Monthly Archives: April 2023

Life of a Brave: Unsung Hero, Mr. Omar Delgado, Helps Braves Realize Their Dreams

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by Christian Angel, Managing Editor

Mr. Omar Delgado has served the St. John Bosco High School community the past 29 years with the goal of helping every Bosco Brave attend a four-year university through academics and athletics, shining a bright light on the dreams of students. 

Photo by Megan Nash, Director of Digital Marketing & Social Media

Mr. Delgado was born in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles and grew up in a family of three brothers and three sisters in El Monte. Although he may not have attended St. John Bosco, he was always involved in wrestling, football and track and field. He admits that he may not have been a really good student throughout his first three years of high school, but starting his senior year, he improved and evolved in his effort and intellect. 

He attended Rio Hondo Community College, later transferring to California State University, Fullerton to receive his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. Years later, he went to study and receive his Masters in Education, with an emphasis in Guidance and Counseling, along with a Pupil Personnel Services credential from Point Loma Nazarene University.

Mr. Delgado’s story of joining the Bosco family stems all the way back to the Fall of 1995,

“It was like a phone call from God,” Mr. Delgado said.

Originally, he was working with the California Highway Patrol and ultimately decided that he wanted to resign because he wanted to go back to school. 

The “phone call from God” was from former Athletic Director, Mr. Jack Hastert. Mr. Hastert asked Mr. Delgado if he wanted to be a teacher, along with being the Wrestling Coach for the Bosco Braves. Mr. Delgado said that once he stepped foot on campus, the rest was history. 

During his reign as Wrestling Coach, the Braves won back-to-back CIF Championships in 1999 and 2000 as well as in 2012 and 2013. In 2017 under his leadership, Bosco also won the Masters Championship. With so much success in the wrestling program throughout his over 20 year tenure, he credits Coach Anderson, the current St. John Bosco Head Wrestling Coach, who won a CIF title wrestling for Mr. Delgado.

“Coach Anderson has continued the winning tradition of the St. John Bosco High School wrestling program to the better,” said Mr. Delgado.

Mr. Delgado set a high standard for every wrestler to set a goal for themselves to achieve something they would have never thought of before. His motto for his wrestlers was: “A Dream, A Goal, and A Promise.” This continues to be his motto as a counselor. 

In his time at Bosco, Mr. Delgado has served in various capacities as a dean, coach, teacher and counselor. In his current role as a counselor, when a student comes into his office with a dream of attending a certain university, he works with them by creating a goal in order to achieve these results. 

“When I became counselor, it was like a natural transition, and I think that makes me a really good counselor – to understand the young men and what they’ve been through, what they are going through in their teenage years to advise them well,” said Delgado. 

Many of his former students, come and thank him for all the work he has put in throughout their four years at Bosco advising them and guiding them.

“If you walk into my counseling office, you see my ‘Hall of Fame’ where students have attended or currently attend universities, such as Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, West Point, Air Force Academy, and my ultimate payment is seeing them succeed and contribute to society,” said Delgado. 

Mr. Delgado is the father of two former Bosco Braves, Class of 2019 and 2022, who are now at UCLA and Stanford, and he advises the Class of 2023 to not give up on their dreams – to create a goal and to make their dreams a reality. 

Sports: Valorant Team Wins League, Finishing Undefeated And Advancing To Nationals

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By Carter Daley

Winning is a term that has become familiar term to the St. John Bosco varsity Valorant team. In just three years of having an official Valorant team, Bosco has won two High School Esports League (HSEL) titles.

Photo by @sjbesports

The team is full of young talent, made up of two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. Captain Max Abrahamson, ranked as the 17th best Valorant player in North America, is only a junior and will get another chance to repeat and become a three-time champion.

“[Winning the HSEL championship] feels like last time: great. But the job isn’t finished. We have to go to Kansas City in May to actually compete for a National Championship,” said Max.

