may newsletter - Grand Junction High School

Personal 

Responsibility 

Respect 

Integrity 

Dedication 

Empathy 

Grand Junction High School 

May 2013 

Newsletter 

A Message from the Principal – Jon F. Bilbo 

Dear Members of the GJHS Professional Learning Community: 

On May 14, 2013, 348 members of the 101st Senior Class from Grand Junction High 

School and several early completers from the Class of 2014 received their diplomas in a 

bright, sunny ceremony held at Stocker Stadium. On behalf of the entire staff and faculty 

and administrative team of GJHS, I want to personally thank all of the parents/guardians 

and significant others who raised our seniors for the love, encouragement, and support they 

provided their student over the past twelve years, and more specifically for the time they 

spent at Grand Junction High School. It is our hope that we lived up to the expectations you 

had for us and that you feel that the value of a Junction education and the preparation given 

to our graduates is priceless. 

Graduates, we are so proud of you! Over the past four years you set the standards for 

the student body in many areas to include: student leadership; your behavior in and out of 

school; academics; service learning contributions to the community; sportsmanship at home 

and away sporting events; and your involvement and level of excellence is our co-curricular 

programs. 

I also commend you for an outstanding Baccalaureate Service and a truly wonderful 

Commencement Ceremony. They were the best I have seen in my six years as the principal 

at Grand Junction High School! 

As we say good bye to the Class of 2013, here is just a part of the legacy of excellence the 

Class of 2013 leaves behind as we send them off to meet the challenges of the future: 

Over 40,306 service learning hours, 

159 students recognized as Millennium Club honorees, who completed 113 or more 

service learning hours, 

25 Superintendent Scholars with a 4.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) in 

all four years of high school, 

Grand Junction High School | 1400 N 5 th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501 | (970)254-6900 | FAX(970)254-6973 page 1

A Message from the Principal (continued) 

27 seniors who completed their graduation requirements in December, 

11 members of the Class of 2014 who graduated early, 

131 students earned a 3.5 GPA or higher, 

67 members who earned an academic letter and star/academic letter for a grade point 

average (GPA) of 3.75 or higher 

24 seniors who earned an academic letter for a GPA of 3.5 to 3.74, 

65 students were members of one or more of our four honor societies, 

6 graduates plan to serve our country in the military, and 

72 graduates received one or more of 129 scholarships. 

The lists of graduates from the Class of 2013 and 2014 are posted on the GJHS Website. The 

students who were recognized at the All School Awards Ceremony for academic, athletic and 

other co-curricular accomplishments are also listed 

As we say good bye to this school year, our master schedule using the new Synergy 

scheduling program is almost complete, with some fine tune adjustments to be made. Before 

we know it, August and student check-in will be here. Please check the calendar at the back 

of the newsletter for some important dates in August and September. 

In closing, I would like to thank all of you for another great school year! It has been a 

pleasure working with our great students and watching them grow, mature, and excel. I wish 

you and your family a wonderful, safe summer, and we are looking forward to seeing you in 

August. 

Go Tigers! Go Orange and Black! 

Jon F. Bilbo 

Principal 


Junction Says Good Bye 

Each year a number of staff and faculty retire or move on 

to take another step in their life’s journey. This year we 

say fond farewell and best wishes to the following staff 

and faculty: 

Patricia Allen Math Teacher 

Bill Godsil Social Studies Teacher 

James Hindman Family and Consumer Science Teacher 

Carol Leicht Special Education Teacher 

Susan McChesney Family Consumer Science Teacher 

Kris Means Math Teacher 

Tayler Merrihew Counselor 

Anna Parks Math Teacher 

Pat Schniederjan School Psychologist 

Dawn Wieker Spanish Teacher 

Writer in the School (WITS) Program 

This past semester five teachers participated in the Colorado Humanities and Center for 

Book’s Writers in the School (WITS) Program. The teachers participating in this ten-week 

long program were Mrs. Sutton Casey, Ms. Rosemary Jennings, Mr. Mike Pacini, Ms. 

Lyndsay Thompson, and Mrs. Adrea Tilford. These teachers worked hand in hand with 

Carrie Kellerby, our Writer in Residence. During the ten week period, students read great 

literature, wrote and revised their own poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. At the end of the 

workshops, a number of pieces were selected for inclusion in an anthology titled “True 

Beauty”. This anthology also includes pictures of original art from Mr. Joe Graham’s 

Ceramic 2 Class, Mrs. Roni Haddock’s Drawing and Painting Class, Mrs. Marylou 

Wetherstein’s Drawing and Painting Class, and Mrs. Wetherstein’s Advanced Photography 

Class. Copies of the anthology have been given to the Mesa County Library, the Colorado 

Humanities and Center for Book, and the Grand Junciton High School Library. 

Students featured in “True Beauty” include: 

Joe Graham’s Ceramic 2 Class: Jacob Ashurst, Tempest Downing, Sarah 

Landers, Reanne Rogers, and Lindsey 

Weaver 

continued 


Writer in the School (WITS) Program 

Roni Haddock’s Drawing Class: 

Adrina Anders, Carson Brown, Kenna Brown, Joeanna 

Cisneros, and Sophia Fortner. 

