On Feb. 8, teacher, Ms. Diana Tiffany-Hardy hosted the First Annual Where I am From Book Signing and Publishing Party at Pueblo County High School's Library. An invitation was distributed among all of her classes inviting students' parents to come in and see the work done in the classroom in preparation for this book. It was a chance "to celebrate our accomplishments, to celebrate our hard work and to have parents come in and experience what we do academically" says Tiffany-Hardy. Previously in the school year, students were asked to write a Where I am From poem and have it published in a book as a class set. For thirty minutes, everyone was welcomed in the library with cookies and lemonade while classmates got their copy signed by each other. "I thought it went really well, states Ms. Tiffany-Hardy.

     On Feb. 9 through Feb 10, Friday through Sat, was the State Championships for swim held at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center, Thorton, Colo. The Pueblo County’s Swim Team coached by Dan Radiff took 2nd at State as a team. Amanda Blickensderfer won two individual titles (100 fly and 100 breast)! The two relay teams won by Kandi Liberato, Lexa Musso, Amanda Bickensderfer and Anna Maurillo for the 200 medley and the 200-free awarded to Anna Maurillo, Juliann Krinsky, Amanda Blickensderfer, and Alexa Musso! Congratulations to the Girls Swim Team! 

              The Arts Academy at Pueblo County takes the stage to face a daunting challenge that has been affecting teens for years, teen depression and suicide. On Thursday, Jan. 25, the Arts Academy Students will perform “No One Hears Unless You Scream”, a production written by award- winning playwright Joey Maida, in front of the student body. This product was written after fifteen months of interviews with teenagers that have been struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide, which then helped develop this cutting edge one act play that focuses on the problems developed in the young minds of teens. Sixteen actors will take the stage with six technicians working behind the scenes.  It’s a "very experimental style, going in and out of the reality of what is facing teens," quoted play director Roxanne Pignanelli in the Pueblo Chieftain. This play is designed to give children a voice in their time where they feel like they have none. District 70 is committed to sharing this inspiring performance all throughout the District including: Pueblo West and Rye High School where it will be debuting soon. “This play must be seen and must be done now more than ever” Piganilli states in the Pueblo Chieftain.
 
            “A breathtaking performance that left me feeling feelings that opened my eyes up to what’s happening around me” said County Student Kenzie Palette after having front row seats at Pueblo County’s “No One Hears You Unless You Scream”. The play portrayed an interesting twist on the message that schools all over the world have been trying to get across to students for years. Sixteen peers (or actors) from our school took the stage where different scenes are acted out telling the story of the character’s problems: drug abuse, bullying, abusive relationships, problems that are quite common in real life. The way the play was formed and performed and the little details that just pieced the whole performance together really left the audience wanting more.
 

​     On Monday, Jan. 22, the Snowball Assembly was held to recognize the six candidates that were nominated to be the Snowball King at this year’s dance. The candidates competing for the crown are Weston Cruz as Rajah, Dallas Davis III as Abu, Emilio Aguilera as the Genie, Josiah Nava as Jasmin, Isaiah Matta as Abu, and Nick Contreras Aladdin. The assembly was held in the PCHS gym. This is an annual tradition. The candidates were escorted by their parents and an interview video was shown of them responding to questions as well as belly dancing dressed as one of the characters from the Disney movie, Aladdin. This allows the school to know who each candidate is before they vote for the Snowball King. 

     Jan. 18, the Pueblo County High School Annual Badminton Tournament took place in the PCHS gym. Many teams participated.  Teams consisting of two people, one male and one female, are allowed to sign up through the gym teacher, Aubrey Vialpando. Only sixty-four teams are allowed to join. From 7:30 to 3:30 students and teachers participate or watch this PCHS tradition.
     The day was filled with teams battling through each game to the finish. The tournament was double elimination, two games consisting in a lost must occur to be eliminated from the tournament. During the game, two matches must be played and one team must win by two points in order to claim victory of the match. Each game must be played to eight points. Our final match was between BoomSciaccalaca AKA  James Vigil and Ana Simpson VS Coach This AKA Matthew Andenucio and Michelle Sciacca. Even though both teams put up a good fight, Mr. Vigil and Mrs. Simpson took their place as victor! 