The talent does not just stop at Max, however, as the most highlighted player of the Bosco team is freshman Alex Banyasz, who ranked as the number one player in North America across all Valorant servers in the past month. 

“It’s great playing with Alex. I definitely feel like he can go pro,” Max said.

The Braves had the challenging task of bouncing back in their HSEL league after failing to beat Arcadia High School in the same championship game the previous semester. This emphasized the importance of this rematch, as they had that chip weighing on their shoulders.

This chip carried onto the start of their season this semester, where they held a perfect 8-0 record in the regular season, being the only team that maintained a perfect record. 

With momentum, the Braves would only drop one map during their entire playoff run and cruise into the finals. They would be competing against Quartz Hill High School, a team they lost to the previous season. 

In dominating fashion, this talented squad of youngsters would beat Quartz Hill by a score of 2-0, completing their perfect season, the second championship this team captured in just two years.

“It was mixed feelings of excitement and relief. We’ve been trying to make nationals for three years, and every year, I felt like we had a good team but always seemed to fall short in the playoffs,” said Coach and 2020 Bosco Alum Eli Giangualano. “To have a near-perfect playoff season and end it in such a dominant fashion was rewarding to not only me, but also our captain Max Abrahamson who’s been a part of this team every year.”  

On top of the Valorant team’s recent success, the Rainbow Six Siege team is captained by senior Ezekiel Tejeda. The team that finished their regular season with a record of 4-4 barely clinched a playoff berth, but earning that spot in the playoffs has brought great momentum to the squad. 

With back-to-back upset wins over opponents, the Rainbow Six Siege team will have the opportunity to shock everyone and claim the first championship in program history for the specific game. 

“This team means so much to me,” said Ezekiel. “This is the second time we’ve made it to playoffs, both being this academic year. Even though most of the time was a complete headache for me, I’m still so proud of the young men who will be taking the reins of this team when I graduate”.

With big games on the horizon for Bosco’s Esports program, there will surely be a lot of noteworthy action. The Bosco Valorant team will head to Kansas City on May 20th, and the Rainbow Six Siege team will continue their playoff run tonight.

Life of a Brave: Top Ten Study Tips for AP and Final Exams

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by Mark Lutke

With AP exams and finals approaching, St. John Bosco students may feel stressed or unprepared, but by staying calm and using these well-known study tips, anyone can be prepared to ace all of their tests.

10. Study for tests weeks in advance and avoid cramming.

This is the only way to truly feel comfortable when preparing for any exam. Allotting even just ten minutes a night to review study materials and starting a week or two before a test can be extremely beneficial. Longer review sessions can still be helpful in the days leading up to an exam, but don’t overload yourself because it will more than likely harm your final score.

9. Use flash cards.

As cliché as it sounds, using flashcards whether they be paper-made or digital is undeniably beneficial for many students, especially those studying for exams that involve vocabulary, true or false and multiple-choice questions. Flashcards are most useful in shorter study sessions or as a warmup for longer review.

Some teachers may also allow students to write a select amount of notes on a flashcard of a given size before a test. While reminders can be helpful, it is best not to rely on outside information, except necessary formulas for math or science courses, and instead feel comfortable enough in the content to only require sparse hints or none at all.

8. Study during free time, like at break and lunch or in classes where you might have downtime.

Studying alone or with a group of friends is a productive way to use free time in the upcoming weeks at break, lunch or during Academic Support. Although extracurriculars may clog many students’ after school schedules, there are many opportunities throughout the school day to squeeze in a bit of review.

7. Study where it’s comfortable and quiet.

If you find the sounds of everyday life to be noisy and distracting at times, you may want to study in a secluded or quiet place. Removing distractions is a necessary part of this because technology will overstimulate the brain and make focusing more difficult. For those who do not have access to a quiet or secluded area, it is recommended to study in Bosco’s Learning Commons or a teacher’s classroom.