Marylou Wetherstein’s Drawing Class: 

Madison DeCrow, Jalen Onsrud, Anjana Thapa, and 

Sienna Watkins 

Marylou Wetherstein’s Advanced Photography Class: 

Catheryn Stephenson 

Lyndsay Thompson’s and Michael Pacini’s STRIVE Class: 

Avilene Almanzan, Analaura Ambriz-Garcilazo, Desi 

Barnhart, Rachel Black, Amber Broad, Milena 

Castaneda, Gabby Chacon, Louis Garcia, Ivan 

Gonzalez, Jose Gutierrez, Joselle Jacobs, Jessica Lugo, 

Angelica Martinez, Dulce Murillo, Marisol Quintana, 

Caitlin Ray, Aferny Reyes, Taylor Rivas, Jaime 

Rodriquez, Guadalupe Torres, Bao Tran, and 

Brittany Wesson 

Sutton Casey’s Creative Writing Class: 

Andy Agustin, Adrienna Armente, Zachary Barger, 

Jordan Drake, Jordin Early, Tyler Fox, Victoria Lara, 

Kasey LeRay Leftwich, Kelsey Lemarr, Erin Martin, 

Lundi McGolrick, Clint McKenzie, Kinsey Moore, 

Johnny Pauli, Omar Quintana, Cody Richardson, 

Kassidy Roberts, Maddy Roe, Janika Silva, Elizabeth 

Switzler, Madi Theyson, Adriana Ybarro, Cynthia 

Zuniga, Sutton Casey 

Rosemary Jennings’ and Adrea Tilford’s Reading Class: 

Christopher Adams, Felix Aumiller, Asa Barnes, Julia 

Bremner, Junior Brown, Cynthia Buell, Mikayla 

Buehrer, Alyssa Cadwell, Dallice Cardiel, Tristan 

Copton, Shane Fielding, Shelby Griffin, Travis Griffin, 

Josh Henni, Ryan Herwick, Sergio Leon, Kyle Moreno, 

Ricky Mucino, Tristan Ortega, Lila Reyes, Christian 

Schmid, Janika Silva, Michael St. Clair, Thomas 

Trogsdon V, Yesenia Vazquez-Sallas, and Kevin Villar 

GJHS Boys Lacrosse 

All-Conference Mountain League 

Congratulations to Tiger Lacrosse players Scott Foster, 

Kris States, and Kolton Flick for being selected to the 

Mountain League First Team All-Conference, and to 

Zach Kiel for being selected to the Second Team All- 

Conference. 


Counselors’ Corner 

Attention Freshmen: 

Welcome to Grand Junction High School! GJHS has two freshmen 

counselors. If your last name begins with A-K, Sheila Link will be your 

counselor throughout your freshman year. If your last name begins with 

L-Z, Tanya Pearce will be your counselor. 

Freshmen Check-In is July 30 th from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Student Commons 

and cafeteria. This is when you and your parents can pick up your schedule, get your 

student ID, pay class fees and finalize your enrollment paperwork. 

Freshmen Orientation is August 2 nd from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for students and 

will start in the auditorium. Get a tour of the building, find your locker, find your 

classrooms, meet students from the other middle schools and get to know 

upperclassmen mentors. 

Freshman Family Night will be November 14 th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the 

library. Take a break from Parent Teacher Conferences and join the counseling staff 

to learn how to get the most out of your freshman year and your future high school 

years. 

Attention Sophomores: 

GJHS has three counselors who serve sophomores, juniors, and seniors. 

If your last name begins with A-Gj, Serenity Santistevan will be your counselor 

through the remainder of your high school years. If your last name begins with Gk- 

N, Ann Kuhlman will be your counselor. Finally, if your last name begins with O- 

Z, Lori Plantiko will be your counselor. We look forward to meeting with you and 

helping you throughout your remaining three years of high school. 

Your homework this summer is to show your parents your Naviance account and add 

your parents’ information to your account. Remember, there is a link to Naviance 

right by the Parent Bridge link on the GJHS website, and you log in with your regular 

school username and password. Students who log in three times or more will be 

entered into a drawing for spirit gear in the fall. 

Sophomore Check-In is August 1 st from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Student 

Commons and cafeteria. This is when you and your parents can pick up your 

schedule, get your student ID, pay class fees and finalize your enrollment paperwork. 

Sophomore Family Night will be February 6 th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the 

library. Take a break from Parent Teacher Conferences and join the 

counseling staff to learn how to get the most out of your sophomore year and 

beyond. 

continued 


Counselors’ Corner (continued) 

Attention Juniors: 

Your homework this summer is to show your 

parents your Naviance account, add your 

parents’ information, show your family the 

careers in your list and add schools you are 

considering for after high school. 

Remember, there is a link to Naviance right 

by the Parent Bridge link on the GJHS 

website and you log in with your regular 

school username and password. Students 

who log in three times or more will be 

entered into a drawing for spirit gear in 

the fall. 

Junior Check-In is August 1 st from 8:00 

a.m. to noon in the Student Commons and 

cafeteria. This is when you and your parents 

can pick up your schedule, get your student 

ID, pay class fees and finalize your 

enrollment paperwork. 

