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IN THIS ISSUE Dissecting the ‘performative male’ PAGE 2
A youth newspaper powered by The Sopris Sun
Topping out as a team at CRMS PAGE 3
Happy Ho days
from the Sopris Stars staff
Volume 1, Number 3 | December 25-January 28, 2025
Raging Grannies impart the power of peaceful protest
The Raging Grannies take a harmonious stand outside of the Carbondale Post Office. Photo by Anna Sophia Brown
ANNA SOPHIA BROWN Sopris Stars Correspondent EDITOR’S NOTE: Illene Pevec is Anna Sophia's grandmother. “It’s not about having a singing voice, it’s about having a voice that wants to sing out,” said Illene Pevec, the woman who formed a local chorus group. The Raging Grannies, founded in 1987 in British Columbia, Canada, is an international coalition of older women (but welcome to all) who protest through music, bright colors and daring satire. In Carbondale, a local chapter began meeting this fall. Since then, they’ve attended and sang at “No Kings” marches and other protests. On Fridays, they’ve performed in front of the town’s post
office, singing original songs and modifying famous melodies with lyrics that protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns, Trump administration policies, a lack of climate action and monopolizing corporations. Their aim is to uplift the importance of human rights and peaceful diplomacy. “We are totally non-violent,” the webpage for the international organization reads, under its “philosophy” tab, “believe in only peaceful protest (with lots of laughter), work for the ‘many not the few’ ... and see our work as the spreading green branches of a great tree, rising up to provide shelter and nourishment for those who will come after us.” “I wanted to give women a
chance to make a statement and come together,” Pevec told The Sopris Stars. She remembered being a young mother in Canada and hearing about the group. Now, decades and a life full of activism later, she’s among the gaggle of singing grandmas. Recently, the Raging Grannies invited this reporter to a rehearsal at the Third Street Center, and kindly said The Stars’ presence would “add warmth and fullness” — no matter their singing ability. The women carefully calculated syllables to match rhythm, pondered breaks that added emphatic character and shifted lyrics toward local relevance. For the holiday season the Grannies adapted Christmas carols, like “Feliz Navidad,”
which they changed from “I wanna wish you a merry Christmas” to “We don’t want no deportations … from the bottom of our hearts.” A version of “America The Beautiful” is a stark commentary about the flaws of government and the climate crisis. Singing in protest isn’t new for member Susan Rhea. “I was a teenager in the ‘60s,” Rhea said. “I grew up spending my time playing the piano and singing along to Simon and Garfunkel songs on the radio.” She was also part of a push to protect the Table Mountains, west of Denver, helping organize the Mesa Music Fest to raise awareness. Ultimately, the land was conserved as Jefferson County Open Space.
“Music is just fundamental communication,” Rhea commented. “It’s not all angry shouting and intellectual reasoning and argument. We can come together in song, which will maybe lead us to more light-hearted communication.” Many of the women are seasoned activists and continue to participate in civic engagement regularly — traits they’d like to pass on to the next generations. “I love the slogan, ‘Been woke since before you were born.’ It makes me laugh,” Rhea said, noting that peaceful protest and inclusivity are not new concepts. The Grannies dress themselves in bright colors, decorated hats and flowers to accentuate their purpose to brighten the world. Beyond activism, however, the group serves as a welcoming community. “We all come in tired, discouraged, but come out refreshed,” Pevec said. Rhea added, “Just being around people and laughing makes a difference.” On the Raging Grannies’ website, the international group acknowledges that older women's voices can often be dismissed, but also that there is power in action, joy, delight, wisdom and passion. They may play into the stereotype of innocent, overly-cheerful grandmothers, but ultimately are a force to be reckoned with, not through violence, but by using these powers to call out injustice. The group looks onwards, not only trying to improve their lives, but the lives of their children and grandchildren. “Whatever you’re doing, leave a place better than you found it.” Rhea said.
