by Andy Ortiz

Counselors from St. John Bosco and St. Joseph’s High Schools came together last Monday to offer information on the fundamentals of high school to the middle school students from St. Dominic Savio.

Bosco counselor, Mr. Basil Totah, and St. Joseph’s counselor, Mr. Joey Albert, presented at St. Dominic Savio’s first High School Seminar in the Savio Parish Hall. The event was organized by Mr. Armando Gonzalez. 

“We’re doing this to prepare these middle schoolers for high school,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “It’s unfortunately pretty normal for middle schoolers to not be told about basic things like honors and AP (Advanced Placement), so that’s what we want to accomplish.”

Mr. Gonzalez explained how he felt that he wasn’t prepared for high school back when he enrolled, so he wanted to help clear up all the confusion for the incoming freshmen.

“We want to let these young boys and girls know that they have plenty of tools for success for high school, so they’ll feel less nervous for what tomorrow holds for them academically,” said Mr. Albert of St. Joseph’s.

Once the seminar began, Mr. Totah from St. John Bosco explained one of the most important things to keep in mind when in to high school.

“It all boils down to reading everyday and practicing your math everyday,” said Mr. Totah. “Those are the most important foundations to learning as a whole, there’s really no other way around it,” said Mr. Totah.

The main discussion throughout the entirety of the seminar was primarily about different programs, namely what it takes to shoulder the load of honors and AP classes as well as a little bit about college admissions. 

One of the main questions that parents asked during the informational meeting was regarding what colleges want to see you do throughout your high school career.

“While they really like a good GPA and good grades, overall colleges want to see you take on a lot of extracurricular activities that you commit yourself to,” said Mr. Albert.

Many of the questions revolved around the various Academic Pathways that Bosco offers, with many of the students expressing huge interest in classes in the Engineering and Film and Media Pathways, respectively. Mr. Gonzalez provided some really good advice regarding deciding what you’re capable of doing.

“You will find out very easily how difficult Pathways can be, and once you take one, you might find out that you might not like it,” said Mr. Gonzalez. “Nothing has to be final; you can find out what you like and switch to it.”

Besides the discussion regarding what Pathways are about, the seminar also centered around how you can use them to look attractive to colleges. 

One sixth grader who attended expressed concerns about what he needed to do to be prepared for higher-level classes.

“My idea is [that] I want to take all the hardest classes and do all the extracurriculars to impress colleges,” the sixth grader said.

Many parents voiced their concerns about how complex and heavy their children’s schedules would be later in their high school careers. Mr. Totah made it very clear that while it’s important to take on hard classes for colleges, above all it’s important to know your limits and to avoid tasks that might be overwhelming for you.

“The worst thing that could happen to you is that you’re stuck with a bunch of high-level classes that you can’t do, and you end up with a very stressful and depressing sophomore year. You don’t want that,” said Mr. Totah.

The biggest takeaway that Mr. Totah wanted to leave with the Savio students was to know the importance of balance. He stressed the importance of balancing out your hard classes so that you still have enough time to take care of yourself along with your academics and extracurriculars.

As the seminar ended and everyone was getting up to leave, the same 6th grader that shared his plan for high school came back to share how his thought process changed as a result of the information he received from the counselors.

“I thought that I had to be moving fast, but I think I’m wrong,” said the sixth grader. “I should take this a lot slower. Now, I know how to challenge myself the right way for the best results.”

by Andy Ortiz

The St. John Bosco High School community comes together today to celebrate the Feast of Don Bosco with our Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau and to honor the influence of our Salesian patron.

Our school Mass celebrating the Feast of Don Bosco takes place in the neighboring St. Dominic Savio Church. This is a very special day honoring the life and achievements of St. John Bosco, who is the basis of our school community’s principles and values. What makes this day truly special is the coming of our Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau, who comes to observe our celebration and pray with us.

The Campus Ministry students organized the Feast Day Mass along with new religion teacher Mr. James Ritter. Mr. Ritter, being an alumnus of Bosco, worked well with the members of Campus Ministry to put on this celebration for us and our bishop. They spent much time and effort preparing the readings and the church for the celebration.

“This will certainly be one special Mass,” said Mr. Ritter. “It’s not everyday you get to pray and worship with the bishop.”

Campus Ministry has been preparing for this day since the end of last semester, for the reason that the Feast of Don Bosco is not only an important event for us, but also an important event for Salesians the world over. 