All Tigers 

TESTING: Watch for dates 

for PLAN, PSAT, TCAP and 

ASVAB 

SERVICE LEARNING: Use 

your summer to get going 

on your 30 required 

hours. To qualify for the 

Millennium Club, you 

need to complete 100 

hours plus your graduation 

year, i.e. Class of 

2014 = 114 hours 

NEW PARENT PROGRAM: 

Parent Vue and Student 

Vue will replace Parent 

Bridge in January of 2014. 

More details to come in 

the fall. 

Junior Family Night will be April 17 th , 

2014 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the library. 

Take a break from Parent Teacher Conferences and join the counseling staff to 

get vital information about preparing for your senior year and life after high 

school. 

Start your resume! There is a resume builder in Naviance, or you can use any 

of the many formatting tools in Microsoft Word or online. Teachers and 

counselors will ask for a resume when you request a letter of recommendation 

and employers like them attached to job applications. 

College-Entrance Exams: Check your prospective colleges’ websites for 

entrance requirements which could include ACT, ACT plus Writing, SAT, and/or 

SAT subject tests. All juniors will take an ACT for free on April 23, 2014 at 

GJHS. Summer is a great time to focus on test preparation (Prep Me in Naviance 

is free) and plan a reasonable testing schedule based on what your colleges 

require. You can register for ACTs at ACTstudent.org and SATs at 

collegeboard.org. 

College-Bound Student Athletes should register with the NCAA Eligibility 

Center by logging into eligibilitycenter.org during the fall semester of their junior 

year. 

continued 


Counselors’ Corner (continued) 

Release of Names to the Military: Under Colorado law, GJHS is required to 

release the names and addresses of juniors to military recruiters on request. If 

you do not want this information released, you need to fill out necessary 

paperwork at check-in or stop by the Counseling Center prior to September 14th. 

Military Academies: Students who have the desire to attend a military academy 

should inquire about the process early in their junior year, if not earlier. Please 

connect with your counselor as soon possible if you have the desire possibly to 

attend a military academy after graduation from high school. 

Attention Seniors: Your homework this summer is to show your parents your 

Naviance account, add your parents’ information, show your family the careers 

and schools you are considering for after high school, and start to search for 

scholarships. Super College Match and National Scholarship Search are great 

tools! Check out My Planner which can help you stay organized. Remember, 

there is a link to Naviance right by the Parent Bridge link on the GJHS website 

and you log in with your regular school username and password. Students who 

log in three times or more will be entered into a drawing for spirit gear. 

Senior Check-In is July 30 th from 8:00 a.m. to noon in the Student Commons 

and cafeteria. This is when you and your parents can pick up your schedule, get 

your student ID, pay class fees and finalize your enrollment paperwork. 

Senior Family Night will be September 12 th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the 

library. Take a break from Parent Teacher Conferences and join the counseling 

staff to get vital information about planning for a successful senior year and life 

after high school. 

Perfect your resume! There is a resume builder in Naviance or you can use any 

of the many formatting tools in Microsoft Word or online. Teachers and 

counselors will ask for a resume when you request a letter of recommendation 

and employers like them attached to job applications. 

College Entrance Exams: Check your prospective colleges’ websites for 

entrance requirements which could include ACT, ACT plus Writing, SAT, and/ 

or SAT subject tests. Summer is a great time to focus on test preparation (Prep 

Me in Naviance is free) and plan a reasonable testing schedule based on what 

your colleges require. You can register for ACTs at ACTstudent.org and SATs 

at collegeboard.org. 

Military Academies: Students who have the desire to attend a military academy 

need request recommendations from Colorado Senators and Congressmen the 

summer before their senior year, if not earlier. 


Thinking Ahead to Next Year – 2013-2014! 

“Check-in” 

We hope you and your family are enjoying the different pace and all the different types of 

activities that summer vacation brings. School will be starting earlier than in previous years 

(the first day of classes is August 12) and we thought it would be helpful to give you some 

information about our “Check-in” process now. 

Although your son or daughter probably has already registered for next year’s classes, 

“Check-in” is important in many other ways. It is when you provide us with all your information: 

your current address, phone numbers, emergency contact people, your student’s 

health information, etc. This gives us a head start entering this data for the new school year. 

There are various permission papers to sign, the Responsible Use Agreement (regarding internet 

use) for new students and freshmen, and the application for the Free and Reduced 

Lunch program, among other things. Your student will be able to pick up his/her 2013-2014 

GJHS Identification Card and the 2013-2014 Student Handbook/Planner. We will be set up 

to receive payment of fees. Counselors will be available to make any necessary changes to 

schedules before the first day of classes. These are just some of the things we try to accomplish 

ahead of the first day of school through the “Check-in” process. “Check-in” will be located 

primarily in the GJHS Student Commons, Cafeteria, and Library. Please put the following 

dates and times on your calendars and make plans to come to the GJHS Check-in during 

the appropriate time for your son or daughter. 