Mirroring the modern world through film EDITOR’S NOTE: Potential spoilers of “Wicked”and “Stranger Things” lie ahead. Many critics agree that the Broadway musical and popular “Wicked” films paint a political drama, exploring themes of conspiracy, polarization and facism. New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis stated in her review that “Fascism has come to Oz in ‘Wicked: For Good,’ and there’s no wishing it away.” These themes were even more prevalent in the play-inspiring novel by Gregory Maguire, but, rather than allowing the story to parallel the sensitive debates prevalent in today’s political environment, director John M. Chu has drawn on its face with crayons and poured glitter in its hair. While the film still covers complex societal themes, each has been buffered. This ebullient perspective is pervasive, from the fashion designs to the script itself, and does not make the story more approachable. It rather infers that topics of great severity can not be conceptualized by the average viewer, at least not without a layer of pink bubblewrap to protect them from a stark reality. The musical’s Doctor Dillamond is a goat with human qualities, including the ability to think and speak, who is very special to the protagonist, Elphaba, in all variations of the story. The two characters find comfort in each other's presence due to their unusual appearances. In the story, Dillamond finds the words “animals should be seen and not heard” scrawled on his whiteboard. In 2024, critic David Crow wrote, “Even 20 years ago, I recognized the importance of reminding the next generation about the insidious way hatreds and bigotries can be manipulated like something out of 1930s Germany.” I could not agree more with Crow about the references prominent in the story. However, I think that these themes, particularly Dillamond’s absence following the incident, would have been much more impactful without the filler dialogue surrounding it. The search for Dillamond could have been an impactful reflection of the discrimination that so often follows diversity, but instead our focus was turned almost completely to the complicated romance between Elphaba and Fiyero.
This is not a critique of “Wicked” alone, but of countless other cinematic tellings that attempt to explore contemporary political and cultural divides. The mixing and mingling of contrasting points of view can be effective. In fact, it is essential for an informed society not to build an intolerance toward candor, CINEMATIC regardless of how difficult it may be to untangle. CRITIQUE Entertainment is meant By Vivienne Shapiro to entertain, but also serves to educate on many topics, including morality and bigotry. And perhaps popular media can be used to convey themes that younger generations tend to shy away from.
the
Sopris Stars Youth Editor Lou Gall lou@soprissun.com Anna Sophia Brown anna@soprissun.com Arthur Cherith arthur@soprissun.com Aurora Egan aurora@soprissun.com Kate Ott katelynn@soprissun.com Giselle “Gigi” Rascon giselle@soprissun.com
‘Stranger Things’
Take the show that has recently taken the world by storm, “Stranger Things.” This action-packed thriller flew out of left field and executed this purpose almost perfectly. While New York Times critic James Poniewozik stated that “it never met a subplot it could do without,” I believe these subplots are what make the show so appealing to younger audiences, each demonstrating the chaos and complexity of being a teenager. The child characters are pulled between saving the world and playing Dungeons & Dragons in Mike’s basement, juggling monsters, parents and curfews. All the while, the show carries symbolisms of politics and, more specifically, clandestine government control. Though the series takes place in the ‘80s, certain themes reflect our times. The characters are surrounded by people covering up truths: from their parents to the demogorgon to the government. The characters struggle to differentiate reality from fraud, which I can’t help but compare to modern misinformation and disinformation concerns or far-fetched conspiracy theories circulating the internet. In the show, the “upside down” is concealed by the government, reflecting transparency and accountability concerns. The subplots in “Stranger Things” may be construed as a buffer to overshadow these themes, but, to this critic, mirror the daily lives we each carry out amid our real world’s own omnipresent chaos.