“Every aspect, from the beginning to the end of the Mass, is carefully accounted for, and we’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to make it as special as possible,” said Campus Ministry junior Diego Salcedo.

The very special occasion warranted much preparation with most of the time spent choosing the perfect music and demonstrating attention to detail to do this event and the bishop justice.

“The Feast of Don Bosco is crucial to the Salesians because he initiated the entire movement,” said Diego. “It’s a time when not only our community but all Salesian communities come together, sharing a common identity.”

In the absence of Archbishop Jose Gomez, who is unable to attend today, Auxiliary Bishop Trudeau visits us. Both men have done amazing things for our community while being excellent examples of leaders in the Catholic church and standard-bearers of Don Bosco’s legacy. They both spread messages of love and teach the principles of Christ, which is why we admire them and appreciate their presence in our school community.

“We have been meeting with our Campus Ministry [team], Fr. Mike [Gergen], and we were given guidance by the archdiocese for preparing for today. It’s safe to say that there will be some expected surprises for our bishop,” said Mr. Ritter.

The big reason for why we celebrate the Feast of Don Bosco is because we want to keep his teachings and the Salesian traditions alive. A feast day is when we remember a person of great significance. For Don Bosco, a big part of what he was known for was helping young boys become mature, responsible and faithful men. 

“The most special part of the day, in my opinion, is the awareness that thousands of people worldwide are celebrating the same occasion, creating a sense of unity,” said Diego. “For our community, it’s a time to gather as a school and celebrate our shared mission and ideals inspired by St. John Bosco.”

After mass and classes, students will celebrate “field day” activities this afternoon to conclude the day of celebration.

by Andy Ortiz

Last weekend, St. John Bosco High School’s Theater Program performed an absolutely wild show for their Winter musical, The Wedding Singer, with three more shows spanning from Friday to Sunday.

The Theater Program of St. John Bosco chose an 80’s themed classic based on the popular New Line Cinema film of the same name written by Tim Herlihy. This performance is directed by the Director of Theater Production, Mr. Martin Lang.

Mr. Lang described in his director’s note that back in the 80’s he also worked as a wedding singer as a pastime, and he wanted to take this opportunity to take a trip down memory lane.

“What makes me feel old is that the students had no idea who Cyndi Lauper or Billy Idol was or know what ‘Where’s the Beef?’ meant, but that’s okay because now they do!” wrote Mr. Lang.

The Wedding Singer takes place during 1985 in New Jersey, where aspiring rock star Robbie Hart, played by Bosco senior Rafael Sanchez, is left utterly traumatized when his fiancée stands him up. However, a saving grace in the form of a wedding waitress, Julia Sullivan, played by St. Joseph’s junior Izzy Prata, comes his way.

This rendition of Wedding Singer is a musical, and as such, it boasts a large list of fun and catchy songs. The band was assembled and led by conductor Cheryl Gaul. 

The audience seemed to be major fans of the songs “It’s Your Wedding Day” and “A Note From Grandma”. The songs were just fun, memorable and sprawling in their performance. With how much was happening on stage, one almost felt compelled to join in on the fun.

The best part of the musical numbers was simply watching the actors on stage just having fun, especially the members of the ensemble, such as St. Joseph’s junior Julia Gisel and Bosco senior Zion Perez-Tobar. The audience could clearly see the enthusiasm radiating from the people on stage.

The stage design is relatively simple, yet well-executed, with a classic wedding arch as the centerpiece and some pretty artwork on the side walls. Props are cleanly brought in and out between scenes and seem to be very well made, especially Robbie’s bed.

Furthermore, the stage lights are particularly great in this production. In contrast to St. Joseph’s previous production, Frankenstein, where lighting was used to portray the somber mood, this musical has a colorful array of lights used to create a brighter, more light-hearted vibe. All of the lights for the entire show were done by Bosco junior Noah Wayner.

One character the audience absolutely adored was George, played by Bosco sophomore Kai Maldonado. Whether it was the long wig or the emo makeup, Kai displayed some really funny acting, from his reserved voice and attitude to his hilarious singing style.

Another really chaotic person on stage was Linda, played by St. Joseph’s senior Bianca Renee. Linda is characterized as a sort of clingy and compulsive type, and Bianca does splendid work in showing off that kind of energy and being absolutely hilarious while doing it.

But undoubtedly the most chaotic of all the people on stage was Grandma Rosie, played by St. Joseph’s sophomore Calista Max Lopez. She’s the typical granny, but perhaps unique in her humor and liveliness. Calista exemplifies that kind of spirit perfectly, and one could almost mistake her for being a 70-year-old.