July 30 – Seniors 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

July 30 – Freshmen 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

August 1 – Juniors 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

August 1 – Sophomores 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

GJHS Dress Code 

Another topic we think valuable to address now is the 

GJHS expectations as to school appropriate dress and 

the GJHS Dress Code. We hope to provide you with 

this information early enough so that as you have the 

opportunity to buy school clothes for your son or 

daughter this summer, you will know what will be 

acceptable. We do not want you to have spent your 

hard earned money for clothing only to find out at 

“Check-in” or once school starts that it does not meet the GJHS Dress Code. During 

the past year we have been working at raising the awareness of what is considered 

school appropriate and in the upcoming school year we will be responding to inappropriate 

clothing more thoroughly. In essence, we feel that every student’s clothing 

should be neat, clean, tasteful, and modest. It should be both an expression of individuality 

and, at the same time, must not be a distraction to the focus on education 

nor be a safety issue. It must cover undergarments and conceal traditionally private 

areas of the body, including, but not limited to, the stomach, buttocks, upper thighs, 

back, and breasts. 

For boys, this means that net or see through fabric, oversized armholes on 

sleeveless shirts, and pants riding below the hips on or below the buttocks are not 

acceptable. 

For girls, this means no exposed cleavage, no bare midriff, and shorts or skirts no 

shorter than mid-thigh when viewed from either the front or the back (longer, of 


Thinking Ahead to Next Year (continued) 

course, is definitely acceptable). The sheer fabric of some skirts these days means 

that girls must wear a garment underneath (shorts or another skirt) that meets the 

mid-thigh requirement. In these days of strappy tops, we ask that straps be at 

least two inches wide and that strapless tops not be worn to school. 

As for semi-formal and formal dresses to be worn to dances, the only exception 

made is that the dresses may be strapless. The same expectations for coverage 

and length are in place. So if you have the opportunity to buy your student a dress 

for Homecoming, Cottonball, or Prom this summer, please keep the GJHS expectations 

in mind. 

For both girls and boys, the images and messages that clothing, especially, 

though not limited to, shirts have on them must be school appropriate. Any image 

or message that is threatening, sexual, vulgar, or gang-related, that degrades others, 

or that advocates tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or weapons is not school appropriate 

and will be addressed. 

While we realize that current fashion may make some of the above mentioned 

things “fashionable”, they are not school acceptable. We will address them if they 

are worn to school and will suggest to your student that they wear them at nonschool 

related times and to non-school related activities. We will also ask them to 

correct their clothing and will let you know there was an issue. There will be a 

more detailed description of our expectations in the student handbook and on the 

website. We appreciate your support in this as we keep the focus on maximizing 

your student’s educational opportunities. 

Safety First – New ID Cards 

In an effort to increase the safety and security of our 

campus in 2013 – 2014, students will join the staff 

and faculty in wearing ID cards. At student checkin, 

beginning with the seniors on July 30, 2013, 

students will be issued an ID card and a lanyard. 

The ID card will have the student‘s picture, name, 

school year, and bar code on the front side of the 

card. The bar code is part of the the TeacherVUE 

Mobile application of our new Synergy Student 

Information System (SIS). This application allows 

teachers and administrators to access and manage student information from anywhere on or 

near campus using an iPad. This real-time access to the student information system allows 

teachers and administrators to take attendance, view student demographics, schedules, 

emergency contacts and more from an iPad. This is especially great for teachers that require 

mobility (ex: field trips, physical education classes) and for administrative staff, coaches and 

hall monitors that need to verify student identity by photo anywhere on or off campus. 

Students will be required to wear their student ID card when on campus and at school 

events. 


Notes from the AD 

Athletic Eligibility 

Student athletes must have earned 2.5 credits during the 3rd and 4th quarters, while 

not failing more than one class during second semester. A student athlete may fail 

one class during the second semester, but any additional failed classes must be 

made up over the summer in order for the student athlete to be eligible to play in 

the fall. Classes made up over the summer need to be completed and recorded at 

the GJHS Registrar’s Office on or before August 29, 2013. Courses made up over 

the summer must be in the same subject area as the course(s) failed. For example, 

if a student failed a math class, then he/she must take a math credit during the 

summer. If a student failed an elective class, that class can be made up with any 

academic core course. 

If a student does not make up classes over the summer, he/she may regain 

eligibility on October 10, 2013 if eligibility requirements (passing all classes on 

October 10, 2013) are met at that time. If a student athlete needs to make up 

credits, he/she should contact the GJHS Counseling Office at 254-6914 to get 

information for summer school and on-line course opportunities. If you have 

athletic eligibility questions please contact Ned Pollert in the Activities Office at 

254-6919. 

Fall Sports Preview 

GJHS hosts the following eight fall sports: Boys and Girls Cross Country, Football, 

Boys Golf, Boys Soccer, Softball, Boys Tennis, and Volleyball. Fall practices 

begin August 5 th for golf try outs, and August 12 th for all other sports. All athletic 

participation paperwork and the $140 athletic participation fee must be turned in 

before a student will be allowed to try out or practice. These forms can be obtained 

from the GJHS Activities Office or from the District #51 web-site. Paperwork can 

be submitted beginning July 22. Students wanting to try out for golf need to return 

forms on or before August 1 st in order to be cleared for try outs, and all other sports 

must submit paperwork on or before August 7 th in order to be cleared in time for 

the August 12 th first day of practice. Forms submitted after August 7 th will not 

guarantee that you will be cleared before the first day of practice. 

