Bishop Montgomery High School
Knightlife March 1, 2017 • XLXVII • ISSUE 5
Above: Chelsea Hylton ‘17, Kara Montilla ‘17, and Ali Hernandez ‘17 show their love and friendship to one another on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day How-To Written by Madison Reynolds and Harrison Cook Photographed by Mariana Madrigal Heart-shaped chocolates, bouquets of red roses, and life-sized stuffed animals filled the halls of Bishop Montgomery a few weeks ago on the ever-romantic February 14th. Although many people associate Valentine’s Day with affectionate couples and spontaneous acts of love, this holiday has many do’s and don’ts, and Bishop’s favorite “HowTo” duo breaks down the hot and not of the most romantic day of the year. Individuals oftentimes become consumed with having “The Perfect Valentine’s Day” and may impose stress and pressure on themselves and those around them to fulfill expectations. Here are three February 14th faux pas that everyone tends to make and should try to avoid: Entering a Relationship Just Because It’s Valentine’s Day Many people try to force a romantic connection near February 14th in order to have a special date night. However, this “relationship” often crashes and burns because it is built on the fear of loneliness on the big
day and not because of raw chemistry! Complaining About Valentine’s Day Quit your whining! Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to go out with your closest friends, family members, or significant other to show your appreciation for them. You can also treat yourself to a day of doing the things that you love the most (Netflix and your favorite ice cream sounds pretty romantic to us!). Going Over-the-Top Wearing pink and red and sending cards are nice gestures, but not when you overwhelm the people around you with decorations, gifts, and public displays of affection! Even if Valentine’s Day is your favorite holiday, you need to remember to respect other people's opinions and feelings and acknowledge that, to some people, it is just another “Taco Tuesday.” How to Have a Successful Day There are so many options for Valentine festivities, and sometimes it may be difficult to narrow it down to
one. Instead of sifting through every idea you’ve seen on Snapchat, just run them through this simple checklist to see if they will work: Ask Yourself: “How Realistic is This?” While a romantic walk on the beach followed by an expensive sushi dinner may be a terrific idea for an evening, it is just not realistic for high schoolers. The drive alone would be enough to kill any lingering romantic vibes. Buy Affordable, Practical, Personal Gifts Four pairs of Lululemon yoga pants (one for every month you’ve been dating) may be just what your significant other wants, but chances are that it’s just too much to reasonably afford. Common sense should be your first line of defense against over-the-top ideas! The next question is, “would they really like this?” Generic gifts will often end up in the trash. Think about things that makes your partner who they are instead of just buying something that is currently trending. For example, if your partner just started watching The Office, and is not sure if they’re invested in it yet, do not buy a Dwight K. Schrute bobblehead. If all else fails, just remember that band you were
super into in middle school. Would you still want a poster of them now? Consider the Extremity of Your Gesture Even if your gift or event is reasonable financially and would be something your partner would genuinely enjoy, you must think about whether or not you are going “overboard.” Even if he or she loves Disneyland and you make $1,000 a week, buying your significant other a Disney pass is just too much. There isn’t an exact way to figure out if what you are doing is too much, so trust your instincts. And there you have it: simple tips and tricks for a successful Valentine’s Day. So regroup, reread, and live these lessons!
Illustration by Cindy Peng
Brrr-ing on Spirit Week! Written by Haya Rabadi and Devin Brown Photographed by Simon Tran Spirit Week kicked off per-Bishop tradition with a Class Color Day and Tuesday mass. As always, every class decked out in their respective class colors but gathered together in the gym as Bishop Knights for the schoolwide mass. This mass was particularly exciting because, not only were the Junior rings being blessed, but the Bishop Montgomery community had the honor to welcome Nativity and their Junior High choir. After Fr. Ken blessed the junior class and their rings, Nativity’s choir director, a Bishop alumnus, and his choir absolutely awed Bishop’s students and staff with their singing.
When Wednesday rolled around, Bishop students came to school bearing their old jeans to donate to Habitat for Humanity’s “Jeans for Teens” Drive. Students were encouraged to bring in their slightly worn and unneeded jeans to benefit teens at local shelters who are in great need for warmer clothing. That same night, the yearly special McTeacher’s Night was held. With Bishop faculty and staff greeting customers and delivering food to tables, McDonald's in Torrance was boasting of BMHS spirit. From 5-8 PM, teachers such as Ms. Galdamez and Mrs. Rodriguez were honorary McDonald’s volunteers for the
evening, working shifts to help the senior class raise funds for prom and other graduation expenses. The next day during lunch, students were brimming with excitement and nervousness to find out who would win the class volleyball game. The seniors and freshmen team had the edge, and they came out on top! Finally, the eventful week ended with Student Appreciation Day. Students were granted a Black and Gold Day while also receiving free cookies at the chapel during break. Throughout Winter Spirit Week, students were reminded of why we love our school
5430 TORRANCE BOULEVARD, TORRANCE, CA 90503 • WWW.BMHS-LA.ORG
Above: Mr. Skelley serves up another tray of food and smiles for McTeacher’s Night.
community - and our abundance of school spirit was reciprocated by teachers and faculty on Student Appreciation Day.