The cast and crew of The Wedding Singer would love everyone to come and support the arts by coming to the last three performances this weekend: one on Friday at 7:30pm, another Saturday at 7:30pm and the last being on Sunday at 2:30. All performances are at the Bosco Theater and tickets can be purchased here. 

by Nicholas Cortez

On Halloween, St. John Bosco High School held a competition during lunch for all grade levels to find out who had the best costume.

Students were able to compete for prizes by dressing up in scary or hilarious costumes. The contest’s winner would receive a $10 gift card to In-N-Out. 

This contest gathered a large number of underclassmen and upperclassmen students. Not only were students dressed up in costumes for the event, but many female faculty members were dressed as hippies.

“It was cool to see the female teachers and faculty members dress up as hippies on Halloween,” said senior Joshua Lopez.

The contest winner was senior Matthew Olague, who dressed up as a bloody butcher. Matthew got the inspiration for his outfit from his favorite horror movie and thought it would be a cool idea to build a real life version of it.

“I was surprised when they called my name because I didn’t think people would like my costume that much because it was scary,” Matthew said.

Jacob Orellana, who is a part of the sophomore class, had one of the funniest costumes in this competition. Jacob got his idea from the previous Halloween when he saw people walking down his street dressed up with the same costume.

“I thought it would be funny to dress up as someone getting taken by an alien,” said Jacob.

by Andy Ortiz

St. Joseph’s Five Sisters Theatre Company performed a fantastic opening weekend of their first production of the year, Frankenstein, with three more shows upcoming this weekend. 

The theatre program of St. Joseph’s chose this Halloween classic, a rendition of the novel originally written by Mary Shelley in 1818. This production is directed by Ms. Kateryn McReynolds, an St. Joseph’s alumna.

In the Director’s Note, Ms. McReynolds talks about how she and the cast were wondering just what the creature was, as they posed interesting questions about the main concepts the story brings up.

“Frankenstein asks a central question: Who are we? I watch this story, and I see a humanity that longs to be reclaimed, retaught, redeemed,” wrote Ms. McReynolds.

The production Frankenstein follows a monstrous Creature, played by St. Joseph’s junior Galilea Salas, that is created and abandoned by its maker Dr. Victor Frankenstein, played by St. John Bosco High School senior Gerritt Goodman. The Creature is left to travel the land on its own, wandering and learning about the world.

The way the stage of Frankenstein is set up is noteworthy. The stage itself is mostly empty with props being moved in and out in between scenes. However, what makes the stage the most lively are the backgrounds, which are projected onto the wall behind the action. The weather and moods are portrayed using the stage lights, which is done very well.

The stage is also on the same level of the audience, with the exception of the bleachers in the back, so it feels as if you are right there in the scene with the actors, seeing everything unfold. As a result, there really are no bad views, as everything is right in front of you.

The pacing of the show was also well-executed. This production is split into 24 scenes over two acts. After each scene is a short blackout, which helps distinguish each part of the story and makes the play digestible and easy to understand.

The acting was perhaps what stood out the most, however. Galilea Salas, who played the Creature, was believable and shocking. Her screams and twitchy movements make her seem like a reanimated person. It is also awesome to see how her character matures as the production goes on.

Another impressive performance was of Dr. Victor Frankenstien, played by Gerritt Goodman. Dr. Frankenstein is a very irritable and miserable man, which Gerritt portrayed excellently. Frankenstein is a very unlikeable character, and that is by design. Gerritt nailed the absolute annoyance and anger that this character has with his loud voice and intimidating presence. 

One of the more underappreciated roles is that of Monsieur Frankenstein, Frankenstein’s father, played by Bosco junior Noah Wayner. Monsieur Frankenstein is another intimidating figure with a very imposing presence. Noah does an excellent in portraying him with his successful articulation, as well as his authoritative stance and speech. The only thing wrong with his role is that the character simply doesn’t have enough stage time.

The costume design is simple, yet effective. Many of the men wear fancy suits, while the women wear fancy dresses. Moreover, the sound effects, music and other flourishes of ambience are more than fitting.

St. Joseph’s Five Sisters Theatre Company hopes that everyone can come see the last three performances. There are two performances today, the first 3-5:30pm and the second 7-9:30pm. There is one more on Saturday from 7-9:30pm.

by Rafael Escobedo

Last weekend’s Homecoming festivities were filled with many events, including the Homecoming Game versus the Servite Friars, the recognition of our Homecoming Court and, of course, the Homecoming Dance.