Students with Concussions 

If your son/daughter sustained a concussion this school year, and he/she intends to 

participate in any GJHS summer sports program or with a sports team during the 

school year, he/she must be cleared by a physician in order to begin the Return-to- 

Play (RTP) process. If your student has been cleared to begin the RTP process by 

your physician, contact our Certified Athletic Trainer Ms. Erin Glavan at the Saint 

Mary’s Life Center, Wellness Department, at 970-244-6080 or 970-773-3155 to 

schedule time to begin and complete the RTP process. If you have questions, 

please call Athletic Director Ned Pollert at 970-254-6919 or email him at 

ned.pollert@d51schools.org. 


Tigers Roar! 

Students of the Week/Month 

Princeton Prize in Race Relations 

Congratulations to the following Grand Junction High 

School April Students of the Week/Month. The Daily 

Sentinel Student of the Week was: Sofie Black, 

daughter of Andrea Christensen and James Black. The 

Alpine Bank Students of the Month were: Annealea 

Flynn, daughter of Jim and Marylou Flynn, and 

Andrew Schlechten, son of Brad and Gretchen 

Schlechten. The Kiwanis Student of the Month was: 

Sofia Robinson, daughter of Peter and Marilyn 

Robinson. Grand Junction High School is proud to 

recognize these students for their outstanding work in 

the classroom, and for the leadership they demonstrate 

in our school. 

Annually, Princeton University sponsors an award program that recognizes, supports, 

and encourages young people who are working to increase understanding and mutual 

respect among all races. Through this effort, Princeton University hopes to inspire 

others to join in these or similar efforts, and to undertake initiatives of their own. 

This year juniors Sam Lapkin and Soraya Morales Nunez earned the runner-up 

honors in the State of Colorado and received certificates of accomplishment for their 

project. Sam and Soraya are the co-creators and co-presidents of the Cultural 

Acceptance of Diversified Individuals in Society (CADIS) Club. It is a cultural club 

and the first of its kind in GJHS history. Under Sam and Soraya’s leadership, 

students researched and applied for racial/ethnic based scholarships. During the year, 

the Club invited counselors and teachers into their monthly meetings talk to students. 

They had discussions dealing with racial issues and discussions about prominent 

black leaders for Black History Month. Discussions were held on immigration issues 

and other topics. The CADIS Club also participated in ethnic based community 

service such as volunteering at the Cinco de Mayo Festival. This summer the Club 

hopes to participate in the Hispanic Affairs Project. Congratulations to Sam and 

Soraya for making GJHS better for students of all color. 


Tigers Roar! 

Pennies for Patients 

During the 2 nd semester teachers in the school competed 

during 5 th period in the Pennies for Patients fundraiser. 

Junction was wonderfully generous with a total donation of 

$265.97. Over $100 was collected by math teacher, 

Ms. Anna Parks, who didn't even have a 5th period 

class! She used brilliant strategies to gather those pennies. 

The 5th period class donating the most pennies was Ms. 

McDougal's class which contributed $70. At the conclusion 

of the fundraiser, Ms. Parks’ students were treated to candy 

and pencils and Ms. McDougal’s class was treated to donuts and pencils. 

Regional Stock Market Competition 

Congratulations to seniors Tanner Bennett, Stefani Dyer, 

Amber Higgs, and Hannah Perkins in Mrs. Jill Derrieux’s 

Personal Finance Class for their third place finish in the 

Northwest Colorado Region, High School Category, of the Fall 

Stock Market Experience. 

Our third place team travelled to Denver to attend the Stock 

Market Experience Awards Ceremony on May 17, 2013 at 

the Denver Zoo. While in Denver, the team took in a 

Colorado Rockies game. 

From left to right, seniors Stefani Dyer, Amber Higgs, Hannah Perkins and Tanner 

Bennett bond at the Rockies game! 


GJHS Booster Club 

Grand Junction High School’s activities and athletic teams 

would like to thank and recognize the Grand Junction High 

School Booster Club. The Booster Club donated over 

$60,500 last year to our Activities and Athletic Programs. 

To continue this tradition of financial support, parent 

volunteers are needed. Everyone is invited to the monthly 

Booster Club meetings. Meetings are held the second 

Monday of each month is room 115 at GJHS. If you are 

interested in volunteering contact Activities Director Ned Pollert at Grand Junction High 

School, at 254-6919. 

At the May Booster Club Meeting, the Booster Club approved $15,755 in funding requests 

to support the following programs: GJHS Recognitions: $1,100, Marching Band: $2,180, 

Girls and Boys Soccer: $2,000, HOSA: $1,875, MESA/Science Club: $1,500, Volleyball: 

$2,600, and The Academic Team: $4,500. 

This school year the Booster Club has donated over $56,378 to honor 32 different program 

requests. Thank you to our Booster Club and all the volunteers for your continued support of 

Grand Junction High School students, staff, and all of our activities. 

GJHS Volunteers 

Tigers Roar! 