Campus Life
NHS Induction Written by Anna Quast and Erin Hall
On February 13, 2017, forty-six students were inducted into the Bishop Montgomery Chapter of the National Honor Society. The induction ceremony celebrated the great achievements of the inductees, welcoming them into the prestigious organization; the National Honor Society was initially established in 1921, and the NHS Chapter at Bishop began in 2012. The induction ceremony commenced with a welcoming from the NHS President, Theresa Sitter ‘17. Vice president Alexander Garcia ‘17 led everyone in a meaningful prayer, and then our beloved principal, Ms. Libbon, delivered yet another of her famously wonderful speeches. Ms. Libbon congratulated the inductees and reminded them that they should be proud of their accomplishments in and out of the classroom. Following the opening remarks and introduction was the candle ceremony, led by the student officers of NHS. Each of the candles
represented one of the National Honor Society’s four pillars, all of which are essential to the foundation of such a prestigious national organization. The first pillar of the National Honor Society is scholarship; for members of the Bishop chapter, this entails maintaining an impressive 3.75 GPA, among other things. However, it ultimately reflects the unwavering commitment to learning that each student possesses. Leadership, the second pillar, reminds every NHS member of their duty to represent Bishop and provide as a wholesome influence for others. Members of the National Honor Society are leaders in every aspect of student life at Bishop, showing true leadership through sports, the arts, clubs, and classes. The third pillar of the National Honor Society is service; members of NHS embody this pillar when they willingly volunteer their time to help others, putting the needs of others before their own. Junior Nicole Miller, who was inducted
Above: Ms. Libbon addresses the newly inducted NHS members. into NHS at the ceremony, commented that what she “enjoyed most about the ceremony was seeing all of the people who were willing to give up their free time to give back and serve the community.” Indeed, NHS members are truly dedicated to service, as all members volunteer at least fifty hours each semester, and in most cases, even more of their time than is required. The fourth and final pillar of NHS is character; this pillar is arguably the most important to the individual as character is what distinguishes each student as a unique person and can be reflected in scholarship, leadership, and service. After the lighting of the candles, the new members of Bishop’s charter of NHS were officially inducted. Given a certificate
stating their membership in the organization and a pin, the new members were welcomed into the NHS. After all members received their certificates, they gave the new member pledge, led by vice president Ray Hadnett ‘17. In that pledge, the inductees promised to “maintain and encourage high standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character,” which encapsulates all the National Honor Society stands for. After some closing remarks by NHS president Sitter, students joined their family members and other loved ones who came to witness the ceremony. After reuniting, all enjoyed refreshments, namely lemonade and the BMHS snack bar's famously delicious chocolate chip cookies.
The Time for Kairos and the Road to Emmaus Written by Jackie Pistole Photographed by Julija Garunkstis and Simon Tran In the Bible, Romans 13:11-13 states, “Kairos time is here. It calls for action, conversion and transformation—a change of life.” Early in the morning of February 1, a group of seniors boarded a bus en route to Camp Mt. Crags in Calabasas to attend their 3-day Kairos retreat. The group was led by their fellow seniors Jayla Hines, Chris Leeds, Simon Tran, Cat Valdovinos, Allison Bell, Tanner Griffin, Alyssa Heisen, and Emilie Bero. They would lead everyone in group talks, but also lead their own smaller groups. “Going into Kairos I didn’t really know what to expect,” admits Alyssa Martinez ‘17. She continues, “I thought it would be like all the previous religious retreats. What made the experience different was that the leaders of the retreat were our own classmates.” Hazel Alvarez ‘17 also held similar expectations. “Honestly I was a little skeptical about going on Kairos,” she states, “I thought I would come back unfulfilled, and I
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was worried that I would miss out on something, but the leaders and people who went on it proved me wrong. I’m so grateful I went on Kairos.” The seniors weren’t the only ones to experience a touching trip. On February 9, juniors took to the road of Emmaus. Luke 24:13-16 explains the retreat’s name, which tells of two men travelling to Emmaus the morning of the Resurrection. “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” Seniors Peter Rocca, Ray Hadnett, Nathan Draves, Robbie Arroyo, Katie Kaessinger, Caroline Cusolito, Becky Tapanes, and Hazel Alvarez would lead the group of juniors who travelled to St. Andrew’s Abbey
Above: The juniors and their senior leader bond during the Emmaus retreat.