6. Practice breathing techniques to help center and calm yourself.

Breathing techniques can help you clear your mind and deeply focus on whatever it is you need to do, including studying for finals. Inhaling through your nose for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds and exhaling for eight seconds has been shown to be an effective method. By exhaling for longer periods than you inhale, you are telling your body and mind to relax but also stay alert. This calm and collected mindset is one that is perfect for test taking.

5. Teach the material to others.

Teaching others what you have learned proves to be one of the best ways to truly master content. Along with summarizing what you have learned, teaching others can also help foster a positive mindset. This is because sometimes it is easy to forget that what we learn in school isn’t always common knowledge to others. By giving mock-lectures and talking about course material, one may surprise themselves with how much they actually know. This method can also serve as a much needed break from writing and reading during longer study sessions.

4. Maintain healthy lifestyle by focusing on diet and exercise.

Many people forget that it is hard for your brain to function if your body is lagging behind. When we exercise and eat healthy, blood flow increases in the brain, which improves mental capacity and learning ability. This can be especially helpful for one’s test taking ability. By maintaining an exercise schedule or healthy diet, one can ensure that their brain is firing on all cylinders come test day.

3. Join a study group or start one.

Joining or starting a study group can be a great way to review course content while still being social. It is best to not study with people you are good friends with, but instead with new people or acquaintances. While studying with friends can work for some, many may find themselves becoming distracted and getting sidetracked. Study groups can be especially helpful because you can both learn from and teach to others. While you might take a test alone, studying doesn’t have to be the same.

2. Pay more attention in class.

Many teachers will review material and recap old lectures in the coming weeks. Taking advantage of anything that can help you study includes applying yourself while in the classroom. While it might not be what some want to hear, paying attention in class is crucial to success academically all the time, not just during finals.

1. Most importantly, get eight to ten hours of sleep a night.

Many students often find themselves with distorted sleep schedules due to extracurriculars and homework. But toward the end of the school year, both of these tend to cool down significantly. Take advantage of the extra time and fix your sleep schedule. Go to bed earlier and try to get 8-10 hours of sleep a night in order to be at your best for finals week. Many don’t realize that sleep deprivation is actively harming them and making their lives significantly harder. People who do not get sufficient sleep will have impaired decision-making skills, which could be detrimental for students in need of a grade-boost.

Around Bosco: Friday Night Lights With St. Joseph’s Annual Powder Puff Game At Panish Family Stadium

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by Carter Daley

On Friday, March 24th, St. John Bosco High School hosted a variety of events under the Friday night lights with an action packed Powder Puff Game and a Spring Fest Dance.

Photo by Alex Diaz, Photo Editor

Parents and students were offered the opportunity to come together to watch their very own daughters and classmates compete in one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, the Powder Puff Game, an eleven-on-eleven girls flag football game.

The matchup was seen as a high rivalry game between the Donald’s, who consist of Senior St. Joseph Students, versus the Mickey’s, who consist of Junior St. Joseph Students. The Donald’s had something to prove, after losing last year in a close competition to the Class of 2022 Kermit’s. They wanted to make sure they solidified themselves as a team not to mess with. 

“Losing last year was tough. We felt as if we left a lot on the field, but it came up short. We wanted to make sure that did not happen this year so we came ready to play,” said current St. Joseph’s senior Brianna Wright.

The game certainly delivered the excitement. Early in the first half the Mickeys opened up the game with a short rushing touchdown by Mariah Becerra. 

That lead would not last long though, as later in that same half the Donald’s would take back an interception for a touchdown. The play was made by Presley Contreras and got the stands so excited that even the Bosco boy cheerleaders began rushing the field.

“The whole atmosphere was vibrant. All of the Bosco guys had a really fun time cheering and moshing in the end zone was awesome,” said Bosco senior Ahrian McNeil.

The game remained a stalemate, as both defenses played incredibly well with a total of three turnovers in a span of just five minutes. 

The Donald’s had one last chance to take the lead in the game when a deep “Hail, Mary” pass was completed to senior Brooklyn Soto with two seconds left. The next pass unfortunately fell incomplete, finishing the game in an 8-8 tie. 