Congratulations to the following volunteers who were 

recognized at our All School Awards Ceremony on 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013: Volunteer of the Year -Todd 

Videlock; Distinguished Volunteers – Mary Anne 

Hoffman, Band; Janice Lange, Band; Emily Kallina, 

Band; Casey Smith, Academic Team, and Kelly Weeks, 

School Advisory Council/Counseling Advisory Council. 

Linda Jones was also recognized as an Outstanding 

Volunteer for her work on campus. 

On behalf of the entire student body, our staff and faculty 

and our administrative team, we would also like to thank all of our volunteers who have 

given of their time and energy to our students and school. During the month of April, we 

have had 166 volunteers donate over 1,295 hours of time, and this year we had 1938 

individuals volunteer 13,189.5 hours of time to Junction activities. It is because of the time 

and the effort of these many volunteers that our programs continue to operate and perform at 

high levels. 


Tigers Roar! 

CHSAA All-State Academic Recipients: Spring Sports 

We are proud to recognize and congratulate the following 74 Spring Sports Student Athletes 

who were selected as CHSSA All-State Academic or Honorable Mention Student Athletes. 

Baseball: 

All-State Academic-Kaleb Johnson, Neil Ryan 

Honorable Mention-Zachary Cox, Derek DeRush, Tyler Heinsma, Tristan Lafferty, 

John Mariz, Joshua Moore, Owen Taylor 

Boys Swim/Dive: 

All-State Academic-Samuel Lapkin, Clayton Nelson 

Boys Lacrosse: 

All-State Academic-Brendan Boardwine, Andrew Bowen, Luke Dohm, Paul Dohm, 

Kolton Flick, Scott Foster, Zachary Kiel 

Honorable Mention-Andrew Bell 

Girls Golf: 

All-State Academic-Maya Freismuth, Kayla Roberts, Shafer Rubalcaba 

Honorable Mention- Hanna Starritt 

Recognized as an Academic All-State Team 

Girls Lacrosse: 

All-State Academic-Bailey Reiners, Savannah Smith, Kayla Voeltzel, Anna Wedekin 

Honorable Mention-Megan Gromke, Kacie Jay, Delaney Robison 

*Recognized as an Academic All-State Team 

Girls Soccer: 

All-State Academic- Rebecca Hansen, Taylor Wood 

Honorable Mention-Shelby Brown, 

Girls Tennis: 

All-State Academic-Jordin Early, Mariah Prinster, Natalie Sufka 

Honorable Mention-Sierra Filutze, Anne Hughes, Tawni Tubbs 

Track: 

All-State Academic- Molly Findlay, Ryan Gibb, Rachel Gibson, Cassandra 

Grigware, Johnathan Kyle, Madison Marsh, Michael McKnight, Erika Meister, 

Cheyenna O’Brien, Nicole Seibold, Trinity Simmons, Katharine Smith, 

Christopher Thornton, Sarah Wilkinson 

Honorable Mention- Natalie DeRush, Matthew Erickson, Whitney Jackson, Mikayla 

O’Brien 


Tiger Baseball 

Girl’s Golf 

The Tiger Baseball Team, under first year coach Donnie Alexander, 

had an overall record of 12 wins and 8 losses, and a league record of 

6 and 3. The Tigers finished second in the Southwestern League, 

and earned the number 11 seed in the state playoffs. The Tigers 

defeated Rampart in round one of the district tournament by a score 

of 6 to 3, then fell to Thunder Ridge in game two by a score of 13 to 

3. Congratulations to senior Josh Moore for being named to the 

Southwestern League All-Conference First Team, and to senior 

Derek DeRush, junior Owen Taylor, and junior Tristin Lafferty 

for being selected to the All-Conference Second Team. 

The 2013 Girls’ Varsity Golf Team was led by senior and 4-year 

letterman Maya Freismuth, who consistently placed near the top 

throughout the season. Maya recorded her career best round with an 80 

placing 2nd individually in the Warrior Invite at Tiara Rado Golf 

Course and leading the team, including junior Hanna Starritt, 

sophomore Ryann Tufly, freshman Avery Hill, and freshman Bailey 

Summers to a 1st place finish. Maya continued her strong play at the 

Southwestern League Conference Tournament in a 2-day event at 

Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango and Conquistador Golf Course in 

Cortez, as she placed in the top 5 players and was named to the SWL 

All-Conference Team. The Tigers closed out the regular season 

schedule by winning the Yampa Valley Best Ball Tournament in Craig, 

with consistent play from junior Shafer Rubalcaba, Starritt, Tufly 

and Hill. The regional qualifying tourney was held in Colorado Springs 

at the Colorado Springs Country Club and again the Tigers were 

successful with Freismuth placing 2nd overall in the region and 

qualifying for State along-side Tufly and Rubalcaba. The team 

finished in fourth place in the regional tournament. Freismuth, Tufly and Rubalcaba 

competed in the state tournament on May 20st and 21st at Tiara Rado Golf Course here in 

Grand Junction, becoming the first state qualifiers for the Tigers in 2 years and the most total 

qualifiers in one season since the 2008 Tiger’s last regional championship. Congratulations 

to the Lady Tiger Golf Team. 

Iron Tiger Award 

Tigers Roar! 