       On Jan. 11, the Fall Sports Assembly at Pueblo County High School took place to acknowledge all of our teams that had achieved academic success along with academic and club success, even State Championship titles. PCHS’s coaches: Karen Macaluso, Jeff Wilson, Sargent Major Lewis, Zach Zoshak, Melissa Contreras, and Anna Simpson, were able to recognize those who had achieved Academic All State for their work by calling them forward and presenting them with a certificate. In order to earn any Academic All State awards, student athletes must hold a grade point average of 3.5 and above from beginning to end of their season.
      Coach Simpson recognized Cross Country runner, Abigale Johnston for qualifying for state! Girls Softball, recognized by Coach Macaluso, qualified for State for the first time in 15 years! Coach Zoshak recognized Boys Golf for qualifying for State. Volleyball, announced by Coach Contreras, for qualifying for regionals! Football, Coach Wilson, recognized those athletes who received the Academic All State Award. The Rifle Team, introduced enthusiastically by Sargent Major Lewis, was recognized for taking State and ​moving on to Nationals! 

By India Russell
 
           The Make A Wish Foundation helps children with serious illnesses and possible life-threatening sicknesses by granting them a wish. The foundation makes their biggest dreams come true by granting the child his or her wish. The wish could be, “I wish to be...”, “I wish to do…”, “I wish to go…”, or I “I wish to meet...” type of wishes. For example, just last year a young girl named Emma was saying goodbye to the short life she lived for she suffered from cancer. Her last wish was to meet her favorite actor Johnny Depp. So, The Make a Wish Foundation got together and starting planning on how to get this young girl to meet Johnny Depp, and she did.
 
            This fundraiser has been raising money for this cause for over 50 years. So help out and do your part to send suffering children out to experience what they have always dreamed of doing. They make experiences like Emma’s happen every day all over the world. And all of this is possible by schools and students chipping in to help and make a difference. The Make A Wish foundations main goal is to make the final moments of a child’s life the best moments by making them, or giving them, or showing them something they have always wished for
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             Pueblo County Hornets have decided to chip in and make an impact on the kids in the Make A Wish. Our inspiration was a child that is suffering from Leukemia in Colorado Springs. By buying shirts and purchasing bracelets we are contributing to the Make A Wish fundraiser and sending kids out to fulfill their wish. Mackenzie Kane, freshman, who participated in the Make A Wish Hula Hoop competition said, “It felt good to know I was hooping for a cause and not just for fun even if I didn’t last that long it was a blast.” County Hornets are selling bracelets and shirts where all the profit goes out to the Make A Wish to help make kids like Emma and Jackson’s wish come true.

On Monday, Sept. 25, ​the homecoming celebration took place in Pueblo County's gym.  With the theme being luau day, the 2017-2018 homecoming court, Rebekah Ritterling, Anyssia Montoya, Katelin Devencenty, Ashlee Hanratty, Kaitlyn Lane, and Aniessa Vialpado were welcomed with leis and escorted by their family. The hour long assembly was filled with introductions on each of the candidates and closed with each girl getting a special gift. 
The homecoming spirit week began with Ahona Day where everyone dressed up as people from Hawaii. Tuesday was Tacky Tourist day, and everyone dressed up in their Hawaiian shirts and binoculars to tour the islands of Hawaii. Wednesday was twin day! There were so many twins we could hardly tell the difference! We ended the day with our annual Powder puff game. The weather was cold, but the girls pushed through and the Seniors came out on top! To end the week, students dressed up as hippies to show their best flower power on Thursday! After a long week of waiting, the hall decoration contest closed, and the winner was… the senior hallway! All in all, the week was a great success! The students really had a great time participating in all the Homecoming festivities!