in Valyermo. Robbie Arroyo ‘17, a group leader, states that “being a leader was stressful and very tiring, but the hope that I could’ve said something that could potentially just help even a single person makes it all worth it.” Hazel Alvarez ‘17, who had recently attended the February Kairos, recounts that she was “so blessed for being able to experience both attending Kairos and leading Emmaus within the span of two weeks.” Juniors who attended the retreat took part in group talks, bonding, and trust games that would incite deeper contemplation of what it meant to be “on the road to Emmaus”
with Jesus Christ. Joe Capicoy ‘18 stated that his favorite part of Emmaus was “getting to bond with my group. I got to know my friends better.” Bella Pilon ‘18 summed it up with: “The best part of going on Emmaus was getting to meet new people and then having them become some of my best friends.”
Entertainment/Opinion
Tom Brady: Greatest of All Time? Written by Skyler Lamar Photographed by Robbie Arroyo
From lit halftime performances to uncomfortable Mr. Clean commercials to surprising score comebacks, Super Bowl LI (51) did not disappoint. On Sunday, February 5, many friends and families gathered together in front of their TVs to witness a showdown between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots to see who would become the Super Bowl champions of 2017. Even if it was just for the Lady Gaga halftime performance or the commercials, you most likely tuned in for a minute or two. If you didn’t, then don’t worry. I’m about to give you the rundown of what some say is one of the most shocking Super Bowls ever. The game started out with the traditional National Anthem and this year, it was sung by country star Luke Bryan. The game took place in Houston, TX, which is also the hometown of former president George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush, who made a heartfelt appearance at the game. They did the honors of leading the coin toss. Once the coin was tossed and it was decided that the Patriots would receive the ball and the Falcons would defend, the game officially commenced! Right off the bat, the battle between Matt Ryan (aka ‘Matty Ice’) and Tom Brady (the teams’ quarterbacks) was fierce. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 0-0, neither team was going down without a fight. By the end of the second quarter, the Falcons seemed to be taking the reigns in this game. The score was 21-3 in favor of the Falcons. With the 2nd quarter over, it was now time for the 51st annual halftime show starring Lady Gaga. Believe it or not, not everyone was as excited to have Lady Gaga perform the halftime show. Some people even started petitions to get other artists to do the show, but I think that her performance quieted them. She ranged from her old songs to songs off her new album, a medley if you will. She per-
formed some of her biggest hits including “Bad Romance,” “Poker Face,” and “Telephone” which she originally sang with Beyonce. There were even rumors that she would make a surprise appearance, but to many people’s disappointment, she did not. All in all, Lady Gaga put on a performance that definitely had people talking the next day. With the Super Bowl always come commercials. Some of the most talked about ones were a T-Mobile commercial starring Justin Bieber, a trailer for an upcoming movie starring Scarlett Johansson called “Ghost In The Shell,” and a Tiffany & Co. commercial starring Lady Gaga talking about her upcoming performance. These were just to name a few some of the commercials that stood out that night. Back to the game! As the third and fourth quarter went on, the Patriots started to make a comeback that no one saw coming. By the third quarter, the score was 28-9 and everyone thought that the Falcons had a victory on their hands, but Tom Brady wasn’t having it. In just the 12 minutes of the 4th quarter, the Patriots scored 19 points and the Falcons scored none, which tied it up 28-28, hence this Super Bowl being the first ever to go into overtime. In the end, however, the Patriots pulled out a stunning victory that no one saw coming finishing it out 34-28. The Patriots were declared the Super Bowl LI champions and Tom Brady was declared the MVP. This is the 5th Super Bowl that Tom Brady has won, making it the most won by any quarterback in the history of the NFL. Some people in the football industry say that he is the G.O.A.T., which is the acronym for the Greatest Of All Time. Others say that because of all the controversy that surrounded him, he doesn’t deserve that title. I’ll leave it up to you to decide, but Super Bowl LI was definitely a game that made even people who aren’t into sports turn their heads.