As is tradition in every year for Homecoming, both the students from St. John Bosco High School and our sister school, St. Joseph’s High School, voted for who would be crowned as Homecoming Queen. 

The nominees for Junior Princess were Alejandra Banuelos and Jolynn Hollum. For Homecoming Queen, the nominees were Kylie Anderson, Maria Murillo and Angelina Zambly. During the Homecoming Game at halftime, the winner of Homecoming Queen was announced: senior Maria Murillo.

Maria is involved with ASB, is on varsity flag football team and is a member of other clubs around campus.

After the Friday night football game, Bosco’s Homecoming Dance took place on Sunday, October 8th at Hangar 21 in Fullerton. Many students were amazed by how elegant and glamorous Hanger 21 was, with its transformation from an airplane hangar to a homecoming venue.

“I thought the venue was cool and I liked how there were actual planes inside that you could take pictures with,” said junior Pablo Zayas.

Not only did Bosco and St. Joseph’s students attend, but students from other schools as well.

This year was the freshmen’s’ opportunity to experience their first-ever Homecoming Dance, while also being the last Homecoming for the seniors.

“The homecoming dance was extremely fun for me this year, and what made it special for me was being able to dress up, dance and have fun with my friends at Homecoming for one last time. It being my last one made it a bit more surreal,” said senior Adam Rosales.

The event started at around 8pm and ended roughly at 11pm. At the venue, beverages, such as lemonade and water, were served and pastries such as cookies were also served. 

Not only were students able to dance, but there were other activities to enjoy for everyone. This included a photo booth in case students wanted to take pictures with their friends and dates as well as arcade games. 

“This year’s homecoming featured a great deal of entertainment and music. Everyone who attended had something fun to do, whether it was playing the arcade machines or dancing,” said senior Nathan Vargas.

The DJ was well-received by students, as they all had a blast and danced the night away. All different music genres were played that all people could enjoy, leading to a really exciting and spirited night.

More events are yet to come for students later this year here at Bosco and St. Joseph’s such as Winter Formal, Prom and other possible dances.

by Andy Ortiz

Last Thursday’s annual Blood Drive showcased the kindness of the St. John Bosco High School community with many Braves donating their blood to those in need.

The blood was delivered to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a nonprofit healthcare organization that serves the Los Angeles community. They are home to world-renowned physicians and industry leading technology. Their goal is to “set new standards for quality and innovation in patient care.”

Any students 17 and older were able to walk into the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) to donate their blood.

For many years, Bosco and this hospital have been working together organizing the annual Blood Drives.

As for the Blood Drive itself, it began accepting students at 8:30am. Each Brave donated one pint of blood, which is enough to help and save three whole lives. By around 10:00am, the Blood Drive had already received 13 donors. 

Students who finished donating were resting at a table by the side until they were well enough to return to class. They were treated to light refreshments and a free t-shirt for their generosity.

“My mom and grandma have donated in the past, so I want to as well,” said junior Abraham Castellanos. 

Darleen Garcia was a volunteer at the Blood Drive and helped manage all of the drive’s affairs.

“Donating blood can save lives. People get into emergencies where they are losing blood, so we need blood ready to go for those people,” said Garcia. “Blood helps with injuries, accidents, emergencies. Even babies need blood.”

The blood drive went all the way until 2:30pm. By the end of the day, the drive received a grand total of 32 donors for 32 pints of blood collected, even more than the year prior.

Theology teacher Mr. Kris Tran, the organizer of the event, echoed Garcia’s concerns.

“There are many people waiting for blood of their type, but there often isn’t enough for emergencies. It gets very difficult waiting for blood transfusions,” said Mr. Tran.

Mr. Tran explained how his vision for the Blood Drive is for it to be something that people want to donate out of the goodness of their hearts. He hopes that it is something that people want to celebrate, instead of feeling obligated to contribute.

“The donors are the real heroes because they help contribute to the saving of lives,” said Mr. Tran.

According to Mr. Tran, this year’s Blood Drive was nothing short of a success, namely because there were many more donors this year than last year. However, he stated that there can always be more blood, as Cedars-Sinai is reportedly able to accept up to 80 donors a day.

Nevertheless, Mr. Tran is very proud of the Brave community for their help this year and looks forward to receiving even more donors next year.