Being a part of the Lobo community is something very special, and when the Lobo family loses one of its own, it is very important that we keep remembering them after their passing. Honoring our late Lobos has been done by putting up memorials around the school so students and staff can look at them and remember those who were once a part of the Rocky Mountain High School pack. 

Kate Prewett was a student who passed away from a glioblastoma in 2018. A tree was dedicated to her and it was placed outside the front of the school. 

Her obituary on Legacy.com states, “However, our collective hearts should be full and at peace in the realization of three truths: 

1) Kate was a blessing to all who knew her. 

2) Our grief is only temporary, for we shall see her again. 

3) In the meantime, Kate will always be nearby so long as we also continue living this life with compassion, enthusiasm, and love.” 

Kate is celebrated by the Rocky Volleyball family every year at the end-of-the-year ceremony by giving out an award dedicated to her. Her crabapple tree is beautifully decorated: purple ribbons are tied around the branches for her. It was planted in her memory because this is a flowering tree and Kate bloomed like a flower. 

They knew that it was a high-traffic area for students, so it was the perfect spot for others to enjoy the tree and remember Kate. The quote on the memorial states, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”

Justin May

was a junior in 1997,  when he passed away after a six-week coma, following a fall off of a 3-story apartment balcony. 

His mother Barbara May, a former receptionist and assistant bookkeeper at Rocky, expresses her hopes that students “think before making risky decisions” because teenagers are more likely to be exposed to risky and dangerous situations, and that “a split second” could change everything, as said in a 2005 Highlighter article. A memorial tree is now dedicated to Justin, placed on the walkway next to the junior parking lot. 

Kayla Marie Adsit’s memorial is the second tree located on the walkway next to the parking lots. She was born on July 18, 1989, and sh

e passed away on May 4, 2007, in a car accident a few weeks before her high school graduation. 

An article about the CSU scholarship dedicated to Kayla states, “Kayla Marie Adsit was known for her caring and friendly spirit, outgoing personality, and beautiful smile. She was a loving daughter, sister and friend.” 

Since her career plans were to attend Colorado

State University to become a family counselor, a scholarship was dedicated to her, in order for her to fulfill her dreams to “live to make a difference,” as said in the previous article. 

Every year, Kayla is celebrated by Rocky’s music department. During her high school years, she was invested in choir and band and she was a great gift to our world. 

“She was a very uplifting soul; she lifted all the young kids up, and she was a really great musician,” choir teacher Chris Thompson said.

Every year at the end-of-the-year ceremony, an award is given out to one student from each musical department: choir, band, and orchestra, to represent Kayla’s legacy and aspects of character. 

Steven W. Estes was a language arts teacher who passed away suddenly in 1997, at 48. Mr. Estes died during the school year. He was well-liked by everyone in the school. He was a Vietnam veteran who was “deeply involved in developing the block schedule at Rocky,” according to Mrs. Bennett. 

“Students loved him and he challenged them to be better writers and students. He was also loved by his fellow teachers and everyone was so sad when he passed away,” Ms. Bennett added.

Ashley and Colton Fischer’s memorial is the second bench next to the athletic entrance. Ashley Fischer, senior-to-be, and Colton Fischer, junior-to-be, were two students who passed away after a tragic car accident in South Dakota during the summer of 2012.  

Their obituary states, “Ashley and Colton relished in the joy of being surrounded by family and friends throughout their short, yet very memorable lives. Ashley and Colton’s lives would seem too short to many, but for those who knew their hearts, they understood the quality of their existence far exceeded their quantity of time. Their smiles could light up a room while simultaneously melting your heart.”

The two siblings were loved by students and staff, and they were both really invested in their school life and in the Rocky community. 

During her high school years, Ashley developed the club Voices Carry with the Larimer County Child Advocacy Center so that child abuse victims’ voices may be heard. She was passionate and dedicated to helping those in need. 

Her younger brother Colton was also important to the Lobo community; as a lineman for Rocky’s varsity football team, Colton loved playing sports and spending time with his teammates. 

Ashley and Colton will forever honor the Lobo spirit, as the quote on their memorial reads, “Lobos Forever.”

Angie Yamashita’s memorial is the picnic table located in the courtyard. Angie was an English teacher who passed away during the 2018 school year. 

Ms. Yamashita was loved by all members of Rocky and she was known to be really close to many of her students. 

“She was like a mother to a lot of students, especially those who didn’t have one of their own. She brought food and cooked for them. She was really sensitive, loving, and caring to students who needed help,” English teacher Ms. Jones said.

The quote on her memorial reads, “She knew things that nobody had ever told her. For instance, the words of the trees and the wind.”

Ms. Martha Haynes was a teacher in the Integrated Services department. She passed away on September 30, 2017, at the age of 64 from heart failure. 

Martha was a devoted teacher at Rocky, loved by all. Her obituary on Legacy.com states, “She smiled at everyone she met, and she meant it. Her kindness, creativity, and optimism buoyed you up. She had an amazing talent for making something beautiful from nothing and anyone who came into contact with her walked away better for the encounter. […] She worked tirelessly and passionately, and had an intense sense of pride and love for her students and her school.” 

Since Ms. Martha Haynes was really involved in the RMHS garden, a memorial was built in her memory inside the garden behind the school. They created a pole with uplifting quotes for students, such as “Don’t base your decisions on the advice of those who don’t have to deal with the results.” 

Her memorial is kept in very good condition since the garden is typically closed off. 

Keeping these memorials in good condition is really important, as they remind us of people that we have lost throughout these last 50 years of Rocky Mountain High School. Students who see litter by or on the memorials should clean it up.

Moreover, students who see any sort of vandalism done to the plaques, benches, or trees should report it to any staff member. These memorials allow us to remember and honor those we lost and their accomplishments for the Lobo family.