Vivienne Shapiro vivienne@soprissun.com Youth Journalism Director James Steindler james@soprissun.com Youth Journalism Instructor Skyler Stark-Ragsdale Graphic Designer Terri Ritchie The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible. The Sopris Stars is made possible thanks to The Sopris Sun. Support The Sopris Stars Youth News Bureau by making a donation at www.soprissun.com/donate
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Fashion Alert
Dissecting the ‘performative male’ BY GISELLE RASCON Sopris Stars Fashion Columnist A wolf in a sheep’s skin, except it’s not an actual wolf but a guy with a Lububu keychain dangling off the side of his tote bag or on the clasp of his car keys. He may appear gentle, emotionally grounded and overall curated, yet his outer-persona lacks what means the most: who he is beneath the surface. This is, more or less, the definition of a “performative male,” an archetype sweeping the internet through memes and social media posts. The performative male often borrows popular trends and symbols to construct their "character." Some particular give-aways are: incessant
ordering of matcha lattes (preferably iced and from a local cafe); wearing quarter-zipped pullovers (or really anything with a collar at this point); wielding a Penguin Classics book with elements of feminism (“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath comes to mind — spoiler: He only made it to page 81); or pontificating Lana Del Ray poetry to further “understand” you. Women are drawn to connections that feel sincere. And who doesn't want someone who appears educated and neatly assembled? These traits can signal emotional maturity. But what if the socio-cultural markers that
define this persona are just a hook to undermine the female gaze? To gain further insight into this social stereotype highlighted on countless TikTok feeds, The Sopris Stars spoke with a few local high schoolers. One student described the trend as “cringy.” Another, Betsy Joya, added that it’s all a performance, from the artificial personality to the inevitable manipulative behavior. She said that performative tendencies end up causing trust issues. Another respondent,
“I THINK A GOOD AMOUNT OF GUYS ARE DEFINITELY PERFORMATIVE TO SOME LEVEL." - Kevin Castillo Kevin Castillo, said bluntly, “I think a good amount of guys are definitely performative to some level. And it's just so clear, and funny, to see how they immediately change the way they act when they're surrounded by other guys versus when there is a woman present.” Castillo said that propensities of the performative male can range from comical to repulsive, and that their pur-
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pose is to impress, rather than truly get to know someone. It’s clear that these accounts raise a social issue of framing attraction and fellowship with a schematic script. It also furthers a concern of whether Gen Z is facing a crisis of autonomy by constructing archetypes through a prefaced facade. May these elements simply attract the male interest? It’s important to reiterate that this is but another social media trend (#performativemale), and probably should be taken with a grain of salt. Just because a young man likes some of the things associated with the stereotype doesn’t necessarily make them a performative male. So go ahead and love on your Lububus, drink iced matcha lattes, and just remember to always be yourself.
Topping out as a team
Making school a place where everyone belongs
PHOTOS & TEXT BY KATE OTT Sopris Stars Correspondent
AURORA EGAN Sopris Stars Correspondent
Halfway through its season, the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) climbing team is building momentum. Numbering over 50 participants in 2025-2026, the team prioritizes not just individual improvement but also the formation of a community — one that happens to enjoy scaling walls together. Freshman Mia Rivers talked about her experience as a first-year climber, stating, “It's been great! The entire team just cheers me on. Whenever I'm up there all I hear is, ‘Mia, yes! Good job! Captain Ethan Flynn ascends a V10 rated bouldering Keep going!’” route on a 45-degree-angled wall. Captains, and seniors, Hazel Lazar and Ethan Flynn also shared some reflections with The Sopris Stars. Having grown up climbing with her father who has a background in mountain guiding, Lazar wasn't a stranger to the sport. At CRMS, the team aspect is what really strikes her. “I think the climb team culture is really special in the way that you get to meet people from all different grades and backgrounds that you wouldn't necessarily talk to otherwise,” she said. “As a freshman, it was terrifying talking to seniors, but asking them for help on a climb was like no big deal.” When asked about how climbing has impacted him outside of the gym, Flynn shared: “It's gotten me to really just take the opportunities that are given to me.” At CRMS, the climb team isn't just about getting the highest scores, but helping others.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Aurora Egan is a member of the GSHS Student Coalition
After resting their fingers over break, the Turtles will set out for a competition in Gunnison, Jan. 24-25. Regionals kick off in February, followed by Nationals in March. Junior Marcus Mortell problem solves a V4 rated climb at the CRMS gym.
