The past three years have been filled with many changes for the class of 2020, including an exponentially increasing student body, a near strike among teachers and countless rally defeats. 

Through all of this, Rocklin has changed its students and the students have changed Rocklin. 

Walking into the first assembly, rally and dance the first week of freshman year was a new and exciting experience. While seniors now have years of experience when it comes to all things Rocklin, we were once the scared freshman looking up to the towering seniors. 

The culture of Rocklin High School has also shifted in recent years, a shift many seniors have noticed. 

With attendance at last year’s dances being lower than expected, it is reasonable to say that the spirit and involvement on campus has declined. 

“I think what’s different with the school is how everything is structured, with having that strike and a lot of tragedy and club rush not happening last year it felt like activities were less structured. The spirit has gone down, compared to when we were freshmen we came in and it was like ‘Oh my gosh they are very spirited,” senior Annie Laplante said. 

Other developments on campus include the overwhelming population of students. This year the school has 2,225 students enrolled. This has resulted in a multitude of different classes being added and others being removed.

The population alone has resulted in a lot of changes. A rally ending early is unheard of at this school, however, during the Welcome Back Rally, Thompson deemed it necessary for all the students dripping sweat and bleeding blue and silver. 

The near strike from last year may have had an effect on the spirit of last year. With the lack of club rush, it was more difficult for new students to find a way to connect to the campus. 

“I feel like the other senior classes were cooler, because it felt like the school was more united, and now it is broken up. I walk around, and I don’t recognize anyone anymore,” senior Blake Painter said. 

Whether it is true that we are less spirited than the class of 2017 —  and every year after — can not be determined. However, it can be said the class has come a long way from the class that had a mandatory class meeting because they started an inappropriate chant. Change and growth are inevitable. There will be more change and growth in the next ten months as we continue to bleed blue and silver and make the most of our last year of high school.