Oscar Sunday
Written by Lily Linan Photographed by Robbie Arroyo
Finally it’s February, which means it’s Oscar season! 2017 marks the 89th annual Oscar ceremony, which took place on Sunday, February 26th. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and aired on ABC, the stars were seated in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, where the awards have taken place since 2002. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) decided to change up this year’s announcements a bit. Instead of their usual method of announcing to a live audience, they decided to use a live stream through their online platforms, and local broadcasters. The nominees were released last month on January 24. And here are the nominees for each category, and the winners! Best Picture: “Arrival,” “Fences,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Hell or High Water,” “Hidden Figures,” “La La Land,” “Lion,” “Manchester by the Sea,” and **“Moonlight”** Leading Actor: **Casey Affleck** (Manchester by the Sea), Andrew Garfield (“Hacksaw Ridge”), Ryan Gosling (“La La Land”), Viggo Mortensen (“Captain Fantastic”), and Denzel Washington (“Fences”) Leading Actress: Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”), Ruth Negga (“Loving”) Natalie Portman (“Jackie”), **Emma Stone** (“La La Land”), and Meryl Streep (“Florence Foster Jenkins”) Supporting Actor: **Mahershala Ali** (“Moonlight”), Jeff Bridges
(“Hell or High Water”), Lucas Hedges (“Manchester by the Sea”), Dev Patel (“Lion”), and Michael Shannon (“Nocturnal Animals”) Supporting Actress: **Viola Davis** (“Fences”), Naomie Harris (“Moonlight”), Nicole Kidman (“Lion”), Octavia Spencer (“Hidden Figures”), and Michelle Williams (“Manchester by the Sea”) Animated Feature Film: “Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Moana,” “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Red Turtle”, and **“Zootopia”** Director: Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”), Mel Gibson (“Hacksaw Ridge”), **Damien Chazelle** (“La La Land”), Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester by the Sea”) and Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”) Original Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan (“Hell or High Water”), Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”), Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou (“The Lobster), **Kenneth Lonergan** (“Manchester by the Sea”), and Mike Mills (“20th Century Women”) Song: “Audition” (“La La Land”) **”City of Stars”**(“La La Land”), “How Far I’ll Go” (“Moana”), “The Empty Chair” (“Jim: The James Foley Story”), “Can’t Stop the Feeling” (“Trolls”)
Above: Justin Taneza ‘17 knows that Tom Brady is the #1 quarterback in the NFL.
Above: Rebecca Altshuler ‘17 is shocked by the outcome of the Best Picture award at the Oscars.
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Entertainment/Opinion
Where in Bishop? Photographed by Erin Hall and Riley Parker
Where in Bishop were these three photos taken? The first three students who can correctly identify the classroom or area of each photo will receive a voucher to the Snack Bar for free food! Bring your answers to Mr. Hong in room 205. Be sure to search for these special objects to win Knightlife’s “Where in Bishop?” *Knightlife staff and faculty members are ineligible for this contest. Do not disrupt any classes to look for these items. Special thanks to Mr. McGoldrick for suggesting this contest! **Nobody won our last issue’s contest, so get out there and find these spots!
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The Knightlife newspaper is published by the Knightlife club of Bishop Montgomery High School, 5430 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503. Opinions expressed in this paper do not reflect those of Bishop Montgomery High School. Knightlife 2016-2017 Board Editors-in-Chief: Stephanie Trelease & Caroline Cusolito Vice Presidents: Jackie Pistole & Erin Hall Photography Executives: Simon Tran & Jenna Yu (art) Treasurers: Audrey Egekeze Secretary: Theresa Sitter This Issue: Staff Writers: Matt Alcedo, Steven Alvarado, Nicole Barragan, Devin Brown, David Carroll, Harrison Cook, Caroline Cusolito, Jayden Davis, Lydia Dawson Audrey Egekeze, Anjelika Esteban, Erin Hall, Lana Katnich, Caroline Kim, Skyler Lamar, Liliana Linan, Sarah Oppenheim, Riley Parker, Angelo Pasco, Camille Petroni, Jackie Pistole, Anna Quast, Haya Rabadi, Madison Reynolds, Alec Rupp, Annaliese Rupp, Theresa Sitter, Arabella Stadvec, Olivia Thompson, Katelyn Tomanek, Stephanie Trelease, Zandra Tsao, Ricky Xu Staff Photographers: Steven Alvarado, Chloe An, Johnny Brunac, David Carroll, Alexis Cervantes, Harrison Cook, Julija Garunkstis, Libby Hadnett, Jada Harris, Lana Katnich, Caroline Kim, Skyler Lamar, Liliana Linan, Brady Liu, Mariana Madrigal, Cindy Peng, Camille Petroni, Jackie Pistole, Katelyn Tomanek, Simon Tran, Zandra Tsao, Jenna Yu, Staff Advertisers: Harrison Cook, Audrey Egekeze, Ricky Xu Staff Interviewers: Devin Brown, Jayden Davis, Caroline Kim, Liliana Linan, Mariana Madrigal, Madison Reynolds, Haya Rabadi, Theresa Sitter, Katelyn Tomanek, Ricky Xu Peer Editors: Theresa Sitter (1-2), Angelo Pasco (3-4) Graphic Designers: Erin Hall (1-2), Jackie Pistole (3-4) Advisor: Mr. Hong Proofreaders: Mr. Marafino, Ms. Vigon- Morffi Publisher: Ms. Libbon
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*Please contact jhong@bmhs-la.org if you would like to advertise in our monthly newspaper.