Feature Photo By: Sam Newman – Juniors Nicholas Provancal (left) and Dillon Hutchison (right) discuss one of the memes found on the Rangeview Reddit. A survey revealed that 6 in 10 students have seen or heard of the Rangeview Reddit in some way.
Last year, a series of changes were made to Rangeview High School, including the downsizing of the business department and the release of multiple teachers who some students held in very high esteem. Students and teachers of Rangeview also learned that Wednesday late starts would be given up for the 2017-2018 school year.
Around the same time as these events occurred, students and staff learned of Aurora Public Schools’ $31 million deficit. Many students immediately drew a connection between these happenings, and decided to do something. Various groups set their minds to becoming proactive and trying to make their voices heard.
The Raider Review took a lead in this action. Hannah Metzger and Alivia Lee, two former Review staff members from the 2016-2017 school year, personally interviewed Superintendent Rico Munn. They published an article about their interview, which got a lot of attention in the district for taking a stand.
However, it wasn’t enough for some students. From the depths of Rangeview High School rose something new: The Rangeview Reddit.
On April 17, 2017, a group of students, led by Marshall Harshberger, a junior at the time, created a Reddit page to bash on Rangeview and its leaders.
To many people, the Reddit is purely demonstrating the teenage rebellious attitude. When sophomore Ryan Slocum was asked what the purpose of the Rangeview Reddit was, he responded simply, “It’s trying to make fun of the administrators.”
However, others believe that the Reddit has a higher goal. Kenny Luong, junior, described the purpose of the Reddit with a passion that demonstrates what the topic really means to him.
“It is to give awareness to the fact that the school’s kinda… it’s kinda meh right now. Right?” Luong asked, emphasizing the word meh. “Like, I think my brother last year, he just graduated, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, we were the lucky ones.’ Right? And it’s like, that then implies that we are the unlucky ones.”
So are this year’s Raiders the unlucky ones? Are we receiving inferior treatment when compared to previous years? That idea is considered to be debatable. But, there is one question we can answer now: Why was the Reddit actually created?
Senior Marshall Harshberger was willing to reveal some information about the Reddit with the Raider Review. Even before beginning the interview, he made very clear that he was not the creator of many of the memes on the page; rather, he was simply the creator of the webpage built to store them.
“I’d say the goal of the Reddit is just… just to have fun. You know. To make jokes. I mean, it’s something that everyone can associate to, to an extent, at Rangeview,” Harshberger said. “Even the teachers find it funny. So it’s not something meant to be taken seriously. You’re supposed to see them as jokes and… it’s just something to have fun with.”
Certainly, the Reddit has lightened the hearts of many students.
Luong stated, “[The Rangeview Reddit] was like Christianity. But for the Rangeview populace.”
He then proceeded to rate the Reddit as an, “Eight out of eight, great, mate!”
The students who’ve seen the Reddit have spoken, as have the creators of it. But, what about the Rangeview staff members? Do they, as Harshberger states, find it funny as well? Or do they have a more serious perspective on it?
Social studies teacher Stephanie Walsh was willing to discuss the Rangeview Reddit.
Ms. Walsh described the Reddit as, “an avenue for kids to express their voice about what’s happening at the school in a comical way, more like in satire.” She continued to say that, “their focus seems to be on administrators.”
Ms. Walsh elaborated, saying that the Reddit has the potential to form a bond between students and administrators. This bond, in turn, could improve the communication lines between the two groups, allowing for each to understand the other on a higher level.
That is, “If no one takes it personally. Which they shouldn’t, because it’s political satire, and it’s the culture that we live in,” Walsh said.
She further stated that, “It’s like Saturday Night Live form. It’s just an SNL skit.”
And maybe the Reddit is just to bring joy in a trying time for many of our students, some said.
In the words of Harshberger: “… at least we have our memes.”
Rules of the Rangeview Reddit:
“As stated by the Posting Guidelines: Please keep things Safe For Work (i.e. PG-13), bullying will not be tolerated, but jokes should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s on the internet for pete’s sake.
This place is a place to make fun of Aurora Public Schools and their current debt crisis. Any Rangeview student is welcome to create content here, but it will be moderated for quality control.
-A”
Other Information:
- Currently 54 subscribed
- Average 2-6 viewers at any time
- Currently 73 posts
- Currently 4 active moderators
