hall and on the atrium to kee posted.