This year at our All School Awards Ceremony, we started a new tradition with the presentation 

of the Iron Tiger Award. This award recognizes those student athletes who participate 

in three sports in the same school year. We are proud to recognize and congratulate the following 

inaugural group of Iron Tiger Student Athletes: Noah Bradshaw, Gregory Eccher, 

Andrea Lielkoks, Madison Marsh, Erika Meister, Shafer Rubalcaba, Trinity Simmons, 

and Quinton Walton. 


Tigers Roar! 

Lady Tiger Lacrosse 

Congratulations to the Lady Tiger Lacrosse Team. The Tigers 

had an overall season record of 13 wins and 2 losses, and were 

the 2013 undefeated Mountain League Champions. Also, 

congratulations to the following girls for being named to the 

All-League Team: First Team: senior Megan Gromke, senior 

Kacie Jay, and junior Makenna Tuttle. and Second Team: 

senior Beth Jennings, Sophomore Halle Harrison, and 

freshman Kristina Sewell. 

2013 Brine National High School All American 

Kristina Sewell, daughter of Kari Sewell, a freshman at GJHS has been named to the 2013 

Brine National High School All-American Team. Kristina has also been selected to play on 

the West Regional Team at the 2013 Brine National Lacrosse Classic to be held in Boyds, 

Maryland June 30-July 3, 2013. 

The Brine National Lacrosse Classic brings the top high school lacrosse players in the 

country to one venue, where regional teams compete to become the 2013 National 

Champion. 

Boys Lacrosse 

Lady Tiger Soccer 

The Boys Lacrosse team had a season record of 7 wins and 7 

losses, and finished 4 th in the Mountain League with a 5 and 4 

record. 

Congratulations to the following Lady Tiger Soccer players for 

being named to First Team Southwestern League All- 

Conference Team: senior Becca Hansen, junior Sam Melchor, 

and sophomore Leah Swander. The Tigers finished fourth in 

the Southwestern League, and had an overall season record of 6 

wins, 7 losses, and 1 tie. 


District 51 Griffins Men’s Swim and 

Dive Team 

Congratulations to the D51 Griffins Men’s Swim and Dive 

Team. The Griffins were crowned West Slope League 

Champions for the sixth straight year. Way to go Griffins! 

Also, the following men qualified and competed in the State 

Swim and Dive Championships: Tyler Fair, Logan Young, 

Carlos Matthews, Brock Curry, Calvin Wright, Keino Davis, Wyatt Jeffery, Shane 

Haberkorn, Clayton Nelson, and freshman Tiger Sam Jordan. Griffins’ swimmer 

Tyler Fair was named West Slope Swimmer of the Year, and Griffins’ Coach Jessica 

Haley was named the West Slope Co-Coach of the Year. Congratulations to Tyler 

and Coach Haley and Sam for a great season. 

Lady Tiger Tennis 

Tigers Roar! 

Congratulations to the Lady Tigers Tennis Team and Coach 

Carol Elliott for repeating as the 2013 Southwestern League 

Champions. Subsequently, at the Regional State Qualification 

Tournament, held at the Elliott Tennis Center on the campus 

of Colorado Mesa University, the Lady Tigers were also 

crowned Regional Tournament Champions. The Tiger Girls 

Tennis Team won one flight, took second in another, finished 

third in three flights, and placed fourth in two. That was good 

for 51 points and the team title. Senior Sierra Filutze won 

the No. 3 Singles title 5-7, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1 over Cherokee 

Trail’s Sydney Reese. The Tigers No. 1 Doubles Team of 

Junior Morgen Mantlo and Senior Natalie Sufka lost in the 

finals to the team from Regis Jesuit but rebounded to win a playback match against a team 

from Fort Collins. No. 2 Singles player Senior Anne Hughes placed third. No. 2 Doubles 

Team of McKenna Brooks, and Freshman Sarah Megan Erb also placed third along with 

the No. 3 Doubles Team of Junior Aspen Coleman and Junior Kiola Ziola. 

Congratulations to the entire team for fighting to make sure that every match contributed 

towards the championship title. It truly was a team effort! Congratulations also goes to the 

following Lady Tigers who qualified for and participated in the State Championship 

Tournament: senior Sierra Filutze who won the regional #3 singles championship, and 

senior Natalie Sufka and junior Morgen Mantlo who placed second in the #1 doubles 

competition. 


Tiger Track 

Tigers Roar! 

Congratulations to the Tiger Men’s and Women’s Track and 

Field Teams. At the Southwestern League Championships the 

men were crowned league champions, and the women earned a 

third place finish. Special congratulations to the following 

Track and Field athletes for qualifying for the State 

Championships: Whitney Jackson – Long Jump, Triple Jump, 

4 x 100 Relay, Deshaun Harris – Shot Put, Discus, Robert 

Harrison – Long Jump, Greg Eccher – 3200 Meter Run, 

Michael McKnight – Shot Put, Madison Marsh – High 

Jump, Sydni Brandon – 4 x 100 Relay, Jill Payne – 4 x 100 

Relay, Natalie DeRush – 4 x 100 Relay, and Maia Honeycutt 

– 4 x 100 Relay (Alternate). Congratulations to Madison Marsh and DeShaun Harris. At 

the state track and field championships Madison medaled in the high jump with a 7th place 

finish, and DeShaun medaled in the shot put with a 3rd place finish. 