Although fans were cheering for overtime, the officials were unable to continue the game due to a time shortage. But the fun did not end there, as just around the corner St. John Bosco was hosting a Spring Fest Dance for students. 

Held in the quad, St. John Bosco and St. Joseph students gathered to celebrate the last couple months of the school year. The even featured great music provided by DJ Drip that had students in a free-spirited mood after an exciting game of flag football. The dance was organized by math teacher Ms. Edna Ramirez, Mr. Danny Benitez and Band Director Mr. Ramon Villanueva to raise money for students for the upcoming band trip to Seattle this month. 

“It was a movie. By far the best music out of any social this year. Having it outside also made it better so everyone wasn’t sweating like crazy,” said senior Robert Gonzalez.

As students head into their last two months of the school year, many seniors look ahead forward to Senior Prom, which is just around the corner on April 29th.

Sports: Bosco Track Off To The Races

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by Noah Dawson

St. John Bosco Track starts the season with hopes to win big in the Trinity League and CIF this season, earning a spot as one of the best track programs in Southern California.

Photo by @sjbstudentlife

Excitement is in the air around Bosco Track. The season may be just starting, but the athletes have been working hard all winter to prepare for it, hitting the running drills and practicing their technique. The hard work is starting to pay off, and they are eager to see what they can accomplish on the track.

As the athletes hit the track, the focus is on hard work, dedication, teamwork and faith. They know that the road ahead will be challenging, but they are ready to face those challenges head-on. They are a tight-knit group, and they support each other both on and off the track.

For the seniors on the team, this season holds a special significance. It’s their last chance to compete at the high school level, and they are determined to make it count. Senior Ahrian Mcneil, who is a sprinter on the team, is excited to get back out on the track.

“It’s a really good experience to get back on the track and I’m going put my all into this season,” Ahrian said. “I’ve really just been praying on [the upcoming season] and making sure that not only does God got me but that I have myself. I get that assurance through training.”

Ahrian has recently been offered spots on the Track and Field roster for teams such as North Carolina Agriculture & Technology State University and Chapman University

Senior Harold Munoz, a distance runner who has been out since last season due to a leg injury, is also anxious to begin his senior campaign.

“I’ve been training hard all winter, and I’m ready to see what I can do. This is my last chance to compete at the high school level, so I want to make it a good one and improve from last year,” said Harold.

First-year track athlete, senior Nethaneel Loolo, who competes in the long jump and triple jump, wants to see what he and the team can accomplish this year.

“This is my first season, you know? So I really want to show out and prove that I can do this.” Nethaneel said. “Not just for me, but I want to put on for the school too.”

Both seniors continue to improve and put actions behind their words with Nathaneel leading the team in sprint and hurdles with a 10.92 second time in the 100m sprint and a 23.11 second time in the 200m sprint. Ahrian continues to shine as the team’s prominent hurdle runner, being the leader in both the 110m high hurdles and 300m intermediate hurdles. running a 15.29 second time in the 110m and a 40.88 second time in the 300m.

For Track and Field Head Coach Tim McIntosh, the start of the season is a time to evaluate the team and see where they need to improve.

“Our first few meets are going to be a good gauge of where we’re at as a whole team and where we should be at. We’ll be able to see where we need to make tweaks and make adjustments,” said Coach McIntosh

The Braves have also performed well in the field in addition to the track. Senior Mark Lutke has accepted an offer to California State University, Long Beach to take his talents to their team in the twelve pound shot put and hammer.

Aidan Aldana serves as an asset for the team as he continuously places himself at the top of the leaderboard for long distance events. For the past few meets, he has placed number one for the Bosco team in both the 1600m and 3200m race.

If you’re looking for a way to support the team, come out to their meets and cheer them on. Your support can make a difference and give the athletes the motivation they need to perform their best. 

Spectators can come to check out the Braves on Wednesday, April 5th for the Trinity League Cluster Meet at home on the St. John Bosco Track.