“I THINK THE CLIMB TEAM CULTURE IS REALLY SPECIAL IN THE WAY THAT YOU GET TO MEET PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT GRADES AND BACKGROUNDS THAT YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY TALK TO OTHERWISE." - Captain Hazel Lazar
CRMS Climbing Program Manager Tracy Wilson (left) and Captain Hazel Lazar discuss plans for a team obstacle course.
Students can feel less and less belonging at school. At Glenwood Springs High School (GSHS), Dean of Culture Garret Peters and senior Star Hernandez gathered together to start Student Coalition, a club focused on raising student voices and improving the social and academic environment at school. Through this club, Peters hopes to see more fun emerge at the school. He commends GSHS in preparation for life after high school and academic rigor, but worries that many at the school don’t feel a connection. “I’d like to see a more inclusive school that feels welcoming,” Peters said, “where people really feel comfortable and want to spend their time.” Similar coalitions are present at other high schools in the Roaring Fork School District, including Roaring Fork and Basalt. The Student Coalition is a leadership club that strives to make GSHS a better place for all students. At GSHS, the coalition first began as a Student Advisory Board in 2024, with only invited students participating. During this period, the board discovered it was missing many other student voices. The voices that were present, Hernandez said, were students that were never late, did well academically and were very involved in school. Only giving these students a voice excluded those who might have struggled academically or who didn’t feel a sense of connection to the school, according to Hernandez. This year, Student Coalition is a larger club, and any student interested is welcome to join. Students are able to come together and discuss problems they observe throughout the school and collaborate on solutions to fix these problems. Hernandez had always enjoyed school, but had friends around her who struggled to find where they fit in and may have even developed an animosity towards school for that reason. In starting Student Coalition, Hernandez hopes all students find where they belong and thrive at GSHS. Hernandez is optimistic that Student Coalition will improve attendance and encourage more involvement in clubs and activities among students. Although GSHS is a very diverse school, Hernandez said diversity isn’t typically seen in extracurriculars or advanced-placement classes. “We’re hoping to have more students, especially Hispanic students, join more clubs and extracurriculars,” Hernandez said. Both Hernandez and Peters hope that the Student Coalition will send the message to students that everyone belongs somewhere at GSHS. If you’re a GSHS student interested in joining the Student Coalition, the club meets during lunch every other ThursStudent Coalition members recently brainstormed day in room 3001. several ways to help the school enhance mental health support for teens. Photo by Aurora Egan
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Slang Crossword Editor's note: This crossword was developed at www.crosswordlabs.com How keen is your Gen-Z slang? Sopris Stars Editor Lou Gall put together this crossword puzzle for all ages to take a crack at! If you get all the answers, let The Sopris Stars know by emailing a picture of the completed crossword to youthnews@soprissun.com for a shoutout in next month’s paper.
ACROSS
2. Maximizing appearance 5. An atmosphere of coolness 6. Feeling unattractive 7. “The way that switch brr, I know he dyin’ _____________” 8. Something creepy 10. An older person 11. A romantic interest 12. Inflating one’s ego 15. A term of affection 16. An iconic individual
DOWN
1. ______________ tea 2. Hyper focused 3. Not a relationship but not not a relationship 4. Being intensely criticized 9. Charisma in a romantic situation 13. On the down low 14. Dubbed the greatest (past tense)
The Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program invited the The Sopris Stars team to KDNK Radio for a music and talk show on Dec. 17. Photo by Just Jim
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The Sopris Sun’s youth journalism program is in its fifth year, but recently published the first Sopris Stars insert on Oct. 30, 2025, a monthly publication where all
youth-generated content will live. Our Sopris Stars interns learn from a plethora of talented professionals, from top-notch journalists to cartoonists and photographers. Interns practice handson journalism, from requesting an interview to finalizing an article, with
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