2 nd Annual Wild and Crazy One-Acts 

On Friday and Saturday Night, April 25 and 26, 2013, respectively, Shawn Clingman and 

the Grand Junction High School Drama Department hosted our 2nd Annual Wild and Crazy 

One-Acts with three student written and directed productions. Julian Hedlund-Drumm 

wrote and directed Cold Sun, Hunter Whaley wrote and directed Cruel Realities and Logan 

Shirley wrote and directed Unforgettable. Julian and Hunter also had roles in their 

productions. Maria Maas also directed The Actor’s Nightmare written by Christopher 

Durang. 

Below is a list of the students who performed in each one-act: 

Cold Sun starred Julian Hedlund-Drumm, India Wanebo, Alex Wanebo, Zach 

VanHouten, Michael Merluzzi, and McKenna Hiler. 

The Actor’s Nightmare starred Ricky Oakley, Vivian Turman, Cierra Smith, 

Trisha Montfort, Zoe Shanahan, and Nathan Bryner 

Cruel Realities starred Riley White, India Wanebo, Ike Fortner, and Ricky 

Oakley, and Hunter Whaley 

Unfrogettable starred Ellie Gossage, Alex Lee, Tony Casey Smith, Ricky Oakley, 

Shannon Reeve, and Christian Kiddle 

At the end of the evening the three judges selected the following: 

Best Playwright- Hunter Whaley 

Best Production- Unforgettable 

Best Actor- Rickey Oakley 

Best Actress- Ellie Gossage 

Best Supporting Actor-Ike Fortner 

Best Supporting Actress- Cierra Smit 

continued 


Tigers Roar! 

2 nd Annual Wild and Crazy One-Acts 

Cory Lans, Ryland Curtsinger, and Julian Hedlund-Drumm provided tech support 

to all of the productions. 

Justin Whiteford and Dana Schmidt-Clingman were two of the three judges for the 

evening. 

BYU German Fair 

On April 18, 2013, Mr. Ralph Wahlers, our German 

teacher, traveled to Salt Lake City Utah with several Tigers 

to participate in the annual BYU German Fair. Students 

compete in over ten different categories and ratings are 

awarded as Good, Excellent, and Superior. At the end of 

the competition, Emily Dederick was rated Excellent in 

the Video Category. Christopher Kessler and Ryan 

Ferguson were both rated Superior in German 

Conversation Ability, and Christopher had the added 

distinction of being rated Best in the Show from among some 20 high schools in Utah, 

Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming. 

All School Awards 

On April 30, 2013, we hosted our All School Awards Ceremony 

in the auditorium. During this ceremony, we recognized our 

Distinguished Alumni, Deyon Stephens from the Class of 1964, 

our Distinguished Educator, Humanities Teacher Darrill 

Becker, and our Volunteer of the Year, Todd Videlock. Mary 

Anne Hoffman, Janice Lange, Emily Kallina, Casey Smith, 

and Kelly Weeks were also recognized as Distinguished 

Volunteer Service Award recipients and Linda Jones was 

recognized as our Outstanding Volunteer Service recipient. 

Twenty five (25) Tigers were recognized as Superintendent 

Scholars, 67 Tigers were recognized for earning High Honors 

with a 3.75 or higher GPA, and 24 were recognized for earning Honors with a 3.5 to 3.74 

GPA. Subsequently, 166 departmental awards and 144 special awards were presented. 

Please see the GJHS website for a complete list of the individuals who were recognized at 

our All School Awards Ceremony. 


* City Market Cares * 

Fundraising Program 

Buy groceries and donate to Grand Junction High School Activities/Athletic 

Programs at the same time! 

Gotta buy groceries. . . 

Wanna support the Grand Junction High School Activities/Athletic Program? 

Sign up with the City Market Cares Electronic Fundraising Program and City Market will donate 

a percentage of the money you spend to the Grand Junction High School Activities/Athletic 

Programs. 

"The City Market Value Card makes it convenient, fast and rewarding to raise funds for our 

school. It's a shopper's card that gives back." 

Simply send the following information via email to the GJHS Athletic/Activities Department: 

missy.carroll@d51schools.org Or stop in and give this information to Mrs. Carroll. 

Value Card #: Please 

list all 12 digits from 

the back of the card, 

starting with 4, with 

no spaces or dashes 

Organization 

CARES ID # 

Customer Name 

Area Code & 

Phone Number 

Grand Junction High School | 1400 N 5 th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501 | (970)254-6900 | FAX(970)254-6973 page 20 

2021

Custom Gear Order 

Support Grand Junction High School 

athletic and activities fundraising by 

placing your custom gear order in just 30 

seconds.My Locker is a FREE online 

spirit shop with over 180 items for our Tiger fans! Don't miss out! 

Grand Junction High School earns an average of $7.25 per order! (12% of all online 

orders) 

Design your favorite custom gear instantly on-screen 

There is no cost & no work. No volunteers. No inventory. 

All bulk orders save 12% 

Links to the GJHS My Locker site can be found on the GJHS Home Page, and on 

the GJHS Athletic Page

may newsletter - Grand Junction High School

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